Professional Pre-Purchase Inspection

I had an inspection done and he caught a number of things I would not have caught. He also looked at coaches before I did to rule out the lemons. He was worth the cost.

I paid $250 for a 3 hour (actually took 4) Professional inspection before we purchased ours from a private party. I am very mechanically inclined and have restored several classic cars. I have also been RVing for about 14 years so I know the ins and outs.

Here's where I found the value. They pulled the wheels and inspected the brakes and suspension components. The put the RV up on a lift and went over the undercarriage. The did an engine inspection and drove the RV to make sure there were no issues. They ran all the systems in the RV and verified they were all working as they should. They also did a complete roof inspection and checked for leaks. They uncovered a couple minor issues That I addressed after the purchase. I try to fight it but I know when I find a vehicle I want to buy, sometimes I get blinded to defects that I don't see until later. Just having the peace of mind, knowing someone objective took a close look made it money well spent. Our RV was over $40K so $250 was a small drop in the bucket.

"I try to fight it but I know when I find a vehicle I want to buy, sometimes I get blinded to defects that I don't see until later"

You are not alone, Ol' Yeller.

ol' yeller wrote:
I paid $250 for a 3 hour (actually took 4) Professional inspection before we purchased ours from a private party. I am very mechanically inclined and have restored several classic cars. I have also been RVing for about 14 years so I know the ins and outs.

Here's where I found the value. They pulled the wheels and inspected the brakes and suspension components. The put the RV up on a lift and went over the undercarriage. The did an engine inspection and drove the RV to make sure there were no issues. They ran all the systems in the RV and verified they were all working as they should. They also did a complete roof inspection and checked for leaks. They uncovered a couple minor issues That I addressed after the purchase. I try to fight it but I know when I find a vehicle I want to buy, sometimes I get blinded to defects that I don't see until later. Just having the peace of mind, knowing someone objective took a close look made it money well spent. Our RV was over $40K so $250 was a small drop in the bucket.

Sounds like that is what I'm going to do. The only thing that I am thinking is if the inspection does find something major I guess you try to negotiate a lower price based upon the cost to repair. What if they refuse to negotiate? Then you are out $250 if you don't buy it. However, as you said, the $250 charge is a drop in the bucket and could save you thousands.

You are never "out $250" when you don't buy something because an expert told you an RV had serious issues.

$250 sounds like a great deal he could save $10,s of thousands.and if you buy it you,d already know what needs attention,

I hear you. I don't have large sums of money where I can toss $250 every time I fell in love with an RV. That is when I'd call on my knowledge and experience to check one out before I'd pay for a professional inspection. However, the professionals could drive deeper to make sure things like brakes are actually not only in good condition but also tell you how much wear is left. If you suspect a problem, I'd ask the seller to cover the inspection cost if a real problem is found. If they wouldn't, I'd walk.

Also, I'd recommend negotiating and agreeing on a price before the professional inspection. That way the seller can't change their position after you have invested $250 for the inspection. However, if you find a problem that was unknown, you can renegotiate because you have new information. That said, if the inspection uncovered a few minor issues, you may just want to address those on your own.

Floridastorm wrote:
I know little to nothing technically about motor homes, so I am thinking this may be the best way to not buy something that has problems.

There is your answer. :)