How to identify Dry Rot in RV units.

The biggest concern when buying a used Recreational Vehicle should be condition with regards to leak damage, more commonly known as Dry Rot. Dry Rot is often overlooked by buyers due to inexperience with RV units. More attention seems to be paid to things like floor plan, options or price. The single largest expense that can be incurred on a RV unit is rebuild work from water damage. Checking a unit for water damage is not as easy as you might think. Here are some pointers, but nothing can replace years of experience. People usually have a brief look at the ceiling, but you need to get your hands inside the cupboards to try to feel for soft spots in the walls and ceiling. You should step on every spot possible on the floor looking for soft areas. We are always wary of units with new flooring as it’s usually installed to cover up problems with the original floor. A common spot for leaks in Class C Motor homes and Truck Campers is the front corners and under the bunk mattress. Many cases of water damage are not visible from inside the unit. A careful inspection outside the unit is necessary. Check the roof for cracked or loose sealant, cuts in the membrane and missing vent stacks. Inspect all the moldings to ensure they are not loose and are sealed. Check the seals on the windows and accessory doors. Even with a very careful inspection, many things could be missed. As always we highly recommend a complete inspection from a reputable dealer. The cost of one or two hour’s labour for inspection could save thousands in repair work. The example photos are from a 2002 one owner travel trailer, that would be considered good quality.

You and Me and the HST in BC

The British Columbia HST Tax has been out for quite some time now, and not much has changed with regard to Recreational Vehicle Sales. Before we had the Harmonized Sales Tax we had a 7% Provincial Tax and a 5% Federal Tax, 12% same today. Pre-HST when you traded a vehicle in on your purchase you paid both taxes on the difference, same deal now. I don’t think people pay enough attention to trade in tax savings. If you purchase a $50,000.00 unit and you get $35,000.00 for your trade, you will only have to pay tax on the $15,000.00 difference. That means a tax savings of $4,200.00 on the trade value, unless you pay cash and sell your trade separately. The only real change with regard to tax collection on vehicle sales in British Columbia is Private Sales. Before the HST Private Sales only had to pay the 7% Provincial Sales Tax. This Tax has now been raised to 12% and as always is collected by ICBC.

Selling Your RV ?

People sell their units for a lot of reasons. Sometimes it lack of use, need money, divorce, relocation, the list is endless. Regardless of your reason to sell you may consider having a Dealership help you sell your unit. The biggest consideration is exposure, this is especially relevant today with most print advertising classified sections fading away and the Internet taking the more prominent role. Selling your RV is a difficult task. You should ensure that all needed repairs are performed, have the Propane System Certified, insure unit for demonstration purposes and expertly detail. Now the hard part to establish the market value, this is difficult to do when you are financially and emotionally entangled. Most buyers are trying to buy below market value and most sellers are tyring to get above, how is that going to work? Another consideration would be your time to answer calls and meet potential buyers.You should consider your security, as you will share alot of personal information. We can offer potential buyers financing, selection, demonstration, repairs and service. But above all that our ability and desire to accept trade in's doubles our chance of making the sale. We have a fully interactive website that gets nearly 1000 visitors per day. We have strategically placed print ads in popular publications and 40,000 vehicles drive by our location per day. In fact we have more trouble finding units to sell than selling them. Finally we are here everyday to answer the phone, show and demonstrate units.

I Love my Wildcat Fifth Wheel

It's no secret why Wildcat continues to be one of the Nations Top Selling Fifth Wheels. The side walls are constructed of welded tubular aluminium studs, then
insulated with foam and Vacuum-Bonded. The floor is made of 2" X 3"'s on 12" centers and has a R-14 insulation factor. The chassis is a 10" steel I-Beam that provides greater strength and rigitity than tubular frames. Have you ever seen the one touch electric awning with no levers or knobs? It's sure to save a few marriages. Inside the coach you can enjoy floor track lighting which gives indirect lighting to help you see at night. The drawers are constructed from real plywood and have ball bearing glides to give you years of trouble free operation. Can you believe a CD/DVD Surround Sound System that runs on 12 Volts? How about Corian solid surface countertops, residential style metal kitchen faucet and nickle finish door handles and hinges? Now I could go on and on but the fact remains if you're in the market for a fifth wheel you should have a look at a Wildcat. To view our in stock Wildcats click here.

