Community Forums

Stano · 11-18-2013, 08:40 AM

Do most dealers let you call the previous owner or are you afraid to ask? I called the previous owner on my 03 Pace Arrow, but after I took possession.

I could tell it was a well taken care of coach, but I had a lot of questions that I knew only the previous owner could answer! Luckily he, the previous owner was more than willing to answer my questions when I called him.

Stano

WesinRockies · 11-18-2013, 08:48 AM

Lazy Days called the previous owner and got permission for me to call. I did if fact call him a couple of times. Before I purchased.

oran42348 · 11-18-2013, 08:48 AM

CW wouldn't not allow me to contact the PO or provide me the phone #. However once I purchased it I was able to get the address from the title and I wrote a letter requesting the PO to contact me by phone. Like you I was in need of info that only the PO would know.

Clayobx · 11-18-2013, 08:49 AM

I would think any reputable dealer would let you call the previous owner. However, many used MH have been bought at auction or transferred from one dealer location to another and the PO name and number most likely lost in the shuffle. When we traded I intentionally left the maintenance records with all personal info for the next buyer. The coach sold the same day we drove off the lot. Never got a call so all was assuredly allright.

Sky_Boss · 11-18-2013, 09:25 AM

The previous owner has been great to talk to. He did several mods that needed explaining. We have even emailed back and forth a couple times since.

Clay L · 11-18-2013, 09:58 AM

When we bought our new Sightseer back in 2004 we traded in our first motor home. The dealer called and asked if he could give our phone number to a prospective buyer. I said he could.

The prospective buyer did call and it was interesting.
He seemed slightly belligerent and asked about some of the known issues with the P30 chassis and 454 engine such as the fan clutch and the exhaust manifolds cracking along with the steering bell crank.

I told him that I had replaced the fan clutch and that the manifolds were replaced with Banks headers and exhaust system and that the bell crank along with some front end parts had been replaced.

I had to keep repeating that several times as he seemed to have a problem believing me. I was patient and kept telling him the same thing. I never did find out if he bought it or not.

Stano · 11-20-2013, 01:10 PM

Nothing like talking to the previous owner to find out how to work all the bells and whistles.

Stano

JC2 · 11-20-2013, 01:20 PM

In the few times I've called the previous owner of a rv we were interested in, I have found them to be either incredibly naïve about their rv or less than candid when answering my questions.

When we traded our last mh for the current one, I gave the dealership a list documenting anything/everything that had been done to it in the 5yrs of ownership. It sold several days after we traded and we subsequently received a call from the new owner checking to be sure we had in fact kept such good records.

Java Memah · 11-20-2013, 01:33 PM

Heh heh heh, we call our rv's previous owner too, because we found he or his father, added some "customized" items, even though they kept meticulous notes on almost everything, some notes we could not read or manual/ literature was too vague. Case in point.... ice maker, prev owner had dealer installed, but at a later time, not where a factory installed one would have been, so slight variance in location of switches/wires.
Living in a small town helps, we all basically know each other anyway.

00wabbit · 11-20-2013, 01:50 PM

I actually found the previous owner for my coach on here before I bought it from a dealer. I called him and he told me he loved it and it was great etc, etc.

Now after owning it I am seeing little things here and there that were done kind of funky. I also hired an inspector to check out the coach and have just finished replacing the hydraulic hoses in my coach because apparently a trained inspector can't see fluid leaking from the hoses.
Live and learn. Class A coaches are new to me and there is so much to look at that's why I thought an inspector could help. Now that I am a tiny bit more familiar with them I could have caught this really quickly.

I guess what I'm saying is people are human and all have different perceptions of reality. Even if you talk to the previous owner, their own emotional connection to the coach could cause them to overlook it's faults, or they may think they did everything correct but they didn't know any better.

Just take everything with a grain of salt.

gutsgolf · 11-20-2013, 04:44 PM

While we were looking at our coach we found the PO name , I looked him up and we talked a few times . He seemed to enjoy the process, he did warn me about going under the coach said he was working in a valve an broke a line !!the coachsat on him his wife quick action saved him,. I know I would be glad to help anyone buying our last coach

FlyingDiver · 11-20-2013, 05:17 PM

I would not allow my contact info to be given to prospective purchasers - if they have questions, they can ask the dealer to contact me. I'm not sure about after purchase. Maybe.

laj · 11-20-2013, 05:33 PM

I agree. if I'm going to sell through a dealer, pay their charge it's because I don't want to be bothered with the intrusions of all the questions and bothered at all times of day or night. before, during, or after the sale period.

Kro1957 · 11-20-2013, 05:34 PM

I did get the information of our previous owners but really did not need it.
I did give the dealership permission ahead of time for the buyers of my rig to call me prior to purchase.
They sold my unit within about 4 days. New owners called me 4-5 times. Nice people. However they had never owned a 5r previously only TT. But good talking with them and giving them some tips.
They since called me back several weeks later having taken several trips and just love the unit. So she went to a good home!!!

I think it is a great idea and if I ran a dealership any trade unit coming in I would ask the sellers permission ahead. I think good selling point unless they are trying to hide something.