An RV is a significant investment, a purchase to be considered carefully. Once you have decided on a unit you are no-doubt excited about receiving your new unit. Of course, the expectation is that the RV will be ready to go—in appearance as well as in function.
Although you may have heard that buying an RV is a lot like buying a car, an RV is more complex and larger than your average daily transportation vehicle. There are more components, more items that can break, and more items to maintain.
That’s why it’s important to be well-informed regarding the purchasing process and when it comes time to take delivery. It’s not just making the sometimes-difficult decisions of which unit to buy and how to finance it, it’s making sure the RV is ready to go and you are knowledgeable enough to use it.
What should you expect when taking possession of your brand-new or at least new-to-you RV?
RVs go through a considerable number of inspections at various points of the manufacturing and selling process.
An RV is a complex machine that requires care and maintenance if you want it to last a long time. This begins at the dealership when it receives a unit from a manufacturer. Most RV dealerships have a stringent process to prepare an RV for customers whether it’s to order or is going to sit on the lot as well as a process for educating you on the functionality of the RV you’d like to bring home.
Right when it lands from factory, mot dealerships have a 24–72-hour window of when they want to check it out. That’s what the post-delivery inspection (PDI) inspection is. They need to complete a Dealer Acceptance Form which they turn into the manufacturer warranty department so that everything is covered that they find such as damages and missing parts.
They plug everything in, run the systems, and then send in everything to the warranty department to let them know of everything they found. It’s better to do this immediately rather than doing so three-four months down the road. It just helps to be up front. That’s a high priority for a quality dealership. They are more likely to cover all of that which directly affects customers. They can have that fixed and corrected before the customer takes it. Most manufacturers are very gracious. RVs are made by humans so things happen or go missing. It just happens.
Once the PDI is done, the RV is considered lot ready. They check electrical, A/C, furnaces, LP, conduct gas tests. As soon as the RV is on the lot, set up with jacks down, it’s ready for customers to look at and sales outfitters to sell.
Once a customer has selected a unit that fits their budget and dream and completes a deal to purchase it, the dealership gets the RV prepared for the new owner. It returns to the service department to be looked over by a technician a day or two before pickup.
This is important because RVs are on the lot for various lengths of time so it’s good to have everything checked out again. Each dealership has their own process for inspection as they prepare units for viewing by customers as well as in anticipation of a customer pickup.
Maintaining your RV once you have ownership of it is your responsibility but you should expect a dealership to provide complete instructions on maintenance and functionality at the time you pick up your RV as well as be a part of the solution on any issues in the future when a need arise.
You should expect to walk through the unit you have purchased while at the dealership whether it’s used or new, prior to taking delivery.
Whether you are an inexperienced RVer purchasing you first RV or a seasoned RVer who is upgrading, you’ll benefit from a thorough walkthrough of your unit prior to taking delivery. This is an opportunity for you to review all the systems and how they operate as well as inspect the overall interior and exterior condition of the RV.
How long does a walkthrough take? Complexity of the unit plays in. Single-axle, 20 feet or so, will take about an hour. They will do an exterior walk first, show where battery/propane are located, where the power cord goes into, external hookups, and electronic components so they can be fully informed.
They’ll plug it in with the customer, show them what comes on. Some things are battery powered, some require additional power. They will go through every appliance which is a major part. They’ll go through every room, operate the slide-outs.
As soon as you get to double- or triple-axle those walkthroughs will be 2-2.5 hours—there are more features. You may have multiple A/C units and gadgets.
When you get motorhomes with fancier power systems there are usually more technical questions from the buyer. Those walkthroughs are two to three hours or more.
For the really big beasts like a diesel bus the dealership may allocate up to five hours if a customer needs it. There are so many more breakers, electronics, more helpful tips, things to know. Sales outfitter needs to test drive it with you if they haven’t already. Hopefully you test drove it with your salesperson before your decision to buy.
Remember, a dealership has typically already been through the RV at least once and have had items replaced or repaired based on their inspection. You should expect to see a clean, fully operational RV when you walk through but if you notice something, bring it up. Most dealerships will happily help with a fix.
Taking videos and asking questions are good things to do.
Having a talking video on your phone can help ensure you have the information handy when you need it. I would recommend you don’t record the entire walkthrough but every time you get to a main appliance, for instance, start a video and end it. That way you have a water heater video.
This is particularly resourceful if a certified tech is running the walkthrough (as in our case); their knowledge is invaluable. A quality dealership will want to show customers that something is working and how to use it. The last thing they want is to try to help someone over the phone when they leave the dealership. It’s always better to do this in person. A video that can be used for reference later can help equip RV owners with the important information they need. Ask before you start filming but most dealerships probably won’t mind.
There are some other boxes to check to make sure you’re ready for your new RV and you can expect a dealership to help you make sure everything is in order before you take delivery.
Other boxes to check include insuring your RV appropriately, a tow bar (if you plan on towing a toad), and other RV accessories.
You need to know about warranties and additional types of coverage and you can expect a dealership to talk about these options and what they mean for your RV and your life as an RV owner.
Anytime you buy new, you have the manufacturer’s warranty. That’s the strongest warranty. Most do a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty.
There are also extended warranties that are often available through the dealership but be sure you fully understand what the warranty covers and what is exempted. Some warranties sre not worth the paper they’re printed on.
RV dealerships sometimes have their own benefits and perks that are unique to them. So make sure to ask the sales team.
It’s important—and easy—to do research on units before you ever step into a dealership or to continue in your deliberations once you’ve seen a unit at a dealership that appeals to you.
Look at manufacturer websites and definitely understand what’s out there as far as what people are saying. You can price shop and look around.
It’s also a good idea to look for a unit in your area especially if you live close to the epicenter of RV manufacturing, Indiana. There are shipping and freight fees so everything that’s closer to the manufacturer is going to be cheaper. A unit being sold in Michigan will cost more in California because of the added expenses to get it there.
YouTube is a great place to figure out and do virtual walkthroughs. You can search specifically for the unit you’re most interested in and YouTube will probably have it. But at the end of the day it’s just really what looks good for you what’s going to work for your family or for you individually.
Doing research, being able to see a unit personally, and then using these resources to help you make your decision will help give you peace of mind when you take delivery of your unit. You will be more familiar with it not to mention the dealership’s walk through the unit upon taking delivery.
Once you take delivery, start out close to home. It’s a good idea to start with a camping trip close to home in order to better understand the new RV and to see if there are any issues rather than take a lengthy trip and have something happen far from home and from your dealership.
If it’s your first RV, the best first trip may be on the driveway. Learn all the tips and tricks four feet from home rather than 400 miles away from home for the first time.
You want questions such as how do I turn on my furnace to happen at home. It’s a beautiful thing to have that option. Plus, if you have kids, it’s fun for them to camp in the driveway. Plan on taking possession of your RV at least a few days prior to your anticipated departure date for a trip to test everything out.
Dealerships want to maintain a good relationship with their customers—you! For most, it’s not over and done when you take delivery and drive your RV off the lot. Customer service, whether you purchase additional perks through them or not, continues into your camping years.
For more on taking delivery of an RV read Taking Delivery of your RV: Do’s & Don’ts
Worth Pondering…
I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.
—Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965)
