So excited to no longer sleep on the ground!

[denparkin]

Looking out the window at the snow (Ontario, Canada), dreaming of summer and camping, I realized it’s time to introduce myself. My name is Denice, and my husband and I will be purchasing our first RV, most likely this weekend. After much research, we will invest in the Rockwood Freedom 640 LTD as this is what our small SUV can handle.
I am looking forward to learning more about RVing from all of you seasoned experts. 😁

[kenandterry]

Congrats on your new Rockwood.
We are probably close enough to be neighbours……living on the North shore of Lake Ontario in Brighton.

Welcome aboard, and here to help.

[Nick Danger]

Congrats on the upcoming purchase. And yes, sleeping off the ground is well worth it.

[Wiscampsin]

Welcome from Wisconsin. Congrats and enjoy your Rockwood Freedom 640 LTD.

[Fun finders]

Welcome to the forum from Winnipeg

[aceinspp]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your up coming purchase of Rockwood Freedom 640 LTD . Lots of knowledgeable folks here to help you with your questions. Being your first new RV make sure to do a good PDI at the dealer and make them fix any issues before leaving the dealer. Good Luck. Later RJD

[itat]

Welcome from just east of Toronto!

[GolfingDave]

Originally Posted by aceinspp

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your up coming purchase of Rockwood Freedom 640 LTD . Lots of knowledgeable folks here to help you with your questions. Being your first new RV make sure to do a good PDI at the dealer and make them fix any issues before leaving the dealer. Good Luck. Later RJD

And some folks here say to fix any issues before signing the paperwork.

Welcome aboard!

[denparkin]

Thanks, everyone, for the warm welcome and advice it's much appreciated! When completing the inspection, do they let you open it to inspect the inside? We are true newbies. LOL

[BehindBars]

Originally Posted by denparkin

Thanks, everyone, for the warm welcome and advice it's much appreciated! When completing the inspection, do they let you open it to inspect the inside? We are true newbies. LOL

Yes. If you don’t go inside, it’s not an inspection. The ideal situation is for you to go over every square inch of the RV, and test every single appliance, device, and function. It should take several hours, at least. Maybe even a whole day.

Remember, RVs are shipped from the factory with no quality control. The dealer gets a unit delivered “as-is”. If the dealer could be trusted to go through the unit and fix any and all issues before you arrive, that would be sweet, but chances are that will not happen.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by BehindBars

Yes. If you don’t go inside, it’s not an inspection. The ideal situation is for you to go over every square inch of the RV, and test every single appliance, device, and function. It should take several hours, at least. Maybe even a whole day.

Remember, RVs are shipped from the factory with no quality control. The dealer gets a unit delivered “as-is”. If the dealer could be trusted to go through the unit and fix any and all issues before you arrive, that would be sweet, but chances are that will not happen.

Don't forget to go on top and under, too. Bring a ladder and an automotive creeper if you have them. On the roof, you will look for cracks, gaps in caulking, and anything that looks broken. Underneath, look for dangling wires that might chafe, and anything that looks unsecured, water leaks, etc.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by denparkin

Thanks, everyone, for the warm welcome and advice it's much appreciated! When completing the inspection, do they let you open it to inspect the inside? We are true newbies. LOL

Where is your dealer?
When are you supposed to pick it up?

[denparkin]

This information is beneficial! We have not been to the dealer yet. We went to the KW RV show on Sunday and spoke with Saunders out of St Jacobs. We have not signed any paperwork yet.

[dsherman26]

Be sure to check over the operation of everything, no matter how simple it seems. I had a Rockwood 1940 LTD popup that I bought slightly used, but it hadn't had all the teething issues worked out. Things like water leaks in the sink plumbing, the awning latches didn't fit, and water leaked from the filler hose as it was being filled. Even our brand-new camper that we bought last September arrived with leaky water fittings that had to be tightened up.



Don't be too surprised if you look inside cabinets or in places out of sight. You will find sawdust, wood scraps, and possibly even stray screws or parts that didn't get cleaned up.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by denparkin

Thanks, everyone, for the warm welcome and advice it's much appreciated! When completing the inspection, do they let you open it to inspect the inside? We are true newbies. LOL

The dealer should have the popup fully opened and connected to power, propane and water.
You need to ensure all systems work.
You need to be be asking your questions in the Tent Camper and Popup section. Popups are much different from traditional RVs. Ask the other Popup owners what to look for.
Most RVers know little about Popups. I owned two of them so can make that statement.
Also look into getting a set of Popup Gizmos. You won't be sorry.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Forest River Forums mobile app

[denparkin]

Originally Posted by bikendan

The dealer should have the popup fully opened and connected to power, propane and water.
You need to ensure all systems work.
You need to be be asking your questions in the Tent Camper and Popup section. Popups are much different from traditional RVs. Ask the other Popup owners what to look for.
Most RVers know little about Popups. I owned two of them so can make that statement.
Also look into getting a set of Popup Gizmos. You won't be sorry.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Forest River Forums mobile app

Thanks, I'm still figuring out the sections.

[Chuck_S]

Which "small SUV" to you intend to tow this with? Is it set up for towing?

I don't think you're required to have brakes on this weight trailer in Ontario -- but the trailer should have them and you'll want them which requires a brake controller in the "small SUV" which will probably require modifications to the car's wiring, etc. Work this out early. The better brake controllers are proportional (e.g. Tekonsha Prodigy). The dealer's "best selling" brake controller is typically a simple 1950s technology time delay controller that jams on full braking power regardless of need. Don't get one of those.

Should be plenty of notes on the forum. "Towing packages" often include the necessary wiring for trailer brakes and lights. Yep you need lights too.

-- Chuck

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by denparkin

This information is beneficial! We have not been to the dealer yet. We went to the KW RV show on Sunday and spoke with Saunders out of St Jacobs. We have not signed any paperwork yet.

If you decide to buy an RV, one thing to think about is the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI). A technician from the dealership is supposed to teach you everything you need to know about operating the RV. Sometimes it's given by a salesman who doesn't actually know the details. Sometimes it's a technician who wants to complete it quickly so he can go home. It's up to you to make it last as long as you wish. Keep asking questions. If you don't understand something, have it repeated.

The other part of the PDI is the inspection you do yourself. It's a sad fact but the RV factories have no quality; it is left to the dealer. He is supposed to test and fix everything before offering the unit for sale. Some do better than others. Yes, the unit is warranted, but if you find something a week after you've taken possession, the dealer may take weeks or months to fix it. The only way to avoid this is to do your own inspection before signing the paperwork. If things aren't perfect, just let the dealer know you'll be back to sign when the corrections are made.

At the top of your screen is a "Library" option. Click "Library", then "Miscellaneous Documents" and look for checklists. There are at least two. Take them with you, with pen and paper and record any defects or questionable items to report to the dealer.

[just4u_cara]

Welcome, from Saskatchewan! Mostly white ground here too, so we're also dreaming of summer and camping.

First RV purchase is so exciting and scary all at the same time. Great advice given already, search your make/model here in the forum and see if anything turns up that you should pay extra attention to.

Good luck, and don't be wary of asking too many questions! We've all been in your shoes and we want to help when we can.

[Chuck_S]

Standard recommendation is "buy your second camper first." Seriously, you'll outgrow the very small camper quickly. Same for "buy your second tow vehicle." It's a very slippery slope once you start down it.

-- Chuck