One other tip - use a detailed checklist to test the functionality of the RV before paying for it. Serveral items in our new RV were fixed the next day because the dealer wants to get paid. Don't be afraid to walk away it things are not fixed.

I am a certified RV technician and inspector. Regarding the purchase of a new RV, always get a third party inspection. Remember the Golden Rule..."he who has the gold makes the rules." Before money changes hands the dealership is VERY interested in taking care of you. I have inspected new RVs with non-working ACs, slide systems, leveling systems, appliances and leaks. I typical RV inspection takes me anywhere from 6-10 hours of total time including finalizing the report. Most new RV owners just don't have the experience or skills necessary to properly inspect an RV. I was a real estate inspector and let me tell you. RVs are WAY more difficult and time consuming to inspect. I like your content and appreciate what you are trying to do. Keep up the good work.

One trick I have seen dealerships do is sell the RV and tell the buyer to take it camping and make up a punch list of everything they find that needs repair. When they bring it back and drop it off the dealership service department is so overwhelmed that their RV just sits there for 3, 4, or 5 months and in the mean time they are still making payments and that one year warranty clock is still ticking. What should really happen, at the minimum, is when an RV is returned for warranty work then that warranty time clock should stop until EVERYTHING has been repaired and the unit accepted back by the customer but unfortunately that's not how it works. :-(

I had an RV. It developed a fairly small leak which actually totaled the unit. The insurance adjuster told me something I will never forget. "Buying an RV is like buying an ice cream cone. If you're careful with it, you can enjoy it for awhile, but make no mistake as soon as you buy it - it begins to melt.

I worked as an RV tech for 1 week. I’ve been fixing and building things for 40 yrs. The quality on every single unit was embarrassing. The other techs instead of fixing the issues created other issues. The single driving factor for all of these issues is the time it takes to complete a build. No care or patience at all. Panelling fixed to walls with staples in the middle instead of hidden behind the trim was common on all units. I’ve decided that I’m going to build my own camper from scratch.

Another option for potential RV buyers is to hire a certified RV inspector. Just like buying a new home, they can find the problems with the new RV before you buy. That way you could negotiate repairs before your first trip out. It would be a worthwhile expense if buying a new, high dollar RV in my opinion.

I don't look so silly camping in my tent now, huh.

I've been full timing RVING for a year now. 2 years 3 weeks in rv 1 week home. From my experiences in Rv parks I talk to a lot of people RVING. I also watch KZfaq stations. The fifthwheels are junk. They look like polished dream homes on wheels, but they are junk. Also, the manufacturers are cutting so many corners on building these house on wheels. The whole industry is aware of it. Dealers and RV techs. Buying a used motorhome, not fifthwheel, from 1st or second owner is the way to avoid junk. So much to know about this life. If your not a handyman and can't do the maintenance on your motorhome than expect to pay that out of pocket. Also, read up and educate yourself on the problems that other full time Rvers have run into. For instance, parks electrical hookups can fry all your brand new hardware and any electrical equipment, tv's and laptops included. A power surge protector won't do. You need an EMS PROTECTOR. Read up on it or pay the expensive cost. They run about 400.00. Why they're not sold with expensive high ticket rigs is just down right scandless. New comers get no heads up on this costly electrical disaster, just waiting to happen.

I watched a video previously of a guy who says you should buy a used rv that is 2-3 years old. Typically he says that the person who bought it new has fleshed out about all of these issues and they are tired of dealing with them so they sell it to cut their losses but the vehicle is now basically where it should have been when it was first bought. I don’t really know about this idea but I found it interesting.

Fellow RV tech here. You spoke a lot of truth. Especially that RV techs often do this because they love RV’s, but we’re disappointed by the leaders in the industry taking advantage of customers perception vs the reality of ownership. Subscribed!

Mine didn't even make it out of the lot. It had electrical problems and the trailer brakes would not release. I asked for another, but their mechanic got in my jeep and dragged it around until the wheels started to spin on their own. I got a mile down the road and smoke was coming from my brakes. We unhooked and drove back to the dealer and made them go get it. They put in a new wiring harness and we went camping. The fridge only worked on 12 volts. The 3rd day the hot water heater got so hot you could smell the insulation smoking. The fan in the bathroom blades flew off and the pump would run continuously. We took it back, but it never worked right. Then the following year they said I needed knew brakes to pass inspection, well that lead to a heated discussion. At least now we have social media to do the research.

