Compare Monaca and Holiday Rambler Endeavor

[bazdad]

First time motor home buyer. What is the story about Monaco and Holiday rambler? Were they a split? As I look at units it is confusing which units are which. Which is the better unit and the most valuable? I want to buy used and spend around $100K. I think my choice will be Monaco over the Newmar, I presently pull a Newmar 5th wheel. I am very tight with my dollar and do not wish to make a mistake. Thanks for your replies.

[gemert]

bazdad wrote:
Thanks to everyone that gave me some needed advise. I have been looking online sales paying attention to 2003 to 07 years in the Diplomat or Camelot series 40 ft. Does the tag axel make driving much easier? Does the 8 air bags make driving easier than the Newmar at the same length without tag axel? Thanks again

Tag axle gives you more CCC, more stable ride, smoother ride (I know same thing), more braking, less affected by trucks going by and cross winds, and looks cooler! Tag axle will have 10 air bags if you go with a Monaco. Beaver and Safari were a different and some say better coach from 2003 and below. Even though the Chassis will be a road master it is a a Magnum chassis. Some say magnum better, some say the 2004 and newer with the Roadmaster RR10S is better with the monococial (spelling) frame is better. My 2003 has characteristics from both companies. good luck.

[lanerd]

One more thing, I'm not sure when Monaco quit making the Windsor, but it was most definitely above the Diplomat and didn't have the tag axle. I have one on each side of me right now. One is a rear bedroom the other is a rear bath.

Ron

[lanerd]

NeverHome2 wrote:
The HR Endeavor and the Monaco Diplomat are exactly the same. They are the top coaches in the single axle group. The higher coaches have tag axles and are longer. I hope this helps but the coaches built by Monaco before the bankruptcy are of much better quality. If the electronics haven't been updated then they will need it.

The bad bushings in the trailing arms were corrected by 2001. The later coaches have a much more substantial bushing but beware, the Roadmaster chassis had a design defect which caused deflection of the H frames and made steering a nightmare. There is a fix now and it is not very expensive to do.

Sorry, but the Monaco Camalot (and sister units in Holiday Rambler, Beaver,and Safari) were inbetween the Diplomat and Dynasty and was available with and without a tag axle, depending upon the length.

I have never heard of a problem with "bad bushings in the trailing arms" on Monaco products. I googled it and found nothing. Additionally, I also googled "deflection of the H frame"...and once again found nothing. Please provide some substantial info on these two problem...if they do indeed exist.

However, Monaco did start a recall of the trailing arm defect on the following coaches:

Monaco Knight 2002 - 2004
Monaco Cayman 2002 - 2009
Holiday Rambler Ambassador 2002 - 2004
Holiday Rambler Neptune 2002 - 2009
Safari Cheetah 2002 - 2007
Safari Simba RD All Years
Safari Zanzibar/Sahara 2002 -2005
Beaver Baron All Years

The recall affects Rear Suspension Trailing Arms ONLY ON THE R4R and RR4R CHASSIS with the "Monaco Gold" or sometimes referred to as "R-Way" suspension. Monaco started replacing these trailing arms with exact replicas which also were defective.

After the Monaco bankrupcy, a private company (Source Eng) started making an upgraded trailing arm that would replace the defective Monaco unit. These replacements are still availible today.

Ron

[bazdad]

Thanks to everyone that gave me some needed advise. I have been looking online sales paying attention to 2003 to 07 years in the Diplomat or Camelot series 40 ft. Does the tag axel make driving much easier? Does the 8 air bags make driving easier than the Newmar at the same length without tag axel? Thanks again

[NeverHome2]

The HR Endeavor and the Monaco Diplomat are exactly the same. They are the top coaches in the single axle group. The higher coaches have tag axles and are longer. I hope this helps but the coaches built by Monaco before the bankruptcy are of much better quality. If the electronics haven't been updated then they will need it.

