Which one ? Tiffin, Newmar, Prevost, Monaco?

Ocean Mist wrote:

Bruce Brown wrote:

You are correct - the '08 would have Comfort Drive.

So do you guys like comfort drive? Is it a must have?

Bruce Brown wrote:

RayChez wrote:
I believe the American coaches are better then the Tiffins or Newmars. Might want to check out an Eagle or a Tradition etc. For $150,000 you might be able to find one made around 2009.

American certainly makes a nice coach, just be sure to check for delamination and checking fiberglass so many suffer from.

The delamination issue can be found pretty much across the line, the checking fiberglass is far more common on the darker colors.

In the Delamination you speak of. Are you saying that ther's an issue called Checking Fiberglass or I should Check the Fiberglass for issues? Oh! and what should I look for when Checking the Fiberglass? I know Newmar uses Fiberglass wall about 1/4" where some other MH use a glued laminate...

IMO Comfort Drive is a must have. And as has been noted, one drive won't necessarily tell the whole story.

On the delamination issue, thats something that any laminated MH can do. The wall is literally glued together - any leak can (will) cause delamination and even time. Glues break down over time, when the glue is done delamination starts. Most are laminated, Newmar, Monaco, Travel Supreme/Entegra are not. There may be a few others, I can't think of them.

It shows up as bubbles on the outside. Once it comes unglued it's about impossible to re-glue it. The damage is already done.

Here is an example:



The checking fiberglass issue was suffered by more than just Fleedwood/American - it was a supplier issue, and many builders used the same supplier. It shows up as small checks in the fiberglass - you'll know it when you see it.

RayChez wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
with a 150k budget, I'd be talking to This guy.

Red flag would go up right away when you see a coach nine years old and only 9K miles????????????? Why or what happened that they did not drive it. A coach that old that has been parked for several years would sure raise a red flag in my book. I would have to go through it with a fine comb.

Are you saying you'd not inspect every coach you'd buy with a fine toothed comb?

Of course you would, the 06 Newmar is no different. You won't know if the coach has not had 5k of the 9400 added in the last year.

We don't know what year the coach sold the first time, we don't know the circumstances that allowed the coach to have 9400 miles.
So,,, why say 9400 miles is a problem? That is like saying any 06 coach with 80k is going to be a money pit.

Joatha wrote:
I would look at Bluebird Wanderlodge, Prevost, and Newell.

I admit I am biased but I think the Wanderlodge offers the best bang for the buck right now. I dreamt of upgrading for about 7-8 years before I got to do it and I looked at a LOT of manufacturers before deciding to get a Bluebird. These coaches (along with Newell and Prevost) are designed to last a lifetime and they will hold up MANY times better in the event of an accident (Bluebirds were rollover tested by the factory - not sure of the others.

And despite what folks may say about having no factory support, I have had ZERO issues getting my Bird fixed and getting the required parts. The support from the Wanderlodge Owners Group (WOG - http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.com) is exceptional.

Just talked to a 2013 Prevost owner in a campground the other day, who previously had a 2003 Bluebird. He said the BB drove better than the Prevost, but not to buy one newer than an 03, which is when the new company took over and cheapened everything.
Now, get this, as it wasn't his first Prevost and his previous one, was so bad, he actually forced them to take it back.
He's had the present one for six months, a Marathon conversion and so far, so good. Can't remember what the other was now.

I just did a quick 'Google' and here's what can happen to a commerical bus. The steel didn't help this rollover. Luckily only three employees were onboard but one was killed and another seriously injured. It could have been much worse if the bus was filled.

Bus Rollover

I would look at Bluebird Wanderlodge, Prevost, and Newell.

I admit I am biased but I think the Wanderlodge offers the best bang for the buck right now. I dreamt of upgrading for about 7-8 years before I got to do it and I looked at a LOT of manufacturers before deciding to get a Bluebird. These coaches (along with Newell and Prevost) are designed to last a lifetime and they will hold up MANY times better in the event of an accident (Bluebirds were rollover tested by the factory - not sure of the others.

And despite what folks may say about having no factory support, I have had ZERO issues getting my Bird fixed and getting the required parts. The support from the Wanderlodge Owners Group (WOG - http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.com) is exceptional.

There is nothing wrong with a Spartan or Freight liner chassis. They are both heavy duty chassis. And most of your heavy duty trucking on the roads today are Freight liner which makes them million mile chassis also. So lets not get confused that they are not heavy duty chassis.

And I also have to disagree with the post that Monaco chassis are better built then Freight liner or Spartan. If you want a rough stiff ride, then get the ten bag ride of a Monaco coach. The sills are thin in comparison to the construction of Spartan or Freight liner. And if you like the highly publicized Comfort Drive, they are on Freight liner new chassis. As far as to rattles on the coach? I would have to say that is the house part of the coach and nothing to do with a Freightliner chassis.