Who Needs RV Service

Proper servicing of a Recreational Vehicle should be the most important part of an RV purchase. We see people in our Service Department all the time who just bought a unit privately and say "He seemed like an honest fellow". Now don't get me wrong, we should be able to put our kids through college with all the service work that's available. I don't think people realize what a reputable Dealer offers in terms of Service. A used RV is kind of like buying a used car and an old house, with an elaborate 12 volt system and Propane appliances. Used car buyers almost always get the vehicle inspected, but with RV's a pre-inspection is less likely. I'll give you a rundown on what we do to each RV we sell. First we inspect the charging system and batteries. We then move to the Propane system where we not only check for leaks but for appliance operation and ensure its up to current codes. If the Propane System is up to code and operational we apply a BC Propane Gas Inspection Decal, which is mandatory in British Columbia. Next we inspect the roof seams, vents, windows and doors for problems with the sealants. Inside the unit we will check the operation of all lights, switches, breakers and fuses. Now we add water and check pump operation and for leaks in the fixtures, tanks and water heater. If that's not enough, we check to make sure all cabinet catches and drawer guides are functional. Finished? Not yet- we still have to check the wheel bearings, brake operation, tires and exterior lights lights to ensure safety. All of this is performed for a towable unit, what about Motor homes? With Motor homes you can add automotive safety inspection, automotive repairs and servicing. We find our average cost to service towable units to be $1000 to $1500 and $2000 to $3000 for motorized units, if we don't find an appliance issue or leaks/dry rot. Once we have performed all the repairs and testing its now time for the most important part, the instructional demonstration. So many issues can be solved if the customer knows the proper method of operating their unit. To sum it up you should ensure your Dealer is prepared to perform all these tasks on your purchase. If you do buy privately, I highly recommend a RV Dealer inspection and Propane Re-certification.

Why we sell Puma Towables

2011 Puma by Palomino

People often ask us why we sell Puma by Palomino owned by Forest River Inc. Aside from their stunning good looks, stylish decor options and pricing these Travel Trailers and Fifth Wheels are really well built. For example all exterior corners, all cabinet backing points and where furniture screws to the walls are not just one but two 2 X 2's giving you extra strength where its needed. The floor joists are 2 X 2 and spaced on 12'' centers. The sidewalls are 2 X 2 with 16'' centers, can you believe some manufacturers still use 1 X 2's? In order to walk on the roof we have a 4 1/2'' crowned truss roof system with 3/8'' roof decking. In order to build a top quality coach you need to start with a good foundation our rugged, powder coated steel I-beam frame is second to none. Top that off with 5/8 one piece floor decking glued and screwed with a 25 year warranty. These are only a hand full of the features that Puma trailers and fifth wheels have to offer. We encourage you to view the 2011 lineup and to see why point to point you can't beat the Puma towable. To view our in stock Puma's click here.

Trailer Tow Ratings

Choosing the right tow vehicle is very important if considering a travel trailer or fifth wheel. My Dad always said "Don't put the horse before the cart". Meaning don't limit your RV purchase based on the truck you just bought. We often see people purchase too light duty a truck to pull the unit they like. To avoid this we recommend choosing your RV first then matching up the proper tow vehicle. There are a variety of terms you should know like GCWR, GVWR, GAWR. Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) The total allowable weight of the tow vehicle, the trailer, the cargo in each, fluids and occupants. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) The total allowable weight for the vehicle, including occupants, fluids, options, hitch hardware, cargo and trailer-hitch weight. Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) The total allowable weight on an individual axle. This includes the weight of the tires, wheels, brakes and the axle itself. The maximum tow ratings for individual tow vehicles can be hard to determine. The easiest method and the one we use is Trailer Life Magazines Tow Rating Guide. Look up your vehicles tow rating by going to their main page at www.trailerlife.com and finding their Towing Guide.