Forum Discussion

miboje's avatar
miboje
Explorer
Nov 23, 2012

Enduramax Toy Haulers: Any Reviews or Feedback?

After much research on toy haulers, I am narrowing in on just a handful of choices for us. One of them is the Enduramax by Gulf Stream. My fiance really likes the foam insulation over fiberglass on this one. I've read about consumer complaints on them, but unfortunately you'll find complaints on all manufactuerres. That's a shame, really. Seems like many issues could be resolved if the factory did extensive, full testing before units left the facility. If that is happening, there shouldn't be so many problems with units right off the bat.

Anyhow, I haven't found a lot of reviews on this one on the web, so I thought I would ask here. If you own, have owned or know someone who does own one, what can you tell us? I wouldn't be buying anything less than a 2009 model, and I'm not even sure they were using the foam insulation at that time.

I am interested specifically in how well the unit performs in extreme temps with the foam insulation, build quality, and/or any major problems. We love the Atrium window (we wonder if it's problematic, though) and the floor plan with the step up kitchen, but we haven't been inside any Enduramax yet.

Your time and input is greatly appreciated.
Toy Haulers
  • miboje's avatar
    miboje
    Explorer
    Nov 25, 2012
    jetboater454 wrote:
    I got an '07,built better than most TH,heavy though with the double frame.Never had it in for any service,but I guess if you needed parts you can get most online. Pics are in my sig.You need to click on the "show library" on the left side.
    I do like the walk on roof,great for races with 4-people,but we don't use the high quality side ladder though.:B
    One major advantage is the 20" high ramp door,the gentle ramp slope is nice to load things with.
    Mine has the foam insulation.

    Thank you for replying.

    Do you know the R-values for the insulation in your 2007 model? Currently, they are quoting R-12 for the walls, R-28 for the roof and R-32 for the floor. Do you camp in cold and/or hot temps? How well do you feel the insulation is protecting you from the heat and cold, if you camp during extreme temps?

    I do like certain aspects of the foam insulation. It certainly adds rigidity and strength that fiberglass cannot. It would be harder for wind to get through foam over fiberglass (assuming it's sealed around the edges-maybe it's not), for example, and I can see how foam would stop convection loss better than fiberglass since it's not permeable. But I'm still having a hard time thinking that the performance of foam at those R-values could be equal to or better than, say, the FR XlR Thunderbolt's R-40 values or Open Range's R-38 values. I wish there was more research on this. And I'm surprised that Gulf Stream hasn't conducted their own testing related to extreme temps performance. Heartland, as an example, makes claims regarding their insulation's performance. They do use foam. Their R-values are a bit less than in the Enduramax.
  • Securiti's avatar
    Securiti
    Explorer
    Nov 25, 2012
    X2 what Jetboater said. I have just had little problems here and there.
  • jetboater454's avatar
    jetboater454
    Explorer
    Nov 24, 2012
    I got an '07,built better than most TH,heavy though with the double frame.Never had it in for any service,but I guess if you needed parts you can get most online. Pics are in my sig.You need to click on the "show library" on the left side.
    I do like the walk on roof,great for races with 4-people,but we don't use the high quality side ladder though.:B
    One major advantage is the 20" high ramp door,the gentle ramp slope is nice to load things with.
    Mine has the foam insulation.
  • glamisorbust's avatar
    glamisorbust
    Explorer II
    Nov 24, 2012
    My local RV dealer tells me not to touch gulf stream with a 10 foot pole. They tell me their service is horrible, and customer service even worse.
  • remoandiris's avatar
    remoandiris
    Explorer
    Nov 24, 2012
    miboje wrote:
    but the one with the raised kitchen would be my preference.You say you did not like that one at all. Can you elaborate on why?


    I simply didn't like the idea of going up and down the stairs to get anything out of the fridge. I considered how often my wife or I would go to the kitchen. It is definitely more often than we go into the bedroom. Up and down the stairs would become a PITA for us.

    FYI, when the kitchen slide is closed, you cannot get into the fridge. Not sure if that matters to you or not. Think about how often you would want to get into the fridge while on the road...pull off at a rest area, make a sandwich, etc. To me it would not be an issue.

    I don't know if the other Enduramax floorplans have a fireplace. That may be an option only with the upper kitchen models.

    I think the atrium room is gorgeous.
  • WGLASSJR's avatar
    WGLASSJR
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2012
    I looked at them last year at the Tampa rv show. I loved the floor plan with the upper level kitchen and the movable wall and the gray gelcoat exterior. I looked at reviews and talked to alot of people before i make any kind of decision spending that kind of money and personaly haven't read to many good reviews. The main problem i read was leaking slides and thats been a problem with all gulfstream products. Maybe things have changed with them and i dont want to scare you. As you see here on this forum all manufactures seem to have quality issues seems it hit or miss.
  • miboje's avatar
    miboje
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2012
    remoandiris wrote:
    Walked thru a 2012 at the Good Sam Rally in Daytona a few weeks ago. They have 4 floor plans. 2 plans have the kitchen on the same level as the bedroom. I did not like that flooplan at all. The XL wall is REALLY nice, IMO. Makes the coach feel very open. Tall ceilings in the LR and garage.

    One drawback to the tall ceilings and openness of the Enduramax is a loss of storage space you get with a loft, so keep that in mind.

    Hello. Thanks for the input. I haven't been in any of the floor plans, but the one with the raised kitchen would be my preference.You say you did not like that one at all. Can you elaborate on why?

    Yes, we think that the XL wall is a great idea, too! We can always close it in the winter and heat less space if needed. From a video I watched, both couches open into beds also.

    I think that atrium window can be used to one's advantage when camping in cooler weather as it should act like a greenhouse. I'm glad you mentioned how open that XL wall makes the coach feel. It looks very open. We're looking forward to seeing this one in person. Gulf Stream's 'find a dealer' page is not working.

    I guess you are right about storage, but I think we'll be OK with what's there. There's a lot of overhead cabinets in the living room, plus it seems like there is ample storage in the master bedroom.
  • remoandiris's avatar
    remoandiris
    Explorer
    Nov 23, 2012
    Walked thru a 2012 at the Good Sam Rally in Daytona a few weeks ago. They have 4 floor plans. 2 plans have the kitchen on the same level as the bedroom. I did not like that flooplan at all. The XL wall is REALLY nice, IMO. Makes the coach feel very open. Tall ceilings in the LR and garage.

    One drawback to the tall ceilings and openness of the Enduramax is a loss of storage space you get with a loft, so keep that in mind.

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