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Old 02-27-2006, 09:59 PM   #1
angler_2
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Default Should I buy?? Body repair?

After many months of researching trailers and finally settling upon a trailmanor, I have been reading this forum with great interest as a guest for quite some time now. Now I think I need some advice from experienced owners who might have had body repair work on theirs before.

After many weeks of trying to find a used one for sale in the immediate areas (500 miles) I have found one that I ahve received pictures and info on.

It has one problem that I wondering how concerned to be with it and can it be fixed as good as new? The rear passenger side corner is damaged. It has been backed into a tree or something and the entire corner had been dented in slightly. As a result. the aluminum cover weas crinkled. Previous owner has repaired it by riveting one a strip of aluminum over the top along the whole corner. Can still see that it was damged as the skin is no longer smooth and looks crinkled. It's not too bad an eye sore that I wouldn't mind buying it for the right price. Looks to be purely superficial. Rest of camper in and out looks to be in great shape for a 98.

I have two questions:
1) When I go look at it, what should I look for and be concerned with this type of damage.
2) Anyone every had "body work" repair done on their's. If I bought it and it was just the surface aluminum damage, could a reputable dealer repair it so you would not be able to ever notice that it had been dented? If so for about how much (need so I dicker on the price).

Any other words of wisdom?
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Old 02-28-2006, 12:04 AM   #2
fcatwo
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The TM is built like no other trailer (see their web site) and it's highly unlikely anyone other than the TM factory can repair body damage. We were at the factory in the fall of 2002 getting a couple of upgrades and there was a late model hail damaged TM sitting in the next stall. I asked the mechanic about it and although I've forgotten the exact repair estimate he mentioned, I do remember that it was most of the cost of a new trailer. Since the TM you are looking at is not a late model, it has likely been totaled and cashed out by an insurance company. IMO it's probably worth no more than the value of the fun you can have with it as long as you own it. It's like buying a car with one side bashed in -- really cheap transportation if you can stand the stigma. I'm assuming of course that it is mechanically functional -- that is; the tops go up and down and the beds slide in and out Ok, the door fits and the frame is not bent. It'll be a handfull to tow if the frame is bent.
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Old 02-28-2006, 10:41 AM   #3
Bill
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Angler -

Let me be sure I understand the situation. When you say "the corner", do you mean that the damage is confined to a flat area NEAR the corner? Or do you mean that the actual corner, where the side and back panels meet, was damaged? The latter would imply that both the side panel and the back panel are bent.

If the actual corner is damaged, I think you need to be able to see under the riveted-on aluminum panel. If the damage were minor, I would have thought that the owner would just live with it (it wouldn't be any uglier than the riveted-on aluminum strip). The fact that he felt the need to cover it MAY (I repeat, MAY) mean that the corner seam, where the back and the side panels meet, has been sprung apart. If so, it could be a structural problem that will get worse as the trailer is bounced and jounced on the road. It would also be an open invitation to an endless series of water leaks.

What does the damaged area look like from inside the trailer?

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Old 02-28-2006, 11:22 AM   #4
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I might mention that our first trailer was a canvas-sided, hard-top popup that had been wrecked and rebuilt so well that you would never know it had been damaged. We were young and poor (still poor but not so young anymore) and were delighted to get it for about half the price of a non-wrecked unit. We got four years of fun out of it and never regretted buying it but nothing about it ever worked well. It was difficult to get up and down and the frame was un-noticeably bent down on one corner so that we had to practically sit on the top to get that corner fastened. Discounting normal age depreciation, we gave back most of the money we had saved when buying it by being honest with the new owner when we passed it on. Based on that experience, I would recommend buying a better unit if you have the money.
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Old 02-28-2006, 02:07 PM   #5
Tim Patrick
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Default You can do it...maybe.

I put a 4 foot long crease in the side of our new 3023. With a little bondo and lots and lots of sanding I've got it back to 95% in appearance. It would be 100% if I could duplicate the unique texture of the alumanum skin. Keep in mind that I was only working on a flat surface. As has been posted on this site, I used glossy arctic white spray paint. I was able to order replacement decals from the factory. My opinion is that you'd be surprised what you can repair with some bondo and a good deal of patience.
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Old 03-04-2006, 10:01 PM   #6
angler_2
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Default Thanks all!

after listening to your comments and getting more pics. I found that the seam had been popped open. had put pray foam into it and then riveted the 90 degree angleed pice of aluminum over it. Foam was vsisable inside. also too much other cosmetic problems that probably means was not dept up well. decided not to take the long drive to look it over. Now looking at a hail damaged unit for decent price.
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