Pre purchase inspection

OMG, This is very important that, you must look, touch, feel, smell and try everything. There is usually a thorough walk thru but do not assume everything is as it should be. We are all human and something may have been missed by someone.
If you fail to see something at first, and later it is not right. You will have to return and make petition to have the corrections made. Good Luck with your purchase.

Months back a person was on here because he had bought a truck camper and gotten it home only to find wet cupboards when he started loading it. He then went on the roof and found the wood buckled under the leaking roof membrane.

I would be in it, under it, on top of it and around and around it and still be nervous.

If you inspect one pre purchase, write down the vin number. My sister recently shopped for a Ford car. She looked at it, drove it and then called the salesman back to say she wanted it. She went in a few days later and signed and drove away. She then found that it wasn't the same car she had driven. It was the same color and SHO package and most of it was the same but missing a couple options that she knew she had seen and used during the test drive. It was a different car.

Tell us more about your plans or if you are buying new or used.

Very important for both new and used units. You don't say which in your case. If used it may be helpful to have an independent RV inspection. In all cases, go over the unit front to back, top to bottom and check everything. Check to make sure everything works, open all drawers and make sure they work properly, have the salesman/tech show you how to operate everything and that it actually does. Keep a detail list of things you think should be fixed/adjusted/replaced. The list should be shorter than for a new unit, but not necessarily.
Good Luck

YOU NEED TO DO AN INSPECTION> OR hired a qualified repair person/shop to do it for you.
Not an inspection service a repair shop that knows the motor that is in the thing for example if a CAT diesel find a shop that repairs CAT diesels.
NOT AN RV DEALER.
Then find a good mobile repair person to check that livability features are good.
a decent inspection form can be found at
http://changingears.com/rv-checklist-inspection.shtml

You've been a member of this forum for 12 years and are asking this question? Hmmmmmmm..............

AGC wrote:
How important is a pre-purchase inspection. We're looking to buy our first MH and wanted to know how important it is to do a pre-purchase inspection.

What do they checkout

A pre delivery inspection (PDI) performed by the buyer is probably the most important part in the transaction. Here is some great information and link to recommended forms to use.http://keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9915
Plan on doing the inspection yourself or hire someone to do it for you.
Good luck and do yourself a favor and don't assume that the dealer has checked these things.

I'm buying a used unit from a private seller.

We're going to get it inspected by an RV dealer but was wondering what they do during the inspections. I've bought tons of used cars in the past and did a PPI most of the time they come back with something minor.

To find out one car I bought had body work in multiple places.

AGC wrote:
How important is a pre-purchase inspection. We're looking to buy our first MH and wanted to know how important it is to do a pre-purchase inspection.

What do they checkout

I assume you mean a pre-delivery inspection...a walk-thru before you take delivery of a purchased MH.

for us this is a 2-step process. first, the delivering dealer should walk you thru the entire MH, interior and exterior, especially since you are a newbee. some dealers charge for this service...hopefully yours won't. all of the principal owners should go through the PDI...you, your spouse, etc. take notes...take lots of notes. better yet, film it. you want to see how everything works..all the knobs, switches, valves and so forth. inside and out.

part 2 is a short shake-down cruise of at least one overnight. this could be in your driveway or a nearby campground. during this trip use everything and I mean that literally. make a list of things that don't work or which you don't understand how to use. that list will become the basis for your first warranty visit to the dealer. hopefully that list is short.

if you truly mean a pre-purchase inspection that is crucial if you are buying a used MH. you should hire a qualified MH technician to do a thorough inspection and a qualified automotive technician to check out the engine, tranny, tires, etc. this will cost you some bucks but it is well worth it.

good luck to you.

I was doing a walk through with the salesman and I noticed the molding around the slide was hanging and ready to fall off. I pointed out to him and he said "That's no problem. Just drive some nails through it when you get it home."

My point being that the dealerships are interested in getting your money. It's up to you to make sure you're getting what you paid for.

Don't go to a dealer. Get a good MobilRV mechanic to do the inspection. Have an auto mechanic check out engine and chassis.