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The search is still continuing for a Rv for the wife and I. I planned on looking at two units yesterday, but wound up only looking hard at the second unit.
The first one was in a city very close by and was 5 years old and understood by me to be a family class A gas rig that was being sold to purchase a large 5th wheel toy carrier.
When I arrived, the three "boys" of the family, who were old enough to have facial hair were in the cabin playing video games and propped up in various stances all about the cabin.
Numerous beer and soda cans on counter and one young man in passenger seat with what we around here call a spittoon jar in the passenger seat. No. Nix. Nein.
The father said the "boys" were all in motocross and they needed something bigger that slept more. I think all the boys needed jobs and a good scrubbing, but that is just me.
The father said the boys actually operate the RV and he drives to events in his car and joins them there for a few days. He also said it only needed a good cleaning and some "minor" toilet and shower repairs.
The second unit was 2008 Fleetwood gas model with low mileage and was in fairly decent appearance initially but had been sitting for most of the past year due to illness of the owners wife.
The unit cranked and ran pretty rough for a couple minutes and smoothed out. Generator had oil all over it with no explanantion from owner. Tires low. Roof covered in pine needles and leaf debris.
He did offer to throw in a "bra" and wheel covers and all pots and pans and other stuff. Fresh Water tank smelled. No comment from owner. No maintenance logs, but wife probably had all the receipts somewhere was all he could offer on paperwork. Owner mentioned that the V-10 was the best RV motor around and they always ran a little rough at first. Hmm. He did not notice that I was standing next to my 2002 pickup truck with v-10 badging .
So, all in all, it was a waste of time on those two units.
I am thinking of asking about paperwork and any maintenance logs held by owner and checking motor, outside holding compartments for contents and clues and generator before doing anything else. I cannot understand how people can spend so much money and know nothing about their equipment and not bother to try to clean it up properly.
My question is : You have a lot of units to look at in a short time frame and can only choose two items to give a long hard look at to make decision can on wether to proceed with more inspection.
What would you pay attention to ?
-- Edited by DEWhit on Sunday 1st of June 2014 12:56:56 PM
roof for leaks , water damage in ceiling and walls are a major repair & drive train ........everything else is low budget repairs.......the second one you looked at would be my first choice..(I know how my kid beats my car!)....its probably running rough due to old fuel and condensation in the tank and condensation under the hood.....I would pump the brakes to check and see if the calipers are stuck or rusted....and shift the tranny from reverse to drive a few times and listen for noises.
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1998 ...Harney Renegade DP class A
rers1@mail.com
My Service dog and life partner " Nikki"......Klee Kia Miniature Husky....(she Runs the ship!!)
We are not lost in the Woods.....Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!!
If that's how they show the RV to sell I can only imagine how they treat it normally. Smart move on your part to pass those up.
If I only had time to check two items I would wait until I had more time. That's a lot of money to put down on a rushed decision. However as far as importance goes i would put these near the top of the list: maintenance records, recalls, obvious water damage, tire age, overall looks as to how well the owner maintained the interior and exterior, air conditioners, and heating.
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Paul & Kathy
2014 Phaeton 42LH
"When the time comes to look back, make sure you will like what you see"
roof for leaks , water damage in ceiling and walls are a major repair & drive train ........everything else is low budget repairs......
That is about the main thing to look for especially the roof/water damage/rot. Once the unit is rotting in the roof and walls...........It doesn't matter how good it looks or runs.........It's "Rotting". Tires and batteries are regular maintenance items that you have to address on an ongoing basis.
I would never spend my hard earned money buying either a pre-owned vehicle or a house, which a motor home happens to be, by looking at only "two" things. I suspect that any experienced RVer would agree.
I think you may be starting to understand that the many issues of buying a used vehicle starts with the credibility of the seller.
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When it comes to the hereafter, I want to be in the no smoking section.
I think the " two item " thing has some thinking that is all I am going to look at.
I should rephrase the question to mean which 2 or 3 items to view quickly and make a GO/NO GO decision before considering for further inspection if acceptable.
I have done walk about inspections and unit mechanical surveys for buying class 8 tractors at auction or bankruptcy for freight lines so I am mainly concerned with the RV factors.
The roof inspection is a very valid suggestion by many considering the rot factor .
There are so many to inspect around here and in Florida. Quite a few are passed on after phone or email conversations with the owners. Over three owners gets a bit flakey too.
How they are stored counts a bit with me also along with good paperwork and records.
-- Edited by DEWhit on Thursday 5th of June 2014 06:48:13 PM
