New to it all

[zechinova]

After 15 years of living in Czech Republic we (my husband and myself) are returning to the USA. Not sure where to settle, or if we want to settle, we are preparing to purchase a 2002 Montana 3295RK with a Dodge 3500 Diesel dully sold as package by individual. We will be new to RVing. Hope we like it better than we liked the cruise we thought we wanted! We know it is risking buying used but since we don't know how long we will use the RV we thought it would depreciate less. Can you tell me what things we are looking at maybe having to replace/repair on a unit this age - it was used 4 summers for seniors trips south for the winter otherwise has been in storage.

[ole dude]

Tires, brakes, wheel bearings, sanitize fresh water tank and lines, clean holding tanks, be sure vents on furnance, hot water heater, and refrigerator are clean. Check pressure relief and annode on hot water heater, be sure electrical connections in breaker panel are tight. I'm sure others will be here to make other suggestions. Lots of knowledge at this site. These are not things so much to repair and/or replace but some things to check into.

[Mudchief]

I would make sure everything works on it. Then I would put a new set of tires on it and have the brakes checked and the wheel bearings repacked before I hit the road.

[Pete Hanson]

I think the first thing I would do is take it on a short shake-down trip. Give it a good inspection, check tire pressure and don't plan to travel to far on the first outing. See how it tows, listen for unusual noises and make sure you try out all the equipment on board to see if it works. Have a blast checking it out.....your getting into a fun lifestyle with a good unit.

[stiles watson]

I think you are very wise to start with a previously owned unit. That is the way we started. We have now traded up to a new unit and a new truck, but the previous unit was great and both the RV and the truck sold quickly after we traded.

Advantages for buying a well maintained POU include: most of the bugs are worked out of the unit, many improvements have been made by the previous owner, you can still buy a service package (extended warranty) from Good Sam Club or other providers, and if you decide this is not for you, you have minimized your risk.

I encourage you to purchase a road service plan from Good Sam or Coach-Net (both can be found online) and a service plan (mine was transfered from the previous owner). The help we have received from both of these services have more than returned the premiums paid.

[H. John Kohl]

I would get a PDI Click here for some PDIs (pre delivery Inspection) check list to help you check all the things on the unit. There is also an mentor section to this forum that has not been used. It would be a perfect place for a Mentor. Someone who has experience to go with you on your first trip to help you learn the rope from all our mistakes instead of making them yourself.
Best of luck.

[ggranch]

All previous suggestions are spot-on. If you have a friend not involved in the sale that is knowledgable about RV's, include him in your inspection. If you are not familiar with trailer pulling, first drive the truck to become familiar with it and then go to a large, largest you can find, parking lot and learn to pull and back the trailer. Then go camping for a few days. Stay tuned to this forum and feel free to ask anything. We are not known for laughing at anyone but ourselves. Welcome to our club. Bob & Karen
PS: You didn't mention where in the US you are.

[Hemlockusa]

Your home now, welcome to the FAMILY. Everyone above has pretty well covered what you should check. The suggestion of taking a few short trip, is excellent. Ask any questions here on this forum, you will find all of us very happy to help you. You can not ask a stupid question here. WELCOME BACK TO THE USA.

[Icehouse]

Review the outside closely for any previous damage especially rubber roof repair, upper and lower corner damage/repair. Look for crinkles/cracks in the fiberglass. Also check the inside exterior walls for water stains / damage. What you are really looking for are issues of current or previous water damage that could hid damage. Also check roof edge caulking and roof caulking around vents, antenna, etc. These should be sealed tightly but may need to be recaulked in a few places.

[sreigle]

Congratulations and welcome aboard! We started our fulltiming life with a 2003 3295RK. That's a terrific floorplan. One thing to look for is where the water pump switch is. On our early 2003 it was in the kitchen. Inaccessible with slides in (think potty stops). I added another switch near the water pump. If yours is like ours, the water pump is behind that door at the bottom of the curio cabinet, directly across from the entry door.

Good luck. Don't hesitate to ask questions. This group is tops at providing help.

[Bill-N-Donna]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Congratulations and welcome aboard! We started our fulltiming life with a 2003 3295RK. That's a terrific floorplan. One thing to look for is where the water pump switch is. On our early 2003 it was in the kitchen. Inaccessible with slides in (think potty stops). I added another switch near the water pump. If yours is like ours, the water pump is behind that door at the bottom of the curio cabinet, directly across from the entry door.

Good luck. Don't hesitate to ask questions. This group is tops at providing help.

Hey that is a great idea! Do you have any more information you can share about installing the switch?

[cdaniels]

We bought our Montana used, 2005 3 years old, was used very little. Love it. Have never had any problems so far. We feel we saved a lot by going used though we did buy it from a dealer but was on consignment. Enjoy.... I think you will like it better than the cruise. It's like having a home on wheels. Good Luck