elhajj33 wrote:
Ladies and gentleman we have a floor plan vs engine, husband vs. wife showdown!
Wrong! This is a lose, lose, no winners in this – Yes the Engine is TOO SMALL - so you will never be Happy – It is clean and looks really neat so she is happy , BUT we are going to try to FEED 7, did is say SEVEN out of a cooler (small refrigerator) FULL TIME!!!!!!!!!! OMG now the DW is not happy the kids are hungry (do I hear screaming for food in the background?) and this whole idea is just a bust. Do we have a list of what you are after?????????????????? Repeat do we have a prioritized list of what we are after?
Have we – repeat WE read THIS ?
Johnny T is like the wise old father we all wish we had, he has spent a good deal of time and effort putting this together and while long is a GOOD guide to getting into this.
Read it --- fill in the blanks.
Budget__________________
Wants
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• 4
• 5
Needs
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• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
Names of the Manufacturer’s that build a COACH that is ABLE to do what you are trying to do.
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We came across an '06 mandalay valencia. the fridge is small, but the floorplan is great: 4 slides, with a desk in the master and enough seatbelts for all the mammals (aka kids)
Are these the only Wants and Needs? Johnny T has a good list to select from, maybe not everything but a good start.
The brochure says the hitch is rated for 5,000lbs and we'll be towing our 4000lb dodge caravan sxt.
So right off the bat they are telling you that you are, at your limit by towing your van – not towing the loaded van for SEVEN,
I just think the engine is too small (at 300HP and 660ft-lbs of torque) for what we need.
Key to this is that second number 660ft-lbs of torque, where as an ISL 400 has 1200 ft lbs of torque with only a 1/3 more HP almost twice the Torque – BIG difference in pulling and braking.(SAFEER)
This is a pickup truck engine set in the back of a HOUSE pulling a VAN, duh, you think?
The mrs says: we don't need to fly up mountains, but I want to make sure we can cruise at 65 on the flats. I don't have to 'fly' up mountains, but i don't want to do 35mph towing that van.
Let me just say I agree you do not need to fly – but you do need to be able to safely and comfortably DRIVE up and Down these mountains – you have professed a possible Full Time Operation where you will be TRAVELING to many locations, often for extended times but still traveling (DRIVING). Having driven just, say 500.000 miles, in the mountains, IMHO you need to have a little more power to be safe, you will not need a 500-600 HP fuel gulping engine but something in the ISL 400 range. They work and you will find you will be LOADED – FULL – Heavy.
the Mrs says: price and floor plan are great (and they are)....
Again – I have missed this list but the important thing is that it meet the list of needs to fulfill the Mission. ( I did catch the fact that we have 7 and we are pulling a van and we are thinking FULL TIME)
Advice (tell me i'm right so i can win :))?
Look again at the first line, no winners – pass on this Coach get the list and keep looking.
