Recommendations for SOB class A

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Recommendations for SOB class A

July 26, 2012, 09:52:58 am

We have a friend that is looking to buy a class A motorhome in the near future. I have given him my 2-cents worth of advice regarding the wisdom of buying a FT, but I would be interested in what you guys have to add. I am sure he would be too. What brands of used motor home would you recommend considering in addition to FT? Probably 2000 and newer. Probably 36-40 feet and a diesel pusher.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #1 – July 26, 2012, 09:55:33 am

George,

What price range?

Brett

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #2 – July 26, 2012, 10:06:30 am

Class A DP or gasser, Newmar & Tiffin make good coaches on the typical commercially available chassis. Both companies should be around for a long time. The higher the cost, the better the coach model/series. Of course, the same PDI procedures are necessary to pay the right price.
Peter

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #3 – July 26, 2012, 10:24:02 am

Quote from: Peter & Beth – July 26, 2012, 10:06:30 am

Class A DP or gasser, Newmar & Tiffin make good coaches...

In the few years of looking before I realized I could own a FT (or even knew what one was - not many in Chicagoland), those 2 brands were discussed the most as having decent quality for the the price. Also, as everyone here is quite well aware, enough cannot be said for buying a brand where the company is still in business.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #4 – July 26, 2012, 12:03:24 pm

I've heard good things about Lazy Days, with a loyal following.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #5 – July 26, 2012, 12:48:26 pm

Brett.... they are thinking about $120K.

I also mentioned Tiffin and Newmar. We saw a new Tiffin class A Allegro Breeze 32' in Pagosa Springs. Diesel pusher and cute! The people that owned it moved from a 40 or 42 and liked the smaller coach a lot. Said it was plenty big enough for their occasional trips. I don't recall the mileage he cited, but it was much better than my 8.5mpg. Wave of the future? Maybe FT should think about making a mini-IH45.....call it the ih32!

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #6 – July 26, 2012, 01:12:10 pm

George,

The VERY short wheelbase on the Breeze would be an issue for me.

Yes, Bob Tiffin has always stood behind his products.

For $120k, there are quite a few choices-- many sharing the same chassis. Best advice is to start looking at Diesel Motorhomes for Sale - PPL Motor Homes and other sites and start narrowing down the choices that appeal to them. THEN ask questions about ones on their short list.

Brett

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #7 – July 26, 2012, 01:41:17 pm

another manufacturer that survived the RV shake out and a debt free company - Winnebago/Itasca

Brad
95 295 CAI

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #8 – July 26, 2012, 02:54:03 pm

I narrowed our search to Bluebird, Foretravel, Newmar, and Tiffin. I dropped the Newmar and Tiffin as the other two rose in my standings. Foretravel is my first choice. Of course, our budget is MUCH less than your friend's, and that may make a difference.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #9 – July 26, 2012, 02:54:48 pm

Not a class A, but the Winny View is what I tried between the MCI and my present FT 01,320, 36'
The Mercedes running gear is fine, but too small to relax in, great for weekend shopping trips mostly. The Winny quality was ok, I only had it for about 5 months and it had to GO, so it did.
Now I can relax, sleep, drive as I feel like doing, not looking for a motel to rest in.
Dave M

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #10 – July 26, 2012, 05:42:49 pm

Quote from: Chuck Pearson – July 26, 2012, 12:03:24 pm

I've heard good things about Lazy Days, with a loyal following.

Chuck,

I think you mean Lazy Daze, the class C brand, not Lazy Days, the big dealer in Florida. LD the former builds non-slide class C motorhomes to order. Several of us FTers started with them or have had them. Steve and I had a 1999 30'. Paul and Kathleen Smith have had two, I believe. Virginia, Jim, and Cricket had one. They're not a class A, though.

Going back to 2000, those first couple of years (while Bob Lee was still/back at the helm), you could add Country Coach to the mix. An early 2000's Affinity or Magna would be comparable to a FT of the same age. Not a fan of what National did to the brand after they bought it, though.

Michelle

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #11 – July 26, 2012, 06:03:09 pm

Quote

I think you mean Lazy Daze, the class C brand, not Lazy Days, the big dealer in Florida. LD the former builds non-slide class C motorhomes to order. Several of us FTers started with them or have had them. Steve and I had a 1999 30'. Paul and Kathleen Smith have had two, I believe.

Correct. We've had two.

I still miss their flexibility in getting in and out of interesting places we find as we drive our 40 footer.

Although, as we drove US-2 recently we did easily pull in and out of several interesting roadside historical sires in Montana, even while towing. A welcome change.

