The debate between new versus used RVs is as old as RVing itself. Sure, there is depreciation to consider, as well as the price. However, one of the biggest reasons people go with a new RV is often the manufacturer’s warranty. But is it really worth it?
A new RV manufacturer’s warranty is not like a car warranty
Sure, the concept of having everything fixed on your RV for the first year is tempting. Just like when purchasing a new car, having this peace of mind is a helpful benefit. However, a new RV warranty is not at all like a new car warranty!
When you purchase a new car, you know that your new car may receive service at the dealership you purchased the car from or any other dealership that carries that brand. The car manufacturer has arranged with dealerships that carry their product to provide vehicle service across locations.
The process of new car warranties is somewhat streamlined regardless of location. It’s as easy as calling and making an appointment to take the car in. You often can even receive a loaner car if your vehicle is in the shop for an extended period of time. If you have never purchased a new RV, you may be shocked to learn that the manufacturer warranty doesn’t work quite so smoothly.
So why is an RV manufacturer’s warranty different than a new car warranty? In a nutshell, each RV dealership does what it desires as far as servicing warranties. There is no accountability to the manufacturer to service units in a streamlined way or specific time frame.
The big problem with an RV manufacturer’s warranty
The biggest issue with an RV manufacturer’s warranty is actually trying to use it. When you contact an RV dealership for a service appointment, it can honestly be shocking how long it takes to an appointment to get in. Even more surprising is how long it sometimes takes the dealership to get the parts required to perform the repair.
We learned the hard way never to leave your RV with a dealership until you verify they have the needed parts in stock and are ready to begin working on your RV. Otherwise, your appointment time may arrive, and then your RV could sit there waiting even longer to begin repairs until the parts arrive. We have even tried to speed up the process by contacting the manufacturer directly for the parts to get the ball rolling. It’s extremely frustrating!
It’s nothing to be told you need to wait 3-6 months to get in for service. We once waited seven months to get our RV in for repair. Then, when your appointment date arrives, don’t expect to get your RV back quickly. Our experience has been that it always takes much longer than the dealership says it will. It can be an even slower process if you don’t check in on the progress every day. Meanwhile, you have lost the use of your new RV throughout this process. Unlike with car warranties, there aren’t usually loaners to use in the RV world.
The dreaded question: Did you buy your RV from us?
If you have tried using your RV manufacturer’s warranty at a different dealership than you purchased it from, you may get this dreaded question: Did you buy your RV from us? Unlike with car warranties, the dealerships call the shots on how they service RVs. Most of the ones we have dealt with over the years put you on an even longer waiting list if you didn’t purchase your RV from them.
As an example, we are full-time RVers from Kansas City, MO. We purchased our first new fifth wheel in Duluth, MN. By the time we needed to first use our RV manufacturer’s warranty, we were out in California. We called a local dealership that sold our brand and were instantly asked if we bought it from them. When we said no, we were told we couldn’t bring it in for a warranty service appointment for 11 months!
This wasn’t a one-time issue, either. During our years on the road, we purchased a second new fifth wheel from a different manufacturer and have discovered this same issue across the country. Dealerships seem to focus on the sale, and without service oversite by the manufacturer, servicing RV warranties doesn’t appear to be a priority.
What is the solution?
There appears to be a higher demand for RV technicians than the current supply. Since part of the issue is finding qualified help at RV dealerships, manufacturers should also cover certified RV mobile repair services to provide warranty work. This would speed up the service backlog while also allowing RVers to remain in and keep using their RV throughout the process for most repairs. Customers would appreciate the convenience, making this solution a win-win for everyone.
As full-time RVers, we use mobile repair constantly. We simply can’t interrupt our travels every time a repair is needed. Plus, when we are without our RV, we have the added expense of hotels or rentals, which is never ideal. We have always received excellent and fast service through mobile repair.
