Used RV Inspection. Is it important? YES
By RVing Al
By RVing Al
Are you ready to buy a used RV? Have you completed the Used RV
inspection yet? If your answer to this question is "INSPECTION!!!!!
WHAT INSPECTION?" then you are not quite ready to buy that used RV yet.
Yes, the last step in buying a used RV is to inspect it inside and out to make
sure it is in good shape.
Why? Because you are spending your hard earned money (we are assuming
that you work hard for your money) to buy it. We are pretty sure that the
reason you
are buying a used RV is so you can enjoy your leisure time by camping with it.
Without an inspection, your leisure time may be spent repairing problems on the
RV, that could have been discovered during a pre-purchase inspection. As
the old saying goes "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
(you gotta love those old sayings).
We will also provide you with some guidelines on how to do the inspection
yourself. We will give you some tips on
how to inspect documents about the
RV, the interior and exterior of the RV. We will also give you guidelines
on
inspecting the engine and hints on what to look for during your test drive of
the RV.
There
are three options you can use to complete this inspection
OPTION 1: Hire an independent RV Inspection Service to
complete the inspection for you. Dependant on the company you hire,
the inspector could go to where the RV is and conduct the inspection or in
some cases you may be required to take the RV to them (some RV dealerships
also do these inspections).
This is also a good choice if you are
purchasing a used RV in another state and you are not able to travel there
to look at it yourself (yes, lots of people buy used RVs this way).
Remember, you are the one that is going to be paying for this inspection
whether you end up buying the RV or not.
The cost of the inspections vary by the type of Recreational Vehicle you
are looking to buy. An inspection on a used Tent Trailer is going to
cost far less than an inspection on a used Class A Bus Conversion (the
inspection for these could run over $500.00). This may sound like a
lot of money, but, it costs far less than a major repair on a broken down
RV.
Depending on the type of RV being inspected, the inspection could last up
to 6 hours (sometimes longer). Once the inspection is completed, you
should be provided with a comprehensive report outlining what was found
during the course of the inspection (also known as The Good,. Bad and Ugly
Report). Once you receive this report, you will be in a good position
to make your final decision.
If some problems were found during the inspection you can always use
these are bargaining chips with the seller to get a price reduction.
WARNING: If the seller refuses
to let you get the RV inspected, your next step is to immediately walk out
their front door, run to your car and make a hasty retreat. Unless the
seller is hiding something, there is no rational reason that they would not
want the RV inspected.
OPTION 2: Enlist the help of a knowledgeable friend to
go with you to do the RV Inspection. This could be someone that owns
an RV and is competent at working on them. If the RV you are looking
at is a Motorized RV (has a motor in it to make it go), they should also be
a competent mechanic (diesel mechanic for diesel powered RV and gasoline
engine mechanic for gas powered RV).
This is more cost effective (cheaper) than Option 1. In fact, this
may only cost you a 6 pack of beer or a bottle of wine (helpful hint, the
beer or wine should be consumed after the inspection is completed, not prior
to the inspection).
OPTION 3: You can do it yourself, as long as you are
confident, that you know what you are doing. Don't do it yourself just
because you don't want to spend the money (your a cheapskate and you just
can't help yourself) to have an expert do it. In the long run it could
cost you more money to repair something you missed during your inspection,
that an expert would of caught during their inspection.
If you chose either Option 2 or 3 above you might want to take a moment to
review the general guidelines on what to look for during an RV Inspection pages.
The inspection section is divided up into two sections.
Section 1: is for motorized and non motorized RVs. It covers
the guidelines for reviewing important documents about the RV, the
inspection of the interior and exterior of the RV.
Section 2: is for motorized RVs and covers the guidelines
for inspection the engine and the guidelines on what to look for during a road test of the RV.
Once you have completed these inspections, you will have a
pretty good idea of the condition of the RV that you are considering buying.
Once you buy an RV you will become an "Official RVer". One
thing is for sure you won't regret being a part of RVing Lifestyle. Many
new adventures will be just down the road. Happy RVing
If you have any Questions or Suggestions please
Contact Us.
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