Informed opinions on coach selection

[mrmrsbb]

I intend to purchase a motorhome this winter or spring -- not considering any thing older than a 2014. I believe there are lots of well informed folks on this forum that can help us narrow the search. Budget under 150K.

Need room for two adults plus two dogs (one small one large). We would occasionally bring our grand child and parents with us on weekend trips. Will use on as many weekends as we can and vacations of up to four weeks in duration. We like coaches we've seen that have a residential feel with fireplace etc.

The main struggle is if it makes sense to buy a coach that has higher quality components but not as good a floor plan or one that has a better for plan but lower quality components.

[Clayobx]

IMO you will be better served looking at one of the new gas coaches. You can find very nice floor plans in the 35 ft. Range. FW Bounder is one, Newmar Bay Star, or with your budget it's possible to find a 2014 FW Excursion DP. Thor makes the Palazzo also a DP. Best of luck on your search!

[Ray,IN]

I agree with Claybox. A gas powered chassis fits into your spending limit much easier than a diesel-powered MH, especially for your planned usage. They usually provide more planned sleeping capacity too.

[KD4XR]

I know you said you want a 2014 but you can find some very nice 2008 - 2010 residential quality coaches that are within your budget. For example, we just purchased a beautiful 2006 Itasca Horizon DP which was Winnebago's flagship at the time for $100K.

[mrmrsbb]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

I agree with Claybox. A gas powered chassis fits into your spending limit much easier than a diesel-powered MH, especially for your planned usage. They usually provide more planned sleeping capacity too.

Forgot to mention we prefer Winnegabo products

[mrmrsbb]

Originally Posted by KD4XR

I know you said you want a 2014 but you can find some very nice 2008 - 2010 residential quality coaches that are within your budget. For example, we just purchased a beautiful 2006 Itasca Horizon DP which was Winnebago's flagship at the time for $100K.

Aren't there issues in regard to extend warranties etc with old coaches

[grtharris]

mrmrsbb, We love our Adventurer 35P a little tight when the slides are in but when they are open there is lots of room.

[Keith K]

For your projected usage, I agree that a gas coach is the right choice. We researched gas motorhomes for two years before starting full timing, and narrowed our choices to Winnebago, Tiffin, and Newmar. While we chose a Tiffin, all are of comparable quality and have a variety of floor plans that would suit your needs, although I believe Winnebago gives you the most residential feel, including a residential refrigerator. You'll find the same appliances and furniture in these models as you will in comparable diesel models.

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by mrmrsbb

I intend to purchase a motorhome this winter or spring -- not considering any thing older than a 2014. I believe there are lots of well informed folks on this forum that can help us narrow the search. Budget under 150K.

Need room for two adults plus two dogs (one small one large). We would occasionally bring our grand child and parents with us on weekend trips. Will use on as many weekends as we can and vacations of up to four weeks in duration. We like coaches we've seen that have a residential feel with fireplace etc.

The main struggle is if it makes sense to buy a coach that has higher quality components but not as good a floor plan or one that has a better for plan but lower quality components.

Here ya go. The Itasca Sunova 33C by Winnebago is a very nice sized coach that feels residential. The TV pops up out of the buffet and is viewable from all seating areas including the captain's chairs. The opposing living room slides really give a feeling of spaciousness.

We have two cats with us and sometimes the granddaughter and even a parent or two sometimes. Ours is a 2010 Sunova 33C and we've put about 18,000 mi. on it since buying it new from this very same dealership. No problems with the MH and the dealership is excellent.

This new 2014 should be set at a nice discounted price and isn't too far from you. Good Luck!

New 2014 Itasca Sunova 33C Motor Home Class A at US Adventure RV Davenport Iowa US Adventure RV

[EdMan]

There also some used 2014's DP, Forza or Solei line up that would suit your needs. The 34 T is shorter than 38R, esier on curves/parks, and maybe lower in price. The 38R's do have bunks which would serve G-kids very well as well as bath and half. Some choices in diesel to consider. I would definitely reccomend Wennebago products.

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by mrmrsbb

I intend to purchase a motorhome this winter or spring -- not considering any thing older than a 2014. I believe there are lots of well informed folks on this forum that can help us narrow the search. Budget under 150K.

