2006 Tour 40FD comments

canyon453 · 07-17-2014, 07:20 PM

I'm interested in an '06 Tour 40FD. I believe that this is the first year for this model.

Does the 350 Cat have sufficient power for this coach.
I will be towing a '09 Saturn Vue (3900 lbs).
We plan on spending 5-6 months (winters) in the coach. Will it be comfortable?

Please, any 06 tour owners out there please share the good and bad.

Thanks,
Francis

jerichorick · 07-18-2014, 04:38 PM

Hi Francis. We had the '05 Vectra 40FD. We didn't like it. The interior storage was poor, the basement on the slides was a bad idea and the house batteries were not sufficient for all the power that unit needed just on standby. For weekenders and those who go on a couple of week vacations, I feel that it is a good coach. But long term, as you are considering, I don't advise it.

Just the slides alone were trouble. The pads for the rails needed replacing from time to time and, if you added too much weight to the basement the slide would not come in. I think they are rated at about 600# which sounds like a lot but it really isn't when you take into account what you are putting into the cupboards.

I am not a cat fan but I know it will pull your toad.

Our '11 40U is a great 'live in' coach. '11 was the first year it was produced. Great electrical system and it pulls in the mountains fine. We are very pleased with the storage room inside and under. I hope this is our last coach.

I hope my opinions give you food for thought. The final choice must be yours because you know your need in detail. I don't. Happy hunting.

Rick Y

canyon453 · 07-18-2014, 08:19 PM

Rick Y,

Thanks for the honest feedback. I'm not a fan of storage bays hanging off the slides. We have them on our '05 Bounder and I'm careful not to put too much weight.

Francis

jerichorick · 07-19-2014, 11:44 AM

Your welcome Francis. If you do go for the Tour I recommend that you get the light interior. Our coach looked great with the cherry wood but it got old fast because it was so dark. Also, the couch in our '05 was very uncomfortable. If you are not tall folks you might consider this. I could never get comfortable in the old coach. With this newer one I am never uncomfortable. We love it. I do miss the Sleep Numbers bed. It was very easy to get comfortable in.

I look forward to 'the rest of the story'.

Many blessings to you,

Rick Y

Keith K · 07-19-2014, 04:15 PM

My experience has been just the opposite from Ricky's. We've been full timing in an 06' Ellipse (a Tour with fancy trim) for over six years and have been extremely happy with it. I'd rather have the slide out storage - it's large enough to meet our needs and I don't have to bend over to get under the slide every time I need something. The slides are rated by Winnebago at a minimum 300 lbs per compartment, so our passenger slide can carry much more than we'll ever put in it. We also have a 25 cf residential refer on the slide and it's never balked at all, nor have I worn out the slide bushings - and we travel a lot. The interior is more residential than others of it's year group, and we've never felt the battery bank (3) was a problem. The basement air is much quieter than rooftop models and works well in high temps (this is our 8th RV, all of the others had rooftop air). The CAT C7 get us everywhere we want to go, currently pulling a Honda CRV and averaging 7.5 MPG. The fact that I can download all of the plumbing and wiring diagrams, plus the parts list for MY particular coach is a plus, and I've found Winnebago customer support to be adequate. In short, it's been a great coach and our home since 2008. You can PM me for any particulars if you like.

jerichorick · 07-20-2014, 09:22 AM

Keith, that was a great comeback. I am truly happy that your rig is treating you well. I may have just bought a lemon. About the weight you mentioned. Is the 300# per door or compartment?

About full time styles; in our case we carry many tools for building and repair. Weight and room is needed to be available. You are correct in stating that you don't have a weight problem. My caution was about the limitations if weight capacity is an issue.

Back in '05 the couch that Winne used was not comfortable. My feet would not touch the floor, or my knees bend fully, if I sat up straight. They may have used a different model in the '06 series. Again, each of these items needs to be considered I think you can agree.

I know cat folks are loyal. So are cummins folks I guess.

RickO · 07-20-2014, 10:11 AM

My experience has been much more like Keith's than Ricks.

We were full time in our 07 Ellipse 40FD and it fit our needs nicely. As for wintering in it... I made a point of never taking it anywhere it was going to be cold, but in the summer Arizona sun the basement air had a hard time keeping us cool so maybe insulation is an area of concern.

Best of luck

Rick

Keith K · 07-20-2014, 10:47 AM

Hey Ricky Y - Everyone has different experiences, sometimes the models change, sometimes it's expectations, certainly not any criticisms. I'm comfortable in the seat, so maybe they changed models, and according to the Winnie Tech at GNR, each compartment is rated for 300 lbs. When you compare the slide rails on the old models to those on the new, it's night and day - these old ones are monsters! Like you, we plan on this MH being our last. Of course, we said that about the last seven....

jerichorick · 07-21-2014, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith K

Hey Ricky Y - Everyone has different experiences, sometimes the models change, sometimes it's expectations, certainly not any criticisms. I'm comfortable in the seat, so maybe they changed models, and according to the Winnie Tech at GNR, each compartment is rated for 300 lbs. When you compare the slide rails on the old models to those on the new, it's night and day - these old ones are monsters! Like you, we plan on this MH being our last. Of course, we said that about the last seven....

Good to hear that the coach is comfortable and better built than the '05. I have been on the road for 9 years and this is my third coach and I truly hope my last. My chassis and body won't out last the Meridian's, I am certain of that.

We had the '05 to FC several times. Great folks. Hope to get to the GNR one of these years. I would like to experience the great things I have been hearing about it.