What Scamp Trailers Actually Are
Scamp is a small fiberglass travel trailer manufacturer based in Florida. They have been building them since the 1960s, essentially unchanged in form. The hull is one piece of molded fiberglass with a foam core. No wood frame. No plywood subfloor. The weight range for their smallest models sits somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds empty, which means a mid-size SUV can tow them without drama. I have owned a 1998 Scamp 13 for about six years now. Bought it used from a guy in Georgia who had stored it under a carport his entire adult life. The seller listed it at $14,500. I offered $11,000 cash and he took it within twenty minutes. That kind of negotiation still works for these trailers because the market is smaller than you would think. People either know what they want or they do not.
The Ultimate Guide To 13 Scamp Travel Trailer For Sale A Comprehensive Review
There is no single official guide that covers every year and every configuration. Scamp does not publish detailed spec sheets the way Winnebago or Airstream does. What exists online is scattered forum posts, Facebook marketplace listings, and a few YouTube walkthroughs from people who already own them. The good news is that Scamp owners are unusually active in documenting problems and solutions. The bad news is that you have to dig for it. Here is what I have learned from actually living in one and researching the secondary market for over two years.
Where to Find a Scamp for Sale
The primary channels are Facebook Marketplace, RV Trader, and the Scamp Owners Club forum marketplace. Facebook is where most of the action happens now. RV Trader has listings but they tend to be older or priced higher because dealers add a markup. The Scamp forum is the best source if you want to avoid paying dealer margins, but you need to register and participate a bit before people will trust you enough to message you privately. Another option is local RV auctions. These show up occasionally in the Southeast, particularly around Florida and Texas. I found a 2004 Scamp 16 at an auction in Tallahassee for $8,200. It needed a new roof seal and the propane tank was leaking. I fixed both things for about $600 total and sold it a year later for $13,000. Not a huge profit but it covered my time and gave me hands-on experience with the trailer's repair needs.
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Pricing Range and What Affects It
New Scamp trailers currently start around $32,000 for a 13-foot model and go up past $50,000 for fully equipped 26-foot versions. The base price includes the bare trailer. Everything you add to it doubles or triples the cost, depending on how greedy you get. Solar, lithium batteries, a full kitchen package, upgraded flooring. The company makes most of its profit on options. Used pricing depends heavily on age, condition, and floorplan. A 1990s Scamp 13 in decent shape runs $10,000 to $16,000. A 2000s model in the same condition goes for $14,000 to $22,000. Anything newer than 2015 and you are looking at $18,000 minimum even for the smallest model with some wear. The one thing that consistently surprises people is how well these hold value. I bought mine for $11,000 in 2019. A nearly identical one is going for around $15,000 now. That is not an investment return but it means you are not throwing money away if you decide to sell. The fiberglass construction is the main reason. There is no wood to rot, no delamination, no floor soft spots that show up on every other brand of trailer after a decade.
Common Problems and How to Spot Them
The roof is the number one failure point. Scamp roofs are curved fiberglass with sealant around every vent, antenna mount, and seam. Over time that sealant dries out and cracks. Water gets in through microscopic gaps and pools under the roof skin where it cannot dry. I found this on my own trailer during year three. A small damp spot near the air conditioning unit. I removed the AC, cleaned the old sealant off completely, applied a fresh bead of self-leveling lap sealant, and reinstalled it. Cost me about forty dollars in materials and thirty minutes of work. The windows are another area. The original Scamp windows use a rubber gasket system that hardens after about fifteen years. When they harden, they leak during heavy rain. People fix this by replacing the gaskets or switching to silicone sealant around the entire frame. It is a common issue and not a dealbreaker but it should be budgeted into any purchase. The interior laminate can delaminate in rare cases, usually from prolonged moisture exposure through a bad roof seal. This shows up as bubbling on the ceiling or walls. If you see bubbling, walk away unless you want a full interior rebuild. Those jobs run $3,000 to $6,000 depending on how far the water damage has spread.
Plumbing is simple since there is no wood to absorb water. But the fixtures themselves are generic RV parts. The water pump, the valves, the drain connections. They work fine until they do not, and replacement parts are easy to find at any RV supply store. I replaced a leaking shower valve on a friend's 2001 Scamp for $28. The whole job took twenty minutes.
What the 13-Foot Model Actually Gets You
The Scamp 13 is their smallest production model. It measures approximately 13 feet long with an extended width of about 7 feet. The interior layout is simple: a kitchenette on one side, a dinette that converts to a bed on the other, and a small wet bath at the rear. The kitchenette has a two-burner stove, a small sink, and a compact refrigerator. No microwave space. No storage for more than a week's worth of groceries. Towing weight is the real selling point. Empty weight comes in around 1,550 pounds with a cargo carrying capacity of roughly 600 pounds. That means you can load it with gear, water, and supplies and still tow it from a Honda Pilot or a Ford Explorer without worrying about brake ratings or sway control. Most people with smaller vehicles end up buying these specifically because they can actually tow them. The downside is space. Two people can live in it comfortably for a week. Three people for a weekend. Beyond that you start fighting over everything. I have taken it on four-day trips with my partner and we were fine. A five-day trip with two friends turned into a exercise in patience I would not repeat.
Inspection Checklist Before You Buy
Do not skip this. I see too many people buy a Scamp sight unseen and regret it immediately. They are not for everyone. If you want a full bathroom with a real shower, a standing toilet, and room to move around without brushing against the wall, a Scamp 13 is not the answer. It is a weekend warrior trailer, not a full-time living space. But if you want something that will last twenty years with minimal maintenance, that a compact vehicle can pull, and that holds its value better than almost any other trailer on the market, then yes, they are worth it. I have never had a major breakdown in six years of ownership. The only issues I have encountered are the roof sealant drying out and a worn shower valve. Both were simple fixes.
The one scenario where a Scamp fails completely is if you need it as a primary residence or a long-term base camp. The wet bath is tiny. The refrigerator is small. Storage is limited. For overnight trips and weekend getaways, it is hard to beat. For anything longer, you will be counting days until you can unpack. If you are serious about buying one, join the Scamp Owners Club forum and read through at least twenty threads about specific problems. Then go see a trailer in person. Photos always hide things. The smell of old sealant or damp fabric is impossible to fake in a picture.