Need room for two adults plus two dogs (one small one large). We would occasionally bring our grand child and parents with us on weekend trips. Will use on as many weekends as we can and vacations of up to four weeks in duration. We like coaches we've seen that have a residential feel with fireplace etc.

The main struggle is if it makes sense to buy a coach that has higher quality components but not as good a floor plan or one that has a better for plan but lower quality components.

This is a big question often asked. What kind of usage are you planning?

Here is my opinion and my reasoning. A dp is a better ride and quieter than a gasser. DP's love to work. They may get slow on a 6% grade but they keep on going without complaints. The compression or exhaust break is a great feature. The Cummins/Freightliner/Allison 3000MH (or greater) is a wonderful combination with lots of support available in time of need.

This coach we are in is a 1 1/2 year new to us. We love the floor plan. There is a shorter version in another model with a similar floor plan.

I think extended warranties are limited to 10 years old.

In our price range, Winnebago/Itasca has a good selection and good factory support. Don't buy any RV expecting to find good dealer service as being common. Just the opposite. Good dealer service centers are few and far between.

Go to RV shows and look at floor plans. Then find a older coach with what you like. I suggest that you avoid the basement on the slides. Many folks have no issues with them, but we found them too small and sensitive to weight.

Consider the lighter cabinet colors. On a bright day, coming into the rig is easier for the eyes to adjust.

We love our residential refrigerator and our auto start generator that protects the 6 AGM batteries and start batteries if we loose power and are gone for the day. This system also responds to the heating and cooling needs.

This is just a few of my thoughts. Have fun looking. Once you know what your priorities are things get easier.

Happy trails.

Rick Y

[artpe54]

We love our Winnebago Forza 34T, might be a little above what you are looking to spend new thou.

[Hikerdogs]

Originally Posted by mrmrsbb

I intend to purchase a motorhome this winter or spring -- not considering any thing older than a 2014. I believe there are lots of well informed folks on this forum that can help us narrow the search. Budget under 150K.

Need room for two adults plus two dogs (one small one large). We would occasionally bring our grand child and parents with us on weekend trips. Will use on as many weekends as we can and vacations of up to four weeks in duration. We like coaches we've seen that have a residential feel with fireplace etc.

The main struggle is if it makes sense to buy a coach that has higher quality components but not as good a floor plan or one that has a better for plan but lower quality components.

We have the same scenario minus the grandchildren. We're on our second Winnebago Adventurer, and have loved both of them. The first one was a 2001 32G on the Ford chassis. We had it over 12 years and put on over 100,000 miles.

We replaced it with a 2013 32H (actually 33'3" in length) in 2013. The new one has a full wall slide that almost doubles the interior floor space. We like the floor plan, the quality of the construction and components, and the way it drives and handles.

We opted for the smaller one for several reasons. First of all we like to visit state and national parks. Most of these parks were built in the era of smaller travel trailers and pop ups. Even at 33'3" some of the campsites take a little navigating to get into. Secondly with both motorhomes we've found we don't have to do expensive modifications to get them to handle well on the road.

If you're planning to keep the coach for any period of time I would definitely go with one that has quality components. You don't want to spend all your time repairing or replacing things that break or wear out.

At $150,000.00 you should be able to buy a new Adventurer. They list for $160,000.00 to $191,000.00, but generally sell for 25% to 30% below list price. We were able to negotiate a sale price of about 28% below the list.

If your time frame allows it I would consider ordering one rather than buying off the lot. The dealers are more likely to negotiate a better price since they won't have the expenses of stocking it, or advertising. We ordered both of ours and got exactly what we wanted.

In any case if you go new or used I would highly recommend the Adventurer line from Winnebago. It's their best gas model and is a lot of bang for the buck.

[vsheetz]

Given your usage parameters:

Gas coach
Class A
~35' or larger
Of better quality model

Alternately I would spend less than half the amount you budget on a good used coach of the same.

Enjoy!

