Posted 2007-03-06 8:10 PM (#56796) Subject: Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on outcome
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
Hi - long time reader, 1st time poster! lol..
Might buy this used Trail-et BP New Yorker; I "think" it is from 1988 or 1989, not sure. Had someone go look at it and take pictures for me. I am not crazy about mangers, but can live with them - LOVE all the windows, and the DR. Mainly concerned about the rust in the left horse compartment.
Owners are ASKING $ 5000.00.
I know it is hard to judge just on pictures, but tell me what you think with what I have. Thanks!
Posted 2007-03-06 8:28 PM (#56798 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 644 Location: Odenville, Alabama
Looks like most of the rust is on the drivers side, probably coming from the windows and escape door. How does the floor look under the mats? New weatherstriping around the door, and caulk/sealant around the windows, and it might not leak anymore. Don't know if I'd pay 5k for a 19 year old trailer though.
Posted 2007-03-06 10:02 PM (#56804 - in reply to #56798) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think?
Expert
Posts: 1871 Location: NY
Beside the rust you can see what about e frame? Is the rust also hurting the frame and check the wheels bracks and bearing just what i would do is take it to a trailer place to have them check it for safty
Posted 2007-03-07 3:09 PM (#56831 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
very pricey for a trailer with that much visable rust - the walls inside are probably filled with rust.
I have a much nicer trailer that is a '97 for sale for $7,500 and I'm finding that everyone thinks it should be lower due to the age, but it's a far superior trailer than the one you are looking at. Much better materials and will never have rust issues due to the materials it's made of.
Posted 2007-03-07 3:23 PM (#56833 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think?
Member
Posts: 44 Location: Montana
I agree that there is too much rust. After looking at some other trailers you can find an almost new trailer for just a little more money. Probably get a better trailer in the deal. Have the owners done any re painting to it? It looks good in some areas a bad in others. Just wondering.
Posted 2007-03-07 5:25 PM (#56838 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 333
Agreed that the price is high for that year. Another place to look is up front under the carpet in the DR.. also put your hand (or if you can, get on the ground) and look at the tubing that runs around the nose under the aluminum--that supports the plywood flooring. The tubing should not be rusty or crumbling. Check and see if the rust in the interior is crumbly, too, sort of like the way soda crackers crumble. I had a 1984 Trailet that looked perfect from the outside, and even inside, there was no rust off the boards or up where you are seeing it in this trailer. However, underneath, the frame was "rotting" like the soda cracker analogy.
FWIW, in 2005, I bought a used 94 New Yorker, didn't have the mangers, walk thru with DR, for 4800.00.
The 1984? I donated it to a vo-tech. I couldn't sell it knowing that it needed work. A horse could have been inadvertantly killed or seriously injured because of the poor condition of the frame.
Posted 2007-03-08 8:15 AM (#56865 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think?
Regular
Posts: 62 Location: Western Wisconsin
I too think the price is a bit high for the age but do want to add that it's a sharp looking trailer on the outside. Trailet sure makes a classy looking trailer that never looks dated. :-)
Sarah
ps. My Trailet is set up the same way as this one & I just love it. Haven't had a problem with managers yet. The feed doors are much larger than most dropdown windows so I never have to worry about a horse bumping his head while getting a good look outside.
Posted 2007-05-27 7:18 PM (#61318 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? - UPDATES
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
OK - well we bought this trailer on May 5th. (I paid $ 4500.00) So far so good. The first place I took it was a local Spring shop and they said the brakes were fine (and they DO work) and the frame appeared to be fine. They actually didn't even charge me for looking at the trailer. I did have them order me a new jack, though - which I replaced myself. (My local spring shop is great.)
Last week, I took the trailer up to Leonard's Trailer (Ohio) for them to check out the interior issues. (Seals around the windows and doors appeared to be dry rotted; the inside surface rust, etc.) They called back Friday and said that to seal EACH window it would be $ 163 + tax; fixing the seals around the doors would be $ 243.75. I also wanted a couple tie backs installed and some more tie rings. The trailer also needs a new hitch; the one that came with the trailer is too high; the anti-sway bar is missing and they are pretty rusted. THAT I am not concerned about.
What I do want opinions on is this window issue. There HAS been leakage from the windows over the years; you can tell from the rust stains and the interior of one wall in the dressing room was obviously soaked. (There is wood paneling inside the DR and part of it is warped.)
