Recreational Vehicle Inspection seRVices: 5th Wheel & Towable Investion Specialist (Class B & C Vans, too!)

Whether new or used, an RV purchase is a large financial decision! When RVs are new, manufacturers deliver these units with problematic issues that must be addressed before the original owner takes possession. This is the pathetic nature of the industry. It's unlike everything you're familiar with as in the auto (and to some extent, real estate) industry, where regulations and quality craftsmanship still exist (to some degree). For used RV's, the original owner was likely unaware of what they were getting into, and probably didn't know what hazards or problems they passed on to a new buyer in a direct sale of used RV, or on to a service dealer who likely didn't uncover all the problems during their quick flip of the rig (new or used), either. I know because I was both of those customers. It's a dangerous mix and it's past time to hold the industry to a higher standard. That's were we, AMW - America's Most Wanted - seRVice comes in to keep you out of the RV poorhouse, or break you out if you're already there! In 2022, over a half-million RVs were delivered out of Elkhart, Indiana (the Purgatory for the RV industry). I say "Purgatory" and not Mecca for the following reasons:

The rules and regulations you're likely familiar with regarding vehicles (autos - trucks & cars) do NOT apply...this is the wild, wild west of standards and government oversight - a blessing AND a curse.
Unlike automobiles, where companies are required to stock parts for a decade after use of the component or part, the RV industry doesn't have to stock parts for a single day after initial use.
Manufacturer employees are paid on a quota basis, not a standard of production...as soon as the employee has finished work on X (say 100) units during their shift, they go home and don't look back.
Turnover of the blue collar factory line workers in the manufacturing facilities is extremely high...there is no "tribal knowledge" and every. single. unit. rolling off the production lines is different in many ways.
The manufacturers and corporate dealerships don't give two rats about you or your family. The small-town mom-&-pop dealers and local repair, service, and maintenance technicians do care...and so do us inspector investors...investing in you, your family and your fun and safety in a dangerous market.

When a used RV is being purchased the likelihood of many unaddressed issues arising is very high. When a used RV is at a dealership, they are working on volume (like the production line workers at Elkhart manufacturing facilities) and need to be done with your unit (service, sale, etc.) to get to their next "job." They did not go over your unit with a fine-tooth-comb...they never do. If the used RV is being transacted in a private sale, there exists even greater probabilities of issues arising that a prudent "owner-to-be" will address before finalizing the negotiated sale price! AMW seRVice is offering RV inspections (we named them "investions!") to reduce your risks in a new (to you) Recreational Vehicle! Given the facts and the poor state of the RV industry, a detailed RV inspection will take eight hours with the rig, plus an additional few to complete the professional report using the software standard in real estate home inspections. The report will be delivered within 72 hours of the onsite inspection being complete. Your Investion is very detailed and involves evaluation of up to five-hundred inspection points during the detailed analysis. Linked here is an example.

~BIOGRAPHY~

Heath is a full-time RV'er, living in his 2021 Highland Ridge Silverstar from 2022 after a 20 year stint with the U.S. Navy. As a former supply chain and logistics commissioned officer (rank of Commander - Lieutenant Colonel equivalent), he worked with the premier sailors in the U.S. Submarine Force (far east operations out of Guam; headquarters staff in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii) and also on a U.S. Aircraft Carrier (Norfolk, VA) with an Arabian Gulf deployment. He deployed to Afghanistan (Kandahar Province) and Bahrain on staff support assignments in 2010 and 2016, respectively. In addition to his world travels, he received an MBA (Information Systems, 2014) and a M.S. National Resource Strategy (Global Supply Chain & Logistics Strategy; Energy Industry, 2020). He's a passionate Autodidact starting with a B.S. Geology, Engineering Option from Texas A&M, 2003 and an A.S. from Blinn College, 2001. His heavy dose of science in academia drives his public education effort about our nation's crooked “money system.” Ask him about it at your investion! With education & experience from the National RV Training Academy in the NRVTA Technician Course and the NRVTA Inspector Course, Heath is confident that the need for RV trailer and motor/generator inspection, evaluation and maintenance (RV Investiation) is higher than ever. A service call and repair visit by a technician will start at a minimum of $200 and likely reach $600, if not $1,000, for each visit and repair effort, no matter the component or item. An inspection can negate a half dozen or more potential repair calls resulting in $1,000's in expenses, or drive down the cost of buying at the outset. The time spent during an Investion by Heath will reap 10x returns over the life of your rig...guaranteed. heath@amwservices.pro https://www.amwservices.pro

