Tips and Tricks for Finding the Best RV Mechanic

When you are an RV owner planning a move to a new state, you have the option of driving your motorcoach to the destination or shipping it with a trusted professional vehicle transportation company like A-1 Auto Transport. No matter how you get your RV to your new hometown, once you arrive, there are priorities that you will want to address.

Whenever you move to a new region, one of the first things you will want to do is find a reliable, trustworthy mechanic. One tip for auto owners is to call local taxi companies and find out what mechanic they use, because taxis need to be maintained in good working order at all times.

But what about finding a mechanic for your RV? It’s time to look at the “big” picture.

Think Big

There are several types of RVs. What type of RV you have, including chassis size and type of engine, will factor in to the type of mechanic you will need.

Class A diesel motorhomes, sometimes called Diesel Pushers, are built on specially designed vehicle chassis. With these coaches, the diesel engine is located in the rear of the vehicle to provide a smooth and quiet ride. The diesel engine provides more torque compared to gas powered engines.

Class A gas motorhomes are of the same general size as Class A diesel coaches. Both types of RVs typically feature residential-style amenities. Outwardly, they resemble a bus, roughly 30-40 feet in length.

Class B motorhomes are also referred to as B-Vans or camper vans. They are built on a van chassis and can feature a gas or diesel engine. These nimble vehicles typically measure 20-25 feet in length.

Class C motorhomes come in gas and diesel varieties. Smaller than Class A coaches, these vehicles are built on truck chassis. Class C motorhomes feature many of the amenities of Class A RVs, but on a smaller scale. They are easily recognized by their cab over engine profile.

Call Your Local Bus Company

While keeping taxis perpetually on the road is a good indicator for automobile mechanics, shops that work on buses are a good lead for the kind of mechanic who works on vehicles of similar size to your Class A motorcoach. Give your local bus company a call and find out who they use for service and repairs.

According to the article “Six Tips for Choosing a Good RV Mechanic or Repair Shop” on the Kampgrounds of America website, www.koa.com, a natural channel for finding a good RV mechanic is to visit RV message boards. Several popular sites include: www.RVForums.com, www.iRV2.com, www.RVForum.net, www.RVHive.com, and www.RVTalk.com.

One clue to determine if a mechanic is RV savvy is to inspect their shop to see if they have the right type of equipment to work on your motorcoach. Two industry tools that are good indicators that a shop is properly equipped to work on your RV are the Three-Dimensional Frame Measuring Machine that aids in diagnosing required repairs, and Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding needed to reproduce a manufacturer’s original welds.

Trust the Reviews

In the www.RVShare.com article “RV Repair Near Me: Tips for Finding a Trustworthy RV Repair Service” by Megan Buemi, the author suggests scanning business review sites such as www.Yelp.com. Reviews on these third-party sites tend to be far more trustworthy that those on a mechanic’s Facebook page or website because in those latter instances the RV mechanic has editorial control over what reviews are posted. You will see all the positives, but typically none of the less stellar reviews. Sites like Yelp.com are more impartial.

Master Technicians

One thing to consider when interviewing mechanics to work on your motorcoach, is that there is a classification for RV Master Technicians. These technicians are graduates of the RVDA-RVIA RV Service Technician Certification Program created by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) and the National RV Dealer’s Association (RVDA).

RV Master Technicians are easily located by using the RVDA “Find a Dealer” search engine located on the Web at https://www.rvda.org/rvda/find_a_dealer/find_a_dealer1.aspx. This website allows you to locate RV dealerships that employ Master Technicians.

Budget for Repairs

According to the article “Cost of Owning an RV” by Jenn Jones on the www.LendingTree.com website, the typical RV owner should budget for approximately $120 in repairs each month. As that this is an average, obviously there will be months with higher repair cost and there will be months with minimal or no repairs. They key is to budget properly and locate a quality, trustworthy mechanic before you need one.

A-1 Auto Transport has a long history of faithfully servicing the needs of cross-country vehicle shipment. Whether you ship your cars with A-1 Auto Transport and drive your RV to your new home, or you drive your car and ship your RV, or you ship all your vehicles and fly, we take the utmost care in getting your investments to your final destination safe and sound.