• Airstream camper trailers can be purchased used as well as new.  The values for the Airstream will vary according to the age, model, and wear and tear on the camper.  The Airstream camper value is well documented in severa l different websites.  If you’re looking to buy an Airstream trailer, try checking with your local credit union or bank to check the blue book value.  The KBB (Kelly Blue Book) is issued (as a book!) several times per year, and is available by subscription.  Although it’s nice to have a brand new copy, you can sometimes find a used copy for sale.  You can also check your library to see if they have any in the reference section to sit down with.  You can bring your laptop to the library if they have an internet connection, and sit down and calculate camper values using the Kelley Blue Book for Campers.  These are the categories that KBB values covers:  Folding Trailer values, Fifth Wheel Trailer values, Travel Trailer values, Van Conversion values, camper blue book values, and motor home rv values.  You can find more info on the KBB website (Kelley Blue Book Value.)
• Teardrop campers, or tiny campers, are very popular.  They’re easy to tow, and generally lightweight, and a good camper value.  Check the tow capacity of your vehicle – and don’t forget to estimate the amount of luggage and household (camping) items that need to be stored inside the camper.  The teardrop camper will be of a good value to climb in out of the weather,  Next time you’re tent camping in the rain, visualize the great camper value of a tiny teardrop trailer!  Dry sleeping bags!  Cozy mattress!
• The VW or Camper van has been a great camper value and  popular way to travel and camp for decades.  My Grandparents picked up a Volkswagen Camper in Europe in the early 70’s and traveled in style and comfort all over Europe. 
• RV’s range in value from several thousand dollars for a vintage Winnebago to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new luxury RV.  If you’re looking for rv values, you can find a handy resource on the Nada website.  This online camper blue book value website is easy to use, and includes thousands of camper model values.  Just use Nada’s handy A to Z camper value matrix to look up the precise model and year camper you’re looking for, plug in the features, the mileage (if applicable) and you can estimate the used value.  They also have some telephone numbers on their website for cash for RV’s.  Nada is a great resource for establishing camper blue book value if you know specifically the model camper you need the values for.  Nada isn’t helpful if you want to just browse and get an idea of what you need, you’d have to click links endlessly to calculate camper values, and the pictures and reviews just arent’ there.  It’s a lot more helpful to browse eBay if you’re just looking to kick some tires!
• Last but not least, Sunset recommends a pop-up trailer.  This should be lighter weight and easier to tow than a full length camper trailer, less weight for better gas mileage, easier to park, and less expensive.  If you’re looking to buy a pop-up trailer used, you can check your local Craigslist site for pop-up campers,  folding trailer values, fold down camper values and so on.  Basically what you’re looking for is a trailer that changes size when you set it up.  Most pop-up campers have extensions that pull out or fold out, giving you room to place your mattress for a good night’s sleep.  I’m partial to the pop up camper system that cranks or uses hydraulics to open, because a single adult can set up the pop-up camper.  For an idea of pop-up camper values you can also check your local newspaper to see if they’re running any ads for camper lots.  If so, stop by and let them know which mode l you’d like, and if you don’t see it on the lot they’ll keep you in mind for any trade-ins that come in.  eBay is a great site to search also, just to see what’s on the market and how much it’s selling for.

Need camper value?  When searching for your new or used camper value take into consideration these important points!  Camper value consists of age, brand, condition, location and economy.

1. The year of manufacture plays a large part in determining camper value.  Unless you’re evaluating a vintage camper, the newer the better is generally true.  Safety features of current models are probably better than previous models.  Experience in manufacturing generally leads to better styles and workmanship, positively affecting the camper value.
2. The camper brand and its’ popularity are key to camper value.  Although one camper might be manufactured exactly the same as another brand, brand is important in camper value.
3. It goes without saying that the condition is vitally important in determing camper value.  A well maintained camper will very obviously be of a higher value than a camper poorly maintained.
4. Recent sales data will support your estimate of camper value.  You can check eBay motors, Nada guides, Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds for info.  Craigslist is becoming increasingly popular also for checking camper value.  eBay Motors is easy to check live auctions for the geographical area you are looking to establish the camper value.
5. The overall economy will affect your camper value.  When people have excess money to purchase items, it drives inflation.  When excess cash is not readily available, inflation will drop, and prices will go down.  The definition of inflation is too many dollars chasing too few products.  Depending on whether you’re buying or selling, you’ll like this factor of camper value.  At the time of this post we’re in a period of next to zero inflation, which will keep the value of a camper very low.  There is an excess of inventory on the market currently, so this is a buyers market.
6. Geographic area plays a part in camper value.  Some areas have milder climates, supporting camping for more days per year.  Also consider how the camper has been stored, inside out of the weather, or outside to brave it alone.  You might also look into whether the camper has been driven much on winter roads that have been icy and salted down.  The salt will age the underbelly of the camper, and that will pull down the camper value.

