Buying an RV is an important decision these days. There is so much to consider in the purchase, and so much money is involved in the purchase too. If you are buying a Class A or Class C motorhome, you not only have to consider whether you want one bathroom or two, but you also have to consider the engine, transmission and the entire drivetrain of your motorhome. If you are lucky enough to be selecting a fifth wheeler, you only have to worry about the living space and its conveniences. Tires and springs and single or double axles are important, as are brakes, but you don’t need to worry about the engine and transmission just yet.
If you are buying used, you are freed from the worries of how it was driven, and whether the oil and filter were changed on schedule if you are buying a fifth wheeler. You do have to check for structural integrity.
Check if the travel trailer is straight from front to back. Check if the back is true by measuring the diagonals from lower left to upper right and from lower right to upper left. If they match the box is true in the back. If they don’t match, look for another one; this one’s been torqued. If the sides are smooth, lay a cheap laser level on the side and see if it runs into the side, or diverges from it. What you want to see is the laser keeping a steady distance from the back to the front of the trailer.
If your candidate for purchase is still in the running, check all doors and drawers. Make sure they all open easily and close securely. That applies to slide-outs, and awnings too. If you can, take a water hose to the doors, windows, slide-out seams and roof, then go inside and check for leaks.
If you can, check the plumbing. Make sure it all works, especially the draining part of it. Look at the storage tanks for water, waste, gas and propane as applicable. If they are old and warn, worry; if they are all brand new worry. If the storage tanks have all been replaced, ask who did the work and if possible consult with whoever did the work about the reason for the work, and the extent of the work, as well as the possibility of getting some kind of warranty.
If your candidate has passed all parts of this examination, ask if you can take that puppy for a walk around the block. When you get safely back from the short road test, you can look at the furniture, appliances, and carpeting. By this time it doesn’t matter much what condition they are in, but you might get the price lowered a bit if the furnishings are ugly.
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