The bad bushings in the trailing arms were corrected by 2001. The later coaches have a much more substantial bushing but beware, the Roadmaster chassis had a design defect which caused deflection of the H frames and made steering a nightmare. There is a fix now and it is not very expensive to do.

[lanerd]

gemert wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
HR and Monaco were like Chevy and Oldsmobile. Monaco and HR had the same basic models, but each had items that were just for that brand. Some think Monaco was the slightly better and some think HR was slightly better in the same basic floorplan. BOTH are equal. Doug

And Beaver, also part of the Monaco family were the best of the bunch! Just saying!! LOL

Don't forget Safari!!!

[gemert]

dougrainer wrote:
HR and Monaco were like Chevy and Oldsmobile. Monaco and HR had the same basic models, but each had items that were just for that brand. Some think Monaco was the slightly better and some think HR was slightly better in the same basic floorplan. BOTH are equal. Doug

And Beaver, also part of the Monaco family were the best of the bunch! Just saying!! LOL

[lanerd]

To the OP... be aware that Monaco had a trailing arm design defect in their RR4R and R4R Roadmaster chassis across their 4 brand names. Monaco went bankrupt prior to repairing any of these hundreds of coaches and the follow on owner (Navistar) was not responsible. Therefore, owners of those defective coaches were on the hook to get this repair done on their own nickel.

Ask me how I know!

Ron

[NeverHome2]

Monaco and HR were the same company...just like Winnebago and Itasca. If you are talking diesel then you should find some really good quality motorhomes from either Monaco or HR for $100k or even less. We love our HR (it was in the "less than $100k" category). IMO, Monaco or HR would be a better choice than the Newmar. Now that we have made the upgrades to the chassis it drives better than the new 2016 Entegra we recently took for a test drive. The quality is just as good if not better. No bling with the lighting but that can be added! We are planning to keep it for quite some time!

[midasman]

I drive an '06 Holiday Rambler Ambassador with full paint, 4 slides, Cummins ISC 330, Allison 3000 transmission. It has been a virtually trouble-free coach. I am upgrading soon but you can't beat it for value-it will sell for well under $100,000! It has neither the carbon filter (DPF) or urea injection (SCR). It's probably better to try to avoid these emission add-ons.

[Ivylog]

Monaco/HR/Beaver/Safari are on their 3-4th owners. M bought HR/B/S many years ago. Need what years and gas/diesel that you are looking for as in the mid 2000's very little difference. For $100K you can find a rig like mine with ISL 400 and 50k miles.

[Executive45]

Monaco is still being built. For 2016 you can choose between the Dynasty and the Diplomat. The Diplomat comes with a full rear exit door!.

For the years you'll be looking at, the Monaco and HR lineups were almost identical but with different badges. The quality was the same as they were built at the same location...sort of like the GMC and Chevrolet....Dennis

[Executive45]

hanko wrote:
Im sure Monica would be more fun

Ask "Bill"...:B...Dennis

[lanerd]

bazdad wrote:
First time motor home buyer. What is the story about Monaco and Holiday rambler? Were they a split? As I look at units it is confusing which units are which. Which is the better unit and the most valuable? I want to buy used and spend around $100K. I think my choice will be Monaco over the Newmar, I presently pull a Newmar 5th wheel. I am very tight with my dollar and do not wish to make a mistake. Thanks for your replies.

What is a "split"?? What years are you referring to? Gassers or Diesels? What models?

FWIW, prior to 2009, Monaco corporation made not only the Monaco lineup but also Holiday Rambler, Beaver, and Safari. Among those four, you could find almost duplicate models. Hard to tell which was which....and probably were all pretty equal in quality and price. The company used Cummins, CAT, and Detroit engines and you could order a coach (again, across the four brands) to your personal taste.

Need more info from you to be able to answer your specific questions.

Ron

[diplomatdon]

It is my understanding the earlier units were the same, only different names. To compare, go to monacorv.com and click on owners center, then on Brochure Archive and you can compare the two. Good Luck.