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Old 08-21-2020, 10:03 AM   #1
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Questions: Inspections/orientation after deal is signed.

What are the steps I should take so that I have some leverage/protection between the time I sign the purchase agreement and the time I drive off with my new RV?

I am getting the impression that there is no more honeymoon period after the agreement is signed and the funds are transferred. Yet I want to ensure that there is a thorough inspection and orientation with a qualified individual before I take delivery. I am thinking (maybe overthinking) of a case where I get dropped off at at a dealer to take delivery and then find there are a number of things that are not operational. They tell me to take the RV and they will fix it the next day. How do savvy purchasers handle this part of the purchase? What releases the responsibility/ownership to me as purchaser?
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Old 08-21-2020, 03:43 PM   #2
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We put a deposit down, before the PDI/walkthrough. We paid the balance after the PDI, when everything needing fixing was documented. I had my own copy of the list so I could mark off each item as it was fixed.
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Old 08-21-2020, 04:45 PM   #3
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You are NOT over thinking it. There will likely be something wrong. You have two options...wait for them to fix it before you pay and leave or pay and leave and never hear from them again.

Ok not every dealer is like this. I had a few minor things on my MUST fix list that I was willing to get later. I had them include it in the contract but I never did recieve them. It was not worth the drive back for me.
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Old 08-21-2020, 04:55 PM   #4
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A few key things to remember.
This is a business deal for the dealer make it a business deal ( no emotional excitement) for you as well
Do a thorough PDI before you sign anything. Make them demo or test everything. There are checklists in the library.
If you are not happy. tell them to fix it before you sign. Once you sign you have no leverage.
Don't get dropped off and depend on the Rv to get home. They will know you will be taking it.

Don't Focus on a "punch List" if you can fix it then do it. If not make them fix it.
Back to rule #1 don't make this an emotional purchase. They are looking for that.
Good Luck
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Old 08-21-2020, 05:21 PM   #5
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I got my selling dealership to let me camp on their lot one night. I found some things service fixed the next morning. They had already allowed me to take it for a pull to check out my hitch.
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Old 08-21-2020, 07:54 PM   #6
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Don't sign or complete payment until AFTER your PDI. If anything is not right it should be fixed BEFORE you sign and make final payment.
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Old 08-21-2020, 08:59 PM   #7
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These folks are correct. Most dealers will ask you to do all the signing before you do your inspection to get that part out of the way. They will also promise you the moon to get you to sign. There are surely exceptions but the high volume dealers will be the ones to be leery of. Once you sign you own it. Crawl all over the unit and be sure you are comfortable with everything. If you are inexperienced take someone with you that is. Do not simply rely on the salesman or the person doing the walk through. They can sense inexperience a mile away. I bought my 2016 3010 DS from a reputable dealer and I had to show the guy doing the walk through how some things worked because he was struggling to show me.
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Old 08-21-2020, 09:17 PM   #8
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Quote:
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Don't sign or complete payment until AFTER your PDI. If anything is not right it should be fixed BEFORE you sign and make final payment.
^^^^^X2.
That's what we did. We were prepared to walk away and come back in the future to pick it up. You should have seen the repair techs come out of the woodwork and get everything fixed in an hour.
They even tried to convince us to sign the papers while the repairs were being made. No dice. We signed when everything was fixed.
You have ZERO leverage once those papers are signed and the way dealerships are backed up on repairs, you might not get it back for a couple of months.
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Old 08-21-2020, 09:52 PM   #9
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Interesting thread as I’m about to purchase from a dealer 2,000 miles away with no intention of doing a physical inspection.
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Old 08-21-2020, 09:57 PM   #10
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Don't sign or complete payment until AFTER your PDI. If anything is not right it should be fixed BEFORE you sign and make final payment.
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Old 08-21-2020, 10:03 PM   #11
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Bought mine 1,000 miles away, got a great deal. Just be prepared to make repairs yourself that should be under warranty. Where I am the dealers aren't interested in giving you the same service as the ones that bought from them. Other folks seem to have good luck getting Forest River to respond. I've sent several e mail inquiries and never got a response. Just gave up. I'd be leery buying sight unseen. Others may disagree and I understand.
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Old 08-21-2020, 10:17 PM   #12
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I sign for nothing (home, car, or anything) until I am 100% satisfied with what I am getting. I looked at the roof, undercarrige and inside every cabinet and drawer, tested every faucet and fixture, slide, awning and appliance, checked the tire date codes, battery date, lighting and outlet.
Be prepared to spend the better part of a day.
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Old 08-21-2020, 11:15 PM   #13
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Interesting thread as I’m about to purchase from a dealer 2,000 miles away with no intention of doing a physical inspection.
I would certainly rethink this or be prepared to be disappointed upon delivery.

