The Problem With Servicing RVs Ten Years Or Older
I recently read the following editorial on another website:
“Do you have an old RV, say, ten years or older? Have you ever had problems getting it serviced? The reason I ask is that I received a letter this week from reader Jere Engelman who bought a fifth-wheel trailer from Camping World in 2005. Now, in 2019, it needs some work. The service representative at Camping World told him the company’s corporate policy was to not work on RVs older than 10 years.
I wrote to CEO Marcus Lemonis and asked if the 10-year rule was true. “Absolutely not,” he replied within a minute. He then forwarded my email (along with Jere Engelman’s) to Brock Whinnery, who oversees fixed operations.
Mr. Whinnery explained to Mr. Engelman that many RV makers have gone out of business and Camping World may have trouble finding parts to repair them. He said it would be unfair to owners of old rigs to spend two hours diagnosing a problem and then learn there was no part available for the repair. Still, he said, there was no official policy about working on older RVs.
That makes sense, but where does it leave RVers with older units that need repairs, whether at Camping World or any other repair shop? I welcome your comments below or at editor(@)XXXXX.com. I think we should discuss this.”
I agree this is a great discussion topic and worth putting in my two cents.
Is it difficult to service old RVs?
The main thing RVers need to remember is RV manufacturers should be thought of as “RV assemblers” or “RV builders” as they seldom, if ever, manufacture many of the components that go into their RVs. You might liken them to home builders that buy framing components from one source, doors and windows from another source, plumbing parts from a plumbing distributor, furnaces and water heaters from other sources, and on and on.
The homebuilder then takes all of these items and assembles them into a home using labor-trained workers to install each component (framers, electricians, painters, plumbers, etc). If something in the home breaks after ten years, you typically don’t go back to the home builder to have it repaired, you call a repair person who specializes in plumbing, furnace repair, roof repair, etc. and they obtain the required repair parts from a home improvement store. If by chance the needed part is no longer available, say a control valve for a water heater, they replace the whole water heater.
Mankind has been living and fixing homes that are hundreds of years old, and I have never heard of a home repair that couldn’t be resolved. In some cases, it might not be worth repairing, but never a case of it can’t be repaired.
With a few exceptions, it works the same way for RVs. When something breaks in your RV, you take it to an RV repair shop with technicians trained to handle appliance repair, plumbing problems, frame issues, electrical problems, leaking windows, etc. just like typical home repairs.
The few exceptions are manufacturers like Airstream that use doors, windows, and other components that are unique to the Airstream design. Even then, there are RV shops that can reconstruct an entry door to a 50-year-old Airstream and businesses that specialize in parts for older and obsolete RVs (some salvage parts from older classic RVs like Airstream, GMC, Revcon, etc).
It’s worth noting that the parts that are likely to become obsolete in your RV in a short period (way under ten years) are what I call “soft materials” such as curtains, interior wall panels, carpet, cabinetry finishes, etc. If these types of items become damaged and need repair, it is likely they can’t be replaced with identical items with the same finish or color, but they can with new materials that will allow you to continue enjoying your RV.
The bottom line is that if an RV repair shop doesn’t want to service your older RV, they most likely don’t have a technical staff that is comfortable (or trained) to do so or don’t have the knowledge on where to source the needed parts and materials. In a case like this, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with them servicing my RV anyway and would find someone else!
Don’t let the fear of being able to have your older RV serviced keep you from enjoying any adventures in RVing! If you have experienced difficulty having an older RV serviced, please share your comments below.
