Customer Reviews

How to Select, Inspect, and Buy an Rv: A Complete Guide

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very easy to read and easy to follow book, yet it gives very comprehensive information. Excellent for the novice or the experienced RVer, it covers the selection process (there are several types of RVs made and you need to figure out which is one is best for your use); the inspection process (walks you through what you need to look for and, believe me, you can find a lot of deficiencies in an RV that looks "clean"); and finally, the most important part to the pocket, the buying process. I think the author did a great job here - he injects humor in this process while opening your eyes to the negotiating "wheelin' and dealin'" that you are going to encounter at the dealership. It doesn't matter whether you're buying a car, a truck, a motorhome, or a tent - the buying process explained in this book will serve you well for anything you buy. I also liked the photos and graphics used throughout - they were clear in their purpose. I read this book through twice before arming myself with pen and notebook and hitting my local dealers. By reading this book, I found I knew a lot more stuff than the salespeople! If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on an RV, you better read this book first. I highly recommend it.

The first part of this book covers types of RVs, the Pros and Cons of each RV type, and also other related topics such as safety. The second part of the book covers the inspection process; what types of things to look for and what types of things to avoid while shopping for an RV. The third section covers the buying process; what to look out for in a dealership/salesman. It also provides guidance on how to nogotiate a suitable price and what is a fair price versus the MSRP. For a new buyer, a book like this is an absolute must. Some of the buying tips alone could save you thousands.

Before reading J. D. Gallant's book, How to Select, Inspect, and Buy an RV, I didn't know a class C from a minivan. What an eye-opener! This comprehensive guide gave me everything I needed to know to begin my search for the right RV. The book is well organized into sections covering the advantages and disadvantages of the different types, advice on buying used,how an RV is constructed, what to look for at shows, safety issues,how to get the best deal for your budget, and a helpful glossary of RV sales terms. What I found particularly outstanding, however, was the section on the Walkabout inspection technique. Amply illustrated with photos showing what to look for inside and out, this systematic and detailed process helped me sort the wheat from the chaff when looking for a used motor home. Mr. Gallant's easy-going,no-nonsense style and sense of humor made for hours of pleasurable reading on a subject that could seem daunting in less capable hands. Don't set foot on a dealer's lot without giving this one a thorough read!

I found this book extremely informative yet easy to read. It is an excellent resource for anyone looking to buy an RV, especially if you are a first time buyer. It helped me know what to look for when inspecting the RV's and also how to deal with the salespeople.

With so many different RV's on the market you need to know how to look for one that is going to be safe and well constructed. You need to know how to figure out how much you should be paying, deal with a trade-in, and figure the cost of financing, extended warranties and insurance.

It is a must have tool to be armed with especially when you consider the thousands of dollars you are going to be spending. Doesn't it make sense to spend a little more to make sure that you are making a safe, sound investment and surely save some money in the long run.

I found this book extremely helpful. While I may not agree on everything the author states the information helped me to determine exactly the type of RV I want, the style and quality, and what safety considerations are important. Everytime I see a motorhome or trailer I tend to rate it for care by the owner, its structural integrity, and its safety to those in and around the unit.

I'm the type that does a lot of research before buying something and when I decided to buy an RV, I didn't want to make an expensive mistake. This book was well worth the investment because it pointed out many things a novice RV buyer wouldn't notice or look for when buying an RV. The emphasis on quality over floorplan makes perfect sense as what's a great floorplan if the RV isn't built well?

My big decision was gas vs diesel power for my prospective Class A motorhome. There are pros and cons to each and the book describes both and was helpful when making my decision. There's more to it that engine/transmission difference. The GVWR of gas vs diesel is different, the suspension is different, etc. All of those were factors for me.

Other things from the book that stood out are looking underneath the RV to see how well it is built. How does the wiring look underneath? How does the pluming look underneath and inside the cabinets? How do the cabinets look? Do the cabinet doors have loose joints? The section on how to inspect an RV will show you all that you need to look at when considering an RV.

