Do all used diesel pushers stink?

[Tha_Rooster]

I found the samething I thought it was smelly owners or people not doing a very good job of cleaning. My 07 which we bought new still smells new.

[adonh]

Oh no, I knew my eyesight was getting worse and my hearing is bad, but now I must not be able to smell either. I never smell anything bad in and around my 2005 Airstream DP. Why didn't somebody tell me I was "hard of smelling". I have eyeglasses, hearing aids and I guess I can get a smell enhancer to fit in each nostril.

[Hooligan]

Deja Vu all over again, I know I've heard this same discussion when we had a sailboat. Sharing the marina with "stinkpots".

[TedTravels]

Thanks for all the responses. I haven't smelled too many diesel related fume issues unless the generator is on.

Specifically I was referring to the musty, moldy, hit you in the face stink. I presume that it could be caused by any of the following:
- Moldy smell
- Black tank stink
- Standing water in the shower or plumbing
- Musty moth ball stink
- Leaky roof stink
- Cat pee / pet odor stink
- Moisture buildup in walls
- Stinky human smells

For such a big cash outlay, I'm afraid to buy a stinky used coach with the hope of getting it clean and un-stinky.

It sounds like if I buy new and keep up with the maintenance, that it is possible to still have a fresh smelling coach 5 years down the road?

[Moonrover]

Dried out drain traps too. Stink will rise through the drain pipe.


> My motto: I like breathing. It gives me something to do ....

[PushedAround]

Originally Posted by TedTravels

It sounds like if I buy new and keep up with the maintenance, that it is possible to still have a fresh smelling coach 5 years down the road?

Absolutely. Just keep it very clean and chase down any water leaks or funny odors.

[PDR John]

Originally Posted by TedTravels

It sounds like if I buy new and keep up with the maintenance, that it is possible to still have a fresh smelling coach 5 years down the road?

For sure, we're on our 3rd season in this coach, no smells even when it's been closed for a month.

We cook all the time in it even.

[Davdeb1]

One thing we all have to remember is "smell" means different things to different people.
I am very sensitive because it affects my lungs so much.
Someone who smokes or has pets may have a different idea of odor than those who don't. Some people like me, live in their RV and can easily get used to a smell others find objectionable. My wife and I try to make sure this doesn't happen by regular cleaning and maintenance. Also a little Odor Ban or Fabreeze helps also.

Unless someone has lived in the RV and smoked inside it regularly, or someone had multiple cats living full time, A used RV can always be deodorized.

[pasdad1]

High doses of ozone will remove odors sometimes permanently.

Here is a machine I use to make the basement smell good again whenever it needs it.



Not for use while anything living is in the coach! Treat with ozone overnight or a few hours at least, then air out for 30 minutes - done. Smells gone.

Treat again as needed.

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by TedTravels

It sounds like if I buy new and keep up with the maintenance, that it is possible to still have a fresh smelling coach 5 years down the road?

Of course it's possible. Will you be using your RV occasionally or living in it?

[TedTravels]

I suppose the other thing I don't understand is if it is possible to get the stink out then why don't the dealers de-stink it? I have been to Motor Home Specialist (MHS) a few times and have gone through their prep shop. They run all the RVs through it and repaint and fix broken stuff. It kind of reminds me of they way used car dealers will put lipstick on a pig to pretty it up before sale. I'm not taking a shot at MHS, just that last weekend I must have been through 20 super stinky coaches that they did their prep to. There prep seems reasonably thorough as I always see motorhomes partially dissembled as they fix stuff. One of the coaches I was looking at was in the paint booth getting full repaint.

MHS is not alone. I have been to many dealers between CA and TX and I find the same thing. All the dealers say the same thing. We can put an Ozone machine in it OR have our guys go through it to get the stink out.

I guess what I don't get is if I was selling a used product that cost a quarter of a million dollars or more, I think I would spend a little time getting the funky smells out before marketing the product. If they are going to go through the trouble of touching up the paint, why not give it a good scrub and let the ozone machine sit in it awhile?

I suppose that's why I am a bit nervous about rolling the dice on a stinker with the hopes of getting the stink out. Because maybe they have tried to get the stink out and it is still stinky?

[pasdad1]

Sometimes I wonder too ...... The only explanation I could think of is that to them it doesn't smell ! :-)

[Davdeb1]

One thing about Ozone machines. They will eliminate a smell, but you have to remove the source of it to eliminate it and not have it come back. I ripped out carpets, rotted flooring, and a toilet. I also removed furniture and had some reupholstered, and replaced some. After that, clean smelling unit. I bought a ozone machine, $300. It does sweeten up the air,but underlying source of odor must be gone.

[RanCarr]

Originally Posted by Davdeb1

....Unless someone has lived in the RV and smoked inside it regularly, or someone had multiple cats living full time, A used RV can always be deodorized.

I have to comment on this post about cats. Cats, unlike dogs and humans, have no body odor unless sick or diseased. If spayed or neutered they do not spray urine around their home. They use a litterbox. Virtually all litters have odor killers. Cat odor is caused by LAZY owners who do not scoop the litter box often enough. Urine and feces left to ossify and turn rancid in litter boxes will have a nasty smell despite the odor-killers they contain. Don't blame the cats for that. We travel with 4 cats and 2 large litter-totes that are scooped 2 to 3 times a day. There are zero cat odors in our RVs.

Dog odor is another issue altogether. We had three dogs until 5 years ago. No matter how many times they were bathed or the carpets shampooed, the house always had a faint "doggy odor." I can imagine the odor an RV (or small home) would have if the owners didn't constantly bathe the dog/s and shampoo the carpets, especially if the dog/s weren't totally housebroken. That would add the odor of feces and urine to the doggy B.O..

As for human smells... to me they are the worst. I've looked at both RVs, and in the past, Mobile Homes. The stench of stinky athlete's feet, sour rancid body and hair oil, underarm and groin area smells, dirty laundry odors drove me out faster than the smell of formaldehyde (which I am highly allergic to) or any diesel fumes would. There are people who do not bathe or use deodorants. They may be too elderly to care, sick or mentally challenged. Whatever the reason those odors will not be easy to remove.

Lastly are the pervasive sickening smells of cigars, cigarettes and cooking. I don't see how they can ever be totally removed from an RV. They soak into every surface not sealed, from the carpeting to the wood cabinets.....