Quote

Virginia, Jim, and Cricket had one. They're not a class A, though.

While not a "Class A" a Lazy Daze is a Class Act. They are one of the few, and possibly only, Class C to regularly get 5 stars from their owners.

Their Forum is just as popular and useful as this one.

best, paul

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #12 – July 26, 2012, 06:15:48 pm

I agree with all of the above but don't count out Country Coach. Even though they are not currently manufacturing, they made some great coaches in the early 2000 model. Of course for my money, there really is nothing like a Foretravel of any year. I still can't believe the great comments we get on our trouble free 1993.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #13 – July 26, 2012, 09:08:30 pm

Unfortunately no chassis builder will put the airbags in line with the tires. Plus the chassis needs to be able to drive off the transportation equipement that got it to the factory. The truck sway is unnerving if you are used to a Unihome/unicoaches lower air pressure ride and the spread suspensions less body roll.

Guy in my storage lot mentioned the sway with his new TOUR. He wants to go to a 42' to get a tag for better stability in cross winds and much less truck sway. He mentioned his wife bought the interior and he bought the chassis. He mentioned next time the parts underneath come first. I showed him my suspension. He is out using his new coach now. I bet his is thinking about our conversation every time he gets behind the wheel. Wife did not like the sway either.

I let my U320 get close to the center line with trucks on the opposite side at 70+ both ways and the coach hardly moves. Ten points for the foretravel.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #14 – July 26, 2012, 11:54:55 pm

Quote from: Steve & Michelle – July 26, 2012, 05:42:49 pm

Chuck,

I think you mean Lazy Daze, the class C brand, not Lazy Days, the big dealer in Florida. LD the former builds non-slide class C motorhomes to order. Several of us FTers started with them or have had them. Steve and I had a 1999 30'. Paul and Kathleen Smith have had two, I believe. Virginia, Jim, and Cricket had one. They're not a class A, though.

Michelle

Whoops, brain fog. Yes, Lazy Daze, the class C. The owners do seem to be very loyal to them. I'm not surprised that current Foretravel owners started off with them, once you recognize quality construction it's hard to compromise. My Bigfoot camper was of this order.

Being involved in a search for a 34' Foretravel in pristine shape, I can say that these smaller FTs are hard to find and seem to hold their value very well, proportionately better than the larger units. I wonder if Foretravel ever considers building a new model, but not relegated to the basic trim of the 34. The demand for smaller coaches seems to be there. I expect the economiy of scale works against the concept though.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #15 – July 27, 2012, 09:26:03 am

I like Born Free as well as Lazy Daze. It has a great following and Foretravel used to sell them to their owners downsizing in Kodak. I have owned two of them and they are great coaches.

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #16 – July 27, 2012, 09:42:51 am

Also not a class A but our last two motorhomes have both been Coach Houses built in Nokomis Fl. Only manufacturer to build a one piece fiberglass shell motorhome. Very well built with high end interiors. One of the sales people at MOT called them the Foretravel of class C's. They had previously sold a couple of them.

I believe our 27' model 272 that FOT recently sold for us is still on their website.

D&D

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #17 – July 27, 2012, 11:06:48 am

My last (EVER) SOB was a Winnebago. Considering it was built to meet a price, it was very well built and very well engineered. I had it get away from a tow truck once and end up with the rear bumper embedded in the ground at the bottom of a 10 foot drop. It sustained only $4k in cosmetic damage. Nothing broke loose.

I have friends with Monacos and Country Coaches, and they always inspect my FT and comment about wishing they knew about FT when they bought. The airbag placement always comes up.

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Recommendations for SOB class A

July 26, 2012, 09:52:58 am

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #1 – July 26, 2012, 09:55:33 am

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #2 – July 26, 2012, 10:06:30 am

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #3 – July 26, 2012, 10:24:02 am

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #4 – July 26, 2012, 12:03:24 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #5 – July 26, 2012, 12:48:26 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #6 – July 26, 2012, 01:12:10 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #7 – July 26, 2012, 01:41:17 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #8 – July 26, 2012, 02:54:03 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #9 – July 26, 2012, 02:54:48 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #10 – July 26, 2012, 05:42:49 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #11 – July 26, 2012, 06:03:09 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #12 – July 26, 2012, 06:15:48 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #13 – July 26, 2012, 09:08:30 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #14 – July 26, 2012, 11:54:55 pm

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #15 – July 27, 2012, 09:26:03 am

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #16 – July 27, 2012, 09:42:51 am

Re: Recommendations for SOB class A

Reply #17 – July 27, 2012, 11:06:48 am

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