Original research

What RV inspectors find: appliances, wiring and leaks lead, and 1 in 8 inspection reviews changed the deal

We coded all 2,124 Google reviews we collected for the 252 reviewed RV inspectors in our directory for what the inspector found and what the buyer did next. Most reviews (53.3%) name no specific finding. Of the 991 that do, appliances come up in 33.8%, electrical in 19.5% and roof or water leaks in 18.4%. Among the 317 reviews that talk about an inspection itself, 12.0% say the buyer walked away or negotiated the price down.

By the RV Inspectors research desk · Published October 25, 2026

Key findings

  • Most reviews don't say what was found. 1,133 of 2,124 reviews (53.3%) praise or criticise the inspector without naming a system or an outcome.
  • Appliances lead the reviews that do. 335 reviews mention appliances: 33.8% of the 991 reviews that name a finding, or 15.8% of all reviews.
  • Electrical and roof or water leaks come next, at 19.5% and 18.4% of reviews that name a finding (9.1% and 8.6% of all reviews). Slide-outs follow at 12.9%.
  • In reviews about an inspection itself, leaks lead. Of the 317 reviews that use the word inspection, 103 name a finding or outcome, and roof or water leaks come up in 29 of them (28.2%).
  • 1 in 8 inspection reviews changed the deal. 30 of those 317 reviews (9.5%) say the buyer walked away and 8 (2.5%) say they negotiated the price down: 38 reviews, or 12.0%.
  • Across all 2,124 reviews, 31 say the buyer walked away (1.5%) and 11 say they negotiated (0.5%).

What the reviews name

We read all 2,124 Google reviews with text that we collected for the RV inspectors in our directory and coded each one for the systems it says the inspector found a problem with, and for what the buyer did next. Many inspectors in our listings also do mobile service work, so the full set mixes pre-purchase inspection findings with repair visits. The chart below shows shares among the 991 reviews that name at least one system or outcome.

Share of reviews that name a finding, by system (n = 991)Appliances: 34%; Electrical: 20%; Roof or water leak: 18%; Slide-outs: 13%; Brakes, suspension or chassis: 11%; Engine or drivetrain: 4.5%; Generator: 3.6%; Frame or structural: 3.5%; Tires: 3.5%; Buyer walked away: 3.1%; Propane or LP leak: 2.7%; Buyer negotiated the price down: 1.1%Appliances34%Electrical20%Roof or water leak18%Slide-outs13%Brakes, suspension or chassis11%Engine or drivetrain4.5%Generator3.6%Frame or structural3.5%Tires3.5%Buyer walked away3.1%Propane or LP leak2.7%Buyer negotiated the price do…1.1%
One review can name several systems, so shares add to more than 100%. Based on 2,124 Google reviews of 252 RV inspectors, 2014 to October 2026.
Every category, two ways
Appliances33533.815.8
Electrical19319.59.1
Roof or water leak18218.48.6
Slide-outs12812.96.0
Brakes, suspension or chassis11311.45.3
Engine or drivetrain454.52.1
Generator363.61.7
Frame or structural353.51.6
Tires353.51.6
Buyer walked away from the purchase313.11.5
Propane or LP leak272.71.3
Buyer negotiated the price down111.10.5
Fluid analysis results30.30.1
Moisture or delamination30.30.1
Mold20.20.1
No specific finding mentioned1,133n/a53.3

The first share divides by the 991 reviews that name at least one system or outcome (100% minus the 53.3% with no finding). The second divides by all 2,124 reviews. Download this table (CSV)

When the review is about an inspection, leaks and walk-aways lead

To separate inspection findings from repair visits, we looked at the 317 reviews that contain a word starting with inspect (inspect, inspected, inspection, inspector). 214 of them name no finding. Of the 103 that do, the picture changes: roof and water leaks move to the top, and the most common single outcome is the buyer walking away from the RV.

Reviews that mention an inspection and name a finding or outcome (n = 103)Buyer walked away: 29%; Roof or water leak: 28%; Brakes, suspension or chassis: 17%; Electrical: 11%; Appliances: 11%; Tires: 7.8%; Buyer negotiated the price down: 7.8%; Generator: 6.8%; Slide-outs: 6.8%; Propane or LP leak: 3.9%; Frame or structural: 3.9%; Engine or drivetrain: 2.9%Buyer walked away29%Roof or water leak28%Brakes, suspension or chassis17%Electrical11%Appliances11%Tires7.8%Buyer negotiated the price do…7.8%Generator6.8%Slide-outs6.8%Propane or LP leak3.9%Frame or structural3.9%Engine or drivetrain2.9%
As a share of all 317 inspection reviews: walked away 9.5%, roof or water leak 9.1%, brakes and chassis 5.4%, negotiated 2.5%.
12.0%of inspection reviews say the buyer walked away or paid less (38 of 317)
30reviews say the buyer walked away
8reviews say the buyer negotiated the price down

These are happy customers, mostly. 1,986 of the 2,124 reviews (93.5%) give five stars, and buyers who walked away often thank the inspector for it. A certified inspector who finds a soft roof or a failed slide seal has done the job, even when the sale falls through.