Another guy recently posted he bought his unit sight unseen and had it delivered a thousand miles away. He cannot get warranty work done at nearby dealers as they prioritize their own customers and push him to the back of the line...
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Old 08-22-2020, 12:08 AM   #14
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I bought my trailer from a dealer 400 miles away. I drove friday night and stayed overnight and went to the dealership at 9:00AM the next morning. I brought my own PDI checklist and found a few items needing fixing and a few missing items like the spare tire, fresh water cap and waste cap. After everything was fixed, we finished paying for the trailer and camped a couple hours away to see if there was anything major that needed fixing...there wasn't. I have never had to bring my trailer in for repair...I have done everything myself. Thankfully, all small items.

I never worried about getting warranty work done at any of my local dealers. If I had to, I would hire a mobile repair person approved by Forest River or any of the appliance companies in the trailer since they have their own warranty..
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Old 08-22-2020, 01:46 PM   #15
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We completed the deal and did the walk-around with an service appointment two days later for them to fix the stuff we knew we wee bound to find. We stayed 2 nights in a campground a short distance from the dealer and thoroughly tested everything on the trailer multiple times. 2 days later we were back at the shop bright and early, and all the items on the punch list were taken care of. This was our second trailer so we knew we would find a bunch of things. Dealer was 100+ miles from home, so we also found a local shop willing to do warranty repairs even though they didn't handle the brand and the manufacturer agreed. (We didn't need to use that option.)
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Old 08-22-2020, 02:36 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REL View Post
Don't sign or complete payment until AFTER your PDI. If anything is not right it should be fixed BEFORE you sign and make final payment.
Yup, right there like that. As soon as you finish the paperwork your warranty period starts and that is a problem if something major is wrong.

Our dealer encouraged the above process, in fact. We spent a solid three days going through the motorhome and ended up leaving it for a month. We purposely did not schedule any trips until we were sure it was ready to go. (We never stayed overnight at the dealer, though, because their zoning did not allow it.)

We found a lot of things they did not and some they did find but decided to blow off. We lightly tightened every screw head we found and wrote up several that were stripped. We ran EVERYTHING several times.

We did the first day on shore power and with their water. The second day was on the generator, propane, and tank water. The third day was going over the exterior and the undercarriage. I found a broken propane junction that was just hanging and several chafing wires and hydraulic hoses underneath.

The Norcold refrigerator installation was a mess but fortunately I was aware of how it was supposed to be sealed and baffled. The techs were amused when I asked for a ladder to inspect the exhaust vent and that's when I saw how bad some of the installation was. This was one of the reasons we left it for a month.

DO NOT LET THEM talk you into finalizing the paperwork until you've done your inspection and as thoroughly as you want. Our dealer actually was happy we wanted to go through everything closely because they could put their tech on something else.

ALWAYS make your next service appointment at the end of your current service appointment (and when you do your final acceptance). That assures you have a slot just in case. If you have nothing and cancel the dealer won't mind because they have so much business needing attention.

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Old 08-22-2020, 05:00 PM   #17
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When we bought our Mini Lite we went through the PDI and orientation process. The dealer fixed the one and only item that needed attention. Once that was done we signed documents and money changed hands.
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Old 08-28-2020, 11:00 AM   #18
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Before the Money Changes Hands

I again am grateful for all the good advice. It certainly is clearer to me how to handle that end of the process. I can deal with cosmetic issues but hidden plumbing and electrical mishaps can get old - did that with a trawler.

It does beg the question what the PDI and dealer preparation charges are suppose to cover.

Well, I sent out the request for quotations last evening...
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Old 08-28-2020, 11:21 AM   #19
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A thorough PDI is a must but also the buyer needs to do the home work necessary to know how everything is supposed to function on the RV being purchased prior to the PDI to know if the demonstrations are accurately presented.
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Old 08-28-2020, 12:35 PM   #20
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It does beg the question what the PDI and dealer preparation charges are suppose to cover.
I gotta know. Did you really write that line with a straight face?

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