Buying an RV can mean new travel opportunities, new adventures, and a comfortable place to call home even when you’re out of town. It can also mean tons of headaches and expenses. As a full-time RVer and motorhome owner, I believe the peace of mind from a motorhome inspection service is worth the cost.
Sure, it’s more fun to find the right RV type, the right floor plan, and the right price for our needs. But above all else, we need to know if the asking price is worth it or not.
A motorhome inspection service can help you decide if that rig is worth the asking price.
If you’re in the market for an RV but aren’t sure if you should use a motorhome inspection service, this is the article for you. In this post, we will talk about what such a service does. You will learn how much a motorhome inspection can cost, and who should consider getting a professional motorhome inspection before buying.
Buying Used? This is Why a Motorhome Inspection Service is Worth It
First, let’s discuss what exactly a motorhome inspection service does. When you hire a professional to inspect an RV, you can expect them to carefully check each and every component of the rig. It’s similar to a home inspection service done on a real estate purchased, performed by a certified inspector.
The inspection should include all appliances such as the oven, stove, fridge, air conditioner, furnace, and water heater. It should also include the plumbing, including water lines, drain pipes, and holding tanks.
We hired an inspector to evaluate our MH before purchase. I thought it was worth every penny. I would have never been that thorough, and it is nice to have it all documented. An inspection can also save a trip on an out of area purchase. Save the time, airfare, and possible disappointment.
@petrel, iRV2 Forums Member
Your inspector will carefully examine the exterior of the RV. They will look for damaged seals, cracks, problems with axles or landing gear, and other hidden issues. They should also look over the interior, watching for signs of leaks and other damage. Appliances like the refrigerator and oven are carefully looked over, and accessories like awnings and slideouts are also tested.
Lastly, your inspector will likely examine the generator and under the hood of the motorhome. Nothing gets left out, like combing over mechanical functions such as brakes, suspension, and transmission.
A well trained inspector knows what to look for in any make or model. They will have no trouble finding and pointing out issues.
Still, you will want to allow plenty of time for the inspector to thoroughly examine every inch of the RV. Rushing them may result in a less-than-stellar job on their part.
Some inspectors will allow you to follow behind them as they inspect, giving you an opportunity to see the ins and outs of the motorhome. This can be extremely helpful down the line, and we highly recommend following along, even if it means paying a little extra.
Whether you follow along or not, every inspector should provide an inspection report at the end of the examination. This report will tell you exactly what kinds of flaws the RV has so you can decide if any necessary repairs are something you have the ability to tackle. This report can also give you some leverage if your goal is to get the price of the rig lowered due to damage.
You can expect that any used RV will have some problem spots. Go in knowing that, in order to avoid too much disappointment.
Do you need a motorhome inspection service when buying from a dealer? Or only from a private party?
Those purchasing a brand new RV don’t usually need an RV inspection. The dealer’s pre delivery inspection report is typically good enough to protect you from unpleasant surprises. But anyone who will be buying a used RV absolutely should consider hiring a professional RV inspector. This is also true for a buyer purchasing from private sellers. You never know what that person’s RV has been through. However, it also applies to those buying from dealerships.
You see, dealerships don’t always inspect used units that come through their doors. RV sales people aren’t usually excited to disclose problems with the RV they’re trying to sell you. You also can’t really rely on a warranty since most used RV warranties don’t cover much.
You are buying both a house and a vehicle, both of which are complex and potentially have expensive repairs that may not be evident to the casual observer. If you have reasonable skills for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural items and are observant, you can evaluate yourself. If not confident in your own skills, hiring a pro makes sense, but it’s going to be expensive if you want a solid review (see Isaac-1 reply). A “once-over” check of 2-4 hours labor time may be enough to catch the main points. Sometimes a mobile RV tech can give you a quick “gut check” in an hour or so (about $180-$250). That’s just a verbal report and best done with you present so he can talk as he goes thru things.
@Gary RVRoamer, iRV2 Forums
An inspection covers you against potentially expensive repairs.
The report allows you to buy with confidence and not get hit with costly issues immediately after buying.
If you have been RVing for decades and have made all your own repairs, there is a chance that you may not need an inspector. You might be able to thoroughly comb through a potential rig and spot any issues. However, this isn’t a route we recommend taking unless you have tons of experience. Even then we believe hiring an RV inspection is worth it. You don’t want your excitement about the RV to cloud your judgement.
