Winnebago quality

[swb7]

Getting rid of our class B & getting a short C. Salesman tell me Winnebagos are worth more (better build?).
Looking at a 1996 24' with 52000 miles for $16,900. This is about $3000 more than a comparable unit by Thor or Four Winds. Is the difference worth it>
Thanks for your thoughts.
Steve

[Dakzuki]

Hank85713 wrote:
we almost bought a new aspect, price drove us off. Anyhow look at the current trailer life, they have a test on the itaska made by winnie and I was surprised, at what I saw. The system on a e450 chassis is alm oste maxed out with just the unit itself. I think there was less than 2000 lbs load ability which includes fuel, people, property water, etc. Plus it showed less than 10 mpg for the test and was not raved about power wise overall. Seems it was found to be just adequate and I think the aspect is heavier?

OCCC calculation that has been in place some years now is based on full fuel and LP tanks so those don't go into the equation. It is water (both potable and waste), cargo and people. Trailer tongue weight counts too.

[swb7]

I am jealous of your buy, hopefully my waiting will pay off also.
In a week will be taking my 1996 Pleasureway out east to Newfoundland so my hunt will be on hold for 3 weeks

[OceanStateKelly]

Hi All,
We just bought a 2000 Minnie Winnie DL this week for 13,500. we have been looking for about 6 mos for something nice, really had hard time with the little bit of money we had to spend but are waiting paid off, An older couple owned it and keep it in awesome condition, just put new tires and brakes. We looked at lots and lots of junks and the crazy people wanted big bucks for things that I wouldn't of giving them 10 bucks for.
best of luck

[pnichols]

tfiedler wrote:
We've looked at lots of coaches over the last two months and very few seem to have the same quality "feel" as the Winnebago, and those that do cost just as much. Personally, a big selling point for me is the longevity of the company and the responsiveness of their people. Plus they control most of their supply chain in that they manufacturer their own furniture and even produce their own extrusions, so they can make you a part from something that is decades old.

You cannot go wrong with a Winnebago.

Very well put!

With Winnebago you're buying a decades-old reputation along with your product. There's way more value when getting these two things for just the price of the one, IMHO.

[tfiedler]

swb7 wrote:
Thank you for all the advice, seems the best way to go is make sure I get a unit that has been well cared for.
Saw a 2000 Coachman Catalina 21 on the internet just like I want but was sold already (and a little expensive at $23000.)
I will just keep looking.
Steve

We have a 2006 Aspect 26A and love it. It is the perfect size for scooting around, can tow our Jeep just fine, and it drives like a big van.

Had it for five years now and although we are getting ready to upgrade to a new Aspect, probably the 27K, and the only complaint I really have is that the bed is too small for two people for more than two weeks. If it were possible to put in a queen bed, I'd be keeping it I like it so much.

We've spent some money upgrading things like the TV, sway bars, and shocks, but overall, with it being our first motor home, I am more than satisfied with it.

We've looked at lots of coaches over the last two months and very few seem to have the same quality "feel" as the Winnebago, and those that do cost just as much. Personally, a big selling point for me is the longevity of the company and the responsiveness of their people. Plus they control most of their supply chain in that they manufacturer their own furniture and even produce their own extrusions, so they can make you a part from something that is decades old.

You cannot go wrong with a Winnebago.

[swb7]

Thank you for all the advice, seems the best way to go is make sure I get a unit that has been well cared for.
Saw a 2000 Coachman Catalina 21 on the internet just like I want but was sold already (and a little expensive at $23000.)
I will just keep looking.
Steve

[paullac]

Hank85713 wrote:
we almost bought a new aspect, price drove us off. Anyhow look at the current trailer life, they have a test on the itaska made by winnie and I was surprised, at what I saw. The system on a e450 chassis is alm oste maxed out with just the unit itself. I think there was less than 2000 lbs load ability which includes fuel, people, property water, etc. Plus it showed less than 10 mpg for the test and was not raved about power wise overall. Seems it was found to be just adequate and I think the aspect is heavier?

