Issues with newer RVs?

[MMNZS]

We have a question for you more experienced RVers.
My family and I are moving across Canada and we are seriously considering buying our first RV- a one year old Travel Trailer - and pulling it with my full size truck so that we can see more of Canada from the ground for 14 days.
After reading many forums one of the concerns we have is about buying a 2015 trailer which has only had less than a year of use. We are buying from a very established dealer but realistically we will only get about two full weekends worth of trial runs here in Ontario before we would set off on a 4000km trip. If problems crop up in that short trial period we expect to be able to get them fixed at the dealer but after that we are at the mercy of dealers on our route.

We are buying what we think is a good quality travel trailer (Gulf Stream - Gulf Breeze) but we keep reading about the problems that crop up with new or "newer" units in the first year.

Do you more experienced RVers see this as a risky idea?

Your input is much appreciated.

[wbwood]

You can purchase a warranty for it and then get it fixed along the way (at the mercy of who the warranty company allows you to use). If it were new, then you could deal with the manufacturer and get it fixed based on their recommendations.

[pitch]

If you can spend two weekends plus camp driveway with it I would have no hesitation about hitting the road. Like others have said exercise all the components,go over everything with a fine tooth comb,and enjoy.
For the record we have had two new trailers and neither of them had any appreciable defects and all systems functioned as designed.

[retiredtravele1]

About the quality of your intended RV? That also is really a c r a p - shoot too. There's the good, the bad, and the ugly. And all 3 RVs can be standing beside each other on the assembly line. Best advise to offer here is ... when you take delivery of your RV, leave no stone unturned. Make the dealership PROVE to you the camper is sound. Even have them pull the slides out and get a garden hose with a sprayer and spray the seals and see if water makes it past to the inside. In this day and age, this is your best line of defense... and if there are any problems with the camper ... be prepared to walk away from it and not feel pressured into taking something inferior to your expectations.

Seconding that!!!

[MMNZS]

Just to clarify. We are looking at buying between now (October) and Spring (May). Then we will have two full weekends free to test it on the road with the whole family. Then we are planning to leave mid Summer for the long road trip.
It's Winterized now but we will have lots of time with the unit in the driveway once it warms up but will only get to road test it for two full weekends in spring.

It would be impossible to get my wife to consider Winter RVing at this point.

Thank you all for your responses so far. It would seem that the general consensus is that new RVs take time to break in. They all no matter what manufacturer will have things to fix, tweak, modify or replace. Buying used a year or two old would not only avoid the $ loss driving off the lot but also most of the break period fixes will have been handled by the first owner.
Make sure we buy a unit in good condition and then ensure everything is in top working order (greased, oiled, topped up, sealed) before we head off.

We are enjoying reading all your input.
Many thanks

[bsinmich]

Most TTs aren't equipped for cold weather and if you are thinking of doing this in 2 weeks it is not good. You won't be able to use the plumbing in freezing weather, road may be a little slippery at times, and you could get stuck for a day or two in some place waiting for weather to clear. You may also find campgrounds are either closed or have the water shut off.

[coolmom42]

I assume you will be doing this in the spring/summer, not now. If so, this is a great idea. If you are planning it for a few weeks from now... not a good idea. It simply isn't feasible in Canada in the winter. An experienced RV'r might be able to do it, but it would definitely be a struggle, and definitely not something for a newbie to tackle.

If you have until spring---take your time and do some reading up on what you need. You will likely need a properly set up weight distribution hitch and sway control system. You will need a trailer that lets you stay within the cargo capacity of your truck, with ample capacity for your family and supplies.

If you possibly have time, my suggestion is to buy an older used trailer (after your research). You are not sure if you will like RVing, and don't know what kind of RV will best suit your needs in the long run. You don't want to eat the depreciation of a new unit. Get a good inspection and make the seller do a thorough walk-through.

Find a heated storage so you can de-winterize and familiarize yourself with all the systems and continue to check them out.

I think you have a great idea and this could be a fun trip, just start it out right!

[toedtoes]

I would hesitate to buy ANY RV and drive it cross country 2 weeks later. Used or new. What works great the first time you operate it can easily crash after a few uses.