Not local to the rig you want to buy? In this case, a professional inspection is even more important. You aren’t likely to have a chance to thoroughly inspect the RV yourself before purchasing. Plus, an inspection might save you a pointless drive.
How Much Does a Motorhome Inspection Service Cost?
RV inspections vary in price depending on location, type of RV, and how thorough the inspection needs to be. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from about $100 for a simple trailer to $1,000 or more for a luxury motorhome inspection service.
In any case, the cost of an inspection will be a fraction of the cost of the RV itself. It could potentially save you headaches and thousands of dollars. We’d say it’s a worthwhile investment.
How Do I Find a Motorhome Inspection Service?
If you’re ready to hire an inspector, you might be wondering where to find one. One option is to ask an RVing Facebook group or forum for suggestions. Other people call up some local dealerships and repair shops to see if they’ll do the job, or if they know somebody who will. Either of these methods will work.
Our suggestion? Used RV buyers should always turn to the National RV Inspectors Association NRVIA website. The inspectors that are certified by NRVIA must pass a test and adhere to certain standards. You can hire any of them with confidence. On top of that, the website for this organization makes finding an inspector near you a cinch.
Conclusion
In summary, yes, a motorhome inspection service is worth it. Anyone purchasing a used RV would be better off using one. This is especially true for motorhomes, because engines are a huge part of the cost. This is especially true for those who don’t know what they might be looking for in terms of damage. Or those who will be buying an out-of-state motorhome. Isn’t your peace of mind worth the cost of an RV inspection?
Michael Martinez says
I elected to have an inspection performed on a Class C. Cost was $600. Inspections took several hours and I received a full report detailing even the slightest details. The inspection company was NRVIA certified. Out of date tire, CO monitor, minor leak at the toilet, etc. I was pleased and purchased the unit. After taking possession, I discovered more serious problems which should not have been missed, delamination of the fiberglass sidewall of the overhead bunk. Bent exhaust on generator, wheel well damage from a previous tire blow out, leaking fill line on freshwater tank. Needless to say, I was not pleased that I put my faith in a “pro”, who missed some key items and instead elected to sweat the small stuff.
If there’s a next time, I will do my own inspection prior to purchase.
KG says
I know most people and inspectors are honest and competent.However, your comment comparing RV inspectors to home inspectors made me pause. We paid for a recommended home inspector to inspect a home across the country from us. We had $35k in foundation problems discovered after we bought and moved. When we questioned if the inspector was liable we were told they are only liable “for what you paid them” Just a word to the wise to know the state laws you’re purchasing in. 😳 (Yes, attend the inspection if at all possible)
Don Johnson says
I’m sure there are reputable inspectors but our 10 year old 38 foot Thor RV with 6,000 miles was inspected by a guy who made it sound like a rolling wreck. He left things partially unassembled. He printed a 100 page report that listed virtually everything you can have in an RV and he said most “needed some work”. Curiously he measured the house battery at 6.7 volts and said that was OK! That’s probably because I had told him I’d just installed new batteries. Apparently he doesn’t know about putting two six volt batteries in series. He only measured one battery! I found out later that he submitted an offer to the buyer to “fix” our RV $13,000. He told me he got into RV inspections during Covid. We’d already priced well under similar RVs with more mileage. They didn’t buy it. They didn’t even come to look. We sent over 100 photos that showed it is in near new condition. Be careful when selecting an inspector. Investigate the inspector you plan on hiring. The people missed out on a good deal.
Margo says
The key word here is “Reputable”. We recently purchased a used class A after selling our C class. We used inspectors for 3 RV’s located out of state. The first 2 had problems that we could not see from photos and seller information. This saved us from all of the headache of going there ourselves and possibly making a huge mistake. This is too big of an investment to skip due diligence. We were very satisfied with the inspectors we found through NRVIA but we also “investigated” the inspectors before deciding to hire them. In the end we feel it was all money well spent and we are very happy with our ‘new’ used motorhome. This is especially important if you intend to Full-time, which we do.
Richard says
Only had wished we enlisted an inspection prior to making a trade and purchasing a boat anchor. A $1K up front would have saved us a lot of frustration.
doug Teders says
What about the under carriage / suspension
Also engine oil testing and transmission fluid?
