EP# 256: Protecting Your Mobile Castle: Why RV Inspections Matter with 5-Star RV Service

What makes Martie and Beth Roe with 5-Star RV Service a good neighbor?

Thinking about buying an RV? You'll want to hear what Martie and Beth Roe have to say first. These owners of Five Star RV Service join Skip Mauney to reveal insider knowledge that could save you thousands of dollars and countless headaches.

Did you know that brand new RVs arrive at dealerships only 80% complete? This startling revelation from Martie explains why even fresh-off-the-lot vehicles can have significant problems. "You don't want to be at a campsite and the black tank fall out on you," he warns, describing just one of the alarming issues they've discovered during pre-purchase inspections. From generators that haven't been properly broken in to potential plumbing disasters waiting to happen, the Roes have seen it all.

Drawing parallels to home inspections, Beth explains the crucial role of third-party inspectors in the RV buying process. Their company meticulously checks between 2,500-3,000 components across electrical, propane, water, and solar systems – specialized knowledge that crosses multiple disciplines. The timing of these inspections is critical, too. As Martie points out, dealerships are far more motivated to fix issues before you've paid than after you've driven away.

Beyond their technical expertise, the Rowes bring personal passion to their work. As RV owners themselves (they travel with grandkids in their Grand Design toy hauler), they understand the lifestyle intimately. They've even explored RV culture internationally, noting fascinating differences between American and Italian approaches during their recent European travels. "Everything over here bigger is better, everything over there smaller is better," Martie observes.

Ready to protect your investment and ensure your RV adventures start smoothly? Visit www.5starrvservice.com or call 866-5-STAR-RV to learn how Five Star RV Service can help you avoid costly mistakes and enjoy worry-free travels. Because as Skip concludes, "If you're willing to invest in an RV, you need to be willing to invest in this inspection."

To learn more about 5-Star RV Service go to:

https://www.5starrvservice.com/

5-Star RV Service

866-578-2778

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Skip Monty.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
So today I am really excited tohave several special guests in
our studio and I'm sure you'llbe just as excited as I am to
learn all about them and theirbusiness, because today I have
the pleasure of introducing yourgood neighbors, Mr Marty and
Beth Rowe, who are the owneroperators of Five Star RV

(00:35):
Service.
Marty, Beth, welcome to theshow.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Hello, thank you, thank you, skip.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Well, we're, like I said, glad to have you, and I
understand we also have Copperwith us.
He's just not in front of thecamera, but if he decides to
speak up, we'll let him talk tooas well.
Copper's, you told me what kindof dog is he?

Speaker 3 (00:54):
Cavapoo, cavalier King Charles and Toy Poodle yeah
.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Very good.
That's the first time I'veheard of that, but very
interesting.
So anyway, like I said, we'reexcited to learn all about you
guys.
So if you don't mind, why don'tyou kick us off by telling us
about your business?

Speaker 4 (01:08):
Yeah, we started a five star RV service about five
years ago and then we go aroundand then we inspect RVs I'm new
and used and we also do repairson them.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Oh wow, you do inspections on site Like it does
it matter if they're at acampsite or at home.

Speaker 4 (01:27):
No, no, we do them at home a campsite, and the best
place to do them is actually atthe RV dealership, before you
purchase them.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Oh, good point.
Very good, very good point.

Speaker 4 (01:38):
Go ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
I'm sorry.

Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yeah, all the RVs come to the dealership about 80%
done, so the dealership's got afinished amount.
So sometimes it doesn't getdone all the way correct.
So that way we can inspectbefore you purchase it and we
can get them to fix stuff foryou.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
And that is no small investment, so great idea.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
It's a whole lot like a home inspection.
If you look at how expensiveRVs are today compared to what
they used to be, it is a hugeinvestment, like you said.
And so to get that inspectionand to learn what is wrong with
the RV before you purchase it,it's miraculous how much faster
those things get fixed beforeyou've actually bought it than

(02:19):
if you try to get that doneafter the fact.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
After the fact that's exactly right.
Wow, very interesting.
Well, how did you guys get intothis business?

Speaker 4 (02:29):
Well, back in, 2018, we bought our first camper and
then we realized there was justnot that you know, rv techs or
RV inspectors in our area.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
Just how underserved our community was for RV techs
and inspectors especially, youknow.
When we needed, you know, somehelp, we realized that it was
just non-existent.
Here is how we felt.

Speaker 4 (02:51):
Yeah, so we love helping people and helping our
community out, so we startedthis and it's just been rolling
on and just keeps on going.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Wow.
Well, you know, rving is agrowing thing.
I think I used to see more andmore of them on the road every
day.
It seems like I just drove fromWestern North Carolina to
Washington DC and, man, therewas a ton of them on the road.
Yeah right, absolutely a ton ofthem.
So do you guys have your own RV?

Speaker 4 (03:22):
Yeah, we do, we do.
We've got a grand design.
I'm a toy hauler right nowbecause we've got grandbabies,
so we get to put them in theirarea and just take them with us.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
All right, very nice, very nice.
Well, what are some myths ormisconceptions in the RV
industry?

Speaker 4 (03:38):
Inspections.
It's just like a.
It's just like a homeinspection.
You would not want the sellerof a house to have their own
inspection person come in.
So this way we're a third partyinspector.
So once a dealership says it'sdone, we'll come in there and
inspect it.
And then, once we get theinspection done, if you want us
to take you to the campsite andteach you how to use your RVs,

(04:00):
then we could help you out therealso.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
And part of that when he's talking about the
inspections and themisconception.
A lot of people think whenthey're buying a brand new RV
that everything is just perfecton that and, like he said
earlier, they come to thedealership 80% finished and the
dealership finishes that out andnothing against the dealership
or anything.
It's just there's a lot oflittle nuances there that get

(04:25):
missed sometimes and if he canfind that beforehand, it just
makes your life a whole loteasier once you roll off the lot
with that RV.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
Absolutely Well, I mean, good Lord, a brand new RV
these days is six figures right,I mean yeah easy, easy.
Well, is it a requirement tohave them inspected like a like
a home inspection?

