RV warranty inspection and consumer rights

Is your RV broken and your RV warranty about to run out? Now what? Who will do your RV warranty work for you?

Are you tired of dealerships telling you they will not do your warranty work because you didn’t buy your RV from them? My advice would be to check with your independent RV repair shop. Please note that due to the different procedures with the manufacturers, this is a very laborious task for any repair shop to handle. Most shops will only accept extended warranties. However, you do have rights as a consumer and maybe it’s not too late to have your RV warranty inspection performed!

Most manufacturers require dealerships that carry their brand to complete warranty work. However, with so many inspectors popping up, why not get yours inspected by a third party? Let see below what some of these manufacturers and dealers are saying.

Manufacturer claims

We have all been told the manufacturer does an initial quality inspection process before the unit is shipped to the dealership. Some even state they send the units to a dedicated PDI center to go through a rigid point-by-point inspection process and do all the final finishes.

Dealerships claims

Dealerships all state they performed their Pre-Delivery Inspection or PDI. However, most dealerships are only checking basic, common items. They check for anything damaged or missing so they can make the sale and get it off their lot.

Post-Delivery Inspection or PDI. So now you have signed the dotted line only to find out before or after there is an issue with your new RV. The dealership quickly rushed to confirm that all basic systems were functional before you took possession of it.

Something to think about!

What did the dealership skip, what did they miss, and or was it an inexperienced tech that did the Pre-PDI or the Post-PDI, to begin with? What did the dealer not catch or not tell the manufacturer? It all comes down to communication. If each party was in a rush, whether it was pre-Covid or post-Covid, there may not have been much communication. Don’t you want to know what’s really going on with your unit before the warranty runs out?

Now, how does this work after the unit has been inspected? Well, there are a few different options for getting RV warranty repair work done.

You authorize us, for example, on your behalf to perform and complete the repairs at your expense.
You contact the manufacturer prior to having the repairs completed so that you can seek reimbursement and order any parts from the manufacturer.
Most RV shops will provide you with a written estimate, along with any picture and tech notes so that you can seek authorization.
You will be required to submit the issues to your warranty company.

Most manufacturer’s warranties will cover 1-year bumper-to-bumper. In conclusion, be sure to familiarize yourself with the terms and conditions of your RV warranty. You will be required to submit the issues to your warranty company.

Make sure to ask your local RV repair shop if they will assist you if they offer a free inspection. Check out this video as an example of some of the things we find during a free exterior evaluation.