San Antonio RV Inspection Report: 2025 Winnebago Spirit 22M

If you’re shopping for a motorhome in the San Antonio area, this story is a perfect example of why hiring a certified RV inspector before buying an RV is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

This week’s inspection for Cozy Camper Mobile RV Services involved a Winnebago Spirit 22M Class C motorhome located at a dealership in the San Antonio, Texas area. The RV was being marketed as a 2025 Winnebago Spirit, but once I started digging into the details, things didn’t add up.

What we found during this San Antonio RV inspection turned out to be one of the most concerning “new RV” inspections I’ve seen.

Watch the full report on YouTube

The “2025” RV That Was Actually Built in 2023

One of the first things I verify during any pre-purchase RV inspection is the actual production date of the coach and chassis. The dealership listing said this motorhome was a 2025 Winnebago Spirit 22M. However, the coach itself was built in late 2023, and the Ford chassis was built a couple of months before that. Winnebago’s own marketing materials listed this configuration as a 2024 model year. Model year rollovers in the RV industry can be confusing, and sometimes dealerships simply follow their inventory systems. I try to assume positive intent, but technically speaking this RV was closer to a 2024 model than a 2025. By the time I inspected it in February 2026, the RV had been sitting on the dealership lot for nearly 15 months.

And unfortunately, it showed.

Lot Rot: The Hidden Problem With “New” RVs

One thing many RV buyers don’t realize is that most dealerships do very little preventative maintenance on inventory sitting on their lots. When an RV sits outside for months or even years, it can develop what inspectors commonly call “lot rot.” This particular motorhome had clearly been exposed to the elements without routine maintenance.

During the inspection I found extensive decaying sealant on the roof and around several seams and roof penetrations. Some of this may have occurred during manufacturing, but a large portion appeared to be deterioration from sitting outside for over a year.

According to Winnebago’s maintenance recommendations, exterior seals should be inspected at least every six months. Some RV manufacturers recommend checking seals every 90 days. If this motorhome had been sitting on the lot for 15 months without maintenance, it had likely missed two or three seal inspection cycles already, despite being sold as “new.”

Deteriorating sealant creates a major risk for water intrusion, which is one of the most expensive problems an RV owner can face.

Roof Damage and Fiberglass Degradation

While inspecting the roof, I found something even more concerning. The fiberglass at the rear of the coach was already showing signs of degradation similar to what you might expect on an older motorhome that has spent years in the sun. Specifically, there was fiberglass checking near the rear cap and cracked fiberglass on one of the slideouts. These types of issues are typically associated with long-term exposure to heat and UV. Imagine buying a brand new motorhome in Texas only to find damage that looks like it belongs on a much older RV. Unfortunately, the exterior issues were only the beginning.

Signs of Water Intrusion Inside the Motorhome

Once I moved inside the coach, I started noticing classic signs of water intrusion. There was brown and orange discoloration visible on portions of the ceiling. I found these stains around skylights and trim pieces, which are common areas where roof leaks begin. I also noticed swollen cabinetry. Many RV cabinets are built with composite materials that swell when exposed to moisture. When you see that kind of swelling, it’s often a strong indicator that water has been present. There was also a leak under the kitchen sink, which is serious on its own. However, the bigger issue appeared to be water entering the RV from above.

Standing Water Inside the RV

The biggest clue came when I found standing water in the bathroom area.

The water appeared to originate behind the shower and had spread across the floor of the room. There were no active plumbing leaks, which suggested the water had entered the RV from outside rather than from the plumbing system. Based on the staining patterns and ceiling discoloration, it appeared likely that rainwater had entered through gaps near the roof seams or around trim areas. One possible entry point was where the rear cap meets the curbside wall. From there, the water had traveled through the structure of the RV and eventually drained out near the rear wheel area.

Why Water Intrusion Is So Dangerous in RVs

Water damage in RVs can be extremely difficult to fully repair. Unlike houses, RVs contain laminated wall structures, insulation layers, hidden cavities, and composite cabinetry materials. Once water gets into those areas, it can spread quickly and remain hidden behind walls or inside structural components.

Even if repairs are attempted, it can be difficult to determine whether every affected area has been properly dried and remediated. That raises important questions for buyers. Has all the moisture been removed? Is there hidden mold behind panels? Are structural components compromised?

Finding this level of water intrusion in what was being sold as a new RV is extremely concerning.

The Buyer Walked Away

After completing the inspection, I contacted the buyer and explained the findings. They were understandably disappointed. They knew the RV had been on the lot for a while and were hoping they had found a great deal. However, with this level of damage, they made the smart decision to walk away from the purchase. Fortunately, we were able to schedule another RV inspection for them on a different motorhome. Saving buyers from making expensive mistakes like this is exactly why we perform comprehensive pre-purchase RV inspections.

The Bigger Concern

The part that worries me most in situations like this is what happens next.

If the dealership performs some basic cosmetic repairs, this RV could easily go back into inventory and be marketed again.The next buyer may not hire an RV inspector.

That buyer could unknowingly purchase an RV with significant hidden water intrusion damage.

Why Every RV Buyer Should Get an Inspection

At Cozy Camper Mobile RV Services, we believe the only safe way to enter the RV lifestyle is with a comprehensive pre-purchase RV inspection.

Our inspections are designed to help RV buyers understand the true condition of a motorhome, travel trailer, or fifth wheel before completing the purchase.

We perform RV inspections across Central Texas including San Antonio, New Braunfels, Austin, San Marcos, and surrounding areas. Seasonally we also serve parts of the Midwest including Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa.

If you are considering buying an RV and want to protect yourself from costly surprises, learn more about our inspection services here:https://cozycamperatx.com

You can also explore our RV education and training resources at Cozy Camper Academy:

https://cozycamperacademy.mykajabi.com/

A Quick SEO Apology (Seriously)

If you noticed phrases like San Antonio RV inspection, RV inspector San Antonio, pre-purchase RV inspection San Antonio, and certified RV inspector in San Antonio Texas appearing a few times in this article… yes, that was intentional.

Search engines apparently like it when we repeat phrases like RV inspection San Antonio, RV inspector near San Antonio, and pre-purchase RV inspection in San Antonio more than normal humans would in polite conversation.

So while it may feel a little silly, it helps people searching for RV inspection services in San Antonio actually find this information.

And if repeating San Antonio RV inspection a few extra times helps even one buyer avoid a very expensive mistake, I’m okay with making the algorithm happy.