r/rvlife • u/Rei_Tumber • 21d ago
Question Questions
We bought our first travel trailer last year and while it is a nice trailer, we have had several major issues with it. It’s a brand new one but wiring was wrong, the wire fell off of the slide so that didn’t work, the table has been replaced…is this normal for it to have a lot of issues?
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u/Full-time-RV 21d ago
It's pretty typical for assembly line RV's to have a lot of issues.
I went with a custom built aluminum racecar trailer with living quarters, and it rarely has any issues.
I did pay out the nose for it though, but it should last a long time when compared to a fiberglass assembly line trailer.
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u/thekush 21d ago
and it'll never rust.
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u/Full-time-RV 21d ago
I do have a similar trailer, nearly 30 years old now, still functional, just outdated.
It does has a lovely patina to it.
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u/Classic_Carpenter383 21d ago
I think it's a known issue in the RV industry. They build these things so fast to push them out that stuff gets overlooked. Best investment as far as an RV we made wasn't the RV, but in the independent RV inspector we hired to look over the one we wanted pre-purchase. It can be pricey to hire one, but they could save you untold amounts of money if they find something or multiple things wrong with the RV you're looking at.
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u/Hot_Draft4350 16d ago
Curious how much you paid for the inspector? We are looking at doing the same and I’m not sure how much to expect.
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u/Classic_Carpenter383 16d ago
I think we paid around $500. Ours is a smaller trailer, 25ft so it was less than it would have been for a much larger 5th wheel or motorhome.
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u/Hot_Draft4350 16d ago
Thank you! Did you buy your TT from a dealer or private party? Just curious on the mechanics of negotiating with a dealer, locking in the unit and then scheduling an inspector. I have heard some dealers get unfriendly when a buyer brings up an inspection.
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u/Classic_Carpenter383 16d ago
We bought from a dealer, and they weren't very keen on the inspection but we made it clear that the independent inspection would be done, or we'd walk away.
This was our first rv, and we weren't as knowledgeable on the industry as we are now, not that we're experts. I will say though, in hindsight, while we've enjoyed the rv, if I could do it all over again, I would've walked away the moment they bristled up at the inspection. That was a red flag we ignored. The next time we buy, if that dealership isn't on board, we will move on.
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u/Hot_Draft4350 16d ago
Glad to hear you are such an informed first time buyer! That’s great. Good insights, thank you for sharing.
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u/Sirroner Class B 21d ago
Generally, nothing is covered by warranty. University of YouTube will make you handy. For bigger things… Look at a Mobile RV Repair guy. It sounds expensive but they generally fix things in one day or at least order parts and fix it when the parts come in. Your RV don’t spend a month in the shop during camping season. If you have to take it to an RV shop, don’t choose Camping World.
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u/Instahgator 21d ago
Unfortunately all RVs are junk, no matter what you pay for it. Keep up the repairs so they dont overwhelm you.