First motorhome advice needed

[mhab11]

I have been camping all my life, but have only owned trailers. For the last 6 months I have been looking to move to a Class A and have been back and forth with what to look at, what to stay away from and what would be the best choice. I know to stay away from Thor and Jayco, but I have not found clear data on others like, Winnebago, Fleetwood, Forest River or Coachman. My top choice would be a Tiffin or Newmar, however that means I will be in a 2014 or older. If I were to go with one of these other brands I could get into a 2016 or newer with models like the Winnebago Vista. The max length I am looking for would be 36', but that would only be to get a bath and a half. I would prefer to be under 34'.

Is there any reason to stay away from Winnebago, Fleetwood, Forest River or Coachman? Are some models okay and others are big NO's?

If looking at a Newmar Canyon star or Tiffin Breeze, what would be better? Other than diesel vs gas.

What is the benefit of 21" tires over 19"? This is something I keep seeing mentioned, but cannot find a decisive answer.

Another thing I have noticed is, it appears you can save 10-15% buying in Texas instead of Florida. Why is this?

 

[NWIP]

I can’t answer all your questions but I start with brands. I think you will find overall quality better in Newmar and Tiffin. I would not be concerned that they might be older than what you can buy a Forest River, Winnie etc. Generally speaking larger tires will give you a better ride, diesel pusher will be a quieter ride.
Interesting what your finding reference TX vs FL, I’d be curious what others think.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Welcome to RVF, @mhab11; glad to have you here with us. You question regarding motorhome brands is sure to bring out a variety of opinions. Here's my take.

First, ALL motorhomes will have issues; some minor and some major. It is just a fact of life. How the manufacturer deals with them is the key. The top-tier manufacturers do a pretty good job; the others not always so good.

Then, there is build quality. Much (but not all) of that is apparent if you look for it, just like in any other product. If you see things that look shoddy, you know the workmanship in other areas is probably similar.

As for older vs newer, I would much prefer a 2014 Newmar or Tiffin over a 2016+ any other brand. The overall product is simply better in my view.

Bigger tires carry more weight and ride smoother. For that reason, they are probably safer as well. And, diesel usually provides better pulling power in the mountains than gas, with significantly less engine noise.

Good luck in your search

TJ

 

[Neemer]

Of the brands you mention (other than Newmar and Tiffin), I would prefer a Winnebago. Every manufacturer has its quality issues to varying degrees. You should also be looking at how customers are treated after the sale. This is huge in the business of owning motorhomes. There are companies out there that flat out don’t care and don’t do a whole lot to hide that fact, and others that will. Personally, I would stay away from anything manufactured under the REV umbrella. When you have a couple of hours to kill, check out the youtube channel “Irritated Traveler”. They went thru two American Coach (supposedly flagship) motorhomes in the span of a few months and were treated like absolute dung by REV.

Winnebago’s big sell is that they manufacture and fabricate all of their own parts, from chassis to house, thereby providing more control on parts quality. That should be true, but I have seen instances where they did not apply those parts correctly, resulting in unnecessary grief for owners who ended up with leaking roofs, etc. But on the whole, I would not be afraid of a Winnie.

Just my humble opinions and worth what you paid for them.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I have been camping all my life, but have only owned trailers. For the last 6 months I have been looking to move to a Class A and have been back and forth with what to look at, what to stay away from and what would be the best choice. I know to stay away from Thor and Jayco, but I have not found clear data on others like, Winnebago, Fleetwood, Forest River or Coachman. My top choice would be a Tiffin or Newmar, however that means I will be in a 2014 or older. If I were to go with one of these other brands I could get into a 2016 or newer with models like the Winnebago Vista. The max length I am looking for would be 36', but that would only be to get a bath and a half. I would prefer to be under 34'.

Is there any reason to stay away from Winnebago, Fleetwood, Forest River or Coachman? Are some models okay and others are big NO's?

If looking at a Newmar Canyon star or Tiffin Breeze, what would be better? Other than diesel vs gas.

What is the benefit of 21" tires over 19"? This is something I keep seeing mentioned, but cannot find a decisive answer.

