Tips and Secrets Before Buying a RV: Inspection and Complete Walk-Thru 2019 Phaeton

I was contacted by a viewer to inspect a 2019 Tiffin Phaeton that they had agreed to purchase sight unseen and asked me to give a report whether they should proceed or cancel the deal. While I cannot always schedule inspections, this one fit perfectly and I was happy to complete it and share tips and secrets about this and other Tiffin's. This is also a pre-pandemic and pre-Thor Tiffin so it might be nice to see how vital those talking points are. As always, I recommend finding an inspector before purchasing to be a second set of eyes, but if you are not able to, hopefully, these videos help show you where you should also be looking.
I rarely tell any buyers whether they should or should not buy and only give my opinion about condition in relationship to their expectations. Price/value/cost are not a subject I have any great knowledge about.
Thanks for watching!

[@ImpalamansGarage]

I completely agree with you on the rear ladders.

[@NoelBarlau]

My friend is an engineer with Parker and as part of his job he gets to visit Tiffin in Red Bay occasionally. I'm always super jealous of the tours he enjoys while they're being built, and he sends pictures of all the fun stuff just to rub it in. Just on a side note, I can't imagine buying an RV sight unseen - there are just so many ways that can go sideways. They're being smart by hiring you to do the inspection, though!

[@TimothyMichaels]

Wish I knew about inspections before buying mine. Was purchased out of necessity. 1995 Safari, old but it started.

[@bulldogshouse9970]

Add marker 2412 did you fart😂😂😂

[@boondock6055]

Good catch 😂

[@D52M5]

Maybe had some Filiberto’s for lunch?

[@butchpulley6344]

Hey James. Are the rear radiator motor homes more trouble for repairs or is the side radiator more problematic

[@robertandrews830]

2 heat pumps, middle isn't a heat pump, and 3 zone hydronic... Probably just mis-spoke... Love your inspection, we have a 19 37BH from beaver coach made about 3/4 year later and we love it! But you pointed out a couple of things I am going to look at for our coach! Thank you!! That is an all electric coach like ours. We love not worrying about propane...

[@mavision6525]

Inspections are so important.

[@glennandpamlang190]

James, How coincidental. I just bought a 2019 Phaeton 37BH. Mine is not the all electric so I have propane. Same color. I just washed and waxed my roof today and you answered any questions I have about some of the bubbles in the roof. My new Vatrer 460 became fully operational today with a call to Magnum to get me set up properly and reset the inverter. Thanks again for all the great tips in your videos. (We have the slide out table and chairs.)

[@JohnJohnson-hl1vi]

2023 Phaeton XSH 40 has a single level floor to the very rear closets. No tripping or stubbed toes!

[@Turbo_Todd]

All powerglide chassis tiffins are totally flat since about 2014 or so. They are great with additional storage underneath!

[@Turbo_Todd]

Nice walk-through. I have a 2019 Phaeton 40 IH. Phaeton 40 IH and 44 OH are Poweglide chassis with flat floor all the way through with taller basement storage. No step up. Yes, Allegro Bus and Zephyr are flat floor all the way back.

[@AZExpert]

Right on

[@tedtaylor5388]

I have a post covid and post Thor built Tiffin. No build quality issues at all.

[@daydreamer0923]

Thank you. Yes please 😂. That rig is very pretty. Congratulations to the new owners. 🎉😊

[@Technocrat.]

I would prefer another soda bed instead of a Dinette, but, the sofa would have a table top that pulls out from under the sofa, with bolted down left and right arms that, when you pull the table swings forward and up and over in front of the sofa either as a coffee table or longer rectangular dining table, that's supported by the swing arms, that lock in to place. Hope you understand what I mean. 😂😮

[@daviscrt]

Great information, thanks again. Don

[@Marcarjohn]

Thanks for this video. You answered my questions I had on a Tiffin roofs being wavy and not completely flat. Great timing. Tiffin should take more time (change their processes that is) to make them a bunch smoother.

[@gereshomeE]

A good review and I heard you say “- an RV”, which is correct! 😊

[@AZExpert]

Yes! Thank you!

[@robcacchio6774]

24:13 ??? Ducks ?

[@johnnygonzales3211]

Your awesome my friend.

[@TomSpurlock]

I don't agree about the ladder omission. I have one of those telescopic ladders, and yes, they are pretty handy. However I would never use it to get access to walk on top of my 2021 Tiffin RED 33AA. It's too tall. Going up is sketchy enough, but coming down off the roof on that ladder is downright dangerous. I'm sure you know that if you've ever tried it. I never carry that ladder in my RV anymore, but I do use it at home.

[@bounderchris]

I would be needing some pull-ups to climb up on that little ladder, I was on my roof today and used a big a frame I bought… and this guy is climbing up it with one hand 😂😂

[@Dawes-Drummin]

2019 is a good year, and the 37bh. is Tiffin’s most popular model…. properly equipped, its a mini Zephyr….

[@D52M5]

Hi James! Love your videos. Can you give me a quote for one of your thorough inspections? 2022 Prevost Marathon XL.

[@clarencewiles963]

That shower latch just needs a little extra TLC and it’s good 👍

[@michaelmorris1971]

Why didn't you inspect the plumbing, the most important after the roof? Look forward to your answer

[@wingman808]

Do you know what kind of flooring that is and where I can get it at thanks?

[@bambinathebichon8024]

Hi James - Looking at a coach in AZ and I am in Texas - looking for a inspection - have any ideas??? No pressure!😅

[@toddincabo]

👍

[@pguy9852]

How do i book a service with you?

[@davidstein606]

My 2019 Phaeton has seamless slides. Didn’t see them on this one.

[@Turbo_Todd]

Seamless only on the Phaeton 40 IH, 44 OH, all Allegro buses, and the Zephyr. I think 2021 and newer, they eliminated them due to cost except on Zephyr. I toured Tiffin in '22 and no Seamless on an Allegro Bus. Thor did that.

[@SpykersB]

Ok i'll say it for u.... That would be Newmar folks, that uses the cheesy cheap roof membrane on their slide roofs...is this a "get what ya paid for?" at $1.5 mil? 😱🍻

[@AZExpert]

It's strange to my mind too

[@bambinathebichon8024]

Check your email James - please from Gary Spring