2005 Fleetwood Southwind vs. 2006 Thor hurricane? Any input?

[Missamyb]

Hi everyone,
My husband and I our shopping for our first  motorhome!  We put the cart before the horse and have already rented RV storage We are getting very close to making a purchase however we cannot decide between the 2006 hurricane 32vr, or the 2005  Fleetwood Southwind 32V. For the very most part there are about the same price. I like the floor plan of the hurricane much much better but from my understanding and research the South when is better quality? I would really hate to chew style over substance so I guess I am looking for any feedback any one may be able to offer as to whether they are both equally quality RVs or if one is far superior or inferior and why ?? thank you so much!

Ps... if anybody has any recommendations of great RVs with great floor plans from 30 feet to 33 feet we would definitely consider looking at other options.

 

[SeilerBird]

Go for the Hurricane. The floorplan is way more important than the manufacturer. With used rigs condition is 1000 times more important than the badge.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The Southwind was in a higher price tier when new and was indeed built better, but current condition is more important.  Plus, a floor plan that suits your needs is critical.

 

[fairway2002]

Not sure if this helps. I had a 05 Thor Mandalay. The quality was great. Loved it.

 

[Missamyb]

I really appreciate the input! I have been lurking on this message board for months, it's nice to actually post for once ?? Being soon to be 1st time RVers, I know that I will likely be here often seeking advice (begging for help) ??

 

[mhbell]

We have a 2006 Hurricane and Love it. We down sized and have owned several different RV's. Although our Hurricane now has 60,000 Miles on it, It still runs strong and the V-10 30 Valve engine is bullet proof. I have made many mods to it and the Ford F-53 Chassis. I like the fact that for the both of us, it is just right and we can get into almost any camp site. Like others have said Floor plan and condition is the most important. Oh and we bought it used 2 1/2  years ago with over 50,000 miles on it. I have put about $5k in it since we bought it with new tires, Pilot and copilot seats, dinnette cushions, and chassis mods, Steer Safe, CHF, and rear Track Bar, I also installed a 32 inch LED HD TV, and converted the Shore power to 50 Amp for more details see my blog site. https://rvbloggers.wordpress.com/
Mel

 

[ClickHill]

Since these are respectively 05 and 06 my advice is to go with the floor plan that works best for you, as far as quality, any bugs or issues will be worked out by now on both units.

Welcome!!

 

[malexander]

FWIW, I had a 2000 Southwind 34N (IIRC) for 2 years. It was magnificent, never had any problems. Decided I wanted to try a diesel. So, I ended up buying a 2007 FW Bounder 38N, we love it. Fleetwood may be "entry level", but I don't really need all the fancy little doo-dads that do ABSOLUTELY nothing but add to the price........on the "high-end" MHs.

Bottom line....I don't think you'd disappointed with the Southwind.

 

[Missamyb]

Thank all of you guys so much for your time and advice it truly helped! Once we make our purchase I will be back with pictures ?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

There are two aspects of "quality". One is defects in construction of that particular RV, basically mistakes on the assembly line. They are common in all brands and models, but when buying used these have largely been corrected already. The other is materials, design & construction type and sometimes difficult to assess. Cabinetry quality is one frequent variable - cheap cabinets are paper-covered particle board with mediocre hardware. Plumbing & wiring is another place where things can be done fast & cheap or more substantially. Likewise the size & capability of the motorhome chassis underneath - cheaper models tend to undersize the chassis for the body, which will have long term negative effects as well as handling poorly. Things like wheelbase and chassis GVWR & CCC are clues to the suitability of the chassis for the size of the coach.

If one RV costs less than another when new, for essentially the same amenities, you can bet the less expensive one cut corners to get the price down.