2005 TM evaluation

[CampAllDay]

Hi there,

Below are a few pictures of a TM my DH and I viewed a few days ago. It is a 2005 2720 TM that I believe has been kept outside. It a trade-in and the dealer does not know much about TM or has information from the previous owner who traded it in.

-- Picture 1 and 2 show a lot of rust. Is this usual for an 8-year old model?
-- Picture 3 seems to show a water drip line(?). Should this be a concern? I did press against the walls around the drip line and it seems solid - not soft.

WDYT, overall? Are the conditions, as seen in the picture and the link, normal for a 8 year old TM? Opinions? Thanks.

Oh and more pictures are available at http://www.delmarvarvcenter.com/2005-trailmanor-2720-used-travel-trailer-de-i866597#rpctoken=800470901&forcesecure=1

 

[LoveToCamp-TMO]

Hmmm. The pics you show indicate there are no propane tanks, while the pics on the dealer site show two tanks. It appears that, maybe, the hoses on the propane connections may need to be replaced. Hard to tell.

Overall, it appears to be decent. Rust is expected with that age, but it appears to be priced accordingly. The dealer pictures look like the unit is in overall very good shape. Since dealer is along east coast, I would expect rust on an older trailer. You can take care of it with various Rustoleum treatments.

The drip line may not be from a drip. I have one in my trailer that came from the factory, and it appears to be glue. I have not had a drip there, and I have been in some very heavy rain. See if it rubs off. Or, you can ask the dealer to run a hose over the top while you are inside looking for leaks. It could be coming from a different area, and running along the inside of the roof, before coming out, so don't assume it is "good" if there is no drip while they are hosing-down that corner. Check the caulk along the edges of the roof, and around all the skylights/a.c. May be an easy fix, if you see missing caulk.

Just my 2-cents.

 

[TrailManorMan]

Looks like a few hours of tender loving care and you would have a nice unit, based on the pics it looks fine.
The jacks definitely need some paint etc.. but that isn't much, the mark you indicate May not be water? Can it be a rub spot? Can't tell from pic but I agree have dealer squirt water and then look, even that can be fixed.
Interior looks fine

Propane bottles are often removed by dealer then installed upon sale.

 

[CampAllDay]

Thanks LoveToCamp and TrailManorMan. I like the unit, but DH might want to go for newer.....we'll see how that plays out. BTW, the unit did not have the AM/FM radio/CD player. The 1st picture shows the AM/FM/CD control covered up. I wonder if it is pre-wired for the speakers. Also, is there a cover missing in the 2nd picture (in this reply-post)?

TrailManorMan is right. The propane tanks had been removed by the dealer for safety reasons. They will come with the unit when it is sold.

 

[Redtail cruiser]

If everything is in good working order ( fridge, stove, water heater, lights, waterpump, etc) and there are no roof leaks, then I agree with the others that the unit probably just needs a little TLC. Check tire age. See if the dealer will repair or replace anything that is wrong with it. If not, then offer less money.

Good luck, hope it turns out to be the right TM for you.

 

[TrailManorMan]

That looks like air intake/ exhaust, no cover missing

 

[rvcycleguy]

Thanks LoveToCamp and TrailManorMan. I like the unit, but DH might want to go for newer.....we'll see how that plays out. BTW, the unit did not have the AM/FM radio/CD player. The 1st picture shows the AM/FM/CD control covered up. I wonder if it is pre-wired for the speakers. Also, is there a cover missing in the 2nd picture (in this reply-post)?

TrailManorMan is right. The propane tanks had been removed by the dealer for safety reasons. They will come with the unit when it is sold.

From my understanding the unit is pre-wired for the speakers. Everything you need should be behind the cover. Seems reasonable for the dealer to remove the tanks.

 

[wahoonc]

Given where it is at (basically at the coast) I don't think the rust is excessive. Make sure everything works, then have at it. It looks to me like mostly cosmetic stuff.

Aaron

 

[Logman-TMO]

I imagine that one sat close to a salt water location. Probably near the beach. I would check the 12 volt system w/ battery, lights, waterpump, fans. Check refrig operation on propane,then 110 volts. CHeck AC, let it run for 15 minutes or so. Same process for the hot water heater. Anything you find might be fixed by the dealer if you find it before you pay. I bought a 2006 2720 used last year in Baltimore paid 10,500. I didn't really look it over carefully, but the owners were honest and I was lucky. It wasn't quite that rusty. I am very happy with it. Good Luck

 

[Bill]

Like others, I'm not really worried about the superficial rust. A few hours with a wire brush, then some good paint will take care of it. I've never used any of the "rust converting" products that you can supposedly spray directly onto a minimally-prepared rusty surface, but they sound too good to be true. I would advise thorough cleaning with a wire brush, right down to clean metal, and proper priming and top coats. I'd be pleased to hear from anyone who has used the converters with good results on surfaces as rusty as we see here.

