purchase location vs warranty question

[dieseldoug]

Hi BH fans I have a couple of questions as a prospective buyer:

1. pre-purchase inspection: before taking delivery and committing to remaining payment, what level of detail in the PDI is generally permitted? AFter reading extensively, my PDI list is getting rather long. I mean, to truly test every function, fit, and finish, it would take at least a couple of days, no? At some point will the dealer basically ask me to take the trailer and depend on the after-sale warranty if I find anything? Is there anything generally considered "off limits" during PDI? for example --

*measure the oven temp
*boil a cup of water in the microwave
*fill/draintanks
*prove that one-way water valves are in place and working correctly
*show (with water) what happens when various drain valves are opened.
*remove the underbelly cover and inspect everything from wires to pipes.
* test the AC and furnace under generator power and shore power
*fire up every stove burner to check for clean flame


2. I'm reading about a lot of folks buying their 5vers hundreds of miles from home. Can one purchase a trailer from one dealer, spend a week shaking her down and then return home and expect an independent rv repair shop to perform any needed warranty work? We have a large BH dealer nearby, but their reputation leaves me to consider this option and I just wondered if it was workable.

many thanks for the comments

 

[Gaffer]

Type PDI in the search block and you will find some previous threads.

 

[danemayer]

Hi dieseldoug,

I don't think any dealer will let you take down the coroplast underbelly before you own the trailer.

My suggestion would be to discuss with the dealer in advance to see if you can stay in the trailer onsite for a day or two before signing the acceptance letter.

Not every dealer would have a space for you, so you might have to instead get agreement from both the Sales and Service Managers (together) that you'll stay locally for a day or two and they'll handle any corrective actions immediately without making you wait.

 

[buddyboy]

In answer to #1, we signed NOTHING until we completed our PDI. The dealer was concerned, but we told him that our $$, our rules. Good dealers will encourage a thorough PDI and will correct deficiencies before you depart so they have a happy consumer who will encourage others to purchase from them.

I leave comments on buying from distant dealers to others as we did not do that.

 

[dieseldoug]

thank you all -- good comments. Is taking off the underbelly cover just not necessary? how does one inspect the frame and other elements for rust and workmanship issues, i.e strain relief for wires, how the tanks are suspended, etc?

 

[buddyboy]

Interesting questions. Are you looking new or used?

 

[dieseldoug]

70% leaning towards new, and not this season. trying to skip the experimental trailers and incremental learning, and go right for the target lifestyle we want -- mostly weekend warrior and occasional 1-2 week trips (Both of us are still working now) Need to have 10 years useful life minimum. risk is lower with new I'm assuming -- witness the one post where the couple bought used and then found rot in one of the slides floor. Looks like there are just a lot of details that can slip by and so inspections are really important (in spite of what Deming said ... you cant inspect in quality lol) , and I'm really attracted to what appears to be a significant industry contribution: factory support. But I'm open to the depreciation factor, i.e. 1-2 years old would probably tempt me.

 

[ncc1701e]

thank you all -- good comments. Is taking off the underbelly cover just not necessary? how does one inspect the frame and other elements for rust and workmanship issues, i.e strain relief for wires, how the tanks are suspended, etc?

The dealer is everything in my book. I have bought two Heartland products from the same dealer in Iowa (501 miles). If there is ever a third I will go back. Emailed him my list of special check items, spend two says in his shop myself and another person spend the better part of one day showing wife literally everything. I keep reading all the horror stories of poor dealer prep. Not from these guys, Ketelsen RV in Cedar Rapids have been great. Neither coach has had to go back for any of the stuff I have seen others complain about. I have to be honest and say the first coach did develop serious slide issues because of proven poor factory work, which the factory took care of. There is a Heartland dealer not 60 miles from me who is terrible. Research your dealer.

 

[dieseldoug]

I can appreciate that.. and frankly the BH dealer here is what gives me some pause, and why I would consider a half day's drive away. best to have the best dealer locally, but I'm not sure that will be available to me.

 

[danemayer]

thank you all -- good comments. Is taking off the underbelly cover just not necessary? how does one inspect the frame and other elements for rust and workmanship issues, i.e strain relief for wires, how the tanks are suspended, etc?

I've had the front section of the coroplast down a few times on ours and it's quite a workout getting it back in place - really a 2 person job and still difficult. Getting the rear section down can't be done without cutting it. I'm sure no dealer will let you make cuts and they probably won't trust you with taking apart the front section of a trailer that isn't yet sold.

That said, while problems occasionally crop up in the underbelly, it's not all that common. I wouldn't plan that as part of a PDI on a new coach I was buying, even after signing the check.

 

[buddyboy]

70% leaning towards new, and not this season. trying to skip the experimental trailers and incremental learning, and go right for the target lifestyle we want -- mostly weekend warrior and occasional 1-2 week trips (Both of us are still working now) Need to have 10 years useful life minimum. risk is lower with new I'm assuming -- witness the one post where the couple bought used and then found rot in one of the slides floor. Looks like there are just a lot of details that can slip by and so inspections are really important (in spite of what Deming said ... you cant inspect in quality lol) , and I'm really attracted to what appears to be a significant industry contribution: factory support. But I'm open to the depreciation factor, i.e. 1-2 years old would probably tempt me.

We took our time finding our perfect rolling home also. We chose a new buy since we wanted exactly our concept of the perfect trailer, not someone else's and we weren't prepared to settle. The thought of someone trading in after only a year or so gave us pause. In the end, it's a decision only you can make.

 

[dieseldoug]

Thanks everyone for the good comments. I can certainly see, with the difficulty of removing the underbelly cover, that it would not be an appropriate part of the PDI to remove it. Short of shoving a small camera in there with an onboard light it seems for these trailers one just needs to trust.