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RVs and Motorhomes

RV/Motorhome Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

A guided, do-it-yourself pre-purchase inspection checklist for used motorhomes of every class: Class A gas and diesel pushers, Class B camper vans, and Class C and Super C, from Winnebago, Thor, Jayco, Tiffin, Forest River, Newmar and other makers. No mechanic needed: each check tells you what to look for and what counts as a fail, from hidden water damage in the roof, walls and floor to the chassis, tires, slide-outs, leveling, generator, propane, plumbing, refrigerator and air conditioners, plus a road test. Not for travel trailers or fifth wheels.

Buy this checklist

$49.00

90 days of access. Inspect and compare up to 12 items of this type.

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What you get

  • No mechanic needed. Most checks need only your eyes, a flashlight and a tire gauge; a few optional deeper checks go further if you have the tools or bring in a mechanic.
  • A guided checklist written for this kind of purchase: every question says what to look for and what counts as a fail. Ready to use the moment you pay.
  • Inspect on your phone: answers save as you go, with photos and notes on any question.
  • Send it to a mechanic, supervisor, colleague, or employee by text or email. They need no account.
  • A report that puts the problems first, with photos, times and location.
  • Inspect and compare up to 12 vehicles, machines or trailers of the same type with one purchase, side by side, before you decide.

Known problems, checked

Comes with a guide to the known problems and red flags to watch for.

How it works

  1. Choose a checklistPick the one that matches what you are buying, and pay by card. No account to set up first.
  2. Add what you are inspectingEnter the item, the asking price and where it is. Add as many as you are considering.
  3. Inspect it, or send itWork through the checklist on your phone, or send it to a mechanic, supervisor, colleague, or employee to do for you.
  4. Read the report and compareSee the problems first, with photos. Put your options side by side and decide.

What it covers 83 questions

  • Records and Identity9 questions
  • Chassis and Engine15 questions
  • Road Test5 questions
  • Roof and Water Damage7 questions
  • Body, Windows and Doors5 questions
  • Slide-Outs and Leveling3 questions
  • Shore Power and House Electrical8 questions
  • Propane and Safety Equipment4 questions
  • Water, Plumbing and Bathroom7 questions
  • Appliances, Heating and Cooling6 questions
  • Inside the Coach3 questions
  • Class C and Super C Only1 question
  • Class B Van Only1 question
  • Diesel Pushers Only3 questions
  • Air Brakes5 questions
  • Final Review1 question

A sample of the questions

  • Chassis VIN, coach serial and title
  • Frame rust and alterations
  • Travel-ready
  • Roof surface and sealant
  • Front and rear caps
  • Slide-outs move fully and evenly
  • Shore power cord and plug
  • Propane tank and lines

This is a sample. The full checklist is yours when you buy.

Before You Start

You don't need a mechanic or to be a mechanic to conduct this inspection. Most questions need only your eyes, a flashlight and a few low-cost tools, and each one tells you exactly what to do and what counts as a fail.

Allow most of a day: the chassis, a road test of at least 30 minutes, and time for the refrigerator, water heater, air conditioners and generator to run.

For motorhomes of every class: Class A gas and diesel pushers, Class B camper vans and Class C and Super C, from Winnebago, Thor, Jayco, Tiffin, Forest River, Coachmen, Newmar, Fleetwood, Airstream and others. Not for towable RVs (travel trailers and fifth wheels).

Before you go, ask the seller to:

  • Leave the engine cold. Some checks need a cold start.
  • Have the title, keys, remotes, manuals and service records ready.
  • Fill the fresh water tank and the propane, and fuel the generator.
  • Plug into shore power the day before, so the batteries are charged and you can start the refrigerator early (it takes hours to cool).
  • Park on level ground with room to open every slide-out and awning, ideally near a dump station or sewer hookup.
  • Agree a road-test route.

Go in daylight. If it has rained in the last day or two, look especially hard for fresh drips and damp spots inside: rain shows active leaks.

Never get under the motorhome while it is held up only by its leveling jacks or a jack. Use a ladder to see the roof, and only walk on it if the owner's manual says it is walkable. Close the propane and do not light anything if you smell gas.

Answer every question as indicated. Skip anything the motorhome does not have (answer Not applicable).

Write readings in the note, and add a photo of anything that fails.

Bring:

  • A flashlight
  • A step ladder tall enough to see the roof
  • A tread depth gauge and a tire pressure gauge with a dual-wheel head
  • A basic multimeter, for the batteries and generator voltage
  • 2 thermometers, for the refrigerator and the air conditioners
  • A spray bottle of soapy water and a small brush, for the propane leak test
  • A code reader for the dashboard port (heavy-duty for many diesel pushers)
  • A tape measure, for the slide-outs
  • A clean card, for the engine blow-by test
  • A moisture meter, if you have one (low-cost meters work well)
  • Gloves, paper towels and a sewer hose if the seller does not have one
Tools for a Deeper Inspection (Optional)

You don't need any of these to use this checklist. For a deeper inspection, or if you bring in a mechanic or RV technician, these are the tools they may use, as well as those in Before You Start:

  • A professional moisture meter, to map the walls, roof and floor
  • A manometer, for a propane pressure and leak-down test
  • A scan tool that reads the chassis's engine, transmission and ABS
  • An infrared thermometer, for the air conditioners, refrigerator and brakes
  • A ruler marked in sixteenths of an inch, for air brake pushrod travel
Sources and Standards
  • FieldDone pre-purchase inspection protocol for motorhomes (October 2026)
  • Your motorhome's own coach, chassis, generator and appliance manuals, matched to its VIN and serial numbers
  • NHTSA recall lookup
  • Dometic recall information
  • Winnebago manuals and diagrams
  • Ford Pro upfitter publications
  • Freightliner recreational vehicle chassis maintenance manual
  • Lippert leveling system resources
  • Cummins Onan RV generator manuals
  • Thor Motor Coach brochures