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Post by tonybeth on Apr 22, 2019 9:31:37 GMT -5
I am new to pulling a trailer of this size and am thinking of buying a 2002 KZ sportsman 2005 Ultra lite. I really like the layout. My problem is the age of it. They say everything works but I don't have money to start investing into repairs, and because of its age, I'm worried about this. Do you suggest buying it as they want $9,000 Canadian. I would be living in it 6 months of the year. Thanks for your help
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Post by Chuck on Apr 22, 2019 10:18:01 GMT -5
tonybeth They may say everything works but you should check it out yourself, ie turn everything on, walk thought an test the floor by pushing hard on it in the center an near the cabinet's... Look all along the walls for any water stains, look on the roof to see if everything is sealed an no cracks in the caulking around the vents ... Ask questions, why are they selling the trailer, how may miles are on it, look at the tires, how may years old are they, look for loose siding, crawl under the trailer look for anything falling down, dry rot ... print out the PDI list an take it with you there are many things on there that pertain to travel trailers ... kzfamilyforum.com/thread/1903/pdi-listKz builts pretty good trailer an they have had a darn good reputation over the years of doing so, some believe the trailers were better built pre Thor industry's buy them out, I'm not sure about that our 2017 5th wheel is pretty well built ... All I can say is look at everything twice an then look again, your buying an older trailer an no matter what it will need repairs no matter how good it is, you hope they are minor an not major but in the end it will need repairs just like a house ... Over time you will need tires if you travel much, the vents will need to be re-sealed around them, the roof will need to looked after an re-sealed from time to time... So saying you don't have money to start investing into repairs is a understatement, trailers for the most part always need something, screws tightened, door adjusted, lights replaced etc LOL Good luck, again read the PDI list an take it with you  Chuck |
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Post by Edd505 on Apr 22, 2019 18:44:32 GMT -5
Look for any sign of water leaks, discolored roof, walls, floors, cabinets.
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Post by nvguy on Apr 23, 2019 0:02:42 GMT -5
In addition to leaks causing rot, another potential issue is going to be the appliances.
Furnaces typically are given a 10 year lifespan. After that some parts are discontinued. Refrigerators also have a lifespan- especially if it was ran in an out of level condition, so there may be a cooling unit replacement in the future. Or not. Hard to tell.
Water heaters are fairly standard and (relatively) inexpensive. And let's not forget the converter- they wear out, lots of components there.
While KZ builds (and has built) a good solid unit, time takes its toll on everything.
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Post by tonybeth on Apr 23, 2019 0:23:36 GMT -5
Thank you so much for all the great things to look for. Will take it all into consideration when I go see it sometime this week. I have asked that they have it plugged into shore power, have the propane turned on, also the water heater and water in the holding tank so I can text, dink, toilet, shower. Also with shore power I can test the fridge and electric outlets and battery plugged in. Again thanks for all the help. Will let you know how I get the on after I see it.
Price, is it worth $9,000 Canadian if everything works and is clean and no water damage? . They said nothing new has been replaced, only used it about 10 times since new? Thanks again, Elizabeth
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Post by laknox on Apr 23, 2019 12:21:19 GMT -5
I am new to pulling a trailer of this size and am thinking of buying a 2002 KZ sportsman 2005 Ultra lite. I really like the layout. My problem is the age of it. They say everything works but I don't have money to start investing into repairs, and because of its age, I'm worried about this. Do you suggest buying it as they want $9,000 Canadian. I would be living in it 6 months of the year. Thanks for your help For a 17 y.o. rig, I think it's over priced, so bargain hard on it, even if it's in excellent condition. The others have pretty well covered what to look for, but I'll reiterate that water's the worst enemy of an RV, next to sun. Check for soft spots in the floors, signs of water leaks in the roof and around vents and the A/C, soft spots in the walls. Especially check the roof for any nicks, dings, or tears. Check the caulking around all roof penetrations; vents, skylights, wires, antenna mounts, ladder mounts, etc. If there's significant cracking, you can almost be assured there's been some water penetration. If the caulk looks good, ask if it was re-done, when and =how=. Proper way is to scrape as much of the old caulk off, clean, prep and put plenty of new caulk on. Also, how was it stored? If kept inside except when being used, then $9k might be in the ball park. Check to see if any others of the =exact= model are listed on RVTrader, RVT and Craigslist. (There's a great site called Searchtempest.com that allows you to search =all= CL postings in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Pretty cool site and I used it a =lot= when I was searching for an RV. I use it for other stuff, too.) Not sure they're in Canada, but you might check with NRVIA to see if there's a certified inspector that will check it out for you. Paying them a few hundred for a comprehensive inspection by a trained inspector, could save you thousands OR at least open your eyes to possible failures down the road, if you do decide to buy this (or any other) pre-owned rig. While I've not used them, I did talk to a couple different inspectors when I was looking at used KZs a couple years ago, and was impressed by the professionalism of both of them. nrvia.org/Lyle |
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