Selling a Gooseneck 2 horse trailer

[4horses]

Any suggestions on selling a Gooseneck 2 horse trailer? Is the reason it is not selling price related? Asking $10,000. It’s a Trailer USA 2002 2H Gooseneck Trailer/ Slant with ramp.

It’s a weekender as well. AC/Heat ,Fridge,Microwave,Saddle rack and Bridle. LED strip light inside makes it cozy at night. 5 Brand new tires, Bearings done and always kept up with maintenance.

Maybe I just need to promote it better? Any suggestions on getting it sold? I’ve been listing it on facebook with minimal interest.

[trubandloki]

I know someone having a similar problem. Their trailer is also fairly priced, road worthy, spotlessly clean, etc.
The only thing I can come up with this the fact that it is over 20 years old and that scares away some buyers in that price bracket.

[clanter]

maybe, just a maybe the price is too low?

I was in marketing in the real world manufacturing for decades there were products that cost little to make but sold poorly until we raised the selling price into an expected range.

Today’s horse trailers cost more than what we paid for our house in 1985 on multiple acres in the middle of a city, I suspect if bought today OP’s trailer would be in the $35k area (just guessing as we sold a two horse steel bumper pull straight load that was nearly 20 years old in excellent condition without even listing it for more than we paid for it a few years ago)

Raise the price to something like $14,600

[Texarkana]

I’m not shopping but your trailer sounds lovely.

[Montanas_Girl]

@trubandloki

The only thing I can come up with this the fact that it is over 20 years old and that scares away some buyers in that price bracket.

This.

OP, your trailer sounds really nice and well-maintained. It probably is objectively worth what you are asking.

But paying five-figures for any kind of vehicle that age would be a no-go for me. Even with the best of care, things wear out at a certain point, and I’m not mechanically inclined, so the future dollar signs would scare me off. You might be having similar problems with your prospective market.

[Mango20]

My guess is that you’re losing some potential customers who don’t want LQ (even as a weekender) or don’t want a slant load. Your pool of potential buyers shrinks to those who are open to both things. It also sounds like you’re advertising only to people who shop on Facebook. Try Craigslist, any local horse publications or bulletin boards at feed stores, etc.

A couple of years ago, I sold a 20 year old Hawk 2H BP without a dressing room for $6000 and my buyer came from Craigslist.

[fivestrideline]

Title in hand? If not, I guarantee that’s the problem.

If you have the title, try listing on Craigslist, horse trailer world, and in feed stores - some people may not have social media. Also, you could consign it at a dealer and be very likely to sell. You’ll take a cut instead of the whole selling price, but a good dealer will have more people walk through ready to buy than anyone else.

It sounds like a lovely trailer, but the age, the slant, and the GN are very narrowing for your buyer pool. If it has a fixed back tack or center post, even more so. Lots of good pics and a video walkthrough may help!

[CanteringCarrot]

The slant and living quarters would be something I’m just not interested in. I shopped for a 2H gooseneck about 2 years ago and did pay ~12k for an EquiSpirit of similar age. The biggest things for me were no living quarters, straight load, title, and CONDITION.

I didn’t want to shell out for new at the time, but also wanted something decent. I find so many think that they have a nice trailer, but then I look closely and see a laundry list of issues. Or they advertise a dirty trailer, which doesn’t help. Not saying this is you OP, but really make sure it’s cleaned up and attractive.

[Kyrabee]

My guess is that it is only a 2 horse. Here (Idaho ) slants out number straight loads probably 4 to 1 (or even more?). Everyone looks at my trailer like it is an alien spaceship (Brenderup) . Most around here have a larger slant…and more of stock trailer design. 3 or 4 horse are the most common. Add in the LQ and someone just hauling 1 horse doesn’t want all the extra’s (LQ and size)?

I know when I sell mine, it may be tough. Straight load and the fact they are no longer made.

Susan

[2tempe]

I had a Brenderup for years and loved it. But a good friend christened it “Portapotty on Wheels” . The name stuck…

[Jarpur]

List it on Horse Trailer World, perhaps?:

https://horsetrailerworld.com/home/newhome.asp

I’ve never listed on there, but when selling previous trailers, I looked to see what something comparable was selling for on this site. When purchasing my current trailer (2H GN, no weekender package in the tack/dressing room), I found it through this site.

[deweydee]

I sold a 1998 4 star 2H GN slant for $11-12 last year and bought a slightly newer 3H Elite for $15. Prices have very definitely softened in the last year. I wouldn’t get what I spent on mine right now, I don’t think.

I don’t think it’s an age issue, but depending on brand and LQ, I thinks it’s a victim of the market dropping a little. It seems people prefer no LQ at all or factory LQ over a homemade one of any sort. I’m not familiar with Trailer USA, but I think the market drops off some for non “name brand” options like Elite/Platinum/Hart/etc. I got some views for mine on HT world, but ultimately sold through FB. Try relevant sales groups and not just marketplace if you haven’t. There’s LQ trailers, brand specific pages, aluminum trailers, and others. Helps compare prices too.

Good luck!

[Kyrabee]

That is what my horse thinks it is. Her personal Porta-Potty. Even if we only are on the road 10-15 min, she has to pee in it . I guess I could stop putty shavings in it but if I don’t, I have to pull the mats and hose it out if she does pee. Such a conundrum .

[outerbanks77]

Horse Trailer World is how I sold my last trailer.

Maybe drop the price just a bit, so psychologically it’s < $10k. Like $9800.

People will travel a bit to get the specifics trailer they want, and it will be easier to find on HTW than FB or CL.

[Annie10]

I think it’s the brand

[mmeqcenter]

I’d try the many trailer-selling and equine-related selling websites. Facebook absolutely sucks for selling high-priced items, everyone on Facebook wants a huge deal. And it’s really difficult to search by specs on Facebook (# horse, gooseneck v bumper pull, location, etc.). Even when you put in specs on Facebook Marketplace, it still shows all kinds of listings that are not even close to what you’re looking for. Or at least, mine does, maybe it’s just me.

[moonlitoaksranch]

If I had $10,000 right now and a truck set up for a GN. I could be wrong, but GN trailers were always for serious horse people with big trailers. Maybe like someone said, people want to haul more than two horses. I’ve always had a bumper pull and I’ve had horses for over thirty years.

[Leather]

Is it light enough to be pulled by a 1/2 ton truck? If not that might be a limiting factor.

Take it to a CAT scale and get an overall and also a pin weight (how much weight it puts on the truck). This will help people know what kind of truck is needed.

If you list it on sites check to see the groupings for the price search - as mentioned maybe just under 10 would open up to a new group who don’t bother looking above 10k if the grouping is something like 10k-20k.

[Inimitable]

I think the trailer sounds nice and well-priced, but niche. It’s a very specific buyer who would be interested in it. I sold, just yesterday, a 20 year old Kingston 2H bumper pull, no dressing room, for $6k over FB Marketplace. It was listed for less than a week. Not sure where you’re located, but this time of year we see a bit of a buy/sell rush in anticipation of winter. I would aggressively market it now and for the next few weeks; if it doesn’t sell I’d be resigned to hanging onto it for the winter and trying again when things pick back up in the spring.

[Bicoastal]

I think if it was a BP, it would be gone. No matter how old and rusted, the ancient little 2H bumper pulls fly out the door (or driveway) to new homesteaders, young dreamers, etc.

This trailer requires a more serious truck. I think the buyer who has invested in a truck to haul a fifth wheel and needs a LQ is going to skip right over a bargain and purchase something newer.

It’s just a unique configuration in today’s market (a GN but a 2HR). I might be interested, but I’m a unique buyer.