RV Repair: Campers, professional electrician, roof leaks

Question
I appologize if this is a bit outside of your expertise, but you were the closest I could find to what I needed in All Experts.

My father has recently taken a which that is too far to commute to. Luckily, they are paying him more than enough per diem to purchase a camper to stay in during the week, returning home on weekends. Unfortunately, we know little to nothing about what to look for in a camper. I was hoping you could give me some expert advice to seperate the good from the bad.

He has decided to look for something between 26 and 32 feet long, with a slide out. His needs are basic, but he will be living there 5 days a week for over two years, so obviously comfort and quality are concerns. For the sake of resale value, he is looking only at 2000 models or newer. It will be parked in a trailer park. His work truck is able to tow a large amount of weight, but he would not be able to add the extra equiptment to tow a fifth-wheel, so he is only considering tow-behind campers.

Any advice or information you could give us would be valuable. My father is an accomplished ameture mechanic and a professional electrician, so don't be afraid to get technical. I may not understand it, but I can surely print it out for him (wink.) Thank you in advance.

Robin

Answer
Robin,
     Since he will be staying in it more than towing it a travel trailer is a better choice.  Since you will be looking at used trailers one of the first things to check for would be water damage.  A camper that hasn't been maintained and has had roof leaks is definitely something to avoid.  Check the ceiling around vents, in the corners, etc.  You will also want to check the floor for soft spots and discoloration.  Check the paneling around all the windows and doors for soft spots.  I would ask them to have the refrigerator on and running for at least 24 hours to make sure that it is cooling.  It can run about $1400 or more to have one replaced.  Check the A/C and furnace to make sure they are working as they are very expensive as well.  Being a Jayco dealer I am probably a little biased, but I believe they are a very well built trailer for your money, if properly maintained they hold their value extremely well, and they are usually designed with service and repairs in mind.  To check the prices on used RV's you can try www.nadaguides.com.  I hope this helps and if you have any more questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best to answer them.

Darren