SO: Is this a reasonable price or high? Would I be able to do this repair myself? If so, how? Would I be better off taking it to a camper/RV shop? I am in unfamiliar territory on repairing these windows. HELP!
Posted 2007-05-27 8:02 PM (#61321 - in reply to #61318) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? - UPDATES
Veteran
Posts: 112 Location: Columbus, Ohio
Well, the DR window should be fixed for sure! I had a 1989 that had a leak in the horse area I could have cared less about- didn't bother anything. As far as the price- take it to Towpath- just South of Leonards on Rt. 23- they tend to be cheaper! Good Luck!
Posted 2007-05-27 8:09 PM (#61322 - in reply to #61318) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? - UPDATES
Location: Central Arkansas
I think that is the Seville model not the New Yorker. I used to have one almost identical to that one. Mine was was a 91, was lined with rubber matting all the way around it and also had a ramp behind full back doors. It was an easy to maintain trailer. I used it for 3 years, sold it to a friend, then bought it back and used it another year. Didn't lose a penny but did keep it well maintained. It had a custom cover for when not in use.
Posted 2007-05-27 8:59 PM (#61323 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? UPDATES - HELP PLEASE!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 644 Location: Odenville, Alabama
I don't know why you couldn't fix those seals yourself. Pull out the old ones, and put in new ones. The door should be the easiest part. Peel off the old rotted rubber, scrape, rub with some "goof off" or something similar and reinstall new rubber. I'd have to think that the price you were quoated, was 95% labor. Perhaps they want to remove the windows to replace the gasket??? Sounds high to me.
Posted 2007-05-27 10:21 PM (#61332 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? UPDATES - HELP PLEASE!
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
Yes you are right - it is a Seville. When I researched it before I bought it, the previous owners didn't know what model it was, so I had to guess. But yes, it does say Seville inside.
Posted 2007-05-28 7:29 AM (#61341 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? UPDATES - HELP PLEASE!
Location: Central Arkansas
Anything I needed to replace on the Trailet, I just ordered from the factory and hubby would DIY. Hubby actually would clean and repaint the inside of the horse compartment with a matching grey primer every other year. He loved the fact that he could do so much of the upkeep himself and not have to pay the trailer folks $80 an hr to do something he was capable of. He would just order the seals from the factory and install them himself.
Posted 2007-05-28 11:02 AM (#61347 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? UPDATES - HELP PLEASE!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316 Location: Illinois
I would give the frame a really good look over. Some of the early aluminum/steel Trailets can have some real serious frame rust issues. I think $5000 is way overpriced for that trailer, that old. Looking at the adds on this site, it seems around $5,000 is about the going rate for the trailers around 1996 of similar style. This trailer is nearly 10 years older.
You can get a new one, without mangers and a walkin dressing room (can add the removable mangers or use a haynet instead) for between $11,000 and $15,000 depending on what options, dealerships and such you seak out.
Some gee-whiz info. Trailet didn't start using the galvanized frames until 1996.
Posted 2007-05-28 11:21 AM (#61348 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? UPDATES - HELP PLEASE!
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
FWIW - the frame has been checked by Wheeling Spring Shop - and is also being checked by Leonard's now. So far, nothing "bad" has been found at either shop. The trailer was stored inside for many of these years, so although it is older, it possibly is in better shape than most trailers of this vintage. The owners had it so clean that they were hauling show quilts in it instead of horses.
And yes - I priced a brand new trailer - was approved for a 2007 Hawk - but when I told hubby how much it was he said, "No way - find a used trailer" - so if nothing else, this will be a trade in someday, or I will get another 10 years of use out of it. A friend of mine has a 2002 Avalanche Titan trailer and it has MORE rust on it NOW than the Trail-et has; so that would have been the same price, too - but I was not impressed with the fact that the Titan was rusting so much already.
Sometimes, we have to deal with what we currently have and find solutions.
Posted 2007-05-28 2:51 PM (#61350 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - What do you think? UPDATES - HELP PLEASE!
Expert
Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
Hey LEC welcome to HTW......
Glad you found a trailer that meets your needs and at a price you can afford. Thats pretty much what I did- could have gotten more bang but just didn't have the bucks! Anyway- Trail-ets have a good rep for long life. Enjoy and see at ABH sometime............
Posted 2007-06-19 1:07 PM (#62483 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on CRAPPY service job!
