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Inspections & Reports / RV Pre-Purchase Inspection
RVMotorhomes · trailers · fifth wheels

RV Pre-Purchase Inspection

A used RV is a vehicle and a house in one. We check both before you hand over the money, anywhere in the country.

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RV pre-purchase inspection from PPI Auto. An inspector checks the RV where it sits, the house and the chassis, and you get a written report with photos before you pay.

At a glance

  • Class A, B and C, travel trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers
  • Private seller, dealer, storage yard or auction
  • All 50 states
  • Priced on the call for your RV

Most RV problems are not the kind you see on a walk-through. Water gets in at the roof, runs down inside the wall and rots the floor long before a stain shows. A slide that runs fine today can have a torn seal. Tires with deep tread can be ten years old. That is what we are there to find.

What we check
✓

Roof and seals

Roof material, seams, vents and the sealant around every opening. Most RV water damage starts up here.

✓

Walls and floor

Soft spots, delaminating sidewalls, stains and the corners where leaks show first.

✓

Slide-outs

Each slide run in and out, with its seals, toppers and the floor under it.

✓

Propane system

Leaks, the regulator, tank dates and every gas appliance lit and checked.

✓

Appliances

Fridge on gas and on power, furnace, water heater, air conditioning and the stove.

✓

Plumbing and tanks

Fresh water pump, faucets, toilet, holding tanks, valves and signs of leaks underneath.

✓

Electrical

Shore power, the converter or inverter, house batteries, outlets and the generator if there is one.

✓

Chassis and engine

On a motorhome: engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fluids and a scan for stored codes.

✓

Tires and running gear

Tire date codes as well as tread, wheel bearings, axles, hitch and trailer brakes on a towable.

What you get
  • A written report with photos of anything that needs attention
  • A clear read on water damage, the roof and the slides
  • The chassis and engine findings on a motorhome
  • A straight answer on what the RV needs, so you can negotiate or walk away
What it costs

We quote RVs on the call, because the work depends on the type, the length, the slide-outs and whether there is an engine and a generator. Across the U.S. most RV inspections run $300 to $1,500. Our guide to the average cost of an RV pre-purchase inspection explains the range. For cars, pickups and SUVs see our flat price.

How to book
  • Fill in the RV inspection request form, or call us
  • We agree a price and a time with you and the seller
  • We inspect the RV where it is parked
  • You get the report and decide

The RV inspection form shows every item we check, from the LP leak test to the tire date codes, and makes the same report you get from us.

Common questions
What is an RV pre-purchase inspection?
It is an independent check of a used RV before you buy it. We look at the living space and, on a motorhome, the engine and chassis, then give you a written report with photos so you know what you are paying for.
How much does it cost?
We quote RVs on the call, because a 17 foot trailer and a 40 foot diesel pusher are different jobs. Across the U.S. most RV inspections run $300 to $1,500.
How long does an RV inspection take?
From about three hours for a small trailer to most of a day for a large motorhome with several slides.
Do you inspect travel trailers and fifth wheels?
Yes. Towables, motorhomes, camper vans, toy haulers and truck campers.
Is water damage really that common?
Yes. It is the most common hidden problem on used RVs and the most expensive to put right, which is why we spend the most time on the roof, walls and floor.
Do I need an inspection if I am buying from a dealer?
Yes. The dealer's check works for the dealer. Ours works for you, and a dealer with a good unit rarely objects.
Do you cover my state?
Yes. All 50 states, at a private seller, a dealer lot, a storage yard or an auction.
Our RV partners

Buying the RV is one step. These are the people we work with for the rest of it.

WeRV

An RV rental agency in Hemet, California that also sells private-party RVs and runs RV inspections. WeRV RV rentals and sales in Hemet

RV Travel Agency

Plans the whole RV trip: books the campsite, picks the pad, builds the days and supplies the rig. RV Travel Agency trip planning

RV Shop Desk

Software for RV rental businesses: bookings, agreements and billing from a phone, with the website built in. RV Shop Desk software for RV rental businesses

Looking at a specific type? See our RV and motorhome inspection and trailer inspection pages.

One call gets it done

Book an RV inspection

Tell us the RV and where it is. We handle the rest.

951-267-8500Call now

Request an RV inspection

Prefer to send details? We will call you back.

Details

No payment now · We confirm scheduling before any work

Real RVs, photos by WeRV

The RVs we inspect

Every type, from a small trailer to a Class A. These are real units from WeRV's rental fleet in Hemet, California.

Tan Thor A.C.E. Class A motorhome parked on a lot with its entry door open, plate blurred
A Class A motorhome, a Thor A.C.E. Two inspections in one: the house and the chassis under it. Photo: WeRV
White and tan Winnebago Class C motorhome under a covered lot with its entry door open
A Class C, a 2017 Winnebago Minnie Winnie on a Ford E-450. The cab-over is where front-cap leaks start. Photo: WeRV
Keystone Montana fifth-wheel trailer on a dealer lot with its entry steps down
A fifth wheel, a 2021 Keystone Montana. Every slide-out is another seal and another floor to check. Photo: WeRV
White Starcraft Super Lite travel trailer on a lot with its entry steps down and tongue jack lowered
A 2024 Starcraft Super Lite travel trailer. The frame, axles and hitch get checked as hard as the living space. Photo: WeRV
Forest River Aurora travel trailer under a carport with its awning extended and camp chairs in front
A small 2026 Forest River Aurora with the awning out. The awning runs out and back in as part of the check. Photo: WeRV
Rear of an Itasca Sunstar Class A motorhome with two slide-outs extended and a ladder to the roof, plate blurred
The back of an Itasca Sunstar, slides out and the roof ladder in view. Most RV water damage starts on the roof. Photo: WeRV

Photos: WeRV, an RV rental agency in Hemet, California, shown with their permission. These are RVs from WeRV's rental fleet, not vehicles we inspected. Plates are blurred.

Our own photos

From our RV work

Our own photos from motorhome jobs. The engine and chassis half of an RV check looks like this.

Serpentine belt and idler pulley under the engine cover of a Rialta motorhome, circled in red
The belt idler on a 2001 Rialta motorhome, circled where it was failing
Alternator and serpentine belt lit by a flashlight under a motorhome engine cover
The Rialta's alternator sits under the engine cover. It gets a flashlight, not a glance
Corrugated air intake hose and aging lines under the chassis of a 1990 Dolphin motorhome
Under a 1990 Dolphin motorhome, the intake hose and the old lines around it
Coolant and heater pipes with a snapped plastic fitting on an older motorhome engine
A coolant fitting snapped off on the Dolphin. Old plastic fittings break at this age

These are our own photos from Supercanic motorhome jobs in the Inland Empire, California: a 2001 Rialta in Riverside and a 1990 Dolphin in San Jacinto.

Found the RV? Let us check it first.

Motorhomes, trailers and fifth wheels in all 50 states.

Call 951-267-8500