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Flapper's avatar
Flapper
Explorer
Sep 21, 2017

Where do RV's go to die?

We had our fifth totaled last winter due to a roof tear allowing water in to delaminate 2 or possibly 3 sides. I now see posts about similar due to Harvey/Irma. When I asked my dealer about what would happen to mine after the insurance company towed it away, he didn't really know. He speculated that some end up as slowly dissolving "cabins" for hunting/fishing use in the north woods.
Anyone know? Are they parted out to salvage usable stuff, just shredded and landfilled, or some other disposal?

24 Replies

  • Hunter special is a common end game but probably not the majority.

    I suspect a lot just wind up in back yards/farmers fields rotting away until the house get's torn apart and goes to the land fill. The frame and running gear would likely be taken by a scrap yard.

    I do wonder if scrap yards favor aluminum sided over fiberglass. Scrap fiberglass siding has no value. The aluminum is quite valuable.

    Depending on the damage, there probably is a market for a lot of the hurricane RV's appliances. If the flooding went say 4-5' deep, the floor is probably trashed but air/con is probably fine and the stove and fridge might be fine depending on how high and for how long the the flooding went. Furnace & hot water heater being down low likely won't fare as well.
  • There is a huge salvage yard for RV's near Carthage, Missouri. Everything from diesel engines to inverters.
  • There aren't many usable parts in a totaled RV. Appliances and water heater. maybe the windows.
    Most are probably landfill.
    MH should have a good engine and running gear which is salvagable.