BEST Class A Motorhome you have ever owned?

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Itself,

In addition to going to an RV show and familiarizing yourself with what RVs are all about, I'd strongly recommend going to as many RV factories as you can.  Unfortunately there aren't as many as there used to be because too many failed in this bad economy, some for reasons having nothing to do with product quality.  Nevertheless, try to include both "high end" and "low end" factories because the production line is really where you see quality differences.  When you take their tours you will be absolutely amazed that our rolling homes work as well as they do and with so few problems.  For starters, each RV includes a couple of miles of wiring in harnesses, all color coded and use printed by laser.  We visited five factories before purchasing our first Class A diesel pusher and I'm still amazed by what the manufacturers accomplish.  When I think of all the things that COULD go wrong and don't, I'm even more amazed.  Your anti-American product bias shows a serious lack of comprehension about RVs and what's involved in building them.  I've also toured automobile production lines and there's no comparison to what takes place on an RV production line.  For one thing, the tasks that take place on automobile lines are so repetitious that robots have taken over many of the tasks.  That would be impossible in RV manufacturing.  You are comparing apples to oranges.  I'm not saying RVs are perfect because they aren't and neither is anything else that humans produce, but I do believe we need to be realistic about what we get for our money.

I like the phrase about RVs being custom made in an assembly line environment.  Our current coach is the only one like it and it came off a production line.  They changed the entire bedroom layout including dimensions and floor height in one area, the bathroom layout and dimensions, the lounge ceiling, the galley counter and cabinet, etc. etc.  Oh yes, it's also the only one with a blue interior and exterior.

ArdraF
 
Tom and Wendy,

Some great points, and Tom I expecially find it interesting that over 16 years you haven't seen too many changes/improvements.  Wendy, that is a riot, yes, let's have the RV builder live in them for a while!!

How many RV owners are their nationwide, I am so curious?  Obviously, perhaps, not enough to drive producing better quality ones.

I think a tour of a factory is a great idea!

Are their any RV manufacturers on this website?  I ask, as Hobie Cat, a manufacturer of boats and kayaks, has a forum and the customer service people are on the forum and address issues that come up.  They really take making their boats and kayaks better, very seriously.  I think it says a lot about the company.

Lisa
 
According to a study bu the University of Michigan, about 8.2 million households have an RV. Tat could be abyhing from a Pop-up to a Prevost, of course.

Occasionally a manufacturer rep will briefly visit this site, but not often. We don't allow advertising of their wares, so they don't seem to be much interested. A few RV manufacturers sponsor their own owner web site and several have a captive owner club, but the majority of such sites and clubs are operated by the RV owners themselves.
 
RV Roamer said:
According to a study bu the University of Michigan, about 8.2 million households have an RV. Tat could be abyhing from a Pop-up to a Prevost, of course.

During some other research on motorhomes I did last year, I came across a survey by the NHTSA's Bureau of Transportation Statistics that showed there were 1,400,340 motorhomes in operation (active registration, not necessarily used) in 2001.  Extrapolated for the growth in the industry, I would estimate the total number on the road at somewhere around 1.6 million for 2008-9. 

What is probably even more relevant is the number of "new" units being purchased/sold in a given year.  That number plummeted in 2008 and 2009.  RVIA projects the number of new "RV" units sold for 2010 to be 185,000 down from a high of 390,000 in 2006.  If you assume that approximately 15% are motorhomes (about the historical average), then the entire market is less than 28,000 units per year, or about 3% of the number of F-150s sold.
 
To get back to the subject, but change the question slightly  ;)

What is the BEST class A Motorhome you'd like to own?  ;D
 
My wife and I have owned 3 MH since 2000 a 94 Winnebago Vectra 1999 Country Coach Magna currently a2006 Country Coach Magna.  All the MH were very well made and preformed quiet well they all have issues most were not a serious issue. We have friends that have Prevost, Tiffin coaches, Monaco, Foretravel,Beaver,Winnebago,American Eagle these are the ones that I can remember. They all have issues but I would not trade our CC for any of the coaches I just mentioned mostly because of the quality of workmanship or in the case of the Prevost they are too complicated to operate and work on. MH are a lot like women there are few if any that are perfect, most if not all  have some issues ,but we still love to tinker with them.  ;D

Tommy Townsend 2006 CC Magna
 
We buy only American made vehicles, and we always get good service from them. We don't support foreign goods because we live here, so we support our own. They have enough of our US jobs, and money already. Where would your job be if everyone thought and shopped like you?
As for motorhomes, the only really bad motorhome we have purchased was our Itasca Suncruiser 37B, it spent most of the first year of its life in service having almost every major component installed on it replaced or repaired. Our Super C's (Greyhawk & Seneca), our Class A's (Coachmen, Damon Intruder, & Damon Challenger) were excellent motorhomes. They were beautiful inside and out. Our Itasca was a beautiful coach, just a lemon. They required general maintenance from time to time, but so does our home that we built. Your toilets will run, faucets will drip, filters will get dirty, fine lines began to appear on the walls at the corners of your door frames because the house settles with time.......drive that house over bad roads, under low tree branches, etc.....you will find repairs will be required more often than if it was always sitting still.
The other reviewer nailed the issue when stating that all motorhomes will have someone with bad reviews, find the one you like and do what we do.....buy an extended warranty. We get the one with $100.00 deductible and road side, it covers 95% of everything you need done.
 
