RE: Quality of RV
I'd also toss Jayco in as well because their rigs also have fiberglass end caps and a fiberglass roof.
Not exactly. According to their website for Greyhawk:
"Seamless one-piece rubber roof"
"Seamless fiberglass shield"
So the front cap is fiberglass but the roof is rubber.
RE: Pricing Newer Class C
Based upon looking at a lot of used units, my answer is similar to a lot of what is mentioned above.
People price them not by what they're worth but what their loan payoff is.
Listings at a certain price does not equal sales at / near that same price.
There is probably some false hope that they sell for higher prices based on the recent favorable economic news.
Also think there is something to be said for people moving from A's to C's. Dealers I talked to (& from what I saw too) said a C in good condition would sell fairly quick while an A sat awhile.
RE: Quality of RV
Looked used for a long time. Realized wouldn't find what we wanted. Bought new last August after considerable research.
Got a Forest River Sunseeker. Only considered that brand, Winnebago, & Nexus.
IMHO...
Winnebago: Over-rated. Many happy owners no doubt. But older style construction materials. Fiberglass roof is great. But uses wood walls. That technology is older. Problem is wood walls can absorb moisture &, if / when that happens, it will lead to delam which is one of the biggest drains on RV values. Higher price than entry level based on name. Eventually ruled them out based on the combination of their higher price, the older wall technology, & our only occasional use of the unit.
Nexus: Fiberglass roof & Azdel walls (for those that don't know, Azdel doesn't absorb moisture so delam won't happen, has a higher R value, & is lighter). 2 check marks. Great reputation among a still small group of owners. Higher price which appears justified. For our only occasional use though it was more than we wanted to pay. If we were more regular users of the unit, I probably would have bought Nexus.
Forest River Sunnseeker: Also fiberglass roof & Azdel walls so 2 check marks again. Pretty good reputation among at least newer owners (which I would agree with as one of them). I think older Sunnseekers left a lot to be desired. But since Warren Buffet bought out Forest River, he really sank a lot of money into improving the Sunseeker line. Value priced. Was perfect for us given our occasional use.
jeffcarp: On your list, the only change I'd make is to move Winnebago to #4 with the rest (again based on older wall technology).
Sabluka: Coachman uses the TPO roof as mentioned above which wouldn't be my first choice but does use Azdel walls. Short answer to your question is I think there are better options than either. But comes down to budget, what's most important to you, etc.
Anode Rod & Plumbers Tape
When wrapping plumbers tape around an anode rod, I read that it is supposed to go on clockwise. From what angle is that? From when looking over the top of the rod? Or from when looking along the length of the rod from the non-threaded end to the threaded end?
Sorry, but I tend to over-analyze things!
Figure somebody knows...
Thanks!
RE: Winnebago quality
we almost bought a new aspect, price drove us off. Anyhow look at the current trailer life, they have a test on the itaska made by winnie and I was surprised, at what I saw. The system on a e450 chassis is alm oste maxed out with just the unit itself. I think there was less than 2000 lbs load ability which includes fuel, people, property water, etc. Plus it showed less than 10 mpg for the test and was not raved about power wise overall. Seems it was found to be just adequate and I think the aspect is heavier?
That's a problem with a lot of brands. As mentioned above, we have a Sunseeker. So I'm familiar with their line. And there are Sunseeker's that have very little weight capacity left too. I think you could find that issue with many manufacturers.
We have a longer C but purposely avoided a unit with a 2nd slide as that eats into weight pretty quickly.
It's a function of life in the good ole USA. Gotta have it all (as an example, many bunk units have a TV in the cabover, bunk area, bedroom, & now perhaps outside too). Remember when houses became McMansions. Perhaps we should start calling them McCampers!!!
RE: Winnebago quality
Disclaimer: We don't own a Winnebago, we have a new Sunseeker.
I agree with all the factoids above. Very well established company, recognizable brand name, great support, etc.
But...
We looked at used units for a year. We lost track of the number of units. I bet it was at least 30 (seemed like 300 at the time!). Every Winnebago we looked at (except one - & the owner decided to keep it just before we put an offer in) had delam. Typically in the cabover area, sometimes on the side walls.
I'm saying this because the "best" motorhome brand out there is meaningless if the previous owner didn't take proper care of it or if it has some underlying issues.
So, I would NOT necessarily pay $3000 more just because it was a Winnebago. However, I would pay $3000 more if it was a well cared for unit in good shape (regardless of brand).
By the way, we got so ticked about delam that it was a major factor in us picking a Sunseeker. Not only do they have a standard fiberglass roof (similar to Winnebago), but they use an Azdel composite in the walls (instead of luan / wood) which is essentially moisture proof.
Good luck as it can be a tedious process!
RE: cheapest place for disney tickets
We just finished a Disney spring break trip.
We had all the intentions of buying our tickets ahead of time at AAA but time got away from us. I think (somebody probably knows for sure) that it would have been something like a $25 savings for us (family of 4, 3 adults, 1 kid, magic your way base tickets).
That said, we just bought them at Fort Wilderness.
Yes, we spent $25 more. However, in the grand scheme of things (i.e., what the trip cost in total), the $25 would be a rounding error.
And, also, X 2 on what somebody said about resellers. DON'T buy them from some guy off the street obviously. The first time you use your ticket, they take a fingerprint scan & then check it every time you use the ticket. So, you can't buy tickets with leftover days remaining from someone - unless, I suppose, you take their fingers too!
