what is the difference between Itasca and Winnebago

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

hoopers2

Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Posts
7
maybe a dumb question....
new to motorhomes, and wondering what the difference is.
I did some searching and looking at the Winnebago site....

Are they virtually the same?
 
My impression is that the Itasca is an upgraded Winnebago.  But I'm sure you will hear from others on the topic.
 
No, an Itasca is not an upgraded Winnebago. In the 70s GM made a line of motorhomes called Itasca. They decided to let Winnebago manufacture them. Eventually Winnebago bought them out and has kept the two lines seperate. They are made at the same plant (Forest city) and are made of the same components, they just have different names. One is not better than the other.
 
Very little difference between them. Often the Itasca model has a bit nicer trim than the equivalent Winnebago or something that is an option on the Winnie is standard on the Itasca.  Model for model, the Itasca's generally cost $1000-$10,000 more, though a few models are less than $300 apart..

Compare list prices here:

http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/winnebago/2009/
http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/itasca/2009/
 
Gary is right on! It is like Chev and Pontiac (IMHO) model to model comparison. I met a fellow RVer who had the Winnie model like mine (Voyage) with the same year. The only obvious differences were he had the W24 option and mine had a little tray/drawer (not optional) that rolls out on the dash. Slightly different wood and fabric choices for the models but chassis (except for the W24/W22 diff) were the same as was the other amenities. I compared the option lists of the two and some options (not many) on the Winnie were standard on the Itasca. You can do the same comparison if you go to the Winnie site.
Franbk O.
 
I would agree with the first post.  If you go to the Winnebago site:  ( http://www.winnebagoind.com/ ) and take a look at similar models in the Winnebago and Itasca lines you'll find some things standard on the Itasca model are optional (if even available) on the Winebago model.  That being said we chose a Winnebago Adventurer over a Itasca Suncruiser simply because it had everything we thought we would want.  
 
I've always heard they were same-same.  Just trim differences.  And yeah, both are built at the same plant in Forest City, IA.

I'd like to tour that plant someday - maybe also visit Lichtsinn Motors, a big Winnebago dealer nearby.

One guy on the View-Navion forum took a pic of all the Sprinter chassis sitting at the Winnebago plant (attached).  Pretty neat.
 

Attachments

  • SprinterCutaways.jpg
    SprinterCutaways.jpg
    185.2 KB · Views: 137
The genesis of Itasca is a result of Winnebago's contract with Dodge to exclusively use Dodge chassis's for all Winnebago motorhomes way back when.  Winnebago Industries wanted to use different chassis's so they created a different product line to avoid the nasty situation of breaking a contract with Dodge.  (This bit of trivia is direct from a Winnebago Industries spokesperson as told to me personally.)

In recent times, Winnebago Industries has positioned the Itasca as an upgraded trim line.  The exact differences between the same model year of Itasca vs. Winnebago depends on the model and year.  For example, my 2005 Itasca Horizon has hidden cabinet hinges which weren't even available on the Winnebago Vectra.  Many items that were options on the Vectra were standard on the Horizon.

All units roll down one of three assembly lines at "Big Bertha" in Forest City, IA.  Other than trim, fabric selections, options, maybe colors, they are basically the same.

 
Yep, basically the same other than trim and some options on the Adventurer that are standard on the Suncruiser (I would imagine it is the same on other models as well).  Oh yeah, the Itasca is more expensive.  I like both of them but have the Suncruiser.
 
I can only speak for Meridian vs. Journey, but in this case the Meridian comes one way: Fully loaded, while it takes several pages of checkmark options to get to the same level on the Journey. At the end of the day the pricing comes in about the same. I don't think the trim "levels" are different, but Journey has a little hipper interior packages where the Meridian is a tad more on the "formal" (as in bland) side.
 
Kind of like Chevrolet and GMC pickups.  They both roll down the same assembly line but when they reach the end the name goes on the  front.  I've heard that by doing this Winnebago can have two dealers in the same city without being competitors, whether its true or not.  We picked a Meridian over the Journey based on interior and exterior color choices.

Allen
 
When I took the tour in Forest Ciry last year they explained it this way. There were lots of Winnebago fans and lots of Itasca fans. If they would discontinue the Itasca line then the Itasca fans would not necessarily switch to Winnebago, so they kept both brands going rather than loose some customers. It really doesn't cost them much to make two different brands. Just print two different brochures and make two different name tags.
 
And since they are two different franchises, it does allow for two different dealers to offer essentially the same product in the same market (as Wagonmaster2 said).

Fleetwood and Monaco do the same thing - build the same coach under different brand names with slight differences in standard equipment, interior/exterior color schemes, etc.
 
RV Roamer said:
And since they are two different franchises, it does allow for two different dealers to offer essentially the same product in the same market (as Wagonmaster2 said).

Fleetwood and Monaco do the same thing - build the same coach under different brand names with slight differences in standard equipment, interior/exterior color schemes, etc.
Fleetwood, as in HR?
 
One difference that I haven't seen mentioned is that the front and rear fiberglass caps are different on the Winnebago vs Itasca 'twins'.

-Chris
 
John Canfield said:
Chris - didn't know that!  I'll have to pay closer attention  ::)

They're certainly different for the Vectra and Horizon--I can't swear to other models.

-Chris
 
You guy's have all wrong. Itasca is far superior to Winnebago. I know this because I have an Itasca Suncruiser.....need I say more??  :D

Actually the reason I did go with the Itasca was the dealer - probably the biggest factor. I deal directly with the owners of the company and they take very good care of their customers and they're pretty close to my home.

Besides some cosmetic differences there is no difference in the two. I wanted to know that because I saw the show on National Geographic that vividly showed why Winnebago was so well put together - I was impressed. Yes they do have differeent front and rear end casps - again the Itasca's are much sharper and far surperior to the Winnebago's.... ok I pushed a little to far.

Great coaches each and equal.
 
Back
Top Bottom