Four Wheel Campers Used Buyers Guide

[DirtyDog]

I want to create a buyers guide for folks looking for a used FWC. Please post any tips, tricks, or things to look for in this thread. If you know about certain issues or features for campers of certain years, please post those as well.

 

[backcountry]

I like this idea for a post.

Four things come to mind.

1 - On earlier models, look for rotten particle board. It is replaceable without too much skill, but will take some time and should be considered. Anyone know the year that FWC switched to plywood?

2 - Front and rear spring panels fail over time. I have found that they often fail in the front first. They cost $195 a piece plus shipping in 2010.

3 - Roof Damage. Any tears or cracks?

4 - Inspect the vinyl pop up panel for broken screens, cracks in the corners, and mold in the front.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Here is a quick list of basic this I would recommend looking at.

I will try and add more items & more details to the list as I have time.


USED CAMPER CHECK LIST -- BASIC THINGS TO LOOK FOR:

Check to make sure all of the roof screws are tight, if not hand tighten them and re-seal them with a dab of marine grade silicone once you get the camper home.

Check to make sure the roof does not have any holes or tears in the exterior aluminum roof skin (from trees or misc. items poking it over the years).

Check the soft sides (pop-up up portion) of the camper for unusual wear, tears, or large holes. If there are just small pin holes, those are pretty easy to seal up or patch if needed.

Check the inside of the camper roof (head liner) for rips or tears, stains from possible leaks, or for mold.

Check the front and back wooden folding panels (hinged panels that allow the roof to go up & down). Check to see that the rivets are intact and that the wood is not rotten or wet.

Take a look at the aluminum skin all the way around the outside of the camper. Check for scrapes or punctures.

Check the exterior wooded camper base (usually it is painted grey) for any abnormalities.

Check the eye nuts in the camper base (outside of camper) to see if they have been over-tightened or might be pulling away / pulling out / crooked or bent.

Check the propane box and see if everything looks as it should. Not many things to go wrong with this.

If possible, have the selling turn on items for you.

Example: see if the lights work, see if the furnace lights, see if the refrigerator lights, see if the water pump turns on, etc.

This might not always be possible, but it is always good to poke around and play with things in the camper for a few minutes if you have the opportunity.

Check to see if they have the keys for the rear camper door.

Check to see if the camper jacks look solid and not too bent.

Check to see if the awning cranks or pulls in & out properly.

Check to see if the roof vent opens and closes and does not have any cracks in the lid.

But the best thing to do is just spend a few minutes looking over the camper, sitting inside, smell check inside to make sure it does not have a "funk" to it.

Does it look like the owner of the camper has taken care or the camper ?

Or is it hammered and beaten on ?

Has the seller made any attempt to clean the camper out and make it look presentable for the new buyer ?

Does the camper fit my truck ?

Check the camper fit guide here, or call four wheel campers ...

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/camper_fit.htm


If I were looking to buy a used camper for myself, I would look at the following items above, and then I would probably just sit inside the camper for a few minutes and ask myself ... "will I be comfortable camping in this camper? Does it look nice inside ? Does it smell funky? It is just dirty & gross?"

Or are you telling yourself ... "Hey, this camper is pretty nice. It is clean. It looks to be well taken care of. Doesn't smell. Yes, I would probably be comfortable camping in this camper".

Give it the "Feel Good Test", lol.


Hope this helps.

Happy Camping & used camper shopping !

 

[InspectorLance]

Here are a few shopping tips that really helped me find campers for sale.

Google Alerts. http://www.google.com/alerts
You can type in key words and anytime they are added to the internet, you will get an instant email with link. I found Google alerts very helpfull in finding FWC campers before the general public.

CraigLook http://craiglook.com/rvs.html
This site will allow you to search all craiglist sites around the country at one time. Very helpfull in finding campers online. after you search using normal spelling of what you are looking for try using words like "POP UP" and then you can find the FWC campers that didnt use the proper brand name in the add. I found some where they spelled Grandby with out the D "Granby" . Some of these adds with mis spellings and no brand name in the add are a great find.

Good luck in your search.

Lance

 

[jmodge]

Stan pretty much covered it, I would like to add something I found on mine. The front lift panel had deteriorated and the slivers of delaminated wood had scratched and perforated the fabric. Repairable though.

