When is a trailer considered "old?" Ten years, 15, 20? I know tastes and styles change and would hate to hang on to mine too long. I love my 4 Star but for as much as it sits in the driveway at 13 years I'm beginning to wonder - keep and hope I can afford a ride or two a year (endurance) or sell, get the money out now and buy something cheaper and smaller to haul to vet or the occasional ride, but am hanging on the fence, what to do???? Am I nuts or has anyone else felt this way?

Too long for what? As long as you are hauling horses, you will need a trailer. If you have one that is doing the job and you like it, why change? The box needs little maintenance, the moving parts need occasional checking and updating. This maintenance will cost far less than buying and selling trailers, one of which you may know little.

Age doesn't matter if the trailer is built well and is properly maintained. It's condition and suitability are the reasons whether it is kept or traded.

I have many older mechanical items including some automobiles that are over half a century old. They provide me with many pleasant times and do their job well. I enjoy their suitability and longevity.

If your trailer is providing the service you need and you enjoy its ownership, keep it. You know what you have and need, a knowledge that has no provenance with a different trailer. Older 4 Stars are excellent trailers and will maintain their values and suitability for decades. New products have price increases almost every year. This raises the used value of older equipment. It's quite possible that a decade from now, your trailer could sell for the same as it is now worth. It will all depend on how well it's maintained. One of my trailers is almost fifteen years old and looks better than some two or three year old units. This isn't because of anything special I've done, it's because it was built well and has held up to anything I've needed of it.

Looks as if a 4 Star is never too old... Bet the asking price on this used trailer is as much as the trailer was new 24 years ago... I would love to have it, but not at that price!!!

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=447874

This one may be a little more reasonable.....  http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=447849

If your trailer is really clean it should bring a premium price. Myself, I would keep it.

Thanks - I've seen some great answers to my question. To Gard and Retento, respectively, I do have knowledge of buying and selling trailers, having owned six and with each it was an upgrade and I sold them for very close to what I paid for them. This time I was looking to downsize, maybe get older, less goodies. But based on what you both said about the 4 Stars, and I love mine--my third--I will let it keep its value for me, scrape together what I can to go on rides and sell it down the road for more than I paid for it....since newer ones are so expensive and maybe not for all manufacturers, but the quality always suffers. You made me think and I know I'm making the right decision to keep it, regardless of what my friends say. My F250 is 11 years old with only 60,000 miles so I know how to keep something in shape. My trailer is spotless.