WEnt to a show here in California, and sat inside a few of the upper price DP's. The first one was a Winnebago...Holly Molly! we just had an earthquake as I am Typing this! I heard this rumble and then the house started shaking. Cat's ran around like WTH is going on. Only lasted about 10 seconds. Probably around a 4.5...Anyway, the Winnebago Grand Tour had app 10,000 miles and looked nice, had a Tag, app 43',IFS, 2014 It had the sun roof above the drivers seat. So, i get in start driving, and i can barely hold a conversation with all the rattles going on.. I mean it was so bad that within 5 minutes of the drive i turned around. I couldn't wait to get out of it... and the List price...$329,500 Then, we saw a Tiffin Phaeton, that was also used about 40' Single axle, 2014, DP, with app 2000 miles on it. the salesman said it had Pinch rolled walls, the are the best in the industry...? It only had the cummins 380hp 1050 torque, and solid front axle. It was newer and didn't rattle so much, but it seemed the power was lacking. I left kinda dissapointed that RV's will always drive terrible...? I really hope something out there will drive better, not have so many rattles, and feels a bit tighter. Dont get me wrong i understand that RV's will rattle and those items can be fixed, but for a first drive i left unimpressed...I forgot which one, but one had the MAXUM chassis. It seemed like both were on some type of freight-liner chasis. with 4 or 6 airbags. the saleman said that we not want the inside and outside bags because the front tire is right there and could pop the airbag...?He also said that he wouldn't take a Monaco if they gave it to him for free.. Something about thers no one there to service themI have hope that Newmar, or CC, or pre 2007 Monaco, or...?? will feel tighter, and have some quality engineering done.

The Maxum chassis is the Winnebago's chassis, which is basically a renamed Freightliner chassis. Thank you for review of test drive. I wondered if the Grand Tour was any good.

We must be pretty close as my house was shaken with 4.1 pretty badly.

Fleetwood and Monaco are now owned by ARV and the Fleetwood factory will service both. Monaco built some really nice coaches.My Revolution has few rattles and drives like a dream on a Spartan chassis.It is Winnebago that calls their chassis the Maxim. It is made by Freightliner.

I'm over in the valley and just saw the news about the earthquake, didn't feel anything here.Don't judge all RV's by those two test drives. My RV drives and rides very nicely. It's not as nice as a luxury car, but I would say it's very comparable to my SUV. As far as the salesman telling you no one is out there to work on a Monaco.............gee, I wonder where all the Monaco, Safari, Holiday Rambler, National, Country Coach, Alpha, and others, that are no longer being built get work done..........obviously what he told you is not the case.

Were the rattles in the Tiffin internal stuff or in the chassis.Reason I ask is that my last MH, a Beaver PT was dead quite except it had mini blinds that rattled and squeaked. This coach is also dead quite and has MCD vs. the miniblinds but I can not quiet the occasional "clinking" from the wine glasses hanging in the bar. Also, almost every time we get underway after stopping for awhile, DW has to go on "noise" quest.Point is, the rattles may be just loose gear, doors, or etc.

Test Drove 2 DP's this weekend... and an earthquake...lol

30 Replies

rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Aug 17, 2015
Most EMPTY RV's, gas or diesel, will rattle and will ride differently than when fully loaded for a trip. In addition the tires were probably inflated for a loaded RV instead of an empty coach.
the_bear_II
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
If it's cabinet rattles, those can be traced down and addressed by realigning doors and latches to fit better, adding foam or sound dampening material.

Chassis rattles are tougher...new shocks, springs from Deaver Springs and going through the underneath to make sure everything is tight and nothing is hitting the frame or other components when you hit rough patches. Common rattle maker is plumbing or exhaust system.

An alternative is a 5th wheel, most trucks now days are as quiet and comfortable as a Cadillac.
Tom_Barb
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
Our Newmar will groan when you flex the chassis, but it doesn't rattle when going down the road. yes you will feel the pot holes, wash board roads and the expansion joints. It doesn't accelerate like a dragster, or stop like a sports car. but they don't weigh 28,000#.
the rattles we do get are from the stuff in the cabinets, and a pesky screen door that we were required to add rubber cushions to the door stops. but not a peep out of the house structure, windows, or the storage compartment doors. At 60-65 on the highway you can not hear the diesel, but when it shifts down and pulls hard we can. it tows the jeep so easy you wouldn't know it was there with looking in the back up camera.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Aug 17, 2015
you should ride in my 43 years old Prevost ;)
I hear air flow on worn gasket on front doors.
mike_brez
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
It's kinda scary how quiet my 18 year old DP is going down the road.
bluwtr49
Explorer II
Aug 17, 2015
Were the rattles in the Tiffin internal stuff or in the chassis.

Reason I ask is that my last MH, a Beaver PT was dead quite except it had mini blinds that rattled and squeaked. This coach is also dead quite and has MCD vs. the miniblinds but I can not quiet the occasional "clinking" from the wine glasses hanging in the bar. Also, almost every time we get underway after stopping for awhile, DW has to go on "noise" quest.

Point is, the rattles may be just loose gear, doors, or etc.
supercub
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
I'm over in the valley and just saw the news about the earthquake, didn't feel anything here.
Don't judge all RV's by those two test drives. My RV drives and rides very nicely. It's not as nice as a luxury car, but I would say it's very comparable to my SUV.
As far as the salesman telling you no one is out there to work on a Monaco.............gee, I wonder where all the Monaco, Safari, Holiday Rambler, National, Country Coach, Alpha, and others, that are no longer being built get work done..........obviously what he told you is not the case.
krivanj
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
Fleetwood and Monaco are now owned by ARV and the Fleetwood factory will service both. Monaco built some really nice coaches.
My Revolution has few rattles and drives like a dream on a Spartan chassis.
It is Winnebago that calls their chassis the Maxim. It is made by Freightliner.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Aug 17, 2015
We must be pretty close as my house was shaken with 4.1 pretty badly.
univmd
Explorer
Aug 17, 2015
The Maxum chassis is the Winnebago's chassis, which is basically a renamed Freightliner chassis. Thank you for review of test drive. I wondered if the Grand Tour was any good.

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Test Drove 2 DP's this weekend... and an earthquake...lol

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