Jim

 

[Eshelman]

Here are some of the resources I've been using in my search for a Hawk that have been helpful. Anyone have any other search tips? Or a lead on a good used newer Hawk?

WTW
Used Four Wheel Camper Alert Thread
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/878/page__st__500
Gear Exchange
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/forum/15/

Expedition Portal
Pop-up Truck Campers
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=75
Expedition Campers & Trailers
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=99

Used Four Wheel Campers
http://usedfourwheelcampers.com/

Craigslist – Nationwide Search
http://www.allofcraigs.com/

KSL – Salt Lake City and surrounding areas classifieds
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=13

Ebay is probably a good place to look as well, but I haven't seen much pop up there. No pun intended...

 

[twinomad]

I want to create a buyers guide for folks looking for a used FWC. Please post any tips, tricks, or things to look for in this thread. If you know about certain issues or features for campers of certain years, please post those as well.

I am looking for a pop up for a tacoma I see that four wheel has a smaller model that would fit nice. must be near Arizona

 

[durangatan]

I just purchased a 1995 F250 Powerstroke 4X4 with 95K miles, and am looking to add a camper. I am wondering if anyone out there has put a short camper (Hawk) on a long bed and used the extra 2 feet for storage (gas,keg,etc)? It seems that grandby's are easier to find, but I figured that if a hawk comes up I might take a look.

 

[BSS]

1. Know exactly what model you need as well as which others will work for your application. Know which options you are firm on, and which ones you can add later on.

2. Have cash ready at home (not in the bank) to purchase with.

3. Be prepared to drop everything and drive long distance for the right camper. The truly good deals only last a matter of hours, not days or weeks.

 

[chnlisle]

Be sure you know cab height will work for the camper you're looking to buy. Some F250's have a much higher cab. I'm not sure if a '95 fits that category

 

[Sharx]

I like all the ideas here on how to purchase a used trauck camper and wish I added these to my research before I bought my FWC Fleep model last December. I was lucky, the guy I bought it from was upstanding and a genuinely nice guy who had kept the unit in pristine condition and it was loaded with practically every option available for a '15 Fleet you could ask for.

The one thing I would add for this thread was the reality I had of paying a person I did not know at all who lived 1250 miles away a very large sum of money. So I made sure to get a Cashier's check in the amount we agreed on and set off on driving from Northern California (South Bay Area, San Jose) to a city near Denver, Colorado. Luckily, I was familiar with driving in the snow as it was the dead of winter. The thing I worried about the whole way there was, what if this was some sort of scam and I would drive all that way and the guy would meet me with 3 thugs and rob me blind. Or take my check and not give me a camper at all. Who is to know. So after scoring the rig from a super nice guy, I started thinking of a better way to keep myself and others from this problem. Unfortunately, buying expensive items from private parties is not entirely safe anymore. Cities near here actually now give you an option of doing Craigslist transactions right in front of the police stations. But that would not have helped me. So, I realized that the best way to do a deal like this in the future was to agree to a price by phone. Tell the seller that I would like to come to where the item is and either at his own bank/credit union or one I could find close by if he doesn't want to do that, to come there, meet him at the bank of his choice and give the cashier's check to the manager or representative of the place. Allow them to verify that the funds are in my account to cover the check to alleviate their concerns that the check could be fraudulent, and then leave the check with the bank as we both go do the transaction. Once finished, the seller could then meet me back at the bank and I could then sign the check. They could then either take the check or have it deposited into their account. By telling the seller this is the best way to do the deal for both of us on the original phone call, it will insure a safe and fair completion. It will also deter thieves and crooks immediately because as soon as they think they have to meet you at a bank and the security it will provide, they will not want to continue the deal and look for someone else to rip off. Hope this helps buying and selling large ticket items of any nature. This was not an eBay or Amazon transaction after all. When I was a Loan Officer when people would purchase a home, the money that was deposited would be called, "Held in escrow". It's the same idea.

 

[PaulT]

I had a similar situation when buying a boat. The seller was as concerned as I with a Craigslist transaction. I had him tow the boat to a branch of my credit union where I inspected the boat to ensure it was the same one as I had seen earlier. I then withdrew the money and he signed over titles and we had the credit union notarize the papers. We both left happy.