RE: Buying a Rental Class C. How many of us out there? (Long)
We are making our mind up on buying a 2012 Thor Freedom Elite 31R with 50,000 miles (rental) on it from Camping World for roughly $57 K, and that's with taxes and all this weekend. Its nice, looks clean and smells new except for a few cosmetic scuffs inside. They are rotating and balancing the tires, tossing in a spare and a few other tidbits. Does this sound like a decent deal? We still have to read over the service records before we give the final go though. This would be our 1st Class C.
I don't think it's a good deal. We didn't pay that much more for a brand new one last August through RVDirect ('13 Sunseeker 3100 so about same size).
RE: Surge Protection?
We just got the EMS-PT30C model & I have a question.
Do I plug in the EMS to the pedestal & then immediately plug the RV cord into the EMS?
-- or --
Do I plug in the EMS to the pedestal, wait for the OK code, & then plug the RV cord into the EMS?
By the way, regarding the security of the EMS, I am planning to do this:
plug in an appropriate RV extension cord to the pedestal,
run the extension cord to a storage bay,
connect the extension cord, EMS, & RV power cord all in the storage bay.
RE: How Do I Know If the Water Heater Is Full?
OP here. Thanks to all for the advice. Just a quick update. Rinsing and sanitizing has been done already. We had the dealer winterize in the fall then dewinterize last Friday. We flushed and sanitized over the weekend. Then the weathermen decided to change the forecast to a couple ~ 18 degree nights. So this winterize was just a quick fix including draining the hot water heater, using an air compressor to blow out the lines, and pouring antifreeze down the drains. As an added precaution we are bringing the unit to the driveway overnight and running the furnace on a low temp. In any event we are not going to flush or sanitize again as that was literally done 4 days ago and no antifreeze has been introduced to the fresh tank, pump, or lines (just the drains). All of this is because we dewinterized a little early due to a spring break trip to Disney. Thanks again!
RE: How Do I Know If the Water Heater Is Full?
Thanks!
OK, will turn the bypass valves back to the camping positions, fill the fresh tank, turn on the pump, open the hot taps, & wait for water to come out without spitting air.
I am guessing it may take awhile. From reading more on the internet, it looks like the cold inlet is at the bottom of the water heater tank & the hot outlet is at the top. So guessing I will need to wait until it fills up to the hot outlet at the top.
How Do I Know If the Water Heater Is Full?
Total newbie questions but that's the beauty of an internet forum!
Due to winterizing, both my fresh tank & hot water heater tank are empty.
When I de-winterize, when I add water to my fresh tank, how do I "move" water from it to the hot water heater tank?
Once I turn the hot water heater bypass valves back to the camping positions, does that automatically move the water?
Or do I need to do that + turn on the water pump + open a hot tap to move the water?
And if I need to open a hot tap, how long do I need to leave it open for (figure it will take some time to move 6 gallons worth of water)?
If it matters, it's a Suburban 6 gallon gas / electric water heater.
Sorry for the very basic questions but I want to be sure I do this right so I don't burn out the water heater electric element.
Thanks!
RE: Four Winds vs Sunseeker
I have a Sunseeker. So I am biased. You will find that in general on the internet (i.e., "what I own is what I recommend"). That said, go with the Sunseeker. Get's you a fiberglass roof (vs TPO) as well as Azdel composite walls (which virtually eliminates any risk of delam).
Adding Options & Insurance?
We purchased a new class C in August '12. We added a Bigfoot auto leveling system via aftermarket last month. The levelers were just under $4k or roughly 7% of the purchase price of the rig. It added some value certainly.
Should I contact State Farm to let them know about the addition?
On the one hand, my insurance costs might go up.
But, on the other hand, if my rig was stolen I would like to get the value for the rig + some value for the levelers.
Yes, I know the best answer is to probably call my agent but thought I'd check if anyone else has gone down this road before.
Thanks!
New RV Warranty Cards
We got a new class C last August. Other than for the chassis & coach, we have not sent in any warranty cards for other stuff (appliances like fridge, microwave, etc). Dealer said we should. But do others send them in?
RE: Bigfoot Automatic Leveling Jacks
GrumpyGator - Were your jacks included in the coach purchase through Nexus (even if installed at Quadra)? If so, it's a modified system (similar to what Forest River does for Sunseekers & Foresters). Nexus specs out 8000 lb jacks. If you go to Quadra for an aftermarket system it comes with 12000 lb jacks. It won't make a huge difference as 8000 lb jacks are adequate for a C. Not sure if there are any other differences. But it's not really an apples to apples comparison on price.
RE: Bigfoot Automatic Leveling Jacks
Part of the National Park Service. Google the name for more info. Not en route. In fact, beyond where you are going. But what's a few more miles at this point. Just trying to think of something else to see to make the trip a little more productive. Of course, after dropping a few grand on jacks, you may not want to support the Michigan economy any more.
Consider using the coach as is for a year. See what Quadra is doing at the end of the season or the beginning of next season in terms of specials. In January of this year, I got 75% off install. Would be an extra $150.
One thing to include if going to Quadra is the extra fuel cost. Not sure where you're coming from in Jersey but I'm guessing you'd have 1300 miles round trip (+ or -) so 165 gallons of fuel or another $600. Plus any other expenses along with time off work.
RE: Bigfoot Automatic Leveling Jacks
Yikes! For the same exact system I paid a little more than half that to have Quadra install them at their Michigan location. We were a little under $3900 out the door. And it only took about 4 hours. Plus the trust factor of going directly to the source was very high. Seriously, if you go down this route of getting them, consider including it in a vacation. Poconos, cedar point, sleeping bear dunes, etc. If you get time off for work, tie into Easter or Memorial Day so not as big a hit to vacation days.
RE: Sunseeker vs Forester
Bednarski1 - It was an in-stock unit at the Buffalo, NY store so we picked it up there. Note that they have stores & not factories.
