used hybrids what is the deal?

[jmkay1]

I'm on the market for a new to me trailer when my pop up gave up the ghost. However I'm losing hope here in finding a small used hybrid. Everything I found in my area I might as well buy new as everyone seems to be asking only a few hundred less than new. I can find thousands of popups but for small hybrids appear to be impossible to find. I'm only looking for something less than 18 feet. I'm going to wait until the fall/ winter perhaps there will be more available. Just frustrating. I just can't afford a new one.

 

[PhillyTitan]

Agreed. I couldn't find any hybrids less than $9k.
I had to "settle" for a travel trailer. The fact is that TTs are far more popular and hybrids are a niche market.

 

[gruss]

Same here, they're holding their value pretty well I guess.

Wasn't quite as bad but PUC prices were pretty high too, that's why we ended up buying a new one.

 

[lbcarr87]

If you can wait, try to look for hold over models at the dealerships during the off season. One thing I found, when looking for our HTT, is that many folks buy new campers right at the beginning of peak season. If/when, they try to sell them, they are looking to get out from under a huge debt or trying to get back something close to what they paid originally. The high price point is generally because they paid a premium price to begin with. We found a deal and bought our new 2011 model in Jan. of 2012. January is definitely off season for us in the Midwest. Ours was way, way, below retail, and I'm sure the dealership we bought from didn't lose money on the deal but they didn't get their huge mark up either. They cleared room on the lot and we got the new HTT we wanted. Win Win in my book.
Good luck with your search.

 

[Heady]

Good luck with your search, we bought ours in the off season and got a good deal. They are out there, just need to be quick and ready to purchase when one you like/afford is offered.

 

[Darn]

We just bought a 2009 Shamrock in May for about $1000 below what others were selling for. I guess we got lucky

 

[88PUP]

I'm on the market for a new to me trailer when my pop up gave up the ghost. However I'm losing hope here in finding a small used hybrid. Everything I found in my area I might as well buy new as everyone seems to be asking only a few hundred less than new. I can find thousands of popups but for small hybrids appear to be impossible to find. I'm only looking for something less than 18 feet. I'm going to wait until the fall/ winter perhaps there will be more available. Just frustrating. I just can't afford a new one.

http://roanoke.craigslist.org/rvs/4579775102.html

Don't know how close this is to you but sounded interesting

 

[Snow]

Problem is the small HTT market is a small niche market, even for new... When we were looking for the TT we saw several small HTT's that sat just below the asking price of used 20ft plus TT's ... These folks paid a premium for those small HTT's when they bought them and they know how expensive they are new so they pass along that premium to the next buyer...

 

[Old_Geezer]

A large percentage of people pay way too much new for trailers, and do not have a clue that they depreciate so much. A lot of the pricing you see as far as private sellers, is due to people trying to get out of the trailer what they need to pay off the financing. A lot of those people paid way to much to start with (you would be surprised at the amount of people that pay MSRP or close to it), then financed for 8 or 10 years. When they decide they don't want it in 2 or 3 years they still owe all the principal on the note.

I see HTT's on craigslist all the time where people ask way too much, sometimes even more than I could have purchased it new.

 

[CaliforniaPoppy]

I think diligence is the key. Know the market, look every day, and be ready to buy immediately. I got a 2005 R-Vision Bantam Flier F-17 Rocky Mountain Edition for a song by being there within the hour when it went up for sale.

 

[tfischer]

I think the difference is there are a ton more used popups out there than HTTs.

 

[77starmaster]

I think the difference is there are a ton more used popups out there than HTTs.

I agree our local craigs list has a lot of popups. I was able to pick up a keystone 2006 19' HTT for 6,000 this last spring. I think I got a nice deal as it needs nothing in mint condition. We did look at a bunch of older HTT but found a lot of them had major issues, 1 had a floor so soft I thought I was going threw it as I was looking at it. If you can hold out and keep a sharp eye out and you will find one that you will like. Good luck!

 

[yetavon]

http://www.popupportal.com/index.php?topic=87612.0;topicseen