is nexus extreme quality class c?

And to add if you are by chance looking for a used Nexus and happen to click a certain 24P say in Southern Ca. area kinda,,, oh say around LA maybe the Menifee area with 3,490 miles on the OD... Don't even think about wasting your time with it OR the dealership selling it !!!!!!!!!!

In researching high quality Class C's,it was our observation that the 'delivered' weight of the Coach House's tended to be higher than the others, leaving very little Cargo Carrying Capacity.

If you are wanting a one piece construction
then you may want to loot at Coach House.

They utilize one piece construction like a yacht.
Top, ends, side, bottom all molded.
The say:
"One of the most important features of the Platinum motorhome is the patented, one-piece hand-laid fiberglass body. The superstructure is reinforced with carbon fiber and designed to prevent water leaks and rattles and give you years of trouble-free enjoyment".

http://www.coachhouserv.com/index.php

"Double ditto. The Phoenix Cruiser is well constructed against leaks and has a more manageable price tag IMO."

Not even close, Phoenix cruisers (which I completely agree are very well constructed), run $40,000 to $50,000 more than a comparable Nexus as your link clearly demonstrates.


No, not correct, Nexus vacuum bonds the walls in multiple layers: first the outside layer (fiberglass), then a layer of Azdel, a layer of foam insulation, and then another layer of Azdel. These are subjected to a vacuum and the resin/glue is injected. Here is a picture of the vacuum press I took while touring the factory in Elkhart:



The roofs are framed in with steel trusses and filled with foam. The front and rear end caps are solid, one piece fiberglass and the windows have automotive seals that are all but impervious to leakage.

Here is a shot of roof under construction:



{That is our coach in the background getting the custom spare tire mount installed under the rear of the coach.}

:C

Desert Captain wrote:

Snowman9000 wrote:
The Nexus exterior construction is about the same as the big brands. Filon walls and a fiberglass mini-cap on the front end. I would expect them to leak at the same rate as similar units. Now if you look at Phoenix Cruiser, you are looking at a huge upgrade in leak prevention. All IMO.

Sorry Snowman but I could not disagree more. Nexus is easily one of the best built C's out there. Nexus frames in steel (72% stronger than conventional aluminum framing). They use Azdel instead of Luan or plywood (stronger, lighter, higher R value and will NOT absorb moisture). The roof is one piece fiberglass with one piece fiberglass front and rear end caps. You won't find any plywood or particle board anywhere in a Nexus. Hardly the same construction quality as the so called "Big brands", not even close.

I am also very happy with the heated tanks, remote control heated mirrors, electric awning, innerspring mattress, 7' of interior head room throughout the coach and power drivers seat (to name just a few of the high end features found in our Nexus). You can spend a lot more than the price of a Nexus but bang for the buck you will be hard pressed to find a better value.

After nearly 18 months and more than 22,000 trouble free miles we are happier with our Phantom 23P then ever.

:B

Steve, the way I was analyzing it was not about the materials but the way they are fastened together and sealed. I might be wrong, but from looking at photos the Nexus is put together the same way as other conventional C's. Is that not correct?

Leaks occur at seams and fasteners in my experience. I would agree that it is good to have materials which can better survive leaks. We had leaky Jayco trailer, and the floor being plywood instead of OSB saved me a lot of grief. Likewise, Azdel should prevent or reduce delam issues.

To me, the top end of leak resistance is:
Coach House, Born Free, maybe Lazy Daze,

Phoenix Cruiser a little behind them, then

Anything using a full roof to bottom front end cap (typically found on B+ models), then

Any partial fiberglass front end cap, then

Filon front cap at the bottom of the list.

Me personally, I don't feel that roof material matters much in leak resistance, unless/until you start scraping the roof under tree branches. What matters more is how the roof edge seams are designed and installed. My Trail Lite had a TPO roof that was probably a more leak resistant design than the fiberglass one on my Sunseeker.

Don't want to open up a can of worms , but having a slide opens up "yep" a can of worms to the equation..
And it appears by http://www.phoenixusarv.com/ everyone of them has a slide.

magnusfide wrote:

Snowman9000 wrote:
The Nexus exterior construction is about the same as the big brands. Filon walls and a fiberglass mini-cap on the front end. I would expect them to leak at the same rate as similar units. Now if you look at Phoenix Cruiser, you are looking at a huge upgrade in leak prevention. All IMO.

Double ditto. The Phoenix Cruiser is well constructed against leaks and has a more manageable price tag IMO.
http://www.phoenixusarv.com/

There is a difference between Nexus and Phoenix. Nexus is 100% Adzel sidewall. Phoenix is, per the brochure, vacuum bonded laminate. Those two methods do not have the same risk profile in the event of a leak.

Snowman9000 wrote:
The Nexus exterior construction is about the same as the big brands. Filon walls and a fiberglass mini-cap on the front end. I would expect them to leak at the same rate as similar units. Now if you look at Phoenix Cruiser, you are looking at a huge upgrade in leak prevention. All IMO.

Double ditto. The Phoenix Cruiser is well constructed against leaks and has a more manageable price tag IMO.
http://www.phoenixusarv.com/

Snowman9000 wrote:
The Nexus exterior construction is about the same as the big brands. Filon walls and a fiberglass mini-cap on the front end. I would expect them to leak at the same rate as similar units. Now if you look at Phoenix Cruiser, you are looking at a huge upgrade in leak prevention. All IMO.

Sorry Snowman but I could not disagree more. Nexus is easily one of the best built C's out there. Nexus frames in steel (72% stronger than conventional aluminum framing). They use Azdel instead of Luan or plywood (stronger, lighter, higher R value and will NOT absorb moisture). The roof is one piece fiberglass with one piece fiberglass front and rear end caps. You won't find any plywood or particle board anywhere in a Nexus. Hardly the same construction quality as the so called "Big brands", not even close.

I am also very happy with the heated tanks, remote control heated mirrors, electric awning, innerspring mattress, 7' of interior head room throughout the coach and power drivers seat (to name just a few of the high end features found in our Nexus). You can spend a lot more than the price of a Nexus but bang for the buck you will be hard pressed to find a better value.

After nearly 18 months and more than 22,000 trouble free miles we are happier with our Phantom 23P then ever.

:B

Probably the leakproofness of both Lazy Daze (all riveted aluminum skin), and Coach House (all one piece of fiberglass - the roof, front camp, and side walls are all one piece of fiberglass just like with a boat) wins hands-down against every other brand.

You pay for this though ... both are expensive motorhomes ... Coach House especially so.

By the way if you plan on keeping a motorhome for years and years, and it has a white exterior color at all seam areas, and you are the type to "make it your baby" regardless of picky asthetics at resale time years later ... there is one way to just about make it leakproof "for ever". Cover all seems with 4 inch wide white Eternabond (once - does need to be redone over and over) ... cutting the Eternabond very artistically with rounded corners, etc.., for the best visual look you can get. Applied right, Eternabond sealed seams will not leak.