Rockwall's
Certified RV Inspector

An RV inspection gives you complete, detailed knowledge about the exact unit you are purchasing. In hundreds of inspections, no RV has ever come back with zero issues — not even brand new ones. Without an inspection, you are likely to miss most of the problems present, and your first year of ownership becomes about catching up on repairs rather than enjoying your RV. Service appointments at dealerships can take months, and a long list of issues may never get fully resolved.

Yes. A dealership performs what is called a PDI — a Pre-Delivery Inspection — which typically takes thirty to forty-five minutes, sometimes an hour. It is done quickly across hundreds of units on the lot. A certified RV inspector performs a deep technical dive on the one specific unit that matters to you, which can take several hours or more depending on the type and age of the RV. After an inspection, you become the most informed person about that exact unit.

On a brand new RV, expect to find somewhere between ten and fifteen issues on average. The lowest number found on a brand new unit in hundreds of inspections has been three. As an RV ages, that number increases. A unit five years old may have fifteen to twenty-five issues. Once past ten years old, towables typically come in around forty items, and Class A motorhomes of the same age can reach forty or more — with older classic diesel pushers sometimes exceeding fifty or sixty findings.

Without an inspection, most of the existing issues go undetected at purchase. Once you take ownership, you discover them one by one — often at the worst times, like on a trip. Getting those items fixed after the fact means scheduling service appointments that can stretch out for months, paying out of pocket for repairs that could have been the dealer's responsibility, and missing camping time while the unit sits in a shop.

Yes, in almost every case. The inspection is information, and information has value. On a brand new RV, if fifteen issues are found, the dealer is obligated to fix them before delivery — at no cost to you and on their timeline, not yours. The time savings alone from avoiding months of back-and-forth service visits makes the inspection worthwhile. On a used RV, the findings give you negotiating power, help you walk away from a bad deal, or prepare you for what maintenance is coming.

Absolutely. Brand new RVs consistently come off the lot with ten to fifteen issues. When you are paying for a brand new unit, you are entitled to receive it in brand new condition. An inspection before delivery identifies everything that needs to be corrected, and the dealer is expected to fix those items before you take ownership. This saves you months of service headaches in your first year.

A mechanic typically specializes in the chassis and drivetrain — the engine, transmission, brakes, and suspension. A certified RV inspector evaluates the entire coach, including the roof, seals, slides, electrical systems, plumbing, appliances, LP gas systems, water heater, generator, and all interior and exterior components. RV inspectors certified through NRVIA or RVTAA are trained specifically on the unique systems found in recreational vehicles, which are different from both standard vehicles and residential construction.

The inspection report gives you options. On a new unit, you can require the dealer to fix everything before you take delivery. On a used unit, you can negotiate a lower price based on the findings, ask the seller to make repairs, budget for repairs you are willing to handle yourself, or walk away from a unit with too many serious issues. The inspector presents findings factually — what is there, what its condition is, and what it may need — so you can make an informed decision.