Class A Question?

[KimIce]

My DH has decided it is time to sell our FW (the one he swore when we bought it new would be with us for a very, very long time) and buy a Class A. Does anyone have any suggetions on whether any of the Makes/Brands are better then the other? Have any of the manufacturers had problems with specific years, etc? We will be buying a used one, and we did not know if anyone has had a lot of problems, etc. or if there are any we should stay away from. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.
I am really going to miss our FW, I really do like it alot. I am very surprised, I never thought I would see the day he would even suggest selling it for a Class A.

 

[DaveInTN]

Are you thinking a gas model or diesel?

If gas, we just sold a Winnebago yesterday on the Ford chassis...and that thing was pretty much trouble free. I'd recommend both the Ford chassis and the Winnebago brand. Winnie of course makes some great diesels as well.

Also, lots of folks LOVE their Tiffins. Both Tiffin and Winnebago seem to be doing ok financially as well, so hopefully they are both around after the economy gets back on track in 2019.

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

We have a Fleetwood Providence that we bought used last year. I really like it and the price was right, but I would love to have a Tiffen Phaeton! That's my dream RV and I've heard they are very dependable.

 

[des1954]

We have owned 1 Southwind, 1 Newmar, 1 Travel Supreme, 1 Winnebago gas & 2 Winnebago diesels. Winnie's aren't the fanciest, but they are gosh-darn dependable. Our first Winnie we bought used. It was 6 years old when we bought it, had 48K miles on it. We kept it for about 2 years and only traded it because we wanted something bigger & that had slides.

Now, I have a friend whose motto is "They're all made outta sticks and plastic. Your job is to figure out who uses the better nails and glue!" He's right, you know! The only MH I would walk away from is the brand that is no longer in business. Even if you are a "DIY'er" some repairs still require original parts. If the manufacturer is out of business, you'll have a hard time getting parts.

 

[tlh0726]

Good luck in your search.
We are on our 2nd class A. First one was a gas 1994 Fleetwood Pace Arrow. Second one is a diesel 2009 Coachmen CrossCountry 385DS
Only suggestion to you is, if you ever want to sleep more than 2 people make sure you get a bunk model.

 

[we3peas]

We also went from a BH FW to a MH. We bought an Itasca 35J BH model the year they came out with the bunks(2007), it has the GMC Allison transmission. Have had NO problems and we use it every month for at least a weekend and just made a 2 month journey in it with no problems either.
We did very little research on our FW and we got burned so here's my advice: Don't buy Forest River products THEY SUCK! Now Winnebago/Itasca we love! My in-laws have a Tiffin and the customer service is very good but they have had numerous problems with their unit but all have been taken care of to their satisfaction. Bob Tiffen has even contacted them personally about the work done.
What you buy will depend on what your family needs. We have only 3 people in our family but got bunks so my dd can bring along a friend occasionally and they can have their own space. Maybe you don't need that or you need more than that? Only you know, but go to shows, lots, look on the internet, ask questions, join IRV2.COM(they are much friendly to newbies than RV.NET when questions are asked), Ask here on DIS boards. You'll get lots of opinions but will have a better understanding of what you are getting into.

 

[3gr8kids]

Although I can't speak from experience of having owned one, I like the Tiffin Allegro 35 QBA with the Bunk Bed option.

 

[3gr8kids]

Sadly, this is more my budget ~

 

[Magicbus]

Not a good day for me to talk about Class As. Went to start the Buddymobile, see sig, last night for our weekend trip to Fort Desoto, nothing. Needs a new starter.
It has less than 9000 miles. The chassis is a Freightliner with a Cummins diesel and Allison trans. Probably one of the most comman setups for class A diesel MHs.
I would stick with the main brands, some mentioned here. But of those, I don't think there is much of a difference. Most will have the same chassis, power train, AC, fridge, slideouts, leveling systems, etc. Everyone will have mechanical and quality problems. They're just too complex to not have something go wrong. Be prepared for a lot of responsibilty, expense, and work if you're going to maintain it properly.
Well, have to go and see if it's ready so we can hit the road.

