Super C ratings

The serious posts tell us about you, what you are looking at for your family or yourselves, and your needs and desires from such a rig. Maybe even what you are considering. Are you just phishing?

Want a diesel, 30 to 35 foot. Just 2 retired occupants. Like rear bedroom with any slides that floorplan might dictate. 100K range or lower. Looking at all options for a year or two. Got new Rockwood travel trailer, so we check out other styles and equipment at various outings. Just making it part of our next move. Fact finding.

Suggest you look at Nexusrv.com for Super C in that length and price range. Also search for Nexus in this forum for discussions of this brand.

I don't know much about the coaches themselves, other than it seems like DynaMax owners are generally really happy, and Thor owners tend to be less happy.

As far as a chassis goes... I think you'll like a true MDT chassis more than a pickup based MDT. I really like the Freightliner M2 with the MB/DD diesel (MB and Detroit Diesel are one in the same now... I'm not even sure they offer both names anymore) . Way better visibility and a nicer ride than a Ford/Ram 550/5500. Infinitely better engine access, although the MB diesel is a little more maintenance than the Cummins option.

I personally would won't buy any diesel with the Bosch CP4 fuel pump, which includes the Ford diesel. $13,000 fuel pump replacements after warranty are not something I ever want the possibility of.

randy1953 wrote:
Want a diesel, 30 to 35 foot. Just 2 retired occupants. Like rear bedroom with any slides that floorplan might dictate. 100K range or lower. Looking at all options for a year or two. Got new Rockwood travel trailer, so we check out other styles and equipment at various outings. Just making it part of our next move. Fact finding.

$100K or less is going to put you in the used market for a Super C. All the 2004 to 2010 GM C5500 MH have dropped below $100k. Some of the early Seneca's on the Frieghtliner chassis may be getting close to that. Most of the Super C's to have good reviews. There have been complaints about some of the Thor models. But are getting to be fewer reports.
Here is one thread. Thor Super C (Chateau/Four Winds) improvements and mods There are other threads on the Nexus and Seneca's on this forum. Also look for threads on Dynamax.

We researched 5th wheels originally.....have always driven a truck and a gooseneck trailer to trail ride with our horses over the years. One train of thought led to another to another manufacturer to another question to another issue......GOOD GRIEF! Suddenly we were staring at and researching the super C's! We now have a Thor Super C Diesel 35 SF........we love it....we researched as much as we could...we decided ion the truck class c because after driving testing talking visiting and ogling rvs these past 5 years we realized that it drove more naturally to us,how plenty of power,plenty of comfort and then we got into the Thor thing. Yes they are big....yes they can be crappy as far as we have read but this rig is beautiful,sturdy,knock on wood,no leaks...no bad things. We will probably keep it for years and years and rotate into full-time into it. We still work right now,but we pack up the dogs and go! We have had two issues with the lippert jacks....so in the next week we are taking her in for that. We have camped,played in the yard,had the break-in oil on the generator changed,played with all of the systems and slides.......so far...nothing major.time will tell...we go away in October and will live in it for a week!

randy1953 wrote:
Knowing their are always opinions, but in general discussions with owners, what do most Super C owners rate their vehicle at? We are doing a couple year look at Super C's and outside of buying a $100 book with ratings, we would like to hear what real owners feel.

Define what you mean by "ratings"?

Your post is kind of confusing as it's worded in such a way that it's hard to know what you are getting at with the word "ratings".

randy1953 wrote:
... what do most Super C owners rate their vehicle at?

Are you talking tow ratings? build quality ratings? Customer satisfaction ratings?
Resale price value ratings?

??

I would look for one built on either the Freightliner M2 or International 4000-series chassis. The Cummins 8.3 and the International DT466E and DT530E are good engines. The Allison 3000-series are good transmissions.

carringb wrote:
I don't know much about the coaches themselves, other than it seems like DynaMax owners are generally really happy, and Thor owners tend to be less happy.

I personally would won't buy any diesel with the Bosch CP4 fuel pump, which includes the Ford diesel. $13,000 fuel pump replacements after warranty are not something I ever want the possibility of.

My FP (fuel pump) on my F550 is located on the frame rail behind the driver, not in the fuel tank, and $13,000?? not sure where you got that price. Pump is $230.00 - $320.00 new. 238.00 on Ebay.

From the Service Manual:


The fuel system for the high-pressure common rail direct injection turbocharged diesel engine:
is controlled by the PCM.
utilizes a diesel fuel conditioning module, which contains an electric Fuel Pump (FP) and incorporates a fuel
filter and water separator assembly.


The electric FP :
draws fuel from the fuel tank.
circulates fuel at low pressure through the 10 micron fuel filter located in the diesel fuel conditioning module
to the engine mounted secondary fuel filter and fuel injectors to initially fill the hydraulic couplers. The fuel is
filtered through the 2 to 4 micron engine mounted secondary fuel filter, and then supplied to the
high-pressure fuel injection pump. Fuel is returned from the injectors through the fuel injector return hose
and combines with fuel being supplied to the inlet of the engine mounted secondary fuel filter. Fuel that is
returned from the fuel rail combines with fuel being returned from the high-pressure fuel injection pump and
passes through the frame mounted fuel cooler to the diesel fuel conditioning module. The diesel fuel
conditioning module contains a thermal recirculating valve that, based on fuel temperature, allows the
returning fuel to be sent through the fuel conditioning module or sent back to the fuel tank.

I should say to the original poster, I have a Thor 33SW diesel on a Ford F550 chassis, and I really love it. Yes, we had warranty issues, so a lot I took care of myself, I'm pretty handy with both house and chassis and things I thought should have a record, I gave to the dealer as warranty issues. Mine must have been build on the right hour and the right day, as I have not had even a fraction of what I've read. Most of the problems with the Thors were prior to 2015. Big issues in 2014, but they had been worked out. Price is about where you are looking, but less than the others. Good luck I hope you find what you are looking for.

He's talking about the high pressure fuel/oil pump for the fuel injection, on the engine. Those can be quite pricey to have replaced on a new diesel. Also, when they go out, they tend to take out other expensive stuff with them, like injectors...