See also: RVers Debate Ten-Year Rule At RV Parks
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Acquiring a piece of mechanical equipment like an RV is like getting married. Think about it, not as a mere thing, but as its function. In that light, at least annual service should be considered sine qua non. Any manufacturer/seller who cannot supply indefinite service to preserve function should be rejected. Used RVs should be treated the same way. An independent inspector could be employed to guarantee indefinite service. He sees your RV annually, maintains a file on it and takes over periodic maintenance, leaving the owner free to enjoy it
What are you trying to say
Our RV is 2012. It’s a Georgetown by Forest River. We had to replace the wiper arm no longer available at Camping World. But the parts manager gave us the name of struck repair place and they were able to get the part for us
Me and my brother have a 95 bounder and the right back brakes leak we have looked for rv repair shops but they are so far away from us,can we have someone from an rv place come and fix them on the spot we are in Hollywood CA at sunset and Vine
When we bought our motor home 8 years ago we bought a Winnebago Tour DP. When searching for a used unit, ours is a 2007, it is important to be aware of factory support. They have been excellent in providing parts, repairs and online diagrams and service availability. We are full timers , who actually travel, and have found mobile RV techs to be far superior to dealerships in getting timely repairs. Hats off to the mobile folks and Winnebago.
About a year ago, I had trouble finding aluminum corner molding for my 1994 Four Winds Motorhome.
I went to all the local Rving shops and even called a few. With no success, I devised my own seal. From my understanding, there’s no source for the diy’s to purchase materials for repairs, locally. Why is that?
The need is viable.
I bought most of my materials online, except the moding. The shipping cost placed the materials out of my spending range.
The issue of ten years to me is mostly one of service departs trying to sell new RVs.
Dometic is still in business, but if they were not, water heater goes out, just like a fixed base home, replace it with the latest and greatest. On the running gear side Ford, Chevy and Cummings all still in business.
A none issue to me
I have found it difficult to get work done on newer units I have reverted to taking my 2015 winabago to the factory for good service and repair.
The usual answer to a problem from dealers is “ we can look at it in 6 weeks or so “.When you are traveling this can be very frosting and inconvient.
In my opinion if a dealer tells you that your RV is to old he just doesn’t want to work on it. I will agree that there are some parts mainly the soft components as mentioned above along with specific body panels such as front or rear caps and possibly fenders. In many cases these are the same as used by other manufacturers that may require painting to match. In reality anything mechanical or man made can be repaired or replaced if your pockets are deep enough. I can also see where some RV dealers would shy away from older RVs due to the labor cost to repair or replacement parts needed may out weigh the value of the RV. This is where an owner would have to decide what the invested repair is worth. My advice would be to check with a smaller local dealer, they are usually more resourceful and reasonable on their charges. Personally I have not had good luck with many dealers, RV or automotive. I do 95 percent of my own repairs to my RV. It gets difficult to find the time to do this but I know my RVs inside and out and rarely run into something I can’t handle or at least get myself home. I also understand that not everyone has the time, place, or skills to do this so that is where the small dealers can possibly help.
While 10 years is old.. its not in the lifetime of a house or other. RV manufactures stop building models to discourage the repair of older units… thus they railroad you into buying the new improved version.
This is not true… most older RV’s can be UPGRADED.. to the newer appliances… most of the time improving the RV for pennies instead of dollars for new.
For example.. the light fixture..plastic degraded and died… it used a old filiment type of light bulb that drew about 1 amp of power and generated the same in heat. Replacement fixtures can be had at aftermarket parts stores or marine supply. Here the upgrade is that you get a LED light that only draws 0.1 amp.. or 1/10 the power for the same or more light and little heat. While the old fixture was 4 inches in dia the new is similar but has the new improved plastic cover… all for a few bux.
Water system was made with older gray poly tubing which was found to hazard to ones health and degerated after 20 years…. replacement.. easy pizzy… can be replaced with new PEX tubing and brass crimp on connectors. Really cheap to repair… and can be accomplished by the owner… and should be much better than the old stuff… which when frozen would crack and break… PEX can freeze and will not be harmed.. according to the specs… and in reality.. it seems to work.. as the RV was parked and the water lines froze inside when left un attended… we had all the old gray plastic and copper tubing split.. but the pex lives on.. great stuff and surprise its what the new RVs are coming with too.. so another great upgrade.
But… one must also take into account that the old RV has seen a lot of vibration going down all them miles of roadway… so here.. one must evaluate the frame and structure… as it can be repaired but now we are talking … is the cost of repairs exceeding the value of the unit.