 

[KimIce]

Thank you everyone for all your opinions and suggestions. We really appreciate it. We really would like a Diesel, but at this time we are probably going to buy a Gas model due to the difference in price, also we do not travel thousands of miles, so my DH figures a Gas one would do for now (unless we find one with a good price on it). We can upgrade later. It is only my DH, me and the dog so, we don't need the bunks, but I definately want slides on it. We learned we need the slides back when we use to have a TT.

It is so nice to be able to come here and ask questions and talk with other people.
Again, Thank you all very much for your insight.

 

[seven dwarfs]

We own a Tiffin Phaeton. We have been one of the few to have some major issues with our unit. But with that said, the service department has been wonderful. I just spoke with Bob Tiffin and he is top notch and promises to make our rv right. I do not know of very many rv companies where you can speak to the owner of the company and they will make things right even after the warrenty is long gone. My parents own a Fleetwood Bounder. They have not had the issues we have had but for the problems they have had, the service hasn't been good. To me, the person standing behind the product is very important. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[tlh0726]

With a dog I would still get a bunk model. Dog, toys, and other stuff that you need form them will all be out of your way.

 

[4mickey2]

i too kind of like the bunks. i don't have kids but, i have 4 dogs and i always thought that they would be able to be on that bottom bed. resale with bunks might be a little better, too. just a thought...

we have always liked the fleetwoods and the country coaches. but, we bought a super c because dh can work on it if something happens. it is the same engine as our pick up. but, an A someday would be nice. good luck!

 

[4mickey2]

one other thing... just make sure you look at the mh with the slides out and IN. sometimes when they are in, they block certain things... um, like the fridge or the bed. yes, i have seen the slide come in and block the bedroom so, it was no use during a drive until you were able to open the slide up. i don't think the skinniest kid could of gotten in there.. lol

 

[tlh0726]

one other thing... just make sure you look at the mh with the slides out and IN. sometimes when they are in, they block certain things... um, like the fridge or the bed. yes, i have seen the slide come in and block the bedroom so, it was no use during a drive until you were able to open the slide up. i don't think the skinniest kid could of gotten in there.. lol

We were at a show last year looking around in a $$$$ one along with a bunch of people. I looked at DH and said how do you get to the bedroom when the slides are in? Everyone that over heard just kinda got a funny look. I started back the hallway turned around and yelled back to DH never mind the bedroom you can't even use the bathroom when the slide is in. You should have seen the people clearing out of that unit.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Not a good day for me to talk about Class As. Went to start the Buddymobile, see sig, last night for our weekend trip to Fort Desoto, nothing. Needs a new starter.
It has less than 9000 miles. The chassis is a Freightliner with a Cummins diesel and Allison trans. Probably one of the most comman setups for class A diesel MHs.
I would stick with the main brands, some mentioned here. But of those, I don't think there is much of a difference. Most will have the same chassis, power train, AC, fridge, slideouts, leveling systems, etc. Everyone will have mechanical and quality problems. They're just too complex to not have something go wrong. Be prepared for a lot of responsibilty, expense, and work if you're going to maintain it properly.
Well, have to go and see if it's ready so we can hit the road.

We had a couple of ISB 5.9 Cummins that we had to replace the starters on, prematurely I thought, since neither one had anywhere near 75,000 on them at the time of failure. The only bright spot is that parts for a Cummins are easy to find and usually fairly priced due to their commonality. I agree wholeheartedly with the post about buying from a mfg that still is in business for the sake of parts. I ran into a guy in Yellowstone that had an Outback trailer just like mine and he had lost a window by leaving it open while on the road. He said that the company that made them for the Mfg was out of business and they no longer made that model. The moral is that with the contraction in the market some of the supplier shut down and there is no longer a supply of parts from them. Unless its a high profit, easy to store item, I see major problems with parts, we see it all the time on our work trucks, companies just dont stock parts like they used to.

 

[KimIce]

With a dog I would still get a bunk model. Dog, toys, and other stuff that you need form them will all be out of your way.

