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Thread: We did it...

  1. #1
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    Wink We did it...

    ... almost.

    The wife and I put a deposit down yesterday on the 2016 Grand Design Solitude 379FL. We are planning to pick up an F-350 this week for our tow vehicle. We are total newbies and have probably made some newbie mistakes already... The seller has only taken a few trips and it shows. The rig still smells new and the interior is as fresh as new.

    We will be going back Monday or Tuesday to finalize the deal. I would really like to have it professionally inspected by someone other than the dealership. (This is a consignment sale by Camping World). Is there such a thing? How would I go about finding someone?

    What are some of the things all of you seasoned pro's would be looking at for as far as red flags? Are there any known defects I should watch out for?

    Lastly - our off the lot price will be $45,500 (all in, taxes, tags, etc.) From what I've see out on the market this is a pretty good deal? (assuming the rig is in top notch shape)

    Lastly, lastly. I will probably be back with a bazillion more questions so please forgive me in advance

    lastly, lastly, lastly - yes this was an impulse buy... we were just going to "look". No pressure from the dealer but this rig is "the one" so we went for it. I've been doing my research for over a year now so not completely buying blind. After much discussion we decided "why are we waiting?". I am 53 and the wife is 43. Live today and enjoy life while you are still (relatively) young.


    I look forward to hearing the good the bad and the ugly. Speak your mind and don't hold back. If there is one thing I need right now, it is unfiltered feedback and advice.


    Thanks,
    Greg

  2. #2
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    Congrats. Find someone who is certified by RVIA to do a separate inspection. @JCZhome is certified if I recall and he might be able to get you in contact with someone. Since it's a 2016 you might want to do a search on here for greased brakes and read about it. Ask the seller for evidence of inspection and correction of the problem or you can tackle it yourself, it's not hard to check and/or repair. Feel free to ask here for questions, there is a wealth of experience on this forum.

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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post
    Congrats. Find someone who is certified by RVIA to do a separate inspection. @JCZhome is certified if I recall and he might be able to get you in contact with someone. Since it's a 2016 you might want to do a search on here for greased brakes and read about it. Ask the seller for evidence of inspection and correction of the problem or you can tackle it yourself, it's not hard to check and/or repair. Feel free to ask here for questions, there is a wealth of experience on this forum.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    Thank you FT4NOW. Looking up RVIA now. That's going to be a great help. Thanks for the heads up on greased brakes. Looked at some of the threads and looks like if your somewhat competent it's a DIY if the issue was not fixed by the previous owner.

  4. #4
    Big Traveler JCZhome's Avatar
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    NOTE: RVIA is an organization to support the RV mfgs. and dealerships.

    NRVIA (National RV Inspectors Association) is to support RV owners and buyers.

    To find a certified inspector you can click on this link...... https://nrvia.org/locate/
    SOLD my 2017 Momentum 376TH being pulled by a 2014 Ford F-350 Lariat, FX-4, Crew Cab, Longbed, Dually. Not pulling the 5er, catch me on my 2013 CVO Harley Ultra Classic.

    Map = states that we've stayed at least one night in our RV.

    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/AR...TNTXUTWYsm.jpg

  5. #5
    Big Traveler JCZhome's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhyNot View Post
    ... almost.

    The wife and I put a deposit down yesterday on the 2016 Grand Design Solitude 379FL. We are planning to pick up an F-350 this week for our tow vehicle. We are total newbies and have probably made some newbie mistakes already... The seller has only taken a few trips and it shows. The rig still smells new and the interior is as fresh as new.

    We will be going back Monday or Tuesday to finalize the deal. I would really like to have it professionally inspected by someone other than the dealership. (This is a consignment sale by Camping World). Is there such a thing? How would I go about finding someone?

    What are some of the things all of you seasoned pro's would be looking at for as far as red flags? Are there any known defects I should watch out for?

    Lastly - our off the lot price will be $45,500 (all in, taxes, tags, etc.) From what I've see out on the market this is a pretty good deal? (assuming the rig is in top notch shape)

    Lastly, lastly. I will probably be back with a bazillion more questions so please forgive me in advance

    lastly, lastly, lastly - yes this was an impulse buy... we were just going to "look". No pressure from the dealer but this rig is "the one" so we went for it. I've been doing my research for over a year now so not completely buying blind. After much discussion we decided "why are we waiting?". I am 53 and the wife is 43. Live today and enjoy life while you are still (relatively) young.


    I look forward to hearing the good the bad and the ugly. Speak your mind and don't hold back. If there is one thing I need right now, it is unfiltered feedback and advice.
    Thanks,
    Greg
    Smart move.....especially if Camping World is involved. Consignment means that there is wiggle room in that price. A dealership will shoot for the moon because there commission relies on how much they can get for the rig. But I would not do anything or sign anything until after you've had it inspected by a certified inspector. More than likely, they're going to find something that you'll be able to negotiate the price down even further.

    What ever you do, do not take the rig off of their lot until everything that the inspector has found is repaired satisfactorily. If they ask you to go ahead and take it and they'll order parts.....I would advise against that. DO NOT TAKE IT OFF OF THEIR LOT, DO NOT SIGN PAPERS UNTIL EVERYTHING IS REPAIRED SATISFACTORILY......no matter how small it may seem to you. Camping World has earned the reputation that they have.

    I will also let you know that Camping World is the only repair facility that Grand Design will not authorize any warranty repair work to be completed at! Again there's a reason for that. Never take an RV salesman's word on anything without verifying and confirming here first, with actual owners.
    SOLD my 2017 Momentum 376TH being pulled by a 2014 Ford F-350 Lariat, FX-4, Crew Cab, Longbed, Dually. Not pulling the 5er, catch me on my 2013 CVO Harley Ultra Classic.

