Sightseer 33C

[jimbo2013]

Very good friends of ours are considering this model,

So wanted to get some opinions from those that demoed, own or looked at them.

Average selling price.

Regular problems or bugs

How is the factory service.

Would you buy it again?

Other brands they should look at for comparison

[rini2]

We purchased a 2012 Sightseer 33C last spring. We traded our 2002 Suncruiser 32V. There were some things we missed that were in the Suncruiser and not in the Sightseer;
No driver’s door (minor)
Plastic not porcelain toilet (changed out),
King size bed in the Sightseer left way too little space to get around it, very difficult to make also (cut down platform and changed to queen)
huge 50 amp electric cord in same compartment as water hookup (cut to short whip with male 50amp plug, added female socket to severed cord making it into big 50 amp lead cord that I can store in any compartment. 90% of the time we just use a much lighter 30amp cord and a 50 to 30 adapter),
Switched out all the lights to LED,
Changed out the dash entertainment center with the next higher model and ran a DMX cable to the main TV. The unit that comes in the sightseer DVD player is only capable of 480 resolution which looks terrible on the 1080p capable 42” flat screen TV installed from the factory. (now movies are great on those rainy nights)
The biggest thing missed though is the Rest Easy Sofa that was in the 2002 Suncruiser. Our Sightseer has the upgraded Comfort Sofa Sleeper which utilizes an air mattress for sleeping. It is not fun to setup and guests have to add air several times a night. The Rest Easy is an option on 2013 models. We tried to buy a Rest Easy sofa from the dealer right after purchase, but were quoted about $5,000 without installation, OUCH! We are looking at a Destination tri-Fold Sleeper sold through Camping World as a replacement.
I know this seems like a lot of things to dislike about the 33C, but we are VERY HAPPY with our choice. The floor plan is perfect for us. The quality is all Winnebago which I feel is 2nd to none. That is why this is our 3rd Winnebago. We couldn’t be happier. We never actually planned to purchase this MH. We had gone to look at a Tiffin Breeze 32’. I had the diesel bug. This Sightseer just happened to be on the showroom floor. After looking at the Breeze closely the Sightseer 33C was a much better purchase. Our Sightseer had a $147,500 MSRP, on the show room floor for $111,500, traded for $70,000.
Hope this helps your friends with their decision.

[peterdobey]

I purchased a 2013 Sightseer 33C in May of 2013 and have had the following problems with it: The main slide failed so that when we used the switch to extend it, it peeled off the trim from the exterior of the coach and when we pulled it back in it buckled the floor.
Only one dealership on the west coast of North America could fix it. So we had to drive 800 miles to Liberty Lake, Washington State to get it fixed. We also had our DC to AC inverter fail, and it took 2 weeks to get the part from Winnebago. We also had our automatic leveling system fail while driving on the freeway and dump all the hydraulic fluid on to me, the rig and the freeway. And when we went in for our first oil change the Ford Dealer told me that I had a leaky steering box, luckily Ford actually replaced it for free after I drove from British Columbia to Bellingham Washington. Even the shower head in our rig was non-functional after our initial trip to the Grand Canyon.
I paid $128K for my 33C and I asked Winnebago if they would buy it back from me. They refused. I have spent over $500 in cell phone bills and thousands in fuel and hotels bills while waiting for my brand new rig to be fixed. I purchased my rig from Pan Pacific RV in Morgan Hill, CA and I purchased the optional extended warranty, I am a Route 66 member, and none of my suppliers have offered any help with my very buggy RV.

I would suggest that anyone considering this model of Winnebago to seriously consider a diesel pusher from a manufacturer that will actually stand behind their product.

And while living in the parking lot while waiting for my rig to be fixed I met another Winnebago owner with an even more expensive model that had the exact same slide failure and even their shower head wouldn't work either... Come on Winnebago, spend more that $6 on a shower head...

Now I know why so many RV manufacturers have gone out of business, bad product, bad service, bad news...

Peter Dobey, Aptos CA
2013 Winnebago 33C Sightseer
2009 Smart Car dingy
1996 Ford E-350 Sportsmobile 4X4 Class-C van conversion (Excellent rig and customer service)

[desotodino]

My wife and I purchased a new 2012 unit late last fall, pricing was in line with Rini's. We absolutely love it. I plan to make the change to the power cord that Rini referenced (great idea Rini, thanks!). Our sleeper sofa with air mattress also leaked and we had it replaced at the factory. My wife and I slept on it the next night and though it did not leak as it did before, we probably won't be sleeping on it again - rear queen bed is so much more comfortable.

We love the floorplan and fit / finish is very good. Yes, we also had the problem with the shower head (button sticks) but just added an inline shutoff valve which works great.

All in all, no regrets on this coach. I really wanted a diesel, not because I needed one but because I desired one. After talking to many people and test driving the 33c, I'm happy with my decision. Though many threads talk about the lack of power with a gas unit, I suspect those are based on experiences with older coaches. I've found this unit to have all the power and perhaps more than I need. The 22.5 inch wheels also smooth out the drive.

My experience with Winnebago service was positive though I'd caution you that if they say they think they can do it in a day, plan on two, if two, plan on three or four. They clearly over-schedule their service bays at the expense of your vacation time.

All in all, we would make the same decision today. Every time I get behind the wheel for a roadtrip, it brings a smile to my face. Couldn't say that about our two prior class C units.

Good luck

[SuperGewl]

I opted out of the 33C because when the slides are in you can't get into the MH to drive unless you are anorexic. Yes the floor plan is great when all setup and camping, but getting there is a PITA. I'm six foot tall and not exactly small but have been many places and squeezed into many a tight space but even my Pugh didn't like the amount of space between the counter and the recliner/rocker when the slides were in. Winnebago needs to rethink this design. Maybe stretch it a little to better offset the counter top. As far as I was concerned they could even drop the recliner/rocker and place a small work station there for a laptop with a folding chair.
Oh, yeah I went with the Vista 35F. I do wish they would have made this in the Sonava or even Suncruiser line and also made it 1foot linger like the 35B.


Winnebago I hope you are listening.