RV Upgrade

Remember the Schwintek slide thing with the Tour as they were being used until at least 2016.....Winne did have a fix but I don't know if it works or not...the track would be attached in a way that it would flex..just make sure if it has a schwintek slide that Winne or a dealer did the upgrade....

Ranger Smith wrote:
Budget is around 210k max. Wife wants the floor plan of the 42 QD. I want to go with an Allegro Bus.
We know who is gonna win that one

You'll look good in a Tour:)!

Happy wife, happy life! (Truer words have never been spoken...)

Looking at say a 2013 Tour 42QD's GVWR of 44,600Lbs, the 450HP fits nicely into 1HP X's 1K pounds. (Reality is even with say a mid size toad, you'll be going down the road at probably close to 40-42K lbs then 45K lbs:)!. And while I prefer other chassis then the XC-Series, it is one of Freightliner's better chassis. And of course, lots of service locations around the country is a plus too...

All that being said, still suggest going into a higher end say Monaco Executive/Signature (Or HR equivalent.), Country Coach Intrigue/Magna/Affinity, Newmar Moutain Aire or above. Entegra's Anthem's/Cornerstone's, Foretravle U320 as some examples. Compare how they look, and how they're built, and see if one also is a fit for you. A purchase of a bit older rig with say a Detroit, Cummins ISM, CAT C13-C15 in the $150-175K range, leaves you with a nice budget to go in and customize the interior to your specific tastes...

And again the Tour is a fine coach, but IMO 5-10 years down the road, I believe one of the higher end coaches above even at say a 2006-2009 age group, would pay higher dividends in smiles of usage and probably have a higher or equal resell then a newer Tour (like a 2013).. For sure, they'd give you the added benefit of years of more solid driving too.

But again, it is your two's (Well actually that's not correct - as it is the DW...) that matters:)!

And opinions for sure will vary:)!

Go pick your coach, and have a blast,
Smitty

Happy hunting...
Smitty

Budget is around 210k max. Wife wants the floor plan of the 42 QD. I want to go with an Allegro Bus.
We know who is gonna win that one

OP - A few random inputs:)!

-In general, coaches will Tag will usually add increased stability, higher CCC capacity, tighter turning radius (Drive Axle is set forward more on Tag coaches.), added set of brakes for stopping, as member Executive commented a few years back - just look sexy!!!
-Negatives have been mentioned. But specifically for the coaches with mid size block engines (ISL and C9), the added weight of the Tag, will make those engines work a bit harder:)!
-All 42' coaches with Tag's are not made the same way. I consider the Tour to be a good value coach, but it is 'good value' due to component compromises by Winnebago. If i call the Tour/Meridian counter part a sold C+ to B- grade coach, then I'd call coaches like Travel Supreme, Country Coach, Monaco Executive/Signature, Newmar Mountain Aire and up, Entegra, Foretravel, to be the B+ to A- grade of coaches. (Not intended to be a complete list, and for sure it is not.). A major part that sets these coaches up a little higher in the food chain, is the choice of Chassis and Engine are higher performing over the mid quality coaches.

Each buyer needs to decide what is important to them. Many want new coaches. Many want used. I'm in the 'Used' camp:)!

Here is an opinion I've shared on many boards over many years:

"Pick your budget range, and buy the highest quality coach that fits your budget. Don't be afraid to drop years to retain higher quality to meet a budget purchase point. Quality lasts, and a higher end quality coach, remains a solid foundation to build and modify off of to make a coach 'your coach'." I also recommend retaining a good size hunk of funds beside purchase, to allow for any catch up baseline maintenance, and modifications of interior, to make it your coach.

The Tour is a fine coach, but do recommend you take the time to examine some of the top tier coaches to compare quality of build, and components used. For example, a BIG BLOCK engine can yield equal MPG to a Mid Size Block engined coach, due to the engine not working as hard, and gearing. It also provides two safety advantages of 1) More reserve power. Not for racing up a hill, but for acceleration if needed to avoid a dangerous situation; 2) Jake Compression Braking with BIG BLOCK's provide higher Braking Horse Power.

And most of all, a final opinion, which is that your opinions are what matter the most. Pick the coach that you want, for whatever your reasons are. And go out and enjoy it:)!

Happy hunting,
Smitty

Having just purchased a 43' Newmar Dutch Star with a tag axle, my short experience has been the same as those on here that love their tag. Stability is incredible. No fighting the steering wheel, constantly shifting it back and forth. Mine also has a feature called Comfort Drive that helps with steering, but it adds up to stress free driving. With mine it doesn't "lift" the tag axle going around a corner, but it does release pressure accomplishing the same result. For me a coach that did not have a side radiator was a deal breaker for me.

Having had a 40' Dynasty with no tag and now a 45' Exec with the tag, I would not own another coach without the tag. As steady and heavy as the Dynasty was the ride comfort with the tag is unbelievable. Yes, the exec is a longer and heavier coach but the tag allows the coach to track straight as an arrow with a single finger on the wheel in all kinds of winds and passing trucks. Many, like mine, allow you to flip a switch which raises the tag for sharp turns.....Dennis

The Tour is an awesome coach. Regarding your inquiry about a tag I would be another vote to have one. All of the comfort, handling, and stability comments are true. I had a 40' no tag model for my last coach and my carry capacity was a little thin. Actually I had very little with my 36' Bounder also. I really like not having to debate in my head the weight issue when I consider weather to take something.

We went from a 38' Suncruiser (Workhorse) which was fine , no complaints, to a Journey 40L and the improvement was wonderful. I didn't think it could be better. Then we went to the Entegra factory.... That caused us to get our current RV (43'tag with IFS) It is like night and day better than the Journey. We had put 75,000 miles on the Journey and loved it completely. I would recommend the Journey to anyone, but the Entegra is sooo.. much better riding and driving.

love my tag...would never go back to single axle due to CCC...and such a difference with winds and passing trucks...mine has a lift switch so I just have to remember that...if you are going to a tag...I'd get side radiator as well but that is a discussion with another thread..Note that for a bit Winne used the schwintek slides on the smaller slides...make sure it doesn't have the schwintek slide mechanism...extremely trouble prone as some OEMs pushed its limits...my remote tech tells me not a day goes by without a horror story with one...

Pretty simple test.....anyone who tells you that a tag doesn't improve the ride, look at their profile, they don't own one. I have a Newmar, true 40' coach that has a tag. Some of the differences between it and my 37 Diplomat, no porposing with a tag, straight line stability is unequaled and the additional braking is huge. My coach with Comfort Steer and tag axle, is pretty much unmovable in high wind conditions. There have been times that we stopped for fuel in the desert and didn't know how hard the wind was blowing until we got out of the coach.

The only real con in my coach....that tag takes away 3' feet of storage bay space. My Dutch Star at 40' with a tag, still has more storage than my 37 Diplomat without. It's all about how they placed equipment. It's not much more, about half of a full size slide through bay.