Buying A RV? New or Used?

Some things you should know if you are buying a new or used Recreation Vehicle.

New:

When you go out to look for your new RV keep in mind that you are the Boss! You are in control. Don't let the cost throw you, and don't let the salesman run you over. Take your time, I spent three months researching our choice. Look around, go to more than one lot just like buying a new car. When you find one that fits your needs and has what your want in it - Drive IT! (see Our renting adventure)

If  you can find the one you like as a rental, rent it for a week end, go some where in it. Maybe it isn't the one you want after all. A couple hundred dollars for a week end is cheaper than having a expensive RV in your driveway that you don't like to drive or live in.

Used:

An RV is like a car, it will have Miles on it.

A used RV in an add for sale will have things like: Motor overhauled xxxxxx miles on it, or new upholstery. Or restored.

When you walk up to look at the pavement or the ground around the vehicle, see any spots, oil leaks, or any thing hanging down underneath it?

Check the oil, look at the color, if it was just changed it will be clear, if not it will be a little darker. Smell it does it smell burnt? Feel it, is it smooth, or gritty?

Radiator, check the contents, stick you finger in the anti freeze, is it anti freeze or water? Anit freeze has a oily feel. Is it clear or rust colored?

Check the Transmission fluid, is it clear? Smell it, does it smell burnt?

Main gas tank, smell the gas cap, does it have a stale smell? Old gas will have a stale smell - didn't know that did you? If it does then that means the gas has not been 'freshened up', that is new gas added. (If the gas is over two months or more older it will have a different smell than that is fairly fresh, old gas will start to separate - that is the additives will start to dissipate and separate from the refined gas, depending on the additive chemicals it will either sink to the bottom of the tank or float on the top. This stuff will clog the fuel filter with time and if there is a lot it won't take long before you have a moderate repair bill. Remember that a RV gas tank can hold from 30 to 150 gallons of fuel. And Diesel has additives also. It the seller says there is less than a quarter tank of gas then they understand long term storage.

Do the same for the generator, check the oil, if it has a gas tank reservoir (a small tank that is feed from the main tank) take the cap off and smell it. Same as the main gas tank.

You need to look at the LPG or Propane tanks. Each tank should have a date stamp, some refueling stations will not fill a tank that was made over ten years ago (take this with a grain of salt, this is my experience in Arizona). If there is a gauge on the tanks (not all do) see if they are empty, if they are ask the owner/salesman why? The tanks will hold gas for a long time and it doesn't degrade as gasoline will. It may have a leak!

Check the Water tank, these may also have a gauge to tell you how much is in the tank, if it is empty ask why? It may have a leak!

For those that don't know RV's have a holding tank for waste, the RV we rented had a gauge on it to tell the operator when it was full, check the tank, see if it has a gauge, does it show that the tank has waste in it? If not you want to have some water ran in the tank to see if it or the plumbing leaks.

Hoses, there are a lot of hoses, you have the cooling hoses on the engine, you have water hoses for the water, you have the plumbing for the toilette and sink in the kitchen area. For the engine the rule of thumb is if you pinch the hose and it is stiff it needs to be changed. For the water system look for leaks after you run the facets and flush the toilet.

Generator, have the owner/salesman start the generator. Turn on the lights, the AC, if there is a TV turn it on. The idea is to make sure the generator can take the load and the Air Condtioner works. (see Our rental adventure about the AC and generator)

Furnace, if the RV has heat by furnace it will be gas powered. Check it out, see if the pilot light is lit. If not do you smell gas? It may have an electrical ignition and not turn the gas on until the thermostat reaches a certain point. Have the owner/salesman turn it on. Set the thermostat up above the outside temperature and see if the furnace can heat up the RV, if the heat is in the floor, check the outlets for hot air. No hot air from a 'vent' means the duct is off or blocked.

Walk around inside the RV and step hard, you are looking for 'soft' spots on the flooring. A soft or weak spot means the underling material has deteriorated and will need to be fixed/replaced.

Check the storage, look for mold. Mold will be a black or white substance on the wood work inside the storage area. This means there is a water leak somewhere close to the area. You can clean the mold with water and Clorox but I would be wary of this level of damage, it may take some time and work to trace the leak down and fix it.

Undercarriage, this is a biggie, if you don't have the mechanical experience then see if you can get a mechanic look it over. Frame - look for bad rust and cracks.

Suspension, look how the RV sets, is it leaning to one side? Is it lower in the front than the back or lower in the back than the front? If you can see them look for air bags (these are black air bladders that are from six to nine inches in diameter and from six to nine inches high. There will be a compressor that will inflate the air bags and level the RV while you drive it. Also look at the leveling jacks, have the owner/salesman extend them, did they all come down? Some RV's leveling jacks will raise the RV high enough to change a tire. In the front check the shocks, some RV's have air bags all the way around some only have them in the back.

Drive train, depending on the class you may not be able to see the drive train because it is part of the engine and transmission, Diesels are like this.

Brakes, the only way to check the brakes is to drive the RV and test them.

Tires, if you have one check the pressure in the tires with a tire pressure gauge. Look at the tread, take a penny and on the head side put the part of the penny with Lincoln's head in the tread. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head the tire is worn out! Look at the side walls of the tires. Look at the top of the tire, if you see tiny cracks then the tire is 'weather checked' they are very old and will not last very long. (no more than 200 miles if that, when they heat up they will start to leak then you will have a flat tire).

Over all body, some RV's have a mix of Aluminum and Fiberglass. The aluminum will be the overall body and the fiberglass will be filler panel's, Panels that open for storage and maybe the hood. Look at any unpainted aluminum, if it is corroded you can tell by the color, corroded aluminum is white or if you run your finger over it you will feel roughness like sand paper. Depending how deep the corrosion is will depend on how much work it will take to fix it. If you can push on a spot that isn't corroded and it doesn't flex or flexes very little then press on the corroded area, if it flexes more than the non corroded area you will have some work to do. Be careful when pressing on the area, your finger or thumb may penetrate the aluminum. Painted aluminum that is corroded will have little bumps in the paint, like the paint is blowing bubbles. Press on one, see what is underneath the paint, if it is white powder that is pretty bad corrosion. Because it is under the paint that means that all the aluminum on the RV is corroded, maybe from salt air or spray. Personally I would walk away from the buy, it would cost almost as a brand new RV to fix it. Light corrosion (dulling of the aluminum)  can be buffed out. Fiberglass is very resilient. If you can see the fibers or if you open the panel and can see light though places then the panel will need to be repaired or  replaced.

Over all this should take you about an hour to check out the RV if you are serious. Remember that you are putting a lot of money in to a vehicle that you will be traveling in with your family.

Take your time and if you don't like something you can either negotiate with the seller or walk away.

Then DRIVE IT!

Happy RVing!