I stated on another KZfaq Channel (some RVIA guy) that the RV manufacturer that figures out quality will OWN the industry, regardless the price point. (He did NOT appreciate that.) It's the same situation as when Datsun, Honda, and Toyota came in and cleaned up on the American auto manufacturers who were letting their dealers fix the cars. It's as if the customer is the quality control department. What the RV manufacturers will learn is it will actually be cheaper to do it right the first time.

I wish more people would watch this video before they bought an rv. This is reason why i decided to buy a year older rv with maintenance records. Many of the bigger problems were already fixed or i was able to catch with maintenance from videos like these.

Very good tips for anyone new to the RV world. After more than 10 yrs in my unit, I have repaired most of the poorly manufactured flaws that have popped up over time. Most of the issues that have been repaired are not uncommon for a unregulated business. Keep those video''s coming. Some thing are just not fixable. Like the slide opening being cut crooked.

I've found with my 50+ years of RVing is the golden years of manufacturing was 2004 to 2008. There was some great coaches built during that time..... The best of the best, for me, is a diesel pusher from one of the Northwest manufactures built in those years. The SoCal builders are second. Find a used coach from an original owner (or second) that has taken care of and stored it inside and you've got a peach.

Paid $800 for a certified inspection of a class C, that looked very nice but had big time issues. Bought a class B that was returned with 3,000 miles, which was bizarre to say the least. I begged the wife for an initial local trip but nope… about 1,500 mile trip. Thankfully everything worked. Little stupid things happened like I turned on the inverter when we left so the fridge would work just like the video said. Arriving after 1AM we collapsed in bed but the next morning realized some food had spoiled because I didn’t know there was an actual dial to turn ON the fridge itself…stupid.

NEW SUB!. Great content. This channel is about to blow up if you continue to make quality content like this. The RV warranty process has been an eye opening experience. I bought an extended appliance warranty and my camper furnace fan stays running now after reaching the set temp. the earliest service appointment I could get was three months out. Then we were still miss communicating about the symptom of the problem somehow almost three weeks later... so that warranty expires faster than you think!! Last time my RV went in for service, it was in the shop for 6 weeks total.

I recently toured the Grand Design assembly line my trailer was built on. First thing I noted was the Lippert frams they use are had the poorest chicken scratch welds I ever have seen. Now wonder KZfaq is full of videos of the spring hangers twisting away from the frams. A 6 year old could produce better welds. Next I noticed when the black moisture liner is added it is stapled into the flooring. Half the staples were protruding 1/8 out of the decking. This area where the stapkes are located is where the load bearing side wall will rest on. On down the line I could not help to notice the difference in fit and finish from one unit to the next. A lot of these issues are covered up by interior and exterior siding. So these mistakes are not checked in the pdi. I just walked away pretty disappointed at the build quality of a manufactur that touts superior quality in their product.

We have had 2 Winnebago RVs; a 34" class A and now a 26' Vista on a Mercedes chassis.. They both were and are excellent; as a former mechanic and auto/ marine & truck electrical service manager.. I am constantly uncovering mostly good to excellent quality and workmanship. The few other brands before and in between them were a bit more problematic.. Of dealerships in Florida, Indiana, North Carolina and Rhode Island.. Arlington RV in Warwick, RI absolutely stands out: pre & post delivery inspections and < 1 week repair (usually..) Bought a 30" tow behind in Indiana.. I kept the service department 2 1/2 hours after closing to have them replace a defective complete vehicle connector cable (25+ feet because of where it terminated), a defective tail/stop light, 2 marker lights and a defective tongue jack! We got camp chairs and with my 90 year old (very seasoned camper!!) mother-in law, sat in the service department NeXT to them while they worked. Then.. they adjusted the equalizing itch! After driving less than 400' in their parking lot, I ran back to the service department and they sent someone out to adjust the hitch again! Fortunately, not many other issues in the 8 years we owned it afterwards .. & sold it for more than we paid for it!!