Speaker 4 (04:48):
No, no, no, it's not, it's not required, it's just,
it's just a really good practice, so that way you know, ever
bolts tighten, ever, ever.
But because this rv haselectrical, propane, water,
solar in it and there's noteverybody who knows all those
aspects at the same time with ittell them some of the things
that you found on new ones thatwere okay, like just a couple

(05:10):
weeks ago we found some withloose black tanks.
You don't want to be at acampsite and the black tank fall
out on you, so that's prettyimportant, or whatever.
The biggest one we find is likeon the motor homes dealerships
not running generators.
A generator's got to have somany hours for it to break in.
Or the first time you start itup and you turn on the AC

(05:33):
because you're down in a Floridasomewhere and it's hot, turn on
the AC and a generator breaks.
You don't want that.
And then just there's just abunch of little small stuff.

Speaker 3 (05:44):
Plumbing and some plumbing.

Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yeah, plumbing issues this and that and the other.
So, yeah, we get through all ofit.
We'll touch about anywhere from2,500 to 3,000 pieces over.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
Wow.
Well, I have personalexperience with plumbing on an
RV, on an old RV, and it was nota fun experience at all.
Kind of like that movie RV.
I'm sure you've seen that.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah, one of our favorites?

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Yeah, I absolutely love that movie.
Well, outside of work, what doyou guys do for fun?
I have a feeling I know.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
We love to travel.
It's funny, we just got backfrom Italy.
Oh wow, I will have to admit wedid drive through a campground
in Italy.
Even though we weren't RVingwhile we were there, we just
couldn't resist.
We drove through thatcampground just to see how it
was different and it was amazingto us just the different,
different types of RVs that theyhad over there versus over here

(06:41):
.
But if we're not working, we'reusually gone somewhere.
She's with us sometimes.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Of course, of course, very good, very good, very good
, well.
Um well, I'm curious are thervs different in italy?

Speaker 3 (06:58):
I'm sorry, yeah, just the brand.

Speaker 4 (07:02):
I mean we didn't inspect one, but yeah, just the
brand, the models, um howcertain acs are on stuff where
the axles are, because over inItaly there was small cars
pulling little bitty pullingbigger RVs, but how they're set
up, I mean it was good.

(07:23):
And then the motorhomes theywere like totally.

Speaker 3 (07:27):
They were like a compact mini motorhome, yeah
yeah, just just smaller versions, where everything over here
bigger is better, everythingover there smaller is better, it
seems.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
Right, wow, fascinating Italian RVs.
Well, if, if you guys couldthink of one thing that you
would like our listeners toremember about Five Star RV
service, what would that be?

Speaker 3 (07:52):
I would think that it is the name Five Star.
We worked really hard onbranding our business before we
started and I joked with Martyif we go with Five Star, you
have to make sure that you keepfive stars on Google.
How embarrassing would that beif we don't have five stars?
But at the end of the day, hereally does enjoy helping people

(08:16):
and being able to go in there.
Maybe somebody has looked atsomething 10 times and he can
walk in where he's experiencedand he has looked at RVs day in
and day out and he could tellthem immediately what is wrong
with it.
It's fulfilling for him and somuch so I have to fuss a little
bit like okay, we're doneworking.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Oh, wow, it's over, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 (08:40):
Let's put some timeframes on our work hours,
just because he does enjoy beingable to help people find that.
But the emphasis I would say isjust you know to remember that
we are a five-star RV servicefor a reason and that we go
above and beyond to try to makesure we fulfill that.

Speaker 2 (08:57):
Awesome, very good thing to remember, so maintain
five stars.
So how can, if any of ourlisteners are interested or
thinking about buying an RV,have an RV that they need to
have inspected?
How can they learn more?
I?

Speaker 3 (09:12):
mean go to our website, 5starcom or whatever,
or you can give us a call, it'swww.5starrvservicecom, and that
is with the number five, and wedo have a couple of forms on
there.
If you need service, like arepair, there is a form you can
fill out and it'll come to us.
We tried to automate everythingthat we could for the business,

(09:34):
and then there's also aninspection request form on there
, or you can just call us.
We've got a toll-free numberthat you can call us, which is
actually 866-5-STAR-RV.
That's the phone number too866-5-STAR-RV.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:53):
Very good, all right.
Well, marty, beth, I can't tellyou how much I appreciate you
guys taking time out of yourbusy schedule and taking you
away from Copper and from yourgrandkids.
Hopefully not, but I appreciateyou getting on the show to tell
me and our listeners all aboutwhat you do.
And, very important, I can'timagine spending that much money

(10:14):
on something and not wanting touse your service.
So, listeners, you know,five-star RV service definitely
got to check that out.
If you're willing to invest inan RV, you need to be willing to
invest in an rv.
You need to be willing toinvest in this inspection.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
save you a lot of money in the long run, I'm sure
yes, for sure, absolutelyappreciate you giving us the
opportunity to talk a little bitabout our business.
We really appreciate thatabsolutely well.

Speaker 2 (10:38):
Maybe we can have you back sometime when you got
something big going on soundsgood all right.
So much, guys, and we'll talksoon.

Speaker 1 (10:49):
Thank you.
Thank you for listening to theGood Neighbor Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnptry-citiescom.
That's gnptry-citiescom, orcall 423-719-5873.