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Old 10-20-2005, 10:40 PM   #2
B_and_D
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Santa Cruz County, CA
Posts: 2,405
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Good suggestions from Leon. I would also ask them to open it up and close it a few times (completely, including the bathroom).

I would check out the wall corners in the upper and lower shells. Push gently on the walls and see if they are soft in the corner areas. If you sniff around the corners and it smells musty and moldy, there is probably some damage. It wouldn't be a bad idea to run a hose over the unit to see if there are obvious leaks.

If there's an awning ask them to open it and close it. Fold in the stairs. Raise and lower the corner stabilizers. Is there a spare tire? You'll need one.

Check out the NADA guides for a value - http://www2.nadaguides.com/autohome2...wPr=0&wPg=2111. Most of the stuff that is listed there is standard on a TM so you don't want to add on for it. Extras would include A/C (does it work?), tv antenna/booster (does it work?), and awning.

It would be ideal if you could arrange to have them hitch up and tow the trailer to see if it pulls straight, and also test the brakes. We can hear ours engaging when we put our foot on the tow vehicle brake and someone is standing outside. Do all the outside lights work? The easiest way to know is to connect it to a vehicle that has a 7-prong plug.

Keep in mind that it takes a long time for the refrigerator to cool down. If it's a 3-way (110v, 12v, propane), you want to be sure that it works on propane if you plan to camp without hookups.

Check the grey water tank for leaks. Run water in the faucets. Ask them to fire up the hot water heater. Ask them to fill up the toilet and see how it works or if it leaks.

If it was me, I'd plan on taking at least 2 hours to get the appliances working and check things out.

You should check the converter out and see if it charges the battery. How old is the battery? If you bring a simple volt meter along you should be able to check the output where the wires connect to the battery.

When we inspected our used TM, the dealer had the battery charged up and the propane filled when we arrived. Ask them to be sure that at least one propane tank is filled for your inspection tests. If you want to make sure that the refrigerator runs on propane, then I'd ask them to not start it up until you got there. It should start to feel cool within 20 - 30 minutes, you'll have to put your hand in the freezer to check. If it's really hot outside, it will take longer.

Hopefully what you find will suit your needs, good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Dee
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