Buying a Used RV? What to Inspect Before You Hand Over Money

A used RV can look spotless and still hide expensive problems. Water damage especially can be well hidden. Here's the walkthrough we use on pre-purchase inspections.

Water Damage First

• Press on the floor near the door, under windows and around the toilet. Soft spots mean rot.
• Look for ceiling stains, rippled wall panels and staples or screws rusting through.
• Check outside sidewalls for bubbling or waviness (delamination).
• Smell inside. A fresh air freshener in a closed-up coach is worth asking about.

Run Every System

• Fridge on both propane and electric. Leave it running long enough to actually get cold.
• Furnace, water heater and stove on propane
• A/C: cold air, not just a running fan
• Water system under pressure. Check under sinks for drips.
• Slides, awning, jacks: all the way out and back in
• Batteries and converter: ask how old the batteries are

Road and Running Gear

Check tire date codes (the four-digit DOT code shows the week and year). RV tires often age out before they wear out. On a trailer, look at the hitch, coupler, safety chains and breakaway switch. On a motorhome, ask for engine and generator service records.

Paperwork

Ask for maintenance and repair records, and check whether any extended warranty can be transferred. In BC, a vehicle history search can show liens and accident claims.

Get a Second Set of Eyes

A pre-purchase inspection by a technician who works on RVs every day can find issues a walkthrough misses, and gives you something concrete to negotiate with. We do pre-purchase inspections at our Okanagan Falls shop or on site.