You have jumped on a travel trailer bandwagon, bought your dream camper, and are ready to put your signature on that dotted line. What’s left for you is to take your rig home.
Hang on!
Do you think the procedure’s done? Well, not yet. The whole ownership and buying process is a bit daunting and complicated.
Whenever you buy a rig from a dealer, there are always a few stepping stones before you tow or ask your dealer to deliver your RV.
So, will RV dealers deliver? Yes, and perhaps also no. It really depends on the dealership in question, plenty will and include it as part of the sales package. Others may charge fees for delivery, which can range from $200 all the way up to $1,500. Some dealerships will flat out refuse to deliver an RV.
Comprehend Every Behind the Scene Procedure
Remember that you are buying a mobile home, so the whole process may take more time than you expected. Therefore, do not get frustrated.
Before you take your camper with you, the dealership must ensure that the vehicle is entirely ready.
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Research on Extended Warranty
RV insurance is mandatory, but many people are confused about whether to invest in an extended warranty or not.
Several people do suggest to have an extended service contract. What could go wrong in an RV?
RV is a moving vehicle with many moving components. When you are driving, these parts shake, roll, and rattle. Therefore, something will eventually break.
That’s when extended warranties come into play because they cover electrical and mechanical breakdowns—these warranties repair furnaces, water heaters, slide-outs, engine, air conditioner, etc.
Thus, if you want to purchase an extended service contract, research the providers. Repairing or replacing faulty appliances can be a lot pricey.
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The Dealer Should Do PDI ( Pre-Delivery Inspection)
The dealer should perform the pre-delivery inspection to check that every system is operational.
The inspection verifies that the structural components, appliances, and electronics are functioning correctly before the trailer reaches its potential customer.
Moreover, the dealer is also responsible for installing your requested items or options that are not currently present in the camper, such as propane tank, upgraded A/C, or television.
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Take Some Time Out for a Walk-through
I know that you want your camper and hit the road; however, this time is not ideal for hastiness. You must execute a thorough walk-through.
The seller will demonstrate every appliance and system present in your new camper. The whole walk-through might take two hours. Therefore, you and your dealer can schedule a day with a time that is convenient for each party.
Get the Best Out of Your Trailer Walk-through
This is an extremely vital step. An accurate trailer walk-through can contribute to several happy and marvelous trips ahead.
In contrast, an incomplete or rushed rundown will cause a lot of frustration. Not to mention, you do not want to discover new technical faults when your RV comes home because then you have to take your camper back!
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Record Every Instructions on Your Cellphone
There is plenty of instruction to digest from a camper’s walk-through, and this situation can make RVers slightly overwhelmed.
Since there are too many instructions to absorb, do not entirely entrust your memory. Therefore, use a cellphone, or any other device or a camera to record a trailer’s tech lesson.
Do not record everything at once. Document each trailer’s component separately and label them in your device. In this way, these individual videos will help you for your future reference.
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Test Every RV System
Don’t be intimidated to ask various questions about RV. If you are confused about what the technician is explaining, feel free, and ask him/her to clarify.
Moreover, a reputable dealer will let you try-out the systems. It is better to test every system in front of the technician rather than being clueless about the components. Plus, it is an ideal time to inquire about your dealer about the maintenance of every system.
You can test running water, water heater, water pumps, all electrical outlets, other appliances, air conditioning, and refrigerator.
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Take Your New Camper for a Short Trip
Do not haul your camper for a long trip before taking it out for a short ride. A few dealers have camping sites to test your new camper and remove issues from the system.
Everyone’s not lucky to buy a rig from such kind of dealers. However, if the camping site is unavailable, you can take your camper for a shakedown trip near your house or near your RV dealer area.
It is better to take your rig for a shakedown trip and discover issues then, rather than finding these problems when you are several miles away in the middle of nowhere.
Finally: Will Dealers Deliver or Do I Have to Tow My RV?
A few RV dealers will deliver your camper straight to your home or any desired place you like. However, you have to pay a certain amount for it.
A few dealers deliver RVs throughout the U.S, Canada, and also offer international deliveries. Furthermore, several RV dealerships offer two delivery choices, i.e., pick up your RV halfway and doorstep delivery.
A few examples of dealers who deliver campers are Camper liquidators, Openroads.us, Lakeshore-RV, ACNRV, and Pete’sRVcenter.
Let’s take a glance at each of these examples.
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Camper Liquidators
This RV dealership offers delivery throughout Canada and the USA. They will deliver your RV in two ways.
Either call them to deliver your disinfected and sanitized RV to your campsite or home, or you can decide a meeting place where the professional driver will give away the keys of your new camper.
Moreover, you have to pay freight charges, and these charges will fluctuate depending on the fuel cost.
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Open Roads
Open Roads offer delivery when you purchase a recreational vehicle from their website or on-site.
Their website is easy to navigate, browse their used and new available RVs, and click purchase.
Their team member will deliver your RV to your doorstep. One of the remarkable things about these dealers is that they deliver up to 100 miles only, and they charge no dollars for the first 50 miles.
So, if you live within 50 miles, you will not have to pay delivery fees!
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Lakeshore RV Center
This dealership delivers recreational vehicles in 48 states and throughout Canada. They deliver within 24 hours or take ten days with minimal freight charges.
They also provide their customers with a GPS tracking number; therefore, you can quickly track your delivery.
Once the driver delivers the camper, he will give the customer a complete walk-through and hand over the necessary documents.
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RV Nelson
It is the oldest dealer that sells high-quality RVs at lower prices. They have stellar delivery drivers that can safely and affordably deliver your used or new RV to your doorstep throughout the United States.
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Pete’s RV Center
This North American recreational vehicle dealer delivers throughout Canada and the United States. They offer two options for delivery.
You can ask for a doorstep delivery. The professional driver will deliver your camper to your campsite or home.
Or you can save some on your delivery charges and meet them halfway.
However, if your dealer does not offer delivery, you should bring your towing vehicle to take your new rig home.
Wrapping Up
That’s a lot of information to absorb in one go, but following these steps will save you plenty of damage. What’s more, it will ruin your fun.
It is best not to rush and take time to familiarize yourself with your brand-new rig before you plan on taking your trailer for long trips.
It will take a while, but you will operate your trailer like a professional!