This is an industry that needs some regulatory oversight and some strong competition from companies with good engineering departments and strong QA systems. Disposal of dead RVs is an environmental issue…these eyesores are piling up everywhere. Nothing much can be salvaged or recycled, the chassis and suspension metal is about all. There is no parting out, crushing, or recycling infrastructure like for cars. Is there? I see huge inventories of unsold RVs sitting on lots. What happens to them? Who eats the depreciation? Great video. No longer an active RVer but this video caught my eye.

Wow i been telling my friends about this for a long time that the manufactures of rvs really dont care about the quality and the prices are so inexpensive i wonder how they make money. But you just answered my question about they make the money in finance. Anyway i bought my rv from a company not in the US and the quality is number one.

Can you do a video on which manufactures are quality? We want to buy in six months. Thanks

My list of three is 1 Forget warranty and prepare to fix issues yourself. 2 junk construction will require constant care. 3 dealership services are worse than homeowner repairs. With tha said I buy a new pop up every 3 yrs and add suspension lift. Organize and armor the under carriage. Gusset and or reinforce all wood construction. Otherwise they are guaranteed to turn to splinters in the backcountry

I know someone who got locked in their new RV because the coded door lock malfunctioned. She was in a cell phone dead zone and had to wait for friends to come to visit her to get loosed from the interior. I have no faith in all of the chipped, new electronics on them, especially since apparently, we don't manufacturer much ourselves. I love the old days more and more.

The last RV I bought I used it 2 months in three years. The rest of the time it was at the dealership for repairs which were never resolved. Campgrounds are over crowded and you pretty much need to reserve sites 12 months in advance and hope and pray your camper will be out of the shop and function safely.. Now that's the way I want to spend my free time. RV manufacturers are the lowest, most evil life form on the planet and the dealers are a close second. If only my wife enjoyed backpacking. Don't buy an RV send me half that money and I will share my backpacking pictures. You will have more money and less stress.

Amen! We just got tired of dealing with our camper and now stay at bed and breakfast places! 😂

if you want another secret there is a mobile home manufacturer that also builds rv's and when the HUD inspector came in to inspect the homes he would give the company a list of problems and the inspector would be given a envelope that came from the bank and all violations disappeared. a friend of mine bought one of their units and a few days later the unit burned down, the problem was a nail through the wiring, and I would like to get an rv but I find I would probably get better quality building it myself then buying one

Absolutely correct on all points. Since the pandemic QC has been out the window. We looked at new 5th wheels. ALL had visible defects on the lot. We bought a 2010 Montana for 1/4th cost and EVERY THING WORKS! Quality is excellent. Very happy.

A suggestion from a veteran who would never buy a new RV, since they can't be trusted: I've bought and restored a 1978 Avion 24' travel trailer. Back then they built RV's with pride and tried as hard as they could to outdo Airstreams (also am in the process to restore a 1978 Airstream Argosy with my 33 year old son at the moment, not bad!). The Avion is essentially rock solid but needed some repairs to get it back to its glory days. Overall you cannot compare a "well-maintained California climate kept" vintage Avion or Airstream TT with any of the junk they produce these days, they have to cut way too many corners to make money on them!

I bought an Outback trailer new, went out immediately for the first time and whatever could not work did not work, holy hell, they had it for 4 months and when I finally got it back all of the original problems were still there, they never even touched it, all of the original problems were still there! I took it back again but had marked all of the bad parts, they told me they replaced all kinds of things and when I showed them the marks I put on and threatened them with a lawsuit and the local news they finally started replacing things. I ended up fixing things they didn't and got it perfect, I sold it and bought a used Minnie Winnie with 8,000 miles and haven't had a problem with it other than wear and tear, it was built well, that was in 2007 and it's still going strong.