RV manufacturers should never allow a dealership to sell their product without abiding by a service standard. If they are serving as a brand dealer, then they must also be a service provider regardless of where the customer purchased the RV. Until the manufacturers hold the dealerships that sell their products accountable to a service standard, this will continue to be an issue.
What about you?
We would love to hear about your experiences with getting service for your RV or using an RV manufacturer’s warranty. Have you ever gotten the dreaded question regarding where you purchased the RV? Have you ever used mobile repair? What is the longest you have ever waited for a service appointment? Please leave us a comment!
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##RVT1199
Personally, I think this article hits the proverbial ‘nail-on-the-head’. We have used a couple of dealerships, that were owned by the same company, and even then, they don’t consider you buying it from them, so no express service. We have had mobile RV techs come out to us, that to Jayco’s credit, were paid for when the RV was under warranty with us paying a modest service call fee. Case in point, we found our rear hydraulic stabilizers to be installed almost 2″ too low, per the manufacturer specs. Under warranty, it would be 3 weeks, but if we paid for repair, they could do it in 30-minutes.
For the RV manufacturers, the selling dealer is their customer, not the end purchaser.
Until the manufacturer is willing to provide a inspected and fully functional product the problem will continue. I have purchased both new and used RVs over the years. Dealers are interested sales, it drives everything they do. Informed buyers are their worst nightmare. I have walked away from many dealers and units because of their lack of quality or willingness to repair something prior to the sale in a new unit. Our most recent unit is a used DP. The dealer was desperate to sell due to a host of minor issues. It worked to our advantage. Unfortunately most people buying RVs are clueless as to how the entire RV industry works. As long as money keeps flowing in nothing will change.
Owning an RV requires a combination of mechanical, electrical and plumbing skills. I view RV repairs like home repairs: what i cannot do myself I’ll have to pay dearly to have someone else repair. Warranties are worthless unless you’re willing to give up use of your unit indefinitely.
Mobile RV Repair is definitely the way to go. Especially when traveling or after the warranty has expired. The key is finding one that is reliable and does good work.
We’ve played the service game for many years. We’ve missed trips and had others cut short. We’ve also spent time at the manufacturers for repair on two different RVs. There are games there too. The whole RV industry is a joke. Before we purchased our latest RV, we decided that we would try the service department for warranty work and if ran into the issues you stated in your article, we would try to repair. If unsuccessful, we would pay to have the repair done. Yes, it costs money, but we have an RV that we can use. Yes, it makes me mad to have to do this, but the manufacture/dealer game makes me mad too. We at least have some peace of mind. We’ve been RVing over 35 years.
Thankfully nearly all of my Montana 5’er issues started just after the 1 year warranty expired, lol!
Twice under warranty the dealer I purchased it from sent me the new parts and I replaced them myself.
I did manage to find a decent mobile tech a couple months ago in Palm Springs to weld in a new leaf spring hanger. A welder is not something I carry!
I have a reasonably stocked tool kit and fix nearly everything myself. That’s RV’ing!
When talking to 1st-time RV buyers, we always recommend buying pre-owned. We explain that hopefully any issues with the RV would have been fixed after purchased new, but have it inspected first by an outside inspector and not the seller.
We bought two new Excel 5ers made by Peterson Industries in Smith Center (SC), Kansas (2005 and 2012). They were made with TLC but had some issues needing repair. The repairs were timely done by other Excel authorized centers without the delays noted in the article.
Sadly Excel closed their doors in 2015 but we still recommend folks to consider an Excel. The superb service center in SC Kansas is still in business & repairs all makes & models.
If I’ve learned anything reading RVT, and others over the years the last thing I will do is buy a new RV. Most complaints address the lousy service from dealers and slip shod assembly by the manufacturers. Generally the warranties are worse than useless because your warranty can run out while your RV sits, ignored at a dealer. Warranties in this industry translate to wasted money and time.
