We Did It! New 38Q

[Electra 225]

Originally Posted by americanrasc

I am willing to make these sacrifices for what I have so far found to be an enjoyable , comfortable and dream motorhome for us-- in spite of its problems that have seemed to settle down after a few months. I accept and know I'll have problems in the future- complex systems will experience glitches and failures.

Just my 2 cents.

Joe, your statement makes good logical sense to me, and should to everyone else as well. You have touched on the true reality of the subject. The more stuff on a rig, the more that can, and at times, will have problems. Fellow WBGO IND owner here Gordon Dewald has said in his own studies, that across the field of manufacturers the failure rate is pretty much the same per 100 coaches built. I believe that is probably true.

But be ready Joe for the snarky reply coming telling you your just making excuses for WBGO's "inferior" product (to make yourself feel better). Fact is, I've said before telling the truth...I have owned both WBGO and Newmar products, I like 'em both. I had mechanical glitches and minor fit and finish issues on BOTH. That's right I said it! BOTH. I'd truthfully say in (MY) particular case, the level of any aggravation was about the same. We're doing fine in the Ellipse 42QD, it's a good looking solid as a rock bang for the buck coach. Now someday if I'm able, I'd like to move up in size, horse power, etc, etc.....and with that I would probably look at a Newmar Essex. JMHO added to the mix.

Regards,
W.D.
2014 Itasca Ellipse 42QD

[Electra 225]

Originally Posted by Atom Ant

Wow! I think everyone needs to take forum advise with a grain of salt - weed through the attitudes - and make an informed decision based on what you have gathered. For every positive answer on a forum there is usually a negative answer and visa versa, so realistically no one should ever buy anything - ever - if basing decisions on forum feedback.

Yup. The tide of popular opinion got Jesus crucified y' know.

It gets amusing and annoying at times. Some just say what others say to feel like they belong and fit in. A person has to make up their own mind, using their own mind, and following your above post.

I have to confess, I do get a little frustrated at times with some things I read. It's like, man if WBGO made a coach out of solid gold with zero problems they still wouldn't get due respect for some reason.

Again, JMHO (with a grain of salt)

Best regards,
W.D.

[Electra 225]

Originally Posted by Electra 225

But be ready Joe for the snarky reply coming telling you your just making excuses for WBGO's "inferior" product (to make yourself feel better). Fact is, I've said before telling the truth...I have owned both WBGO and Newmar products, I like 'em both.

Sorry, forgive me, but I must correct a couple of my grammar/phrasing goofs (as I typed in haste in post #21);

(your) I meant (you're),
and the sentence would be better--"to tell you the truth, I've said this before...."

I feel better now.
W.D.

[abbie]

This is a very helpful thread! We are also trying to decide on a Winnie 38Q and I've posted multiple questions regarding the a/c. All have been very helpful.

We had a 2000 Chieftian and never had the problems being described here. I'm disillusioned! My only suggestion for those who have already made their purchase is to take a trip to beautiful Iowa and visit the Winnebago factory in Forest City. They will service your unit for you and give you the pointers you need.

We are partial to Winnebago so are there other Class A units that do perform well and have had fewer problems? Quieter, efficient a/c?

[Americanrascal]

Originally Posted by abbie

---

We had a 2000 Chieftian and never had the problems being described here. I'm disillusioned! My only suggestion for those who have already made their purchase is to take a trip to beautiful Iowa and visit the Winnebago factory in Forest City. They will service your unit for you and give you the pointers you need.

We are partial to Winnebago so are there other Class A units that do perform well and have had fewer problems? Quieter, efficient a/c?

Late last year and early this year our search came down to the Newmar Canyon Star and a Tiffin (can't remember the model) and the Winnebgao Aventurer 38Q.

Having just come off a 2014 Itasca Sunstar 31KE, I've been in love with the F53 V-10 set up. We never had a problem with any Winnebago or Ford component (tank of bad gas and broken windshield excluded)on that rig even after a round trip from Georgia to Anchorage and back in some rougher than average environments. In the almost 2 years we had it it never saw a Winnebago dealer for work.

I like the new F53 6 speed tranny on the 2016 38Q even better! Other motorhomes have that same set up, but we kept coming back to the Adventurer. Why:

1. Good support, responsiveness and attention to my concerns from Winnebago (and that has always been true)
2. The layout in the 38 Q is perfect for us, the best we saw and is our dream motorhome.
3. I felt I got a decent price and got where I wanted to be for the new 38Q .
4. I got a great deal on my trade with the dealer I worked with.
5. For tax reasons I wanted to buy in Georgia and I found a dealer willing to work with me.
6. I had such good experience with our late model Itasca

In spite of the fact that I initially had some significant problems that did not manifest themselves in the PDI, I was fortunate that the dealer was there for me, responsive, and in spite of what I though was something complex they got it fixed well and back running within my time frame. Here 5 months later they still remain responsive to my needs when I call.

