What is the proper protocol an RV Service Center should follow when offering their customers a “Complimentary Roof Inspection” ? I dropped off my 2016 TT (rubber roof with Dicor seam sealant) in for routine maintenance. I was informed the sealant on the roof needed to be redone - removed and new sealant applied - at a cost of $1300. The RV Service Center sent me photos which showed 2 large holes in sealant areas. I had cleaned the roof in late fall and had the TT covered over the winter, and there were no holes in the sealant.I declined the $1300 repair, took the TT home, went topside to inspect the sealant holes. It appears there are a few soft raised “bubbles” of sealant, these can be pressed down with slight pressure, but bounce back up.Is it proper procedure for an RV Service Center have a technician, as part of a “Complimentary Roof Inspection” dig into an otherwise intact soft spot of sealant, creating a hole in the sealant ? I requested the RV Service Center perform a patch job on the few affected areas, but they refused, saying this would not be a good repair option. This is a 3 year old TT, and I believe I can selectively remove the few areas of soft sealant with Dicor self-leveling sealant myself.Thanks for any advice.

There’s no complementary, it’s just like a car dealership doing a “free 38 point inspection”; it’s a chance to find something to repair and charge you. They WILL find something and like you suspect, they’ll even make sure you have damage so they can get your money. Buy some Dicor lap sealant and do the easy job yourself-$12.00Learn to do all your maintenance yourself and you’ll be a much happier camper!

Definitely learn to do it yourself. It's not difficult and you will save a lot of money.I would not want the dealer putting someone on my roof to do an inspection by digging in the caulking. The 'Tech' may not be as experienced and professional as you think.Search Youtube for repair videos, you will find several.You may also want to find a new RV Service Center.

Three years old? $1300? OMG. Clean the bad areas and use self leveling Dicor

That is a scam / ripoff! Run away from that dealer

Don't be taking your rig back to them ever. You have seen how they are dishonest, don't give them another chance at anything.

Proper Protocol for “Complimentary Roof Inspection”

46 Replies

bob2194
Explorer
May 20, 2019
Halmfamily wrote:
But some 4" Eternabond tape and seal over all of your joints and sealant. Follow the directions and you won't have to worry about failed sealant again. I did this to both of our FW's and in five years haven't had to touch it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This the best advice!!! I will do the same to my new TT
pmlevine
Explorer
May 20, 2019
Sounds like a very good option to have a mobile RV tech arrive to perform maintenance instead of bring the RV into a service center. I am totally on-board with watching a reliable mobile RV tech perform maintenance, so I can learn to do things myself.
How do members find a reliable mobile RV tech ?
derh20
Explorer
May 19, 2019
After years of going to rv service shops, one really bad outcome made me going to mobile RV repair guy. without going into detail, the service shop de-winterized my MH and made 2 potentially dangerous errors, one involving the propane tank. One of the problems is they hire these young people with limited knowledge, and training and you don't know what they are doing behind closed doors. With a mobile person, you can be there watching everything that is being done. Just my thoughts.
OleManOleCan
Explorer
May 19, 2019
guidry wrote:
There’s no complementary, it’s just like a car dealership doing a “free 38 point inspection”; it’s a chance to find something to repair and charge you. They WILL find something and like you suspect, they’ll even make sure you have damage so they can get your money. Buy some Dicor lap sealant and do the easy job yourself-$12.00

Learn to do all your maintenance yourself and you’ll be a much happier camper!

Find another location for maintenance.
Looks like someone is setting you up to take a lot of money.
It's easy to do your own roof replace. $150 or less.
Watch a couple of YouTube videos, and see how it's done.
dhull
Explorer II
May 13, 2019
That look exactly like a few of the seems I found that had bubbles under them after I put the needle nose pliers to it and ripped the top off the bubble before applying more dicor over top.
pmlevine
Explorer
May 12, 2019
winnietrey wrote:
Dave H M wrote:
winnietrey wrote:
as an after thought, if those holes, were there before you took it to the dealer, why would they be white, when the rest of the Dicor is stained? That makes me kind of wondering, if the dealer did something, To try and sell you a roof job

Too lazy this am to go back through and study things but I was under the impression that that was the photo the stealer sent the OP. :h

If it happened, prior to taking it to the dealer, I would expect, all the Dicor to be the same color. When I zoom in, on the pic, it almost looks to me, like someone sliced the Dicor and lifted it up and peeled it back. Could have been a branch or something, but if the Dealer did it, that would be pretty cheeseball

I had the TT covered all winter with a heavy duty RV cover, after I cleaned the roof this past fall. So no trees or branches can account for the gouged holes in the sealant.
TheBar
Explorer
May 12, 2019
Halmfamily wrote:
But some 4" Eternabond tape and seal over all of your joints and sealant. Follow the directions and you won't have to worry about failed sealant again. I did this to both of our FW's and in five years haven't had to touch it.

X3. I covered every roof seam including the trim on all four sides and around all the vents and AC. I'll never need to caulk the roof again. But be warned this could affect your trade in value. It should increase the value but a dealer doesn't want to sell an RV where he can't sell a re-caulk job every 3 years.
winnietrey
Explorer
May 12, 2019
Dave H M wrote:
winnietrey wrote:
as an after thought, if those holes, were there before you took it to the dealer, why would they be white, when the rest of the Dicor is stained? That makes me kind of wondering, if the dealer did something, To try and sell you a roof job

Too lazy this am to go back through and study things but I was under the impression that that was the photo the stealer sent the OP. :h

If it happened, prior to taking it to the dealer, I would expect, all the Dicor to be the same color. When I zoom in, on the pic, it almost looks to me, like someone sliced the Dicor and lifted it up and peeled it back. Could have been a branch or something, but if the Dealer did it, that would be pretty cheeseball
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
May 12, 2019
winnietrey wrote:
as an after thought, if those holes, were there before you took it to the dealer, why would they be white, when the rest of the Dicor is stained? That makes me kind of wondering, if the dealer did something, To try and sell you a roof job

Too lazy this am to go back through and study things but I was under the impression that that was the photo the stealer sent the OP. :h
dodge_guy
Explorer II
May 12, 2019
Looks like a fiberglass roof? And it looks very dirty, clean the entire roof and then go around with the sealant and seal up any areas that look suspect! Shouldn’t cost more than $20 and an hour or 2 of your time.