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The process Heath uses to evaluate an RV is thorough (RV Trader's Perspective), using the standards established by the National RV Inspectors Association (NRVIA) of which Heath is a professional member (ID: 3759). In addition, professional liability coverage from RV Inspector Insurance ensures your property and the inspectors liability coverage during your important property Investion. Partnering with HomeGauge, the Real Estate inspector's preferred platform for house inspections, delivers a professionally written report to you full of photos, videos, and color-coding for ease of viewing and digesting your current or future Rolling Estate RV or livestock trailer with living spaces! Adequate time is spent with an RV to identify any issues at the moment. The inspection report generates valuable information any RV buyer (or owner) must have to make educated decisions in buying, selling, and...most importantly...USING their Recreational Vehicle for fun (instead of trying hard to maintain a good working condition while wanting to enjoy the property). Many varieties of RV's exist:

Towable type (travel trailers, including livestock and traditional 5th Wheel) RVs;
RVs with motors and cab compartments:
- Class A (motorcoaches),
- Class B (vans), &
- Class C (think "short bus" or small capacity transport style buses)

Given the facts and the generally poor state of the RV industry, a detailed RV inspection has an inspector spend eight or more hours with the rig, plus an additional few to complete the professional report. Your Investion in your recreational time is very detailed and involves evaluation of up to five-hundred inspection points during the detailed analysis. Your RV Investion is the Purple Monkey identifier, a well-known moniker in the RV lifestyle! Purple Monkey's are those hard to identify problems evading your chase and distracting you from recreation and enjoyment while sending you toward the RV poorhouse, instead of the pour-house🍻! So, what’s your time, and recreational enjoyment, really worth? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***Heath is also passionate about teaching his fellow country[wo]men about their Constitution and its governance of the monetary system and federal income tax anchor that's stealing the time, and energy, right out of your lives. He desires his clientele to be equipped with all the information and tools they require before buying any service or another RV to enable a safe and enjoyable time while traveling with their family and friends in their "Rolling Estate."*** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OIL & COOLANT ANALYSIS seRVice

RV inspectors can't take apart engines to analyze what's happening inside. However, we will draw oil and coolant samples as long as the fluid has been in use for a sufficient period of time (typically 1,000 miles for motors, or 100 hours for generators). A professional lab evaluates fluid samples determining exactly what's happening inside an engine, generator, transmission, and/or cooling system. Motorized RV engines, transmissions, and generators are a significant portion of overall cost. Why chance not knowing what's happening in these critical components when purchasing a used RV, or after having owned one for years or decades? Boats, as a Floating Estate, are another RV we'll sample, too! Fluid Analysis is very affordable (in comparison to motor, transmission, and/or coolant component failure and repairs). Oil and coolant analysis add a level of diagnostics not found any other way. This is Healthcare & Wellness for your motorized coach and tow-hauling vehicle:

Identifies if oils and coolant are experiencing contamination
Indicates signs of thermal or mechanical breakdown
Any indication of internal parts wear
Problem indicators long before the problem gives you headaches
Improves reliability, dependability, and longevity of your motor(s)

RV Sampling Recommendations (Industry Standards):

For Engines/Motors, Transmissions, AND Generators

Oil - every scheduled oil/transmission fluid change
Coolant - Annually (or at the beginning of the travel season)

Oil & Coolant Analysis Before and After the Sale!

What Does Oil Analysis Tell Me? Oil analysis measures additive levels, wear metals, contaminants (e.g. water or internal coolant or fuel leaks), soot levels, viscosity, oxidation, and nitration.

First, the oil is checked for viscosity loss (thinned-out oil) and thermal breakdown (too much heat). Oil samples are checked for signs of fuel and coolant caused by faulty injectors or leaking head gaskets and for changes in nitration level that may indicate improper fuel/air mixtures.
All of this is checked as part of the analysis, plus any early stages wear on internal paerts can also be detected.

What Does Coolant Analysis Tell Me? Coolant analysis measures glycol content, additive levels, Freeze Point, Boiling Point, total hardness, and dissolved solid levels (mineral content).

Coolant tests tell you everything you need to know to fully evaluate your engine cooling system, and will notify when an engine coolant change is needed. Detailed test reports will be emailed directly to you promptly. If without an email account, reports can be mailed priority mail through your choice of service provider.
Test reports are "user friendly" and color-coded for "problems" to leap off the page. Color codes indicate the overall severity of the sample using a 0 to 4 rating scale. A Severity Rating of zero indicates everything is normal and no maintenance or service actions are required.
A Severity Rating of 4 indicates immediate action is necessary. The Severity Rating color scale matches the data, so it's easy to spot the test result (problem) leading to the overall Severity Rating.
The report also lists comments and recommendations instructing the owner and service technician on what was found and what maintenance checks are recommended. These are all great things to know when so much money and time is involved, especially when dealing with the expensive components of the motorized RV or towing hauling vehicle!

https://amwservices.pro/ heath@amwservices.pro ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New RV Owner Walk-Through seRVice

