Shopping for a Used RV? Here's 10 Costly Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

Used RVs - the market is loaded with them. RVs can be found at bargain prices almost anywhere. If you're new to the lifestyle, there's plenty of opportunity save a bundle, but you can also loose a ton of money if you mistakenly overlook common problem areas. Here's the top 10 mistakes that can ruin your day when investing in a used RV.

1. Water damage: Water can do expensive structural damage to any RVs in short order. The obvious is water stains on the ceiling, but you need to look deeper. Bubbling or spongy interior wall covering, soft spots in the floor, and worst of all, delamination of the exterior fiberglass walls.

When water migrates into the walls the result is most often the separation of ply's in the plywood that is just below the surface of the fiberglass covered walls. If there is even a small area blistered or bubbled on the exterior surface, the problem can be widespread. This isn't a condition that can be practically and cost effectively addressed. Repairs are expensive and the resale value will be dramatically reduced. If you see delamination starting, just walk away. This isn't something you can fix.

2. Sun Damage: RVs spend most of their life sitting outside and direct sunlight will dry rot fabric and fade both interior and exterior materials. Sun rotted fabrics become stiff and brittle and will likely crumble and crack with even moderate use. Plastic fixtures turn a sickly yellow and often become brittle and easily broken.

3. Old Tires: Even with low mileage tires continue to age. They may look fine at first, but if they are more than 7 years old they will soon be checking and cracking. The potential for damage or injury is great because the tire will fail unexpectedly and instantly. There will be no slow leak, it will come apart, often at speed, easily putting you in an out of control situation.

4. Rust: RVs that are stored in back yards often wick moisture from the ground into the undercarriage. Brakes become inoperative, frames corrode, and plumbing fixtures develop leaks.

5: Faulty Appliances: The gas/electric refrigerator is the most costly item in your RV. Often private owners will downplay a nonfunctioning refrigerator as something as simple as a fuse. Don't be misled, it's never that simple. Yes, control panel electronics do fail and can be repaired at a cost of somewhere around $100-$250 in most instances. More often the cooling unit has failed and that is a very expensive and often not cost effective repair. You could be on the hook for thousands to replace the refrigerator if it isn't working properly.

6. Damaged Plumbing: If an RV wasn't properly winterized, freezing temperatures will destroy the plumbing. Split water lines, damaged water pumps, leaking waste tanks, all are guaranteed to happen if the system wasn't drained and filled with antifreeze before cold weather came last fall.

7. Warranty: Even if an RV is only a few months old, many manufacturers don't pass the remaining warranty onto the second owner. If the seller is indicating there was an extended warranty purchased, confirm with the provider that it is indeed transferable. Most often they will do so for a fee. Don't assume you're covered just because it's less than 1 year old.

8. Depreciation: RVs are a money losing proposition. Resale value plunges faster in the RV industry than anything else offered for sale. Be sure you know what style of RV you really want or need because when you go to trade it back in for something else the penalty will be staggering.

9. Match Your Rig: It's your responsibility to know what size trailer is best suited to your tow vehicle. Private sellers aren't qualified to make that determination for you and many sales lots will sell you whatever you want regardless of whether it is a safe combination on the road or not.

10. Be Informed: The more you know about the different types and styles of RVs the better your odds of finding exactly what you want and need in an RV. Knowledge is power, do your research.

Buying a used RV can be a great way to save a lot of money, always a good thing when your looking to get into the RV lifestyle. Ask a lot of questions and be a bit skeptical of what people tell you. If you take your time and understand the pitfalls, you will find just the right RV for you and your family and avoid costly mistakes.