Going to Forest City was (and always will be) an option but it would not have been as quick as working through it with my dealer who got the job done in a manner acceptable to me. If something were to go really bad- I'd make the trip.

In our case we found the 38Q quieter than our 2014 Itasca, smoother riding, but comparable to the other 2 2016 types we looked at.

Do I wish I'd have gone another way? Naw-- I think I like where things are at now after we worked out the kinks and the bugs.

I know other components of the 38Q will give me problems in the future as that's just part of owning an RV that is rather complex compared to older motorhomes. But I feel that's part of the lifestyle I'm willing to accept. I have little doubt we would likely have had problems of some magnitude at some point with the other rigs we looked at--- but I do not know if I would have had the support I've had from Winnebago????

I'm sure others may see this differently or have had different experiences. I'd love to hear more as abbie is asking the right questions!!!!

[Atom Ant]

Originally Posted by americanrasc

Late last year and early this year our search came down to the Newmar Canyon Star and a Tiffin (can't remember the model) and the Winnebgao Aventurer 38Q.

Having just come off a 2014 Itasca Sunstar 31KE, I've been in love with the F53 V-10 set up. We never had a problem with any Winnebago or Ford component (tank of bad gas and broken windshield excluded)on that rig even after a round trip from Georgia to Anchorage and back in some rougher than average environments. In the almost 2 years we had it it never saw a Winnebago dealer for work.

I like the new F53 6 speed tranny on the 2016 38Q even better! Other motorhomes have that same set up, but we kept coming back to the Adventurer. Why:

1. Good support, responsiveness and attention to my concerns from Winnebago (and that has always been true)
2. The layout in the 38 Q is perfect for us, the best we saw and is our dream motorhome.
3. I felt I got a decent price and got where I wanted to be for the new 38Q .
4. I got a great deal on my trade with the dealer I worked with.
5. For tax reasons I wanted to buy in Georgia and I found a dealer willing to work with me.
6. I had such good experience with our late model Itasca

In spite of the fact that I initially had some significant problems that did not manifest themselves in the PDI, I was fortunate that the dealer was there for me, responsive, and in spite of what I though was something complex they got it fixed well and back running within my time frame. Here 5 months later they still remain responsive to my needs when I call.

Going to Forest City was (and always will be) an option but it would not have been as quick as working through it with my dealer who got the job done in a manner acceptable to me. If something were to go really bad- I'd make the trip.

In our case we found the 38Q quieter than our 2014 Itasca, smoother riding, but comparable to the other 2 2016 types we looked at.

Do I wish I'd have gone another way? Naw-- I think I like where things are at now after we worked out the kinks and the bugs.

I know other components of the 38Q will give me problems in the future as that's just part of owning an RV that is rather complex compared to older motorhomes. But I feel that's part of the lifestyle I'm willing to accept. I have little doubt we would likely have had problems of some magnitude at some point with the other rigs we looked at--- but I do not know if I would have had the support I've had from Winnebago????

I'm sure others may see this differently or have had different experiences. I'd love to hear more as abbie is asking the right questions!!!!

Nice! That is a good outlook and nice attitude. We all shop the same stores, and in the end it's personal preference mixed in with some common sense and a dash of prior experience, and a bunch of research.

[Dfreiberger]

Originally Posted by Floridakamper

We took delivery of a new Suncruiser 38Q this week. I've received a bunch of help in our decision from forum members here. We love the floor plan. Thank you ALL for your help, I needed it. If I tried to list everyone, I'd miss someone, but a special thank you to americanrascal. Joe has been a tremendous resource both before the purchase and after. He's been my Winnebago Guardian Angel. These forums are such an important resource for a RV owner.