RV's are very complex! With multiple electrical systems (12 volts and 120 volts, 50 amp or 30 amps), propane systems, water systems (fresh, "gray," and "black"), and many specialty features unknown to the average citizen enjoying the "sticks and bricks" lifestyle in urban, suburban, and country-side America style houses. The "Rolling Estate" is much more complicated than a house, and when it's moved down the road, it experiences an earthquake the entire way! Imagine what the electrical, plumbing, and gas connections along with the decor, cabinetry, and general mechanical systems experience...pain and discomfort, leading to your wallet's pain and discomfort during vacation or at the peak of a summer heat or depth of a winter blizzard. What soon-to-be home owners get a walkthrough when they purchase a house? How about an automobile? Few, and not usually. Typically, the keys are handed over to the new owner, and it's assumed they know how to live in them or operate them. And most times, this is true...unless there are complicated low-voltage electrical systems or odd-ball septic and water well systems...or a high speed manual transmission system. Well, RVs are like a home without steroids! When purchased, RV's require a knowledgeable guide to spend hours helping the new owner understand how to operate, and protect, the RV and all of its complicated components. When an RV is purchased NEW, this is the RV dealership's job...which they rarely perform to any sort of high standard. Remember, these employees are paid on volume...the more they process, the higher their pay. When an RV is purchased USED, this, too, should be teh responsibility of the RV dealership ~or~ of the seller of the RV. But many times the seller knows just as much as the dealer salesman, which isn't much in the typical situation. Most won't know everything about it, as the mix and match of every RV is exponential and unique. In either case, neither is usually enough to help the new RV owner feel comfortable living in and using their Rolling Estate. This is where AMW seRVice will assist you! Heath has 1,000's of miles pulling 5th Wheel RVs. He's full-time living in 5th Wheel RVs for years of his life. He fully understands what it's like to own one (and having been duped at a dealership, he's non-judgmental...it's happened to all owners). His knowledge of how to operate all the systems these Rolling Estates is broad, and the training and education he's received, along with the professional technician and inspector network available to him, ensures quick access to answers for the oddest of situations. Heath is eager to help you prepare for life on the run, to include safely operating your RV and being sure you're informed about all that must be known about the RV living, in short sprints or as a marathon-type lifestyle. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RV Pre-Purchase Consultations seRVice (on Retainer)

When purchasing an RV, how do you know what you're looking for? If completely brand new to this recreational activity, what should you buy? What RV type and style will meet your needs? Moreso, even experienced RV'ers ask for help when deciding to buy another RV...based on experience and past mistakes "going it alone." There exists much to consider regarding an RV purchase, especially when it involves so much stored energy (i.e. your "money savings" and/or debt). Let AMW seRVice remove the pain and anxiety of such a huge decision. We'll accompany you during market research and investigation of your new Rolling Estate. Save yourself from making the wrong purchase after not thinking of the right questions, at the right time, about the RV under consideration...or because ya simply didn't know what you didn't know. Recall, the unknown unknowns are the most dangerous in business, and in life! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seminars

Heath developed the knowledge and public speaking skills to present and consult on many topics in small-business (Banking, Accounting, Insurance, Legal ~BAIL~ along with Value Creation, Marketing, Sales, Value Delivery, Finance) and the Rolling Estate lifestyle! As a self-proclaimed "WordSmith'n Valueconomist," he pinpoints and highlights important matters as it pertains to the state of the economy, your U.S. Constitution and the importance of understanding the environment in which we all operate as both a consumer and a producer of services (and products) - think the tax code, the "all-mighty" dollar "bill" and why each is paramount in your navigating the treacherous consumer landscape. Contact Heath to speak at your next business gathering to better understand why America's Most Wanted s3RVice man stays On The Run! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RV Technician Service

As an NRVIA Registered Inspector and an RVTAA Registered Advanced RV Service Technician, Heath restricts his technical work to Air Conditioning maintenance services during specific times of the year, typically offering specials during the Spring and Fall in preparation for the Summertime demand and Winter layup seasons, respectively. He refers any repair requirements to a list of AMW seRVice screened technicians in the region he's operating in. He does not offer comprehensive technician services due to his full time RV Lifestyle. The lifestyle isn’t conducive to stocking and carrying all the necessary tools, parts, and equipment to quickly solve the high variety of RV component and system problems prevalent with every rig On The Run. He dreads the can of worms opened up on most every RV repair job and therefore steers clear of them with a ten foot pole, referring repairs out to a strong network of qualified and highly equipped repair technician companies. He does, however, encourage regular preventative maintenance schedules to minimize your repair costs while placing your resources into the recreation side of the Rolling Estate, and not the Repair Reality of the Recreational Vehicle poorhouse. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your Wants & Needs Will Drive Your Decisions...

What do you Want?

Frustration & Headache?
Recreation & Fun?
Visits to the Poorhouse? :-[
Or the funner "Pour-house?";-)

What do you Need?

Guidance & Resources
A Trusted Advisor with AMW seRVice

To Your Liberty,

heath@amwservices.pro

AMW seRVice...On The Run & Over The Road

America's Most Wanted RV Expertise (Inspector ID: 3759) (Technician ID: 2615)

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J Heath Smith