I wasn't sure if this belongs here or in the Class C section. But while looking for short Class C's (24 ft) I noticed a new Axis 24.1 which is only 7 ins longer than the C's I was looking at. It also was a few ins less in height, a longer WB, 188 ins vs 159 ins for the C's, more storage, more water and more CCC. The drivers area had better room than the Ford 350 or 450 chassis and about the same as the sprinter chassis. I was also $10k cheaper than the Sprinter class C's with much more HP(350 vs 190).The only difficulty looked to be getting to the engine to change plugs, filter etc. Has anyone purchased this model? Are there any regrets or downsides I am not seeing.

Other than the fact that it's a Thor product, it's a great package.

x2 thor doesn,t have a good rep.

Not a bunch of counter space for meal preparation but it otherwise looks ok IMO. Did you step into the shower? 27x27.

Note that the axis is built on the E450 chassis (albeit the bare chassis rather than the cutaway version), so doesn't have as much of a difference there as you might at first expect. That's not to say your observations of foot room, space, etc. are incorrect; however, it's also quite possible that there are some class C motorhomes with mostly similar features in those areas.All, or practically all, other gas class A's are built on the F53 motorhome chassis, which has a few more differences. I think even with the new engine the F53 gets a higher power tune/setup; I know for sure it was a more powerful version with the V10. There are other chassis differences as well.

The Axis/Vegas is an RUV - which is a fancy way to market a C and A hybrid. They are built on the e350 or E450 Chassis - depending on which year it was manufactured. So they aren't a true Class A. They were marketed as a way to take kids to soccer games, travelling sports families, tailgating that sort of thing. I've owned a Thor Class A (an ACE) and while we knew what we were buying, I must admit that quality is about the lowest in the industry. But so are their prices. If you have realistic expectations then you might be OK, but buyer beware. The sprinters you are looking at are Mercedes chassis so there is a reason they cost more and you are comparing oranges to basketballs comparing it to a Vegas. A Class B Plus or small C on a Mercedes chassis is going to be so much easier and quieter to drive and your mileage will be much better as well. Nothing wrong with the Vegas/Axis if that's what you want and have realistic expectations but there isn't much comparison to that and something on a Sprinter chassis with a diesel engine.

Thor Axis 24.1 | Good Sam Community

37 Replies

Gjac
Explorer III
Oct 21, 2020
way2roll wrote:
DrewE wrote:
Gjac wrote:
way2roll wrote:

On edit - that's also a dealership I would avoid. Not allowing you to look under the hood/doghouse of an RV you are considering buying is ridiculous. Did they say why?
No the salesman would not give me a valid reason even when I pressed him on the issue only to say the technicians would not allow the dog house to be removed. My thinking is MH's are really selling now and someone will buy it without scrutiny. I stopped at a Camping world in St Augustine Fl. and looked at several 24 ft Class C's and wanted to take one for a test drive. The Mgr would not allow a test drive until an offer was made. I said to the sales men why would I make an offer unless I liked the way the MH handled. His answer was the are selling like hotcakes this year by first time buyers because of the corona virus. So next year when the fear of the virus ceases it may be a buyers market again.

Shenanigans of this sort would make me walk away from the dealership more or less immediately. There's a reasonably good chance they might change their tune when they see you aren't willing to put up with the silliness. Even if they don't relent immediately, I might wander back in a couple days if I was particularly interested in a particular RV; maybe they'd be more reasonable, maybe not.

Asking to look under the hood of a vehicle you're considering (which is basically what the doghouse is), or take a test drive before making an offer, are both perfectly reasonable and ordinary requests. If the reason for refusing a test drive was something appropriate, such as "you don't have the appropriate driver's license for this vehicle," that would be a different story; but not letting you test drive until you've made a commitment (even if somewhat tentative) to purchase is not reasonable.

Downright dumb if you ask me. Who buys a MH that doesn't test drive it?