That's a problem with a lot of brands. As mentioned above, we have a Sunseeker. So I'm familiar with their line. And there are Sunseeker's that have very little weight capacity left too. I think you could find that issue with many manufacturers.

We have a longer C but purposely avoided a unit with a 2nd slide as that eats into weight pretty quickly.

It's a function of life in the good ole USA. Gotta have it all (as an example, many bunk units have a TV in the cabover, bunk area, bedroom, & now perhaps outside too). Remember when houses became McMansions. Perhaps we should start calling them McCampers!!!

[Hank85713]

we almost bought a new aspect, price drove us off. Anyhow look at the current trailer life, they have a test on the itaska made by winnie and I was surprised, at what I saw. The system on a e450 chassis is alm oste maxed out with just the unit itself. I think there was less than 2000 lbs load ability which includes fuel, people, property water, etc. Plus it showed less than 10 mpg for the test and was not raved about power wise overall. Seems it was found to be just adequate and I think the aspect is heavier?

[ron_dittmer]

The lowest profile "practical" B+ motor home I found, we bought with E350 chassis is 9'-10" to the tippy-top of the a/c unit. Other models of the same brand built on the E450, sit 3" higher, I think because the chassis sits that much higher.

If wanting to buy older-used to keep your purchase price down, other older small rigs are Carri-Go, Starflyte, and Telstar. All are of the B+ variety, made decently. The Carri-Go is similar to mine but taller because of a taller a/c unit on the roof.

pnichols list is a good list, just adding to it.

[pnichols]

The OP is looking for a short (24 feet on down) C. Probably Tiffin doesn't make short Class C motorhomes.

I'd rank short, but classical height/width (at least 93 inches wide and at least 10 feet tall), U.S. made Class C motorhomes about this way:

#1- Isata

#2- Coach House

#3- Lazy Daze (except for their wooden wall framing - if they still use it)

#4- Born Free/Phoenix Cruiser/Tiger(not sure Tigers are at least 93" wide)

#5- Winnebago and Itasca

#6 On Down - All the rest U.S. made classical height/width Class C motorhomes

In addition, there are some excellent classical height/width Class C motorhomes built in Canada that I'd consider used/new if shopping.

[I_am_still_wayn]

swb7 wrote:
Salesman tell me Winnebagos are worth more (better build?).

I am going to make a wild guess here. The salesman was trying to get you to buy a Winnebago!

I bet if you went to another sales lot that only carried Tiffin motorhomes, you would hear the same thing.

[ron_dittmer]

Assuming the 1996 Winnie is truely in good condition, $16,000 still sounds steep. $10,000-$12,000 seems more in-line, assumed it is not some sort of luxury model. This simply because of the age.

There will be sales tax added to the purchase price. Around here it's 7%.

[gearhead143]

We are very happy with our 2004 27P Minnie Winnie. This was my 50th birthday present from my wife three years ago. It had been in storage since 2006 with 18K miles on it, and after some wheeling a dealing we bought it for 30K cash, sold our show truck so had the money to buy it and do maintenance and upgrades.

Upgrade, HWH leveling system. Took me two weekends and a week of nights to install. Now having it I wouldn't have a Motorhome without it.

As said above, I was impressed when I went on Winnebago's website and found the compete parts , wiring, plumbing manual. When I called them on the parts I wanted, and advise on the caulking for the roof seams, they were right there to help me. Their customer service is the greatest I have experienced.

[mwebber78]

pnichols wrote:
I wonder how Adzel composite is glued or otherwise fastened to the internal framing within the walls in the Sunseekers?

BTW, do Sunseekers have aluminum, steel, or wood internal wall framing?

Aluminum floor joists, wall joists, and ceiling joists. Walls are vacuum laminated with heat sensitive glue. The vacuum seal process applies tons of pressure to the surface during lamination.