Used DP Pre-purchase Inspection

[Winnipeg]

We are looking at getting a used DP in the next year, likely between 2001 and 2008, 36' to 40'. Budget is $45k to $70k. We also have a list of preferences including: side radiator, Cummuns ISC or ISL (not Cat or ISB), and a few other wants. We live in Southern California and would travel up to 500 miles to purchase (maybe a little further if it checked all the boxes).

The challenge we see is: how to do a pre-purchase inspection? Consider that a) we will likely purchase several hours from home, b) it is not likely convenient for the seller (or us) to simply run it over to the local service center, and c) what to look for in something with 1000 moving parts?

Pictures & service records (or lack off) can be useful for making a short list, and a good look may tell you something.

Would an extended warranty be worth while? Seems like a useful one would cost a lot. Maybe it is best to just bank $10k of the budget in case.

Any suggestions?

[jplante4]

mike brez wrote:
You will not get a dime from the inspection company if something goes wrong or if they miss something.

Not completely true. Some have errors and omissions insurance. However, most things are missed on an inspection because the system just wasn't inspected for one reason of another. I was trying to get a look at a motorhome in New Hampshire. The seller would only schedule night inspections. I walked. If a buyer won't de-winterize, I won't do an inspection. If you advertise a camper for sale over the winter, you should expect to have to put water in it.

[mike_brez]

You will not get a dime from the inspection company if something goes wrong or if they miss something.

[Ocean_Mist]

jplante4 wrote:
Checklists are great if you know what you're looking at. Turn on the propane and smell around for gas isn't the best way to test the pressure in a propane system. Are you going to take the time to run the hot water heater until it comes up to temp, cycles off and back on? Have a thermometer to test the A/C and heater? How big a temp drop should you expect from a properly operating A/C? Are you going to send out an oil and tranny fluid sample and wait for the results? Are you going to paw through the Mx records to determine if the required PM items have been completed? These are things an inspector will do and is trained to look for. A proper pre-purchase inspection should take most of a day and the unit should be de-winterized and hooked up. If the dealer won't do that, I advise my customers to do a significant cash hold back subsequent to a satisfactory inspection. The dealer usually will find a water tap and a 120VAC outlet at that point.

The truth is, most buyers don't want an inspection because they don't want to be talked out of what is basically an impulse buy. I call it the Sgt. Schultz Syndrome - "I know Nutting, Nutting!"

That is so funny that you say that. I just realized that, the statement above is partially true for me, but mine is with a little twist.

I feel like I have had it inspected by professionals, and if there is any system that's not working, I will seek compensation from the inspection company.

If there are any issue during my inspection, I will try and re-negotiate with the seller.

And lastly, I feel like I will have to go thru every system on the coach and look over every aspect to make sure all systems are working order and in top condition.

It s a comforting feeling when one knows about any idiosyncrasies with ones rig...

I have jumped from a gasser to this DP and also feel like we have jumped a few baby steps to possibly our DP for life...?

i have an idea that I'll share with you once I own it... :h :B

Maybe not, I see a Prevost in my future...lol

[Ocean_Mist]

I haven't seen anyone else mention it, but I was going through a similar process a while back and found a few inspection checklists on the internet (such as this one: http://www.myrv.us/Imgs/PDF/PDI%20New.pdf. (There are others, and I'm not sure this is the best, but it's one I happened to bookmark for some reason.) Also note the advice that getting a qualified inspector/service facility to do an inspection of the engine/chassis components.

Skip That's a great PPI Sheet. I will study it and commit it to memory... 😉 I'm not sure if it's all the tea I have consumed or that I am really anxious...lol

[Winnipeg]

"Wow! that'sa big difference. I too got caught up in the machine and went from a budget of $100k to just shy of $200"

I agree! $200k for a 15 year old coach is high. Actually, I was referring to the original MSRP.

[jplante4]

Checklists are great if you know what you're looking at. Turn on the propane and smell around for gas isn't the best way to test the pressure in a propane system. Are you going to take the time to run the hot water heater until it comes up to temp, cycles off and back on? Have a thermometer to test the A/C and heater? How big a temp drop should you expect from a properly operating A/C? Are you going to send out an oil and tranny fluid sample and wait for the results? Are you going to paw through the Mx records to determine if the required PM items have been completed? These are things an inspector will do and is trained to look for. A proper pre-purchase inspection should take most of a day and the unit should be de-winterized and hooked up. If the dealer won't do that, I advise my customers to do a significant cash hold back subsequent to a satisfactory inspection. The dealer usually will find a water tap and a 120VAC outlet at that point.

The truth is, most buyers don't want an inspection because they don't want to be talked out of what is basically an impulse buy. I call it the Sgt. Schultz Syndrome - "I know Nutting, Nutting!"

[Kaz]

Winnipeg wrote:
We are looking at getting a used DP in the next year, likely between 2001 and 2008, 36' to 40'. Budget is $45k to $70k. We also have a list of preferences including: side radiator, Cummuns ISC or ISL (not Cat or ISB), and a few other wants. We live in Southern California and would travel up to 500 miles to purchase (maybe a little further if it checked all the boxes).

The challenge we see is: how to do a pre-purchase inspection? Consider that a) we will likely purchase several hours from home, b) it is not likely convenient for the seller (or us) to simply run it over to the local service center, and c) what to look for in something with 1000 moving parts?

Pictures & service records (or lack off) can be useful for making a short list, and a good look may tell you something.

Would an extended warranty be worth while? Seems like a useful one would cost a lot. Maybe it is best to just bank $10k of the budget in case.

Any suggestions?

I haven't seen anyone else mention it, but I was going through a similar process a while back and found a few inspection checklists on the internet (such as this one: http://www.myrv.us/Imgs/PDF/PDI%20New.pdf. (There are others, and I'm not sure this is the best, but it's one I happened to bookmark for some reason.) Also note the advice that getting a qualified inspector/service facility to do an inspection of the engine/chassis components.

