The five-minute walkaround that ends most bad RV deals
Ask an RV technician what kills coaches and they will not start with the engine. Water gets in, sits in the sandwich of the wall or floor, and quietly destroys the structure. Here is how to find it quickly.
- Filed by
- Bernard Okonjo
- Senior inspector, recreational vehicles
- Published
- Length
- 2 min read
Most of the checks below need nothing but daylight and your hands. Do them in that order, before you look at the upholstery or ask about the awning, because a failure in any one of them changes what the vehicle is worth.
- 01
Sight down the sidewalls
Stand at one corner and look along the wall with light raking across it. Delamination shows as ripples, bubbles, or soft-edged waves where the outer skin has separated from the substrate. A flat wall reflects a straight line; a failing one does not.
- 02
Press along the lower walls and around every opening
Work your palm along the wall beneath windows, around the entry door, and at the bottom edge. You are feeling for give. Sound structure is firm everywhere. Any spot that flexes or feels spongy against neighbouring panels is a finding.
- 03
Walk the floor deliberately, especially at the wet areas
Step slowly across the whole floor with your weight on each foot, and pay particular attention around the shower base, under the sink, by the entry step, and at slide-out thresholds. Springiness or a creak that only appears in one area indicates a compromised subfloor.
- 04
Get eyes on the roof and every sealant line
Ask to see the roof from a ladder rather than taking a description of it. You are looking at the sealant around vents, the air conditioner, skylights, and the front and rear caps. Cracked, shrunken, lifting, or freshly smeared-over sealant all warrant questions.
- 05
Read the ceiling and the corners from inside
Staining, discolouration, wrinkled wallpaper at seams, or a bowed ceiling panel indicate water that has already been inside. So does a heavy air freshener in a closed vehicle.
Then check the boring things
- Tyre sidewall date codes — RV tyres commonly age out before they wear out, regardless of remaining tread.
- Every appliance run individually on both power sources, not just the ones the seller demonstrates.
- Slide-outs cycled fully out and fully in while you watch the seals and listen to the motor.
- The weight plate against what you actually intend to load, including water, gear, and passengers.
If the walkaround turns up nothing, commission an independent inspection before signing. If it turns up soft floor or delamination, the sensible move is usually to walk away rather than negotiate — structural water damage is rarely as cheap to fix as it first appears.