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Ten Things You Must Know Before Buying a Used RV — 16 Comments

    • I’m learning slowly, and through baptism by fire. I research stuff a lot before I do it, especially cars, etc. But there’s no way to learn everything. Sometimes you just have to do it.

  1. Good list to start with. If I may, let me amplify on points 9 & 10.

    Batteries can cost upwards of $100 each so it is important to be sure what you are buying is good. The only way to accurately check each battery individually is to disconnect it from the bank, give it a good charge with a portable charger, and then do a resistive load test.

    Depending to tier size you’re going to pay somewhere north of $200 each with some of the larger Class A’s maybe busting the $500 mark. In the larger, heavier sizes tire shops will take your old tires in trade only if the cores are under 7 years old regardless of how good they look. All tires have a date code. You should learn where it is printed on the sidewall and how to read it. A 6-year-old tire with great tread may be worth less than a 3-year-old at 50%.

    • Excellent info! I should have included the tire-date details.

      This is from Tire Tech Info :

      Tires Manufactured Since 2000

      Since 2000, the week and year the tire was produced has been provided by the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number with the 2 digits being used to identify the week immediately preceding the 2 digits used to identify the year.

      Example of a tire manufactured since 2000 with the current Tire Identification Number format:…” (see their website for more detail and pictures)

    • I can’t take all the credit as much of this came from fellow-RVers before I bought mine. There are a few items I’ve since learned on my own. I hope it helps you as much as it did me! Happy RVing!

  2. I remember 10 months of RV travel in Europe in the mid 90s. Every time you crossed a border you had to re rig you propane / butane. There was not standardized bottle or connection for all countries. New country. New system. New connection. New bottle. New Deposit.

    Nightmare.

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  9. I would love to buy a used RV. It seems like it would be a lot of fun to take on vacations with the family. So, I appreciate the list you have here for things to check before buying. I wouldn’t have ever thought to fill all water and propane tanks to check for leaks.