Looking at used 23B's. Advice

twoballscrewball · 02-12-2016, 06:34 PM

Hi all,

I'm pretty much settled on the 23B. Looking for some advice.

1. I am hoping to find a nice one used, due to finances. What are some common issues I need to look for on this particular model? Any usual spots for water intrusion, roof issues, etc? I'm looking at a 2006 tomorrow, anything specific regarding that model?

2. New is not out of the question. Dealer by me is offering a 2016 X23B for $19,900 plus tax and taqs. Is that a decent deal on a new one?

3. Tow vehicle is a 7 passenger SUV with a tow rating of 5000. X23 we were looking at (2016 model) showed 4308 pounds with propane tanks full, that had AC, TV, power awning, was pretty well loaded up with options. We will not be carring around water in the tanks so it will be mostly clothes and supplies. Reasonable tow vehicle? I've been towing things for over 20 years, this is the closest to the max rating I would be coming. We really have our heart set on a 23B, it is everything our family wants and needs.

Responses to the above questions, and any other advice, is more than welcome. Thanks!

First post, so be nice

Steve

**Crabman** · 02-12-2016, 06:47 PM

Welcome to the forum. On the 2006, be very diligent in looking for leaks or any evidence thereof. That`s a 10 year old hybrid with 10 year old bunk doors and seals, as well as the roof caulking etc. Also check the floor. Some of the liteweight trailers had issues that developed in time with soft floors due to the luan/foam sandwich construction and lack of under support. Not trying to scare you off, just save you from some headaches other members have experienced when buying used trailers of moderate age. The one you are looking at may be just fine and well kept, but check it out good.

twoballscrewball · 02-12-2016, 07:21 PM

Thanks for the reply, very much appreciated. I've bought a few used campers and have had my share of unpleasant surprises pop up, some minor some not so minor.

I will check as good as I can for roof and floor issues as well as general condition.

Hoping some 23b owners past and present may have some specific recurring issues to be on the lookout for.

Thanks again!

RedHorse1 · 02-12-2016, 08:04 PM

Crab is spot on about things to watch for. We owned a 23B for 2 years and loved it but knew we wanted to trade up pretty quickly. On a related topic, I'd suggest weighing your TV to make sure it's up to the task. In my limited experience you will hit the Rear GAWR well before reaching the tow rating.
We towed our 23B with an '03 Expedition which had a tow rating of 9500# as I recall. At the scales I learned the TT was about 4800# but we were less than 200# from the rear axle rating. Sorry to be such a "nanny" about weights, that's just me.
That said, we loved our 23B. It's an excellent combination of towed length (short) and usable space (2 "queen" beds). We preferred the rear bunk for ourselves (the owner's cabin).

The CAT Scale is your friend.

twoballscrewball · 02-12-2016, 08:25 PM

Weight is at the top of my concerns as I mentioned. I used to have a full size pickup with a 10000 pound tow rating, but here we are now with a tiny hatchback (my commuter) and the family wagon (the suv). For the record its a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe, the full size not the sport, with the 300hp V6 and a 2" receiver. I believe I can keep the 23B safely under 5000, and I do have extensive towing experience so I understand the dynamics of towing and would not want to jeopardize anyone's safety, including the drivers around me, and most importantly my family and I. Brake controller, sway bars/load dist, etc.

Santa fe is rated for 5000 total towing with a 500 lb tongue weight, within limits of the 23B. I believe the GWVR loaded of the 23B is under 5000, as the model I looked at listed the weight as ~4300 and cargo capacity at ~600 which I specifically remember totalling up to less than 5k.

geostorm · 02-12-2016, 08:45 PM

Just purchased a 2004 23B, towing not an issue with my F150. I have not taken it out yet 8 degrees and a foot of snow ! I have used this forum to the degree that I took all the advice and feel I made a great choice. These units are solid and well made. The main thing is how well did the person prior to you take care of it ? Mine is solid through and throughout, I see that come spring I may need to do some minor caulking at the sides, looking a little brittle. I also read ans was suggested to check the slides and how easy they crank out,as well as the rubber that encompasses the slide outside. Rust on any of the water faucets,lines being old and worn window seals etc. I cannot thank the folks on this forum enough ! I cannot wait to post pics and get her home. Now I am going to purchase my WDH and sway control this weekend, along with a host of other things. Certainly a lot different than my PUP.
Good luck I think you will love it

RedHorse1 · 02-12-2016, 09:05 PM

Hey two, I hear you. Good luck with the 23B, it's an excellent TT.
My parting comment is our tongue was 600#.