Tim Davis says
I declined as not of the inspectors we allowed to drive the vehicle!!!!
Tom Robinson says
I disagree strongly regarding not needing an inspection for a new RV. Many dealers PDI’s are done very quickly and miss lots of problems. Unless the dealer is extremely reputable get an inspection.
Tom Robinson says
Yes, as in other professions, there are poor inspectors. In the case of NRVIA certified inspectors, if you gave a problem then contact them directly to submit a complaint. Then they can investigate the matter and we can all improve.
Jerome Choate says
You should have a motor home inspected whether it is new or used, especially because of all the build issues over the past few years. It is true that the dealer will perform a pdi, which you may be charged for. The pdi will last 30-40 min and will probably be done by the least experienced tech. They will test to see if all of the appliances come on, but not whether they work. They will operate the slides, but won’t check the seals. They won’t climb on the roof or under the RV.
An NRVIA-certified inspector will spend 6-8 hours with the same RV. I am sorry if you’ve had a problem with an inspector. If you have a problem with an NRVIA inspector, then report them. NRVIA takes this very seriously; it affects their reputation.
Ron says
Even NEW Rvs should be inspected very close before taking delivery. As a first-time buyer of a motorhome. We did a lot or research and looking before purchasing a 2024 Entegra Odessey. Assuming since it is new, and the dealer does an inspection when they receive it that everything would be ok. Everything on the motorhome does work and would probably be ok for a short time. Let me explain. After having it for a month or so I went under the unit to look at the underside. Wow the poor workmanship was unbelievable.
I myself worked for a custom fire apparatus manufacture for 23 years so have a good idea of how things should be done to prevent future problems. Here is a list of some items I found.
Wires including battery cables run with no wire loom over and by sharp edges. Wires run in seal tight conduit were the conduit fell short of reaching the electric box, so they wrapped black tape around the end of the conduit to seal it and then continued the run of the wires outside of the conduit.
Wires hanging down out of the frame rails not tied up.
A rubber hose not tied up laying on the exhaust heat shield by the engine manifold and were the shield ends the hose was within 3 inches of the exhaust pipe.
At the factory the chassis frame is cut and extended. Were they add a section of frame. To do this they but the two pieces of 1/4″ steel together and weld across just the top side of the frame flange. From the bottom side you can see the weld has very pore penetration and a lot of porosity in the weld seam. They should v these seams to get full penetration before welding and weld both sides of the seam or even better overlap plate them. I probally would have not noticed the four bad weld seams if they undercoated over them. But the new steel had no paint or undercoating.
There are a lot of brackets tank straps and areas that were left as bare steel.
The fresh water tank is thin plastic, they installed a steel angle iron which had the one sharp point of the angle pushing up on the tank wearing into the tank with less tha 500 miles on the unit. It would not be long before that point would have put a hole in the tank.
The propane line to the rear axualliry outlet was loped over the frame and then run about 3 ft to the outside edge of the body were the valve is mounted. Not tied up so it was hanging down within about 8″ of the ground.
There was a very large bundle of wires and battery cables located behind the battery compartment by the step. With no wire loom and hanging down to within 5 to 6″ of the ground, with the long wheelbase and this being located in the center area it would not be long until something could snag this bundle and rip the wires and cables out.
There are place they cut holes thru the floor to run wires and water lines sealed them with spay foam but missed part of the hole leaving open areas.
And the list goes on. I did contact Entegra / Jayco assuming they would want the unit returned to the factory. With all the hoses and wires run in the frame rails and limited area to get to the welds it would now be difficult grind out and reweld the frame seams. Their response was they will need me to get an estimate to repair the frame and take it back to the dealer for the other repairs. At this point since I am fortunate enough to have a shop and equipment where I can do the repairs myself I elected to do this myself.
After seeing the factory work I am not sure I trust them to do the repairs correctly. With this all said we still love the Motorhome and I really do not mind doing the repairs. It is sad that they use decent materials and then alow the poor workmanship in construction. It probally would cost them less in the end to just do it right the first time. Bottom line even if everything works now, many of these items will cause many future problems.
Either inspect everything including the underside yourself or have an independent inspector check it before taking delivery.