Who's Working on Your RV? How to Choose a Mobile Tech Before You Repair or Buy

Harvest Hosts stays are some of the best nights on the road, whether it's a vineyard at sunset or a quiet farm at dawn. Half the charm is how far you are from everything, including the nearest service bay.

So when the slide won't come back in or the water pump goes quiet, the first question usually isn't the fix. It's who you trust to work on your rig. The same goes for the coach you want to buy.

Anyone can call themselves an RV tech

All it takes to advertise mobile RV repair is a pickup, a magnetic sign and a phone number. Plenty of them are honest and good at it, but skill and accountability are all over the map.

A wrong diagnosis means you pay twice. Propane work done without the training puts your family at risk. With no insurance and nothing in writing, you have little recourse once you've moved on to the next stop.

Travelers have it hardest. You don't know the local shops, you're on a schedule, and you need help today.

Five questions to ask any mobile tech

Ask before work starts. A good tech won't mind.

1. What certification do you hold? RV credentials aren't equal, and some take only a few weeks of classes. The RV Technical Institute (RVTI) is the industry's own program. Reaching its top level, Master Technician, takes written and hands-on exams, certification in all five specialty areas, and continuing education to renew every five years. Ask which credential and which level.

2. Are you licensed? Propane is the big one. Ask about a state LP gas license, and a state repair registration where required.

3. Are you insured? For a lot of us, the RV is home. Make sure whoever works on it carries liability coverage.

4. Will I get it in writing? A written estimate before work begins, or a written inspection report with photos, protects both of you.

5. Do you stand behind your work? Ask what's guaranteed and for how long. If they dodge the question, that's your answer.

Buying? Get an independent inspection first

An independent inspection before you buy is your best shot at finding problems while they're still the seller's problems. A thorough one covers the roof and seals, water intrusion, slide-outs, the generator, LP, electrical, plumbing and appliances.

The inspector should work for you, not for the sale, and should understand how RV systems fail. That's why we recommend an RVTI-certified technician. Someone who repairs these systems for a living can tell you why something failed, not just that it did. Ask for a written report with photos and findings ranked by urgency.

Buying new doesn't let you skip this. We've inspected brand-new coaches and found warranty work needed before the first trip. Better to catch it on the lot than two states away.

Book it before you sign, and be there if you can. A good inspector will walk the rig with you and show you what's worth negotiating.

What a real RV service company looks like

We're not a pickup with a magnetic sign. RV Service Now is a Florida company, and we hold every credential we just told you to ask about.

Our Master Technicians are RVTI-certified. We hold a Florida LP Gas Installer license (LI100090) and a Florida Motor Vehicle Repair registration (MV150253), and we're insured. Our techs arrive in uniform, in a marked RV Service Now van, so you know exactly who's at your door.

Before any repair begins, you get a written estimate. Every completed repair is backed by our 30-day workmanship guarantee, and every independent inspection comes with a written report the same day. No guessing, and no chasing anyone down later.

That's what we mean by white-glove service at the campsite. Go ahead and ask us all five questions. We'll be glad to answer every one.

Better yet, avoid the breakdown

Most roadside headaches start as small problems, and Florida's heat, humidity and storms are hard on a rig that sits. The RVSN Care Plan brings a technician to your RV four times a year, with written findings and photos after every visit. Time one before a trip, or let us check on your rig while you're away.

If you're in our service area in Central Florida, skip the shop. With your host's okay, we'll come to you at a farm, a winery, a campground or a storage lot. Call or text 877-777-7908 with your ZIP code and what your RV is doing. Just outside the map? Ask anyway. We're growing.

Safe travels, and we hope to see you down the road.