Winnebago Roof & A/C vs. Competition??

[rv rick]

I visited the Tampa RV show yesterday (WOW -- what a show) to look at new coaches and in talking with a competitor to Winnie, learned that the Winnebago roof (on the Tour coach) was only about 3.5 inches thick and that much of this thickness was taken up by the ducts for the A/C leaving little insulation space. The competitor showed a 6" thick roof, but did use roof air systems.

Is this actually correct? If so, does it matter?

I was very impressed with the fit and finish of the Winnebago product and except for this issue, am inclined in their direction.

Many thanks

Rick

[rv rick]

I visited the Tampa RV show yesterday (WOW -- what a show) to look at new coaches and in talking with a competitor to Winnie, learned that the Winnebago roof (on the Tour coach) was only about 3.5 inches thick and that much of this thickness was taken up by the ducts for the A/C leaving little insulation space. The competitor showed a 6" thick roof, but did use roof air systems.

Is this actually correct? If so, does it matter?

I was very impressed with the fit and finish of the Winnebago product and except for this issue, am inclined in their direction.

Many thanks

Rick

["007"]

If you want to see how a competitors roof is built go to web site "welcometonewmarcorp.com" and look in the construction section and they will explain how their coach is built.

[smlranger]

I guess you can always make the argument that 'more is better.' I can only say that I walk around on the roof of my rig and there has not been a problem...seems sturdy enough.

[Navy Flier]

So, when researching a coach the one person you believe is a competitor's salesman. I am having trouble with this thought. Have you stopped to think just how thick 3.5 inches is?

[bellsharbor]

Hi Rick,

I would be curious on what other manufacture you are looking at. I have had Monaco, Fleetwood and now Winnebago and I think for the money, at least so far, the Winnebago is the best bang for the buck. Every brand has a selling point that a good salesman will jump on. You are in the right spot for good information on Winnebago. I have not had a problem with the roof and the basement air/heat works great. Good luck and happy travels.

John

[John_Canfield]

Rick - the two A/C ducts are maybe six or eight inches wide. Other manufacturers also duct roof mount A/Cs. Like Gary (smlranger) says, the roof is plenty sturdy to walk on.

Don't get hung up on only one element or attribute of the design or execution - consider the entire package. Do a lot of research and tire kicking; look inside of cabinets, under counters, look at specifications, etc. No coach had exactly every feature and attribute when we were shopping - there are a lot of good coaches out there but the Horizon came closest to meeting our most important expectations.

[AFChap]

Rick

Did the "competitor" rep tell you that one test Winnebago does of their design is to turn one upside down and drop it on its roof to test structural integrity? ...and does his mfg do a comparable test?

Like the others said ...salesmen will say just about anything about competitor's rigs. In my experience, they don't know all that much about the brand they are selling, much less a competitor's brand...

[Y-Guy]

I'm glad Paul brought up the roof test. A lot of RV companies rely on the walls and roof to add to the structural integrity. If you have a chance ask the Winnie dealer for the DVD it really does a great job explaining how they are built - I think some or all of the DVD can be viewed on their website too.

[rv rick]

I greatly appreciate your responses and agree -- I was an old salesman, so am more than a bit skeptical! The "competitor" I mentioned was Monaco Coach who seems to make a nice rig as well, so thought I would check the claim out.

I have looked at quite a few coaches and keep coming back to Winnebago for the overall fit and finish as well as the feature rich environment. The other thing I really like is their engineering expertise.

Thanks again

Rick

[Kazoo Tom]

Winnebago builds one of the sturdiest rigs on the market. They spend a lot of time and effort of structural integrity. They are also the only company that does perform a "crash test" on their rigs, I think that says a lot.

[FrontRangeRVer]

While most have stated the obvious fact about the "sturdiness" of the Winnebago roof, the insulating factor is one of the weakest I have seen. I've burnt my hand feeling on the edge of the ceiling where the roof attaches to the walls...there is absolutely no insulation in that area. The ductwork takes away from the insulating factor also....

[h moffitt]

I think the winnebago roof is probably built stronger than most. I just wish it had more insulation for heat and cooling and most of all for sound. In a hard rain the noise about drives us out. The same rain in some of the monaco coaches I have been in will be very hard to even hear.

[wagonmaster2]

I certainly agree with the extreme lack of roof insulation. On a 25-35 degree night the wall where it joins the ceiling feels really cold to the touch and the wall and ceiling above the shower will sweat during a hot shower. I never really thought about the cause of this but from the above postings I can understand now. I don't understand how Winnebago can be above average in so many places and literally screw up in others. Either they have some very junior engineers or someone was asleep when decisions were made. Six munths ago I cudnt evan spill injeneer and now I air wun.
Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian