What to look for when inspecting a used TT for purchase

Thanks again everyone. The inspection was over in 2 minutes. I'm 6'4" , and I couldn't stand up inside. That was a deal breaker right there. Wife and I have decided to buy new. I'll use all this info including the PDI when we pick up. Many thanks to all of you.

Mike

As others have said, water leaks. Do yourself a favor and spend $25-$30 for a moisture meter. It can find moisture problems thru the walls, the floor and ceiling that you can't see with your eyes.

Another sign of possible water damage - soft spots in the floor. Walk around every place you can possibly put a foot and see if there's any feel of the floor being soft. You'll know it when you feel it.

If it has fiberglass siding outside, look carefully for delamination; separation of the fiberglass from the structure of the trailer. These can be very obvious, or very subtle. Sometimes you have to look at just the right angle to see it. Some people won't mind a little. Others won't touch any trailer showing any signs. This could be a sign of water damage, or extreme sun exposure of the surface area.

Water pump. Check to make sure it's working correctly, and how loud it is. Is it making a lot of noise but little water coming out? Is it generally noisier than it should be? Might need some service.

How easily does the refrigerator come on, electric or propane? If on propane, does it light right away? Make sure there's good fuel in the line for the stove/oven as well, prior to checking the fridge. Just turning on the tanks and immediately trying to light the fridge could be frustrating. Is it a Dometic or a Norcold? In my experience, Dometics seem to be more user friendly AT ELEVATION, ie, easier to light. Norcolds sometimes have a disclaimer that they don't work well above 5000 feet. If that's important to you, keep that in mind. If you're never going to travel to the West, that could be a moot point.

Check for leaks around the toilet. They can be very small and subtle, might not see one right away. Flush several times, or let the water run for fill up for a bit, to see if there's a leak. If there is, trying to get at it for repairs can be a BEAR of problem, depending on the toilet position. Voice of experience.

Just some of the specifics that should be included on a PDI.

If a new ones have problems (I have to return to the dealership shop 3 times), how much more a used ones.

And remember, the materials used into building them are flimsy and not the best quality with big compromise in weight and cost.

Almost anything in a TT can be fairly easily replaced especially if you have a somelike to likes DIY home or auto repairs. Search for an RV PDI checklist online, print and review before and during the process and negotiations.


I cannot stress more than some others before this post: Evidence of water intrusion is easily hidden and often time and $ intensive to repair within the whole cost of the used asking price. Any hint or smell or touch/feel, just walk politely walk away.

When I went shopping for used....I first looked for rot in all the hidden spots....in cupboards, under beds, under sinks etc.
I used a flashlight and my thumb. It's amazing how many thumb holes I left in my wake.

No thumb holes?

Check the roof make sure it's in reasonable condition.

And THEN....I checked everything else.

Try not to shop when trailers are winterized.

I am overwhelmed by the amount of information here. Thank you all very much. Now, time to find an RV inspector :)

Other posters covered water intrusion well. It is the worst enemy of an RV. If the renewal of suspect areas is due, plan on doing it.

Appliances should be verified in working order. They do have an expected life, dependent on usage. Absorption fridges are the most common failure with common life of 10 years. However if they have had steady use Ive seen them last over 40 years.
Seems like ocassional use shortens their life, so a lightly used camper may be in better condition with little wear, due to lack of use fridge, battery( storage without charge) may be suspect to need replacement soon. No other appliance has a ( life) but the cold water heater, that is dependent on service of its sacrificial anode, so little use is a plus.

Tires and suspension are a great indicator of use. If wear is even and light, that does not indicate a lightly used unit, it just means it hasnt gone far.

I do not fear chinese tires. Now 9 years on chen yung long march g14 245/85//16. rated 110 psi, running. 85psi. 45 k miles Wear and service is wonderful. Its about underusing capacity. When you stress your limits to capacity, tow or towed is when issues happen .
over truck , under load do your due diligence.

Water leaks, funny moldy smell and see that everything is working (turn on and off every appliance, lights, flush, faucets, radio, awning, water system, black tank...

Water damage is by far the #1 thing to inspect for.
The newer the camper the less of an issue this will be. Caulking on the exterior needs to be replaced as often as every year, maybe it can go 4-6 years, but it does start to crack that first year. This is where water gets in 99% of the time. Check the seam where roof meets wall outside, and all the penetrations like roof vents, sewer vents etc. Same goes for the exterior walls. If the caulking looks original then inspect a lot closer. If it looks like it was just done then be a little more weary that they did a hasty repair at the time of selling.
The "caulk" should be Lap Sealant, not caulk, not bathroom caulk and NEVER silicone in any form. Silicone will be a nightmare for you when it is time to do work. Silicone works quite well but will be hard and impossible to remove.
Bring a multi-meter and check the battery charge with the camper not plugged in. If it was plugged in, unplug, turn on lights or something to put some drain on the batteries and test at the end. 12.6 is a healthy battery.
Sniff around cabinets for mold. Look for black mold and run if you see any. Campers might smell musty if closed up a lot, but should not be moldy.
Check that the holding tanks are not cracked. Fill them up if needed. Sometimes people leave the poo in over winter and that cracks the tanks (the water does). Cracks are not a big deal to fix depending where the crack is though.
Some things will be wrong with the camper a lot of times, so be prepared to do some fixing up and know your limits both on ability and available time.

**edit. Ask about the refrigerator and what precautions need to be taken. This will give you an idea of what they know about use, so you know if they even knew to take the precautions. If they do not know, then they have likely done damage to the absorbtion unit..
I dont want to give out the "correct" answers for "sellers" so just say, go research this yourself.