Flip This Camper #001— Meth Lab Edition

Trail South
May 23
2 min read

Location: A public auction lot somewhere between “motivated seller” and “hazmat scene”

Vibe: Sketchy. Suspicious. Surprisingly profitable.

Look, we all love a good RV flip story. Take something busted, give it a second life, and maybe sell it for enough to cover gas, tires, and the emotional damage of spending three weeks on your back under a black tank.

But this?

This wasn’t just a fixer-upper.

This was a chemistry experiment with curtains.

Scene: The Auction Yard

I’m standing on a gravel lot behind a semi-abandoned warehouse. Twenty-five trailers lined up like they’re waiting for a parade no one asked for.

I spot it — a 2004 travel trailer with great bones, newer tires, and a starting bid that makes me suspiciously excited.

$1,300.No major exterior damage. Title’s clean (allegedly).Smells like… victory?

No.

It smells like bleach, burnt rubber, and a regretful lemon.

I open the door. It creaks, barely opens.. Inside, it looks like someone tried to renovate… using anger and drywall mud.

But that’s not what gets me.

What gets me is:

The blackout curtains stapled shut
The industrial fan mounted over the stove
The “DO NOT ENTER — WIRING ISSUE” sign on the bathroom taped in three languages
And the faint trace of “Breaking Bad meets Pinterest” in the air

I ask the lot guy if it runs. He shrugs. Says, “It tows.”

I ask about the previous owner. He laughs and goes, “Let’s just say it ain’t their first trailer.”

At this point, I realize:

This rig didn’t just have “potential.” It had a criminal record.

And yet… I bought it.

Because I’m me. And I have a shop vac, a hazmat suit, and a dream.

Three weeks, five gallons of primer, and one blessed tech inspection later, she’s clean, cleared, and ready for resale.

Rebranded from Breaking Sad to Desert Escape.

Sold it for $9,200 to a yoga couple from Austin who said it “had good energy.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell them it once had meth energy, too.

Lessons Learned:

Always sniff the fridge.
If there’s a fan where a microwave should be… ask questions.
And never underestimate what a deep clean, new flooring, and a boho pillow can cover up.

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💬 Ever flip something you maybe… shouldn’t have?

We’re not here to judge. We’re here to profit off your poor decisions.

Send us your stories and we’ll give them the Trail Trash treatment — extra lemon-scented.

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