What exactly gets inspected in a pre-purchase RV audit?

A pre-purchase inspection is a systematic walk-through of every coach system that isn't the engine, transmission, or chassis frame. We're talking Dometic and Coleman-Mach AC units, Shurflo and Atwood water pumps, Progressive Dynamics and WFCO converter-chargers, Carefree and Lippert Solera awning hardware, HWH and Lippert Level-Up leveling jacks, and every roof seam on Dicor, EPDM, or TPO membrane. We visually inspect slide-out seals, cabinet hinges, appliance ignition, LP regulator function, water heater operation, and structural caulk integrity.

The report runs 15-25 pages with photos. Cost ranges $395 for a 26-footer to $595 for a 40-foot diesel pusher or toy hauler. Most inspections take 3-5 hours depending on rig age and condition.

A buyer walked into our Florida hub with a 2015 Jayco Seismic wanting a pre-buy inspection before wiring the cashier's check. We found a slow roof leak above the dinette - water pooling inside the fiberglass cap where the Dicor seal had cracked.

Dometic AC compressor was cycling on high-amp draw, a sign of internal wear. Lippert slide-out seal was separating on the bedroom unit.

Seller had masked it with spot caulk. Report saved the buyer $8,000 in post-purchase repairs and gave him negotiating leverage. That's the inspection at work.

Core systems audited:

What warning signs show up during a coach inspection that you should catch before closing?

The biggest red flags are slow water leaks, failed HVAC components, and slide-out seal breakdown - all hidden until they're catastrophic. We bring moisture meters and visual borescopes to catch soft framing (wet wood around window or vent frames). Roof leaks don't announce themselves until you park under shade for a week.

Dometic and Atwood water systems corrode from the inside; a failed tank or pump fitting can flood your subfloor in hours. Lippert and Schwintek slide-out motors burn out from friction when seals dry-rot.

Progressive Dynamics converter-chargers fail silently, leaving your house battery dead after shore power. We've inspected 12,000+ rigs in 15 years. The pattern is clear: $1,500 in preventive fixes at buy beats $15,000 in emergency repairs three months in.

A 2018 Winnebago Minnie Winnie came in flagged for pre-purchase. Visual inspection looked clean.

Moisture meter showed 18% wood saturation behind the kitchen cabinet - invisible to the eye. Borescope revealed black mold on the subfloor under the sink, traced to a pinhole leak in the Shurflo pump discharge line.

The inspection report put it in writing. Buyer renegotiated $3,200 off, used that to replace the whole plumbing subsystem with new Atwood components, and drove away confident. Without the inspection, he buys a hidden mold bomb.

Red flags we catch:

A1 RV Repair certified mobile tech on-site at a customer rig.
A1 RV Repair certified mobile tech on-site at a customer rig.

How does A1 diagnose problems and turn findings into a usable report?

We don't guess. We bring tools - moisture meter, multimeter, gas detector, borescope, and a checklist built on RVIA and RVDA standards. Tech arrives, systematically walks every system, tests 120V and 12V loads, checks AC compressor amp draw (tells you about refrigerant and motor wear), measures water pressure at the Shurflo pump outlet, spins Lippert leveling jacks, fires up the generator (Onan or Cummins), and visually inspects every interior and exterior seam.

Any anomaly gets photographed and documented with component brand, condition rating, and severity. You get a 15-25 page PDF report with photos, component serial numbers, and a priority repair list ranked by urgency and cost.

No fluff, no dealer-speak. Just the truth in writing.

A Grand Design Momentum buyer asked us to inspect a 2019 diesel pusher before closing. We found the Coleman-Mach AC running but the compressor amperage was 28 amps at start - should be 18.

Photo of the condenser showed algae buildup on the coil fins. We tested the refrigerant pressure: low.

Diagnosis: slow refrigerant leak, failing compressor, condenser needing cleaning. Report recommended replacement ($4,200 installed) or acceptance of declining cooling performance.

Buyer used that data to negotiate $3,500 off the sale price. Clear, actionable, specific.

Our inspection toolkit:

What is the typical timeline and pricing for a full pre-purchase inspection?

