I purchased my 5th wheel 10/31/19 with delivery not taking place until 11/15/19 because PDI kept getting pushed back. This being my first RV purchase there was a lot I didn’t know and very little I did. I was originally told that a PDI needed to be done by law and that I needed to be there. The day of the inspection I called to confirm when to be there and was told “you really don’t need to be here. Don’t waste the trip.” Fast forward to delivery day, the delivery guy basically dropped it off and that was it. It wasn’t incredibly hard to figure out the hookups, leveling etc. Things seemed fine at that time. Little did I know that less than a week later the first of many nightmares was about to start. Total sewer system backup, propane leaks, electrical issues, what I was originally told was just wallboard damage probably from things hitting the wall in the past was actually water damage from two leaking windows, mold in several walls that are now separating, a/c issues... it never ends. I started researching different forms of recourse because I knew 99.9% of these issues were things they absolutely should have found during the secretive inspection. One piece of information I needed for my research was the unit VIN. My partner told me where to find it but when I went to look I got yet another shock. In the spot where the information was supposed to be was a mostly blank area. The information sticker had been intentionally cut out. I can see the outside edge of the information. I went back through pictures I took of the trailer before I purchased it, I did happen to catch that area in a shot and at that time the information also was not there. So my question is, what are the laws regarding a dealership selling a unit without this information? How do I know the information they filed with the state was correct? Is there any recourse at this point or just another lesson learned? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Welcome to the forum Jules and sorry to learn of your RV purchase experience.. Paythebill has given you some good advice, were it me I'd be finding a good attorney right away. If what you have outlined is all true then it appears you have bought a "lemon" RV from a dealer who has taken advantage of you. Any reputable dealer will have you do a walk thru prior to pickup or delivery to find and take care of any problems that the RV may have, etc. To me this is an open and shut case and any good attorney would be to handle it for you and either get your money back and/or everything repaired and taken care of to your satisfaction. The fact that the VIN has been tampered with or removed is a straight out indication that something illegal is going on for sure. A reputable dealer would not even touch an RV that didn't have VIN to identify it. Good luck on this and by all means don't waste any more time getting that attorney on board to assist you with this............... BankShot..............(aka Terry)
It appears the rig you bought was a used unit. If that is the case, you likely signed an "as is" statement and you own all the problems. The VIN will be stamped in several places, just like on a car. The sticker portion is there for convenience, more than identification. It is possible the previous owner destroyed it because they were paranoid about people having easy access to the information on the sticker. Or, it could be just weather deterioration because that area of the sticker was not clear coated and the edges were. You can pay an attorney, but I am reasonably confident they are going to tell you that you have no legal grounds to seek any compensation.
--------------------------------------------------------- You bring up a very good point, If indeed the buyer purchased the RV and signed saying they were doing so in an "as is condition" then they are most likely stuck with their purchase. The OP didn't state how it was purchased so this is now becomes a major point in whether or not an attorney should be consulted with. Thanks for bringing this into the "picture". One statement the OP made however was that they were told they did not have to be present at a PDI (by state law?) does tend to lend some credence to the OP's concern. It sure would make me a tad concerned............??? Regards, BankShot..............(aka Terry)
Check all the inside/outside cabinet doors, my second vin ID sticker is on the the inside entrance door. My outside vin sticker is unreadable, as it's sun faded. From the pic looks like I see a shadow just to the left of the left slide, is that de- lamination?, maybe a roof leak source? Check your floor for any spongy spots, discolored linoleum or added carpeting, all could be a sign of floor water damage. That might add up to a total loss. If the floor looks good see if you can find a mobile tech or take the 5er to a "service only " repair shop. They maybe able to peal back or remove the outside fiberglass shell, dry out the wood and replace/reglue the fiberglass. Yeah this will be expensive but at least have someone look at it to see if it's worth it vs a total loss of investment. (Fyi I had similar work done ten yrs ago on my trailer, but mine was covered under a warranty. No problems since.) The mechanical, a good service tech should be able to resolve. Just my opinion here, good luck and very sorry to hear this. Mike
I have never heard of needing to be present at a PDI as a matter of law. That would be an extraordinarily strange law. I mean, you can purchase a car, a home or Van Gogh without a PDI, why would a used RV be any different. I re-read the original post and it was a used RV, since they talk about the possibility that a leak was the result of a prior accident.
Just hate to hear of folks like yourself getting taken advantage of like this. When your uninformed and new you don't know what to look for and what to ask. Having someone who has owned an rv with you could have possibly saved you a lot of grief and money. You very possibly might be stuck, hope you investigate with a lawyer to at least find out what you can do if anything.
