This is not my ad. This is an ad posted by a close friend of mine who is a widow. Her husband passed away a couple years ago. I was close to both of them. He was a Scoutmaster in the Boy Scout Troop that my kids were in. She's been trying to sell this trailer for a couple years now, off and on. Part of the problem was that she didn't realize that the ad expired. The recent posting didn't have any pictures and I let her know about that. I also suggested that she include the availability of the F-350. The truck may have the factory Reese hitch, but I haven't seen that for myself to confirm it.

If you were shopping for a Fifth Wheel trailer, what do you find wrong with this ad? What's missing that would cause you to not look into it any further? Based on what I could find on RV Trader, the price seems about right. A local dealer offered to sell it on consignment for $49k, with her net being only $35k.

https://denver.craigslist.org/tro/d/...388747243.html

 

Is it listed on facebook marketplace? I could be wrong, but I feel like craigslist is being used less and less these days, facebook/social media is just taking over...

 

The trailer is listed on FB. I don't have the link for it. I'm not on FB.

 

The dialogue on the inside might sell to some people, but it is sadly lacking on technical information:

• Length OA, GVWR, Pin weight, height
• Axles - weight rating (7K ??)
• Type of brakes - electric drum or hydraulic disk
• Type of suspension - Lippert centre-point, Lippert equa-flex, MOR/Ryde IS, etc
• Tires - most RV tires don't wear out, so mileage is not important. What is the load rating - E, G or H. What is manufacture date. Tire manufacturer
• Tank capacities - FW, Black and GW. Type of dump valves - cable or electric
• FW System - type of pump, full coach filtration ??
• Hot water tank capacity - 12 gal ??? Is HW Tank electric and/or gas powered.
• Power system - 50 or 30 amp. Size of converter. Does it have a solar system, does it have an inverter. Does it have a surge protector
• Awning?? - size and does it have wind sensors
• Propane - number and size of bottles
• A/C - how many installed, rating and is a heat pump also fitted
• Satellite - installed or even pre-wired
• Window shades - Day/night (MCD) or pleated
• Maxx Fans - how many and do they have covers
• Interior lights - halogen or LED
• Theatre seating - electric or manual.
• Windows - single or double pane

 

Good points. I located a 2017 spec sheet and I'm going to forward the link to her so she can include that in the ad. It doesn't answer all your questions though.

https://www.keystonervsource.com/spe...3650rl-tr33107

 

When we were in the market for any of our trailers, we would use RV USA for specifications. Below is the link to the 2017 Alpine 3650.

https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2017-...3650rl-tr33107

As for the ad, Rangers nailed most of the points, but I would say paragraph spacing properly spaced helps a lot. Some people won't even read an ad with poor punctuation. If the seller does not take the time to create a well thought out ad, how did they treat the camper?

- What size and manufacturer for the TV?
- The bed is an RV king or residential king?
- Rain rails over the slides it looks like?
- Auto leveling or not and how many stands including the front landing gear?
- Hydraulic or electrical jacks?
- Tri-power fridge or no?
- The drawing shows W/D prep, are the appliances there?
- I see generator prep case, is the wiring there?
- What model is the hitch on the pinbox?

Beautiful trailer!

Very kind of you to help her out. This cannot be an easy thing for several reasons. When my father passed, my mother literally gave their class A away to a young family that came to look and dream about "one day". It was easily $40,000 twelve years ago and she sold it for $5,000 just to see it go to a happy family that would use it.

Please pass along our good luck wishes to her!

 

I don't see anything wrong with the ad. Plenty of pictures, make, model and year listed so anyone with an internet connection can find data not listed. If it isn't selling at the asking price, drop the price until it does.

 

I think the ad is fine and is one i would have written myself. The single thing I have found is standard camera shots don't "pop". When I wrote advertising I always dialed up the vibrance and clarity in Light Room. Pictures are everything. I think folks stop reading if there is too much detail. When something doesn't sell it could just be a niche thing, but in this case I think the price is way out of line. If a dealer is going to price it at $49,000 that means he will most likely come down to mid-40s. You have to remember the prices on RV Trader are asking prices, not selling prices. Buyers will not pay a private seller as much as they will pay a dealer. Drop the price to $39,900 or take the dealer's offer and be done with it. My two cents.

Steve

 

It looks good to me. FB marketplace worked well for me, hopefully it will for her. I listed mine with National Vehicle as well. It costs some but they manage the listings and act as a first contact point.

 

What they said ^^^^^^^

. . . and looks like a lot of that has been done already. The thing I noticed besides that is the lack of a picture of the tread on one or all of the tires . . . maybe with a quarter in a tread groove for perspective.

In that area, she's trying to sell at exactly the wrong time. Everyone is getting ready for winter and parking/storing/selling their RVs. Maybe if she sits on it until spring she'll sell quickly at a decent price.

 

I asked her if I can come over and take a look at the truck and the hitch. I'm curious to know if it's a Ford hitch that goes in the Ford 5th Wheel Prep pucks.

 

Good ad overall.

Things others have mentioned I would include.
GVW and capacity, length, king pin wt.
Heated underbelly and tanks if so.

Nice trailer but the tires maybe an issue. Those and their condition, type and axles should be mentioned.

 

Just goes to show ya what a consignment shop will charge ya. It is a nice 5er for sure.

 

Just using NADA pricing as base (options are not normally figured in pricing except when new), it looks like the dealer is about on target with ask versus back to consignee. Most dealers really do not want consignments unless their inventory is down. Return to owner can vary. It's hard to tell about pricing now as dealers are using "black book" values which I have never been able to find online. It varies month-to-month. Important to remember the dealership has an investment in property, storefront, etc. and offers exposure to potential buyers. The owner has a depreciating asset in the back yard.

 

More qualified leads from rvtrader.com .