Why not try to rent something for the trip? Then, you can travel worry free and if you really enjoyed it, you can buy one after you get settled in your new home.

[ncrowley]

I purchased an older coach out of warrantee but just last summer we were at an RV campground in Estes Park and met a guy with a new fifth wheel. As he was pulling into the site, something holding the water tank broke and it was hanging out of the bottom of the RV! He was obviously very upset that this happened to a new RV and was working to get someone to tow it out somehow and fix it.

[Lynnmor]

Safety is the main concern. I wouldn't travel any appreciable distance with any trailer till I inspected, adjusted and greased the running gear as needed.

Trailers are shipped with unbalanced wheels and hubs. There may be too little or too much grease. Wheel bearings may not have been adjusted correctly. Brakes need to be inspected, adjusted and tested. Lug nuts need to be torqued, and suspension fasteners tightened. Tires need to be inspected and properly inflated.

Don't worry about the small stuff till you know that the unit is roadworthy.

[Houston_Remodel]

It took a good 6 months to work out the kinks on our new TT, and that was with us doing some of the work ourselves after getting frustrated with CW.

[pira114]

If you have those couple weekends to shake things out, you should be good if you make sure to use everything. Even if you don't need it.

Stress the systems a tad to see if there are issues. Run the water, AC, heater, etc. Use the oven, stove, microwave, etc..

9 time out of 10, you won't have serious issues. The problem units get posted the most on the Internet. People who have had no issues, usually don't post about it. Think of how many problem posts there are vs how many units sold overall. It's really a small number.

Add to that, the reality that most issues can be lived with for a while. That means it won't ruin your trip.

That and a positive mind set, and you should have fun.

[DutchmenSport]

There is always an "initial shakeout" when purchasing a new RV (of any make, model, or brand). The really noticeable issues will surface almost instantly. Either something works, or it does not. Some things take time to surface, and sometimes, something will happen only once and never, ever again. (we had wet carpet inside the closet slide once. It never happened again ... still don't know what cause it).

For the first year you have our RV you will be finding things that either need fixed or changed, and you'll be doing modifications to make your camper more practical for your specific needs and comforts. This is just part of that break-in process.

As far as a good support system (repair shops)? Well, that's a real c r a p-shoot. If you are traveling a distance away from home, on pretty much your maiden voyage, I strongly suggest establishing the route you are taking, and then research RV dealerships and repair shops that will work with your manufacture to honor warranty issues. Do you research ahead of time and hope you never have to use it.

About the quality of your intended RV? That also is really a c r a p - shoot too. There's the good, the bad, and the ugly. And all 3 RVs can be standing beside each other on the assembly line. Best advise to offer here is ... when you take delivery of your RV, leave no stone unturned. Make the dealership PROVE to you the camper is sound. Even have them pull the slides out and get a garden hose with a sprayer and spray the seals and see if water makes it past to the inside. In this day and age, this is your best line of defense... and if there are any problems with the camper ... be prepared to walk away from it and not feel pressured into taking something inferior to your expectations.

Another thing you may do, is to network with other RVers (Good Sam Club) especially their "Standby Sams" who are folks available to help you in a pinch. This is from the Good Sam web site:

About Standby Sams
The Good Sam Club is about service, helping out our fellow RVer, and that spirit is what fuels our Standby Sams program. Standby Sams are Good Sam members who volunteer to provide referrals to fellow members traveling through their area. This group has helped hundreds of Good Sam members over the years by providing contact information for local campgrounds, mechanics – even a good restaurant! We are pleased to report there are nearly 2,000 Standby Sams throughout the United States and Canada.


On the Good Sam web site is a link to a map where you select your state and it gives a list of Good Sam helpers available for you. It gives their city location, phone number and an E-mail. Of course you have to have a membrership to Good Sam, but this one feature by itself may be worth every penny if you need help on the road!

These are my suggestion. Hope this helps. Hope you do not get discouraged because of a few bad reports. Bad reports gets posted. Good reports don't. And I think there are a lot more happy campers than unhappy. It's just the happy campers usually are just too busy camping and don't have time to complain about anything!

[tjfogelberg]

YES, see my post "What is wrong with this industry". Exact problem the friend I mention ran into. They took off on a long trip from the dealer and the roof leaked on NIGHT #1.