Some things for new RV owners. That first trip he talks about is called a Shakedown trip. Do it at the closest campground to your home. This way, if you have to run back home to get tools or other supplies, you can do it easily. Create a checklist for set up and break down. As for the financing part, the entire automotive industry is the same way. Car dealerships do not make much money off the sale of a new vehicle. It's in the financing office where they make the most profit. They sell extended warranties, GAP contracts, appearance protection, tire & wheel protection, etc. Those are the profit makers. Just in case you didn't know this, you can negotiate the price of those warranties just like you can negotiate the price of the vehicle. So, if you do want an extended warranty or a service maintenance plan that covers oil changes, etc., plan on haggling for the price of them also.

The answer is really simple. Resist at all costs the lure of RVing. Build a firepit in the back yard and take your marshmellows out there. Then fly to a luxury resort in the Bahamas when the urge hits. You'll be way ahead financially with a lot less stress.

Im actually really surprised at the craftsmanship of our 2022 Jayco TT. We’ve had no issues except a faulty water pump our 1st yr with it. But I took it to the dealership and they had it replaced and working great within 15min. I also like that Jayco does the 3+2 warranty. I don’t know any other manufacturers that do that. They’re all the standard 1yr.

I hear a lot of discussion of "this particular manufacturer cuts corners," like in the beginning of the video, but few people ever say *who* those manufacturers are. It's hard to find ratings and comparisons of RV brands and manufacturers from real experts who have a lot of experience servicing them. Could you do a video about that? It'd help people like me, who are making their first RV purchase, at least be aware of the common issues and make an informed decisions based on budget and needs. Either way, thanks for the high quality content! 👍

I have a really nice old one. Class A 35' freg, it's a lot of maintenance yes, but I love it so much, it's worth it to me. It rides like a dream. You'd never know it's a gas engine except for how silent it is. Alos rides very smooth on air bag assistance suspension. And it does work.

Our 2019 FR motorhome had issues from start. Warranty replaced 3 ovens, each subsequent one was lower quality than previous, 2 stovetops all worked intermittently, propane system never purged and now indicted empty on gauge and 1 light on panel. Had “filled” 2 days ago and fill went slow. Propane guy said it was full! Gauge reads between 1/4 and 1/2 but lights on panel show 2/3 full! Do not have dealer because the one we bought our motorhome from, I caught filing false extended insurance claim and forging my signature. When caught, dealership paid back amount and said they made a “mistake” just like the armed robber that got caught by the police after he robbed the 7-Eleven, made a “mistake”! Insurance company and law enforcement for state did not want to pursue charges for false claims filing and forgery! The entire industry is corrupt and in bed with each other for another buck. Stay away from RVs!

You Hit it Right on the Head. I had with my Brand New RV from Camping World, the exact problems you just talked about. Great video.

Buy two harbor freight’s heavy duty trailers, so have two axles and a few extra feet on each end. Start there, make a tear drop or a base camp chuck wagon trailer. Then use modified ice fishing tents for base camp. Those tents are heavy duty yet easy to move. You can set up a four season glamping camp almost anywhere in just an hour or so. I’ve tried almost everything in the bush, including just straight sleeping in the mud. Semper fi

I really appreciate this honest assessment of the RV industry. I'm not surprised to hear about the financing. It all boils down to where the most dollars can be made.

In the 80's and 90's I worked in and around the RV Finance business. Things have not changed. I can say that the RV industry in Michigan hired workers from other factories for 50 cents more an hour, the quality controls were practically non-existent and the RVs were sent out the door as fast as possible. I clearly remember one RV Mfgr telling me " If I skip a piece here and there, do my studs at 24in instead of 16, I can build a free RV by the end of the week. " Thanks for your channel

Makes sense about the financing. I just started shopping for an RV and the salesman acted offended when I said I was going to pay cash. He’s like “why would you do that? We have great financing.” I’m like…. Uh, because I have the money?

Thanks for this information. I will be in the market for an RV later this year, and this is the type ofinfo I need! I don't want my RV to be tied up in a shop because I plan on full-time living in my RV. I will check out more of your videos to learn more!!

