Posted 2013-01-05 10:23 PM (#149145) Subject: Good Buy? Bad Buy? Worth refurbishing?
Member
Posts: 14
Location: riverton wy
My SO and I bought a 1981 (YES I KNOW OLD) Double L Pro Showman 33' X 7' 6 horse trailer. The trailer is Aluminum Skin, Aluminum frame up walls and ceiling, the floor is Wood so the main part of the frame (floor cross=rails are steel, and big frame under trailer and under neck is steel) is steel. The entire back end of the trailer is tack storage, the 2 back stalls are straight load- horse rides backwards and has mangers. the other 4 stalls are slanted. The trailer has 2 side ramps to get in/ out. Dressing Room is a 3' short wall and was hideous when we bought it (carpet on walls, floor, roof, it was gross). We ripped all that out, insulated it, put up wall paneling and ran electric. The side ramp on passengers side- used the most has a crack on the bottom rear corner, however the other side does not show any cracks.Anyways... we paid $2700 for this big old trailer w/ original title. We put $800 into it. So we are at $3500... Before we add anything else- Is it worth putting more money into?We plan to repaint the blue painted portion of the trailer (we have a sprayer so prob another $500), add a bath/ shower combo ($400), Cuboards ($100- we are building them) and a small kitchenette ($100- already have appliances).So said and done we will have another $1200 into it- putting us at $4700 into this old trailer.We have an aluminum welder that is a good friend, and owes us money as it is so the crack getting fixed is no problem.Here are pics of the beast before we bought it... We personally like the trailer and think it pretty cool...
Posted 2013-01-05 11:10 PM (#149146 - in reply to #149145) Subject: RE: Good Buy? Bad Buy? Worth refurbishing?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
You can have the trailer you want for $4700 and a bit of labour. Have you tried to find a replacement, that would offer you the same or more capabilities, for any where near that price? If you like its layout and it suits your needs, then the only way to assess its value, is to determine what its replacement would cost. Is it possible that another trailer would exactly service your needs as this one does? Or are there some things about the trailer you dislike and can't change?
When you're done with its reconstruction, you will be familiar with every part, and every part will be where you wanted it to be. If you are happy with the results, and they service you as you want, then the trailer is worth every cent you've invested.
Unless we've walked in your shoes, we can't determine if it's exactly what you want or need. The total cost is quite nominal, compared with what is currently available within the market place. Price isn't everything, serviceability is.
Good Buy? Bad Buy? Worth refurbishing?
