Posted 2010-04-09 5:24 AM (#118618) Subject: merhow equistar
New User
Posts: 4
Location: michigan
My friend is selling her 09. Any likes and or dislikes? I see a brand new one for 11,400. What is a reasonable price drop on one a year old? It in great shape. Trailer shopping is hard!
Posted 2010-04-09 11:44 PM (#118659 - in reply to #118618) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Member
Posts: 31
I would think 15 - 20% would be normal for the first year. As far as dislikes-I don't like that the Merhow is not primed or painted under the Aluminum skin, Just exposed steel looking for a place to rust
Posted 2010-04-11 11:08 PM (#118708 - in reply to #118659) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Member
Posts: 24
Location: North Webster,Indiana
I don't know what you are talking about. I have an Equistar and all the Steel is painted . Dressing room and horse area are white and the bottom is under coated Black. It is a great looking trailer and I have never had problem one with it!!
Posted 2010-04-13 9:34 PM (#118773 - in reply to #118618) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Member
Posts: 31
Of course the metal you can see is painted. No one would knowingly buy a steel trailer that was rusting when it left the factory. The Merhow is a good looking trailer, Pulls good, has nice features and good spec's. But just the same. The steel frames in the walls are rusting when they are built. The question was "what you like or dislike". I dislike a rusting trailer and being mislead. It was not ment to insult anyone, It was not ment to be personal. Just a fact. Collect all the facts and make an educated choice.
Posted 2010-04-14 11:54 AM (#118803 - in reply to #118773) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Veteran
Posts: 188 Location: Kinston, NC
Hey Lucky, I am confused. Are you referring to the inside of the tubing..condensation building up on the inside, causing rusty water? Or are you referring to the actual outside surface of the tubing, where the alum skin bonds?
Posted 2010-04-14 3:00 PM (#118822 - in reply to #118618) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Member
Posts: 31
The side walls of the trailer are built with black mild steel that has oil sprayed on at the factory. They are welded together. The floor is welded in place, Aluminum roof bows are added, Axles are mounted. The trailer is sent to the paint booth where if you can see it in the final product it gets painted, or undercoated. No acid wash no prime or paint elsewhere. They do use 3M Tape between Steel and Aluminum. I can say this because the owner gave me a factory tour a few years ago and he said he did not believe that paint was needed, He had been doing this for a long time. I bought a trailer but not his trailer.
Posted 2010-04-17 11:36 PM (#118969 - in reply to #118618) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Member
Posts: 9
Location: Madison Heights, Michigan
Is Not putting a protective coat standard in the Horse Trailer Industry. My Friend has a Hawk and it is galvanized, that should last a long time. I know that Sundowner was coating their steel and had a seal the water in problem. It seems to me that like my barn on a cool morning condensation will collect on the steel. This would cause the metal to rust and the rust would flake off and react with the Aluminum (not Good). How many steel frame trailers are built this way. Another good reason for Aluminum trailers.
Posted 2010-04-24 12:04 PM (#119309 - in reply to #118618) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
New User
Posts: 2
I had a 2002 Equistar that did not hold up well. From day one there was rust that would run out from inside the walls... you could see it on the white aluminum sheets where it stained. I never knew until now that the interior frame was not painted but that explains a lot to me. The trailer just had a flimsy feel to it and had lots of little things go wrong with it when it was just a few years old. I had to do major, major maintenance when it just 5 years old, despite pristine care. Merhow was no help. Never, ever again.
Posted 2010-04-29 4:30 PM (#119508 - in reply to #119309) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Maine Back Woods
Three years ago I bought an Equistar at Equine affaire (Mass). Within a year I had a funky mark on both sides of my trailer back by the wheel wells. I pointed this out to the factory rep the following year. He asked me to call the factory on Monday. I did and got kind of a "you must be mistaken" . They had never heard of any problem like that. So I let it go. Two years later-you can see where the steel is behind the aluminum in seven spots. I would best describe it as cancer,it grows. You can take a screw driver and push it thru the aluminum in spots. I camp near the Ocean, Salt spray must have eaten the steel away inside the trailer. We are trading the trailer in on a all aluminum trailer (we have disclosed the problem to the non Merhow dealer) We are taking a bath on the trailer. The Merhow was a great looking trailer new the dealer was very nice and worked with me to get my first new trailer. Sorry the factory was not as helpful after the fact. I know more now it won't happen again.
Posted 2010-04-30 7:37 AM (#119526 - in reply to #118618) Subject: RE: merhow equistar
Regular
Posts: 69 Location: Elkhart , Indiana
sorry about your Merhow , Not all manuf. build that way alot of steel frame alum. skin , paint the complete frame under the alum. and take care not to have the 2 metals touch . there is no perfect metal the steel is stronger and can rust the alum. reacts to the horse urin and can corrode .Check the past on any product you buy and and don't listen to the hype of the sales person .Good Luck
merhow equistar
