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What to look for when purchasing a motor home.
Many people do not know where to start when
considering a new motor home, or even more importantly, a used
one. What do I look for? What problems should I be aware of?
How do I pick out something that will last me for several years
with the least worry? These are a few of the common questions
we hear at conventions and rallies. The entire list is quite
long, or more accurately, the equivalent of our PDI or Pre
Delivery Inspection checklist. Every buyer would be advised to
purchase only from a dealer who can supply a copy of the
completed PDI for the vehicle they are purchasing, with a
commitment that these items DO in fact work. Never purchase an
investment like that “as-is” unless you REALLY like to work on
your own vehicle!
Everyone does not, however, desire to deal
with dealers, or may just happen to know an individual who wants
to sell a motor home that suits their needs. Here are a few
important things in general to know and look for, and even plan
on after you purchase a used motor home. They are items that
are historically problematic.
One of the most important, and yet
overlooked considerations, is cabinetry and laminate material.
The sub straight material that has proven the most durable is
plywood. It is stronger and lighter than solid wood planks,
making it more resistant to warping. It also resists swelling
better than the heavier and cheaper particle board. Careful
thought should also be given as to the choice between wood
veneer, laminate, and acrylic or polycarbonate laminates like
Vitricor and Imagicor products. Wood veneer is least resistant
to humidity changes. In severely dry climates, without
treatment, cabinet faces and doors may crack, especially on the
raised panel doors that are generally installed over wood veneer
cabinets. Acrylic and Polycarbonate laminates are the least
resistant to extreme temperature changes. Crack generation and
propagation tend to occur during sudden changes in temperature,
while bubbling and drooping tend to occur during extreme heat
conditions. So, unless you plan on having your coach
climate-controlled at all times, your best bet is generally
Formica-type laminate cabinets.
It is important to consider the condition
of batteries and inverter systems as well when considering a
used coach. As a general rule, plan on replacing ALL the
batteries on the coach, unless the owner can prove that this was
RECENTLY done, as soon as you take possession of the motor
home. The reason is simple…batteries do not last long if left
in a discharged state for ANY length of time. Combine this with
the fact that most individuals come to the decision to sell
their RV because they find it no longer fits into their
lifestyle. The bottom line is that the coach has probably been
in storage for an extended period of time. The fact of the
matter is you probably never can really know how the coach was
used prior to the sale…how many times the batteries were run
completely down, if they were ever subjected to an overcharging
condition, etc. You will be much safer to just plan on
replacing them than getting stuck away from a reasonable battery
retailer when they do fail.
Another consideration is the type of
electronics and components installed on the coach. Do all of
the electronics work? Because the consumer electronics industry
makes changes to models EVERY year, you may or may not be able
to find a television, for instance, that fits the hole your old
one was in if it quits. Cabinetry work may be required to
replace any items that no longer work. Does it have an early
model satellite dish that required specific satellite
receivers? If so, are the receivers still on the coach and
working? The bottom line here is that unless the system is
working right now and active, plan on buying and installing a
new satellite system for your new home on wheels. There have
been a lot of changes since the DBS business was first launched,
and most early model systems will no longer work. Some are not
even supported any more to be upgraded. There have been new
satellites launched, different security protocols instituted,
companies buying companies and converting of satellite
technology, etc., making most old equipment obsolete and
useless. If your old satellite dish required a data link with
the satellite receiver, another problem we encounter is that NO
new satellite receivers have a data port. So when the receiver
either fails or if it is not included and active in the coach, a
new dish is required. It is an unfortunate situation, but at
least if you expect this expense, it will not be such a
disappointment.
One more costly expense to think about:
the type of air conditioning refrigerant present in the vehicle
you are buying. If the coach was produced prior to 1995, it
could utilize R-12 refrigerant in the dash-only or full bus
automotive air conditioning system. After 1995, the federal
government made it illegal to manufacture or import R-12.
Therefore, the only R-12 refrigerant in existence is what is
taken out and recycled from units being serviced. It is
becoming more and more costly. To make matters worse, the
replacement refrigerant, R-134A, operates at much higher
pressures. The conversion of your automotive air conditioning
system is an expensive and time-consuming process in most
recreational vehicles since most of the components need to be
replaced. It is definitely a better situation if you purchase a
coach with the new refrigerant.
These are the items we simply expect as
“givens” when taking trades or buying used coaches ourselves.
While certainly not an all-inclusive list, these considerations
are important, sometimes very costly items that are often
overlooked when purchasing a used motor home. Be careful and
save yourself a lot of headache by being well-informed and
having things checked out first.
Ben Cummings
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