Rambler Admiral vs Coachmen Mirada -- Advice

lordnorth wrote:
Interestingly enough... Here is what the NADA Guide has to say about value (I put them in as simply base price, no options, actual mileage):

One is:
Low Retail $64,334 Average Retail $77,511

Other:
Low Retail $55,982 Average Retail $67,454

Guess which is which?

According to NADA, the Coachmen has the higher value than the HR...

Interesting... What are your thoughts on that?

Well Wall mart doesnt allways have the cheapest junk

lordnorth wrote:
Okay... HR by a long shot.

Now.... Why HR?

(No offense.. but please give me something other than "its a better Motorhome" if you would.)

I'm not saying that I don't agree with you... I am asking what, in your opinion, makes the HR a better choice.

If it is really a Holiday Rambler, the construction is radically different (framed walls vs sandwich panels) from most mass production motorhomes. If the Holiday Rambler is a R-Vision rebadged as H-R, then it is not that different, so I might be rather looking for something from Newmar, or a Winnebago, which at least interlocks the floor, wall, and roof panels instead of just screwing the side of one piece into the edge of the other.

But most RV buyers know nothing about construction, so the manufacturers do better by selling glitz, putting more features inside the more cheaply constructed box.

The fact that the Admiral is on 22.5 wheels and the Mirada is not, suggests that the Mirada is built on a lighter capacity (lower GVWR) chassis. Empty, it might be nearly overloaded. Mirada was positioned as Coachmen's entry level model, built light to keep cost, and thus price down. While the Admiral was H-Rs entry level in most model years, the Admiral did not compete at the Mirada/Hurricane/TrailLite level. For that matter, neither did Newmar, Tiffin, or Winnebago.

In trim, capacities, fittings, H-R's Admiral is a huge step up from Coachmen's Mirada. Even if you were looking at more upscale Coachmen, my preference would be the Holiday Rambler, for the superior fully-framed construction.

Unless a 2007 H-R is not really a H-R, rather a R-Vision branded as a H-R. I don't remember just what year Monaco shut down the Holiday Rambler plant and started building all their gassers, whatever brand, over at R-Vision.

Not quite sure why the question was put forth,don't think anyone is here to talk you out of your obvious choice.It is a personal choice.You like the Mirada buy it.You are not comparing quality,just a newer feel like a flat screen TV,etc.

I also agree with the other posters that said HR. I do like the water systems in Coachmen Coaches.

LVJ58 wrote:
Logic would dictate that a 2011 model would have a higher value than a 2006, kind of no brainer wouldn't you say...:h

Best regards and good luck with your choice....:)

Yes... when one has a higher value but they cost the same... Choosing the one that has the higher value would be a no brainer.... but I think that goes against what you are implying.

About the only one who gave any kind of explanation for their choice is Kiwi_too who says:

Kiwi_too wrote:
HR is a more solidly built coach. Can you look at both of them? Look a the systems, compare the inverter to the converter. Look at the slide, the woodwork (including hinges), the floor, the toilets, water bay, electric bay, etc. I think you will see the Marada as what is referred to as an entry level. The HR is built for comfort.

I did look over them.. and the water bay and electrical DID look more streamlined in the HR (Didn't have to plug the line into the generator plug for power, for instance -- auto switcher...), but other than that... the toilet was just a plastic toilet, in fact my wife felt that the bathroom wasn't as nice in the HR and there were no nightstands next to the bed in the HR... I just couldn't get a sense that the HR was THAT much nicer than the Coachmen.

I DID like the fact that the HR is on 22.5 wheels and has GREAT BIG outside storage, but that is about it. On the down side, the main slide on this unit seemed to come in unevenly and there was a "crunchy" noise when retracting it.

The Coachmen has larger flat screen TV mounted midship (instead of over the cockpit), MUCH sturdier booth table, fold out sofa bed with air mattress, and individual tvs in the bunks. In fact comparing the two, the only thing that I can *see* for HR over the Coachmen is the storage and the larger wheels (and of course the HR badge)... In almost every other category the Coachmen *seems* equal.

I am not saying that your opinions are wrong... I am just hoping that someone can educate me and expound on the statement that "HR is the better coach."

What MAKES it a *better* coach??

Logic would dictate that a 2011 model would have a higher value than a 2006, kind of no brainer wouldn't you say...:h

Best regards and good luck with your choice....:)

Having once owned a Coachmen Mirada, I would say go with the HR!

HR is a more solidly built coach. Can you look at both of them? Look a the systems, compare the inverter to the converter. Look at the slide, the woodwork (including hinges), the floor, the toilets, water bay, electric bay, etc. I think you will see the Marada as what is referred to as an entry level. The HR is built for comfort.

Nada is just a different flavor of consumers,I would not rely much on their opinions or mine.I had a Mirada class A- not good quality at all,very minimal.