Forum Discussion

racechaser's avatar
racechaser
Explorer
Jun 15, 2016

Diesel puller class A

I currently looking at a 2006 Tiffin Allegro 37DB that says it has an upgraded front end diesel engine.Anyone have any experience with a class A diesel puller ?
  • You need to post the question to the ultimate Tiffin forum. No BS here, they will tell you exactly what you are considering and the good, bad and ugly (if there is any).
    Tiffin forum
  • The ugly has to be the fact that the engine is in front. If you must have a front engine then get a gasser.
  • Neither of the 2 responses after are helpful in any way. Please visit the Tiffin Forum. Yes, a FR Engine Diesel is call FRED.
  • The Tiffin Open Road (FRED) coach was a nice set up but never really caught on. Tiffin dropped the model when they started their Red line of rear engine diesels around 2010 or so. The house side was pretty much the same as their gas powered models they offered but the diesel power train had a higher initial cost. The gain of the front diesel over gas is better fuel mileage and enough of an increase to make up for the fuel cost difference with gasoline. Towing was still limited to 5K Lbs. Great engine/transmission set up that will easily outlive the house side but the rest of the chassis was nearly identical with the gas chassis available at the time so the overall gain wasn't enough for most potential buyers to get past the initial increased cost.

    If the coach you're looking at is priced right for the general sub-class and a test drive is satisfactory concerning performance and such associated with a front engine no real reason to walk away.
  • I was reading your other post as well, - are you saying this was originally a 37DB gasser and was converted to a diesel? or it was a factory option. The 37-QDB was diesel, but the prior 37DB I think was always gas.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Factory option and Dale sums it up fairly well. Price what the same gas rig is going for and see if the price difference is worth it now... for most it was not in 2006-7. I'm a diesel fan but a FRED does not give you many of the advantages of a DP... air ride suspension, air brakes, and usually a better overall quality with greater towing capacity and greater CCC.
  • We have a 1994 Class A, P-30 with a 6.5 turbo diesel. Bought it new. About five years ago at around 175,000 miles we replaced the engine with an AMG P400 and rebuilt the transmission. Did this as 'preventative' measure to minimize the chances of a serious and expensive breakdown in the middle of nowhere (getting a bit old for major problems on the road). Now have 230,000 miles on the rig. Also rebuilt the front end a while back to correct some wandering, etc. Plan to keep this thing until either it dies or we do. We owned four class As prior to this with Dodge 440 and GM 454 engines. Those all got about 7.5 miles per gallon. The diesel gets 11.5 to 12 MPG. Some noise at idle and low speeds, but can't tell the difference at highway speeds. Would surely do this again, am very happy with the experience.