FR3 Quality

[D_E_Bishop]

Well we did it today, we looked at the FR3. What a waste of our time. My DW thought it was doable, meaning we could probably replace our signature RV with the 25DS. Not on my dime. I've never seen so much unfinished plywood anywhere but in a lumber yard. The saleswoman didn't know how to lower the loft and just used the motor, tore all the screws out of the metal trim from around the edge of the plywood bottom of the bed. They stapled pieces of some sort of flimsy sheeting all over the cabinets to hide stuff like plumbing. The Dinette seats are about 2.5" thick on 1/2" ply. Some of the framing of the dinette isn't even painted. No Kitchen storage. The "King Size Bed" is a foam pad no thicker than the dinette seat pads and the bottom of the bed is hinged and has to be folded up in order to bring in the slide. There is no way to get into the bathroom without jiggling the bed. For 10K more than the FR3 25DS, you can buy a Winnie View. I actually think it would be closer to 16K but it's just a guess until you have the contract in hand. The 25DC we looked at even had the seven pin socket torn off the back because it is so low to the ground an average tire bumper would hit it. The 3" discharge pipe and the genny exhaust is about the same height.

Now it's on the back, unlit, burner with the LPG turned off. After I told her how I felt about the rig, she said she just wanted me to look at it, "cuse she felt it might be doable".

[vjstangelo]

I would like to have any FR3 owners chime in on what influenced them when it came to signing on the bottom line.

Thanks!

[Bumpyroad]

vjstangelo wrote:
We have been shopping a LONG time for our 1st motorhome. I think we will finally pull the trigger at Hershey this fall.

We really loved Hershey show last fall since virtually all motor homes in production were represented. Looked at Sunseeker Class C's, Thor ACE, Hurricane, Winny Class A's and come to the following conclusion.

For the money, Winnebago had the best made motor home for the average Joe. We walked out setting our goal as a Winnebago Sightseer 33C. But, the more we thought about it, dropping $125K on a motor home was not a responsible thing to do.

We have been researching and really like the FR3 30DS. And given we can get one for almost half the price of the 33C, we plan on looking seriously at the FR3 in September.

The following logic keeps recurring: are better cabinets and a fiberglass roof, etc., really worth paying an add'l 60K? I read about many happy FR3 owners on the FR Forums and that FR is making many improvements during the year based on customer feedback (e.g. LED lighting throughout, King bed).

a fiberglass roof vs LED lights. no contest.
bumpy

[vjstangelo]

We have been shopping a LONG time for our 1st motorhome. I think we will finally pull the trigger at Hershey this fall.

We really loved Hershey show last fall since virtually all motor homes in production were represented. Looked at Sunseeker Class C's, Thor ACE, Hurricane, Winny Class A's and come to the following conclusion.

For the money, Winnebago had the best made motor home for the average Joe. We walked out setting our goal as a Winnebago Sightseer 33C. But, the more we thought about it, dropping $125K on a motor home was not a responsible thing to do.

We have been researching and really like the FR3 30DS. And given we can get one for almost half the price of the 33C, we plan on looking seriously at the FR3 in September.

The following logic keeps recurring: are better cabinets and a fiberglass roof, etc., really worth paying an add'l 60K? I read about many happy FR3 owners on the FR Forums and that FR is making many improvements during the year based on customer feedback (e.g. LED lighting throughout, King bed).

[BillMFl]

Effy wrote:

Happily Retired 2 wrote:
You are right, Effy! Sorry! Was going by D.E. Bishop's post! How is your mileage?

I get about 8-9 mpg. Not as good as I would have thought with a small coach.

Ya reality bites. I have yet to own a vehicle that gets its advertised mpg. I think they do a test run on a long downhill track with a 50mph tail wind. 🙂

[Effy]

Happily Retired 2 wrote:
You are right, Effy! Sorry! Was going by D.E. Bishop's post! How is your mileage?

I get about 8-9 mpg. Not as good as I would have thought with a small coach.

[SCVJeff]

Have you looked at the Allegro Breeze?

[Happily_Retired]

You are right, Effy! Sorry! Was going by D.E. Bishop's post! How is your mileage?

[Effy]

Happily Retired 2 wrote:
BillMF1,I can totally relate to your wife not wanting to drive the big class A. I, too, was intimidated, and that is one of the main reasons we downsized from a 37' A to our Axis. Loving it!