What it means for you: a pre-purchase checklist

Use the findings above as a priority list when you book an inspector or walk a rig yourself. Ask the inspector to cover each item in writing.

  1. Roof and water intrusion. Ask for a full roof walk (where the roof allows it), a seal check and a moisture meter reading around windows, vents and slide corners. A water leak test or roof inspection can be added on.
  2. Appliances. Run the fridge on both gas and electric, the furnace, water heater, A/C, microwave and range. Appliances are the most named system across all reviews.
  3. Electrical. Check the converter, batteries, shore power, transfer switch and every outlet and 12-volt circuit.
  4. Slide-outs. Cycle every slide fully in and out, and look at seals, floors and the mechanism.
  5. Brakes, suspension, chassis and tires. Check tire date codes, brakes, bearings and the frame. On a motorhome, add the engine, transmission and generator, and ask about fluid analysis.
  6. Propane. Ask for an LP leak or drop test and a check of the detectors. See RV propane inspection.
  7. Decide before you see the report. Agree with yourself on what would make you walk away or ask for a lower price. 38 of 317 inspection reviewers did one or the other.

The infographic

What RV Inspectors Find · 2026Appliances, wiring, leaks lead.1 in 8 inspection reviews: deal changed.Share of RV inspector reviews naming each finding, among the 991 of2,124 reviews that name one.33.8%of reviews naming a findingmention appliances18.4%mention a roof or water leak12.0%of inspection reviews say thebuyer walked away or paid lessShare of reviews that name a finding (n = 991)Appliances: 34%; Electrical: 20%; Roof or water leak: 18%; Slide-outs: 13%; Brakes, suspension or chassis: 11%; Engine or drivetrain: 4.5%; Generator: 3.6%; Buyer walked away: 3.1%Appliances34%Electrical20%Roof or water leak18%Slide-outs13%Brakes, suspension or chass…11%Engine or drivetrain4.5%Generator3.6%Buyer walked away3.1%Source: RV Inspectors analysis of 2,124 Google reviews of 252 US RV inspectors,2014–Oct 2026.rvinspectors.org

How we did this

  • We took every Google review with text that we collected for the RV inspectors in our directory: 2,124 reviews of 252 businesses, dated 2014 to October 2026, with 1,181 from 2026. Reviews were collected via DataForSEO in October 2026 as a sample of each business's most relevant reviews, typically up to 10 per business.
  • Each review was coded by a language model (DeepSeek, temperature 0) into 16 fixed categories describing what the inspector found or what the buyer did, as described in the review. A review can get several codes. Reviews with nothing that fits were coded as no specific finding.
  • Shares are shown two ways: among the 991 reviews that name at least one finding or outcome, and among all 2,124 reviews. The second section uses the 317 reviews that contain a word starting with inspect.
  • Many businesses in our inspector listings also do mobile repair, so the full set includes repair visits as well as inspections. Automated coding makes some mistakes; small categories (under 40 reviews) should be read as rough.
  • Review shares are not failure rates and say nothing about any one RV brand or model. We don't name businesses.

Sources

  1. Google reviews of RV inspectors listed on RV Inspectors, collected via DataForSEO, accessed October 24, 2026
  2. RV Inspectors analysis, October 2026

Cite this: RV Inspectors, "What RV inspectors find: appliances, wiring and leaks lead, and 1 in 8 inspection reviews changed the deal," October 25, 2026, https://rvinspectors.org/what-rv-inspectors-find/

Spotted an error or have newer data? Tell us and we'll check it and update the page.

Questions people ask

What do RV inspectors find most often?

Across 2,124 reviews of RV inspectors, the reviews that name a finding most often mention appliances (33.8%), electrical problems (19.5%) and roof or water leaks (18.4%). In the 317 reviews about an inspection itself, roof and water leaks lead at 28.2% of reviews that name a finding.

How often do buyers walk away after an RV inspection?

In our data, 30 of the 317 reviews that mention an inspection (9.5%) say the buyer walked away, and 8 (2.5%) say they negotiated the price down. Most reviewers don't say what they decided, so the real share could be higher.

Is an RV inspection worth it?

Reviewers who walked away usually say the inspection saved them from an expensive mistake, and 93.5% of the 2,124 reviews we read give five stars. One in eight inspection reviews describes the report changing the deal, either by ending it or by lowering the price.

What should a pre-purchase RV inspection cover?

Based on what reviews name most, make sure it covers the roof and water intrusion, every appliance, the electrical system, slide-outs, brakes, suspension and tires, and a propane leak test. On a motorhome, add the engine, generator and fluid analysis.

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