Buying a Used 21BHS?

[kbahus]

We have been shopping for a camper for what seems like an eternity and can't find anything worth buying.  The closest we came was an Intech Terra, but it was at the top of the budget and they were not negotiating on price.  There are a couple Camplite 21BHS units for sale within 500 miles of me and they check a lot of boxes (my biggest box is a camper that won't fall apart in a year).  One is a 2017 with the TPO roof, wood cabinets, and what looks like fixed standard RV windows (Thor build).  The other is a 2016 with a 2015 build date and aluminum cabinets which would be nice.  The 2016 has the typical Livin-Lite windows as well.  The 2017 is literally half the price of the 2016, so I am guessing condition reflects the price.  Would current owners consider spending money on one of these?  They are getting pretty old and I am concerned about the frame cracks I have been reading about. 

[Powder Hounds]

I would go with the 2016 unit personally.

It is pretty easy to identify any welding issues with the frame. The slide side will have more cracks than the door side, you can always have some gussets installed and negotiate that cost when you decide on an offer.

Some other things to look for, cross bolts on the hitch. The original hitches had a tendency to bend up. The cross bolts stopped this from happening. Some wall areas pulled away from the bottom of the frame, look for gaps between the floor and walls on the interior, specifically on the front of the slide to the storage area. Easy fix. Just remove the diamond plate skirt, clamp the wall and frame and install some heavy fasteners to tighten things up.

These trailers just last. We are still very happy with our 2015.

All the best.

[kbahus]

Thanks for the information, all good things to check when I go to look at one. 

[Merlin]

Our 16TBS is 10 years old and I would not hesitate to buy another used one. I suggest continuing the search for one with the aluminum roof, but that's just because I don't know anything about longevity of the TPO roof.

One important thing to keep in mind appliances and equipment will also be as old as the camper and RV appliances don't last forever, unlike the camper itself. You may eventually need to replace things like an awning or hot water heater, or exterior lights, but that's true for any brand RV. And unless the previous owner was really diligent, budget for new tires and wheel bearing service.

[djsamuel]

Agree with the above messages.  I'd go for the 2016 with the aluminum cabinets.  We have a pre-Thor 2013 21BHS that we bought new.  We have over 800 nights in it and have towed it about 28,000 miles.  It's been great.