By Perry Mack
Buying a used car is never a comfortable process, but at least it's a familiar one. We look at the mileage, check for rust, flip the switches and often take it to our favourite mechanic for an inspection – for a trustworthy opinion of what’s under the hood. A little Google search on one of the many of the automotive sites gives a sense price and reliability.
Buying a used home is also fraught with hidden perils so we usually employ the services of a reliable real estate agent (everyone has at least one friend who is) so we feel comfortable with the price, and enlist the assistance of a home inspection firm to look at the plumbing, wiring, foundation, roof and more.
My Dad used to say, “When you don’t know, what you don’t know, you can’t ask the right questions”. In both these cases, it’s easy to get some independent professional help to peer behind the veil of our rose-coloured glasses and see what trouble might be lurking there.
There aren’t as many professional independent well-known-to-us resources available when buying an RV, which makes it important for us to be as educated as possible. All this uncertainty is a little bit like playing Blackjack in Vegas, you know the deck is stacked against you but you're hoping for a good hand. That's why many of us buy new. You pay more for certainty (also called a warranty) and usually receive the latest technology as well.
However we don’t always want to buy new, so here’s a primer to help you purchase a great used RV. And if nothing else you’ll now ‘know what you don’t know’ and can ask the right questions.
The reasons for buying a used RV are similar to buying a used car or house:
A) Your budget will buy you a higher quality/larger unit, because
B) much of the depreciation has been paid for by someone else.
But buying the wrong unit will obliterate these two good reasons faster than improperly emptying your blackwater tank – there’s no positive result and you’ll have crap on your hands. Costly repairs could make your mobile vacation dream home unaffordable and make that ‘good price’ the same as a new unit – but you have a used unit with an unhealthy dose of frustration and anguish. Plus, if it was your idea to go used instead of new, your spouse will make you regret it until the end of time. Which, by the way, is too long (honey, are you reading this?).
Before we get to the ‘How and Why’ of avoiding a lemon, there are two things that are important (when buying new or used) that are solely your responsibility. First, know what your needs are in an RV, check our article online ‘Choosing the Right RV for You’ http://suncruisermedia.com/Home/rv-buy--sell/choosing-the-right-rv-%E2%80%93-for-you/ to help you with this decision. Second, you need to know the tow, load, and hitch capacity of your vehicle if you’re considering a trailer or truck camper. Usually a search of the manufacturers website (know your make, model and option packages) will tell you this.
Like buying a car or house you need to ask yourself - has the RV been well maintained? Or used, poorly stored and ignored.
One key question to ask is ‘How was it stored’? Was it stored indoors or stored outdoors on grass under a blanket of snow. Being stored on grass means moisture has wicked up from the bottom possibly resulting in seized brakes, a rotting undercarriage and spongy floors. It also means it’s likely that mice have been house sitting during winters. These little squatters can eat away at brake and electrical systems and the accompanying smell can be hard if not impossible to remove.
Here’s a few ‘must-do’s’ when choosing a used RV:
- Water damage is the number one flaw in used RV’s and they typically occur as a result of two mishaps. The first is broken pipes and the second is a leaky roof. Broken pipes typically occur as a result of poor or non-existent winterizing – this is the ignored RV. Open all the cabinets, drawers and cubbyholes and look for watermarks on the walls or floors. Have a look at the water lines wherever you can see them. Do any look different, newer? It usually means they’ve been repaired, which means there was a leak. Step on the floor around the area to see if it feels soft – it could be the sign of rot.
- Also check for signs of mold or mildew while your poking around in all these spaces and underneath mattresses. Excessive moisture from a roof leaf will show up as dark speckled patches. The moisture can also come from poor winter storage, for instance if the owner neglected to install a dehumidifier or place desiccant in the RV to remove/absorb moisture from the air. Spores from mold and mildew can lead to a host of health issues from mild to severe – avoid at all costs.
- Look up at the ceiling. Are there screws up there that don’t match the pattern? Odds are there was a roof leak and the ceiling sagged. It could be hiding mold, mildew and rot behind a freshly painted ‘mask’. Look for telltale stains that tell you there was a leak. Do you see bubbling or spongy spots in the wall coverings – also a sign of a roof leak.
- Ask the seller when he last greased the wheel bearings. RV’s at the side of the highway with a blown tire often ended up there because the bearings seized causing the wheel to drag, build up heat, and finally rupture, leaving a family stranded on the highway instead basking in an RV resort or campground.
- While you’re standing next to the tires, check the sidewalls for cracks. The tread could be good but if the tires haven’t been protected from the weather you may have to purchase new tires before your next vacation – even if the tires are less than 5 years old and have very few kilometres on them.
- Bring along your grubby clothes and crawl underneath - are there patches in the floor, does the frame look straight, or are there any extra or out-of-place welds? This could be the sign of an accident. On travel trailers go up to the front and check the A-frame for any cracks in the welds. Do you see a lot of rust? Aside from weakening the frame, a lot of rust around the brakes may mean they’re due for repair or replacement.
- I’ll state the obvious – make sure all the appliances are working. Fire them up, turn them on. Some people let their RV sit unused for a few seasons before they finally decide to sell. They can honestly say they worked fine the last time they used them – but it doesn’t mean they will when you do. Some appliances work on propane and 12V – check both. Pressurize the water system, check that all that all the taps and shower are working and that the lines you can see don’t leak.