Have we left out anything you think about when it comes to camper value?  Please join the conversation and let us know what you secret is to establishing camper value!

Read More:

Travel Trailer Values – New and Used Travel Trailer Value

The following Used Nada Guides are now available for purchase on the Nada website.  Unless noted, these Used Nada Guides are the 2009 versions.

1. 2009 Official Used Car Guide, Used Nada covering years 2009 through 2009 (some 2009, passenger, SUV and light duty trucks)
2. 2009 Official Older Used Car Guide, Used Nada covering years 1990 through 2001(passenger cars, SUV and light duty trucks)
3. 2009 Classic, Collectible, Exotic and Muscle Car Appraisal Guide & Directory, Used Nada covering model years 1926 through 2009 (passenger and light duty trucks model years 1926 – 1989, special interest vehicles and highline exotics from model years 1946 to 2009)
4. 2009 Recreation Vehicle Appraisal Guide, Used Nada covering model years 1995 through 2009 (Park Models, 5th Wheels, Travel Trailers, truck campers, motor homes, rvs, camping trailers – fold down, pop up campers)
5. 2009 Recreation Vehicle e‑Guidebook CD‑ROM, Used Nada covering model years 1975 through 2009 (truck campers, camping trailers, motor homes, park models, heavy duty tow vehicles, travel trailers, popups, folding campers)
6. 2009 Older Recreation Vehicle Appraisal Guide, Used Nada covering model years 1975 through 1994 (Truck Campers and Camping Trailers, Motor Homes, RV’s, Pop ups, Folding Camping Trailers, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheels and Park Models)
7. 2009 Motorcycle, Snowmobile, ATV, Personal Watercraft Appraisal Guide, Used Nada covering model years 1905 through 1994 (motorcycles, sidecars, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, trailers)
8. 2009 Marine Appraisal Guide, Used Nada covering model years 1993 through 2009 (trailers, inboards, outboards, sailboats, jet and stern drives, yachts, etc.)
9. 2009 Marine e-Guidebook CD‑ROM, Used Nada covering years 1970 through 2009 (Printable window stickers)
10. 2009 Older Marine Appraisal Guide, Used Nada covering years 1970 through 1992 (All boats 7 to 75 feet in length)
11. 2009 Manufactured Housing Cost Guide, Used Nada covering years 1970 through 2009 (Average retail prices)
12. 2009 Manufactured Housing Cost CD‑ROM, Used Nada covering years 1970 through 2009 (single workstation license, not compatible with Macintosh)
13. Manufactured Housing National Appraisal System (NAS) (Approved HUD FHA Title 1)
14. 2009 Van/Truck Conversion and Limousine Appraisal Guide, Used Nada covering
    Van/Truck model years 1984 through 2009 and Limousine model years 1990 through 2009 (Updated 3 times a year, January, May and September)
15. 2009 Title & Registration Textbook (Includes all states dept of motor vehicle info, updated anually in January)
16. 2009 Title & Registration e‑Textbook CD‑ROM (single user license)
17. 2009 Official Commercial Truck Guide, Used Nada covering model years 2000 through 2009 (updated monthly, 12 month subscription)

 The Nada Bluebook is an industry standard of the National Automobile Dealers Association.  The telephone number for customer service is (714)556-8511 ext. “0″.  (Same number to order guides, or you may order your nada bluebook for nada pricing online at nada.com.)  When you need to establish used rv prices, the nada guide is very helpful.  Rv values can be determined with the nada rv price guide.  Nada pricing with the Used Nada is industry standard.

The Coleman camper has been a top US folding camper model since 1979.  The Coleman company has been manufacturing folding campers since the mid 1960’s, and is the only type of camping trailers it manufactures.  The Coleman camper trailer is an economical choice to purchase, maintain, and tow.  Coleman camper is distributed to camping enthusiasts around the world, and continues to increase in popularity.

The Coleman camper is an RV tent trailer which is set up to expand to provide comfortable living spaces.  The side and end walls of the camper are fabric, which is why the Coleman camper is referred to as a tent trailer.  The Coleman camper is towed to its’ desired location, and the roof is raised, and the end sections are pulled out to create the additional living space. 

When you’re thinking of purchasing a Coleman folding camper, consider the vehicle that will tow the folding camper first.  If you are going to utilize your current vehicle to tow the Coleman camper, find out the towing capacity of the vehicle.  You can find this out from your auto dealer or from the vehicle’s owners manual.  When you think about the camper weight, be sure to consider the fully loaded weight (all the items you stow aboard the camper when you tow it), and not the dry weight, which is just the camper itself.  Most Coleman campers fall within the range of slightly less than one ton to two tons.  (1,500 to 4000 lbs.)  You’ll need to verify that the weight of the tow vehicle plus the fully loaded camper trailer do not exceed the Gross Combined Weight Rating of the tow vehicle.  This weight range indicates the Coleman camper can easily be towed by most family sized sedans, SUV’s, and mini vans, making it a very economical choice for family camping. 

