Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 21:59:53 -0500
Reply-To: Scarlet Semko <damosem@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scarlet Semko <damosem@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: RV'S & Vanagon list
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Eric,
I'm sure that you didn't mean to imply any impropiatary, perhaps I worded my
thought wrong.
On recommending a "brand" of motorhome let me point out a few things:
Concerning the chassis, motorhomes are built on truck chassis, mostly you will find
them either on a Ford or Chevy in the year group your looking for. The RV company
does not build the chassis, so seperate that from your decision on a particular
coach. The RV Mfg. built all the available floorplans on either a Ford or a Chevy.
So don't purchase one over the other because of the chassis. If you find a florplan
you like and it's on the wrong chassis (not the one you prefer), look around,
somewher out there is the same floorplan on the chassis you do prefer.
Last year Chevy sold their RV chassis division to the company who makes the trucks
for UPS. So technicly their out of the RV chassis business. Their engines will be
put on what will be called the Workhorse chassis. Historically the Chevy chassis
did not have the GVW of the Ford chassis, and their engines had some problems,
mainly exhaust manifold problems. Espicially in the 80's they had weak manifolds
that leaked, and the repaired ones leaked too, so if your preference is a Chevy
chassis pay atention to the exhaust manifolds. It's easy to hear an exhaust leak,
and if they try to tell you it's the donut between the manifold and the exhaust
pipe, don't buy it, because it's not. MY preference would be the Ford. Most of the
Chevy's have air bags, and it's not for a better ride, it's because the Chevy
chassis does not have the GVW of the Ford, and that's a way of sort off cheating on
the GVW. Also, the Ford engines where stronger. You'll find 460 Fords, and 454
Chevys. Not much diff. in c.i. but the Fords have more torque, and its torque you
need to move the box not c.i., or horsepower. Chevy may give you better gas milage
that Ford, but lets be honest, a half a mile more per gallon, is not going to make
any real difference.
As far as the coach goes, I would like to point out that they all use the same
accessories like the roof air, the refirg, the furnace, the water heater, water
pump, and on and on. None of the RV mfg's make their own of any of the above
listed. So don't use that as a determining factor either.
The Filon for the sidewalls, well they all buy the product from the same
manufacture there too. The furniture inside will be made by either Flexsteel or
Mastercraft, mostly, so nope they don't build the furniture them selves either.
It boils down to the fit and finish of the construction. Or, how they put it all
together, since basically none of them build any of the major components
themselves. A sobering thought, heh?
I've said all that to say this:
Decide on the chassis you prefer, your choices will be Ford or Chevy.
Find the floorplan that you prefer, on the chassis you prefer.
Look the coach over real good, from the roof down. Check the roof for water leaks,
and the sidewalls for delamination. Make sure all the systems are in working order.
The freshwater, the sewer system, the electrical (both the 12 volt and the 110
volt), the heating system, the air conditioning, the aux power plant (the
generator), and the chassis for the mechanicals (the normal things here, engine,
exhaust, tranny, cooling, suspension, etc.)
Then look at the decal on the side of the coach (Winn., Fleetwood, Gulfstream,
etc.) if you like the way it looks, go on and buy it.
Ron Semko
Orlando, Florida
eric.henning@us.abb.com wrote:
> Ron,
>
> Thanks alot for your reply. I didn't mean to suggest any improprietary on your
> part being "in" the business, just thought your view would be
> extremely useful. Your comments will come in very handy. Thanks again.
>
> eric
>
> ps- are there any brands you would try to avoid? Mostly I've seen Winnie's,
> Pace-Arrow, Fleetwood.
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