So… which is better…. well if the hull and frame is in good condition.. you can upgrade almost all the appliances in the RV with aftermarket items… such as ignitor boards from dinosaur electronics… that are direct replacements (black box change) that upgrade the old heater/refrig/water heater to new current devices.
Remember though that owning a rv you will not even brake even on the prices.. (tow it off the lot and you just lost 1/3 the price you just paid) so it has a lot to do with what you like and what you have… to what you could have by throwing more money at a new one…
Hah! I have the solution to old RVs. Just be born into abject poverty and learn how to make repairs out of nothing with no money. Seventy years later I’m the owner of my own repair business and fixing my own Motorhome. I can make or modify obsolete parts. Where does that leave you? Maybe wishing you were born into abject poverty. God bless
Joe – amen brother! At 75 I carry all my tools with me and repair wherever I am. I did a transmission repair on a Texas beach two years ago and caught two Redfish while doing it. I would quit traveling if I had to rely on shops.
Thanks for your comment. My Dad could make something from pieces and party. I wish I had that gene. Any ideas regarding a 1995 Europa motor home power window assembly? No one seems to know who made the door and power window assembly. Dynamax (bought Europa USA Corporation) doesn’t have any information on either the door or power window parts. There isn’t any identifying information on either. Thanks
I’m with you Joe. Learn to work on it yourself. Along with mechanic school back in the dark ages, being a long time graduate of Make Do U. stands me in good stead for keeping our beautiful 1980 Pace Arrow going.
I emailed Marcus some time ago avout this exact same topic and have yet to receive any reply. .
I purchased a class C a number of years ago from a dealer who then converted to Camping World and all of a sudden, the 10 year rule came in and they said they could jo longer service my RV.
I believe when you enter into a relationship with a dealer, that should never be ended by some excuse of an age requirement on a unit. I invested a lot into this unit and into shopping at CW after the conversion and now feel like I’ve been cast to the side on some flimsy excuse of “liability” as was given to me by the Harrisburg pa CW site.
Thank you for taking my hard earned money and then casting me aside.
I have found getting any repair work done even on a 5 or 6 year old class A is next to impossible especially when on the road. I do my best to locate parts and do the repair myself. Items installed or repaired; transfer switch, tv antenna, inverter-converter-charger, slide seals, shorts in hydraulic jack system, house water pump, slide topper brace, etc, etc. Learn how to fix stuff and good luck!
We have been rooked by CW for years. They are not reliable service people. Do not buy an RV from CW and expect good service no matter what age the rig is!
You just gotta find one of these good o boys to come out to your Rv and help dind and fix problems for you , they really knoe thier stuff ! I had my furnace stop working on my 2008 Route 66 ( pilgram)
recently , i purchased my coach from a boat lot and wasnt shown alot of things it would have been nice to know abot my Rv but anyhow after a few bumbs in the road ( one tech didnt show up, another from Electronic co . Just scrathed his head looking confused needless to say he didnt know his shtuff but then 3rd try third guy was my fixit ticket ! Wal~a !! I had heat !!! 315 later but hey it was worth it to me and i now have a guy > one guy that i can call to come do it all !!! I just gotta give him a call .feeling Thankful ☆
SO TRUE I JUST SHOP ON LINE TO GET PARTS.NEVER TO CW THEY HAVE SERVICE DEPTS THAT ARE NOT VERY GOOD AND NO REAL TRAINED PERSONAL.FM
We just got rid of our 96 national seabreeze because we couldn’t get parts for the front end. It was an eye opener!
any tips on how you fit your bike to the truck bed? I’m still thinking of using the truck bed for storage or use it to haul my ATV. Is Quadboss ramp good to use?
That’s what I’m talking about. The RV establishments aren’t interested in keeping your older RV going, but in selling you a new one. Smart people learn to repair their own, or talk with others who have worked on their own, or read the forums that explain what others have done for a similar problem.
