Quote:
Originally Posted by Don and Kim
Hello,
Looking at new coaches and the 40ih floorplan is about as perfect as we could hope for w/o going to a longer coach. Looking for comments regarding build quality, A/C performance in hot weather, how the Powerglide chassis performs, likes-dislikes overall w/the coach.
We were looking at Newmar and Entegra since owner's feel they're better insulated but haven't ruled out the Tiffin brand.
Don
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This is copied from a post on TRVN about five weeks ago with updates for our current status.
We took delivery of our new 40IH almost four months ago and have driven it for about 4300 miles so. We are currently into week four of a two month trip. The quality of the ride with the Powerglide chassis is outstanding compared to our Allegro RED on a Freightliner chassis. The independent front suspension is a vast improvement over the solid front axle both in ride quality and wind handling. I don't have to fight the steering as much with this one as the RED and it takes the bumps a lot smoother. Granted, it's not the same ride as a Prevost chassis with a tag axle, but it is an improvement over the Freightliner. The wheel cut is greater than the Freightliner since I can make a U-turn at an intersection that I could never make with the RED without backing up.
The 380hp ISL engine with the higher torque is also a big improvement over our 340hp RED. Going over the same routes we had traveled in the previous coach the ISL takes most of the hills without ever downshifting out of 6th gear. The RED would have to drop to 5th and sometimes 4th on the same hills. Fuel mileage is about what I expected, about 7.8mpg for now which will probably improve as it gets more broken in.
The three AC's work great and most of the time we only need two. We have been in 100+ degree weather on this trip with no problem keeping cool.
The storage bays are HUGE on the IH. When we were in Red Bay watching this one being built, I measured it compared to a Phaeton on a Freightliner chassis. The height of the bays from the floor to the chassis rails is 7-1/2" taller than the FL. The coach is 5" taller overall than the Freightliner Phaetons at 13'2", so be aware of that if clearance is an issue.
The new smart slides being used on all of the 40' Phaetons are a nice feature. In addition to a smooth, no frame look they are basically one piece of fiberglass with no seams to leak. Both front slides are hydraulic which work very smoothly and quiet compared to the DS gear motor slide in our RED. The bedroom slides are still Schwintek, but they seem to be the higher gear ratio motors because they move slower than our previous ones.
The flat floor all the way from front to the rear closet is great and when the slides are out it really gives an open feel. It may be the closest thing that Tiffin has to a full wall slide. On the passenger side, there is only about one foot between the front and bedroom slides making it open up all the way from the passenger seat to the rear closet. The master bathroom is huge, and the half bath is small but serviceable. The half bath has a lot more storage space than then half bath in our 38QRA RED.
Having the living area totally separate from the kitchen/dining area is a really workable layout. The 55" TV in a lift on the side is a nice feature since the main seating faces the TV directly. We special ordered ours with the fireplace/recliner below the TV and the double theater seating on the other side. There is no couch or bed in the front as we don't need that feature.
The HDMI splitter system they are installing in all of the new coaches is a vast improvement over the previous one. The new ones are powered directly from the 12v supply so they don't have to have the problematic converters. In addition, they produce practically no heat so there shouldn't be an issue like the past system.
One design flaw I have seen is the oil dipstick and filler tube in the rear. The Powerglide seems to have a wider radiator than the Freightliner causing the dipstick and filler tube to be moved to the right behind the rear cap. They can be accessed, but it's a pain to get to. They are using the same rear cap on all of the Phaetons and the Powerglide ones need a slightly different design, or the dipstick and filler tube need to be relocated. I contacted Tiffin and they have already introduced a design change, moving the power steering reservoir to the right of the dipstick. They will be sending a modified mounting bracket to me when we return home. New coaches should have the redesigned bracket.
We have only had a small handful of minor issues with it so far and nothing we can't live with until after we return from our trip.
About the only dislike I have are the windows. I love the way they look with the flush exterior, but they can be temperamental about opening/closing. The latches use a plastic pull to unlock and we have already broken two. The screens are not removable, except for the emergency escape window. Other than that, some things are different from our previous Allegro RED, but we are getting used to the changes.
That's all I can think of so far, but if you have an specific questions drop me a PM.