Country_Mouse · 02-13-2016, 12:02 AM

I am by no means an expert and have less experience than it sounds like you have however recently going through the how much can we tow process I've learned a few things. Much of it from this forum. We had an '04 Expedition with a tow rating of 8950#. We have 6 passengers. Our TT has a GTWR of 6K. Our sticker in door jamb of TV said max cargo was 1700#. When we subtracted passengers there was just enough for the tongue weight. All looked acceptable on paper. When put into action and weighed at CAT scales we were very over the RAWR just as Redhorse warns. We also had a lot of rear squat that we couldn't correct with the WDH.

So, in short, our tow rating was almost 3000# over what our trailer weighed yet it still really didn't work. We got by for a few trips but it wasn't great. How many passengers and what is your available payload?

Here is a handy calculator to help.
http://rvtowcheck.com/rvtc_calculator.html

roving legrands · 02-13-2016, 07:28 AM

We have a 2006 also, love it! The previous owners took real good care of it so it was an easy purchase for us. Biggest problem I see is the elements, if you can keep it out of them when not in use they last so much longer. We keep ours in storage when not in use. As said earlier look over the bunk end seals, ours are now brittle and need replaced. Go to the mod section on here and you will find all kinds of upgrades to do.
Good luck and happy camping!

need-a-vacation · 02-13-2016, 08:08 AM

Two,

Welcome and congrats on the future new (to you) rig!!!

As for your suv tv, it looks like you will be right on the edge if not over most if not all tow ratings.

I am not sure if Hyundai is now following the SAE J2807 tow rating standards or not, but even if they are, that only includes 2-150lb passengers in the vehicle. Any additional passengers, any cargo, and possibly the wdh hitch weight in the tv result in a lower trailer tow rating..

I should verify it is the X23B you are looking at, correct? IF the '06 you are looking at is similar in weight to the '16 specs Jayco has posted on their website, I would bet you will over the hitch rating of 500lbs, probably before even loading the trailer up for a trip! The '16 has a "BROCHURE" tw (dry hitch/tongue weight) of 440lbs. That does not include a battery or the propane tank(s) on the tongue. IF that trailer only has 1-20lb propane tank and a battery, add about 80lbs to the "dry" tw. That gives you a 520lb tw before you have loaded the trailer... And you posted your SF hitch rating is only 500lbs?

Something to keep in mind, the "brochure" dry trailer weight does not inlcude any options, even those that are "mandatory" options. There isn't many options for the '16- X23B, but they could easily add ~200+ lbs to the 4225lb dry trailer weight for the a/c, awning, spare tire, plus the few other items...

As for looking for at a used (even NEW!!!) trailer, check all the walls, ceiling, floors for water damage as mentioned.Check all appliances to make sure they work, both on electric and gas (if they have that option).

Good luck!

need-a-vacation · 02-13-2016, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoballscrewball

Hi all,

I'm pretty much settled on the 23B. Looking for some advice.

2. New is not out of the question. Dealer by me is offering a 2016 X23B for $19,900 plus tax and taqs. Is that a decent deal on a new one?

Responses to the above questions, and any other advice, is more than welcome. Thanks!

First post, so be nice

Steve

Steve,

Just noticed you did post the '16 model! Lol So it IS the X23B!! It's still early...

As for the price, while you are a little further away from the factory than I am, but I am going to guess that price is about $2k to high!!! Granted, if you are ordering the trailer it is a little more generally unless you wait for the dealer to place a larger order, but if off the lot to high in my opinion. You should be able to get at least ~30% off msrp, which is about $24,700 before tax, title, delivery...

Check into RV Direct, and RV One I think they are... You will need to travel to pick up the trailer should you buy new through them, but a no obligation online quote will get you in the ballpark of where the price should be. Granted, a good, local dealer will be worth paying a little more, but some have saved thousands going through the online dealers. Hopefully someone will be along soon to verify the two websites for quotes.

Good luck!!!