😂😂😂 I too was born into abject poverty and can fix lots of stuff with absolutely nothing! Hubby and I just bought our first rig and were shocked to hear that most people trade in their RV for new about every 3-5 years. What a waste! We intend to keep and enjoy our rig until it falls apart, and then repair it and enjoy it some more! 😁
I couldn’t imagine taking a 10 year old RV to a stealer, er dealer in the first place. For ANY kind of service or repair. There are too many better options.
I wrote a blog about it, but can seem to find the posting right now. I built a elevated storage box across the front of the truck bed that allows 8ft loading ramps to go under. The box holds spare fuel cans and a container with other lubricates, sprays, etc I don’t want to carry in the RV. The box is offset – deeper in front of the ATV and shallower for the bike which is longer. When I close the tailgate there is only an inch or two between the tailgate and tires on the bike and quad thereby maximizing use of the bed.
Thank you. RV’s are not built to standards, but rather what was “left over” in the parts bin. My Monaco sold for a quarter million dollars, but Monaco built the “box”, with Roadmaster building the chassis. Why on earth would someone take their Ford chassis to a camping world for repairs? If you want an RV over ten years old repaired, take it to an RV repair shop with repairmen over ten years old, not to a SALES center. I’ve had eighteen RVs in 45 years, none less than ten years old when purchased. You can buy a lot of parts for the tremendous depreciation of the average RV. I have used RV salvage yards to repair and “upgrade “ that I couldn’t have afforded from a dealer,
I just had an oil change at a Camping World, only to have a “check engine” light on afterwards. When I brought it to the service manager’s attention, I’m here said “we don’t work on engines or chassis”. When I threatened not to leave until they checked it, tech found a sensor on separator unplugged! Don’t go there for service! You may get sent down the road to repair their repairs!
I agree fixing your RV isn’t to hard, I had a bad valve on my hot water heater. I simply went to Lowe’s bought a valve and some pex fittings and made the repair. I little research you can find anything.
We are long time members of Camping World. Near the end of a 2,700 mile trip the 5th wheel broke a spring while traveling on the Interstate only 25 miles from Camping World / Gander RV and Outdoors. AAA provided a tow company to tow us to Camping World but they didn’t want us. Camping World told us not to show up at their facility because there was no room for us on their lot and it would take months before they could work on our RV. Thankfully the tow company had a secure lot and a repair facility within 5 miles.
We notified Camping World of our dissatisfaction. They called to let us know that they cannot hire enough trained technicians to get the work done nor do they have a large enough facility to handle the work load. I suggested that they start their own training program and also to start increasing the size of the facilities across the country.
We will be dropping our membership to Camping World.
You just gotta find one of these good ol boys to come out to your Rv and help find and fix problems for you , they really know thier stuff ! I had my furnace stop working on my 2008 Route 66 ( pilgram)
recently , i purchased my coach from a boat lot and wasnt shown alot of things it would have been nice to know abot my Rv but anyhow after a few bumbs in the road ( one tech didnt show up, another from Electrical co . Just scratched his head looking very confused ..needless to say he didnt even know where to locate my furnace 🙄 what ? Nevermind < one guy that i can call to come do it all !!! I just gotta give him a call .feeling Thankful ☆
This is true, if the part is no longer available it can usually be replaced with a more modern part. With some exceptions for very high end motor homes that were built one offs and in that case the owner can usually afford what ever it takes to repair it.
Good article; I too have an RV older then 10 years and have had to replace/repair several “things”. I have found that it is true that a good and reputable repair shop can do wonders.
This said I have had issues with Camping World and agree with the premise that they probably do not have qualified repair people, and I can unfortunately attest to that.