- Get up on the roof looking for patches and gobs of sealer, especially in the corners – signs of a probable leak. Also check around the vents, antennae’s and air ducts – anywhere there’s egress to the RV. Cracked caulking is a sign of a poor seal and means you’ll need to fix this right away. Is there a roof or luggage rack? If it’s been overloaded it could also have created a roof leak.
- Check the fuse box and the wiring. Discoloured lines, or worse, melted wiring suggest there may have been a short in the system. There are a lot of aftermarket electrical extras that can get plugged into a system. Some people will replace fuses with a higher amperage than is recommended – this can start a fire. Check to make sure the batteries are deep-cycle not your average car battery. Some owners make the replacement thinking they’re saving money but you’ll end up replacing this battery after a powerless trip boondocking because refuses to hold a charge.
- Have a good look at the overall wear and tear. Take a slow walk around the outside. If it’s aluminum, are there any loose panels, if its fiberglass is there separation or peeling? Does the door(s) open and close properly. If not, it could be a sign of structural damage. Look for dings, dents, scrapes and faded paint, pitted siding, loose trim, rock chips on the front and windshield. If the unit is dirty, think twice. Dirt will conceal all kinds of wear and tear that you’ll be very disappointed to see when you get it home and wash it. Run the slides out all the way to make sure they glide smoothly.
- Check inside inspecting the carpets and upholstery for wear, stains and tearing. Is there sun damage and fading on the outside? It may mean that fabrics have become brittle and sun damaged inside and they’ll tear with just a little use – the colours should be crisp and bright and feel soft and supple. Check to make sure all the windows open properly and are in good condition.
- Gas re-certification is required for RV dealers selling a used unit. This is to insure the unit is safe. Private owners don’t have to do this and if they don’t – you should. So factor in the cost of the gas recertification and keep in mind that if the RV is old and parts to repair leaks are no longer available – it could get expensive.
- Many of the ‘Polar Packages’ in old RV’s wouldn’t keep a breakfast sausage warm in a hot fry pan. Is the underbelly well enclosed and heated, is the R factor in the insulation high enough to keep you warm. Typically the Canadian and northwest USA built RV’s with Arctic packages are best, although some are out of business – look to buy Escape, Adventurer, Triple E, Bigfoot and Northern Light.
A used motorcoach presents many additional items to check for just like buying a vehicle but with one very significant difference. The mileage doesn’t necessarily reflect the mechanical condition. In your car or truck, high mileage usually means high wear. A ten-year-old motorcoach could have 30,000 kms on it – suggesting it’s like brand new. But the mechanical parts can be in tough shape from lack of use. Choosing a motorcoach with a reasonable amount of mileage is better than one with ultra-low mileage. It suggests that the coach has been driven appropriately, and by checking the service records (which every caring responsible owner keeps) you can determine if it was well maintained. Look for regular oil and filter changes and tire rotations.
It is good ‘cents’ to pay an RV mechanic to look the unit over and make sure there are no surprises.
Checking the condition of the engine, drivetrain, transmission etc. often requires specialized training and tools. If it looks like you’re close to closing a deal on the unit, make it conditional upon an inspection and take it to an RV service centre for the final review.
None of this will guarantee you get a trouble-free unit but it will certainly hedge your bets.
An outdated interior isn’t necessarily a deal breaker if everything else checks out. Like any other home you can modernize and customize the interior to match your personal tastes with new flooring, curtains, furniture, cabinetry and appliances. Just be certain to factor this cost into your purchase price.
Buying a used RV from a reputable dealer can cost more than purchasing privately (but not always). The advantage is the reputable dealer has invested money, time and effort to make sure the unit is in good shape and safe – and he usually has an investment in his reputation.
Stay within your comfort zone when buying your new-to-you RV. If it doesn’t feel right or seems to good to be true – it probably is.
Often times you’ll hear the expression ‘Set your budget and stick to it!’ That might work for choosing your brand of morning coffee – if you don’t like it change it tomorrow. But buying an RV requires a longer-term commitment that affects your emotional well-being. Spend what it takes to meet your current needs and for 5 years down the road. I’m not suggesting you spend extravagantly but spend what it takes to make it enjoyable. Penny-pinching your way to frustration won’t save your way to happiness.
There are some resources on the 'net you can use:
- Check for any recalls or service issues - http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owner/SearchVehicles
- Check for the RV value at http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs keeping in mind that location, condition and other factors affect the market value.
And while the Internet is a great place to do research I personally wouldn’t buy a used RV sight-unseen, and never underestimate the value of a reputable local dealer when it comes to making a purchase. A dealer can often offer a limited warranty on your unit as well as financing.
On another note, over the last couple of years I’ve written that it was the best time to buy a new RV. In part due to the advances in technology, but mostly because our dollar was close to parity. Recently the Canuck buck has started to sink compared to the US greenback. Good for exporters but not so good for importers – which is most of our RV dealers. You could see the prices for new RV’s rise as early as next year as the dollar depreciates. If you’re on the fence about new vs. used this year – I would suggest new.