2021 jayco precept! 1 month , 2 months , 7 months It sat at the dealers shop,the dealer gave me the parts to install myself , but only the cheep parts ,still have warranty issues but now my warranty expired! I fixed everything myself ! You tube is great 😊

I have a few questions. 1. If your buying a used toy hauler, what do you look for in the suspension to make sure it can haul a toy? 2. I have a relative new RV and was shocked to find real cheap plumbing fittings that are lucky if they will hold 50 lbs of pressure. (Mine didn’t.) Can RV fittings be upgraded? They are very specialized at the control valve box. 3. I would like change the stereo/ DVD player out. What is your recommendation. 4. The oven in our RV has never maintained a constant temp. We had the dealership look at it twice they say it is fine. That a 10% - 20 % differential temp is how they are made. Ours isn’t even that accurate. Is there a fix? Oh, your right about the dealerships. They have never fixed anything the first time. It has always taken multiple trips and even then repairs were not done. I believe they are just trying to run out the 1 year warranty.

Thank you for these wonderful tips. Cant wait to go rving on a new exciting adventure ....

Great video, and thanks for highlighting what I think we all (owners) have surmised. Great job! Would love to see a video about water leaks...the hardest thing to find with all of the possibilities...identification/location, repair, prevention etc. Thanks!

Jacob, you are so right. We bought a new Airstream assuming for the money the quality would be good. We had all these same issues with problem after problem and took many tries to find a good dealer. The dealers have a huge backlog of repairs so they just send units out not completely fixed. We even got rodents in our evening after months sitting at the dealership waiting to get fixed. We loved RVing but unless you are very handy yourself and have the tools, don’t do it. After 4 years with ours, we sold it and we’re glad to do so.

When ever you buy a new trailer or motor home always make sure everything works before you sign on the dotted line. I was in South Dakota and a toy hauler next to me had his motorcycle in the back of his truck because when they built the trailer they put the wrong axles in it and would not correct it when he figured it out.

Our experience for the 1st RV has been good overall. We have a Class B Winnebago Travato (with lithium) and despite a few early issues that were resolved it's been ok. We wanted a smaller rig for many reasons, one of which was the thought process that with a class B there's less to learn and go wrong. Ours is a 2022, on a 2021 chassis, that we picked up in Sept 2021. Has 21K miles now and it drives fine for us. We selected the version we have primarily due to having 2 twin beds that convert into what's practically a king. It doesn't take long each night for setup and it's hard to find a bed that size on any RV. Think it's a safe bet the PDI each dealer claims to perform is a joke. We had a couple obvious things we found right away that tells me they didn't perform a check so don't put much stock in that. And that's with one of the large national dealers who have a good reputation overall. We have noticed it seems like a large number of owners sell quickly for whatever reason, the lifestyle isn't for everyone.

I live in a fifth-wheel (see profile pic) and none of this actually surprises me. Every system on my RV has had issues in the few years I've owned it, which is sad considering how everything RV-related costs 2 to 3 times as much as the residential version. Because everything is smaller...I guess...? When I bought my trailer, the water pump and A/C didn't work at all and the black pipes were (and still are) hopelessly clogged. And in short order, the laminate peeled away from the bathroom counter due to it getting slightly wet from leaving the hatch open. I just replaced and upgraded the door hinges on my $1800 half-size fridge because the original hinges were made out of plastic and the door broke off. I had to jury-rig a switch for my landing gear because the wiring failed on my first trip to a campsite, so I need it rewired - and I'm also looking at replacing the water heater (because it leaks) and the furnace (because it won't turn on). Anyway, I've learned a lot of lessons since I started. Don't repair...replace and upgrade - because the original equipment sucks.

Preach brother. We purchased a keystone hideout in May of 2022. That should tell you something right there. Not only is the rv a piece of junk but, the whole experience was a ripoff. I wish I knew you before I purchased mine. Keep up the good work. If you are interested in my story, let me know.

great advice sir, I will be camping out as much as I can when I buy one.

Yep. That’s been my experience. Year 1 is a shake down year. Thanks

On the quality control side, began to take things apart inside just to check. Glad I did, removed panel over the furnace plate and found about a half inch of saw dust and hand tools on the floor next to it. Thought once the furnace were turned on, this heated portion may have caught the saw dust on fire. Great video, just subscribed to channel.

