Ultimate Advantage

Mark Bento · 11-25-2005, 10:36 AM

Hi all looking at upgrading from my 2000 Adventurer 35U to the Ultimate Advantage this is an 2003 any one own one comments ?
still looking but would like to hear from all of you about this unit. my wife still likes the new vectras and I would love one of the new tours that winne makes but i hate to take that big hit when buying new.

Mark Bento · 11-25-2005, 10:36 AM

Hi all looking at upgrading from my 2000 Adventurer 35U to the Ultimate Advantage this is an 2003 any one own one comments ?
still looking but would like to hear from all of you about this unit. my wife still likes the new vectras and I would love one of the new tours that winne makes but i hate to take that big hit when buying new.

Ptribbey · 11-25-2005, 02:25 PM

I have an Ultimate Advantage that I purchased new in 2003. I had a number of problems when I first got the coach not the least being a water leak in the bedroom slide. Since I have resolved most all my issues the coach has settled and has been a good coach. I think for the money it has many features that others don't in it's price range. I repair my own coach and have upgraded the TV to a LCD in the living room, and a number of other things. If you have any questions I would be glad to help if I can.

What model, and year coach are you looking at?

Mark Bento · 11-26-2005, 04:46 AM

its an 2003 model year lazydays has it on there web site if you wish to look at it. they have not given me a price yet but did tell me that the msrp price was 216,900 I know that they are going to have to come down on that big time I do not pay msrp for any of the cars or moho I have purchased.
Mark
2000 Winnebago Adventurer 35U

Radarr · 11-26-2005, 05:07 AM

We almost bought one of the last Ultimates at last years GNR and glade we didn't. They are really short for storage space. Compared to your Adventure, your going to loose some valuable space both inside and out. You need to look real close at that coach before you make any decision. We did and we're glade we made the right decision.

radarr

Ptribbey · 11-26-2005, 05:46 AM

I have the same floor plan that the one at Lazy Days has on their lot. I will have to disagree with Radarr regarding storage area. The coach is on a Spartan chassis which uses a unibody construction. This eliminates the large frame rails used on other coaches like the Journey we owned prior to the present. The chassis also has IFS which makes for much better handling. This unit you are looking at has a dish washer which we have four storage drawers instead.

Winnebago choose to design for looks instead of maximum storage. This may be what Radarr is speaking about. Above the bed there is no storage like the Journey had.

Good luck on your decision. Let me know if you have any further questions.

JB Texas · 11-26-2005, 06:25 AM

Couldn't disagree more with Radarr... We went from an '03 Adventurer (38') to an '02 Ultimate Advantage primarily for the storage. Although we loved the Adventurer, as full timers I was out of room. That's what got me started looking. I now have much more storage room and can store some bulky items (i.e. Weber Q grill and stand) that just wouldn't fit in the Adventurer. The ride and handling of the Spartan is better than the gas chassis, although diesel fuel prices negate any mileage advantages.

rnabors · 11-26-2005, 09:02 AM

I am on my second Ultimate and find the storage to be excellent--especially basement storage. The Ultimate is on a Spartan chassis which I like better than the Freightliner, in my research I found the Ultimate a far superior coach than the Vectra. The quality of the woodwork and general amenities are very good. I don't think you can go wrong with an Ultimate

Mark Bento · 11-26-2005, 09:47 AM

Thanks all this will help once they give me a price my wife and I are in no hurry to buy a new unit but if the right one comes along we will have to take a good hard look. by getting the info that this group has it makes the choice better.

thanks again
Mark & Joanne
2000 Winnebago Adventurer 35U

3huskies · 11-26-2005, 11:31 AM

There's a 2003 on Ebay now. Nice coach.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIte...ame=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

Roadking · 12-07-2005, 01:23 PM

I have a 3-slide (40K)2003 Advantage and full time in it. It's wonderful to drive and has more than enough internal and external storage, however, we converted unused spaces to storage. We removed the bedroom TV installed an LCD and converted the space to storage. We also finished the space under the bed with wooden trim, installed nitrogen door lifters on the bed and installed a large metal box for more storage. The Sparten chassis with Cummins and Allsion drives wonderfully and we have just over 20K miles on it now. We love it.

In regards to problems... just a few minor ones. THe most significant were both the kitchen and bedroom slides leaked under very heavy rains when extended. Two 12 volt wires broke on the 12 relay circuits that power the mirrors and mirror heater. Easy trouble shooting and repair. The expoxy bonding on the rear engine latch broke and was repaired by Winny for free well after the warentee expired. The in-dash radio died and was replaced under warentee. The circuit board on the Splendide washer smoked. Splendide provided a new board (for free) and I replaced it and returned the old board. That's all of the major problems we've encountered.

I've made several improvements to several systems and added a couple of 110V power outlets at locations we wanted power.

Ptribbey · 12-07-2005, 02:43 PM

Roadking, you might be happy, or unhappy to hear that the later 2003 40K's had the under bed finished for storage. My 40K was produced in May/03. Interesting, I have had the same troubles with my coach save the 12V wires breaking.

I have installed a 30" LCD in the lounge area replacing the 27" TV. Boy what an improvement that made. I just helped a 2003 Freedom owner installing a LCD in the bedroom. We also converted the old TV space to storage. I am thinking of doing the same to my own coach.

I have also purchased the probless tank level system upgrade. I haven't installed it yet but hope it will reduce the tank level probe issues.

We too are full time in our coach and couldn't say enought about the coach overall. I am going to return to Forest City in the spring to have all the slide rubber replaced again as the Service Department promised to upgrade the seals when the new seals were available.

The Shadow · 12-08-2005, 05:48 PM

Amen JB, Amen. When I look at the basements that Okie and you have it is almost possible to live down there.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JBWLMS:
Couldn't disagree more with Radarr... We went from an '03 Adventurer (38') to an '02 Ultimate Advantage primarily for the storage. Although we loved the Adventurer, as full timers I was out of room. That's what got me started looking. I now have much more storage room and can store some bulky items (i.e. Weber Q grill and stand) that just wouldn't fit in the Adventurer. The ride and handling of the Spartan is better than the gas chassis, although diesel fuel prices negate any mileage advantages. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Roadking · 12-21-2005, 12:58 PM

Ptribbey:

Have you installed the Probe-less tank monitoring system yet? If so, some questions. Did you use the existing wires from the monitoring panel to the tanks or did you install new wires?
How difficult was it and how long did it take to install?

I've been looking at the products made by Garnet Technologies. The product is called SeeLevel and the model 709 seems to be my choice. What brand did you use?

Thanks
Roadking

The Shadow · 12-21-2005, 06:23 PM

Roadking - I've got the new system on my tanks - frankly, not much better than the old.

JB Texas · 12-21-2005, 07:46 PM

Roadking, I think you were parked across the street from us in Yuma the first week in December. I sent you a PM.

Ptribbey · 12-22-2005, 06:54 AM

Roadking,

I purchased the components from a Winne dealer. It is all plug in using the existing wiring. I have not yet installed mine but will advise after I get the stuff installed. I went with the Winne solution so that there was no modifications mounting the boaards, etc. The replacement boards replace your existing boards both inside and out.

WIT mag in May, 2005 had an article in Service Tips describing which models could be upgraded, and part numbers required.