RV Safe Inspections of Western Pennsylvania

We are RV owners ourselves so we know what it means to own one. We also know what it means to have one develop issues and how it can play havoc with your plans and your wallet and in some cases, your entire life. Our goal is to minimize the risk of buying RVs regardless of type, travel trailer, 5th wheel, motorhome, and others such as horse trailers, etc. through completing a totally unbiased third party inspection. Just take a look on YouTube and see just how many experts and bloggers highly recommend inspections before buying ANY RV, ESPECIALLY USED. We recently did a new one for an attorney that the buyer found an issue that both the dealer and manufacturer decided wasn't an issue. Unfortunately, buying new doesn't guarantee quality any more. Doesn't matter if you intend to buy from a dealer or off of Marketplace. There's plenty of good ones out there....and a lot of junk also. Can you afford to make a wrong decision?

Trustworthy Inspections Guaranteed

RV Inspection Services and why would anyone want to have one done........

Comprehensive inspections to ensure a worry-free RV buying experience for our clients.

We inspect pickup shells, pop ups, travel trailers, toy haulers, 5th wheels, horse trailers, if it tows and/or is an RV of any kind, we can inspect it. Even if isn't classified as an RV, it can be checked. Motorhomes will be inspected on a limited basis. We will not test drive motorhomes or remove wheels though wheels can be removed on trailers. Insurance restrictions prohibit this. This includes class A and C models. We will gladly do diagnostic computer checks on the vehicle with our fancy, schmancy computer as a part of the inspection unless the chassis is pre OBD II (1995 or older). We will also look at areas such as suspension, exhaust, etc. as able to be visualized.

WE DO NOT AND WILL NOT DO REPAIRS ON ANY RV SYSTEMS OR WILL ATTEMPT TO SELL ANY CLIENT ANYTHING BUT THE INSPECTION SERVICES THAT WERE CONTRACTED. We may recommend centers on request only to have necessary repairs completed at or to do a more extensive inspection of motorhome chassis components if the client desires.

Yes, third party inspections are not free or even cheap in all honesty. But look at it this way....would you rather spend some now than spend a LOT later on something that you never should have bought in the first place? Unless you have more money than sense (if you did, why would you be here in the first place?) , I think you know the answer to that question. With the amount of bad pre owned RVs out there, and yes some new ones, and that includes many produced during the pandemic relating to 2020 and 2021 model years, unless you know the intricacies of modern RVs very well, you need someone in your corner to keep the sellers honest. Remember one thing....we work for YOU! Yes, there are many honest sellers out there, both dealers and private sellers. Unfortunately, there are too may that are not and you are nothing more than an ATM to them. And the manufacturers aren't helping the situation at all. If a seller refuses to allow an inspection, that should be your cue to not walk away, but run really fast. Still on the fence? Take some time and go to YouTube and look at some of the videos out there. RV authorities like Alan Warren, otherwise known as the RV Wingman, Liz Amazing, and many others strongly recommend third party inspections always and we recommend you watch their videos on YouTube. There are also several legitimate RV inspectors who have channels there which can be very informative. RV lemon lawyers do also. We don't want you to have to hire one of them in the end. We nor any other inspector cannot guarantee that nothing will ever happen or that systems will never malfunction even a relatively short time after purchase. That would be unrealistic and an outright lie on our part. Our job is to look for significant issues that can create a potential money pit for the buyer, also to make sure the RV is not an unsafe conveyance which is paramount .

Prevent Buyer's Remorse Today

Let us help you make an informed decision and avoid purchasing the wrong RV. Don't allow yourself to fall victim like too may have. Today, your dollars are more precious than ever. Let us help protect them. Interest rates are high enough along with RV costs and everything else with not having a money pit end up being your end purchase. You work hard for everything you have. Protect your money. There's little worse than going into debt over something you cannot enjoy to it's fullest. Buying any RV is NOT an investment. They depreciate heavily and upkeep is not always the cheapest as a rule. Thus, why would anyone want to buy one that isn't worth the powder to blow it up?

Expert Third Party Inspections

Trust our thorough inspections to help try to protect you from making a costly mistake when buying an RV. We want you and your family enjoying the great outdoors, not spending time at a shop every time you want to make plans to travel. The RV lifestyle is a great one, regardless of whether you can go out just a few weekends a year or become a full timer or in between. We want you making lifetime memories, not wringing your hands and remembering doing that. RVing is not supposed to be stressful.

So.......what exactly is an RV pre sale inspection?

You didn’t come this far to stop so keep reading

Ok, you are in the market to buy a pre owned RV. Maybe even a new one if you have trepidation about it. It doesn't matter which type, style or make. You've been spending time online, looking at dealer lots, perusing Facebook Marketplace, RV Trader, everyplace that you can find RVs for sale at. The thing is that a used RV is not covered with a full manufacturer's warranty as a new one would be. Most likely, it is an "AS-IS" one with no warranty at all. as most used RVs are sold that way. Yes, there are maintenance contracts out there you can buy, but some of them are quite expensive and too often have fine print that makes them not as comprehensive as one may think they are. Anyway, why would anyone want to go RV shopping thinking of how many times it may have to be in the shop. That doesn't make sense. But you cannot afford new or you have other reasons for buying pre owned so you figure you'll take your time and find the right one. I mean, there has to be one, isn't there?