I really did not think about that, and it is true. It is like taking a kid with us, between his toys, blankets, etc. he does have a lot of things. I will definiately keep it in mind. Thanks!

one other thing... just make sure you look at the mh with the slides out and IN. sometimes when they are in, they block certain things... um, like the fridge or the bed. yes, i have seen the slide come in and block the bedroom so, it was no use during a drive until you were able to open the slide up. i don't think the skinniest kid could of gotten in there.. lol

We were at a show last year looking around in a $$$$ one along with a bunch of people. I looked at DH and said how do you get to the bedroom when the slides are in? Everyone that over heard just kinda got a funny look. I started back the hallway turned around and yelled back to DH never mind the bedroom you can't even use the bathroom when the slide is in. You should have seen the people clearing out of that unit.

LOL.....I never thought of that, and I do agree on the slides. I know in our FW when the slide is closed you can not get to the refrige. or the one set of cabinets, and it never fails it always seems I need something out of one or the other while the slide is in.

We had a couple of ISB 5.9 Cummins that we had to replace the starters on, prematurely I thought, since neither one had anywhere near 75,000 on them at the time of failure. The only bright spot is that parts for a Cummins are easy to find and usually fairly priced due to their commonality. I agree wholeheartedly with the post about buying from a mfg that still is in business for the sake of parts. I ran into a guy in Yellowstone that had an Outback trailer just like mine and he had lost a window by leaving it open while on the road. He said that the company that made them for the Mfg was out of business and they no longer made that model. The moral is that with the contraction in the market some of the supplier shut down and there is no longer a supply of parts from them. Unless its a high profit, easy to store item, I see major problems with parts, we see it all the time on our work trucks, companies just dont stock parts like they used to.

Is there a website or something to see if the manufacturer, etc. is still in business?
Our FW is a Holiday Rambler which I really love, but I am still having a problem finding a part for it (the one that holds the door open on the outside). No one seems to carry the size we have, the manufacture does not even have it anymore, and the FW is only a 2006.

I'm not worried about the normal mechanical work, up-keep of a Class A. We own a Truck & Auto repair business and I know my DH can do it. So, that is not a problem. I just wasn't sure if there was a particular brand, etc. that everyone had problems, etc. with.

I do agree, we looked at some Tiffins. They really are nice, unfortunately I just don't think they are in our price range right now. We found a Hurricane and a Gulf Stream that looked are nice. I like the Gulf Stream better. But, we are still looking.

 

[des1954]

Almost all the components on/in a MH are made by someone else; i.e. appliances, toilet, furniture, chassis, etc. What you might have difficulty getting are coach specific items such as compartment doors, windows, decor items, etc. Our neighbor recently took out one of his compartment doors by cutting a corner too sharp and crunching the side of his coach into a decorative rock on the corner. His is a Newmar product and he was able to get a replacement door. Some people aren't as lucky.

As far as who has gone out of business, it's easier to google and find out who has remained in business. The 2007/2008 sucky economy wiped out a lot of RV companies.

 

[Magicbus]

Our FW is a Holiday Rambler which I really love, but I am still having a problem finding a part for it

HR RVs were made by Monoco which was one of the companies that went belly up. Too bad, from what I heard, they were one of the better RV companies. They went bankrupt and the assets were bought up by another company. The Monoco brand was revived, but it's not the original company. I don't know what happened to HR line though.

 

[KimIce]

HR RVs were made by Monoco which was one of the companies that went belly up. Too bad, from what I heard, they were one of the better RV companies. They went bankrupt and the assets were bought up by another company. The Monoco brand was revived, but it's not the original company. I don't know what happened to HR line though.

I have always liked the looks of the Monaco line, and the HR line. But, it seems like the HR was/is always having someone taking them over. Since we bought our HR in 2007 we have had at least 2-3 notices about someone else taking them over. The HR line is still around, but the HR dealer in our area went out of business selling them, I believe he has an RV consignment lot now. I love our HR, and have never had any problems with it (except for that broke door latch), and I hate to get rid of it, but DH thinks it is time to step up.

Again, I just want to thank everyone for their input. It really has helped. Now if we could just find something.