BUYING A USED RV: 12 SAFETY TIPS
When buying an opportunity presents itself, there are many points to check. And tightness is one of the most important. Tips for a successful second-hand RV purchase.
Second-hand RVs are cheaper, but when you don’t know anything about them, you can feel worried: how not to be wrong about the price, about the good condition of the mechanics and the equipment. Here are some tips that can help you choose the right RV: the one that will serve you for a long time.
Define your needs specify your needs clearly rather than setting your sights on the first RV that comes along. Even a great deal can be a bad buy. A number of car registration places, payload, type of bed, double floor, and various equipment… The selection criteria are the same, whether you are looking for new or used RVs.
Professional or private seller?
A transaction with individuals is not always synonymous with low prices, as they tend to align with the prices of professionals. But at least you will have the opportunity to meet the previous owner and ask him questions directly about the use he made of his RV. The advantage of the professional is that he is supposed to offer you vehicles that he has agreed to take back, that is to say, a priori in correct condition. And he will probably have overhauled the vehicle. It is, therefore, more reassuring, especially since the sale by a professional is often accompanied by extended guarantees (in this case, be aware of the risks covered by the guarantee).
Track moisture
When examining the RV, check the condition of the bodywork as a priority. A check that will not concern so many scratches or small bumps as possible water infiltration, not always easy to spot. Almost all bodywork incorporating a wooden structure, humidity could have done irreversible damage. Pay attention to the slightest marks on the walls of the cell, both outside and inside. In the passenger compartment, pay attention to odors.
Inside: touch and see
Open all the doors, examine the back of the cupboards, sit on the benches and check the condition of the mattress.
Equipment in working order
Batteries, refrigerator, cabin air conditioning and electric window regulator, gas stove, and water heater… Leave nothing to chance. Turn on all the lights and test the faucets.
Examination of the wearer
Open the hood, look for potential leaks, check for tire wear. The headlights, the indicators, the windshield must be in good condition (depending on the model, it can be complicated to replace them). Run the engine and ask to test drive the vehicle on the road.
With maintenance invoices
The presentation of maintenance invoices does not guarantee that you will not encounter any technical problems. But they testify to the seriousness of the previous owner and allow you to make sure that all technical appointments have been respected.
The right price
The risk is buying too much, of course. How do make sure that the price offered by the seller is correct? Starting with a little investigation. Get the official rating of the RV you want on our website. Also, visit dealers in your area, or better still, used RV shows. Visit as many models as possible and check out the classifieds on the internet. You will then have a fairly precise idea of the value of a used RV.
Criteria for a “good deal”
Today it is difficult to make a deal. Second-hand models that are affordable are generally affordable because, new, they were already offered at a good price. Of course, there are always special circumstances that can cause an RV to be offered at an attractive price. A model with an unconventional layout, for example. Or in some cases, the urgency of the sale (illness, death…) can obviously be a favorable circumstance… for the buyer
Think about reselling
You are now a buyer, but perhaps you will one day become a seller. So remember that the absence of certain equipment makes resale more difficult (cabin air conditioning, in particular). Apart from this major point, be aware that certain characteristics may lead to a loss: when a family RV with 5 or 6 beds has only 4 registration places, for example. Anything that personalizes an RV can also deter buyers: an artisanal exterior painting or an irreversible interior modification.
Is there prohibitive mileage?
An RV operator travels an average of 12,000 km per year with his RV. So a five-year-old RV should display around 50,000 km. In some cases, this mileage is greatly exceeded. This leads to a legitimate discount (argus provides for a reduction of 12 euro cents per kilometer above the reference base). But beware, a five-year-old RV with 80,000 km is obviously not to be eliminated from your selection. Today’s engines can quite reach (and even exceed) 200,000 km without major problems. The most important thing is in fact to favor the “large displacement” (2.3 l and more), by definition more solid and more adapted to the specificities of the RV than the “small” 1.9 l or 2.0 l.
Online shopping: beware of scams
No need to search the web very far to find questionable ads. How do we spot them? The price is often ridiculous, the seller demands to receive the payment before sending the RV without a visit possible, the seller is not the owner, etc.
