New to RVing

[Cowboy0001]

Greetings and blessings from our hearts to yours from our little city of Wilson, NC My Bride, Kate and I, Kevin are looking to make our first purchase of a Class A RV and we are bug-eyed from looking at RVs for the last ten days. We are infants in this part of our life but we are very seasoned by our 60+ years of living. To make this short and manageable: we are seriously looking at making an offer on a 2001 National Caribbean 4341 Diesel Pusher. It has been listed by DMV as a salvage RV but there is no sign of any reason for the listing. There are some minor signs of water damage on the roof but those are very minor and the owner has caulked the fiberglass roof at the seams and said there was not sign of leaks since. I have started reading up on what North Carolina DMV says about salvage vehicles and how they may be relisted as rebuilt or repaired or some term they use. Also, I need to see just what I can do to get this RV fully insured. NC has some very strange ways with insurance companies. So, Kate and I
want to say hello and hope we can meet some of you in this new adventure of RVing! Any suggestions about this vehicle or NCDMV that may help us to make this a fun adventure and reduce our risk is appreciated!

 

[Miss Maddie]

Welcome. No insights for you, since we are rookies ourselves, just wanted to say hi.

 

[Bill N]

Not familiar with the coach but I do advise you check with your insurance company to see how they feel about salvage titles.  Some will not insure such a coach.

Bill

 

[Gizmo100]

Welcome Kevin,

I would be very concerned about the salvage title RV. Just based on what you written, it seem odd that it be listed as salvaged title. Before I made a deal I would do a little digging into the RV and insist on a LONG test drive to see how it handles on the highway. I would also give some serious thoughts to having a 3rd party to go though the entire thing just to make sure.

 

[Old_Crow]

Some states will issue a salvage title for a theft recovery.  This is done if the insurance company has already paid the claim before the vehicle is recovered whether there's any damage or not.
I lucked out when they stole my Jeep and got it back before I'd even filed the claim, so I didn't have to deal with that.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A couple things:

I am not afraid of salvage titles (as many are), but I would not buy one without thoroughly understanding why it had required a major repair or restoration and what repairs were in fact done.  Often "salvage" just means the insurance company  paid off a "total loss" claim - they get a salvage title when they do that. However, a total loss isn't all that uncommon when repairing a hand-built house on wheels and may be largely cosmetic damage. Another possibility is that it was stolen and the insurer paid off, but then later recovered the coach. Again, they take ownership via a salvage title in that case.  A Carfax report would be a good idea too.

Definitely check with insurers on both cost and any restrictions on salvage titles. They may require an inspection or may simply decline to insure.

Since you lack experience in RVs, it would be wise to have a professional or at least a well- experienced RV owner inspect the coach along with you.  Roof leaks are common and often not serious, but if neglected over a period or time can lead to internal rot, mold, etc. Signs of potential leak damage include a musty smell, soft spots in floor or walls, peeling, bubbled or pebbly interior wall covering, and slightly raised area of the outer skin (delamination). Again, if any of these signs are present, you need to look more deeply to learn if its a serious problem or not.  If you don't have the skills or advice to determine that, shop elsewhere.

The National Carribean was an entry-level diesel pusher, so basically a low-price model but in a higher-priced tier (diesel pusher). As such, I would expect decent furnishings, fit and finish, but not top-of-the-line.  National built a decent coach (I owned a 2002 for 5 years) and gave good value for the price, but not what I would call a great one.

You didn't mention a price but I'm guessing this one is in the low $20k range.  Condition is everything in an RV, though, so prices will vary more widely than a used car.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

Hi Kevin, welcome to the forum! Congratulations on your soon to be purchase, whether it's the one you're looking at or another one!

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Welcome aboard!

Have you ever used an RV of any sort?