We're staying at a campground in the area of the dealership waiting on a part and a repair. The shaft and gear assembly that raises and lowers the head of the bed has striped gears. Winnebago was supposed to ship the part 2-day air more than a week ago and we had a document confirming that but in reality it went by ground freight. We have to get out of here soon because of prior commitments but the bed could prevent the rear slide from retracting, so that's a must fix. The GPS on the Infotainment system does not work and the dealership was unable to do a timely fix. The kitchen slide does not retract fully at the rear of the slide. It appears the reason is the kitchen cabinet that retracts OVER the stationary sink counter is coming into contact and rubbing as the slide comes in. The dealer has asked Winnebago for guidance. One other thing that greatly concerns us, being Florida residents is that in low 90 degree weather, the front of the motorhome temp is in the mid 80's in the hottest part of the day. The bedroom AC keeps the back just fine. The dealership checked the AC and said it was freezing up and moved the freeze sensor. They said other than that it was operating properly. That repair made no difference in afternoon cooling. We love Florida, but we love it because of air conditioning. We've got to resolve this but I doubt the dealer is the answer in the time we'll be here. So, "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play."





q

You will love your coach. We have a 2015 we purchased in late 2014. Much like any RV, you will have to work the bugs out. Regarding your slide issue, the clearance between your sink counter and the slide should be about 3/4 inch. If the rear edge of the slide is not drawing in all the way in, then the slide being cocked can cause the rub. They should be able to re-sync the motors through the controller and hopefully get the slide to draw evenly.

Regarding your AC problem, I have had the same problem with mine since I owned it. The rear cools great but the front lacks. I had mine checked out when I first bought it and they told me it was working normal. Unfortunately, 20 degrees less than your ambient outside temp is all you will get. Of course, cooling that large of an area will be a challenge.

I live in Texas and deal with the high heat in July/August. Two weeks ago, I was in NM and could not get any more than 90 degrees in the front of the coach. I had an A/C tech come out and look at it and it as only blowing 4 degrees cooler than the ambient. Everything was working on the unit and the only thing it could be was low Freon. The newer Coleman Mach series A/Cs are sealed units and cannot be serviced (no fittings). I called my local dealer and they told me they replace the entire unit because of no way to service Freon. Has to do with EPA and R-410 refrigerant containment. The only thing that can be done is replace the unit.

I had my unit replaced and it does blow about 18 degrees cooler than the outside ambient now. With all that said, I am able to cool to about 76 degrees in 88 degree humid weather. I guess it is kind of the way it is.

One other thing about the A/C. Both front and rear units have condensation drains which are clear rubber tubes that run through the ceiling and down the rear of the coach to drain out on the ground. The two drains are located under the rear left corner of the coach. We found out the front hose was clogged and not allowing the water to drain. I took low pressure air and blew out the obstruction.

Did you get the washer/dryer set up on your coach, or just the pre-plumbing?
The reasonI ask is mine came with the pre-plumbing. I think it was our 2nd or 3rd trip out and noticed sewer smell coming from within the wardrobe drawers in the bedroom. I removed the drawers to see what I could find and it turned out the washer drain line was not installed and was left out from the factory. I could see a 90 degree elbow attached to the black tank but no line connected. I went to Lowes and bought a cap to close it off until I could get it back to my dealer for repair. They had to remove the rear wall of the W/D cabinet and install all the drain plumbing.

Hopefully your Matrix Panel for your TVs is improved. I had mine replaced under warranty last your and it is screwing up again.

Regarding the GPS, do you know if the SIM card is installed? Check for a SIM card, and if you have one, then go to their website and try to install updates. Could be a simple fix.

If you have any questions about your coach, do hesitate to ask. Since I have the same coach, I might be able to provide specific answers.

Cheers,

Dutch

[Floridakamper]

Dutch, thanks for your advice. I’ve received some great help here on the Winny forum, especially from Joe (americanrascal).
The dealer discussed the counter issue with Winny and then moved just the countertop on the stationary “sink” island to open the clearance. They also did something to make the front and rear edge of the slide flush. That didn’t last and now the rear is out even more than before. We’re on a trip now and I ended up with blood clots moving to both lungs (bilateral pulmonary embolism). A couple of days in a hospital in Hanover, Pa., some clot busting meds and I think I’m on the mend. In a few days we’ll decide either to continue the trip or head back to Florida. The cooler weather has helped with the poor/faulty AC.
I’ve seen it mentioned on this forum before that you can only get a 20 degrees difference from “outside” ambient temps. I don’t think that’s correct in fact I know my last three motorhomes could cool the MH to low 70’s in 100 degree outside temps. I think the 20 degree difference is temp at the intake vent measured against the discharge temp. When I get home and feel healthy enough I need to check the rooftop unit. I would not be surprised if in the heat of the day I’m freezing up. I’m also finding small pieces of Styrofoam on the floor coming from the AC vents. I also would not be surprised to discover my condensate drain plugged up. Every now and then I get condensate dripping off the passenger side, forward of the door.
We do have the stacked washer and dryer. While driving, we are getting either a black or gray tank smell. My guess is gray. We can’t seem to track down its origin. Just in case I just took the bedroom drawers out and the grill under the washer. Everything looks OK there, so I’m still on the hunt.
I have the factory installed Directv Trav’ler antenna. The dealer tried to get it working but couldn’t. Someone on this forum said their power inserter was wired backwards and mine was too. Then I had an intermittent signal. One of the coax fittings was loose. I put a new coax fitting on and that’s working.
The GPS problem was as you described. I updated the SD card with the latest program and updated maps and it is working.
I’ve got a half dozen other small items that need work, like the bed leaks down 20 lbs over night.
I can’t wait until I get to the “start loving” this rig phase.

