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Old 08-03-2010, 09:35 AM   #1
gcubed
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Default buying tips 2002 TM 2720

Hi am am new to the forum, but have been reading for a while. I am looking at a TM 2720 for 13k not sure if the price is right, but it sounds pretty good. Can someone give me some pointers or a checklist of things I should be looking at prior to purchasing?

Thanks.

-Gregg
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Old 08-03-2010, 11:26 AM   #2
B_and_D
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You can check the nada guides, I've found them a bit on the low side, but it's somewhere to start. Keep in mind that most of the items shown as "extras" are standard equipment on the TM's.

http://www.nadaguides.com/SectionHom...=25&p=0&f=5602

Here are some posts about what to look for in a used TM: http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8878

Good luck!
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Old 08-03-2010, 01:25 PM   #3
gcubed
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Thank you. Looks like I have a bit of reading to do
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Old 08-03-2010, 08:47 PM   #4
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Pricing is a fascinating subject (which may be why I make a living by daytrading and arbitrage).

The price reflects hope, greed, fear, despair, supply, demand, shortages, etc. TrailManor prices also reflect seasonal prices, condition (some folks LIVED in their TM for years at trailer parks), location, etc.
Many sellers start with a high price hoping to find someone who doesn't know that they can get it elsewhere cheaper.
You may get it cheaper by waiting for the seller to drop the price ... but you run the risk of someone else buying it first and missing the deal.
Some sellers have no clue what price to use and guess based on what they paid for it.

The 2002 TM2720 you are interested in for example: Oodle.com shows a 2006 for $7000 and an older 2004 for $12900, so do your research.

If you like to negotiate or chisel - then bring internet price listings, NADA prices, etc. to show the seller he/she is too high. Also learn what you can about good/bad TMs which helps negotiations OR WALK AWAY from a bad deal.
Having cash and a means to tow it away right now also helps. If you can travel you could save alot.


I got lucky and found my TM on craigslist by searching every area I was initially ready to travel to. I hope it's not tacky to report that I paid under $5000 (including my cost for repairs!).
This was last November which seems to be an off-season. The seller did a poor job of advertizing, it was for sale too long, I brought cash, trucked the 1000 miles, and they were very very motivated to get rid of it.

To address you implied question "Is $13000 a good price?" Thats a hard question to answer and it depends on all of the above and if YOU are happy with the deal.

------------------
Another price comparison test I did is to go to Craigslist.com, then to a major city ...Phoenix for this example, then click RVs, search for "2002" search, then just under search box click "low price".
Now scroll down, skip all the stuff with zero or no price, ignore quads/bikes/flatbeds/5thwheels.

What you are looking for are what price range are roughly 27 foot travel trailers built in 2002? (Remember a TM folds and should be worth more.)
Today Craigslist shows: travel trailers starting at $5500, some at 8-9K, 27 ft Fleetwood Prowler for 11K, the highest price travel trailer (NOT class A/B/C/5thwheel) is a $13900 28ft toy hauler .

------------------
And of course check Ebay and closed auctions for what really sold and at what price.
.
Now go find your new TM and have fun camping!
.
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Old 08-04-2010, 09:23 AM   #5
Mr. Adventure
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I found ours by doing a Google search on Trailmanor 3023. It turned up on Ebay, and we bought it from a Georgia dealer, who we had deliver it to us in Virginia. This felt a bit dicey, in that who knows who/what can go on out there. The transaction would probably have been safer if we'd gone there to complete the deal, but everything turned out great in the end.

In retrospect, I did a couple things right:
- I talked to the selling dealer on the phone before the auction ended, and we negotiated that I would pay him a $1000 deposit with American Express through Paypal (that's 2 layers of protection for us) and the rest by cashiers check at my bank after an on-delivery inspection.
- I had them email me a copy of the title (I probably should have also just contacted the prior owner, since the name and address was right there, and the phone number was available, and just asked them about the vehicle history).
- I called the Georgia department of motor vehicles and verified that the VIN number was real (they wouldn't tell me much else)
- I called the local police department in Georgia and asked them if the vehicle had been reported stolen they didn't want to tell me anything, either, but I did get them to tell me that they didn't show the VIN number on a list of reported stolen vehicles.
- I called my insurance guy and asked him to verify that it was insurable (apparently they have access to records of claims on vehicles).
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