Next consider the requirements of the Coleman camper – how many people will be using it, what do you consider necessary in the way of kitchen, dinette, bathroom, and storage.  And of course consider your price range.  Once you’ve established your Coleman camper price range and know the vehicle tow capacity, you can begin the process of narrowing down your choices of Coleman campers. 

If your camper budget runs to the modest investment, or if you will not expect to use your folding camper very often of for very long, you could consider purchasing a used Coleman camper.  You can find quite a good selection on eBay, running from several hundred dollars for an older model beginning in 1967 to upward of ten thousand dollars for a newer top of the line Coleman camper.  If you’d like to take a look at live auctions for Coleman folding campers now on eBay, please CLICK HERE: Coleman Camper on eBay. At the time this post was written there were 15 Coleman campers on eBay, ranging in price from $202. to $5,600. Most of these Coleman campers had quite a few bids. If you’d like to take a look at actual sales prices on eBay for Coleman campers, CLICK HERE: Coleman Camper on eBay – Sold Prices. Sold prices for Coleman campers on eBay ranged from a low of $1,625 for a 1993 Coleman camper to a high of $9,500. for a 2007 Coleman camper – Fleetwood Evolution – which includes a toy hauler space onboard the trailer. (A high end model that was practically brand new.)

When looking at a used Coleman camper bear in mind the age of the awning fabric, and how that tent camper has been maintained and stored. A major improvement in the Coleman camper line occured in 1992, when a better brand of fabric for the tent trailer was introduced, increasing the longevity of the camper. Coleman campers built prior to 1992 have the older type of fabric, so this year is significant when you’re looking at Coleman camper models.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for a used Coleman camper:

• What is the condition of the awning fabric of the camper
• What is the condition of the tires of the camper
• What is the condition of the hitch, electrical system, and plumbing of the camper
• What is the overall condition of the body and frame, doors, and cabinets of the camper
• What is the condition of the flooring of the camper
• Is there any rust or evidence of water leaks
• Does the owner have the clear title to transfer the camper
• What is the condition of the mattresses and cushions
• What is the condition of the heater, AC, water heater, stove, sink
• Is there an awning attachment – if so the condition

Enjoy your new camping lifestyle with a Coleman camper – the leading folding tent camper manufacturer in the US!

Do you have a vintage camper? It’s lots of fun to talk to other owners of vintage campers, and if you visit the vintage trailer supply link above, you will find they’re very knowledgeable about vintage camper and vintage trailer parts. If you’re looking to buy or sell vintage campers or trailers, feel free to leave a comment on this post for other readers, we’re happy to play matchmaker for vintage camper buffs!

Click here to visit Vintage Trailer Supply.

Here’s a post in response to a question I received from Joe S., regarding a vintage 1973 trailer that was recently listed on eBay.  Joe wanted to know if the vintage camper was still for sale.  I remembered seeing it, it had appeared briefly on this website in the vintage trailer eBay post.  (You can see that post here: Vintage Campers ) I thought there must be a way to find out if it sold or not.  It had been listed by one of my favorite sellers, and I knew if I dug around a bit in my emails I’d find old correspondence, but I wanted to think smarter, not harder!  So I did a search of completed listings on eBay Motors, and included the word “vintage” in the category for “RV’s and Campers”.  Eureka!  I struck gold!  Toward the bottom of the list of search results for 37 items, all listings that have ended, I found the listing I was looking for.  And sorry, Joe, it did sell.  (“Vintage Camper – Small Shasta Travel Trailer”).  This 1973 Vintage Retro Trailer sold on January 22, 2009 for only $809.99 on eBay.  There were 7 bids.  When I created this list it made a very interesting study in blue book values for vintage campers and trailers.  eBay is an excellent source of information to find the current sales prices for all types of recreational vehicles.  I saved the search, and you can see it here:  CLICK HERE:  EBAY VINTAGE CAMPERS AND TRAILERS  (Completed listings) So that’s my tip for today, Joe, and for everyone that needs to set the blue book value of a vintage camper or trailer – search eBay on the eBay Motors site, and go to “Advanced Search”, which you’ll find just to the right of the regular search button.  Under the “What are you looking for” you’ll see a box that you can scroll through.  Click on “Rv’s and Campers”.  Then you next click on the little downward arrow under “Type”.  You’ll see you can select from among the following:  Fifth Wheel, Folding Camper, Motorized class A, Motorized class B, Motorized class C, Toy Hauler, Travel Trailer, Truck Camper, or other.  This covers a pretty wide range of recreational vehicles for sale on eBay.  You can also experiment a bit with the “What are You Looking For” menu, selecting “Other Vehicles and Trailers”, and repeat the process of looking at the dropdown menu under “Type”.  This is an excellent way to determine the blue book value of vehicles that are no longer llsted on the Nada site online directory (free!) of camper and trailer prices.  Just out of curiosity for Joe, I also did a search of vintage trailers that are actively being listed, and found 9 current listings on eBay for vintage trailers.  I saved that search too, and here it is: CLICK HERE:  CURRENT EBAY AUCTIONS VINTAGE TRAILERS Do you have any other favorite places to check the blue book value of vintage campers and trailers?  Please leave a comment and let us know your favorite source for the blue book value of  vintage camper or trailer. Tags: Vintage Trailers on eBay, Vintage Campers on eBay, Vintage Campers and Trailers Blue Book Value, AlphaInventions Related Posts:  Class B RV

