Tiffin Phaeton buyer considering 2012 Ventana?

[bigdomino]

Have been considering buying a 42 foot 2012 Phaeton. Saw a new Ventana the other day with a full wall slide and was impressed with the space. It is a nice looking couch. Seems like it might have some things the Tiffin does not. The Phaeton would have a tag axle and the 400 isl engine. How comparable do you think these two are? Is the support by the factory as good as you get from Bob Tiffin in Red Bay?

I posted a message like this in another section of the forum. Just looking for Newmar owners for their opinions.

Thanks in advance. Steve

[bigdomino]

Another question. Is resale as good as a Tiffin? What about buying a Newmar, can you get a good discount?

We are full timers and the couch is our house. Quality, space and reliability are key. Currently have a 2008 Monaco Knight 38 footer with 4 slides.

Steve

[okgc]

We seriously considered buying a Newmar last year when we bought our Tiffin. After 12 years of maintaining the rubber roof of our Fleetwood Bounder I could not convince myself that a Newmar Ventana BriteTEK™ Roof was that much better.

We went with the fiberglass roofed Tiffin.

[GaryKD]

Hi bigdomino,

I think your other thread on this subject and post #6, in that thread just about says it all.

As to the roof, my roof is Brite-Tek and has been through tornado's and hail storms. One so bad the storm destroyed both roof top heat pump covers. Today the roof is without a scratch and looks new. I clean it 2 times a year.

[edgray]

our 2003 Newmar had the Brite-Tek roof. It never was a problem for 7 years and 98,000 miles, even when a tree limb slide along on it (brown streak-no puncture) until the limb hit, and bent, the metal fridge vent.

Our current (sig) coach has a fiberglas roof and I can't believe how NOISY it is when even the slighest rain is falling. In a downpour you can't hear the TV.

Given my experience with both, I prefer the Brite-Tek's soft muting of the sound.

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgray our 2003 Newmar had the Brite-Tek roof. It never was a problem for 7 years and 98,000 miles, even when a tree limb slide along on it (brown streak-no puncture) until the limb hit, and bent, the metal fridge vent. Our current (sig) coach has a fiberglas roof and I can't believe how NOISY it is when even the slighest rain is falling. In a downpour you can't hear the TV. Given my experience with both, I prefer the Brite-Tek's soft muting of the sound.

In our 2002 DSDP we can barely hear the rain unless it's a real downpour. We have the BriteTek roof along with optional roof insulation. The roof insulation package was a little known option in 2002.

[Dav5942]

Quote:

Originally Posted by okgc We seriously considered buying a Newmar last year when we bought our Tiffin. After 12 years of maintaining the rubber roof of our Fleetwood Bounder I could not convince myself that a Newmar Ventana BriteTEK™ Roof was that much better. We went with the fiberglass roofed Tiffin.

Big mistatke, will take the BriteTEK over fiberglas any day!

One of the biggest advantage of buying a Newmar is the ability to make changes/additions/deletions/specials-we made over 30 when ordering our coach(discounts were the same on ordering a coach as buying off a lot).

[bigdomino]

I want to ask another question. I noticed that the new Journey is the same price and has a 42 footer with a full slide. It appears the Phaeton, Ventana and Journey are al,oat identical in price and size etc. what do you think of the Journey as an alternative?

Steve

[GaryKD]

Hi bigdomino,
I've had a Winnebago (not a Journey). Now I have Newmar. I will not go back to Winnebago. I found the dealers and the company too clinical and antiseptic when working with me. All I ever got was the standard answer in a pre written script. Lastly, you'll never sit down with Winnebago executives. With Newmar, the executives and owner are easily available to talk, eat or just share experiences. For me, with Newmar, they have made me feel like part of a family.

[akadeadeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD Hi bigdomino, I've had a Winnebago (not a Journey). Now I have Newmar. I will not go back to Winnebago. I found the dealers and the company too clinical and antiseptic when working with me. All I ever got was the standard answer in a pre written script. Lastly, you'll never sit down with Winnebago executives. With Newmar, the executives and owner are easily available to talk, eat or just share experiences. For me, with Newmar, they have made me feel like part of a family.

Ditto that. I have no experience with Tiffin although Bob Tiffin has an excellent reputation.

I do have experience with the Newmar people including customer service over the phone and email, service techs at the factory itself, and personally talking with Mahlon Miller, the owner of Newmar, while at the factory (who by the way owns a Dutch Star). He is a very unpretentious unassuming gentleman who is most responsive to your questions. Prior to a factory tour they have an orientation. There were about 12 people there like us mingling and talking before the orientation started. One of them, unbeknown to us at the time, was Mr. Miller, mingling around and hearing what people were saying and soaking it all in.

We have had an exceptionally good experience with Newmar and all the people we have come in contact with. As GaryKD said, they make you feel like part of a family.

Good luck on your choice.

Don

[Deek]

Ditto -- and well said, Deadeye and Gary!

Deek

[dougburi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dav5942 Big mistatke, will take the BriteTEK over fiberglas any day! One of the biggest advantage of buying a Newmar is the ability to make changes/additions/deletions/specials-we made over 30 when ordering our coach(discounts were the same on ordering a coach as buying off a lot).

I agree totally with this: BriteTEK is the best. Fiberglass weights more, costs more, and is loud when it rains, etc. (I welcome a rebuttal from fiberglass fans?)

Newmar and Tiffin are head to head competitors; price, quality, service, etc. Newmar gets ahead when it comes to the ability to make changes, additions, specials. It can be almost "custom" without the high price. We ordered a Dutch Aire and made dozens of changes - some minor, some major; all of which were done well and at a reasonable cost.

[saydiver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougburi I agree totally with this: BriteTEK is the best. Fiberglass weights more, costs more, and is loud when it rains, etc. (I welcome a rebuttal from fiberglass fans?) Newmar and Tiffin are head to head competitors; price, quality, service, etc. Newmar gets ahead when it comes to the ability to make changes, additions, specials. It can be almost "custom" without the high price. We ordered a Dutch Aire and made dozens of changes - some minor, some major; all of which were done well and at a reasonable cost.

Here's a rebuttal.......

I can hear the rain hitting the Fantastic fans and the skylight, but not the fiberglass roof on our 2008 Newmar King Aire.

Sue

[hellojohnny]

Steve,

Visit the "tiffinnetwork.com" site and do a search for roof radius cracks, rotting floors and floors sagging under holding tanks etc, etc ,etc......

Tiffin presently has some serious problems that other manufacturers do not. Never mind their engineering flaws I found their general quality to be very poor. They spend their money where you see it not where you don't.

Adam