Community Forums

R.Wold · 11-19-2019, 01:35 PM

In my on-going search Ive identified all the wants and understand there will be compromises unless that one particular coach comes on the market at the right price and at the right time with everything, which is possible but unlikely.

Since Comfort Drive started in 2008 Ive been limiting my search to 2008 and later, and since I want IFS AND something smaller than 37’ I have to reluctantly rule out DS although they are a very compelling line.

So along comes a beautiful low milage ‘07 36’ Kountry Star with everything I want on a Spartan Mountain Master, including a Cummins ISL, but of course no Comfort Drive.

So this question is directed at those of you who have driven IFS coaches without CD and CD coaches without IFS (Ventana for instance). If you had to choose between one or the other which would you rather have.

My only other alternative is to fork out far more than I want to on a New Aire and frankly I like the interiors of the older coaches better anyway.

Thanks in advance...

USMCRET · 11-19-2019, 03:09 PM

Let me preface this by saying I have yet to drive a coach equipped with CD.

I watched a video by NIRVC recently in which the lovely lady doing a walk through of the new Kountry Star took it for a spin on the road. I found it interesting that she appeared to be giving the steering wheel the same amount of inputs that I give mine. I had been under the belief that CD was much closer to driving an automobile, but this video clearly did not indicate that.

Good luck with your search. I have no complaints about how my coach handles without CD.

Craig36 · 11-19-2019, 03:53 PM

We have a 2007 Kountry Star 3910, and it steers and handles wonderfully. We are the third owner and bought the coach with low miles, bigger engine and loaded with lots of extra cost items. While I am sure Comfort drive is nice, the bigger issue for us was floor plan, colors, condition and that it was purchased locally.

Ann n Gene · 11-19-2019, 05:09 PM

I would pick the ifs over the cd. The ifs will add a lot of the advantage of cd as it rides and steers easier than non ifs but the cd does nothing for the ride. Both very nice and love them both but if i had to choose just one it would be the ifs. JMHO

R.Wold · 11-19-2019, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ann n Gene

I would pick the ifs over the cd. The ifs will add a lot of the advantage of cd as it rides and steers easier than non ifs but the cd does nothing for the ride. Both very nice and love them both but if i had to choose just one it would be the ifs. JMHO

Thank you so much. Im really glad to hear from a New Aire owner. This is the gold standard for me with both IFS and CD, and in a more compact size. But O cant ignore the economy of an older well kept coach. The one in question has under 19k on it. So its hard to ignore, it also has THE floor plan I like and almost every option Im looking for.

So this is great information, Thanks!

Kountry 2SUM · 11-19-2019, 06:10 PM

Going to disagree with most of the previous posts. CD was my deal breaker after having two coaches with solid axles. Since to my knowledge you can’t get CD on anything but IFS spend the extra cash and get them both. There are units out there outside of the usual Trader sites that are deals. If I had been able to get my money together quicker we would have been able to buy a 2009 Essex with 35k miles out of a bank auction for $125K (it needed tires). There are credit unions and banks all over the place that have good solid units for pennies on the dollar. Our 2010 DS was bought at less than 1/2 of book with only 18k miles from a credit union. You WILL NOT be sorry you did what ever you need to do to get CD and IFS. My max mileage a day in the older coaches was 350, and closer to 200 in the wind. It is not uncommon for us to drive 500+ when we need to wind or no wind and it is directly related to CD. You will definitely appreciate it in a coach under 40’ with no tag.

Hawkeye · 11-19-2019, 06:13 PM

I think CD is more for marketing hype.

4B77 · 11-19-2019, 07:26 PM

Have had both set ups. CD on the straight axle and it was an amazing difference coming from a gasser. Now have IFS, CD and steer tag....absolutely fantastic. Coach drives like a dream.

cti2000 · 11-19-2019, 08:59 PM

In the past I've owned a Monaco Camelot with straight axle (38 ft), a Country Coach Aspire with IFS (36 ft.), a DSDP 4018 with IFS & CD and now a MADP 4018 IFS & CD. The Country Coach required the most steering wheel effort of the group. I think mainly because of the short wheel base. CD would have made a big difference.

The first day driving the Mountain Aire home, I drove 525 miles no problem. We don't usually drive that far in one day but nice to know we can. I will not buy another coach without CD.

R.Wold · 11-19-2019, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kountry 2SUM

Going to disagree with most of the previous posts. CD was my deal breaker after having two coaches with solid axles. Since to my knowledge you can’t get CD on anything but IFS spend the extra cash and get them both. There are units out there outside of the usual Trader sites that are deals. If I had been able to get my money together quicker we would have been able to buy a 2009 Essex with 35k miles out of a bank auction for $125K (it needed tires). There are credit unions and banks all over the place that have good solid units for pennies on the dollar. Our 2010 DS was bought at less than 1/2 of book with only 18k miles from a credit union. You WILL NOT be sorry you did what ever you need to do to get CD and IFS. My max mileage a day in the older coaches was 350, and closer to 200 in the wind. It is not uncommon for us to drive 500+ when we need to wind or no wind and it is directly related to CD. You will definitely appreciate it in a coach under 40’ with no tag.

All Ventana models after ‘08 have CD and they have been straight axle since they started building them on the Freightliner chassis (2011). I have a 30’ bay star now and put in a lot of 500+ miles days and it is brutal! 400-450 is survivable but not fun. So the next coach has to be a significant improvement. Ill drive a Ventana and see if air suspension and CD makes enough of a difference with a straight axle. A leaf spring straight axle (delivery truck) is clearly not meeting expectations. But the ideal would be IFS and CD.

Russ Potteng · 11-20-2019, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

I think CD is more for marketing hype.

I and others will strongly disagree with you

lostinfla · 11-20-2019, 04:44 AM

I have IFS and CD on the coach. Our last one had neither. If I had to choose, I'd go with the IFS. The CD is a nice option, but I rarely change the adjustment on it. To me it's more of a steering feel than an actual assist in driving.

Stuart W · 11-20-2019, 05:02 AM

For me it would be CD that I would choose. At least one comparison to a gasser Ford Chassis has been made, air suspension as found on the diesel is a must have for me. I will never go back to the beating of a leaf-spring sprung frontend. I would also not like giving up having a tag axle. A lot of variables to consider CD vs IFS are not the only things to look at, tire and frontend condition on a 13 year old motorhome could have a much larger effect on handling. Make sure to drive them all. Good luck

Tigerfan1 · 11-20-2019, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

I think CD is more for marketing hype.

Don’t agree. I had a 04 Dutch Star for 14 years. Within the first test drive of our new coach I could tell the difference. Not fighting cross winds or trucks passing. If I drove a 500 mile day in the old coach I was worn out, not so with cd.