The lost art of PDI and test drives...
I've read several threads lately on this and other RV Forums where {usually} new owners are bemoaning various issues with their RV. Certain manufacturers get routinely trashed because the new rig was...
Forum Discussion
We purchased our second TT this year. We were very fortunate that our first TT was purchased from a family owned dealer in CT that taught us how a proper PDI should be done. They spend three hours with us going over every aspect of the TT and operating each system. And since it was my first time towing taught me the hitch procedure and took me for a test drive.
We carried that experience over to our second purchase armed with an electrical outlet tester, laser thermometer, multi-meter, a DVD to run in the DVD player and instructions to the dealer that we were going to run every system, flip every switch, open ever door and climb on the roof (they weren't happy about me going on the roof but once on the ladder who was going to pull me down).
Realistically there are some things that the average person cannot check accurately, especially as systems get more and more complicated but as the OP mentioned, there are so many times I've heard complaints on issues that should have been caught during the PDI. In my mind you at least want to leave the dealers lot knowing you've done the best you could to inspect the unit.
We carried that experience over to our second purchase armed with an electrical outlet tester, laser thermometer, multi-meter, a DVD to run in the DVD player and instructions to the dealer that we were going to run every system, flip every switch, open ever door and climb on the roof (they weren't happy about me going on the roof but once on the ladder who was going to pull me down).
Realistically there are some things that the average person cannot check accurately, especially as systems get more and more complicated but as the OP mentioned, there are so many times I've heard complaints on issues that should have been caught during the PDI. In my mind you at least want to leave the dealers lot knowing you've done the best you could to inspect the unit.
