How To Catch New RV Problems Before You Buy

Above, my RV's "shakedown cruise" was a short trip to Las Vegas. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Much has been written about problems with new RVs. They really manifested themselves during the pandemic. New workers had been hired and not adequately trained. Parts have been hard to get due to supply chain problems. And so on.

When I bought my 2015 Winnebago Minnie Winnie, the only problem (covered under warranty) was a ceiling vent lid in the bathroom that glued itself shut. 

But, there's a way to catch new RV problems before you shell out thousands of dollars to buy it. Do It Yourself RV has some essential tips on how to catch those problems.

They begin with:

If there’s one sore point in purchasing a new RV, it’s all the new RV problems that come with it. In fact, for those of you who are not in the know, there’s even what we call a ‘shakedown’ period. Technically, a shakedown period occurs every time you take the RV out of long-term storage and hit the road.

However, that very first time is a doozy, and all those feelings of excitement and adventure melt away as the slides fail to move, latches fail to catch, tires blow, batteries die, and the roof leaks. Maybe it’s not as apocalyptic as all that. But, hopefully, we’re driving the point home.

Brand-new RVs are not always the lustrous, shining houses that roll down the road they’re made out to be. But the good news is that you have a very good chance of eliminating these new ownership woes if you’re ready and willing to do a little pre-purchase homework. We’ll tell you how.

To read more (and see some videos), go here.