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Old 09-22-2020, 01:51 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Brand: Still Looking
State: New York
Posts: 2
THOR #20583
Ready for an RV but a little nervous with bad reviews I see

Hi Everyone We have been renters for awhile and Love the RV experience. We live in Brooklyn NY so parking an RV is an issue so we said we will 1st solve this issue and we did. So we are ready for the RV. We have an opportunity to purchase a use 2014 Thor Ace 30.1 so what I do next is check reviews intensively and found issues with screws falling out, lifting jacks stuck, entry way step not holding, slide out stuck open and a few other issues. I know it's not only Thor but others have problems too. I am glad I found this forum because I see positive reviews here and really want to stick with Thor line. Question I have is what I should look for when I go see this RV this weekend. 2014 Thor Ace 30.1 has 9k miles, second owner, didnot use it all this season so still winterized, Located in Upstate NY, pictures shows it in great condition. Thank you for reading

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Old 09-22-2020, 01:57 PM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Connecticut
Posts: 1,773
THOR #20289
Pictures can be totally deceiving. The problems you mention are possible on any RV including the high end brands like Tiffin and Airstream. How tech/mech savy are you? There are comprehensive checklists available on the web to run an RV through its paces and catch most problems.

David
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Old 09-22-2020, 02:01 PM   #3
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Brand: Entegra
Model: Accolade 37TS
State: South Dakota
Posts: 8,727
THOR #1469
Welcome to the campfire.

Since you are asking what to look for I would highly recommend that on a used 2 owner unit that you seek the services of a qualified RV inspector to do a complete inspection top to bottom.

If you elect to ignore this recommendation and go on your own;
  • Check to make sure all systems are functional and this will require de-winterizing the unit so all of the plumbing can be checked for leaks.
  • Make sure the hot water heater works on electric and gas which means it will need to be checked one way, drained and the checked the other way.
  • Verify the age of the tires. A 2014 unit will require new tires soon (based on ager) unless they have been replaced.
  • Verify the age of the chassis and house batteries. Same thing applies with age.
  • Take the unit for a good test drive that includes city and highway driving. Make sure you are comfortable with how it handles. Do this even if you elect to hire the RV Inspector.

Hope this helps and good luck.
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Old 09-22-2020, 02:02 PM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Miramar 37.1
State: California
Posts: 2,460
THOR #12698
You need to look at the tires and outside walls. Check the roof for areas where water might be getting into it. Test drive the motor home and listen for any noises from the engine/transmission. Try out all of the systems(slides/lights/water system...). Look at the batteries(both engine and coach). Ask about any maintenance that was done to it. See if they have any paperwork on any work done on it. Look at the awning and slide toppers for wear/damage. The tires have date codes on them(YouTube Video) and check to see how old they are. They may look great but may be very old and in need of replacement.

Good Luck
Paul
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Old 09-22-2020, 02:16 PM   #5
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Brand: Still Looking
State: New York
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THOR #20583
Thank you

I really appreciate the help and will definitely dewinterize to check system before purchase.
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Old 09-22-2020, 02:32 PM   #6
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Brand: Still Looking
Model: Tiffin Wayfarer 24 BW
State: New York
Posts: 22,195
THOR #8860
Good luck with the inspection, and welcome to the Forum!
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Old 09-22-2020, 02:48 PM   #7
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Forest River Forester 235
State: Indiana
Posts: 4,883
THOR #6826
Congratulations on he decision join the RV community and your diligence in getting started. In addition to the good advice above you should put considerable effort into looking for water damage. Especially if the unit has been stored outdoors. Go up on the roof and carefully examine the sealant around the penetrations and seams. There may be small cracks which isn’t necessarily a problem but should be resealed with proper self leveling lap sealant. Also examine the outside walls around the windows and lights. And sniff around inside for any trace of mold. Examine the inside and outside of the walls for delimitation or staining. Water intrusion is the most frequent and serious of RV problems. I carefully inspect every 3 or 4 months and nearly always find something that requires my attention. A 6 year old coach that may have not seen much attention for over a year might be great but also maybe not. Low mileage is all well and good but it also can be hard on a vehicle. Take a good long test drive and consider replacing the brake, transmission, axle and engine oils and the coolant if you buy it. Good luck and don’t forget that it’s a recreational vehicle and should be fun. There will be other units if this one doesn’t check out.

Let us know!
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Old 09-22-2020, 09:31 PM   #8
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Fourwinds 24F
State: North Carolina
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I personally would go with an inspector on a used rig. You can locate one near you here: https://nrvia.org/locate/
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Old 09-22-2020, 11:35 PM   #9
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 29M
State: Texas
Posts: 2,672
THOR #11781
There are too many things to list to look for on a used RV. As a newbie you need to hire a professional to do the inspection or find a seasoned RVer to take with you. I wouldn't worry about loose screws at this stage but I would look for water intrusion and the affect it has on the compressed paper fiberboard Thor used during manufacture. If the tires are more than 2 or 3 years old, ask the seller to knock off a couple thousand to offset replacement. Same for the batteries, but lower your ask to 5 or 6 hundred. Good luck, maybe a forum member from upstate could meet you and help with the inspection.
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Old 09-23-2020, 12:24 PM   #10
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Quantum RQ29
State: Ohio
Posts: 1,296
THOR #13648
All of the above is great advice. Hope everything works out for you on this unit and welcome to the forum
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Old 09-23-2020, 01:38 PM   #11
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Chateau 35SF
State: Missouri
Posts: 738
THOR #2020
One thing I didn’t see mentioned is vent covers on the roof. On a 2014 unit they could be almost 7 years old. Check for any cracks in them. They are susceptible to UV damage. Also the vent above the fudge. Good luck and happy camping.
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