Best bet is to find a local repair shop, do some internet leg work to see what others are saying about the quality of work…happy camping
VERY TRUE I HAVE A20 YEAR MOTOR HOME A 42 FT ZEPHYR IT LOOKS LIKE A 8.5 SCORE. BUT WE DO A LOT OF WORK ON IT LIKE I HAD A SUSP. PROBLEM AIR BAGS SHOCKS BRAKES ETCI TAKE IT TO A SPRING AND DRIVE SHAFT TRUCK PLACE.AND AIR BAGS SHOCKS ETC. FOR IT AND THEY OR MYSELF CALL FRIGHT LINER REPAIR IN S C. AND THEY SEND IT TO THE SHOP OR ME.JUST LIKE ANY THING ELSE IF YOU START OUT WITH A M-H WITH GOOD BONES IT IS MUCH EASY TO UP GRADE
Our 1994 Winnebago Ind. Class A 34′ Vectra just rolls and rolls on – smoothly and comfortably! We’ve owned it for 12 years now and have added numerous upgrades including strip liting in the windows and ceilings, and “Infinity” lite (YouTube) to the ceiling. MaxxAir fans etc, etc….. All original appliances work perfectly.
The GM 454 (7.4) runs smoothly requiring only spark plugs and an exhaust gas valve. I do most of my own maintenance and repairs if any. I haven’t had problems getting parts either from Winnebago sources or after market suppliers or GM.
Don’t pass up an opportunity – just check it out carefully and objectively and be mechanically inclined! Happy trails………. and due diligence!
We had a 2000 Shasta 27’ tt. Kept until 2017, when we traded it for class c mh. This had been our third trailer. The dealer was over 100 miles from us. It never went back to the dealer for anything, although it had some warranty issues. They were easier to fix myself than take it back to them. Most all parts of RV’s can now be found on line. There YouTube videos that show you how to fix them. I had replaced all the plastic faucets with metal ones, repacked the wheel bearings, replaced water heater, refrigerator and awning assembly. It was kept underneath cover, except when we were traveling. It still looked new enough that the dealer we purchased the mh from gave us better than retail ( according to Kelly Blue Book) for it. It was sold a week after we traded.
My point here is to learn to fix it yourself. You will know how it works and you will be happy you fixed it yourself. Most repairs are not difficult, but repairs to the frame and such should be left to professionals.
WE have a Denali 2012 25foot 5th Wheel. After the warranty, the countertop began to crack. It, now, goes around the sink and several “spider” cracks within the top. We DIDNOT drop anything to cause the crack. They are over the wheel area, maybe the torquing caused this from an original weak spot. The company refused to send us another so we could replace it. Any suggestions on what to do?
You are s right! There are ways to source cabinets, windows, etc. Many post I read, people replace water and sewer lines, cabinets, ac, and even tanks in older ones. We (mines 2007), planned it when we but them.
I would contact a local cabinet shop that specializes in counter tops. They should be able to reinforce the counter and install a new counter top
I DO NOT KNOW WERE YOU LIVE BUT THE PEOPLE FOR VERY GOOD WOOD WORKING MATCHING THE WOOD STYLE AND COLOR ARE THE ALMISH WHEN I PUT A RES.REF. AND A WASHER AND DRYER DESK IN MY M-H THEY DID A OUT STANDING JUB
Bill: If you are handy – I would suggest removing the complete top assembly – then remove the crazed top being careful to preserve the top base to use as a template. Check the countertop materials available at suppliers (lumberyards, Menards, cabinet shops etc.) Harbor Freight has a neat hand held edge router for about $25.00. Lay out the top and cut to the template size/shape. Glue top to base with contact cement. Or the alternative is have a cabinet shop make you a new top! (Expensive!). I replaced the counter top in our Class A. Upgraded the color and design too! Fun and rewarding project and the lst time I ever attempted anything like it!!! If we could comm. I could send you pictures. Doug.
Talking of old RV’s……I own a 1986 Winnebago Lesharo here in England uk. and despite the drive train being Renault based, and England being very close to France, when I’ve asked for parts in the past I’d be stared at like I have two heads and just landed from Mars. 1986 and the name must be the most Googled text ever thanks to parts shops in the uk. To them, it must be something created in medieval times.
I’ve pointed out many times (through gritted teeth) that I wasn’t asking for parts for a Ford model ‘T’, just a Renault based camper. Nowadays, I don’t mention Winnebago or Lesharos at all and simply ask for MK1 Renault Trafic parts. I would never fool myself into thinking I could buy new/original interior parts for it, (not that I’d ever WANT to) but so far I have kept the ol’ gal mechanicaly-roadgoing with ‘pattern parts’ that were manufactured for the Renault Trafic and occasionaly, even parts made for OTHER vehicles.