[jerichorick]

PS: If this is still available you can probably get it for $150 or close to it. Used 2011 Winnebago Journey 40U Motor Home Class A - Diesel at Lichtsinn Motors Forest City Iowa Lichtsinn Motors

[goldwingerx2]

We have a 2012 Itasca 33C and love it. We have over 36,000 miles on it and have had no problems. The problem with a DP is the high cost of maintenance with the miles you put on it. We are probably at the point that it would/might pay us to go that way. We do not like the front entry that most DP have as the passenger chair is always in the way. We like the Solie/Forza except for the sofa which to us is awkward. The most import thing about any MH in our opinion is the floorplan. If it doesn't work you will not like the coach. Each brand has good and not so good about them. Would we buy another Winnebago yes if the floorpan fit. The floorplan that we like at this point is the Palazzo 35.1 but we like the free standing dinette which I would remove and replace with free standing table in the same location. I have done this on our Itasca 33C and love the flexibility that it provides. Used a drop leaf table from Ikea and would do the same again.

Good luck with your all the choices you have. When you decide ENJOY.

[mrmrsbb]

Originally Posted by goldwingerx2

We have a 2012 Itasca 33C and love it. We have over 36,000 miles on it and have had no problems. The problem with a DP is the high cost of maintenance with the miles you put on it. We are probably at the point that it would/might pay us to go that way. We do not like the front entry that most DP have as the passenger chair is always in the way. We like the Solie/Forza except for the sofa which to us is awkward. The most import thing about any MH in our opinion is the floorplan. If it doesn't work you will not like the coach. Each brand has good and not so good about them. Would we buy another Winnebago yes if the floorpan fit. The floorplan that we like at this point is the Palazzo 35.1 but we like the free standing dinette which I would remove and replace with free standing table in the same location. I have done this on our Itasca 33C and love the flexibility that it provides. Used a drop leaf table from Ikea and would do the same again.

Good luck with your all the choices you have. When you decide ENJOY.

What do you think about the intable in some of the newer Winnebago coaches. It sounds like you did something similar.

[goldwingerx2]

Love the in table concept, the problem is the sofa. When the table is not in use the sofa ends tucked away you can only set 2 people comfortably as the sofa ends that slide out are hard and high plus protrude further than the comfortable part of the sofa. When they are extended your feet are tangling with the other feet. We wanted a Solie 34T without a sofa and we would add our own. Winnebago said it would cost several thousand dollars to custom build one without the sofa. Not sure why deleting something has to cost more??? We would have preferred a regular sofa and some nice folding chairs like come with other MH free standing tables. The Intable allows people to set on all sides, many times in the winter especially we have 6 or 7 people around the table. Love to eat and play games in the winter.

[Hikerdogs]

Originally Posted by goldwingerx2

Love the in table concept, the problem is the sofa. When the table is not in use the sofa ends tucked away you can only set 2 people comfortably as the sofa ends that slide out are hard and high plus protrude further than the comfortable part of the sofa. When they are extended your feet are tangling with the other feet. We wanted a Solie 34T without a sofa and we would add our own. Winnebago said it would cost several thousand dollars to custom build one without the sofa. Not sure why deleting something has to cost more??? We would have preferred a regular sofa and some nice folding chairs like come with other MH free standing tables. The Intable allows people to set on all sides, many times in the winter especially we have 6 or 7 people around the table. Love to eat and play games in the winter.

I would be interested in knowing the person at Winnebago that told you deleting an item would cost more money. We ordered custom options on our 2013 Adventurer without any problems. We took a tour of the factory looking for options that we could order on our 2013 that were standard on our 2001 Adventurer but not offered in 2013. Not only did we find some interesting options we were told we could order any option that was offered in any other coach if it would physically fit in the coach we ordered. We could also delete anything we didn't want.

We had to request specific non standard options through our sales person. They in turn forwarded it to the factory. The items we were interested did fit so the factory communicated the additional cost should we decide to go with them. We did go for the options and the dealer passed them along at cost.

As for deleting items we were told there wouldn't be a charge, however it could have a big impact on resale when we were done with it. We decided to go with all the standard items.

[Tom-NC]

Hi,

We have a 2014 Adventurer 35P and love it. It handles great and rides nice.

We purchased it at a rally and got a few extras we wanted like a stackable washer and dryer and a sleep number bed along with a few minor accessories.

This will be our last Winnebago and it's our 4th. I have been a WBGO fan from day one back in 1989 and been to the factory a number of times. Their support network is fabulous and the info you can get from their website is priceless. Their techs are top notch. Lastly I think they build a fine coach and if you needed a special part that is on your coach they have or can retrieve from their stock.

Again I would recommend the 2014 Adventurer 35 P!!!!!!!