A checklist for buying a used pop-up?
Chris Jung
We have an appointment today to look at a '83 pop up, a Coleman I believe.
From the sounds of it, it is in pretty good shape (the lady selling it said
that the stove looks like it was never used at all). Is there a checklist
for looking over a used pop up trailer? I would like some info so we could
tell if a defect is a red flag for big trouble or if it's no big deal.
I'm excited since we are a family on a budget but as well we are really
tired of tent camping. On the other hand, we want to travel light and
hopefully this pop-up will fit the bill.
Chris in lovely Ithaca, NY
Chris Jung
"Chris Jung" <cj...@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message
news:9W8fc.46947$M3.3...@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
Well I found the FAQ for this group with a checklist and another checklist
from google search.
One thing I haven't found yet is some idea to price. They are asking $500.
I know from reading this newsgroup that $500 could be a deal or it might be
too much.
First thing we'll look at is how much it weighs. We have two vans and both
have tow limits of 2000 lbs. The seller said she towed this pop up with her
car and it weighs around 1000 so this might be just right for us. From
reading the FAQ, I expect that we'll need to get the bearings repacked and
possibly need new tires (any idea on how much both things run?). If the
canvas is bad on this used unit, we'll probably pass it by since we can't
afford a new one. If it's just old but useable, we'll deal with any small
holes. We don't care about looks.
Sorry for my ramblings. I'm sort of thinking (writing?) out loud. I'm tired
of tent camping and a pop up is very appealing in terms of a compromise
between traveling light and getting off the ground. But if this one isn't a
good fit for us, we'll pass it by.
jau...@houston.rr.com
probably high to some people, but from what we could tell around Houston,
it's the going rate. The main things we checked for were:
Wood rot in floors, sides (walk around on the floor and if it "gives" it may
be rotted, check for water stains in ceiling.
Rust under the trailer.
Check that all lights work, outside camper AND inside!
Condition of wiring and hoses, check for cracks, dry rot, etc.
Ease of cranking up and down.
Condition of tires (of course) and wheel bearings.
Any smells inside (some smells are IMPOSSIBLE to get out!). Febreeze does
work well on alot of smells and we always put a dryer sheet or two inside
before folding up).
If it has AC/Heater, make sure they work.
If the current owner is not willing to let you take your time checking it
out....run like heck! We spent a good hour inside, outside, looking it over
from top to bottom, cranking it up and down, etc. Although there were some
minor problems, none of them were a deal-breaker as my husband and I are
both very handy with repairs, remodels, etc. Here is a link to a site where
I posted pics of the remodel we did ( http://photos.yahoo.com/jausti3 ). We
took out the "ice box" and added a little fridge from Wal*Mart, added Hot
water heater from Home Depot, changed out sink faucet to Hot/Cold one, added
fuse box, added extra electrical outlet inside, microwave, etc. Turned out
pretty well for our first remodel.
We found out that not much CAN'T be fixed, repaired or replaced on these
pop-ups and it doesn't really cost that much to do so.
Good luck!
Kathy and Joseph
Houston, TX
1987 Starcraft Starmaster
1994 Plymouth Voyager
"Chris Jung" <cj...@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message
news:gO9fc.48824$e17....@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
rb608
believe.
> > From the sounds of it, it is in pretty good shape (the lady selling it
> said
> > that the stove looks like it was never used at all). Is there a
checklist
> > for looking over a used pop up trailer? I would like some info so we
> could
> > tell if a defect is a red flag for big trouble or if it's no big deal.
Firstly (since you mentioned it), the condition of the stove is just about
the last measure I would rely on. Many owners almost never use the stove
inside, so the entire unit could be a POS and the stove would still be "like
new".
On the good side, Coleman made some pretty nice units, and the odds of this
one being decent are better than average. Check the obvious stuff:
Evidence of water damage: Stains on the ceiling or floor, mildewed cusions
or canvas, rust or corrosion in unusual places, warped or rotten wood,
peeling veneer.
Screen condition: Few things can ruin a night in the woods faster than
mosquitos. Check all of the screening *thoroughly*.
Zippers: All of them should work. No missing teeth, no jamming.
Beds: They should pull out without needing a linebacker to lean on them.
They should come out straight, not crooked. The braces underneath should be
there & in good shape.
Lift system: If this doesn't work, the rest doesn't much matter. It should
crank up smoothly without weird clanks, squeals, or groans. Once it's up,
look at the cables (inside the upright posts) and check their condition (no
corrosion or "meathooks").
Tires & bearings: Just plan on replacing the tires anyway if they're
original, and the bearings should be repacked.
Undercarriage: Crawl under there & look for major damage or deterioration.
