Advice re second hand trailer (not sure whether to buy)

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CBAnglo

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I went to see an equitrek day treka L yeterday which belongs to someone I know. It is a 2004 model, and they have owned it since new. It has been kept under cover but it looks 9 years old. Rubber on ramp needs changing and there was some rust in places. Looks watertight but the sealant was going in a few places. Everything you would expect from a 9 year old trailer. I guess when I was told it had always been stored under cover that I expected it to look better than it did.

I am not sure whether to buy it? My brother checked it out and said it was mechanically sound, ramp all good etc but I am so vain and want something shiny and new. My brother said there is no point getting a new one as it would depreciate hugely (and cost 3 times as much) and where I plan to keep it isnt the best area (lots of trucks etc going past spraying gravel everywhere) so I would be way too precious with a new trailer (expecially one which cost almost £10k).

I towed it and it felt ok to tow - it is easily the largest trailer I have ever pulled and there is no way I could reverse the thing; think it would take a bit of getting used to.

So, I guess the question is, should I buy it and if so, how much do you think it is worth? It doesnt have the living fitted, its just a shell but I am not too bothered about that.

Thanks in advance for all advice.
 
Thanks; I went to see a couple of IW510s (having been warned off the 511) and again, they were in pretty similar/worse condition, although newer (about 2006 models).

I guess I am just used to buying things new and then taking care of them. I have never bought anything second hand (including all of my cars) so I am going to have to get over this whole vanity thing. AndI can replace the rubber on the ramps etc.

I trust the seller and my brother checked all the mechanical/electrical stuff. He thinks it should be ok for another 5 years (i.e. last until it is 15 yrs) and then the body etc will probably start breaking down especially as we have to keep it outside.

It is bigger than I wanted (I was looking at the show treka) and I didnt realise how difficult it would be to reverse it as it is realllllly long. But one of my horses is an absolute pig to load into normal trailers but is fine in lorries/side loading trailers so that doesnt leave me many options (and I dont travel/compete enough to justify a lorry).

I am the kind of person who would rather buy new on finance than secondhand and have to replace it in a few years. It just seems such a waste.
 
Oh dear, what a sheltered life you have had. Horses soon kick the cr*p out of trailers, lorries, stables etc etc. I can't see the point of going new and taking the hit on that initial depreciation. I am a firm believer that "it doesn't matter about how smart the trailer is, it is the quality of the horse that comes out that matters".

The trailer you have looked at sounds fine if you are happy about the price and that it is the right trailer for your intended use. My lorry chassis is 18 years old and the horse bit on top is 23 years old but it is mechanically sound and I would rather spend the money on quality horses that chase after something shiny to transport them.

Just trying to put some perspective on your decision making. :-)
 
FLG: I completely agree that I am being so precious about this and that I really should overlook the cosmetic stuff and just go for it. I need people like you to just tell me to get over myself.

Thing is, I could get a new one (I still have cash left over from my bonus) so it is not a case of is this the only one I can afford, rather should I go for a secondhand one over a new one for the very reasons you listed i.e. depreciation is huge in the first couple of years and the horses will kick the crap out of it. Also I do not have under cover storage so it will inevitably get scratched by gravel/other people so really I should be sensible and get something that I am not going to be precious over.

A little piece of me is also a bit worried about anything mechanical being secondhand and not working properly as I am not mechanically minded etc so I wouldnt have the first clue about maintenance and my brother lives abroad (he is ony back for a week and I dragged him around looking at horse trailers).
 
Okay, two suggestions here: 1) Get over it ;) My Ifor 505 was bought second hand, it's easily 20 years old now and the partition is knackered because I took it out to travel a claustrophobic horse and my last yard owner promptly dropped a bale of hay on it! It looks old and one of the panels needs replacing before I can use it again. BUT it tows brilliantly, it's never had any mechanical problems and always sails through its checks at the garage. There's not necessarily any reason to assume a second-hand vehicle will be less reliable. New ones can have all sorts of quirks that haven't been discovered and dealt with, on top of their depreciation issues! If you trust the seller and your brother, the trailer should be fine. Looked after well, it could do as much as 10 more years.

2) If it's really going to bother you having this one (and you haven't got anything else you'd rather spend that bonus on!) shop around a bit more. Maybe see if you can find a younger one that doesn't look it's age so much. There might be a compromise between this one and a new one.

