Why RV Inspections Are Important

Purchasing a RV is the likely the second largest purchase that you will ever make, closely following a home. If you ever purchased a home, it is very likely that the mortgage company required an inspection prior to finalizing the loan documents. The marine industry has similar standards when purchasing a boat. They require these inspections from an independent 3rd party to check it over for potential problems that would affect the value of the investment.   Why should your purchase of a RV be any different?

The process of purchasing a RV takes some people months or even years to narrow their choices down. There are so many different options, floorplans, and types of vehicles. Do you go with a Class A and tow a car or buy a big truck and tow a luxury 5th wheel?  What type of creature comforts do you want or need?  You look at over 30 RV's and this one is it.  It's perfect!  How exciting!  You've finally found the right RV!   By this time  you are so invested in hunt that you may not be able to see the problems that can turn the realization of your dream into a nightmare.  In both of the  pictures above, the inspector found the burnt wires and damaged roof on RV's that the customer was ready to buy.   These are things that you would not see in a dealers pre-delivery inspection.   It was a good thing these two customers hired an inspector.  

In reality, RV Dealers and Private sellers are out to make the most money possible on the sale of the RV.  They may inspect the RV prior to the sale or mention a small problem here or there, but the reality is that they are looking out for themselves, not you.  An independent RV inspector, who follows the NRVIA code of ethics, gains or looses nothing from the sale of the RV they inspect.  They have the unique opportunity to evaluate the RV and identify concerns without other motivations or goals in mind.  NRVIA certified inspectors are also prohibited from working on any RV they inspect for 12 months following the inspection.  This protects you from the inspector identifying problems and creating additional income for themselves by doing the repairs.

During the inspection process the inspector may identify problem areas that may lead to expensive, time consuming repairs if they are not addressed.  On a recent inspection, a soft spot was identified on the roof of a 5th wheel and the buyer requested that it be repaired prior to purchase.  The seller denied the request due to the estimated $14,000 repair bill.  Many of the items found on an inspection can be taken care of  by the buyer or seller with little cost or effort but these small problems can lead to much larger ones if not taken care of in a timely matter.  The key is to have the inspection done so that the small problems can be identified  and repaired.

The inspector is looking out for you, trying to make sure he/she provides you with accurate, detailed information regarding the condition of the RV to inform you so that you can make an informed decision on purchasing the RV.  Armed with the inspection report, you are in a much better to position to negotiate a lower price on the RV, ensure broken items are repaired or replaced before accepting the delivery of the unit, or have a better understanding of the additional investment that will be needed to address problems that were discovered during the inspection.