purchase discolsure

[dustydog]

I might be opening a big can of worms, but i would like your thoughts.

As a licensed REALTOR, when I sell or buy a home, part of our disclosures is a seller's property disclosure. it will list condition of all structures - systems and any included appliance.  the seller fills this out and provides it the buyer for preview.  the buyer can make a decision based off of the info listed.

is this something we should consider when buying a used rv?  many use the rv as a second home (or first).

 

[Pierat]

The RV world is pretty unregulated, it seems to me. I guess you could prepare a list of items and ask the seller to fill it out. My impression is that most RV sales are without any warranty, so, as one who has been burned by a reportedly "good" dealer, I suggest that you inspect carefully and thoroughly. Good luck!

 

[Jeff Brown]

On our recent purchase we used the multi-page inspection sheet available in the library section.  I also took a friend who is a mechanic who recently restored a 1978 Pace Arrow inside and out.  That process made him an RV problems expert pretty fast!  He identified a couple of small items I would have missed like that the trans filter was the factory original and so the filter and fluid would need replacing soon. 

It takes a couple of hours to do a complete RV inspection even using the checklist and being methodical.  Take the time and learn on your own.  We found things in the rig we bought that the original owner didn't know.  He was actually really honest about everything, he just hadn't used it in a few years. 

Jeff

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

An RV purchase falls under the motor vehicle laws in most (if not all) states, so the rules are different than a home purchase.  In most states a seller cannot knowingly withhold any negative data he may be aware of, but sales people are rarely "aware" of what the previous owner may know about a rig and I think they sometimes avoid learning anything they might be called to task for later.    You can ask the seller to fill out a checklist (we have them in the library), but who is to say the answers are based in fact? And dealers may well decline to do so anyway.  There is simply no substitute for doing your own "due diligence".

Many, if not most, RV dealers operate on the principle of "tell us what you want fixed and we will fix it". If you don't put an item on the hit list, it probably doesn't get done or even looked at.  If they say they "checked the engine", it probably only means the oil was checked or maybe even changed. Better dealers will pressurize the water system, make sure hot water flows, see if the fridge gets cold and some other basics, but don't expect any in-depth inspection or tests.

 

[Water Dog]

is this something we should consider when buying a used rv?  many use the rv as a second home (or first).

Probably not unless you are willing to finance another state/federal agency to monitor it. Personally, I'd rather take my chances with my own inspection and/or RV repair facility inspection then having a "new rule"

 

[threeful]

When I looked at 5th wheels in Houston, I thought PPL did something like this?  That was awhile ago so I am not sure.