We have 2 old Silver Steak travel trailers, these are from 1983.  They are fine old travel trailers, extremely well built.  We are getting ready to do some fixing on both of these and rent them out.  We also may buy some more of them.  In their day my understanding is they were only built when ordered, they were each custom built and extremely expensive.  In fact they were so expensive they went out of business in the early 90's. You can build a product like that but you have to be able to sell enough to stay in business also. This is what happens when you over build, but by the same token there are still lots of them still around.

As far as American made cars that's all we have ever had.  They are machinery and need maintained, we have a 2001 F 150 with 134k miles on it, no major repairs, a 2006 Lincoln truck, 44k miles, nothing but a recall for a wiper or cruise, can't remember which.  It went in for a chip in the AC system right after buying it, that's it no issues.  We bought a used Saturn Vue 2006 had 68k miles on it, good little car, doesn't use oil, runs like a charm.  We have had new and used American made cars and never had any issues with any of them.

Our Winnebago is fine, its a 2005, hubby has added a lot of stuff to it. We were not happy having to add a trac bar and air bags for more stability, those should have been on it, that is our only complaint.  We also replaced TV's and stuff because we wanted to and some blinds.  Now those aren't what I would put in them at all, I would ditch those blinds!  But the mechanicals are fine on it.  We replaced the converter board but I think we beat it to death on that last trip, can't say.  I'm not unhappy with it.  Hubby has been all over it and everything worked from day 1. 

My husband works overseas and people are always begging for him to bring them back stuff made in America.  They said its not like the junk they get from other countries, even they recognize quality.  I am so sick of junky faucets, light fixtures, crappy nails, and all the other extremely poor quality products made in china now that I am always on the lookout for American made for our rentals when I can find it.  In fact the converter I replaced I noted it was made in China, the new one was made in mexico but it was more solid then the original.  They have brainwashed people to think American made is not good.  I try to buy everything I can Made in the USA even if it costs more.  It would behoove each of us to do so to keep jobs here.  We need to take pride in our country again, we have a lot to offer.
 
AJHales said:
To get back to the subject, but change the question slightly  ;)

What is the BEST class A Motorhome you'd like to own?  ;D

Foretravel Grand Villa
J
 
I haven't owned the best one yet, and this late in life I probably never will. I'm still looking for the perfect one. It is roomy and elegant, performs well, is miserly with fuel, and most of all it is trouble free and doesn't leak or rattle.
 
[quote author=Gary]
I haven't owned the best one yet, and this late in life I probably never will. I'm still looking for the perfect one. It is roomy and elegant, performs well, is miserly with fuel, and most of all it is trouble free and doesn't leak or rattle.
[/quote]

Gary, the guy just in front of me bought that one.  I had to settle for my old Bounder.

I've only owned one Class A motor-home, so my experience is limited to my old '97 Bounder.  I will say it has been the perfect (BEST) rig for me.  Not perfect as in luxurious, trouble free and beautiful, but perfectly functional, reliable, adequately equipped and paid for.  The big advantage to me is that I don't have to worry about the trade-in-value of a 14 year old coach.  If I want to make a modification, I make it, and, short of major drive train problems, there is nothing I can't fix  work on by myself.

Just let me win that $330M lottery and see how perfect it ain't........
 
itself said:
consumer reports puts them all in the top three.
Lisa

I wonder where CR is made?  They ask for subscriptions and donations from people working in the US and then they write nothing but criticism of their subscribers.  Does this make sense?
 
I was going the buy the "Best" today, but I was 4 numbers short on the $300,000 lottery. I will have to stay with the Phaeton.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
I haven't owned the best one yet, and this late in life I probably never will. I'm still looking for the perfect one. It is roomy and elegant, performs well, is miserly with fuel, and most of all it is trouble free and doesn't leak or rattle.

Gary, you forgot - And costs less than $100,000.

ken
 
My brother has a 45' Beaver with all the bells and whistles. The dealer told him to drive the snot out of it the first year so if there were any problems they would be fixed under warranty. He had a generator problem that turned out to be a loose wire and his only other problem was with the satellite dish and company. They (his wife and him) are trying to sell it now as they have realized the RV lifestyle isn't for them. From what they have said those are the only two problems they encountered.
 
Getting back to the original post question. I can say that I have had only 3 rv's.  One was a Jayco that was adequate at best, a Park model that we still enjoy from Woodland Park that is now 5 years old and no defects what so ever.  And.... I will get slammed for this, a Coachmen class A, 1999 35' that I love.  Not one problem of major sorts. I did have one spring on the HWH levelers that needed to be replaced.  Other than tires, oil changes, air cleaners, trans and radiator flushes that are all routine service.  I love the floor plan and two slides.  I think the quality is outstanding for what it is.  I have 30k on it now but it is still 11 years old.  I do store it inside when not in use and that probably helps.
 

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