5 Things You Should Know Before Picking up Your New RV at a Dealership

What you need to know when picking your new RV from a Dealership

You have saved enough, and finally, you are the proud owner of a new RV. There is every reason to be proud of yourself, and as you look forward to picking up your new RV at the dealership, there are a few things you need to know before picking it up. We'll look at 5 key things you should keep in mind when you are at the dealership. Keep reading.

1. The dealership should prepare your new RV for transfer

Before picking your new RV from the dealership, it will be essential to understand the process and how everything is done. 

Of course, this will help save your time and avoid some frustration in the process. As a matter of importance, the dealer is required to prepare a Pre-Delivery Inspection – PDI- to ensure that the new RV is in good condition physically and that all the systems are in good and operational state.

Considering that you're investing your hard-earned cash into the RV, it must be in good condition, and this must be certified by the dealer through the inspection. 

Once this inspection is completed, the dealer may need time to fix any problems found or install any additional requested accessories.  These installations could include upgraded AC, propane tanks, and television. This process might need a few days to complete so you can pick your new RV in a condition that's satisfying to you and ready for use.

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2. Think about your equipment and gear before the pick-up

Your new RV will need to be transferred from the dealership to your home. Of course, you will need to consider the most appropriate way to do this and ask yourself, do I have the necessary equipment to facilitate picking it up?

We aren't referring to camp chairs, patio lights, and the likes when discussing the gear and equipment. No! For example, if you'll be towing your new RV, you need to make sure that your vehicle has proper towing hitches and trailer brake controls. 

If your tow vehicle doesn't come equipped with these, your RV dealer may offer those at an additional cost.

You should ensure that your tow vehicle is rated correctly for the hitch weight and payload of the trailer you will be towing. 

3. Plan for a tour to familiarize yourself with your new RV

As a proud owner of the new RV, you might want to get out of the dealership and take charge of your new investment. 

However, don't be in a hurry and avoid this essential step. When picking your new RV at a dealership, a walk-through is crucial, and this should be scheduled ahead of time. 

The walk-through helps with the RV inspection. Your dealer will help you familiarize yourself with the RV’s smaller parts and how they work. 

You'll also gain a deeper understanding of the new rig. While this process is of great importance, it's good to note that it doesn't take long and two hours could be enough. Always have that in mind when scheduling with the dealership.

As the dealership takes you through this process, consider recording short video clips that you can revisit later to better understand the RV. 

While this might seem embarrassing from the onset, the benefit of having these short videos clearly recorded and marked will dawn on you later when you finally take possession of the new RV. As such, do it confidently and with precision.

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4. Plan for a test trip

Once you’ve paid for your new RV and gone through the familiarization process, the next step is to test drive it and have a feel of how it performs. But before this, it’s good to remember that just as with a car purchase, there are things to bring to the dealership, and these must be verified before you can officially own the RV and drive off for a test.

With those in place, driving your RV out of the dealership will be possible, and this is where you'll be able to detect if everything is running as it should be or some repairs are needed.

Additionally, the shakedown trip will help you prepare and plan for any long journeys you might have planned in the days ahead as it gives you a good feel of the new investment.

While you may have different plans for the shakedown trip, some approaches would be considered as the most effective and best as well.

Experts advise on taking a trip near your home, especially if you have good access to electricity and water. These allow you to rapidly inspect your new RV during the test trip.

This kind of shakedown trip also gives you an excellent opportunity to better understand the type of equipment you may need to stock the new RV with as you plan on taking your next vacation.

5. Patience Pays Off – Take your time and don’t hurry the process 

Finding a new or used RV can be a process, especially if you want a worthwhile investment that'll not disappoint you. The process of picking your selected option can also be lengthy, and you shouldn't be afraid of taking a little bit more time while doing it. 

Considering the amount of money you're investing and the benefits that come with it, it would be advisable that you take your time and make sure that everything is in perfect order before you can finally take away the RV from the dealership. 

Make sure to ask as many questions as is necessary and go through every document before taking the RV home. This way, you'll be better equipped on how to use the new RV and how to respond in case something arises in the future. 

Conclusion

Your new RV will be your home away from home whenever you’re vacationing. As such, take your time to familiarize yourself with it. 

This is very important, especially before your first trip. However, always remember that your understanding of the RV will grow as you use it, and things aren't likely to become crystal clear on the first day. 

Since you have invested your money and identified the best Recreational Vehicle, why not go out now and enjoy the adventure? All the best as you hit the road and explore the world!