There is a big emphasis on safety and how some RV manufacturers don't have much of a gap between actual weight of the RV and the maximum weight capacity the RV can carry, which means some RV owners will exceed the GVWR after they load it with their possessions, fuel, water, and hit the road. This can cause the RV to handle poorly and be a challenge for the typical RV owner to drive.

The book also goes into the pros and cons of buying new vs. used. Buying new isn't always as great as it seems as every RV will have to go in for warranty work to fix a variety of nagging issues. Time at the dealership for this work takes time away from using and enjoying the RV. Depreciation is another factor to consider. It's always better to let someone else take the big hit on a new RV.

Another great section is how to deal with the RV dealership and their salesmen, referred to as "Smoothy." I went to a dealership to look at RVs and sure enough, I had a "Smoothy" of my own. Every RV he had was either a "smoking deal," "fantastic buy," "crazy great deal," or "manager's special." The prices were only good that day too!

Beware of "lot rot" when shopping for an RV. "Lot rot" refers to RVs that have sat on a dealer lot for long periods of time. For example, some RV manufacturers went out of business in 2008/2009 and reorganized into new companies. When that happened, new RVs that had been built previously and were on dealer lots lost their factory warranties. This caused many buyers to shy away from those models and to this day, there are still a few 2007-2009 RVs sitting on dealer lots that are "new" and have never been titled. These RVs need new tires as the factory ones have dry rotted, the RV's batteries are probably shot, the RV's roof has aged from sitting in the sun, belts and hoses need to be replaced, and their are other items that wear out early if not used. The good news is that you can probably get a great deal on one of the "orphaned" RVs, but you will have items to replace, and won't have a factory warranty. You can buy an aftermarket warranty, plus the engine/transmission and appliances will be under warranty from their respective manufacturers.

When buying used, you can buy from a dealer, a consignment lot, or private individual. Each has their pros and cons. The consignment lot I went to is massive, has every type of RV to look at, and there's no salesperson following you around. It's a great environment to look at the different brands of RVs, floorplans, etc. Buying from a private individual can save you money because the seller isn't paying a commission to a dealer or consignment lot, but more importantly, you can get a feel from the buyer as to how well they maintained the RV. When buying used, there is a lot of risk, so one way of minimizing is buying directly from the RV owner.

I looked at a lot of RVs from consignment lots to dealers and a few private sellers. I used rvtrader.com and rvsearch.com to find prospective RVs. I ended up buying an RV from an individual seller that was the first owner.

Lastly, be aware of the driver's license laws in your state. Don't let the fact that you don't need a commercial driver's license convince you that your current license covers your new RV. If your RV meets a certain GVWR threshold, you'll need to get the appropriate driver's license. You'll not only learn how to safely operate your vehicle, but you'll be covered should you ever be pulled over or be involved in an accident.

Hopefully my review was helpful, best of luck as you buy your next RV.

Overall the book is a fairly good guide for searching for and evaluating an RV. It does inform the buyer of the differences between RV types, but the writer is somewhat bias. I would recommend it to a friend, but the reader should look for something more up to date. I do like the fact that the writer is concerned about the lack of safety in the manufacture of RV's, and is involved in trying to get the manufactures to improve their products.

Great book, but you also need the DVD Ratings Guide for Motor Homes. Now this is well worth the price.

I have been looking at motorhomes for a month before I found this guide. After reading, it I realized I did not know the first thing about what to look for. I have really educated myself by reading this. I have highlighted some information that was very important to me (safety, reliability, livability). This guide was well worth the purchase price, however, it you are serious about a purchase and you know nothing, you can get the book along with ratings for thousands of RVs, a cd for inspecting rvs and other rv information by joining the RV Consumer Group at around $150.00.

Was not impressed with the book. Most of the information about actually buying an RV is the same as buying any other vehicle. Some of the inspection information was helpful, but most of the pictures were useless - grainy black and whites taken from such a distance that detail was lost. And finally it seemed to be a long ad for his CDs ($$) - which are available for purchase after you become a member (more $$) of his website.