What To Know Before You Buy An RV - Podcast

Kinja'd!!! by "SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
Published 02/09/2017 at 09:00

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STARS: 9


Kinja'd!!!

I did a podcast a while back called “Don’t Buy An RV.” It has the most views/listens of any of my episodes but it appears that some people insist on buying RVs anyway. I suspected that would happen. So here is what you need to know if you are throwing caution to the wind.

Even in my original podcast/video , I pointed out that I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek. Obviously, there are many reasons a person might want to buy an RV. But that does not mean you should ignore common sense. Know what the laws do and do not cover (in most states, the Lemon Law does not cover RVs) and do your homework.

And consider renting one first. That might get it out of your system and it might also enlighten you on how much you really enjoy driving a small house down the highway.

Here is the audio:

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And the video.

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And the pic at the top is me with Wolfy. Wolfy passed away Monday, February 6, 2017 at the age of 15. That’s rather high mileage for a sheltie. Most websites give them an age span of no longer than 12. He will be missed.

Follow me on Twitter: @stevelehto

Hear my podcast on iTunes: Lehto’s Law

Steve Lehto has been practicing law for 25 years, almost exclusively in consumer protection and Michigan lemon law. He wrote The Lemon Law Bible and Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow.

This website may supply general information about the law but it is for informational purposes only. This does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not meant to constitute legal advice, so the good news is we’re not billing you by the hour for reading this. The bad news is that you shouldn’t act upon any of the information without consulting a qualified professional attorney who will, probably, bill you by the hour.


Replies (17)

Kinja'd!!! "CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
02/09/2017 at 09:03, STARS: 1

Don’t

Got it.

Kinja'd!!! "Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing)
02/09/2017 at 09:04, STARS: 2

My sincerest condolences for the passing of your dog. Dogs are family and it hurts when they leave us. I’m sure you provided an excellent 15 years for Wolfy and he was lucky to have you as his owner.

Kinja'd!!! "Trevor Slattery, ACTOR" (anacostiabikecompany)
02/09/2017 at 09:04, STARS: 1

Condolences on the pooch.

Kinja'd!!! "SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
02/09/2017 at 09:07, STARS: 1

I’ve tried that argument but people apparently need more.

Kinja'd!!! "SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
02/09/2017 at 09:07, STARS: 0

Thanks. I appreciate the note.

Kinja'd!!! "CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
02/09/2017 at 09:10, STARS: 1

Trailers are way better.

Kinja'd!!! "SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
02/09/2017 at 09:12, STARS: 0

Except everything that is true of RVs is true of travel trailers.

Kinja'd!!! "facw" (facw)
02/09/2017 at 09:17, STARS: 1

Kinja'd!!!

Kinja'd!!! "RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
02/09/2017 at 09:32, STARS: 0

Well, I don’t know. GM never made a travel trailer, and I don’t think there’s ever been an RV equivalent of a Hi-Lo or a teardrop. Plus, I can’t think of a travel trailer equivalent to a Vixen - as troubled as the drivetrain was. Why yes, I do know too much about cult RVing!

Kinja'd!!! "SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
02/09/2017 at 09:39, STARS: 1

I merely meant in the class of “Things which cost a ton of money but come with worthless warranties and are not covered by most state lemon laws.”

That class would include RVs, Boats, Motorcycles, PWC, trailers and a few other things.

Kinja'd!!! "CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
02/09/2017 at 09:42, STARS: 0

Yeah but the trailer attaches to a vehicle that the lemon laws do apply to and they cost way way less than an equivalent RV.

Kinja'd!!! "RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
02/09/2017 at 09:44, STARS: 2

I would amend that for my own use to include “and usually have substantial portions made out of fiberboard, OSB, or badly molded plastic and incredibly shitty glue”.

At any rate, the lifespan issues are the DOOM for most, making it reckless to buy new and miserable to buy old. DOOM. Any of the rare variety that weren’t built badly haven’t been made for years and have no chance of a warranty of any kind at this point...

Kinja'd!!! "jimz" (jimz)
02/09/2017 at 09:46, STARS: 2

And among the many wonderful things which can happen in your RV, include the refrigerator burning the thing down. I do like the way they say “Norcold has decided to recall” as though they’re doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.

Kinja'd!!! "jimz" (jimz)
02/09/2017 at 09:59, STARS: 0

the same goes for conversion vans. I remember those were a hot item for about 10 seconds in the 1980s. Shoddily built crap.

Kinja'd!!! "jimz" (jimz)
02/09/2017 at 10:03, STARS: 1

for anyone in SE Michigan inclined for this sort of thing, there’s a sizable RV park in Algonac facing the St. Clair River.

Kinja'd!!! "jimz" (jimz)
02/09/2017 at 13:25, STARS: 0

“All-terrain vehicles, personal watercraft, boats, and motorcycles . None of those things in Michigan are covered by Lemon Law. now, they’re not as expensive...”

Kinja'd!!!

Not yet ;)

Kinja'd!!! "ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
02/10/2017 at 11:57, STARS: 0

“Norcold has decided to recall” as though they’re doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.

Don’t read that as “goodness of their hearts”.

Read that as “decided to recall because we figured the wrongful death lawsuits when someone burned up in the fire would be a bigger hassle”.