For anybody that has been in the RV world for even a little while, these were not secrets. Dirty, yes.

#3 is true in auto sales, as well. At least, it was until the supply chain allowed dealers to sell at or above list. Dealers make their money in the service bay, the finance office, and the used car lot.

Have almost 50 years repairing medium and heavy duty trucks. We see a few RV’s. The lack of quality AND under speccing of the drivetrain no longer surprises me. As for the dealers and salesmen I think most were to crooked to be in the used car business! Most of them anyway. There must be a few good ones.

It would be helpful if someone would develop an outline of a contract that would spell out the remedies for defects and faults of new rv’s for the protection of owners. Some issues may include towing expenses, loss of use (extend warranty period), and some compensation for owner repaired items because of the time and expense of traveling back to the dealer. This document could be provided by the buyer with fill in the box items to negotiate with the dealer. If nothing else it could eliminate the assumptions that some buyers make about who is responsible for unforeseen situations.

sits in the shop while you pay that RV note every month. where do I sign up? LOL

As someone said earlier have a checklist or better yet hire an independent qualified RV professional to inspect the unit prior to closing on the unit. Hold their feet to the fire with a clause in the sales contract with a deadline for the repairs that are needed.

In my experience, #2 on the dealer side of the issue it's more about dealerships not giving enough time during PDI's to get them done correctly.

Thanks for your tips. With your experience, what do you think are the weaknesses of Flying Clouds from Airstream and if you have to buy an RV which brand would you take as a reference for reliability for full time

I'm glad to see someone in the industry on the consumer side pointing these things out. I work at Bish's rv and my techs say the same things you do. Not one of them actually own a camper. We do but we will only buy used. I check them in from the factory when they get to us and I've seen some things! But i would like your opinion on jayco units. Hopefully you make something soon.

Thanks for sharing my man very good tip right here

Thank you for telling us the truth.

They are rolling money pits. This video just saved me $100.000.

Great channel !

I have a 2021 crossroads 42' 3880 so far no problems...except I removed glass shower doors for curtain

Bought a brand new Sunset Trail 253RB from Camping world. Took it on a 3 week trip and covered 4000 miles. So much stuff broke including the slide I was flabbergasted. Dropped it off with a repair list for 27 items

So very true!!

This was super helpful. I am subscribing to your channel!

Excellent video. Thankyou

Good industry for you to be in. Very simple to be very profitable. Just be honest and do respectable work. The RV manufacturers suck - ALL of them. Dealers are the same. Yep, mine was in for over six months at Lazydays. I took it out and drove to the manufacturer. The fix all my issues in 2.5 days. Hope you do well!

My wife and I just started looking for our first RV - a class C. What I seem to hear from everyone, directly and indirectly, is that we will be better off looking for a good used RV. I can’t count the number of people I’ve heard say a new RV will have issues the first year.

I've been looking at motor homes since roughly February. I can't believe how bad the build quality is on something that costs $100,000+. I was looking at one year old models with less than 1,000 miles. trim was coming off the outside. windows were caulked shut. plastic parts all over the outside were cracked or disintegrating. I can't imagine how bad these things are when they get to be 10 or 20 years old.

Rather than trying to find the problems yourself, have the RV, new or used, inspected by a certified RV inspector. If it is used you can avoid buying a lemon. If it is new, you can have everything fixed before you take possession. Don't finalize the sale until everything is fixed and have a re-inspection if there were significant or life-safety issues. Since they aren't making money off of you yet, you will be at the top of the service list.