Regarding the "leak". Let me be a devil's advocate for a moment. First, what part of the TM is shown in your third picture? In my 2006 2720SL, I can't find any place with a vertical trim strip that close to a corner, and it doesn't show on any of the dealer pics, either.

The extra vertical trim strip is poorly applied, and the metal to the left of it is new (different color). The metal to the right of it appears to be stained in a strip 3 or 4 inches wide and parallel to the ceiling (unless that is an artifact of the photo). One explanation might be that the original metal in the corner was so badly and visibly corroded that it had to be removed and replaced. That would imply a big leak into the wall from the outside corner. Since the wall has no meaningful draining or drying mechanism, we would have to assume that it is still wet inside. Does that make a difference? I don't know. In the earlier days of wood framing in the shell, we would immediately worry about rotted wood. But by 2005, the walls were framed with aluminum, so rot is not an issue. Will the inner skin continue to corrode, necessitating further repair? Again, I don't know.

Let me say again that this is pure hypothesis. I have no idea if it is really true. But if I were looking at the unit, I would first request that the extra trim strip be removed. Once it is off, take a look at the edges of the metal skin, looking for ragged corrosion that is covered by the trim. Then stick your finger into the gap to see if the foam inside is wet - and whether a substantial amount of foam is missing. Then go outside, under the lower edge of the shell directly below the area in question. Remove a couple of screws, see if they are rusty. Stick a probe of some kind (the stem of a cotton swab?) up into the screw hole and see what you find.

Let us know what you find.

Bill

 

[CampAllDay]

Regarding the "leak". Let me be a devil's advocate for a moment....
Let us know what you find.

Bill

Thanks to everyone for the valuable advice. It helps tremendously in making up our minds about buying.

Bill: You have an eagle's eye! I also did a mistake. I did not rotate the picture. The vertical strip is actually horizontal (parallel to the ceiling). I have rotated the picture to the correct up-right position in first post. The perceived water drip is near the driver side's long wall of the trailer that is very close to the rear queen-sized bed corner. A similar drip line is further down the same wall by the bedroom window. See 2nd picture in this reply. And yes, it seems that the ceiling trim with drip marks and the corner vertical trim are newer (or different color). That is weird. I will definitely have to do a water test and the tests that Bill suggested.

 

[thewayneo]

A similar drip line is further down the same wall by the bedroom window. See 2nd picture in this reply. And yes, it seems that the ceiling trim with drip marks and the corner vertical trim are newer (or different color). That is weird.

The "drip lines" you are seeing might just be standard "decor" for us winter campers. Condensation forms there, freezes solid at nite, then runs like rainwater in the morning. I have to remove ice and water 2 or 3 times a day, and if not removed it forms mold/mildew and black drip lines just like the ones you see. Aside from that, you might check under the beds and along the walls to see if the former owners didn't remove the condensation regularly. If it gets under the bed it's a real mess. Here's a pic of my wall, I don't know why TM puts that strip of smooth plastic on the top part instead of aluminum.

wayne

 

[CampAllDay]

2005 Decor options

Thanks for the replies, everyone. We will look at other TMs as well. What I found in looking at 2005 TMs on the market is that the interior decor look identical from unit o unit. The same countertop colors, the same dinette, mattress, and curtain design/colors. Was there only one scheme for buyers of a new unit or is it just chance that I keep seeing the same decor? The newer models seemed to have more options.

 

[rumbleweed]

There seems to be one color scheme in any one lot/year. I never remember seeing choices of interior colors for a specific model. Don't thin they make enough per year to make choices practical.

 

[Redtail cruiser]

I think your observation is correct. Every '07 TM that I have ever seen has the same interior color that mine has. There may be options now, but I think they may carry the same interior colors for multiple years of production with subtle changes.

 

[CampAllDay]

Featured interior decor per model year

Thanks, Tim and Bob. The 2005 scheme is a bit bland, for my personal taste, bur I could try to jazz it up a bit. The models with red sofa or with imitation marble counter or with darker cabinets really seem to provide a bit of contrast in an otherwise beige-cloaked interior. Does anyone know:

- what is the featured year(s) for the red dinette sofa?
- what is the featured year(s) for the imitation marble counter?
- what is the featured year(s) for laminate? wardwood floors?
- what is the featured year(s) for the 'blue scheme (sofa and curtains)?
- what is the featured year(s) for the dark (cherry colored?) cabinets?

I have a feeling theses are newer schemes and thus more $$ for a TM for sale.

Thanks.

 

[Redtail cruiser]

My '07 has the marble-look counter tops, wood grain laminate floor and the beige with blue trim cushions and curtains.

 

[CampAllDay]

Thanks Tim. That is a nice combination.