Most RV pre-purchase inspections run 3-5 hours on-site, with report delivery within 24 hours. Pricing is flat-rate by phone: $395 for rigs under 30 feet, $495 for 30-38 feet, $595 for 38+ feet or toy haulers. No hidden fees.

No hourly billing. No surprise travel charges if you're in our covered metros - we're mobile-only, no shop overhead, so your cost stays honest.

Call (866) 623-1340 with the rig's year, make, model, and length. We'll quote you exactly, book you in 2-4 hours in core coverage areas, and email the report before you leave the lot. Typical buyer has the report in hand before walking into the dealership or private seller's office to negotiate.

A Keystone Cougar owner in Boise called us Monday morning wanting a pre-buy on a rig he'd found Saturday. We rolled Tuesday at 10 AM, finished inspection by 2 PM, emailed the 22-page report with 40 photos by 6 PM the same day.

Cost was $495 flat - no surprises. Inspection revealed a slow roof leak (Dicor sealant failure, $600 fix) and a Dometic fridge running on gas only (12V heating element dead, $800 replacement). Buyer used the report to negotiate $2,000 off and sleep soundly buying a rig with full visibility of its actual condition.

Timeline and cost breakdown:

Flat-rate quote before the truck rolls. No surprise charges.
Flat-rate quote before the truck rolls. No surprise charges.

What replacement parts and repair costs should you budget if the inspection finds problems?

Inspection findings don't mean you have to buy, but they help you negotiate or budget. Common repairs run $500-$8,000 depending on what's broken. A Dicor or TPO roof re-seal costs $1,200-$3,500.

Dometic or Coleman-Mach AC compressor replacement is $2,800-$4,200 installed. Atwood or Shurflo water system overhaul (tank, pump, lines, fittings) runs $1,500-$2,800.

Lippert or Schwintek slide-out motor and seal kit is $1,600-$2,400. Carefree or Lippert Solera awning motor replacement is $800-$1,400.

Progressive Dynamics or WFCO converter-charger (100-150 amp) is $1,100-$1,800. We provide detailed parts breakdowns in the inspection report so you know exactly what you're dealing with before you negotiate or walk away.

A Tiffin Allegro buyer in Florida got an inspection report flagging a Lippert HWH leveling jack with slow pressure loss - hose weeping internally. Replacement jack kit and labor: $1,100.

He used that cost estimate (from our report) to negotiate $1,200 off the asking price, then hired us to do the repair the week after closing. Real numbers in writing beat guesses and surprises every time. That's why the $495 inspection pays for itself within the first negotiation.

Typical repair costs found in inspections:

What warranty or follow-up support do you get after the inspection is delivered?

The inspection report itself is your warranty - it's a third-party document you own and use to negotiate, get repairs done by A1 or another shop, or walk away. We don't warranty the seller's rig; we warranty our work finding the truth. If you hire A1 to fix issues we flag (roof, AC, plumbing, slide-out, awning, leveling), you get our standard 90-day workmanship warranty on parts and labor.

Parts carry their manufacturer's warranty - Dometic, Atwood, Lippert, Dicor, and others all back their stuff. Our role is delivering an honest, photo-backed inspection report that protects your interests at negotiation time. Thousands of buyers have used A1 pre-purchase reports to save money or avoid buying a lemon.

A Forest River R-Pod owner in Nampa, Idaho bought a rig sight-unseen, realized mid-trip the Dometic AC was failing, and called us. We inspected, found compressor seizure, quoted $3,200 replacement. Buyer sent us the A1 pre-purchase report he'd ordered before closing (which he hadn't actually read closely).

The report showed the AC compressor was flagged as 'high-amp draw, end-of-life wear.' He renegotiated with the seller via email, got $2,500 refund, hired us to do the replacement, and we gave him our 90-day workmanship warranty on the new unit. Lesson: don't skip the pre-buy inspection.

Warranty and support structure:

Same-day mobile RV repair from A1 RV Repair's nationwide network.
Same-day mobile RV repair from A1 RV Repair's nationwide network.