Pre purchase inspection

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.