What do you guys think about this one...?

[Ocean_Mist]

http://www.countrycoach.com/2015/05/country-coach-allure-for-sale/

I have been doing some reading about their demise, and now trying to get back into the game. The coaches seem solid and well built. They said they don't use the "C" channel but round tubing instead?

There's not much info I found yet, but has anyone had any experience with the company?

And what do you think about the Chassis/drivetrain...? Dynomax?

[Kayteg1]

Ocean Mist wrote:


Similar strength...Now i'm confused...

I think that was the goal of all that factory whining.
Motorhome body is support by frame build like a cage. In total strength the shape of single pieces doesn't make the cage stronger or weaker. Total design does.
Tubular channels have advantage in single beam application, but this is not the case here.
Would CC want to impress me, they would post the number comparing strength of older cage v/s new one.
At this point we don't know if the cage build with D channels is in fact stronger than the one build with C channels, do we?

[Ocean_Mist]

Gjac wrote:
Any cross section be it I beam, C section or box section can have the same stiffness but the box beam structure is stiffer in bending and torsion than the C section or I beam by weight. Said another way a linear ft of box beam will be lighter than the linear foot of the C or I beam given the same modulus steel. So I think CC ads are valid.

That's a good observation.

Here's another good link of info...

[Ocean_Mist]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Mechanically, 2 C channels with cross member forming a "ladder" will give you similar strength 2 D tubings run parallel.
D tubings are harder to connect, so there is more to it.
I take it as sale pitch no matter what.
Remember when minivans come on the market generation ago?
At the time sale pitch was "more safety with passenger door only on curb side"
So when minivans become so popular, few years later the new sale pitch was "passenger door on both sides".
CC was always having high recommendations and IMHO Oregon workers still have the drive to do good job.

Similar strength...Now i'm confused...

[Ocean_Mist]

sdianel wrote:
We love our 2004 Allure. Quality built. Factory is back open for service but we are in FL and use other RV service locations with no problems. Please check out the Country Coach Yahoo Group for more questions and things to check before you buy. We have over 120,000 miles on our coach. Most issues we have had happen to other RV owners of other brands and are not exclusive to the CC Brand like refrigerators, AC's, Hydro Hot (Aqua Hot). Otherwise just routing maintenance. We did have some work recently on the radiator. Gaskets leaking at the side reservoirs. Might be unique to our smaller unit. (33')

Thank you for the info! 120,000 miles...wow that's nice to hear. It's also a testament to the quality of the chassis that most of your issues are with Coach Vendors ...33' -->small....lol

[Ocean_Mist]

smlranger wrote:
We love our Allure. Solidly built, handsome inside and out, pleasure to drive and use.

The Dynomax chassis uses 8" boxed frame rails. Very strong, plus CC built a semi monocoque chassis which is similar to an over the road bus chassis. In fact, the first CC's were built on Gillig bus chassis and CC modeled their Dynomax chassis after those when Gillig stopped offering chassis for motorhomes.

If I were thinking of buying one of the consignment coaches at CC, I would seriously consider paying Kevin Waite (owns independent RV repair business in Junction City and is former CC builder/tech) to inspect it for me before making a final decision.

thank you for the info about Kevin Waite in junction city! If we go that route he will be invaluable. It nice to know that these coaches are built so well and are so solid...

[Ocean_Mist]

cwdavis wrote:
For what it's worth, we visited the 'factory' this spring and this prototype was out on the floor, along with a bunch of coaches in for repairs or modification. The place looked like it was being run professionally, but there was nothing like an assembly line, just a large shop floor. Presumably, that will come if/when they get the financing to start building them. Just a guess, but it's likely that when that happens they'll be building custom units only, at least for awhile.

Were we in the market for a new coach, we would have no qualms over dealing with them. Like Sully, we've had nothing but good experience with CC whenever we've contacted them for help with our 95 Intrigue. Also in their favor is a strong owner's community -- have a look at the CC forum on Yahoo (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/info).

thanks for the link Bill! They have almost 4000 members... How cool is that. The country coach has the nice big windows in the bedroom area, as well as all throughout the coach...

[Ocean_Mist]

dons2346 wrote:
Tubing can be in different shapes doesn't have to be round and in the case of CC, it is shaped like this http://www.metalsdepot.com/products/hrsteel2.phtml?page=rttube&LimAcc=%20&aident=. CC uses different sizes of tubing for the main rails depending on coach model. The DynoMax chassis is the best in the business.

There are plenty of CC techs out there so no real need to have to rely on the factory. Parts are readily available.

The coach you are looking at was probably built in '04 and with only 21K miles, it sure hasn't been driven much.