Owning an old motorhome is a completely different ball game, and in my opinion, people who own and use ’em have to be more dedicated, more in touch with their vehicle. and more prepared to get their hands dirty doing repairs themselves. I don’t know if there are any winnebago dealerships in the uk, but even if there is I wouldn’t even consider taking mine to them to solve ANY problem. If you want it done right and exactly how YOU want it, you can’t beat doing it yourself.
Doug, thanks for the comments. Do you have a video on You-tube? I would like to see pixs of what you have done. I’m not super-handy, especially when it comes to this type of work. Send pix to willyboy867@gmail.com
My dad has an older RV that he needs to get service on. As you said, a shop should have technicians with varied experience to work on these older ones. He should look more into that as we would want a trained professional to do the work.
They don’t want to work on them, they charge exorbitant rates, they rarely come to you, and you should learn as much as you can about your unit.
Several years ago we bought a 50ft Gibson houseboat. It was a 1980 model and we bought it in 1995. We very soon learned to do most repairs to the boat and related equipment ourselves and with the help of our neighbors. We had one neighbor that could repair ANYTHING and I mean anything. We stayed away from the marina repair shop as much as possible as their hourly charges were in excess of $100/hr back then. We had a lot of fun “upgrading” all the pumps, faucets, heads etc. In 2001 we went to the houseboat show in Louisville and ordered a new 65ft houseboat………..custom designed by my wife. It was the most beautiful boat on the lake and when we decided to get out of the “boating business” it sold in two weeks IN JANUARY.
The internet and you tube are great things!!
I have a 2000 Holiday Rambler Vacationer and recently had all the floor covering replaced (Sub floor was in perfect condition thank goodness) and in the Houston TX area there are many good and qualified RV repair shops that don’t have any issues working on older rigs you just need to ask the RV community where you live or the area where you are when you need something serviced or repaired. I have found out over my many years of RVing that sometimes recommendations from others works just fine but as always be it car or RV repair center know when they are blowing smoke and go elsewhere.
need pre purchase inspection and quote for repairs on camping trailor located in Lewisville tx.
I have been very fortunate in that I have a mechanic that worked for Dodge in the 1980’s so he is knowledgeable about the vehicle parts and I have a great RV shop in Lakeside, CA Webbs that has been able to find me parts or replacements for my rv components. My van is a 1988 Dodge B250 Roadtrek Versatile that I love !!! I’m a boon docker senior lady so my van must be in top shape.
The reason Camping World can’t get good help is the technicians get laid off in the winter and have to find work elsewhere.
I had a recent repair for dump valve replacement. i was charge $65.00 for shop supplies when the technician only used 4 paper shop towels on the job. I had cleaned my black and gray tank very well. They added a $145.00 charge to dump the tanks. I am a lifetime member of CW and will not go back.
RV Manufacturers do not make anything. They are assemblers of components and materials made by others. Anything of importance to an RV can be obtained or upgraded for 20+ years. A wallpaper pattern is not critical. I am cynical of anything I hear from a used car or RV dealer. I am confident this RV dealer was trying to “sell” Jere. “Time to trade in that bucket of bolts (for next to nothing) and I’ll put you in this brand new shiny (pile of crap) one for a steal but only during our 20th Going Out of Business Sale”. I have owned a 2004 Keystone Cougar 5er since 2008. I have never spent penny one at a dealer’s service department.
Dinosaur Electronics make circuit boards for older models as well as new models. We bought a replacement board for our 2018 water heater that should outlast the original board that has already failed.
Our local RV dealer told us they won’t work on RVs older than 10 years (ours is 12). I think it’s because they are so overwhelmed with warranty work for RVs they have sold in the past few years. They were kind enough to give us the name and number of a mobile RV tech, but my husband ended up fixing it himself. We buy most parts on Amazon or Etrailer, but have also had good luck finding older parts for RVs and appliances on Ebay.