I'm not a big fan of Winnebago, but I recently saw an hour-long program showing the construction of a Vectra. I was impressed by what I saw, but then again, I'm no expert on how a motor home should be built.
If anyone else saw that show, I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks
Tom
tropicalgeezer wrote: I'm not a big fan of Winnebago, but I recently saw an hour-long program showing the construction of a Vectra. I was impressed by what I saw, but then again, I'm no expert on how a motor home should be built.
If anyone else saw that show, I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks
Tom
08 Fleetwood Providence 40X
FL-XC
US Gear Braking system
Blue OX towing system
06 Saturn Vue AWD toad
Wife and best friend Martha Baby
SweetPea - 15 year old "Maine coon cat" still mean as ever
Beware of those who point their finger the LOUDEST !
The program was on National Geographic or Discovery....don't remember which. It will repeat there from time to time, I think. If you have Tivo or DVR you can search for it.
I was hoping someone knowledgeable about good construction had seen it and had an opinion, so I could consider the Vectra in the near future.....oh well.
Sorry you haven't gotten the responses you were looking for, but the message subject didn't really specify your needs - may I humbly suggest a repost like "Question on Vectra build quality" or similar. Also, having said that, you might want to post over on the iRV2 Winnie forum... it's very active with a lot of owners and you'll get some responses, biased of course .
So, having said that, I saw the show when it first appeared (National Geo channel - called "Ultimate Factories" and is part of a series) and as a Vectra owner I was delighted. However, I also felt it was a great "Infomercial" and should have said "written, produced, directed by Winnebago Marketing." While there was a lot of material, I'm sure that any other RV manufacturer could do the same type of program and deliver content as to why their type of manufacturing was the best.
Now, I am NOT someone who is an expert on RV construction.. all I can offer are my comments as an owner who's put some miles on two units at this point in time, so take them for whatever it's worth...
I have owned a 2004 Vectra for a year now, upgraded from a gasser. I will say the Vectra feels more solid, quieter etc. However, keep in mind I went from a front-engine gas to a rear diesel, air-bag suspension, etc, plus a unit that listed for about $100k more than my prior unit. I'd expect some improvement.
Like every other unit out there the Vectra has its strong points and its quirks. Overall I'd say it compares well with any in that price range, but I voted with my $$$ and owners of other units would say the same about their choices. The interior build is solid, cabinets are hardwood, ceramic tile for the floor, etc. My unit has virtually every option and all work fine. I've yet to have an issue with electrical/plumbing/HVAC. I really like the central air/heatpump, the Electric Mgmt System, and other parts of the infrastructure. That said, I wish Winne made some different choices in some of their components and organized some things (light switches!) better.
There are various claims about the steel cage around the front - one famous Winne video shows a unit upside-down supported by the roof, which supposedly shows the strength of the construction. Since I intend on keeping mine sunny-side up, to me it's marketing fluff. Another iRV2 poster said their unit was hit by lightning and the steel cage protected them. Again, something I'd rather not test. Probably the only way to know for sure which manufacturers' units are structurely the best would be to conduct some crash tests and see which came out best... I doubt that will happen. I will say that driving down the road is a pleasure in a Vectra - a smooth ride with few rattles and little movement when the big boys fly by. Can't say if it's due to the Freightliner chassis, the construction of the unit, or what, but I do "feel" that I'm driving a solid coach.
One thing I will say is that Winne support is great, and I consider that part of the build process. Lightyears ahead of my last RV manufacturer, who produced a generic owners manual with paragraphs of "this may or may not apply to your unit." Winne makes all their docs available through download, including model-specific owners manuals, plumbing diagrams, parts catalogs specific to your unit, electrical schematics, etc. I have 10x more info on this unit than my prior model. Again, other manufacturers may or may not hit this high mark... I don't have experience with many other RV vendors.
Keep in mind my comments are based on a 2004 unit, and no doubt changes have taken place over the last 5 years. Take the show as a data point, certainly comparison-shop the Vectra with other units when you are ready. Take along a small dose of salt... I've yet to see a "perfect" RV. Maybe that $1M unit...
I didn’t see the show and have not toured the factory but I can imagine how impressive it would be. After all a company that has won top ratings and been in business for as many years as Winnebago has to be doing things right. Sorry I missed it.
Ed M.
Thanks for the input....that was exactly what I wanted to hear. I'll check out the winnie site as well.
What you wrote really keeps the Vectra high on my list.
Thanks again.
Tom
Offline
Online