Op, you may want to talk the the sales manager. Maybe the salesperson was being lazy.
. It was the sales mgr of CW that would not allow a test drive the salesmen himself would have allowed it. I would not do business with either of these dealerships.
wowens79
Explorer III
Oct 21, 2020
I'd make a full price offer contingent on liking the way it drives, then tell them you don't like it just to make them mad.
way2roll
Navigator II
Oct 21, 2020
DrewE wrote:
Gjac wrote:
way2roll wrote:

On edit - that's also a dealership I would avoid. Not allowing you to look under the hood/doghouse of an RV you are considering buying is ridiculous. Did they say why?
No the salesman would not give me a valid reason even when I pressed him on the issue only to say the technicians would not allow the dog house to be removed. My thinking is MH's are really selling now and someone will buy it without scrutiny. I stopped at a Camping world in St Augustine Fl. and looked at several 24 ft Class C's and wanted to take one for a test drive. The Mgr would not allow a test drive until an offer was made. I said to the sales men why would I make an offer unless I liked the way the MH handled. His answer was the are selling like hotcakes this year by first time buyers because of the corona virus. So next year when the fear of the virus ceases it may be a buyers market again.

Shenanigans of this sort would make me walk away from the dealership more or less immediately. There's a reasonably good chance they might change their tune when they see you aren't willing to put up with the silliness. Even if they don't relent immediately, I might wander back in a couple days if I was particularly interested in a particular RV; maybe they'd be more reasonable, maybe not.

Asking to look under the hood of a vehicle you're considering (which is basically what the doghouse is), or take a test drive before making an offer, are both perfectly reasonable and ordinary requests. If the reason for refusing a test drive was something appropriate, such as "you don't have the appropriate driver's license for this vehicle," that would be a different story; but not letting you test drive until you've made a commitment (even if somewhat tentative) to purchase is not reasonable.

Downright dumb if you ask me. Who buys a MH that doesn't test drive it?

Op, you may want to talk the the sales manager. Maybe the salesperson was being lazy.
DrewE
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2020
Gjac wrote:
way2roll wrote:

On edit - that's also a dealership I would avoid. Not allowing you to look under the hood/doghouse of an RV you are considering buying is ridiculous. Did they say why?
No the salesman would not give me a valid reason even when I pressed him on the issue only to say the technicians would not allow the dog house to be removed. My thinking is MH's are really selling now and someone will buy it without scrutiny. I stopped at a Camping world in St Augustine Fl. and looked at several 24 ft Class C's and wanted to take one for a test drive. The Mgr would not allow a test drive until an offer was made. I said to the sales men why would I make an offer unless I liked the way the MH handled. His answer was the are selling like hotcakes this year by first time buyers because of the corona virus. So next year when the fear of the virus ceases it may be a buyers market again.

Shenanigans of this sort would make me walk away from the dealership more or less immediately. There's a reasonably good chance they might change their tune when they see you aren't willing to put up with the silliness. Even if they don't relent immediately, I might wander back in a couple days if I was particularly interested in a particular RV; maybe they'd be more reasonable, maybe not.

Asking to look under the hood of a vehicle you're considering (which is basically what the doghouse is), or take a test drive before making an offer, are both perfectly reasonable and ordinary requests. If the reason for refusing a test drive was something appropriate, such as "you don't have the appropriate driver's license for this vehicle," that would be a different story; but not letting you test drive until you've made a commitment (even if somewhat tentative) to purchase is not reasonable.
way2roll
Navigator II
Oct 21, 2020
JRscooby wrote:
way2roll wrote:

Ah, Camping world. The Wal mart of the RV industry.

Not exactly. Walmart has a pretty generous return policy

LOL! You got me there!
JRscooby
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2020
way2roll wrote:

Ah, Camping world. The Wal mart of the RV industry.

Not exactly. Walmart has a pretty generous return policy
way2roll
Navigator II
Oct 21, 2020
Gjac wrote:
way2roll wrote:
Gjac wrote:
As I noted in my OP it looked difficult to access the engine because the dog house was so small. I wanted to go back and see what the access was like with the dog house removed. It only had about 4 screws to remove cover. The salesmen called me back and said the techs at the dealership would not allow the cover to come off. I thought that strange and of course only reinforced my belief of the difficulty of changing spark plugs or adding water to the battery. Was my request unreasonable?