Its nice to know that parts and techs are available and we don't have to go to the factory. I hear they are trying to resurrect the business...?

[Ocean_Mist]

Sully2 wrote:

Ocean Mist wrote:
http://www.countrycoach.com/2015/05/country-coach-allure-for-sale/

I have been doing some reading about their demise, and now trying to get back into the game. The coaches seem solid and well built. They said they don't use the "C" channel but round tubing instead?

There's not much info I found yet, but has anyone had any experience with the company?

And what do you think about the Chassis/drivetrain...?

I own one! A 2000 ...36 ft Allure.
I never saw any "round tubing" in my coach??? And Im impressed with the quality of construction and the people AT CC when I call for info on something or a part should I need one.

This is from Sherry Fanning. A kind woman, that loves Country Coach and is an advocate for the brand. She talks a lot about the chassis. I include the link to her site:

"The Chassis designers went to work to develop a steel structure of unsurpassed strength and durability. Utilizing high strength tubular steel they welded together to create the steel cage (the basement, if you will). They next welded the cage to massive 3” x 8” tubular steel frame rails. With this structure in place, Country Coach could utilize the highest horsepower engines on a chassis that could absorb the sheer power and torque that such big engines generate. This meant they chose not to use C channel steel (imagine tubular steel that is missing its widest side, hence the “C” shape). They could have employed an easier, quicker process of bolting the steel together, rather than fusing the steel with high grade welds… but the didn’t. A fiberglass coach has the roof, walls and floors connected somehow to the chassis. CC engineers had to figure a way to integrate these separate house components with the chassis so that it could be fully integrated for the coach to safely travel the road. Chassis engineers built cross bracing into the steel cage structure, properly spaced openings for storage and other components, evenly distributed weight of components, and designed a laminated floor for the house that fully integrated into the chassis structure. The result was a semi-monocoque design where the house came together with the chassis for a motorhome of superior strength and stability."

http://sherry-c-fanning.blogspot.com/2012/02/normal-0-false-false-false.html

[ncrowley]

When I was working with a consultant to purchase my Class A, he told me that Country Coach was one of his favorite brands. He said they were very well made.

[Gjac]

Any cross section be it I beam, C section or box section can have the same stiffness but the box beam structure is stiffer in bending and torsion than the C section or I beam by weight. Said another way a linear ft of box beam will be lighter than the linear foot of the C or I beam given the same modulus steel. So I think CC ads are valid.

[Kayteg1]

Mechanically, 2 C channels with cross member forming a "ladder" will give you similar strength 2 D tubings run parallel.
D tubings are harder to connect, so there is more to it.
I take it as sale pitch no matter what.
Remember when minivans come on the market generation ago?
At the time sale pitch was "more safety with passenger door only on curb side"
So when minivans become so popular, few years later the new sale pitch was "passenger door on both sides".
CC was always having high recommendations and IMHO Oregon workers still have the drive to do good job.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

We love our 2004 Allure. Quality built. Factory is back open for service but we are in FL and use other RV service locations with no problems. Please check out the Country Coach Yahoo Group for more questions and things to check before you buy. We have over 120,000 miles on our coach. Most issues we have had happen to other RV owners of other brands and are not exclusive to the CC Brand like refrigerators, AC's, Hydro Hot (Aqua Hot). Otherwise just routing maintenance. We did have some work recently on the radiator. Gaskets leaking at the side reservoirs. Might be unique to our smaller unit. (33')

[smlranger]

We love our Allure. Solidly built, handsome inside and out, pleasure to drive and use.

The Dynomax chassis uses 8" boxed frame rails. Very strong, plus CC built a semi monocoque chassis which is similar to an over the road bus chassis. In fact, the first CC's were built on Gillig bus chassis and CC modeled their Dynomax chassis after those when Gillig stopped offering chassis for motorhomes.

If I were thinking of buying one of the consignment coaches at CC, I would seriously consider paying Kevin Waite (owns independent RV repair business in Junction City and is former CC builder/tech) to inspect it for me before making a final decision.

[cwdavis]

For what it's worth, we visited the 'factory' this spring and this prototype was out on the floor, along with a bunch of coaches in for repairs or modification. The place looked like it was being run professionally, but there was nothing like an assembly line, just a large shop floor. Presumably, that will come if/when they get the financing to start building them. Just a guess, but it's likely that when that happens they'll be building custom units only, at least for awhile.

Were we in the market for a new coach, we would have no qualms over dealing with them. Like Sully, we've had nothing but good experience with CC whenever we've contacted them for help with our 95 Intrigue. Also in their favor is a strong owner's community -- have a look at the CC forum on Yahoo (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/info).