Re-sales

webers3

So I count about 13 T@Bs 3 years old or less for sale, some hardly used, what's going on here? Why such a high turnover?

marknjudy

I don't think that's a high turnover considering the number of these that are out there. And I'd say the reasons are pretty variable. Some want a bigger unit (like the 400), others just aren't able to use them as much as they thought for various reasons from job obligations to health. I have never seen anyone put a T@B up for sale because it was junk or not great quality.

I answer this now because mine is shortly going up for sale; and it breaks my heart to sell it because it has performed beautifully since the day I bought it. I love it! But it is time for a bigger unit - I haven't decided what yet, perhaps the 400.

jkjenn

webers3 said:

So I count about 13 T@Bs 3 years old or less for sale, some hardly used, what's going on here? Why such a high turnover?

I noticed some are moving up to the 400, others don't get out as much as they expected and some just moved on to something else. That really is not a high number.

marknjudy

^^^ Exactly!

rkj__

My T@b CS-S was very lightly used.  It did not look like they even cooked a meal on the stove.  It was bought by a young couple who very quickly traded it in to get an R-Pod, which is a little bit bigger.

jgram2

I've thought about this too and have come to some possible conclusions: A) the forum is the obvious place to go to sell-I wonder if other specialized forums get the same numbers like those for rpods and airstream etc.?- people overestimate how comfortable they can be in a really small space C) people overestimate how many of their absolutely necessary for traveling items they can actually fit in their TVs+tiny teardrop D) folks entertain dreams of seeing the country when they retire and don't realize the effort it takes E) if you wait till retirement age to travel by trailer, you're also waiting until age and infirmities are catching up with you, making camping a little bit harder, maybe impossible F) people think it's an inexpensive way to vacation, and it is but one can spend a chunk of change anyway G) I think some folks equate trailers with cars-take it to a mechanic and all will be fixed whereas we all know we need to brush up our problem solving skills on the road and on the way.  I'm sure I'm missing obvious reasons but  I don't believe it has to do with the design or quality or customer services of the nüCamp lines.

Sharon_is_SAM

I also think some people are impulsive and have not done their homework before purchasing.  It can be a steep learning curve that needs some committment.  In addition, some must be surrounded with all their creature comforts like home and you just can't fit it all into a Tab.

rkj__

Some people don't have any towing experience, figure they can handle a small trailer, but end up hating towing anyway. 

atlasb

We had our 320 listed and sold on this forum.  The hardest thing is to come to some viable sales value.  Before I posted I searched for used T@B's on any web site I could find.  Was not able to really find that many to compare.  The Yahoo T@B group has a listing but still not that many.  Over the course of time it was listed We had 20+ inquiries, for all over, Washington, Texas, Arizona, Canada etc.  For the number of these trailers out there, it seems to be a minimal amount for sale.  I tried a search on NADA for a value and there are not enough used units listed or sold to establish a sale value.  The reason and only reason ours was sold, was to up grade to the 400.  We have owned 3 different pleasant valley/ NU CAMP products and all have been above expectation.  Each and every time we are in our 400 we marvel at what a quality product they have produced.

Now, this is not to say that it is the right product for everyone,  We are all different and we all have our own way of camping.  For years , camping to us was Holiday Inn.  Boy do I not miss those days!  We have up graded Tow Vehicles several times, so that we could safely tow the next T@B.  So It does become a mater of what may be right for you and as we mature, things we thought were right for us, may not work as expected. 

rkj__

atlasb said:

We had our 320 listed and sold on this forum.  The hardest thing is to come to some viable sales value.  Before I posted I searched for used T@B's on any web site I could find.  Was not able to really find that many to compare.  The Yahoo T@B group has a listing but still not that many.  Over the course of time it was listed We had 20+ inquiries, for all over, Washington, Texas, Arizona, Canada etc.  For the number of these trailers out there, it seems to be a minimal amount for sale.  I tried a search on NADA for a value and there are not enough used units listed or sold to establish a sale value.  The reason and only reason ours was sold, was to up grade to the 400.  We have owned 3 different pleasant valley/ NU CAMP products and all have been above expectation.  Each and every time we are in our 400 we marvel at what a quality product they have produced.

Now, this is not to say that it is the right product for everyone,  We are all different and we all have our own way of camping.  For years , camping to us was Holiday Inn.  Boy do I not miss those days!  We have up graded Tow Vehicles several times, so that we could safely tow the next T@B.  So It does become a mater of what may be right for you and as we mature, things we thought were right for us, may not work as expected. 

When we were looking to buy a used T@b in southern Ontario, there were not too many listed.  Within a month of us buying ours, all the other listings we had noted had been sold as well.  Our trailer was almost sold to somebody on the other side of the country, but their travel plans to come pick it up did not work out. 

Sharon_is_SAM

You have a good point atlasb.  We never really know what re-sale units sell for, so it is hard to know their value.  If list price is any indication, I think they hold their re-sale value well.  

gooselady

I love my unit and it suits me to a tee, however, my husband thinks it is too small and refuses to travel in it with me.  We just picked up a GN LQ toy hauler that my husband can use alone or together, and we can haul our large kennel of dogs with us.  I don't think we are the only family with more than one trailer, lol.

jgram2

Russian nesting dolls, the dogs in the kennel, the kennel in the T@B, the T@B in the Toy hauler. That would bring out the zombies!

webers3

Thank you all who commented, glad to see that the re-sales are not for lack of love for the T@B, and glad to know there will be plenty of slightly used T@Bs when I am ready  

ericnliz

@webers3, You MIGHT be waitin' a good, long while!

Photomom

Friends bought an Aliner and used it exactly once before selling it back to the dealer at a huge loss. Not being mechanically inclined, they had trouble hitching it up and freaked out when it came off the hitch while driving.

And the various forums are replete with people who buy T@Bs before making sure they have an adequate tow vehicle.

ChanW

My DW's sister & brother in law have an RV, first bought it (barely) used, then owned it for about a year, before upgrading.

I think its the nature of the industry.

dsatwork

When we were looking for one last November, there were precious few available. It's ebb and flow. I would imagine there are many people that just realized they aren't able to use it as often as they would like and want to get it sold before they have to winterize it again.

You got to love living in SoCal.....We'll be close by camping in Idyllwild,CA on the 29th and hopefully again at the end of October. Then after Thanksgiving its up to Joshua Tree and Tabazona in January. Lord willing that is.

Michigan_Mike

One thing that was noted about T@B units by factory owner Joe Mullet at üCamp 17, these units DO hold their value longer than the majority of comparative/competing units being sold in the RV industry today.   I believe that when you have a unit that has composite materials within it, the unit itself is superior in quality to competing units out there, it naturally will hold it's value and therefore is a pretty good investment all the way around.   I think it's interesting that you can look at some of the older Dutchman T@B's out there and they still look pretty good. Granted there were some issues with wood materials entered into the trailers, but the composite materials utilized today  do provide owners with longevity and a well preserved trailer if they are maintained properly.