So I agree with all the points made here. I bought my first RV back in late 2018; so I got a year of causal use before the COVID and retiring from the first job. I did research on these very topics to include (as he states in the end) a check list. I found an RV manufacture that was not part of THOR (hard to find). I discovered many tried and true manufactures were bought by Thor who (in a nutshell) changed the process from quality to timed builds. They have a clock on the workers to finish a section on time and push out the units. Quality is always a problem and even with a "good" builder somedays the workers are on it and others they are not. Read on if you desire.... So always inspect your RV and go for a dry run immediately (same day as purchase, even with a private sale and you can make it conditional for say 48 to 72 hours; maybe) to a near the dealer RV park or camp ground (for 2 to 3 days). I would, also for a brand new RV, plan on breaking camp in the morning and moving 10 miles and return to camp; then again in the after noon (leave your lawn chairs and etc) for 2 or 3 days in a row. Theoretically, you should encounter some problems by then (connecting each time as well) and either they are warranty or not. Do not forget to run all the systems (Battery, plumping, fresh water tank and city water intake, heating and cooling, electrical, propane and solar if you got that). Some states do have a buyers remorse, lemon laws, etc clause for RVs some do not so check your locale before a purchase.

Absolutely important info. If they sell less and less RV's due to problems, then maybe they will change their ways.

Just found you and im shppoing for retirement RV. I subbed and will be watching. Thank you 👍

The best day I have ever heard, is to either build your own from an empty trailer frame, or pay somebody to build your dream on that empty trailer frame. I would never personally spend the money on an RV weather in class a A class B or class C, to then have the problems that I have personally seen. Not to mention the fact that you can build for a quarter of the price I have some thing that is actually what you want and, will be a heck of a lot more durable than anything that you get from the manufacturer period. In other words,, a three-quarter inch plywood versus quarter inch plywood has a whole lot more strength.

What I tell friends looking to buy travel trailers: unless you are very mechanically inclined, don't buy one. The cost of maintenance and fixing stuff that constantly breaks will drive you crazy.

I've been rving for 15 years with 2 different 5th wheels. When friends tell me they were thinking about getting into rvs, I tell them it's a waste of money.

Would you please make a step by step video on replacement of an rv hot water heater.

Very good video. We own an Outdoors RV, it’s our fifth travel trailer in 40 plus years and it is by far the best we have owned. They are a sister company of Nash industries who build the arctic Fox brand. They sell with a three year warranty and they over build the chassis which is what sold me. Don’t get me wrong we have little things go wrong but the company and our dealership have been fantastic to do business with. I’m an auto tech by trade so I do most if not all of the repairs and upgrades now thats it’s out of warranty and have found most of the issues I’ve had have been with products that the RV manufacturers have no control over.

Well done! That’s some good dirt 👍🏻

I had a I beam frame crack in the middle on a 19 toy hauler.attitude fits a sxs .fixed buy finishng it

New sub. We bought a new lance truck camper. We set out on our first trip with it. I found the shower tub surround had cracked in 3 places. The cracks line up where the attachment screws are. The 3 way fridge only worked on 12V propane didn’t work. AC didn’t work. I checked it and the fridge wasn’t plugged into its dedicated outlet. The propane didn’t work the whole trip. Under 12V it’s drains the batteries. Dealership is getting hard time about replacing the shower it obviously wasn’t installed properly. We hadn’t even used the camper when I found the cracks. Waiting for parts now. Frustrating

Wondering if you can do a review on RV roof bubbling and what is acceptable

I camp a lot in my Coleman-Fleetwood pop-up trailer. Granted, it's a few years old, but I am amazed, stunned and shocked at how cheaply it's put together. No glue, no screws, no rivets, but staples everywhere, even in the seat frames. No wonder it's literally falling apart. Counter tops, drawers, jambs, if I wasn't handy, the trailer would be unusable junk by now.

Do you install any after-market steering and suspension parts on RVs?

