Owning an RV is a great way to experience life in a whole new way. You can have fun touring trips on your own or with your family and the journey can be just as much fun as the destination. That is, of course, until your RV is involved in a collision. That's when things can get a little complicated.
RV collision repair is often a problem for many RV owners because it can be difficult to get the parts needed or to find an RV repair shop nearby. Additionally, the repairs can be pricey too. How can you repair your RV affordably after a collision?
Do Plenty of Research
The RV repair shop that will offer you the best value for your money on collision repairs won't be waiting around the next corner. Not as many people own RVs as they do cars. Therefore, there are even fewer repair shops that specialize in RVs.
If you need someone competent to repair your RV after a collision, you'll need to do carry out some research to see which repair shops are nearest to you and also go through customers' reviews to find out what they thought of the services they received.
Find the Right Parts
One of the main challenges RV owners will encounter after an accident is finding the car parts they need to repair their RVs. Most RVs are manufactured on a limited basis. Unlike the typical production car where thousands or even millions of units may roll off the factory floor, there are usually fewer RVs of a particular model made. This means that few spares are available even if you check the used parts market.
To get around this, you should know the location of the nearest RV graveyard. This is where old RVs are taken at the end of their lives. However, they may still have many parts that can still be reused.
Another option would be to contact a car parts specialist who may have a better idea of where to source specialized parts as needed.
Do-It-Yourself
If you put all your hopes on the repair shop, your repair bill could be very high. If extensive repairs are needed following a collision, find out if there are certain repairs that you can handle on your own.
For example, you may not be able to handle the replacement of the mechanical bits or even the bodywork. However, repainting your RV is something that you might be able to handle without too much trouble because it has much fewer technical demands.