Another thing I have noticed is, it appears you can save 10-15% buying in Texas instead of Florida. Why is this?

19.5 tires are RV tires of the past. Many tire suppliers like Discount tire will not mount them. Further Discount has to order them for you to have you mount them elsewhere.

 

[Blang311]

I wouldn’t get so hung up on brand since there are really only three company’s left in the class A business. Look at maintenance history, condition, floor plan etc. The gas vs diesel question is the hardest one and comes down to budget. IMO

 

[Britman55]

I have owned two Class A's which were purchased new at dealerships. Brand reputation, manufacturer warranty, recall and maintenance history, and dealership reputation all played a part in my decision as did whether to buy new or used, gas or diesel, length of chassis, etc. I required a toy hauler, so at the time the field of manufacturers to choose from was Newmar or Thor. In addition to the fine recommendations given in the previous replies I wanted to share some other things that I have learned along the way. 1) It benefited me to purchase from a dealer close to home or where I stored the vehicle if it needed to go in for service. If you buy it there you stand a chance of getting better service. Also, you can keep the miles down going back and forth. 2) Avoid sacrificing on floorplan if you can help it. One of the leading reasons why folks grow unhappy with their RV soon after a purchase is, they get out in it only to find that they are lacking something that they really would like or could use, and they do not have it. 3) Whether buying used or new in my opinion it is sensible to spend the extra money on additional service contracts over and above the manufacturer warranty and the same goes for road hazard coverages. 4) Drivability is key. If it does not feel right when you are driving it, you may end up spending a lot of money to meet your expectations after the sale. Make sure to conduct a thorough test drive on both interstate and secondary roads. Even some parking maneuvers in an open lot. And do not forget to check noise levels while driving.

My latest new Thor Class A acquisition does not necessarily have the greatest brand reputation. By the same token I read stories from owners of alternate brands with some 4 or 5 times the cost of mine that were absolute lemons. I knew what I wanted and what I was getting into so I prepared myself accordingly by making sure to do a very, very through PDI and to budget for any upgrades that I felt necessary to accomplish after I took her home. After 3 months in service at different intervals to get the bugs out under warranty and after $6,000 in chassis and engine upgrades of my choice I have what I would consider a reliable coach that serves my purposes well. It was still less expensive in the long run and in my opinion more unique than the competitors offering. Good luck in your search and have fun shopping for your next RV!

 

[amullis59]

I have owned a Forest River Georgetown and currently a Winnebago Adventurer 37F (bath and a half as you want!). I believe the quality of the Winnebago to be much better than the Georgetown I traded. The Winnebago just gives me the feeling it is better built! Having said that, as a previous poster pointed out, every coach is going to have some kind of problem. I strongly advise you to get a good extended warranty repair policy to cover everything in the coach. I did on both coaches I have owned, and have used the extended warranty to get things repaired/replaced.

 

[malexander]

I have an '07 Fleetwood Bounder. I tell people it's an 07 and they think it's new.
I know it's considered an "entry-level" DP coach, but I think it's built really well.
When we were looking at DPs we were at PPL in Houston, it was pouring down rain. We went inside a bunch of DPs, this Bounder was the ONLY one that was wasn't leaking water around something, be it the windshield, a/c, or anything else. EVERY one of the others, ie New Mars, Winnies, you name it was leaking somewhere. I'm VERY satisfied with the Fleetwood. The woodwork in it is unbelievable, it's beautiful........and real.
I've done all the maintenance on it myself. Working under the bed, in the closet, inside the cabinets and such, the quality of workmanship is really good. As well as the quality of the materials used by the factory/builder.

 

[B&T RVers]

Brand is important. Our first MC was a 2005 Winnebago Adventurer 33V. Had for 5 years & great memories, Did we have problems - of course, but our dealer and Winnebago was quick to correct. Fast forward 15 years and we just got back into the RV world with a 2021 Newmar Ventana 4037. So far (knock on wood) only small issues. Again dealer and mfg. are giving great support. Interesting sort of full circle as Winnebago now owns Newmar.

Good luck!