dahkota wrote:
We have the 4 door rv fridge. We boondock and dry camp a lot so it made more sense. We have solar panels, 4 6V batteries, and the generator but we felt that having a propane/electric fridge was insurance - if one method breaks/dies, hopefully the other will still work. For us, right now, a residential fridge is a deal breaker.
dahkota wrote:
We looked at both the Southwind and Bounder. Had the Southwinds we saw on the lots come in the color we eventually purchased of the Bounder, we would have purchased the Southwind, specifically because of the floor. Otherwise, there didn't seem to be much difference.
Once we decided on the Bounder, we sent emails to dealers around the country for their best final price. We didn't pick the low bid; we pick the second lowest from the dealer that would install our solar panels as part of the deal (which made their bid lower overall).
Fleetwood specific problems so far: 2. Lucky for us it rained the day we picked it up. The side window in the slide out was not sealed properly. We returned the next day and it was fixed. The outside light was not sealed properly and water intrusion burned out the bulbs. A new fixture was installed and sealed.
Ford specific problems: the windshield washer pump didn't work. Fixed the next day.
OEM specific problems: 3. Landing gear had a pinhole leak. Entire piston replaced under warranty. Icemaker hose melted. Replaced under warranty. Satellite dish acting wonky. I have to call this in - it just started.
Total time spent so far at dealer repairing issues: 9 hours over 3 visits. We live in our coach so we do not leave it at a dealer lot. Total time our coach has spent at dealer after purchase: 9 hours.
Repairs we have made: 2. Hose clamp under kitchen sink leaked. Tightened hose clamp. 40 MPH crosswinds were terrible and pushed MH around. We did cheap handling fix. Took about 30 minutes and handling is now 100% better.
We full time. We thoroughly love our coach. It is small enough to get into parks such as Yosemite but big enough to live in. The layout is great. You can watch tv and/or cook when the slides are in. Sleeping is a bit of an adjustment as the bed is right up against the clothes storage but we do it and sleep comfortably.
We have the fireplace. It is a great heater and we use it a lot more than the heat pump which is ridiculously loud.
With the bounder (and the Southwind), a lot of features (like the window shades/black out shades) come standard rather than as option. This is a huge price savings.
Things we really don't like: the carpet. Eventually it will be replace by something solid.
We have lived in the Bounder for 7 months now and put 11K on the odometer. We are extremely happy with our decision.
Good luck in your search!
