Considering Purchase of New Discovery

[CentILRVer]

I am posting today in hopes of getting some honest feedback from past and present Fleetwood owners, and more specifically, owners of late model Discoverys. We are looking to buy in 3-5 months. Unlike salespeople who have a vested interest and a biased opinion. I want to hear the good and the bad from real owners.
My wife and I are a bit on the younger side (early 40s) and we have 3 younger children. The oldest being 11. We have never owned an RV before and had always planned to buy a coach in another 5 years. Then we started to think about all of the fun we could have as a family (and the fact that we can afford it) while the kids were younger and decided to buy now rather than later. It will primarily be used for short getaways every 3-5 weeks, a couple of 2 week vacations in July and December and one 1 week vacation in the summer.
We have narrowed it down to floorplans that have bunks and I do not want to go a tag axle. We really like the Discovery 40G with the U-shaped booth. We like the overall layout which seems to fit our needs. We also like the midship TV which is visible and usable when the slides are closed. My wife is very safety conscious and will not allow the front TV to be used while traveling (I am not saying this is a bad thing.) Overall, the kitchen reflects our kithcen at home and the living quarters "feel" like home.
I have specific questions regarding the full wall slide. Have the later models worked out all of the bugs. I find myself holding my breath every time the salesman slides that thing in and out. I want to hear about any experiences out there. Also, have there been any major issues with leaks? Additionally, since the restructuring, has Fleetwood stood by their products?
The other brand that we looked at pretty hard is the Tiffin Phaeton which has a brand new bunk model in the 40ft. You can NOT find a Tiffon owner to tell you that the company does not stand by their products. The problem is that the coach kind of feels like our living room at home vs the family room. We seldom use our liv room and like to hang out in our fam room. I am sure this dislike of the interior is an age thing. Also, the midship TV is hidden by wall slide in closed position. Since this is a brand new floorplan just coming off the line, I am not sure if I'll be able to wheel and deal as much with the Phaeton.
I have written enough now. I will wait for your comments and suggestions. Thanks-Ed

[ejm4]

I can't speak for the Fleetwood product, but you will be glad you bought an RV while the kids are young.

My wife & I are only in our early to mid 30's and bought our first motorhome this past October. We love it and the kids look forward to trips. Our children range in age from 7 to 18 months.

[Parkerrs]

I'm not familiar with the Fleetwood either. You will enjoy having it while the kids are still small though. If you are comparing with the Tiffin Phaeton, you should also take a look at Newmar's Ventanna for a little less expense and the Dutch Star for apples to apples with the Phaeton. They also have an impecable reputation for standing behind their product.

[jth camper]

We Bought a 2010 Discovery 40G in october 2010, other than some little things on our 1st trip, it's been a good purchase for us. We have used it 4 times and have put on around 6000 miles. We really like the floor plan, with 2 kids the bunk beds work out really good for us.

Should you buy a motorhome and when you do the walk around take notes, you'll need them later...wish I had.

[pcurt23]

I have a 2007 Bounder Diesel 38v with 25,000 miles and enjoy it very much. The problems have been very few. Generator failed very early in warranty. Had a plumbing leak that soaked the bedroom floor. And a wrinkled panel in the living room also replaced. Some problems I have caused myself ... like do not interrupt the leveling system while it is working, wait for it to complete it's cycle .. only bad things happen. Now that I know better, I will search until I find the circuit breaker or blown fuse. We get between 7 and 8 mpg. It is very quiet and travels well. Two things that I wished I had are electric side visors and side view cameras. The drivers side mirror is difficult to use under certain lighting conditions and the manual side visors are difficult to use. I am adding the side view cameras myself. I will put up with the visors until next year. This is our third unit and has been the best so far.

I also should have started camping earlier with the kids.

[Gary1965]

Ed, similar story, I have a 2010 Discovery 40G that we bought in April. I too had concerns over the wall slide, and in fact I went to purchase a Phaeton, we just fell in love with the Discovery floor plan. We too are in our 40s with 2 children and we just felt that the Discovery floor plan was more functional than any other we could find. Also, the front TV does not work while driving for the same safety concerns your wife had, but my wife and kids love watching the TV in the mid section, while I am driving. Couple of things to know, anytime you buy a new motorhome of this size, you will have some problems, no matter which brand you buy. Some say that it takes 10,000 miles to work out the bugs. It's like putting your home in a washing machine, you can't road test a motorhome in a factory. We were willing to be patient with this. Now for the wall slide, I too was a little apprehensive, and I did have a problem initially. The problem was fixed, and thankfully I have had no other issues with the wall slide. The wall slide has been out for several years and I am confident that initial issues are resolved. We have had a list of other minor things, but everything is warrantied. As for Fleetwood, they have been fantastic to me. Their service and willingness to "own" and fix all problems is impressive. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Feel free to ask more questions if you have any.

[CentILRVer]

Thanks to everybody who has commented so far. I particularly appreciate the two comments approving of making this purchase while the children are still young. Having a great time as a family and making memories is a big part of this decision.

jth camper and Gary1965: Could either one of you give me some detailed comments on the ride quality of this coach please. Also, if you happened to test drive other coaches before making your purchase, I would appreciate those comments too. Like you said Gary- it is the floorplan that keeps us coming back to the 40G (Discovery). Also, would like to hear what kind of mpg you guys have been experiencing- although the 2011 has a different motor. Lastly, do you have any comments on your 2 AC units being enough to do the job. I am noticing that the 2011 mostly have 3 AC units.

