Purchasing tips

[ianstear]

My wife and I are looking seriously at a 2011 Little Guy Silver Shadow that is for sale close by. Knowing so little about these trailors I thought it would be a good idea to ask you guys what I should look for to make sure I'm not getting a trailer with serious issues. Theoretically, it should be safer to buy a trailer from anow established manufacturer like Little Guy I guess, but I want to be as safe as possible. Thanks in advance.

[Andrew Herrick]

My wife and I are looking seriously at a 2011 Little Guy Silver Shadow that is for sale close by. Knowing so little about these trailors I thought it would be a good idea to ask you guys what I should look for to make sure I'm not getting a trailer with serious issues. Theoretically, it should be safer to buy a trailer from anow established manufacturer like Little Guy I guess, but I want to be as safe as possible. Thanks in advance.

Oh man. Pull up a chair!

Here's a thread with some questions you might want to ask the salesperson (or Little Guy engineer, if you're so inclined):

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=60999&p=1184463#p1184463

If the trailer has "serious issues," it's likely because of the previous owner. You'll want to know what sorts of roads it was driven on, how often it was maintained (greased bearings, exterior cap sealants, siding corrosion, etc.)

Big things are to test the entire electrical system and any plumbing. Think of it like buying a car: Get a mechanic or RV technician to look it over before you buy

[gudmund]

be very thorough looking for water leaks and water damage. ("there are those who have water damage and than there are those who lie about it") If there is vinyl covering on the floor - look and feel for any bubbling of the vinyl - if any, it is more and likely water damage!!!!

[CaptKidd]

I had a silver shadow it was a great trailer no problems at all. The only reason I sold it was that after a 10,500 mile trip around the US I found that I would really prefer a totally self contained unit so I bought a Forest River R-Pod a 179.

[Andrew Herrick]

be very thorough looking for water leaks and water damage. ("there are those who have water damage and than there are those who lie about it") If there is vinyl covering on the floor - look and feel for any bubbling of the vinyl - if any, it is more and likely water damage!!!!

Agreed. Most RV water damage is at the bottom of the sidewalls and at the edge of the floor. Definitely the place to look.

[halfdome, Danny]

About 3 years ago I came across a lady who had issues with the galley hatch lid opening on her Little Guy while traveling.
The two handles locked into a "U" shaped piece of hardware on the galley threshold but failed to hold it closed at times.
It looked like this one in the photo.

I'm aware that it's not a Silver Shadow but they appear to be the same company and may have similar issues.
Don't know if they have addressed that issue or not but it would be something to be aware of.
Ask plenty of questions and good luck with your purchase.
Danny