Results of pre-purchase detailed inspection!

[JimGnitecki]

My wife and I have been considering a DRV Tradition 375KPS. Our local dealer in Austin, Texas, ExploreUSA, offered to bring one in for us from their Dallas location, if we would give them a REFUNDABLE $250 deposit on our credit card - if we don't like it, they will refund the money within 5 days by check. Since we are seriously interested, we agreed. The salesman was pleased, as he says that he really wants to sell that unit, and so if we don't like it, he will get the chance to do so!

It came in last evening, and the crew at ExploreUSA got it prepped for our viewing. My wife can't see it until tomorrow morning because of her unusually long and busy work hours this week, but I spent 3 hours examining it head to toe this afternoon, using Terry's PDI checklist, which is very detailed.

Now, I did not get to yet test the 12 volt water or city water systems, because there was no water connection yet, and also the LP tanks have not yet been filled. (Remember, we have not yet bought it - just placed a refundable deposit on it to hold it for us while we make a final decision).

But, I was able to test almost everything else, including all the lighting, the drawer and cabinet workmanship, operation of the sofa bed, operation of the theater seats, shower and closet sliding doors, opening and closing all the thermopane windows, operation of both AC units, and even checking the psi in all 5 tires.

While I was there, ExploreUSA's regional manager, Dan Tauer, who used to be a VP at DRV, stopped by multiple times, and actually spoke with me several times for long periods of time, answering my questions about the various systems onboard the RV. He even fixed one defect I found, while he was there!

Here are the defects I have found:

1. The gutter over the entry door was mounted a bit low (or the door a bit high), as the gutter contacts the top rounded corner of the non-hinge side of the door just slightly when opening and closing.

2. There are 2 missing screws in the trim rub rail on the driver side rear of the coach, behind the slide (a technician appeared while I was doing this inspection, to screw in the missing screws and even to then color match them with the touchup paint we found inside the RV).

3. The screen door does not engage the latch when closed, and so will not stay closed.

4. The curb side rear Goodyear tire has no green valve cap (nitrogen filled tires) - it apparently got misplaced somewhere

5. The curb side front tire has lost air. It is currently at 83 psi versus the targeted 110 psi.

6. The driver side rear tire has also lost air, and is currently at 80 psi versus the 110 psi target.

7. The spare tire matches the other 4 Goodyear tires, but the spare WHEEL is just a cheap white one. (Dan Tauer says this is intended - no point in putting an expensive alloy wheel under the chassis where it will get pitted up in short order)

8. The bottom right drawer in the bedroom dressed on the curb side wall was off its slider tracks, and Dan fixed it while I was there.

9. I thought that perhaps the slideout windows were not thermopane, because unlike all the other windows in the RV, they had no label saying "dual pane", but Dan assured me they ARE dual pane - the labels just sometimes fall off

10. The rear window right by the roof ladder will not close, as the ends of the 2 articulated arms that close it have fallen out of the track. Dan and my salesman Paul both said this is an easy fix that the techs will do during further prepping for the sale.

11. Dan himself, with his experienced eye, found a loose piece of trim on the wall near the bedroom curb side window, and had me add it to the defects list.

Should I be concerned that the RV traveled over 250 miles from Dallas to this dealership, with only about 75% of the air pressure it should have had? Could that have hurt the 2 tires involved?

That's IT. Everything else looked good, and remember, this is using Terry's detailed PDI checklist (11 pages long).

I am pleasantly surprised, given everything I have heard about RV quality lately (ALL RVs, not DRV RVs singled out).

Now there are still the water systems to test in both 12 volt and city modes, but so far so good.

This encourages me greatly, and I think my wife and I will try to make a firm deal tomorrow morning, that will include ExploreUSA providing and installing a Splendide stackable washer and dryer pair, with external vent of course.

The ExploreUSA price is $72,073 which is 58% of MSRP including freight, per the build sheet I was provided. I was told that both DRV and ExploreUSA are clearing the Traditions out, as DRV is stopping producing the Tradition line.

Opinions on the RV and the price, guys and gals?

Jim G