You do get what you pay for!

I'm not going to say that any manufacturer has 0 problems, but on a new rig you hope you can drive it off the lot the same day it is purchased. I saw interior problems that would have to be fixed, I saw end caps that were actually wavy instead of sitting flat where it met the roof! And this was before it left the factory because there was ALOT of dicor/sealant used to fill in the gaps. I opened storage bay doors that had sealing issues where there was a puddle of water in the bay. These issues were repeated on more than one unit also, so it wasnt just one "bad apple" I wa shocked even that not only the factory let these coaches leave like this, but that the dealership was letting the coaches be viewed. I'm just glad I'm kind of fanatical about checking things out before buying. ( I climbed on roofs, crawled underneath the coach, opened every nook and cranny, every drawer and cabinet, etc... )

I've looked at several brands of "C"s recently. To protect the innocent/guilty, I'm not naming the ones I found fault with:

One brand was decent. The model I wanted had a number of rough edges that I could deal with (replace the battery converter, add a resonator to the Onan, etc.) The price was nice. The rig's manual? A slapdash of warnings. I've also read about a number of gripes about other issues.

Another brand just had sloppy fit/finish, even though they had some innovative floor plans. Checked roof? Yep, rubber... which means that it is leaking or it will leak. Looked at details, the seams were at places where water would be hitting it at 70+ mph on the road during a storm. If I replaced the fans with Fantastic Fans, added Maxx-Air (or similar) covers, added venturi vents, and then had a place like rvroof.com or Rhino Linings spray the entire roof with an elastomeric epoxy coating... it would be OK. However, without that, it wasn't that acceptable. To boot, the OCCC was puny.

Another brand promised a fiberglass roof. Went up the ladder to look at something else... the roof was really rubber, and it looked like it would pool water unless I parked the rig so un-level that the fridge would cook itself. Nothing like the disclaimer about things changing without notice.

There was one manufacturer that didn't have anything in the size range I was looking for (I'd like to get something under 24-25 feet with a slide-out), but their build quality was excellent, their manuals extremely well written, plumbing and electrical well diagrammed, and with fiberglass roofs. I just wish they had an E-450 with a V-10 in a form factor under 26 feet.

Finally, there is one direct maker which does a great job (E-450 on a 24 footer, with a decent slide-out), and can have customizations like a 50 amp circuit with two air conditioners with heat strips, and even possibly up-rate the towing capacity on the model past the usual 5000 pounds. However, I worry about warranty service, and where I live, if you don't buy from a local dealer, you are hosed when it comes to that, so even though the direct place makes top tier stuff, I'd rather buy from a local dealer.

Stop by your local rv dealer and take a look at the 19-21' C's that are priced right at or just under $50,000. Check them out thoroughly and now will know the meaning of the euphemism "entry level". They get better as you tour different brands hopefully moving up in quality. This is a good starting point if you intend to buy used, which I highly recommend.

By the time you have seen the higer end of the C's like Born Free, Platinum,Winnebago, Itasca and yes Nexus you will begin to truely appreciate the differences. Bang for the buck is a very good concept. Look for quality construction, fiberglass roof and end caps, no particle board or plywood, innerspring mattress, top of the line appliances as well as adequate AC/heating systems. Now when a great deal on a quality coach comes along and they are out there, you will know. Good hunting!:C

+1 on Sony. I have a 27" CRT-based unit from late '60's that still works beautifuly.

suprz wrote:
I was extremely impressed with Winnebago motorhomes! Well thought out, good fit.and finish, etc... (no, I don't work.for winnebago) so the morale of the.story? you get.what you pay for

I don't believe it's necessarily a "get what you pay for issue". Every manufacturer has different levels of motor homes. In 1995 I bought a new Four Winds 5000 (Thor product) 21A. It was a relatively cheap unit, and aside from none of the electrical outlet covers being straight, and other minor cosmetic items, it was fine for the 10 years I owned it. I currently have a 2014 Itasca Spirit bought new in March 2013. I believe that line is the cheapest Itasca makes. That being said, overall it seems that it was put together much better than the Four Winds. I'm also pretty sure that Itasca Spirit prices are as low or lower than other brands model for model, floorplan to floorplan.

This is interesting because we have a 2008 Winnie (a previous rental even) that we bought from what I'm assuming is the same dealer in Rhode Island. We were in touch with them recently thinking about the 2014 Minnie Winnie. We live in CT, so we found a 2014 Minnie Winnie nearby to take a look at and felt that the fit and finish didn't match the quality of ours. When I mentioned that to the sales guy we worked with in RI he suggested taking a look at Thor, specifically the Chateau line, because he feels that the quality is higher.

Ultimately we decided to keep running what we've got and haven't looked at anything else. But I did learn that just because you have quality in your rig doesn't necessarily mean that every rig from the same manufacturer is the same quality.

And I'm also starting to realize that quality can be in the eye of the beholder...different folks have different hang-up points I guess.

Cost can bring other attributes other than quality. It can bring design or costly materials. It can bring expensive assembly methods. It can bring nothing. Over time there have been products where cost did bring well regarded quality. One example I can think of was Sony TVs in the 1970s and early 1980s.

I think RVs are a product where the quality is often reduced due to the very price competitive nature of this discretionary product. A little more cost could equal a much better build. But then as prices rise, it is more bells and whistles, more design, more expensive materials. Quality doesn't get the lift that is hoped for.

I will give a shout out to the Lazy Daze. It isn't flashy but it has been solid for the last couple years.

mockturtle wrote:
I think the title of this thread should be, "You don't always get what you pay for".

That makes more sense to me. I had a vehicle repair made by a pricey repair shop. The repair cost $300, but in the process they broke a different $400 part (plus $100 labor). So, they wanted $800 for a $300 repair. Unfortunately, the quality is not always based on cost, nor is the cost always based on quality.

Wayne

I think the title of this thread should be, "You don't always get what you pay for".

I have a Thor four winds 5000. I agree I would never buy another Thor product