Tips for Successful Motorhome Maintenance to Help Extend Its Life and Maintain Its Value

Motorhome ownership is one of life’s greatest pleasures and will see you taking unique holidays in ways never before possible, combining the ultimate mix of freedom and comfort with the joy of the open road.

However, buying an RV will also typically be one of the biggest purchasing decisions you make in your life, so you must do all you can to ensure the van remains in tip-top condition, to help you prolong its life. Also, in the same way that regularly servicing a car helps maintain its value, looking after an RV will also substantially increase the resale price you can expect to achieve when it comes time to sell the vehicle – so, it’s in your interests to maintain an RV well.

The Main Things to Consider with Motorhome Maintenance

While some things are relatively obvious when it comes to maintaining an RV, these vehicles are often complex and a country mile away from just regular cars. Consequently, there are some key points to consider that might not be so clear, including:

Regularly check and clear the waste tank: Your motorhome’s waste tank is an essential component for life in the van, but it can end up smelling foul if you don’t regularly check it and clean it out. Visit this page to see more tips on How To Stop A Motorhome Waste Tank From Smelling.

Tires and wheel nuts: You should regularly inspect your tires and ensure the wheel nuts are tightened before every trip in your RV. Poorly tightened nuts may result in losing a wheel while driving – something to be avoided. Also, over-inflated tires could explode, which might result in an accident with other vehicles. Conversely, under-inflated tires can cause problems with the handling of the vehicle and will also increase your fuel consumption.

Always check the roof seals and repair them if necessary: The roof of your van will naturally degrade over time and one of the most common problems is the resulting water damage that can be caused by worn seals. Before each trip, you should do a comprehensive check of the seals to make sure no unwanted water is seeping into the van. Prevention is the best cure and identifying possible problems early will save costly repair bills later.

Get your brakes checked regularly: Even in a car, brake failure can be a scary experience and can result in death or injury, but in a vehicle the size of a motorhome, it becomes positively dangerous, both to you and other road users. In addition, you should also regularly check the wheel balancing to avoid steering issues and other associated problems.

Check battery levels and replace when required: One of the biggest advantages of an RV is the fact you can live comfortably on the road, cooking and washing when you need. So, the last thing you want is for the batteries to fail while on a trip. You should check your battery power and its ability to store energy regularly. On average, you should expect to replace batteries about every three to five years.