Chassis construction in motorhomes varies. The Winnebagos, Newmars, and Tiffins use a chassis built by either Freightliner or Spartan (Tiffin offers a chassis they make in house). Basically, those manufacturers bolt their 'box' onto the chassis. Nothing wrong with that since there are many, many of them on the road with many happy owners.

Some of the higher end manufacturers like Prevost, Newell, Country Coach, Monaco (the old Monaco), Foretravel build their own semi monocoque (sp??) chassis. Those chassis do a much better job of integrating the house part with the running part. Prevost is the gold standard since it is basically built like a transit bus. It is said that coaches built this way hold up better in collisions. Is that a big deal? I hope never to find out.

RV chassis comparison

I do know that my previous DP was a box screwed to a Freightliner chassis. It was OK but did rattle, rumble and squeak more than my current coach which is very quiet and feels much more solid. Now any of them will groan on some of our worst roads.

The best advice is to figure out what kind of floorplan is the most livable for you. If you are miserable inside of a coach, it won't make much difference what chassis it sits on. Once you decide what you want in terms of livability and overall size, then search for the best coach you can find within your budget that meets your criteria. A good, solidly built coach with a semi monocoque chassis (especially if it has a tag axle) will generally be a pleasure to drive.

Bruce Brown wrote:

You are correct - the '08 would have Comfort Drive.

So do you guys like comfort drive? Is it a must have?

Bruce Brown wrote:

RayChez wrote:
I believe the American coaches are better then the Tiffins or Newmars. Might want to check out an Eagle or a Tradition etc. For $150,000 you might be able to find one made around 2009.

American certainly makes a nice coach, just be sure to check for delamination and checking fiberglass so many suffer from.

The delamination issue can be found pretty much across the line, the checking fiberglass is far more common on the darker colors.

In the Delamination you speak of. Are you saying that ther's an issue called Checking Fiberglass or I should Check the Fiberglass for issues? Oh! and what should I look for when Checking the Fiberglass? I know Newmar uses Fiberglass wall about 1/4" where some other MH use a glued laminate...

Tom/Barb wrote:

We bought a 2000 with 8670 miles showing in 2009, Yes we had a wake up period, new tires, belts hoses ect. but we got a great deal.

May I ask which MH you purchased...? Sounds nice

Crespro wrote:
This 2004 Essex looks good. Essex

This 2008 Dutch Star should have Comfort Drive. Dutch Star

Thanks for the links! Those are some nice coaches...

Most of your new coaches nowdays, the framing of the house part are framed with aluminum to keep the weight down. But your million mile coaches like Prevost the frame is steel. IF a coach was to roll over the steel frame would be stronger to support the impact, while many aluminum wall framing would collapse.

Everything on a Prevost or Newell is heavy duty in comparison to the regular diesel pusher that is mass produced.

The chassis on diesel pushers are still very well constructed. It is the house part that separates the million dollar coaches with the hundred thousand dollar coaches. That is why they cost so much more.

There used to be a company that manufactured Wanderlodge (BlueBird) motor homes. And they were expensive, not like a Prevost or Newell, but that company manufactured excellent coaches for the money.

Every component on those coaches was extra heavy duty. I was very impressed as to how those coaches were manufactured. And there are still some around the country, IF you can find one I think you would be very happy with one.

Ocean Mist wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
Somebody pointed that in discussion, but I would highlight what would be starting point for me.
Do you value safety of your life more, or are bells and whistles your priority?
Older Prevost will save your back in roll over accident.
Will newer Tiffin or Nemar do that?
Most of the time it is not just your back, but back of your wife, children, grandchildren....

Hi Kayteg, So what you are saying is that Prevost really makes a quality chassis that will protect us in a roll over. That is a valid point since we will only be getting older as we age... I heard that the Prevost should last 1,000,000 miles, and that the Chassis is DOT Certified. I need to research what that means but, are you saying that Tiffin or Newmar are not DOt certified Chassis?

Ocean Mist, I, too, am not sure of what DOT requires to be certified. Prevost chassis are commercial bus chassis's used to carry millions of people around the country in passenger buses.

If a person orders slides, they are installed at the factory and the bus arrives at the converter complete. The exterior material is stainless steel and/or a kevlar composite fiberglass.

We had a 2008 Monaco Dynasty that we ordered at a California dealer and took a factory delivery in Coburg, OR. Looking at the structure behind the front fiberglass while the generator slide (front) was open only showed some small braces holding the fiberglass in place. There was absolutely no real protection. 99% of RV'ers will NOT be in an accident.

The frame on a Prevost has real front and rear bumpers. There is a thick steel frame that constructs the front of the bus. I happened to see one that was involved in a serious accident where a lot of the bus was damaged at the driver's side front. It is built like a tank. The front driver's side headlight area was severely damaged including the electrical bay under the driver's seat. The windshield was still in place but cracked.

I know every accident is different but it only takes once to end everything. People can still get seriously injured in a Prevost including death. Wearing seat-belts, keeping tire pressures correct, not speeding, etc. helps form the whole safety picture. The solid structure of a Prevost is a good start.

Just my opinion.
MM.