Replacing a slide out

[D DeMarco]

I have a 2008 Montana 340L fifth wheel which just sustained fire damage from a neighboring trailer that caught fire. My main slide out was damaged and I'm trying to determine which way to go, repair or replace? It's my opinion it needs to be replaced. Just trying to get an idea on costs to replace. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

D DeMarco

 

[JRTJH]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your fire damage.

Repair costs are "all over the place" depending on so many variables that it's impossible to even guess what it might cost in any given location at any given time of the year...

About the only option, assuming you have insurance on your trailer, is to turn it into your insurance, have them run the costs and determine if they would even consider a repair.... Most insurance companies have a "max repair percentage of actual value"... If the repair cost exceeds their "replacement cost" then they won't approve a repair and will "buy out your trailer at the present value"..

On a 2008 model trailer, the actual value may be significantly less than what you consider to be its value. So, have you talked to your insurance company to see if they will even consider a repair? It sounds like with the fire damage, there's likely also going to be "scorch marks/decal damage to the rest of that side of the trailer and also likely to be some damage to the EPDM/TPO roofing membrane on the main trailer, as well as to any plastic attachments on the trailer sidewall.

You may be looking at far more to repair than the insurance company will approve, so at this point, if you haven't got your insurance company involved, I'd suggest that as a next step. If you have got them involved, did they approve repairs, give you the option or say that the trailer is a total loss??? If a total loss, you may be able to buy back the trailer and then repair as a "rebuild titled vehicle"... That opens another possible "can of worms" but we're not there yet....

 

[chuckster57]

welcome to the forum :wlcm:

Unfortunately, I doubt that a replacement is available. Repair is going to be about the only option and insurance will only pay 80% of current value. I wish you the best as I am betting it will be declared a total loss.

IF you plan on doing all the work yourself, Be ready for lots of bumps along the way. I worked in an RV collision shop for a year and just getting the slide out can be daunting for the DIYer.

 

[Lee-KEY]

I have a 2008 Montana 340L fifth wheel which just sustained fire damage from a neighboring trailer that caught fire.
D DeMarco

Did the neighboring trailer that caught fire and caused damage to your RV have insurance? If so, they should be addressing the damage to your rig.

 

[Raptor Dave]

Did the neighboring trailer that caught fire and caused damage to your RV have insurance? If so, they should be addressing the damage to your rig.

This was my thought. Isn't that insurance protocol anymore? Whether it was the neighbors fault or not won't your insurance go after their insurance if it was their fault?
I'm not sure as I haven't had an insurance claim in so long I had to look and make sure I still had a policy for everything!
>>>(hoping I didn't just jinx myself)

Also...are we being told the entire story? Maybe the OP isn't fresh on their insurance? We pay roughly $500 a year for full replacement. I can't imagine insurance for a 17 yr old coach would be more? Am I being mean?

 

[Notanlines]

D, I believe we would all like to see a couple pictures of your damage, particularly the exterior of the slide. Before the fire, considering the age of your unit, the retail price was probably in the 15k to 18k range. It would be terrifically hard to rebuild a slide of any size and not exceed the worth of the unit itself. As was suggested previously, a buy-back from the insurance company may be in store for you.

 

[spicercars]

Welcome from northern MN. What did the insurance company say? Did the rv that was next to yours have insurance?

 

[NH_Bulldog]

In order for there to be liability, there first has to be negligence. Negligence is legally defined as failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another.

I have had many cases where it isn't as simple as it started over there, so it must be your fault. It can be a tree that falls from one property onto another and causes damage. It wasn't negligence, a tree fell over.

There was a case I was involved once in where someone broke into a house my company insured and poured gas everywhere and burned it down. In the process, the vinyl siding on the houses on either side melted and windows cracked. However, the homeowner wasn't responsible or negligent; someone robbed him and burnt his house down, so each neighbor claimed their losses on their respective insurance policies and neither approached us for reimbursement.

Regardless, the subrogation process can take years, so it is always advisable to let your own insurance deal with it, let them make you whole again, and then they will fight it out with the responsible party.

 

[wiredgeorge]

The OP checked off after posting and hopefully will return to continue the dialog. Otherwise, a lot of good info going into the void.