Skip

[Ocean_Mist]

You have many qualified answers here so i won't comment on that but like you, I am purchasing a New-to-me 2006 Monaco Executive, and Following the advice here, feel at least comfortable with what I'm buying due to the PPI.

I would like to comment on your first post which stated a dollar figure between 45-$70k and on your last post your commenting on $200k

Wow! that'sa big difference. I too got caught up in the machine and went from a budget of $100k to just shy of $200

I hope that you can still find something in the lower prices. It may take more work but there are always deals to be had...

Winnipeg wrote:
Thanks for all the thoughtful insight. I think I can conclude that a four step process would work best (for me, anyway):

1) begin with high-end manufactures (Monaco, Newmar, Tiffin, etc.) assuming that they are "built to last"
2) find a couch that looks solid
3) get the major things inspected
4) put aside $10k for follow-up repairs.

I have bought used cars & motorcycles that ended up costing more than a new one due to unexpected repairs (yes, they looked great AND I had a mechanic inspection). BUT, non of them had MSRP north of $200k. Hopefully a used DP is a good risk.

[Winnipeg]

Thanks for all the thoughtful insight. I think I can conclude that a four step process would work best (for me, anyway):

1) begin with high-end manufactures (Monaco, Newmar, Tiffin, etc.) assuming that they are "built to last"
2) find a couch that looks solid
3) get the major things inspected
4) put aside $10k for follow-up repairs.

I have bought used cars & motorcycles that ended up costing more than a new one due to unexpected repairs (yes, they looked great AND I had a mechanic inspection). BUT, non of them had MSRP north of $200k. Hopefully a used DP is a good risk.

[Jim]

NRVIA Certified is how I've seen it.

Link to their site.

[crasster]

Jim@HiTek wrote:
I spent two years trying to find a RV I wanted and each time, I'd use RVServiceReviews.com to try and find an 'independent', qualified, inspector with the appropriate license. No inspector in the area of the ad, I would scratch it from my list. A qualified inspector for a large DP can cost $300-$500 for a through exam.

Problem was I seldom found such an inspector nearby the rigs I was interested in. Ended up happening by a consignment dealers place with just the RV I was looking for. So I did the inspection myself because that dealer had deep pockets in the event I missed something big. A year on...I didn't miss anything big.

What is an official RV inspector license called?

[rgatijnet1]

Inspections are helpful, but certainly cannot be expected to catch everything. Buying an extended warranty on a 2001 RV may not be possible or cost effective because of the age and what would be excluded because of the age.
From personal experience I know one person who did a very thorough inspection of a diesel coach that the owner maintained. The coach looked great and for any inspector, it would have passed with flying colors.
The only problem was that during one of his "services" the owner failed to tighten ONE bolt. Several hundred miles later that bolt had worked loose and the engine seized from lack of oil. It seems that at highway speeds, the engine can be damaged before the low oil light comes on.
In any case, this is something that NO inspector would have ever caught. No inspector goes around checking the tightness of bolts and plugs, etc. This may have lasted 10 miles or 1000 miles, there is no way to tell.
I agree with the OP about putting $10,000 aside for unexpected repairs. They can happen and in most cases, an inspection would not have helped. Anyone that has had an inspection done knows that NONE of them offer a guaranty. They are NOT responsible for anything that they miss.
There will always be a risk and just be prepared to deal with it.

[phredsee]

We purchased (2) diesel pusher motor homes from DeMartini RV located in Grass Valley, Ca. Over the years (Northern Cal). Talk with Jon DeMartini, one of the owners. They usually have an extensive amount of motor homes in their inventory. They're reputable and stand behind what they sell.

Before purchasing, we took each motor home to Sacramento Truck Center located in Sacramento, Ca.. They specialize in evaluating both the coach and especially the drivetrain. Can't remember the manager's name, but I believe it's Larry. very thorough inspection and costs about $500.

DeMartinirv.com and Sacramentotruckcenter.com

Good luck

[timjet]

Winnipeg wrote:


.......Any suggestions?

I just bought a used DP after looking for a year. I was looking but not ready to buy until I sold my boat. That year gave me a good overview of what was out there and what price range I could expect so when my boat sold I was pretty well informed.

Like someone else said '01 to '08 is a large range in terms of price. You're likely to find something in your price range if you look in the earlier models if you're looking for a ISL with side radiator.

I think an inspection is mandatory. Especially a chassis inspection. My rig has a Spartan chassis but I couldn't get a Spartan shop to inspect it so I got a Freightliner shop to do it. The shop found $2500 in repair costs that the owner agreed to fix. I also got a house inspection from a different facility. Total cost for inspections was about $700. Well worth it.

It wasn't easy arranging and finding shops to do these PDI's, especially when the coach is miles away. But after several phone calls and a lot of perseverance I got things lined up. Then I had to get the seller on board with timing and his cooperation with driving the coach to the shops for the inspections. I had fluid samples taken by the freightliner shop and was ready with the containers for the samples.

In my case I could tell the moment I saw the coach it was well taken care of. It was garaged kept and looked almost new. '07 American Tradition. Before going to the trouble of having inspections done, take a careful look at the coach and try and determine if it's worth your time and money having it inspected. Talking with the seller and getting to know him a little helps too. Get pictures and a picture of the title. If the seller balks at anything remind him that if he really wants to sell it, he'll need to cooperate.

Maintenance agreements on a used coach are expensive, but rightfully so. Even with my due diligence I had to repair the dash air at a cost of nearly 3 grand. But a good chassis inspection should head off the more expensive repairs and I choose not to get a maintenance agreement. So far I'm ahead.