To repair or not to repair

[Wildwash]

I want to sell my 2000 Excella 25. A couple of months ago I jack knifed my trailer and truck damaging the right front corner segment. I got two quotes for segment replacement. Both in the $3k range. I want to minimize the financial pain of my bone head move. I can think of 3 options: full repair, patch or do nothing. Full repair is out of the question. I'm torn between patch and do nothing. I've attached a pic of the damage and the patch I'm considering. What would you guys do.

Any insights given will greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Wildwash

[AlinCal]

For me, if shopping I would not want any sort of patch on a late model trailer, either repair to new or discount for damage.

[bganso]

My opinion...no experience.
As a seller: Sell as is
As a buyer: Patch or live with it. Minor damage on a 17 year old trailer, price would be reflective of the damage.
For a patch, I'd slip it under the mid-line trim and attach with adhesive to avoid rivet holes (potential leaks) and hide it behind the rock guards.

[ijustlee]

If that was mine I'd just leave it as is. That Airstream sign in your photo just looks out of place. There is somebody who makes aluminum patches that are sort of sculptures though just as thick as sheet metal and if you found one that you liked that would probably look good, or at least better than the black sign. To me panel replacement is pretty drastic unless the damage is very severe.

[CRH]

Leave it

[Belegedhel]

Is your trailer insured? If so, make the claim, pay the deductible, and get the repair done right. Even a $500 deductible is chump change compared to what you will have to discount your selling price in order to get buyers to bite.

No insurance? Well, leave it alone then, and maybe you will find a buyer who can live with it without beating you to death on the price.

Look at it this way--we buy these trailers for their aesthetics. This is why polishing a vintage trailer adds $10k to the selling price.

good luck!

[splintair]

As an A&P mechanic, I would take the option to repair it myself. JMHO.

[davidlparker]

Originally Posted by Wildwash

I want to sell my 2000 Excella 25. A couple of months ago I jack knifed my trailer and truck damaging the right front corner segment. I got two quotes for segment replacement. Both in the $3k range. I want to minimize the financial pain of my bone head move. I can think of 3 options: full repair, patch or do nothing. Full repair is out of the question. I'm torn between patch and do nothing. I've attached a pic of the damage and the patch I'm considering. What would you guys do.

Any insights given will greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Wildwash

I'm with most of the previous responses. Leave it as it is. A prospective buyer will get a nice discount and you will not have to endure any additional pain. You should, however, get a couple of good estimates on the cost of a professional repair, e.g., Jackson Center, OH, Flyte Camp, in OR, and P&S Trailer Services, Helena, OH. I think most can give you a fairly accurate cost from a series of good pictures.

Then take the estimates and research the range of prices for a model similar to yours that are undamaged. You can then deduct the repair cost and have a reasonable range to expect to get for your AS.

Good luck.

David Parker
1993 Excella
1989 Dodge D-350

[jalewis]

From the looks of the damage in your pictures, I would be inclined to leave it and I would certainly not use that patch.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I certainly would not patch it. If you sell it as is, be prepared for a discount. A good bet is that a $3K repair will turn into a $6K to $9K discount depending on how long you want to wait to sell it. The market is right for a sale now, so a price that pushes you out to October likely puts you into next spring. Trailers are not at all odd in this respect. Cars, trucks, and homes all have the same sort of "lopsided discount" issue when it comes to repairs. People just don't want the hassle. Since there are a lot of unknowns until a repair is completed, any number anybody has is just a guess. That also drives the discount as well.

Bob

[Wildwash]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I'm going leave it.
Wildwash