Nope, not unreasonable and good for you. That is one of the issues I saw noted in some reviews, the inability to access the batteries etc. It was one of the few complaints I remember seeing, but a consistent one.

On edit - that's also a dealership I would avoid. Not allowing you to look under the hood/doghouse of an RV you are considering buying is ridiculous. Did they say why?
No the salesman would not give me a valid reason even when I pressed him on the issue only to say the technicians would not allow the dog house to be removed. My thinking is MH's are really selling now and someone will buy it without scrutiny. I stopped at a Camping world in St Augustine Fl. and looked at several 24 ft Class C's and wanted to take one for a test drive. The Mgr would not allow a test drive until an offer was made. I said to the sales men why would I make an offer unless I liked the way the MH handled. His answer was the are selling like hotcakes this year by first time buyers because of the corona virus. So next year when the fear of the virus ceases it may be a buyers market again.

Ah, Camping world. The Wal mart of the RV industry.
Gjac
Explorer III
Oct 21, 2020
way2roll wrote:
Gjac wrote:
As I noted in my OP it looked difficult to access the engine because the dog house was so small. I wanted to go back and see what the access was like with the dog house removed. It only had about 4 screws to remove cover. The salesmen called me back and said the techs at the dealership would not allow the cover to come off. I thought that strange and of course only reinforced my belief of the difficulty of changing spark plugs or adding water to the battery. Was my request unreasonable?

Nope, not unreasonable and good for you. That is one of the issues I saw noted in some reviews, the inability to access the batteries etc. It was one of the few complaints I remember seeing, but a consistent one.

On edit - that's also a dealership I would avoid. Not allowing you to look under the hood/doghouse of an RV you are considering buying is ridiculous. Did they say why?
No the salesman would not give me a valid reason even when I pressed him on the issue only to say the technicians would not allow the dog house to be removed. My thinking is MH's are really selling now and someone will buy it without scrutiny. I stopped at a Camping world in St Augustine Fl. and looked at several 24 ft Class C's and wanted to take one for a test drive. The Mgr would not allow a test drive until an offer was made. I said to the sales men why would I make an offer unless I liked the way the MH handled. His answer was the are selling like hotcakes this year by first time buyers because of the corona virus. So next year when the fear of the virus ceases it may be a buyers market again.
warrenjo46
Explorer
Oct 21, 2020
Gjac wrote:
way2roll wrote:
A1ARealtorRick wrote:
"......but also have a lower tow rating (18,500 combined vs 22,000 combined)"

But unless you have a Sherman tank as a toad, for most the difference in tow rating is probably a non-issue :C

I was surprised at the 2020 specs for capacity on such a small coach. Depending on the model there is between 6-7.5k lbs of actual towing capacity. Impressive for such a small coach - or maybe it's because it's a small coach. There are a LOT of larger gassers with almost no capacity left.
You are right my current 33 ft Class A can't tow that much. When I compare specs against other Class A's or space against small Class C's. HP/wt ratio, WB/L ratio all look impressive. The only concern is the quality of Thor products. That is why I asked if any on here actually own one, but not one owner has responded yet.

OK, now you did it. I owned a 2015 Vegas 24.1 for two years and really liked it. I don't understand the comments about Thor quality unless I was just lucky. I can not complain about the quality a bit.
the OP is correct about working on the engine. I had to replace the battery and it took me half a day to get it done. However, I think that motor homes are generally compact and that makes repair and replace more difficult.
JRscooby
Explorer II
Oct 20, 2020
carringb wrote:

Well, if you decide to proceed, maybe make your offer contingent on a maintenance contract that includes spark plugs, spark plug wires, and batteries for the first 5 years?

Doubt the RV would run enough in 5 years to need plugs. OEM battery is good for 6