Used Trailers - A Buyers' Guide

Trailer For Sale

What to look for before purchasing a new or used trailer.

Have you ever towed a vehicle or vacationed in a travel trailer? If not consider renting one for a weekend to determine if this is really for you. You will be making a large investment in a Travel Trailer so it would be a good idea to make sure this is really what you want.

Give some serious consideration to a pre-owned unit which will be substantially lower in price. You might consider Airstream known for its silver color and unique design, Jayco for its light weight and Dutchman for a reasonable price.

You need to know what your tow weight limit is. This information can be found in your vehicle information manual. It wouldn't hurt to run this by your mechanic or car dealership as well. Make sure you have the right towing set up, beginning with the bar and hitch, the auxiliary light package, brake controller unit if needed sometimes referred to as a trailer tow package.

Safety chains are crucial make sure they are intact. Most trailers are designed to hold two outside propane tanks. There are times when only one has been installed, ask for the second tank to be included in the sale, the power cord on some vehicles are separate make sure you have it too.

Check for the spare tire some units do not include one. If you have a flat tire on the open road you will be in dire need that spare tire. This is not going to the best time to discover that no spare can be found and you missed it at the time of the sale.

You need to determine which size trailer will best meet your needs. Give some thought as to how many people will be traveling with you. This will help determine how many people need sleeping accommodations.

A small unit easily sleeps six people. The kitchen area is very important if you plan to prepare most of your meals in the unit while traveling. If this is the case you can find a unit with a full stove equipped with an oven. A microwaves is usually standard in most units, some even include a built in coffee maker.

Storage is also of great importance so make sure the available storage is going go to meet your family's needs. There is usually a lot of storage space under the bed and seating areas inside the unit. More storage can be found in the under carriage. If this isn't sufficient there are special carriers that can be purchased. These attach to the back of the trailer and are easily installed with a standard trailer hitch and locked safely in place. You can carry ice chests, bikes, or any item that can be safely tied down and secured.

Most units usually have an antenna and the necessary connections for cable television, phone connections for internet access. Many RV's have satellite connections for both television and satellite so no matter where they are they can do everything on the road they do at home.