Alberta RV newbs

MDKMDK wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
Funny what bugs a person. One of my faves is the new member that posts a question...people take the time to answer...and the poster never returns.

Gary

We've been trolled again. :(
It's hard to sugar coat the obvious answers sometimes, especially if we see danger ahead. I think maybe newbs get discouraged and a little overwhelmed by the tone of the responses, particularly when they aren't expecting dire warnings like they've gotten here. If the question requires reasonable warnings to keep someone from getting screwed over, as in this case, I think it's responsible to give them our honest opinions/suggestions. Whatever it is, I think we sometimes scare them sensible.

Could well be.

Gary

garyhaupt wrote:
Funny what bugs a person. One of my faves is the new member that posts a question...people take the time to answer...and the poster never returns.

Gary

We've been trolled again. :(
It's hard to sugar coat the obvious answers sometimes, especially if we see danger ahead. I think maybe newbs get discouraged and a little overwhelmed by the tone of the responses, particularly when they aren't expecting dire warnings like they've gotten here. If the question requires reasonable warnings to keep someone from getting screwed over, as in this case, I think it's responsible to give them our honest opinions/suggestions. Whatever it is, I think we sometimes scare them sensible.

Funny what bugs a person. One of my faves is the new member that posts a question...people take the time to answer...and the poster never returns.

Gary

Hey...from BC, eh.

See two units..one is house..other is truck.

There are lots of reasons for people to trade in...2 ft itis is a biggie. If it's a 1990 and only has 35k? a driveway Queen and likely has lots of stuff that needs attention. A 20+ with 100,00k? just getting broken in.

All the appliances work? Fridge, furnace, hot water. Look up on the ceiling for stains..that would be a sign of water ingress. Pull up the mattress on the top bunk...looking for dampness/stains. Most RV's are made with wood framing. Water means rot. Rot is $$'s to repair. The front clearance lights are common for water leaks.

An RV shop can be hired to inspect..not the shop selling it tho...right? It's going to be 100 an hour but worth it.


Get the truck inspected. Plan on new tires. They have a shelf life of 5 or 6 years. Kal Tire will tell you how old yours are.


Gary Haupt
Penticton

Jendew87 wrote:
We are also curious how to check the history, maintenance and all that as the rv dealer has no past info since it was a private trade in.

Thinking about this a little more. This is a (sight unseen) red flag for me. A dealer took the unit as a trade in, but doesn't know anything about it? Does Alberta require a UVIP (used vehicle information package) be presented when you look at a used vehicle? Maybe you could get your Alberta vehicle licensing people to run the VIN and get some more info that way.

What is the brand? There aren't many 20 ft Class C's around. The make and model might help with common issues and known problems.

Get a professional.

Reading from here, the biggest issues are usually those that can't be seen or obvious and needs special tools or instruments to access and test.

My 2cents' worth,

Are there any RV Inspection services near you that you could contact before you go, to see if they could meet you at the dealer?
There are just too many things to look for, in the chassis and the coach, to list here that will give you any kind of fighting chance of not getting taken advantage of.
Do you have a friend that owns or has owned a motorhome? Any friends that are/were mechanics to have a look at the chassis?
Seriously, get the dealer to demonstrate every system in the coach to make sure every light, faucet, outlet, toilet, A/C, batteries, M/W, propane, oven, furnace, sink drains, and the list is endless, and that's just the coach. The chassis, check of rust/corrosion, old rubber belts/hoses, tire expiry dates, engine/transmission/differential/suspension/front end/dash gauges/mileage/odometer/dash controls/steering/brakes/etc.......
Not trying to discourage you, but if you truly are new to the RV/motorhome world, it's not like buying a car (well, yes it is, sort of, but there's a whole 12VDC/120VAC/propane/solar powered house w/running water and a toilet attached to it).
Get an RV inspector to go with you, or someone you trust that's owned or knows motorhomes and/or automotive stuff.
Sometimes the first MH you look at is the one, and sometimes it's better to pass it up and keep looking.
Trust your gut feeling, too. If it gives you a bad feeling after a few minutes, it might be worth taking a deep breath and sleeping on it. You've found one, and there will be countless others out there, if this one doesn't work for you.
Best I can do. Good luck.