Could someone please explain what 'Entry level' means? We all have to start somewhere and getting the best bang for your personal buck is paramount. IMO it's a hackneyed term which has no bearing on value or reliability. It makes the unit appear 2nd class, when, in actual fact, many of the value-priced units have exactly the same equipment installed as ones costing thousands of $$$ more. I do, however, acknowledge the difference between Gas rigs and DPs and their relative cost differences.
Just because a 'value-priced' RV manufacturer hasn't been around long, doesn't mean they are turning out a crappy product. A neighbor recently traded in an older Monaco for a brand spanking new Four Winds Hurricane (probably the least expensive Class A) and couldn't be happier - he has more 'stuff' and functionality than his Monaco had and all new equipment under warranty. Furthermore his Monaco was getting to need some serious $$$ spent on tires, major servicing and needed replacement parts - aside from a shabby looking paintwork. He took the $10K he was expecting to shell out and made his deposit. His monthly payment was quite a bit less due to a less costly rig and lower interest rates.
I doubt 'Tiffin' or other more expensive rig owners enjoy their unit(s) any more or less. They use the same campgrounds, share similar experiences and memories and use similar dump hoses! Given the choice, I would rather have a newer 'value' unit, than an older more expensive unit with potential wear / replacement issues. Even the prospect of being rewarded with good customer service, (provided at their own service centers which may be thousands of miles away and never used or needed) is meaningless to me. Take the 'reward' to your local CW when repairs are due and see how far it gets you. The customer - you and I - have demanded value not necessarily longevity! A MH's depreciation is so great you may as well have all (and maybe more) the bells and whistles in a newer rig than go without in something older and originally more expensive.
I recently looked at an 02 Allegro and an 05 Georgetown side by side on a CW lot. They were similar floorplans and length. The Georgetown , had significantly fewer miles, was in much better over all condition, had very similar equipment and was over $10K (sticker price) less. It was awfully hard to distinguish the differences in trim quality or construction between the two. Sure, good, low mileage, more expensive 'higher-end' MH's are out there but they are definitely few and far between. As I have posted before, most seem to have been ridden hard and put away wet.
Most RV owners are week-end warriors not full-timers, where, perhaps, longevity and factory service matter. Consequently needs and requirements differ. Few owners keep the same rig for its functional life, trading up/down/across within a few years of purchase. Depreciation is basically the same, however, the newer the unit the greater the re-sale market. Older doesn't always translate to better. But...we've had this discussion before.
To the OP - Go for the Georgetown, it's a nice looking rig with some decent quality features and, IMO great value for the money. For those naysayers, the world is not flat... take a look at the features in some of the less expensive rigs, I think you will be pleasantly surprised, I know I was.
.02c worth...
BT
