OntMontana
Guelph, Ontario
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Joined: 02/16/2006
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We have just endured the entirely unpleasant experience of having our motorhome stolen ... right off the dealer's lot where it was waiting for service.
As a result, we are looking at replacement options. The three contenders that are in our price bracket include:
(1) 2007 Tiffin Phaeton 40 QDH
(2) 2008 Forest River Charleston 410QS
(3) 2008 Holiday Rambler Ambassador 38 PDQ
The motorhome that was stolen was a Tiffin Allegro Bay so we are intimately familiar with just about every aspect of Tiffin Motorhomes, good and bad.
We are less familiar with the Charleston and the Holiday Rambler and would appreciate any comments (pro or con) anyone might have. General expressions of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with your motorhome are entirely welcome.
Thanks for your help.
Bill
Bill & Ann
2007 Tiffin Phaeton 40QDH
2007 Jeep Liberty
Our "Cat Rescue Girls", Sadie and Aimee
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Joined: 01/20/2003
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Of those three choices..Id go with the Tiffin!
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
2002 Jeep Liberty
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imgoin4it
Alamogordo, NM USA
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Joined: 10/25/2004
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I do not have any "ownership" experience with any of the above. I thought seriously about the Phaeton which I really liked. Liked everything about it, the floor plan, the interior workmanship, the design, the way it drove etc. Then I read that the right rear weighs something like 2000 pounds more than the left rear. The forum comment was that the right rear is within 50 pounds of the max axle weight with no passenger, so if a passenger goes to the rear of the coach while he is driving down highway, he will be overloaded. I kept on looking and recently ended up with a Newmar Kountry Star. Sorry to hear about your coach, but good look looking for the right new one.
Retired and loving it 
Living in the Land of Enchantment
Traveling in 2007 Newmar KSDP
towing a Jeep Liberty
with a Blue Ox tow bar
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OBie One
Louisville, Kentucky
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Joined: 01/31/2007
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Very sorry to hear about the theft. I cant really speak to your selection of MH's, but can you enlighten us a little on the circumstances surronding the theft? Did dealer have the keys? Was the MH Locked? Was the Dealer yard locked? Could it have been an inside job? Is your insurance covering the loss or is the dealer responsible in any way? Sorry to ask these, but this issue has been on my mind a lot and why I am reluctant to just leave the MH at the service center for any amount of time. Thanks and good luck on picking a replacement.
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BaldyD1
Central Florida area
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Joined: 12/01/2003
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Believe that a Newmar Kountry Star is with-in your price bracket if the Tiffin Phaeton is in the bracket. Actually purchased a Kountry Star KSDP 3912 for less than we could have purchased a Tiffin Phaeton 40 QDH. That may have been just a difference in dealerships where one wanted to make a sale and the other just wanted to make a large profit.
Speedy, Jackie & Dusty {Shih-Tzu/Maltese}
2006 Kountry Star KSDP 3912
2005 Saturn Vue (dinghy)
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Ivylog
Blairsville, Ga. USA
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Joined: 06/30/2004
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Do a search on Monaco the maker of HR Mhs. I think a HR Amb is the same as a Monaco Diplomat. If it's not someone will let us know for sure.
04 Monaco Dynasty 42' quad slide
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OntMontana
Guelph, Ontario
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Joined: 02/16/2006
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OBie One wrote:Very sorry to hear about the theft. I cant really speak to your selection of MH's, but can you enlighten us a little on the circumstances surronding the theft? Did dealer have the keys? Was the MH Locked? Was the Dealer yard locked? Could it have been an inside job? Is your insurance covering the loss or is the dealer responsible in any way? Sorry to ask these, but this issue has been on my mind a lot and why I am reluctant to just leave the MH at the service center for any amount of time. Thanks and good luck on picking a replacement.
(1) Dealer had keys locked up in Service Manager's Office
(2) MH was locked. I was there myself 2-3 weeks before the theft was noticed and locked it myself with my own set of keys (which I still have).
(3) Dealer's yard was NOT locked but all entrances and exits are monitored 24/7 by video cameras. According to the dealer, the video cameras recorded nothing that looked like a theft and no activity of any kind in non-business hours.
(4) I have a suspicion that it COULD have been an inside job. No evidence of break & enter where the coach was parked (no broken glass, etc.). There is an open area at the rear of the property that abuts a rough field filled with rocks, etc that could have been the "escape route" in theory. But VERY rough on a motorhome and there are apparently no tire tracks to suggest the coach went that way. One scenario that DOES make sense is that someone with access to the service manager's office had a set of keys made and managed to shut off or obstruct the video cameras ... and then drove off in the middle of the night. Another dealer in the area has every security bell & whistle imaginable on his lot including an 8' chain link fence, video, spot lights, etc. He had two expensive motorhomes vanish without a trace over the winter. As the advertisement for the PGA Tour says, "These guys are good!"
(4) As I understand it, my insurance (inflation-protected, full-replacement coverage) will cover the loss. Whether they ultimately seek recourse from the dealer, I do not know. I have to wait 30 days before receiving an insurance settlement ... so operating in a vacuum.
Unless you have a secure place on your own property, I am not convinced that any storage facility is truly secure. If "professional thieves" want to steal your MH, they will find a way.
Bill
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SemperFiCop
USA
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Joined: 10/19/2007
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Stay with Tiffin
or
as others have shared
look at Newmar... 
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The Texan
Summer: A Cool Climate Winter: A Warm Climate
Senior Member
Joined: 01/16/2004
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We have the HR Endeavor, which is one step up, but basically the same as the Ambassador. We like it so well, that we just put $13K worth of renovations into it and have no plans on looking at another coach. The factory support, when needed, has been nothing but awesome and the quality of both construction and materials is excellent. I would highly recommend a HR/Monaco product.
Bob & Betsy - USN Ret'd '78 & FL LEO Ret'd '03 
FMCA #F203528
'05 HR Endeavor, 40PRQ w/400 Cummins - With -'05 GMC Sierra SLT, CC Z-71, the pusher
'07 Arctic Cat 500A & Wilderness Kayak, riding in the pusher -
Our Current Location
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DDinCincy
Cincy, OH
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Joined: 05/23/2007
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A good reason to have a GPS tracking system installed; just log-on the net and find the coach in real time!
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