(e.g. If a big piece of new plywood or fresh welding is apparent, ask why.)
HTH,
Joe F.
Chris Jung
We went to check the pop-up out. It's a 1982 Coleman Columbia. The tires
are flat so we couldn't roll it or see the undercarriage.
We opened it up and looked around. It cranked up easily enough. Because of
the flat tires and that it was set up on a slight slope, we couldn't put
down the brace legs under the beds.
As far as we can tell, the canvas is in pretty good shape. All the zippers
work and all the screens are intact. The canvas and the vinyl/fabric roof to
the beds felt ok (flexible but not brittle or rotting). There is a tear in
one corner and some mildew behind the stove and in another corner of the bed
area. The canvas doesn't seem very "tight" in that it seemed that there are
gaps around the beds, though this is probably because it's not properly
attached. Since the seller doesn't have a manual, we don't quite get how
it's suppose to attach. If the canvas on a '82 pop-up was attached properly,
how "bug tight" would it be?
Our general impression is that this pop up is old but wasn't used much.
The cushions look original (brown plaid) but don't have any stains or worn
areas. The kitchen looks old but it doesn't look like it was ever used (no
dirt, grime in the sink or around the handle and no wear marks on the
cabinet door handles). However it looks like a number of the old plastic
pieces are broken from age. For example we put the door in place couldn't
hook up the canvas to it. Partly because the plastic part on the door that
is to go into the canvas gasket was brittle and fell apart if one handled it
much and partly because the rubber gasket on the canvas was totally stiff.
We looked underneath the beds and lifted up the carpet to look at the floor.
The original particle/chip (?) board looks ok, no swelling, discoloration or
staining. We pressed and tapped all over to get a feel for the integrity of
the floor and roof and it seems solid with no stains. The table is a goner,
the rubber gasket around the edge is broken off and the particle/chip board
is breaking up. There is a bit of particle/chip board that is part of the
bench edge and next to the door that is breaking up. The counter covering
(is it Formica over particle board?) is slightly separating on the edges.
It has an awning. Is it possible to buy a screen room to attach to this
awning?
To make this pop-up useable, we figured we would have to:
-get a new manual for this model
-replace the tires
-repack the wheel bearings (Dave has done this before)
-fix the door/gasket problem (replace the plastic part on the door and
somehow replace the rubber gasket on the canvas)
- replace the table (we wondered if it would be best to cut a new table top
ourselves and use the old hardware)
-replace the wood section of the bench
The GVWR is 1320, GAWR is 1180. Our van is rated to tow 2000. We are a
family of three (mom, dad, 6 year old son) plus two collies (show dogs). We
are planning on fairly small trips in the NY/PA area. I would sometimes use
it when I'm at dog shows/agility trials held at fair grounds or parks.
We are thinking of offering $300 and see if they take it. We wonder how
tough is it to fix the door problem. Can we buy a new rubber gasket from
Coleman without having to replace the entire canvas? Since we haven't seen
the manual it could well be that we don't understand how the door and canvas
fit together.
So from I've written, how does this deal sound. Any thoughts?
Chris
rb608
Cool; I used to have one of those. That's the one that has the double on
one end that goes in in sections, right?
> The canvas doesn't seem very "tight" in that it seemed that there are
> gaps around the beds, though this is probably because it's not properly
> attached.
That's probably the case. The canvas should have a bungee running through
the bottom edge that will hook to attachments on the underside. Unless that
bungee is missing (and it's not a big deal repair if it is), it will pull
the canvas snug when properly attached.
> However it looks like a number of the old plastic
> pieces are broken from age. For example we put the door in place couldn't
> hook up the canvas to it. Partly because the plastic part on the door that
> is to go into the canvas gasket was brittle and fell apart if one handled
it
> much and partly because the rubber gasket on the canvas was totally stiff.
Not being able to attach the canvas to the door frame is not an
inconsequential repair; but if you have a canvas repair shop anywhere near
you, they could probably do the work inexpensively. Yes, buy the casket
from Coleman or some other RV supply place & take the whole works in. I
don't remember the canvas arrangement on the Columbia, but it may be
possible to zip out just a front part of the canvas instead of removing the
whole shebang. Alternatively (if the cost or trouble is too much), you
might consider simply using velcro strpping to make the seal.
> To make this pop-up useable, we figured we would have to:
> -get a new manual for this model
Nah; it isn't rocket science, & you'll probably get more practical advice by
asking questions here.
> -replace the tires
A given.
> -repack the wheel bearings (Dave has done this before)
Yup. Good.
> -fix the door/gasket problem (replace the plastic part on the door and
> somehow replace the rubber gasket on the canvas)
Yes. Good luck with that.