Here’s a great video of the Airstream Basecamp trailer.  It has the beautiful lines and appearance of a vintage camper, with new functionality, beauty, and features.  This camper trailer is designed for a younger generation that doesn’t need a full sized RV. 

You may be able to find Airstream Campers on eBay, Here’s a link that has been channeled in to search for Aerstream Trailers on eBay: Airstream Trailers and Campers on eBay

Technorati Tags: Airstream Trailers, Airstream Campers, Airstream eBay, Airstream Basecamp

You might find it handy to check with eBay, and we’ve dialed in a search box to show only current tear drop trailer sales listings. This is a pretty small nich market in a much bigger recreational vehicle sales market, so there may only be a few listed here. If this is something that interests you, just bookmark this page and check back frequently, the listings are constantly updated!

There’s lots to keep in mind when you’re buying a teardrop trailer – just how much camper do you really need? How many people will be using it, and how often? What is a comfortable budget. It’s really important to have those items narrowed down before you go shopping. What features do you need, and what can you do without? Like vintage trailers, or prefer new? (Check out more info on vintage trailers – click here: Vintage Trailers.)

Did you find the teardrop trailer of your dreams? What’s the age and brand of your teardrop? Would you happen to have a cute teardrop trailer picture we could upload on this post? Please let us know, and it’d be great if you could leave a comment! Thanks!

Tags: Teardrop Trailers on eBay, Teardrop Trailers on eBay, Vintage Campers on eBay, Vintage Campers Blue Book Value
Related Posts: Vintage Campers & Trailers Sales Prices

Vintage Camper Blue Book Value

What’s the blue book value of a vintage camper trailer?  Priceless!!!  Vintage campers are so cute and adorable, they’re just about the toughest type of camper to establish a value for!  I recently saw a musuem quality airstream trailer listed for $60,000. on eBay, and I’ll bet they get their asking price! (Click here for Vintage Travel Trailers on eBay.)   Part of the value in a vintage travel trailer camper is nostalgia, part of the blue book value is rarity, something that doesn’t apply at all to brand new campers, trailers and RV’s!

I was honored today when I noticed that Camper-Blue-Book-Value.com was getting visitors from a fantastic site, American Vintage RV.  (Go visit – they’re FABULOUS!!)  Their pictures are incredible, and I LOVE their ads!  I clicked on a way cool retro picture of a station wagon, (could almost picture my 3 sisters and I in it in 1962!) and I visited the Vintage RV Supply website, where you can buy EVERYTHING for your vintage camper. Including – big scoop here – DVD’s with lots of great information on major aircraft-type trailers (Airstream, Avion, Silver Streak, Streamline, Airfloat, Boles Aero, Kit and Avalon) and archives with lots of pictures of the vintage campers, original vintage camper brochures, ads, floor plans, specifications.   That’s just one of the DVD’s, and they also have Spartan, Spartanette, 1940 Trailer Life Magazine, 1950’s Mobile Living, and on and on!  So if you’re a 1940’s and 1950’s Americana buff, combine that interest with camping and you have – Vintage Campers!

So here’s the tip of the day for establishing the Blue Book Value of a Vintage Camper or other Vintage Recreational Vehicle – Hop over to VintageRVSupply.com, and check out their DVD’s for everthing to do with Vintage Campers.  Here’s the link:  Vintage RV Supply Website.  These CDRom’s are just $9.99 each,  and what a fantastic selection!  And then go visit American Vintage RV, and browse – and be sure to check out the YouTube of the “don’t bother knockin if the trailer is rockin!” Here’s the link:  American Vintage RV

Do you love vintage campers?  Have any tips for establishing the Blue Book Value of a Vintage Camper?  (Any great pics we could publish???!!!)  It’d be great to hear from you!  Please leave a comment!