How picky are you during PDI?

[BlueThunder34]

We are upgrading from our Springdale to a 2016 Cougar 28RBS today and I wanted to know how "picky" are you during the PDI on whether or not you take delivery then or leave it for repair before signing papers. I know if big things like appliances not working, loose furniture, etc. are present I would insist those be fixed before I take delivery but what about minor cosmetic things like bubble in decals, loose door hinges, loose or damaged trim things like that. Is it unreasonable to expect the trailer be perfect on delivery? I am very thorough and have high expectations that when I am buying something new, I expect it to be new when taking delivery. Our Springdale had no flaws that I found when we took delivery of it, so I'm not sure how the dealer would have reacted if I refused delivery until they fixed minor issues. In the end I know its my money and its up to me what is acceptable but I am just wondering what type of issues you may have insisted be fixed before you would sign on the dotted line. We all know once the ink hits the paper its really your problem from then on, before that its the dealers.(tx)

[chuckster57]

I will give my perspective as I am often on the other side of the PDI. You should expect all appliances, windows, keys and remotes to operate as designed. Depending on how thorough your dealership is, cosmetic issues should be dealt with before your walk. We are all human, and I will admit that I miss some minor things, but those are addressed before the coach leaves.

Every customer is different. I have had some make me put a glass of water in the microwave and zap it as proof that it is working, and that's perfectly fine with me. We fill all tanks with water to check for leaks and proper sensor operation, but we empty them and don't fill them again for the customer. Most customers want to operate the furnace and A/C, I light the stove burners and the oven pilot light.

In the end, it's up to you how in depth you want to go, and the dealership shouldn't have any issues with it as long as you keep it to a reasonable length of time. We are allowed 2.5 hrs. Which is fine for a TT but I am not held to that, some class A Motorhomes can take the better part of 4 hrs.

There is a printable checklist here and you might want to print it out and ask your dealer how long they expect your walkthrough to take. We have done our walks and then move the unit to a less busy spot and let the customer loose without a tech. Any issues that can be handled at that time are, and repairs needing parts/authorization are documented.

Enjoy your new purchase, don't stress over little stuff as it will be fixed.

[dcg9381]

The dealer is most motivated to solve those issues before you cut the check. That's not to say that they won't be solved if you bring it back - but the timing may be completely different and you'll lose any negotiating power on things like "cosmetic" issues that may be excluded under warranty.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

Depends on what your priorities are ... and how OCD you are.
When I went a did the PDI for this RV, I remembered that way back in the
mid 50's my Dad bought a brandy new 3 bedroom split level on a 1/4 acre
for slightly less then I was paying for my new "Home". So, I gave it a very
careful inspection. This is my home, not a place for a week or a weekend
a few times a year.

hankaye

[CWSWine]

I say it depends on your relationship with the dealer. My dealer I would sign sight unseen because I know he will bend over backwards to fix things after it is paid for but I have bought several RVs off them. Now if I was gong to dealer that had questionable ratings that I had not dealt with before then I would make sure all but very minor items that I could easily fix done before handing them a check.

[dcg9381]

If you're gonna drive off with pending work, my suggestion would be an "IOU" list of work they agree to do...

[therink]

My last couple PDIs took about 3 hours using the checklist on this forum. On my current rig, I found about 12 things including leaking black tank flush. It was apparent from the things I found wrong that the dealer prep and checklist they used was nothing more than a quick vacuum of carpets and tire shine. Many things I found were repaired while I watched. I told them ahead of time to have a tech ready and that I would not sign until I was satisfied. Everything was fixed before I left except for a scratched drawer face that they ordered and mailed to me.
Yes, you do have to be thorough and diligent about this process. Once you drive away, you are at their mercy for warranty approvals a repairs which can takes weeks.

[Stew]

my ocd kicked in during the pdi. used the checklist i found here. i fly for a living and have done many acceptance flights out of heavy maintenance, i crawl over it. habit of placing my hands on everything i'm looking at, causes more attention than just a quick glance.

[KSH]

It takes months too fix anything once you leave. Get everything fixed before you sign.

[Ken / Claudia]

If it takes parts to be ordered, have a work order written up before taking it. I have used 3-4 hours on most PDIs.