Considering a Used TT: What to look for

The first question you should ask the seller is, "Why are you selling the camper?" If they hesitate or have to dig up an answer, chances are there's problems with the camper. If they immediately say, We hate the floor plan. We can't afford the payments. We don't like camping at all. It's too expensive. My husband got laid off work and we can't afford the payments any more.

Any of those types of answers would not raise red flags as far as the worthiness of the camper and would put me at ease right away.

However, if there is hesitation, or they have to think up an answer, chances are there's a real problem with the camper they are hiding. Proceed very cautiously an with a real skeptical eye.

Ask the current owner where they purchased the camper from. Ask to look at the camper documentation (all that paper work that comes with the appliances and the owners manual... as flimsy as that is). Take a few minutes and look through it all. Then go check with at dealership they purchased the camper from and ask the service department if would provide any history on warranty repairs done. You might be shocked what they would tell you.

If there is any hesitation on the seller's part to provide this information to you, they are hiding something detrimental to the camper.

You might even ask if they have a current loan. If they do, how will you get the title once you give them the cash?

If all this is satisfactory, then start looking for water leaks and check for breaks in the trailer frame. Yes... remember to crawl under the camper and inspect it there too. You might not like what you see.

Anything you can see will probably be OK. The appliances, the lights, stuff like that. The obvious is not what they are hiding. Don't focus on the color of the walls or the color of the sheets on the bed, when there may be a weld broken on the frame!

My very biggest concern would be leaks. If it has had them walk away.

Water damage is the killer. Look for staining, delamination (wavy outside walls), soft floors.

Also be aware that a 2016 might have actually hit the road in February or March of 2015, so it is older than you think.

Leaks, leaks and more leaks.......
Look at all the places where the roof meets in the inner walls and look for
and stains on the inner wallpaper. Look for any leaks around the windows/doors.
Get on the roof and inspect the caulking.

Follow your "gut" instinct - does it smell funny? did the previous owners clean it up before or does it look like a mess inside?

Does the exterior look clean?

Check all exterior for any lumps - especially on the front

Are there any brown streak at the bottom of the fiberglass exterior?

Check all appliances

As stated, If the owner has to dig or him-haw around for answers to basic questions about the trailer - beware.

1) Stand at the back or front of the trailer and look down the length.

- Do you see wavy walls, or bumps in the wall? This could be a sign of delamination.

2) Look under the trailer.

- Look at the frame for bad rust or broken welds.
- Look at any exposed wiring or plumbing for possible breaks or frayed wiring.
- If the bottom is not enclosed, look at the Floor of the trailer for any water damage.
- If it is enclosed, look for any "access ports" that may have been cut into the Coroplast to gain access to the items between the floor and the plastic.
- Look at the backing plates on the wheel assemblies. Check the wires for bad or cracked wires.
- Check for grease or oil on the bottom side of the backing plate, it could mean that grease has gotten past the wheel bearing seal and contaminated the brake assembly inside.

4) Look at all surfaces where the walls connect.

- Corner joints - missing screws, bad/missing caulking
- Where walls have holes cut in them (Windows, water/electric access, etc). Make sure that they are sealed on the TOP side (Some windows have been found to not be sealed on the top but were on the bottom - creates a nice water access point)

5)Roof - Check All the caulking points (roof edge, Anyplace where something goes through the roof, Etc). Water can come in one place and damage someplace else.

6) Floors.

- Walk around the entire floor of the trailer. "Feel" for any give or soft spongy spots. This could possibly mean that the floor is coming apart. If you are not heavy enough, take someone with some heft and have them walk on the floor. Check near the Kitchen, where the floor meets the wall, over the Wheels (possible water intrusion from tire spray), bathroom...basically the entire floor.

This list is no where near complete, but it will give you a start. If you find any of these problems in a 2-3 year old trailer I would avoid it. Unless you are Bob Villa and you can get the trailer for chicken feed...Heck, I would still avoid it.

YMMV, Check your dealer for details...Just my 2 cents.

If you're serious, see if you can find a mobile RV mechanic who you can pay to do a full inspection.

In my case there were 2 things missed. First was an area on the roof damaged from a tree and that meant there is some leak related damage in the wardrobe below. Second was the unit had not been winterized and the diverter for the shower failed shortly after we started using the unit.

Overall I'm happy with the roughly $10K we saved over buying new.

X2 on the mobile RV tech.

Take a good flashlight and look everywhere. I recently looked at a used TT that they didn't winterize causing the hot water tank to split open.

Climb up on the roof and look things over there also. The roof should be in good shape still unless they hit a tree limb or roof overhang.

I wouldn't buy a new or used TT with 14" tires.

Bill

The thing looks better than the new RV’s we have looked at from a fit and finish standpoint. The guy has made a couple of nice mods too. The only thing that caused me concern was some rippling all the way around the slide window. It only extends about 1/4” to 1/2” all the way around the window. It’s so uniform I don’t think it’s a leak. Maybe from too much humidity or maybe just the window insulation? I took pictures of it but can’t post them for a bit. No delamination, couldn’t find any soft spots. They have taken really good care of this trailer. Again, it looks better than the ones we have looked at in dealership show room floors. The guys just bought a new 5th wheel which is why they are selling this one. Wanted something bigger for the family.

One of the most important tools you can own is a moisture meter. They are inexpensive and invaluable for detecting leaks in a trailer. You can buy one at Ace Hardware, Menards, Home Depot, and numerous other places. This is a tool you can use all the time to keep your TT in good repair. The seller may be a little annoyed by it and you can tell by looking at his face when you whip it out!:S If he asks questions like "What are you going to do with that?" or "Wassamatter, don't you believe me?", it pretty much raises a red flag he is hiding leak info or he really has no clue that leaks exist. So, it's a simple, yet effective tool to keep people honest. Good luck!:B