Your hard work has paid off and you think you've found the one that you and your family can afford and checks all the boxes. You're excited as you should be. RVing with your family has been a dream and now it looks like it is becoming a reality. Great, fantastic....or is it? That excitement you're feeling can also be a blinder. Emotions are a strong force.

In all honesty, you will not know for sure until it is gone over by an unbiased third party that knows RV systems and what to look for before you sign anything or money exchanges hands. Nothing can turn that great RV dream into a living nightmare faster than buying the wrong unit. The inspector is looking for significant defects that not only reduce the value of the RV, but most importantly will cost you money, maybe lots of money, that you shouldn't have to spend after the sale. He doesn't work for any seller, so he has no skin in the game not to find things wrong. It's not hard to overlook many potential and actual issues with an RV if you don't know what you need to look for. Those defects may not cost you anything right away, but will at some point. And the cost may be quite high. Inspectors cannot always find every little niggle that might be there, but the bad stuff we are real good at digging up. We're detectives in the RV world, not unlike the home inspectors who you contract when you buy a sticks & bricks house.

We're not trying to insult anyone's intelligence. We, as many others, just realize that everyone isn't an RV expert or a mechanic and knows the nuts & bolts of RV systems. That's where a service such as ours comes in. Really, it doesn't matter to us if you buy the unit we are inspecting or not. We just plain don't want you buying the wrong one and that's our main goal always, avoiding you getting into a bad unit and keeping the sellers honest.

RV Safe Inspections saved me from a potential disaster. Their thorough inspection gave me peace of mind.

Satisfied Customer

★★★★★

Ok, I get the message. Now what should I do now that you've scared me good? I refuse to become another statistic.

Bottom line is not so much who does the inspections aside from the seller so long as it is a professional third party inspector. It matters more that you have one done. But get it done by people who care about you and that you do NOT waste your hard earned money BEFORE you get into debt over this. After you sign is too late. Don't expect the dealers and especially the manufacturers to have your back. As too many have found out the hard way, it just doesn't happen. and with some dealers, the so called PDI (pre delivery inspection) can be a joke. Now, there are some dealers that do take care of their customers after sale and I really hope you buy from one of them and some absolutely will not sell garbage. But their selections, just as all dealers, are limited, especially used, and you might not find what you want at one of the best ones. (Advice for free - if buying from a dealer, better to go with the mom & pop dealerships or independents. They tend to value their customers) Don't believe us? Peruse social media and you will hear the horror stories and there are plenty of them. We're not telling you to not buy a used RV if that's the way you need to go. We and the other experts out there don't want to see you get ripped off. It's bad enough that now RV loans can go for in excess of 7 to 10 years, as expensive as they are especially new. Why should you or anyone end up with a pile of junk and a money pit. That isn't what the RV lifestyle is all about.

And, yes, it is also possible to get ripped off on a new RV. We recently inspected a brand new one that the buyer was the alleged victim of dealer shenanigans pre sale and is now under litigation. So, it can happen. Be forewarned.

OK, NOW WE HAVE TO GET DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY, THE STUFF WE HAVE TO PAY LAWYERS AND THE LIKE FOR. SORRY. YOU KNOW, FULL DISCLOSURE AND ALL THAT GOBBLEDGOOK.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ ALL OF THE NEXT PARAGRAPH BEFORE YOU CONTRACT US. IMPORTANT TERMS ARE HERE.

Our inspector who comes out to look at your potential dream RV will take all the time necessary to go over it from the coupling in front to the tail lights out back and everything in between. Restrictions regarding self propelled motorhomes will apply regarding driving them and other factors which are detailed earlier on this site. You will be charged a flat rate dependent on the type and size of the RV and distance needed for the inspector to travel, which will be agreed to in advance, and required to sign a contract for services and pay the fee prior to inspection in full upon the inspector's arrival at the RV being inspected unless other arrangements have been made prior. You will be charged a flat fee including tax and all applicable fees dependent on the RV plus mileage round trip if more than 50 miles from our HQ. We accept ONLY cash and credit/debit cards. without prior approval from our management. Payment by credit/debit will be subject to a 6% merchant service fee added on to the total inspection charge. Those bloodsuckers make us pay it so unfortunately, you have to also. We will accept bank checks made out to RV Safe Inspections with current government issued ID. Your library card won't work. We will NOT accept personal checks under any circumstances. Sorry, folks, but there's too much risk of bad paper out there. Nothing personal. The seller or authorized representative MUST be with the RV being inspected if a private seller. If at a dealership, the dealer must be contacted by you prior and they must agree to the inspection and have it ready for us. As stated previously here, we will not take the time from the inspection to get it ready anywhere. It's not our job. The RV should be able to be hooked up to electricity, propane and water. The ability to dump the tanks make for a more complete inspection, but we get that it's most often not possible so we'll wing it. The absence of any utilities will have no choice but to make the inspection incomplete which RV Safe Inspections has no control of and no discounts will be given for lack of utilities. Under these circumstances, we reserve the right to downgrade the inspection to either intermediate or basic at our discretion. Quotes will be for a comprehensive (most complete) inspection unless requested at a lower type by the client. Please make every effort to have the prospective RV in a location where utilities are available. A generator will suffice for electrical evaluation but must produce enough wattage for the demands of the unit. Understand that if it has a built in generator that we cannot address the shore line connection if that is what is powering the unit so both need be available. The same as to wattage must be true for the shore line connection. A propane tank must have sufficient quantity to run the appliances and furnace.