    Map = states that we've stayed at least one night in our RV.

    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/AR...TNTXUTWYsm.jpg

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by JCZhome View Post
    NOTE: RVIA is an organization to support the RV mfgs. and dealerships.

    NRVIA (National RV Inspectors Association) is to support RV owners and buyers.

    To find a certified inspector you can click on this link...... https://nrvia.org/locate/
    Thanks JCZ. Figured that one out thanks to Google. Turns out my closest inspector is around 2 hours away. We live in Virginia near Warrenton. I had to expand the search to 100 miles and have a level 1 inspector and a level 2 inspector around 2 hours away. Traffic around here could easily make that a 3 hour trip.

    Is anyone aware of any other options?

    I've found a couple inspections checklists online but I am afraid I would have no idea what I should be looking for. The minor things don't scare me as I love wrenching on cars. It is the potential big ones that scare me... and I don't even know what "big ones" I should be looking out for, other than greased brakes mentioned above
    .

  7. #7
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    I would lean more to getting the certified inspector as JCZ recommended. They know what to look for and where better than anyone else. With what it can cost if there is something seriously wrong it may not be worth taking the chance.
    Marcy & Gary
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhittleBurner View Post
    I would lean more to getting the certified inspector as JCZ recommended. They know what to look for and where better than anyone else. With what it can cost if there is something seriously wrong it may not be worth taking the chance.
    Thanks WhitleBurner - I have been watching youtube stuff for a couple years and have learned what a nightmare this can turn into. I am trying to get in touch with the guy up in Maryland to see what he would charge to come down and when he might be able to do it. I was surprised I didn't have more options for inspectors around here.

  9. #9
    Big Traveler JCZhome's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhyNot View Post
    Thanks JCZ. Figured that one out thanks to Google. Turns out my closest inspector is around 2 hours away. We live in Virginia near Warrenton. I had to expand the search to 100 miles and have a level 1 inspector and a level 2 inspector around 2 hours away. Traffic around here could easily make that a 3 hour trip.

    Is anyone aware of any other options?

    I've found a couple inspections checklists online but I am afraid I would have no idea what I should be looking for. The minor things don't scare me as I love wrenching on cars. It is the potential big ones that scare me... and I don't even know what "big ones" I should be looking out for, other than greased brakes mentioned above
    .
    I would suggest going with a Level 2 Inspector. A Level 1 inspector isn't authorized to do the level of inspection that you'll want......they're mostly for banks (loans) and insurance companies. And you got lucky with finding a Level 2 inspector within 100 miles. Many people have to pay mileage, per diem and hotel costs because the closest inspector is four or five hours one way. An inspector is going to spend more time on that RV than a home inspector has spent on any of the houses I bought (rentals). It's a very, very through report.....way, way beyond what a tech. does at the dealership. And yes, they always find things, even on new units that have just came from the factory and at times, life/safety issues.

    An inspection list will not come close to what a certified inspector will do. For instance, even an experienced RVer doesn't own a manometer nor do they know how to do a propane leak down test......and experienced RV owners have heard of a hot skin test but they don't know how to go about doing a hot skin test, etc. etc. The average RV owner doesn't know what to look for in regards to delamination or previous water penatration issues inside the walls, etc. etc. I could go on and on. While I am a Level 2 inspector, I am not in business and so I don't have any vested interest in highly recommending an inspection by a certified inspector other than I have read far to many posts and know people personally that have fully regreatted not getting it inspected ahead of time and it ended up costing them much, much more money than an inspection would have cost.

    If, on the off chance, you spend the money for an inspection and they don't find anything of concern then you can have peace of mind knowing that you have a trouble free RV and can then focus on learning things one issue at a time as they come up. However, the flip side of that coin, if they find even one thing of serious issue (that isn't so obvious to the average RV owner) then that inspection will have paid for itself immediatly and at the same time, saved you a big headache and a lot of stress.
    SOLD my 2017 Momentum 376TH being pulled by a 2014 Ford F-350 Lariat, FX-4, Crew Cab, Longbed, Dually. Not pulling the 5er, catch me on my 2013 CVO Harley Ultra Classic.

    Map = states that we've stayed at least one night in our RV.

    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/AR...TNTXUTWYsm.jpg

  10. #10
    Big Traveler JCZhome's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhyNot View Post
    Thanks WhitleBurner - I have been watching youtube stuff for a couple years and have learned what a nightmare this can turn into. I am trying to get in touch with the guy up in Maryland to see what he would charge to come down and when he might be able to do it. I was surprised I didn't have more options for inspectors around here.
    The NRVIA certification program has only been in place for a few years. A person has to go to the school to learn what and how to look for issues, what tools and equipment to buy, etc. etc. then they have to be tested in order to be certified so there are still not many in relation to the population of this country. Places that have high RV occupancy (Florida, Texas, Ariz., Southern California) will have more inspectors than someplace like the northeast where they do not RV year around. However, more and more full time RVers (like myself) are getting certified and traveling around the country. The web site has the option of the inspectors updating their location so while you may only have one within 100 miles (that's close!), next week you may not have one within 200 miles.

    When you talk to that guy/woman, ask them if they can send you a sample 5th wheel inspection and you will be impressed with just how through it is.
    SOLD my 2017 Momentum 376TH being pulled by a 2014 Ford F-350 Lariat, FX-4, Crew Cab, Longbed, Dually. Not pulling the 5er, catch me on my 2013 CVO Harley Ultra Classic.

    Map = states that we've stayed at least one night in our RV.

    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/AR...TNTXUTWYsm.jpg

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