D.E. Bishop, I would definitely say you are not going to get 13 mpg with the 350 chassis. Would think the Ace with the 450 chassis would get even slightly less mpg! Bringing our new Axis home, we averaged about 10 mpg over 500 miles. When we went to the Tampa show we had not been expecting to find an Axis on the way home, so we had not significantly pared down the contents of our A. We had way too much stuff to bring home! Next trip out we will be considerably lighter, so we are hoping to be in the 10-12 mpg range.. Hope you find exactly what you and the wife want!

Ace is on an F53 not the 450

[Happily_Retired]

BillMF1,I can totally relate to your wife not wanting to drive the big class A. I, too, was intimidated, and that is one of the main reasons we downsized from a 37' A to our Axis. Loving it!

D.E. Bishop, I would definitely say you are not going to get 13 mpg with the 350 chassis. Would think the Ace with the 450 chassis would get even slightly less mpg! Bringing our new Axis home, we averaged about 10 mpg over 500 miles. When we went to the Tampa show we had not been expecting to find an Axis on the way home, so we had not significantly pared down the contents of our A. We had way too much stuff to bring home! Next trip out we will be considerably lighter, so we are hoping to be in the 10-12 mpg range.. Hope you find exactly what you and the wife want!

[D_E_Bishop]

Deleted due to mispost caused by operatoritis.

[D_E_Bishop]

Here are some answers to your questions, Sully2, the FR3 is priced almost exactly as the Winnie Vista 26. The FR3 is being subsidized right now by the factory and is from $68 on up to list at $106. The Winnie Vista at 25% off MSRP is very close to the same $68 price.

To BillMFI, X2. I'm old and tired of fixing and upgrading. The Bounder was entry level when it was built but had quality and mine still does today. Sure Fleetwood cut a few corners to keep the cost down but as an example of quality, they did put in a 3 stage converter/charger, power center and that was 24 years ago. I don't want to go to something really cheap.

To Bumpy, not sure what you mean by going under several names and Canadian, my Fleetwood Bounder came out of Colton CA. I have the factory brochure and will send you the floor plans if you want.

To gerrym51, we looked at the Vegas last September. Nicely finished, but on the 350 chassis and I didn't think that it would get the 13 MPG the sales guy said it would pulling my Sidekick and the Grand Vitara is even heavier. Axis is its twin as far as I can see. The 27.1 ACE however is on the 450 chassis and she loved that one until she found the Winnie Via 25T.

I'm not faulting my wife, after 52 years together I know, it's useless to try and show her what I consider faults in something she wants to buy. I look for things either all of you have found to be deficiencies or I have found through experience to be. I just wish I could convince her that I can't do everything and fix everything anymore. I was invincible twenty five years ago, but not today and I don't want to buy something that I would want to modify almost every aspect of. One other big factor for me is, I am a submarine veteran, our first home was very small, this house is pretty small, our beach cottage was very small and our condo in the Sierra is very small. I am not and I want to spread out a little, just a little, 25' to 30' may be more than a little but it would be nice with the DGKs and their Mom along for the week end at the beach.

[BillMFl]

For every reason, spend, spend, spend. For every season, spend, spend, spend, A time to live, a time to die, etc, etc. Had to paraphrase that old song. Truth is its awful hard to go down in size or quality level. That's why I'm stuck with a 43' Trawler that is REALLY hard to sell in todays economy. Kept getting bigger and bigger boats over the years. Almost made the same mistake with RVs. If its gonna be your full time rig, spend big because you have to be in it every day. If you are gonna use it occasionally, then why throw away big bucks. Like the Stones said "you can't always get want you want, but if you try real hard, you just might find, you get what you need". Something like the FR3 just might be my next RV. But not if the quality is horrible. Odds are consumer feedback will force them to upgrade a bit. I can see a much smaller RV in my future, something the wife could drive easily. She is too intimidated to drive a 38'. She will drive the Trawler but she won't dock it. Just like a big RV, easy going down the road, not so easy in tight quarters.

[Sully2]

JimM68 wrote:
Once you've had a Fleetwood (or Winnie) (or step up to a Monaco or a newmar) going with a forest river anything would be tough. There is absolutely plenty of room in the market for "entry level", but not in my garage, not anymore.

I dont have a garage...but not in my driveway either.

[Sully2]

And what is the FR3 suppose to cost a guy??