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
Well here's the latest on my new, used trailer. Took it to Leonard's near Youngstown, Ohio for service and repairs. (See earlier post) the price for dealing all the leaks was for the ENTIRE trailer, so we went ahead and had them do it. I also needed a new hitch and was not surprised about that at all. Had them install tiebacks for the rear doors and they did some brake work and checked the frame, etc.
Everything seemed fine until, I got about halfway home (and this is almost 2 hours from me) and my Dressing Room door is swinging in the wind, while traveling down the road! I stopped and the door would NOT stay shut. Basically, whatever they did with the weatherstripping, did something to the door. I had to stop 5 or 6 times on the way home. I would have taken it back, but it was late afternoon Friday and by the time I noticed, the service dept was closed. WOW, was I pissed!
I called them the following Monday morning and took pictures of the weatherstripping they did around the doors - the tack compartments, the manger doors AND the escape doors - LOTS of doors on this thing. 4 of them were practically GLUED shut - we could barely open them and I had to send my 3 year old son INTO the tack compartment from one side of the trailer, to push the door OPEN on the opposite side! He was the only one that could fit in there.
My basic opinion is that they did a crappy job on the weatherstripping. Some of it is coming off already; it is obvious that they did not clean the surfaces where they were applying it, because the OLD stuff is still there. We could have done a better job ourselves.
Also, they tiebacks were not even put on evenly - OK I can live with that and it is a small issue; but it just seems to show that they did everything way too fast and didn't really seem to care what the quality of work was like. Maybe they were ticked off that I brought them a trailer that is 19 years old instead of buying a new one? Would I have had better work done if I had bought a new trailer from them? Not sure, but no one has responded to my email with the pictures I sent them.
So guess what? I am disputing part of the credit card charge for the work. Not all of it, by any means - but PART of it. Maybe this will get their attention, but so far, it has not. Maybe they really do not care. My basic point is that my husband and I should NOT have to come home and do MORE work on this trailer after paying them to do it. We finally got the door to stay shut but only if I slam the hell out of it. And the DR door no longer locks, either. I might just go to a local RV shop and see if they can help me now.
I am attaching some pictures of what I sent to the service department. Tell me, am I being too picky?
Posted 2007-06-28 11:35 AM (#63024 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on outcome
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
Well, in order to be FAIR - which I always try to be in life - I have to post what happened after I posted my story and updates here on HTW.
As I stated previously, I did attempt to contact Leonards via email with pics and nothing happened. Then, I put in a partial dispute on Discover card for the work we were not happy with. Nothing.
Within 2 to 3 HOURS after I posted my updates here on HTW, I had a response. At first, my husband said, "Oh it must be a coincidence" but no, it was not. An upper level manager saw my post - and she took the bull by the horns and made things right. She agreed that the weatherstripping and tiebacks were not done properly. She also understood that it would be too inconvenient for me, at this point, to bring the trailer back to their shop - so she gave us a credit. The amount is fair and now hubby and I will try to either fix this all ourselves, or take it to my local RV shop.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that HTW certainly got things moving, through no direct intervention of its own - and I am now satisfied. I guess you just have to get through to the right person sometimes. GIRLS RULE! (I had to say that - the original people I talked to were all men.) GIRL POWER!
Posted 2007-06-28 12:57 PM (#63033 - in reply to #63024) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on outcome
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
I'm glad our forum could help you get to the right people.
I would suggest you relocate the left tie-back to be more like the right side tie-back. The issue is leverage. A gust of wind or a horse butt will easily break the left side tie-back. The down side is the holes that will be left in the door and frame. You might leave a bolt in place to cover the hole.
Posted 2007-06-28 1:19 PM (#63038 - in reply to #56796) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on outcome
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Near Wheeling, WV
Thanks, hosspuller - maybe the RV guy can do that? I did not even know that would be a problem. I thought it was strictly a "looks nice or not" problem.
Posted 2007-06-28 4:00 PM (#63054 - in reply to #63024) Subject: RE: Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on outcome
Veteran
Posts: 112 Location: Columbus, Ohio
That is interesting! I had my trailer in at Leonards for some minor cosmetic repairs and while they did a good job straightening out my gravel guard, there was a rivet missing. My rear fender actually looked worse after I picked it up! It actually had an additional dent in it! They didn't charge me for the rear fender (they did re-caulk it nicely). Anyway, the service people were very friendly but I felt the work was a bit sloppy- not sure I'll go there again.
Used Trail-et BP - UPDATES on outcome