Thanks Again for you help Dutch.

[Dfreiberger]

Originally Posted by Floridakamper

Dutch, thanks for your advice. I’ve received some great help here on the Winny forum, especially from Joe (americanrascal).
The dealer discussed the counter issue with Winny and then moved just the countertop on the stationary “sink” island to open the clearance. They also did something to make the front and rear edge of the slide flush. That didn’t last and now the rear is out even more than before. We’re on a trip now and I ended up with blood clots moving to both lungs (bilateral pulmonary embolism). A couple of days in a hospital in Hanover, Pa., some clot busting meds and I think I’m on the mend. In a few days we’ll decide either to continue the trip or head back to Florida. The cooler weather has helped with the poor/faulty AC.
I’ve seen it mentioned on this forum before that you can only get a 20 degrees difference from “outside” ambient temps. I don’t think that’s correct in fact I know my last three motorhomes could cool the MH to low 70’s in 100 degree outside temps. I think the 20 degree difference is temp at the intake vent measured against the discharge temp. When I get home and feel healthy enough I need to check the rooftop unit. I would not be surprised if in the heat of the day I’m freezing up. I’m also finding small pieces of Styrofoam on the floor coming from the AC vents. I also would not be surprised to discover my condensate drain plugged up. Every now and then I get condensate dripping off the passenger side, forward of the door.
We do have the stacked washer and dryer. While driving, we are getting either a black or gray tank smell. My guess is gray. We can’t seem to track down its origin. Just in case I just took the bedroom drawers out and the grill under the washer. Everything looks OK there, so I’m still on the hunt.
I have the factory installed Directv Trav’ler antenna. The dealer tried to get it working but couldn’t. Someone on this forum said their power inserter was wired backwards and mine was too. Then I had an intermittent signal. One of the coax fittings was loose. I put a new coax fitting on and that’s working.
The GPS problem was as you described. I updated the SD card with the latest program and updated maps and it is working.
I’ve got a half dozen other small items that need work, like the bed leaks down 20 lbs over night.
I can’t wait until I get to the “start loving” this rig phase.

Thanks Again for you help Dutch.

Sorry to hear about your health. Hope all works out and you can get back at it. Regarding the bed, I know this sounds funny but are you checking the bed pressure while laying on it? Before retracting the bed up the wall, we bleed them down to about 4 lbs. At bedtime, we lower the bed, fill to about 15 lbs. Once laying on the bed, it will show about 20 lbs. My wife's would leak down at night. Turned out under the bed in the box is where the compressor lives. It has the two matresses that connect to it. I disconnected hers and the O ring was cut. Bought a new one at Lowes and works fine now.

Regarding the TV, glad you got it to work. I am on my second go-around on a Matrix HDMI panel. First one quit working (no signal to the TVs) because it was overheating. They replaced it with a new one and now it is acting up. I did talk to Pace Industries, the maker of the box and key in the installation of the system at Winnebago Industries, and they have a problem with the equipment cabinet getting hot and insufficient cooling. I places a portable 110v 4 inch fan fan in the cabinet to help cool. The problem seems more prevalent in the high heat days when the front of your coach struggles to cool to 80 degrees on a hot day.

[Floridakamper]

Originally Posted by Dfreiberger

I places a portable 110v 4 inch fan fan in the cabinet to help cool. The problem seems more prevalent in the high heat days when the front of your coach struggles to cool to 80 degrees on a hot day.

I wish I could cool the front of the coach to 80 degrees. I agree, the high heat in the cabinet is the reason the Matrix and my Directv receiver stopped working and the heat contributes to the difficulty in cooling the front of the coach. There's no insulation, save for maybe a thin coat of spray foam on the front cap. The heat radiates out of there like sitting next to a campfire.

[cpoo]

I use a fan in the front cabinets to circulate air and definitely keeps it cooler. Put a vent pillow in the vent in kitchen. Makes a big difference with heat.