I was wondering when your RV refrigerator, that is less than 10 yrs, old either develops a leak or some other major defect is it better to replace or repair the unit? what would average repair cost be? I see new ones at like camping world for $1500 in the 8 CuFt range. If its older than 10 yrs old would replacing make more sense?

I replaced the cooling unit, the fridge 8 years old in good shape other than that. Amish cooling unit was under $600 delivered. If your handy it's a do it yourself job only needed help getting it back in the hole.

I'll comment on the older than 10 years case. Much cheaper to repair. Both the cooling unit and the circuit board are easy do-it-yourself jobs. The refrigerator itself is just an insulated box. As long as you are content with the design, no need to replace.Miles

We would repair if reasonable compared to the cost of new. New of what we have is $3,500 or more now. Ours is currently 15 yrs old and we have replaced a circuit board and the thermistor. Total repair cost so far is around $180.00.

have it rebuilt by the amish guys great work ,less than half of a new one. your geting everything new except the box.

I'm convinced if my fridge goes out, I will switch to residential. We traded off an rv about 7 years ago because of continual problems with an rv type fridge. They could never get it fixed and cost was many time that of a residential. Seems to me the only people who might have problems with a residential are those who boondock a lot.

RV refrigerator,, repair or replace?? | Good Sam Community

mr__ed
Explorer
Jan 17, 2015
Since I usually have hookups I think I would replace mine with a residential style fridge, the type that uses a compressor.If it appeared to be impossible to get the fridge through the door I would no doubt repair the original one. Had a friend who installed one in his trailer. He did such a good job you would swear it was done at the factory.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jan 17, 2015
They take a picture window out if one is big enough. If not then they take one of the front windshields out.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Jan 18, 2015
we decided to buy a new fridge in Oct of 2013 instead of having a new cooling back installed. My wife gets pissed every time she opens the fridge door or even if fridge gets mentioned by anybody. Repair yours it will be better than the new models.

chevman
frankdamp
Explorer
Jan 20, 2015
Our 11 year-old Dometic died two days before we were leaving on a 3 week trip (2013 season). We couldn't get a slot at our local repair shop, so we decided to go with ice. We must have visited every Fred Meyer store between Astoria and Brookings to buy ice!

When we went to our local repair shop, they pointed out that all the other parts of the fridge were also 11 years old. Since a new fridge, installed, was only about $180 more than a cooling unit replacement, we went with a new fridge.

We recently sold the RV, so the new owner gets the benefit!

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RV refrigerator,, repair or replace??

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