100% with you on this. Dec 2022 I purchased a new 2022 Jayco Alante 27A from RV America in Calera AL. I felt the "deal" I got was very good (price paid vs MSRP) but there are certainly issues. #1 dealer didn't disclose the $1,000 they charged me for PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) until document signing. Honestly I should have argued this but decided not to. Clearly they must have gone over it well if they charged me $1,000 right? Right? #2 the steering stabilizer that the dealership installed as part of the deal was installed improperly and never road tested. #3 the Wineguard 2 system was wired backwards at the factory. Apparently this is a VERY common issue with these system's on Jayco Alante units. Much like your air conditioner story, how was that not caught before it left Jayco. #4 all sorts of trim is falling off and the reason is the staples/brads used to put them up didn't hit anything other than the trim. #5 dealer inflated tires to max sidewall pressure. How on earth do they not know that's not the right thing to do. There's a sticker by the driver's seat that has the appropriate pressures (I double checked it with Good Year's web site). #6 the vent for the range doesn't close properly as it wasn't installed properly. #7 nearly every drawer opens during driving. This is bad design, my previous RV (2016 Winnebago Trend) used MUCH better latches on drawers and cabinets. A 6 year newer RV has gone backwards in terms of design? #8 kitchen sink drain leaked. During assembly someone dripped PVC cement onto the threads while assembling pipes. Fouled threads wouldn't allow the pipe to properly thread to the fitting on the bottom of the sink and thus it leaked into the drawers below. I'm sure there will be more but I've only owned it 6 months. With all that said we've done 3 trips so far and the RV is working well otherwise.

Thanks. ❤ the info.

These same facts motivated us to build our own.. Pick a good chassis, seriously consider what things were critical, necessary or luxuries… balance those things and weigh them against the space… Hire out what we can’t do.. but do what we know we can and make it a beautiful place to be. RV manufacturers make junk until you are spending millions and can afford the best builders who build quality units.. ( I am not that guy).. but we have put a bunch of money into a few really capable, comfortable and reliable rigs. Don’t mess with RV electrical or solar unless you have experience with it.. Pex is learnable and can be designed for winterizing and run in pretty confined spaces.. it is great to start with.. but also as a replacement to whatever you already have. Learning your rig inside and out is really important to do.. because you will see how poorly it is made, but also how to fix it.. or at least not be taken advantage of too badly by those who do.

4th Dirty Secret: Word is Elkhart, IN (and the area) where a lot of RVs and RV parts are manufactured has a terrible drug problem. Really sad, but there's a high likelihood the folks building your RV are struggling with addiction. The industry has a difficult time hiring and retaining good employees, and it shows in the quality of the products. I have owned over 20 RVs and hated everyone of them. I'm into just building my own now. The water tank fell out of my last one while I was filling it up, and broke. The anti-rotation bolts in the hangers were missing, and there were no safety straps. imagine if that had happened while going down the road? Could have killed someone.

Bought a brand new camper July 2022. Went to pick it up and the power tongue wouldn't work. They replaced it on the spot. Within a month I had to replace the outside kitchen door because the hinge was catching. While they were replacing that, I asked if they would fix the light on my power tongue jack and instead of just fixing the light they replaced the jack again. Said it would void the warranty if they opened it up to replaced the bulb. Then some of the outside lights went out. Then the outside kitchen door hinge was catching again and the whole door fell off. Then the water pump stop pumping water from the fresh water tank. That one turned out to be a simple adjustment on the pump. A lot of small issues, but the dealership service department were great and always got me in and out quickly. Normally anytime I bought a new car/truck I always got a few years out of it before something went bad. But so far all in all the camping is worth it. I do wish the quality was better, but the lack of quality seems to be across the board with all makes and models.

I want to thank you for your honest opinion about these factors. I have a 2020 Keystone Cougar 315 RLS that on our first trip the shower doors broke in transit. the dealer did replace them, however on our next trip they cam apart during transit.(frame separated from the wall) , after getting that fixed, the 3rd trip again they came separated from the wall during transit. My wife and I decided we don't need shower doors, we removed the doors and frame and installed a shower curtain. I'm very interested in keeping up with you channel. again Thank You very much for the info.

Work for Forest River , can confirm .

Good stuff

Fantastic!! My kids just purchased a 46 ft Jayco Seismic 5th wheel not knowing it had a soft spot on the roof drivers side next to center pop up vent.. My quick question to you is should i pull the screws on the wrap around side to access & replace the plywood? Or cut out a 4x4 or so piece and eternabond/re-patch caulk? Thanks again!!

Fantastic!! Quick question.. My kids just purchased an 18 Jayco Seismic 46 ft 5th wheel without knowing it had a soft spot on the roof next to the center pop up vent. Should I pull the screws on the wrap around side to access (drivers side) and replace the 3/8 plywood? or cut out a section and eternabond or re-patch it? Thanks again!!