Buyer wants to ride in trailer!

[cutterbug]

Please redirect if you must....not sure where to post this. I have a prospective buyer that has asked to ride in the trailer a short distance while I tow? What would this person be looking for? Never heard of this one.

[Phrunes]

Isn't that illegal in most states unless it's a kingpin type trailer? Perhaps you could offer an alternative such as a bumpy offroad ride in the bed of your tow vehicle? Hahaha

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[4RXLA]

Probably wants to determine if the axles are shot.

[cutterbug]

Phrunes....I'll offer that one!!!! Hope we don't have a weird one here...
eubank...That's fine....just wondering if there would be something in particular you could tell about a trailer while riding in it? hummmmm

[rock60]

you will have a mess to clean up after a few miles in there. that will be one sick dude.

[cutterbug]

dougsale....the axles are great....but what would you look for....flying objects? sounds?

[cutterbug]

This is a single axle argosy....nothing moves...even the TV stays put with velcro....I guess I'll be accomodating.

[4RXLA]

I agree its an odd request especially if the axle is new and the running gear is balanced....

[A W Warn]

Cutterbug,
I know it is against the law to ride in a trailer while in tow in NC. I could not find anything online, so I am not sure about VA, where you live. I would not accept the liability if someone asked me to ride in my trailer.

I found this article that says "generally" it is against the law everywhere.
Travel trailer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[B4WEDI]

Did he say if his ride was satisfactory he would buy your trailer ?

Is this the only thing standing in the way of the deal ?

Has he given you a deposit ?

.... and if he get's hurt back there, or says he did ?

Sounds whacky to me. I can't imagine any dealership anywhere going along with this one if you were to ask...

[mutcth]

It might be worth asking him why he wants to do that exactly.

Just because things don't get moved around doesn't mean it's a good ride for someone in there. Consider how much a trailer bounces around on the axle travel before you crank down the stablizers...

Tom

[Airslide]

My son road in mine down the freeway.. not sure why we even did this but by the time I pulled over he was green. We had phones to talk but he will never do it again... at his request.

[tpi]

You have perfectly good reason to say no..its illegal. All he could be looking for is running gear balance or the sound of the bearings, both relatively small issues to fix.

I've turned down much more legitimate testing than that when selling. I denied a guy a compression test on a used motorcycle I was selling. I had no concerns the compression was bad, just didn't want the hassle. He walked, I sold it to someone else.

[kevin242]

It's illegal in most jurisdictions and YOU are the one liable if things don't go well. Tell him he's free to ride in it... once he owns it, but not before.

Strange.

[Jim Foster]

Bud Cooper, the founder of the Vintage Airstream Club (VAC) suggested that someone should ride in the trailer (even though it is against the law in most places) every so often for a short distance, to see what is moving around that shouldn't be moving around, or coming loose that may not be detected with the trailer parked. You may be amazed at what you will see.

The person inside can be in communication with the driver using the little radios that many of us use at events to keep in touch with each other.

[Ag&Au]

Maybe it's a Highway Patrol sting operation. You'd get the ticket not him, you know.

In any case I'd tell him he can ride in it as soon as he buys it and has someone else tow it.

Ken

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, definately not. If he walks around, in the trailer, when you hit the brakes, He will own the trailer and your house too.

[funkill]

Not intending to hijack ... but about 10 of us rode in the back of an open horse/stock trailer in WY (part of a planned ride on a cattle drive) for about 5 miles. It was unbelievably smooth - even enjoyed a cup of joe. Maybe it has a lower center of gravity or something that allows it to rock-n-roll less than a regular travel trailer....

If your buyer wants to ride, make sure he doesn't open any windows as yur movin' down the road.

Please report back if you find out WHY he wants to do this.

Laura

[richinny]

have the buyer set up a video camera in the trailer with the health of the camera on the shoulders of the buyer.

[markdoane]

Easy to accomodate. Let his pit bull (excuse me, Straffordshire Terrier) ride in the trailer while he drives.
If the dog is happy, you have a sale,
If the dog is sick, make him clean up the trailer or buy it.
If the dog tears his leg off, that means your axles are shot.