Who's responsible ? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Who's responsible ?

bacardiron · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hello, here's the deal. We purchased our dream home used 6 months or so ago in the late summer early fall season from an RV dealer. We did not yet have a truck to haul it as it is a 2008 Drv 32TK3 and we wanted an F450 to pull it. Two months later we bought our truck and brought our new used rig home. The season was over so I winterized it and put it away for the winter without even getting to use it. Just last week I was checking on it and was shocked to see that the floor of the rear living area was soaking wet!! We were devastated. There were no signs of it leaking when we bought it in the late summer, no marks on the walls or ceiling or floor. The dealer did offer us an extended warranty but we declined due to the cost and the great shape of the unit. We paid a good price for this unit and feel that it should not leak, we are wondering what people think the dealer is responsible for when we declined the warranty. With the cost of the unit and the truck we do not have a lot of capital to spend on fixing it, the truck we bought also has issues. For now we are planning to store it under covered storage thru the rainy months, we live in the rainy Northwest. Any thoughts out there as what we could do?

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

you dont say if the unit was new or used.........if it is new it will be under warranty most likely......if it is used and the state you bought it in has an As-is clause and you declined the warranty it will be tough to get the dealer to cover it.

I also would concur , you would need to consult with an attorney

look your paper work over very well

VanMar · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lucky Mike wrote:
you dont say if the unit was new or used.........if it is new it will be under warranty most likely......

Mike

It's an '08 and he bought it six months ago.....let's see, that makes it, uh...........where's my calendar smile smile

V

(C'mon, Vance, think before hiitting the 'submit' button) Oops!

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry to hear this happened.

Do you have full coverage insurance on the rig? Have you checked into seeing if this sort of incident is covered?

- Cherie

canuck · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mike is giving good advice here. You need to dry things before mould sets in and damage occurs to the structure. A dehummidifer and fans blowing across the effected area will dry it the quickest. You may have to pull the underpad in order to dry things properly. You should check the enclosed under side of the unit as the membrane on the bottom of the unit can trap moisture in the insulation under the floor and cause even more damage. It is surprising how quickly all this can occur, so the sooner the better.

Scott

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Does it have a roof mounted air conditioner near or above where the water was.

If the bolts that tighten the A/C unit down to the roof aren't tightened properly you will get a leak. The water comes down through the A/C ceiling trim piece.

bacardiron · RV-Dreams Community Member

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I think my first plan of attack is tho get the rig out of the elements so it can dry out. I found a covered RV storage facility ( though it's 3 hrs away). If I put a heater in it and the water is not entering anymore I hope I can dry it out enough to prevent any further damage. I will not be able to put a dehumidifier in it or a Driz-Air because of the distance away. When the weather gets better I will have it repaired at a shop. If the dealer I bought it from will not help out I will go somewhere else, maybe Camping World. Anyone know of a good reputable place in the Bellingham/Seattle area ?

krackle12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

teaberryeagle wrote:
Best place to start, in my opinion, would be to consult with your attorney...
the dealer should have a moral obligation to correct this problem since the
rig could have been misrepresentated and since you haven't had it very long,
nor have ever put it on the road.....

I agree with teaberryeagle. Its funny how fast many organization snap to attention when they get a letter from an attorney.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had a water issue with our very first trailer after we moved to Seattle and had to replace the entire floor. Luckily that unit was only 14 feet long and my husband was able to do all the work himself.
Regarding a good repair place in the Seattle area, Sumner RV is about 30 miles south of Seattle and we've had reasonable service from them over the past few years.

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

bacardiron wrote:
Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I think my first plan of attack is tho get the rig out of the elements so it can dry out. I found a covered RV storage facility ( though it's 3 hrs away). If I put a heater in it and the water is not entering anymore I hope I can dry it out enough to prevent any further damage. I will not be able to put a dehumidifier in it or a Driz-Air because of the distance away. When the weather gets better I will have it repaired at a shop. If the dealer I bought it from will not help out I will go somewhere else, maybe Camping World. Anyone know of a good reputable place in the Bellingham/Seattle area ?

Please google RV SERVICE REVIEWS you can search by area and find the highest rated RV service place in the Bellingham area. Don't just go to Camping World....

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm sorry to say, but from the info you have presented YOU are responsible. The dealer has nothing to do with it. You purchased a used vehicle and declined an extended warranty. What is it that anyone would expect the dealer to do at this point? IF they do anything it is simply for "good will"...they are certainly not under any obligation to do anything six months later.

It is likely not the "end of the world". Fix the leak, and dry things out and things will likely be fine. UNLESS this is a recurring leak that has been there for a long time. Then there could be some permanent damage. IF that was the case you should go back to the dealer and have a little discussion - they are under an obligation to reveal problems with the rig....at least in most states. They would know about a leak.

RVs leak. That is a fact. Every year they need to be carefully inspected and maintained to prevent leaks.