Good luck, whatever you decide!
 
Thanks WS: I had a look online to see what I could get in the middle of the price range and basically that is a new IW511 which is what I have been told NOT to get!

Am going to have another chat with my brother (I think he regrets even coming to England for his holiday) and then make a decision tonight. The fact that I know the seller makes a difference to me as I know he would not sell me anthing unsafe etc and it is so hard to buy things from strangers (have heard absolute horror stories of people buying things with holes in the floor etc).
 
Firstly, I do understand your feelings about buying second hand from the confidence point of view. I feel the same way but luckily hubby is usually on hand to kick done sense into me ;)

So, yes you need to get over yourself and stop being vain about how it looks. If it is a sound trailer then who cares what it looks like.

What wood worry me is you not being able to reverse it. I'm old school and don't believe you should tow anything you cannot safely and competently manoeuvre. If you can overcome this with practice, great, if not then find something else that you can cope with.

Happy hunting :)
 
I've always been taught a long trailer is easier to reverse than a short one. Yes it will need a slightly bigger area to manoeuvre but if you can reverse a regular horse trailer than you will be able to handle a slightly longer one
 
I'd agree with that weebarney, the worst thing I have for reversing is a tiny 5 foot long lambing trailer. Jackknifes at the merest whisper of touching the steering of the towing vehicle!
 
Thanks GP and WB: I found the equitrek was easier to reverse than the IW (I use both) it was just the length of this one took a bit more getting used to.

I have 75% made up my mind to go for it; does the fact that it doesnt have a kitchen fitted already put people off? I would have to have one fitted (otherwise what is the point of just having a big room at the front?) so I guess I need to factor in the cost of this, and also find someone to do it (which is a hassle). And how much should that knock off the price? They normally come standard.
 
JulesRules said:
Just out of interest why have you been warned off the 511?

Have you looked at other makes eg The Bateson Ascot or Deauville
Click to expand...

The hinges are all plastic and a friend who rents them out has had no end of problems with hers; she has sent so many back because paint has peeled, hinges have snapped off etc. She told me to get a 510!

I like IW but I have a pig of a horse to load and he gets super stressed when going into any trailer other than a side loading one - he will eventually get on 5 times out of 6. The problem is the 6th time can take anything up to 2 hrs to load him. I would have this same problem with the Bateson so my choices are really limited to an equitrek.
 
CBAnglo I recently bought a 10yr old trailer. It is rusty on a couple of the clips and certainly not new looking but to my inexperienced eye everything seemed in order. It was on the bottom end of the price range for trailers at £1500 but I had it serviced and the little niggles sorted and I am very pleased with what is a safe, useful trailer :)

Before this trailer I was spoilt and bought a trailer which was only 6m old, still had the plastic on and smelt new so this one was a bit of a disappointment!

Equitrek are comparatively expensive, if you can buy this one used for 1/3 of the price of a new one it would be worth getting it fully serviced any niggles sorted so you know it is safe even if it costs a couple of hundred pounds it is still much more cost effective than buying new and should hold it's money :)
 
Shellonabeach: thanks that is really helpful I will definitely have it serviced as it has been maintained by the seller. And apparenly valeting it will also help.

Bit worried about fitting a kitchen think it might be more expensive than originally thought which would push this trailer up into another price bracket (although would have a new kitchen). Not sure it is worth it on a 9 year old trailer but then what is the use of just having a huge room at the front of the trailer?
 
I would say, as long as it is regularly serviced, there is nothing wrong with buying second hand, and the fact you have your brother here at the moment, who knows what he's looking at anyway, you would be fine.

How are you anyway?
 
weebarney said:
You could check out camper van kitchens on eBay.
Click to expand...

Thanks WB that was such a good idea, they are actually quite reasonable.

Am now trying to figure out how much it would all cost (just when I was about to say it was all going to be too much work!)

Thanks TW: we are all (mostly) fine how are things with you? we will have to have a proper catch up soon. Hope all well with D and M?
 
Just make sure if you do buy a kitchen that it is light weight stuff used, some people try to pass off regular kitchen cupboard material as camper van cupboards.
 
My trailer is a 1975 model and theres nothing wrong with it.

However I suspect that my trailer will still be going strong in another 20 years time, and the equitrekker wont :)
 
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