We bought new because most failures don’t disclose themselves while the unit is in storage but instead, out on the road where patch jobs are most rampant. Me personally, I don’t trust prior repairs in a used unit being done to my expectations so I worked through the new unit blues. Yes, there were several things needing correction but it wasn’t as bad as the YouTubers like to sensationalize. If you have mechanical aptitude, it’s not bad. The other plus is you’re less likely to run into parts obsolescence. As for the extended warranty? I think they hinge on useless but again, I fix my own rig. Safe travels!
When it comes to manufacturers’ RV warranties, I can tell you that it helps to have a background in administrative (contract) law. I am pretty sure folks in the customer (non) service area are valued by their employer for their ability to say ‘no’.
During the first 6 months after taking possession of my new Alliance Delta it was in the shop 3 months for repair of silly, stupid, sloppy workmanship repairs. Best to be at least fairly expert at repairing stuff before you buy, whether used or new.
I made an appointment 6 months out at the dealer I purchased from. Two weeks before the appointment, I received an email canceling the appointment. A scathing review about ‘Service After the Sale’ on Google reviews got me a phone call from the Service manager the following day and I was back on the schedule the next day.
One may as well clean your derriere with a manufacturers warranty anymore…I know first hand after getting ripped by Grand Design and their worthless warranty.
Unfortunately, too many factory warranties are not worth the paper they are printed on when it comes to trying to get something really accomplished. For nearly 40 years I have said that an RV buyer would get more warranty rights if the factory did not give him a written Warranty at all because state laws would put an unspoken “implied warranty“ in place that would last for four years instead of the one year, promise of fixing only those things that you complain about it, and only if you complain about them on time, and only if you give them a chance to fix them, and only if you do not file a lawsuit, and etc., for all of the other “and only“ Restrictions they hide in the fine print…
My wife and I bought a brand-new, 2025 camping trailer, not for the warranty, but because nobody else would have had a chance to abuse and neglect it, so we’d know EXACTLY who had done what to it. That, plus some RV parks have this snobbish idea that older campers are somehow “bad” if they’re more than a decade old. Won’t have that problem for a while with a 2025 model!
We had very good results using a mobile RV Tech in the past! Needed major repair issues after it got broken into while in storage. We were Full Timers but had to be off the road for a period of time due to medical issues. CW was where we took it and it was 6 months before they even started working on ours.
I purchased a camping trailer, small, stand up height, plenty of room for our travels. I can replace everything in the trailer myself buying what I need at Home Depot or Lowe’s and even Walmart. The air conditioner is a standard 5,000 BTU window unit, the fridge is 3 cubic ft dorm unit, pull 4 screws and the microwave is out. On demand water heater and stove can be replaced just as easy and I have done every repair myself. After reading so many disheartening stories about warranty issues we very carefully searched for a TT that would meet our needs. One that would be easy to get to anything that needed repair and be able to source and replace myself,
Thank you for the discussion, Scott and Vanessa! We were naive initially with RV #1, which we bought new. We encountered some of what you describe with Camping World of Chattanooga (Tennessee). Ultimately we ended at the manufacturer. Because the warranty item must get the manufacturer’s approval if a dealer is addressing it, going directly to the manufacturer’s factory service center reduces the length the repair takes. Service techs also tend to be better due to greater familiarity with your rig. Appointments may mean little or no wait for parts. We don’t usually go to the factory service center if out of warranty, but do until the warranty expires. Have a great week and safe travels!
We took our RV owning family members’ advice to buy used. We looked at large dealerships and one that sold previously rented units, thinking we could update/repair ourselves. After visiting a one person dealership, we realized his company survives because he stands true to his work and we did not want to “fix up” something with possible unknown damage. We had an inspection, and the dealer spent an hour showing us the ins and outs of our rig. We take it back to him for our extended warranty work (that has covered what it said it would) because we know his team will fix it right. He sells a good amount of rigs, he was there during Covid when they flew off the lot, and has survived the downturn