Water damage in potential buy
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Printed Date: 21 May 2026 at 1:55am
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Topic: Water damage in potential buy
Posted By: mtjadkow
Subject: Water damage in potential buy
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2023 at 9:02pm
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We're looking at a used 2019 rpod 172, but when I went to view it I noticed some minor water staining on the ceilingabove the dinette in the rear. There are a few spots spread across the width that are centered around where the staples holding up the interior are, as if water seeped out through the staple hole. There are also a few spots where the ceiling meets the walls on both sides. It is a bit below where the wind diverter is on the exterior, making me think that's the source of where water is getting in as there are no signs of water damage anywhere else. On the exterior it appears that everything around the wind diverter is still well sealed with the factory caulking (there's one tiny gap in it, about the size of a pencil point, but it's in one corner and seems unlikely it would cause staining on the opposite side). It's been sitting uncovered at the consignment dealership all winter in Montana and we've had lots of moisture, there was even a bit of water sitting on the top side of the wind diverter when I went to look at it, but on the inside nothing seems to be wet now, just stained. The seller claims he never saw any staining, so it's hard to tell how long it's been there or what the source is. So, my question is, as first time RV owners, would we be crazy to still buy it? They're asking $20k but already accepted our preliminary $18k offer (before I saw the damage). I'm thinking with the damage they'd accept a lower offer, but I'm not sure how big a risk we'd be taking knowing there's a water leak issue and how much I should come down on the price to account for that. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!  |
Replies:
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2023 at 9:28pm
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Interesting that this seller/ consignment dealership is asking a ridiculous price and then be willing to drop it by 10% on a prelim. offer. Personally I would not even consider it as water damage is probably much worse than what you can see in the ceiling and walls, which may or may not be affected. Then there is the potential for mold which can be a killer on your health. If the seller 'claims' he didn't see the staining before then there is a lot more going on under/inside the ceiling and probably walls than you would want to tackle. Now maybe if they were willing to drop the price to 10K and you were super handy at tearing into the walls/ceiling to see the extent of the damage, then maybe......otherwise IMHO stay clear and look for something without water damage or stains. Be patient . . . . wait . . . . the right one will come around in time. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: Rpodrrr
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2023 at 12:10am
| It’s a valid question and depends a lot on if you are good with your hands or not. I had a big rain storm one night and the same thing happened. I could always smell a bit of a musky smell prior to me discovering a sagging ceiling. I put some tips up on this website/forum on how I repaired mine. It is due to the spoiler on the top where the screws go in to the gelcoat. I took the spoiler off and recaulked everything underneath. I then used Enterra bond tape and sealed the whole spoiler down again over the screws. I then cut the ceiling out and pulled out the insulation to dry it. I found the dealer had sheets of interior, wood, paneling, and cut a piece to fit back in. I did it all in a weekend. you could always try to lowball this person, but make sure to check underneath the trailer as well because the water will run down the sides inside the walls and end up on the floor section. Underneath the trailer you may find the wood buckling. It’s not a big deal. I also razor knife it out and put in plastic sheeting. personally, I think if the rest of the trailer is good, I would lowball the person and spend a bit of time doing the repair. |
Posted By: Colt
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2023 at 8:38pm
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Don't buy it! You need to learn maintenance on an RV that isn't extra needy. ------------- John '16 R-Pod 180 |