So This Happened Today, is it trash?

[Lettika]

My wife and I picked up a 2012 32BUDS for our Christmas and took it on its maiden voyage for the past two days. We were very excited about the camper as we got ALL of the systems fully functional and the entire interior cleaned up with very minor evidence of the camper being used. We thought we had gotten a great deal on a decent camper. On the way home we saw some flapping on the passenger side. Stopped for gas to find that the fiberglass had separated from the wood and ripped off. We knew there was some damage to the front top but it had been patched up and didn't leak. When the side ripped off the top "repair" came loose and the top separated too. Our intentions were to get into the RV world without breaking the bank to see if we would dig it. It turns out that the "repair" to the damage on the front had been improperly done to say the least.

Do any of you know if this can be fixed? I know a lot more today than I did a week ago when we made the purchase. I was impulsive. I should have done more research/learning before I purchased. Now I am in damage control mode, or just going to chalk this experience up to an expensive lesson.

Now I wonder if this unit is worth fixing or if it is of value to anyone. My gut tells me that getting into RV'ing with an older unit was a gamble and i lost. It seems a shame that all of the interior is nearly perfect and AC/heat/ lighting/water/vents..... all good and the shotty exterior makes them no good anymore.

 

[JohnDar]

Did you buy it from a dealer or a private owner? And what, if any, warranty or guarantee did you get with it? Fixing it may run into some serious cash. As it is, the only buyer might be someone looking for a trailer for a hunting camp willing to patch it up if you sell it for a song.

 

[wdk450]

Talk to an RV Collision Repair company. Do a websearch if you have to. They have a lot of experience in repairing RV exteriors from collisions.

 

[Lettika]

I bought it through a private party, no warranty. I should have known more about what I was looking at and I should not have been in a rush. I will look into the RV collision repair and may go that route. We are both really excited about what opportunities the Travel Trailer would open for us. Can't see the future but I think our best move is to get a new one that I can learn and get to know the ins and outs of from the beginning.
Thank you both for the intel.

 

[danemayer]

I agree with getting it evaluated by a collision repair shop. I would be concerned about the underlying cause. If this was due to the wood having suffered water damage, the repair would be much more significant. But you won't know until you ask.

 

[MTPockets]

It's certainly repairable by professional shop. It looks a lot worse than it is; get more than one estimate.

 

[wdk450]

At least temporarily seal the wood from wet weather for now.

 

[sengli]

Water intrusion eats RVs. I have looked at several like new units, but if you see any ripples, under windows, or anywhere on the body. Delamination is present.