Inspections requested by an attorney will be quoted on a case by case basis. Detailed illustrated reports can be completed for evidentiary purposes on request and quoted rates will reflect the extra reporting. This special report may be done in lieu of or in addition to normal inspection reporting formats.

All rates quoted will be for one round trip to the RV location. Any additional visits to complete more photos or due to other circumstances requested by any client or attorney will result in additional charges which must be prepaid prior to the subsequent visit by the inspector. We assure that the contracted inspection will be completed in one visit by our inspector from our end. We have no control on sellers or dealers regarding allowing us enough time and access and this necessity should be made clear to them by the client prior to the inspection date.

Once the inspection has concluded, you will be given a full report sent to you via email within 48 hours guaranteed and the inspector will make himself available to answer questions if the client wishes. If the client has no access to email, a printed hard copy can be sent out by the US Postal Service. We cannot guarantee a time frame of receipt by the client using this means of delivery. We will have the report in the mail within 48 hours but have no way to make sure you receive it quickly. Extra costs may be involved using the Postal Service especially if special means of delivery are requested. Electronic service is our preferred way of sending out completed reports. The inspector will be glad to discuss the findings at the location of the inspection if time permits if the client is present for the inspection. To speak to the inspector again at a later date, all you have to do is call our main number or email us and if the inspector is not immediately available, he will call back at first opportunity. This report will outline everything good found and especially everything which may be or become a problem area.

WE DO NOT DO SETTING UP AN RV FOR INSPECTION. THE UTILITIES MUST BE HOOKED UP, TURNED ON AND THE RV READY FOR INSPECTION UPON ARRIVAL OF THE INSPECTOR. THE RV MUST BE PLACED WHERE THE AWNING MAY BE ROLLED OUT COMPLETELY OR IT CANNOT BE INSPECTED. IF THE WEATHER IS BAD ON THE INSPECTION DATE, A DATE CHANGE MUST BE MADE. IF TOO HOT, THE FURNACE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE CHECKED PROPERLY. IF TOO COLD, THE A/C.

Phew! That was exasperating. We do pride ourselves on being up front with everyone so it really wasn't all that bad. To go on....

The inspector will NOT advise you to buy or not to buy, so do not ask. That isn't what inspectors do. We are here to look over the RV with an educated critical eye and give you a broad picture of its condition overall. This makes you an educated consumer and gives you the tools to make an informed decision based on important facts. Then with the report in hand, you have great tools to negotiate repairs or a better price if you still wish to pursue purchasing the RV inspected. If not, then you walk away. Yes, you have paid for an inspection for an RV you do not own now, but it is sure a whole lot better and cheaper than going into debt or spending your savings on something that will give you grief rather than enjoyment.

Oh, hey, we almost forgot....and this is real important!

ARE YOU IN THE MILITARY OR A VETERAN? ARE YOU OR WERE YOU IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE SERVICE, EMS, DISPATCH, PARK RANGER OR FISH & BOAT, EVEN IF RETIRED? CAREER OR VOLUNTEER, LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL, DOESN'T MATTER. IF YOU ARE, WITH VALID OFFICIAL ID, ACTIVE OR RETIRED, OR A DD214, YOU GET A 15% DISCOUNT ON ALL INSPECTIONS IF ACTIVE OR 10% IF RETIRED OR DISCHARGED!!!! WE SERVE AND LOVE ALL WHO DO OR HAVE.

Yeah, we know that this has been a lot to digest, and I'm sure some you really didn't want to hear, but you deserve to know the entire truth about buying pre owned RVs, and occasionally new ones, and the services a company like ours provides before you make that all important decision. RV inspectors have not been around all that long as industries go, but we are here now and we serve an important purpose. There used to be a commercial from a major company that makes oil filters for cars that had a slogan that holds true here. "Pay me now or pay me later.". The "Later" is the really expensive one. Let this all sink in a while.

Just give us a call at 724-636-5362 Monday through Friday 10am until 5pm, weekends leave a message. Closed on Holidays but you can leave a message. And we do take vacations from time to time plus going off on orders on occasion. We are RVers and still serve also. Actually, leave a message anytime. Our team will be glad to talk to you and come up with a plan to look at the one you are considering purchasing or just answer your questions. If we are busy during normal hours, leave a message and we will call back ASAP. If you rather, fill out the contact form here and we will call you. Our email address is rvsafeinspections@aol.com to email directly. We come to YOU and do the inspection where the RV is at! We cover all of Western Pennsylvania and can come further, but extra costs would apply.