Ed Brodt · 02-13-2016, 09:47 AM

While you may be just under the approved tow rating for your vehicle, I can almost guarantee that you will be disappointed in performance if you try to go to anyplace with higher elevation. I believe those tow ratings are a bit similar to MPG ratings. Ideal conditions. flat ground. If at all possible I would see if I could do a test drive with my tow vehicle and the trailer and take it up some steep hills before I committed.

twoballscrewball · 02-13-2016, 10:09 AM

MSRP on this particular 2016 trailer with it's options was over 27K on the window sticker. I remember that.

Looked up the 2006 brochure and the dry weight is 400 pounds lighter than the 2016, at around 3900 pounds. So that might help me out. I very well may ask any sellers who I'm serious about doing a deal with to let me pull it around a bit before we pull the trigger.

Heading out in a bit to go look at a couple used and new ones, as well as of course see what our other options are. Thanks everyone so far!

Jagiven · 02-13-2016, 10:17 AM

The 23b is a great htt.

In any used tt, I would inspect the roof caulking closely and the exterior caulking too.

The showers are small if the former used the shower. There would be a lot of water on the floor, so check the floor closely.

The bunk doors scare people, as long as the canvas does not get pinched in the seal, they seal up nicely. I would still check the floor in that area.

nwminnesota · 02-13-2016, 10:26 AM

The x23b is a great trailer. If you get a older one plan on replacing the seals for worry free measures. If you are on the bubble on the weight plan on a new tv with in 2 seasons makes towing a lot more enjoyable traveling long distance. Also once you get a new tv then the itch for a 5th wheel comes in. This is where I am at and I love my x23b so much makes it hard for me to want to switch to a 5th wheel this is why I still have my x23b but always got my eye on a newer 5er. You will love the x23b but you will want to upgrade tow vehicle.

twoballscrewball · 02-13-2016, 06:02 PM

We dropped a deposit on a 2016 X23B this afternoon. We're just going to have to be responsible when loading up for a trip and make sure we're under the limits of our vehicle. It's a lease, so once it's up we can and will consider a larger TV if we aren't happy with how the Santa Fe does. We will of course have a brake controller and full weight distribution/anti sway on the rig for now. We looked at the 2016 X23B the dealer had on the lot with the darker, vinyl interior (not sure of the color) but the wife and I both loved it. Looked super classy compared to the fabric (don't get me wrong the fabric is nice too) especially with the dark wood accents on the ceiling and slide out frame, and the vinyl as opposed to the fabric will make cleaning up after the 3 year old and his spills that much easier.

By the way, we first stopped and looked at the 2006 23B. There was some obvious water intrusion near the A/C in the roof, interior had some ripples in the inside roof liner. Additionally, and much more serious, it was 20 degrees out, and it made it quite obvious that the entire rear floor (bathroom as well as the floor along the rear bunk) was waterlogged, as we heard the sound of squishy ice crushing under our feet as we walked. It was a shame because other than that it was in good shape, but there were definitely some serious water intrusion issues.

Wish us luck

**Crabman** · 02-13-2016, 06:21 PM

Congrats on the new trailer! The 06 sounds like a real nightmare scenario which is why due diligence is crucial when buying a used RV of ANY kind.

Tunce the traveler · 02-13-2016, 06:29 PM

Glad you got the new one because it's much more fun doing mods than making repairs . Best of luck with it and the kitchen is a great size.

Country_Mouse · 02-13-2016, 07:02 PM

Congratulations! That's great that it's a lease and you have that freedom to upgrade if you don't like the performance.

twoballscrewball · 02-14-2016, 02:55 PM

Interesting. RV Direct quoted me almost $2000 less on a 2016 X23B with more options (heated beds, upgraded AC) than the one at my local guy. RV direct has a $0 destination charge while my local guy is showing over $2k so that is the difference. The trailer at RV Direct is about 450 miles from me so I would either have to go pick it up or figure about $800-$1000 for delivery to me. Still less than the local dealer. Would cost me a couple hundred bucks and a day of my life to go pick it up and save close to $2k though.... sounds like maybe we need to try a bit of renegotiation before we pull the trigger.

On a related note, just sold our current trailer, which was a 1998 Pop-up. Buyer just pulled it away. So this just got real.

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