Sad that such a good tool for buyer & seller to find each other involves such risks.


Paul

 

[Karmak]

Good advice.

 

[longhorn1]

Interesting, Craig's List publishes not accepting cashier's checks. Read there published security section when you post. I placed a small AC unit on Craig's List and within minutes I got texts from out of state, misspelled words wanting send a cashier's check and have a mover pick-up the item. Cashier's checks aren't safe.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I had a similar situation when buying a boat. The seller was as concerned as I with a Craigslist transaction. I had him tow the boat to a branch of my credit union where I inspected the boat to ensure it was the same one as I had seen earlier. I then withdrew the money and he signed over titles and we had the credit union notarize the papers. We both left happy.
Sad that such a good tool for buyer & seller to find each other involves such risks.
Paul

When I sold my Grandby, I spoke directly with the buyers financial institution, a Utah Savings and loan. They confirmed the funds were genuine. Yes, it’s sad that there are so many thieves and scammers out there.

 

[Bigfoot Dave]

Over the years of selling used boats for customers I have used wire transfers. I have the customer arrange with their bank to have the funds ready to transfer if they decide to buy the boat and when that decision is made they call their bank and OK the transfer to my account. When my bank calls to tell me the transfer is complete I can give the buyer the title and know the funds are secure. hope this helps, Bigfoot Dave

 

[oldhotrod]

After searching for a very long time, I finally bought a used 2001 Grandby camper...here are my thoughts..
Camper came equipped with an ice box...after taking it on a 3000 mi trip, i found that block ice has gone the way of the dodo and placing 7lb bags in the tray, water would seep along the bag, bypassing the tray and leak onto the floor. So be prepared for replacing with a fridge unit which is obviously an expense in batteries and solar
If the lift panels need to be replaced, that is a $1000 bill if you cannot craft your own.
The older 2pc pedestal couch unit is a poor design and wrestling with the cushions to access the limited storage gets old very quickly. Mine will be redesigned.
Getting in and out through the small door can by a little awkward for anyone with ailments, same with operating the lift panels. It is not too bad and some items can be bought to make it easier but your physical abilities should be a consideration. Try to find a camper to test to see if it will work for you before beginning your search.
I realize that it sounds like I am complaining, which I am, but the moral is if you can afford it, buy new. If you cannot afford new, be prepared to spend possibly a significant amount of money after the fact on an older camper. This is especially important to consider if funds are tight. Hopefully you won't have to spend a bunch but it is likely. And don't be afraid to buy a used or new shell model and outfit it yourself.
Bottom line, I have no regrets, still would have bought my camper and look forward to fixing the little stuff and redesigning the interior to fit my needs...and I expected to spend money after the fact, will be spending more than I planned but will enjoy making it mine...

 

[Sourdough Jack]

With peer to peer payment rails such as Venmo, it would seem that all the fuss and distrust of cashier's checks and juggling pre approved payments between banks (9-5, M-F only) would be a thing of the past. Prior to purchase, have both parties download Venmo (or similar app) and at time of sale, transfer funds on the spot, in real time, safe and sane.
my .02

 

[MountainSufi]

Being a retired skinflint on fixed income, I HAD to buy my FWC used. Reading this forum, I read many posts mentioning their used FWC became a multiyear project. After driving half a continent to buy, they found the product was DEFINITELY not as advertised, but decided to go for it anyway. Ouch!

I included in my searches FWC dealers. I bought my used Fleet from the Arvada, CO dealer. It was as advertised, very clean & 2 years old. Buying in-house has many advantages & I'm glad I did. When I showed my "new" used camper to the Jackson Hole FWC dealer, after hearing what I paid, Denny said, "You stole it." He was right... I could sell it tomorrow for what I paid, given the high demand for FWC.

My advice... Unlike boats and airplanes, there are no professional surveyors of campers. Don't forget to search used inventory every FWC dealer occasionally posts.

 

[Castcrystal]

I have been searching for a used fleet camper for a year now. A little hard finding one in my price range as an artist. But at one point I saw one that seemed like a promising deal. I actually called the company to ask if they thought that specific camper might have any issues and got some really interesting advice. The man I talked to said the year 2000 models were incredibly problematic. The company had just gone through big buyout and shift and how they manufactured things, and he said that for some reason quality fell through the cracks that year.