> - replace the table (we wondered if it would be best to cut a new table
top
> ourselves and use the old hardware)
That would be my recommendation, especially if you're the least bit handy
with that sort of thing. Just make sure you get the dimension right that
allows the table to be used as a bed.
> -replace the wood section of the bench
Unless you could get away with sanding/reshaping the damage & leaving it
alone. You're probably looking at a fair amount of reconstruction to
replace that piece.
> The GVWR is 1320, GAWR is 1180. Our van is rated to tow 2000. We are a
> family of three (mom, dad, 6 year old son) plus two collies (show dogs).
You have it made. (Cool, I have a collie also; but a "pet quality" dog from
a show breeder.)
> So from I've written, how does this deal sound. Any thoughts?
Sounds pretty good, actually; but it's hard to say from here.
Good luck,
Joe F.
xpodx
--
FSKarasek - KF6HQC
kf6hqc#yahoo.com
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<jau...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:Cfbfc.45566$LL6...@fe1.texas.rr.com...
jau...@houston.rr.com
(if you looked at the website I sent you can see what we've done so far) and
I think all of that can be fixed with no problem. None of what you mentioned
seems that bad. As long as that's ALL there is wrong with it.
Kathy in Houston
"Chris Jung" <cj...@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message
news:Juefc.48910$e17....@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
xpodx
better shape. If you guys are handy with repairs and feel dropping more
bucks into the p/u and feel like fixin'er up then go for it. Sounds like it
is in fairly good shape but it will nickel and dime you for awhile! Good
luck!
--
FSKarasek - KF6HQC
kf6hqc#yahoo.com
--------------------------------
"rb608" <fleisc...@NOSPAMverizon.net> wrote in message
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jau...@houston.rr.com
trouble to hook up and heats water VERY fast! Cost $129. They have a 4.5
gallon model for $119, ($10 cheaper!). It is on the hot water heater aisle
but down towards the opposite end from home hot water heaters. We are really
pleased with the operation of it.
Kathy (and Joseph) in Houston, TX
"xpodx" <kf6...@arrl.net> wrote in message
news:4L-dnWQsDdF...@adelphia.com...
xpodx
I've been a tent camper for over 10 years without the family and I just
bought a used Chalet. I am very excited about getting the family out on
camp-outs.
This particular Chalet has no water heater or space heater. The space heater
will get installed by the dealer before next winter but the water heater
needs to be bought pronto. On demand (or nearly on demand) hot water for
under $150 is OK by me.
Thanks Joseph,
FSKarasek - KF6HQC
xpodx
kf6...@arrl.net
--------------------------------
<jau...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:T6mfc.1523$Hf7...@fe2.texas.rr.com...
jau...@houston.rr.com
And it's electric. Here's a link below with more info, although most of the
websites I found listed the price higher than Home Depot. It pulls 12.5
amps. But since we added a breaker box with 2 additional breakers, this has
never been a problem. We can run the AC (small window unit), hot water
heater, all the lights (inside and out, including "tacky" lights),
microwave, fridge, coffeepot and hair dryer all at once without tripping the
circuit! Click on the "Specifications" link on the site to get more info on
the Ariston.
http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/HeatingProducts/WaterHeating/ariston/AristonIndex.htm
We originally had bought a Coleman Hot Water on Demand system, but then had
to buy the adaptor, and a spray nozzle, so the price ended up being over
$200 and it just wasn't quite what we were looking for. So, we returned it.
We feel this hot water heater is a much better decision.
We also got this 4 burner stove (propane) (link below) because our little
Coleman 2 burner just couldn't handle the volume of cooking we do. The stove
is from Harbor Freight, cost $60 (they have free shipping for orders over
$50) and works like a charm. Almost as well as the home stove does. Very
well-made, plenty of gas jets, brass fittings, cast iron grates and easy to
maintain, plus you can cook using 4 pots/skillets at the same time without
having to shift them around. VERY good buy!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=4826
If you missed the link I posted earlier for the pics of our remodel on the
Starcraft (and our first trip in it), here it is again. Will be adding pics
as we get them. In the 2nd pic, you can just barely see the hot water
heater. In the 4th one, you can see the stove.
http://photos.yahoo.com/jausti3
Modifications are still on the way, mainly new carpet and curtains.
Happy Camping!
Kathy (and Joseph) in Houston, TX
1987 Starcraft Starmaster
1994 Plymouth Voyager
2003 Pelican 16.5' Canoe with trolling motor
Lots of fishing gear!
"xpodx" <kf6...@arrl.net> wrote in message
news:n56dnYKuA41...@adelphia.com...
xpodx
--
FSKarasek - KF6HQC
kf6...@arrl.net
--------------------------------
<jau...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
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