Thor ACE or Winnebago Vista
Seriously considering downsizing' in fact, we've already sold our Itasca Suncruiser. We're considering the ACE 27.1 or the Vista 27N and leaning toward the Vista because a closer look at the ACE spel...
Forum Discussion
I owned a Thor ACE 27.1 and now have a Vista 27N. I bought the 2013 Thor Ace 27.1 new. I owned it for 3 months, of which 1-1/2 months was spent at the dealer's getting things fixed. Every time I took it out some new problem appeared. Finally I traded it on a 2013 Winnebago Vista 27N. Not happy about losing the money but very glad to be rid of the ACE.
The ACE had very poor handling, wandered all over the road even after weighing and adjusting tire pressure and an alignment and “cheap handling fix.” The fit and finish was poor, lots of rattles and bangs. Here’s a partial list of the problems I found after driving a few hundred miles. Exterior: Upper clearance lights full of water. Molding pulled away by driver’s mirror, entry door, and wheel openings. Decals bubbled and pulled away along belt molding, both sides of coach. Rear license plate light didn’t work and was loose. Mechanical: House battery cut out frequently, would not take full charge & drained fast. Interior: Water leaked into left front on driver’s side wall when driving during and after rain, water dripped in from curtain rail, water came in around screws in lower part of fixed part of driver’s and passenger’s side windows. One of the pocket doors came off track and jammed blocking entry into bedroom, the rollers had ripped out of the door. Upper wall trim between pocket doors and hall came off. Shower wall was loose and where it met the pan had gaps in the caulking. Toilet was loose and rocked. Vinyl flooring was cut between entry door and kitchen.
The Vista has had only a couple of minor warranty fixes in a year and half and 8,000 miles. A wood joint opened up on one of the dinette benches and was fixed with an “L” bracket and a couple of screws inside the corner. If full the fresh water tank would siphon down to 1/3 when driving, fixed by re-routings the overflow tube.
The ACE had very poor handling, wandered all over the road even after weighing and adjusting tire pressure and an alignment and “cheap handling fix.” The fit and finish was poor, lots of rattles and bangs. Here’s a partial list of the problems I found after driving a few hundred miles. Exterior: Upper clearance lights full of water. Molding pulled away by driver’s mirror, entry door, and wheel openings. Decals bubbled and pulled away along belt molding, both sides of coach. Rear license plate light didn’t work and was loose. Mechanical: House battery cut out frequently, would not take full charge & drained fast. Interior: Water leaked into left front on driver’s side wall when driving during and after rain, water dripped in from curtain rail, water came in around screws in lower part of fixed part of driver’s and passenger’s side windows. One of the pocket doors came off track and jammed blocking entry into bedroom, the rollers had ripped out of the door. Upper wall trim between pocket doors and hall came off. Shower wall was loose and where it met the pan had gaps in the caulking. Toilet was loose and rocked. Vinyl flooring was cut between entry door and kitchen.
The Vista has had only a couple of minor warranty fixes in a year and half and 8,000 miles. A wood joint opened up on one of the dinette benches and was fixed with an “L” bracket and a couple of screws inside the corner. If full the fresh water tank would siphon down to 1/3 when driving, fixed by re-routings the overflow tube.