For those of you that commented on Tiffin. I agree with you- I have not found one person to say anything bad about the way Mr Tiffin stands by his products. The quality might even be a notch higher, but the interior just feels a bit more "elegant" than what we want to "hangout" in. I'm not sure if I am describing that accurately, it's hard to articulate. I am telling myself that my service issues shouldn't be too much of a concern since I am only 4.5 hours away from Decatur, IN.

Keep 'em coming- I am listening. Thanks!!

[Elkhartjim]

In my opinion the floor plan is the most important issue.

Regarding the roof airs, depending on your travels 2 a/c's could be adequate. My 38ft with two a/c's and traveling in 100+ heat in Texas can be a stretch sometimes so you'll definitely be looking for a shade tree.

MPG will vary all over the place depending on how you drive, where you drive and what you tow. Last summer I averaged 9.4 mpg on a 4200 mile trip from Texas up to the east coast and back (of course). I try to drive @ 1800 rpms (62 mph) and pull a Toyota Avalon with a dolly. Your results may be totally different if you choose to drive 72 mph and tow a Suburban.

Just remember, you will spend much more time living (hanging out) with the floor plan than driving so make sure whatever you choose is the favorite and workable floor plan for your family.

Good luck, take your time and enjoy selecting the best motorhome that fits your needs.

[Gary1965]

I like the ride of my Discovery. I had two previous gas RVs (35 ft), and I love the diesel ride! I did not test drive the Tiffin. I think the Tiffin product is great,I just felt the Phaeton wad designed more for the retired couple vs a younger couple. I would agree with the others that floor plan should be your #1 pick, because that is what you live in. As for air, my two air-conditioners are fine. However, we live on Wisconsin. We usually go to Florida once or twice a year, but it is in the winter, and not real hot. In the summer, we are usually in the Midwest, or out west in Colorado. Either way, I have not spent time in heat that would negate the effectiveness of only 2 air-conditioners.... Gary

[Tom-NC]

Hi,

Welcome to IRV2 and I hope the information you find here is helpful.

I don't want to throw a monkey wrench into your plans but have you ever driven a motorhome or bus that is 40' long? Do you know about the maintenance costs on a Diesel Pusher? Have you ever rented a motorhome before?

When I started out Rving back in 1989 I strated out with a used 24' Class C to see how the Rving lifestyle is even though just for weekends and vacations. Seeing that we liked it and put 90,000 miles on it we graduated to a 31" Class C and from there it was on to our present Rv which is a 33' Class A. When we first started out we didn't need to tow a vehicle as Rv was only 24' and could go anyplace, however as I got bigger I wanted to tow which entails a lot of other considerations. THe reason you tow as once you get to a campground you sdon't want to unhook and re hook everytim you go someplace plus with a big rig you can't go everyplace. In fact a lot of state parks have restrictions on length of RV's.

Now with me when we started out I was already driving a charter bus and had a cdl license so driving whatever was no problem and as far as I know you may be that way too. All I am saying, looking at motorhomes and deciding on floor plans is great but can you handle everything that comes along with it?

This is just a little food for thought and I am not telling you what to do or not too but just think about what I have written.

As far as motorhome manufacturers go Fleetwood is fine, although I am a Winnebago person, as is Tiffin. From time to time there will be problems as the RV is mobile and things break down from time to time. I would suggest a Class C motorhome to start off with though and your children will definitely like the bunk above the driver's area or even a smaller Class A.

I want to wish you good luck on your choice but think it out and drive one before you make your choice. Enjoy

[Purplefans & Harvey]

Hi! Welcome to the best forum! We started 5 years ago, when the kids were 5 and 7! It's AWESOME!!!! Great Family Time! Even if we just set up the camper in the driveway. Upgraded this march from Class C to Class A. Fleetwoods' both. Loved the first one. So far so good with the second one. Loved the Newmar's look also, especially with the side cameras. We also took into consideration where repairs could be made, because we don't have many RV places around us. And when we did the walk through, I brought 2 permanent markers (black and silver), and actually wrote stuff right on the RV. Why not? Black Grey. This end up. This first. DO NOT TOUCH. Whatever works for you to remember!

[donstockton]

I have a 2004 Discovery 39S. I bought it new. I had a few issues in the first year, but warranty took care of them and I am pleased. Fleetwood has been great in answering my questions and helping me understand my motorhome. I think that the Discovery is the best value for the Dollar. It is not fancy, but very functional. I have 66,000 miles on mine and it drives as good as the day I bought it. Be prepared for the maintenance expense. What ever you buy, be sure to call the factory and get Coach and Chassis wiring diagrams. And get a plumbing diagram. If you ever have a problem in the boonies, these will help the mechanic and save time. Also be sure to get an extended warranty. You can not go wrong with Good Sam, but there are other good ones around. Be sure to get RV insurance. Again Good Sam is good, but there are others too. As for compare of Phaeton and Discovery ride, they are the same. I have driven both. They are both built on Freightliner XC chassis. I have averaged 8.2 MPG pulling a minivan since new. I drive at 60. One last thing, If you buy the Discovery, join the Discovery Owners Assn. Then go the rally that they will hold at Lazydays in Florida. You will learn much valuable info there. Also there you can take a driving course which is great. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Don