We are about to purchase a new Venture Sonic 22VBH today. I drove yesterday to the lot to look it over after a heavy rain and found a leak at the corner of the slideout.Tech looked at it and said that hes fixed it with silicone sealant where a spot was missed. I will run a hose over the entire roof today to see if it leaks. This is my first trailer and I am nervous about the purchase. Is this normal? Should I ask to have them look inside slide out and take apart?Thanks for any feedback!!

I would be leery. The next question to get answered is how long has it been leaking.See if you can find a build date. Have the slides been out? If so the leak has done some damage. Will it become evident before the warranty is over?

Maybe a pressure test is in order!

Since you found a leak, see if they'll split the cost of a Sealtech pressure test. The interior pressure test will find any additional leaks or affirm that the original was repaired correctly.

ok, I will ask about the pressure test. The date of manufacture is March, 2017. It has probably been on the lot for 2-4 months, unsure how long the slide out has been open.Also, while crawling on the roof to check for other seals I heard a couple cracks/crunching underneath - is that the fiberglass wrap? is it damaging it?https://www.venture-rv.com/sonic-travel-trailers/construction.html

westend wrote:Since you found a leak, see if they'll split the cost of a Sealtech pressure test. The interior pressure test will find any additional leaks or affirm that the original was repaired correctly.I wouldn't split the cost myself. its a repaired vehicle (and with silicone) show it works. it should be able to be adjusted to not leak without patching it.and if they will slap something together to get it off the lot, what kind of service do you expect to get from them when other issues arise? bumpy

New RV-about to drive off the lot- Found Leak | Good Sam Community

Newbiecampers
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
rvbc wrote:
Fantastic!! thanks for all the advice, I walked and didn't finalize the purchase. I feel so much better not bringing it home and stressing about it down the road.

One thing positive from all this is now im going to be a hell of a lot more meticulous on inspection.

In my opinion you did the right thing walking away.

You don't know how much damage may have already occurred due to the leak. No sense starting out your ownership with a brand new unit that has already been leaking. And as others have mentioned, the silicon fix is not very impressive of a remedy.

There will -always- be another camper to purchase. They are not a rare commodity.
westend
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Silicone doesn't fix leaks, it compounds them. Silicone is for bathtubs.....
If they use silicone they have no idea what they are doing. Silicone will not seal anything exterior, especially one that moves and flexes.
Good thing you walked.

X2
Silicone is a great sealer when in compression and not exposed to weather. On an RV it is the devil.

I was in the "walk away"camp, too, but thought you may have already purchased the trailer. For your peace of mind that is a good decision. There is another trailer right around the bend (maybe a better deal or better suits you, also).
If you're not a DIY guy/gal, the first place I would look at when purchasing at a dealership is the Service Dept. A cursory look will probably be enough to evaluate their quality.
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Jun 11, 2017
Silicone doesn't fix leaks, it compounds them. Silicone is for bathtubs.....
If they use silicone they have no idea what they are doing. Silicone will not seal anything exterior, especially one that moves and flexes.
Good thing you walked.
rvbc
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
Fantastic!! thanks for all the advice, I walked and didn't finalize the purchase. I feel so much better not bringing it home and stressing about it down the road.

One thing positive from all this is now im going to be a hell of a lot more meticulous on inspection.
js6343js6343
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
I agree with others. Move on.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jun 10, 2017
timmac wrote:
Opps edited my post, just realized you never bought it yet, I would move on and find another trailer.

SAGE advice. I would consider a different dealer also.
bumpy
westend
Explorer
Jun 10, 2017
rvbc wrote:
no split on repair, manager said they do a pressure test and that it would've been done today.

they are reputable and confident they will do what they can to fix

I will go out there and put a hose on it... would it be fair to hit the slideout from the side with the hose to simulate driving rain or is that a bit too much to expect??
The pressurized interior test is the best indicator. You don't need to direct water on anything. The test will turn up even a pinhole leak.

If it was me, I'd inspect the repair area and if it was anything less than superb, I'd ask for a complete slide out gasket replacement.
timmac
Explorer
Jun 10, 2017
Opps edited my post, just realized you never bought it yet, I would move on and find another trailer.
MKirkland
Explorer
Jun 10, 2017
I'd walk. If they can't get it perfect now, what will happen later? Ask to see another trailer. Happy you found it before it became your problem.
FloridaReLoaded
Explorer
Jun 10, 2017
I would be weary too, leaks can cause mold inside the walls plus unseen damage. Not to scare you but I wouldn't have pulled it off the lot, now that you have, it yours.