Looking at entry level Class As.....

ualdriver wrote:

Effy wrote:
The ACE is a solid entry level performer (I've owned 2 now).

Effy (or other ACE 29 owners)-

I have a question for you since you have owned these ACEs before and I am sure very familiar. The salesman who showed me the ACE was brand new and really knew nothing detailed about it, and I have never owned a RV and am still learning.

I went to look at a 2012 ACE 29.1 today at a dealer as we're looking to buy in a few months. I very much liked the layout in the back and the big, front windows which makes the inside of the coach well lit and appear more roomy.

However, there were a few things that were unexpected that perhaps you can expand on.

1) The generator sound was louder than expected from inside the coach. It sounded like a muffled lawnmower engine. Is that normal? It sounded like it was running fine but I was just surprised that it was that noticeable.

2) Do the front seats rotate around 180 degrees to face the inside of the coach? Neither of us could get the seats to rotate around a full 180 degrees. One of the benefits (to me) of owning a Class A is that the "driving space" can be used as living space as the front seats can turn around to watch TV, talk to people in the coach, etc. Further, even if the driver's seat could be rotated around, it didn't look like it could recline at all as the steering wheel would be in the way.

3) How strong is that drop down bunk up front? The salesman said it was rated to around 500 lbs. but there didn't seem to be much structure to it. It appeared maybe a little flimsy.

Thanks for your opinion.

1 - The generator can be hard inside the coach. You are in an entry level coach without dual pane windows. I can't imagine it's any different than any other entry level coach I don't consider mine loud while parked, more like a drone and when the AC kicks on I can't hear it. I can't hear it all while driving. Maybe it had an exhaust leak?

2 - Yes the seats rotate. there is a trick; sliding the seat back, tilting the wheel up, and moving the back a bit - armrests up. Once you figure it out, it takes about 10 seconds.

3- Drop down bunk is rated at 250 lbs. Agreed not a lot. There are more robust setups if you move up the food chain in MH's, but the higher rated bunks are on rails and come to rest on the tops of the front seats totally eliminating their use and you can then forget about question 2. The ACE is the only one I know that the front seats can still be used with the bunk down. Even driven that way if you wanted to. All that said, I can't imagine a person or a combination of people over 250lbs wanting to use the bunk. It's really more for kids or one adult. I've laid down in ours with my son who is now 12. He's about 70 lbs and I'm about 180. Never had any issue with the structural integrity.