Community Forums

Bagman57 · 05-16-2008, 12:37 AM

I ask this question for a very good reason. Tiffin has pretty much ignored this innovative (gas) chassis and they (Tiffin) is not immune to the much higher cost of gas and diesel fuel and have cut production and have laid off employees just like all the other motor home manufacturers. They have done an excellent job marketing the Freightliner "FRED" and I think we can all agree that the "UFO" is a vastly superior chassis when compared side by side with the "FRED". With Tiffin's excellent reputation and some good floor plans found on the Allegro Bay models, wouldn't you think they would be equally successful selling the Allegro Bay with the "UFO" being an optional chassis. I know this member sure would be interested. Would you? Chuck/bagman57

Bagman57 · 05-16-2008, 12:37 AM

I ask this question for a very good reason. Tiffin has pretty much ignored this innovative (gas) chassis and they (Tiffin) is not immune to the much higher cost of gas and diesel fuel and have cut production and have laid off employees just like all the other motor home manufacturers. They have done an excellent job marketing the Freightliner "FRED" and I think we can all agree that the "UFO" is a vastly superior chassis when compared side by side with the "FRED". With Tiffin's excellent reputation and some good floor plans found on the Allegro Bay models, wouldn't you think they would be equally successful selling the Allegro Bay with the "UFO" being an optional chassis. I know this member sure would be interested. Would you? Chuck/bagman57

tom112 · 05-16-2008, 02:39 AM

I would be interested for sure. Actually I have called Tiffin and asked if they had any plans to build on the UFO. Answer "was not at this time".
tom

myway2rv · 05-16-2008, 02:45 AM

Last year, we were considering making a move to a DP, and in my tunnel vision, the UFO, gas option was a non-starter. However, now that we have experienced these extraordinary fuel prices and the economic slowdown, I can say that yes, the UFO gasser may well be a good option for us. And yes, I would love to see Tiffin offer a UFO.
But, if I were a Tiffin product planner, I probably would have a "wait and see" attitude.
My very humble opinion: This time next year, RV buyers will have fewer choices rather than more. RV manufacturers are going to be slashing costs and introducing new models will be less important to them than cutting costs to the bare bone.

paz · 05-16-2008, 03:05 AM

I would be interested in a Tiffin UFO in a heartbeat if I were in the market for a new coach. We like our Allegro Bay so much we would be hard pressed to buy anything other than a Tiffin product. I always thought a Phaeton would be our next move if we could possibly afford it, but with the price of diesel rising twice as fast as gas and after having driven a UFO last January at the Tampa show, I would definitely be interested in a Tiffin UFO.

Tiffin is pretty heavily invested in the FRED and they have already taken a "wait and see" attitude regarding the UFO. As myway2rv says, this "wait and see" attitude will probably continue for the foreseeable future because of the current economic situation and the industry-wide drop in motorhome sales.

Bagman57 · 05-16-2008, 04:57 AM

PAZ, we also have a Tiffin Allegro Bay 37DB, but it is a 2004 model on the W-22 chassis. I also thought our next MH would be a Phaeton, but that 38' Allegro Bay with the 3 slides w/opposing sofas built on the 26,000 lb. "UFO" would be ideal for us! I'm seriously thinking about writing Mr. Bob Tiffin a letter to voice my opinion, but I don't know what good it would do! Chuck/Bagman57.

edgray · 05-16-2008, 05:55 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'm seriously thinking about writing Mr. Bob Tiffin a letter to voice my opinion, but I don't know what good it would do! Chuck/Bagman57. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
IMO, that is exactly the kind of feedback Mr. Tiffin WANTS. Several years ago we drove up to a Baton Rouge dealership just to meet him. WOW, what a nice man. He was friendly, without false pretense. He took out pencil and paper and took notes when we replied to his questions about what we liked about our Newmar. He specifically asked what we wanted in our next coach.

You are correct about Tiffin's involvement with FRED, and they have done a great job with it. It does appear to give "better" MPG, but I'm not convinced the additional costs related to fuel and maintanence can ever be recouped by the average RVer with a few more miles per gallon. I'm looking for the advantages that a rear GAS chassis provides, and really don't care id WCC ever comes out with a diesel UFO.

FYI, another interested person you may want to write to at Tiffin is Danny Inman, and don't forget the Allegro Club President Jimmie Johnson-not the race car driver

You may want to ask them to reconsider their apparent dropping of the 37DB floorplan, too. That is still our "choice". ED

Bagman57 · 05-16-2008, 06:12 AM

Ed, when Tiffin came out with the 37DB floor plan on the Allegro Bay, it immediately took 55% of all Allegro Bays sales. Then during the time after that, Tiffin introduced other floor plans with 3 and 4 slides as well as larger shower enclosures. Our plan right now is to replace our present shocks with a new set of Koni FSD shocks, switch the origial ATF to Allison TranSynd synthetic, and yank out the 30" corner shower enclosure and replace it with a 33.5" semi-circular shower enclosure. Next year I want to swap out my steel wheels and ss wheel liners for a nice set of Alcoa aluminum nwheels. We already have the "Select Comfort" mattress and full Banks Power Pack! Yes Ed, the 37DB is a very livable floor plan and it will be even better when I get the new shower. Regards, Chuck/Bagman57.

max49 · 05-16-2008, 07:40 PM

If you sent Tiffin a 50% deposit, they'd probably buy a UFO chassis from WH and put an Allegro Bay box on it .
Obviously they are skeptical about people who just say they will buy it if they build it.
Cash will buy any thing.

edgray · 05-17-2008, 03:27 AM

MAX: If it really was that simple, I would have already done so. Those of us NOT involved with the manufacturing of MH have no idea what all they have to go thru to meet regulations. For example, I was told by Newmar that EVERY floorplan has to be submitted to each STATE for approval of its plumbing and electrical system design.

Another reason a box builder cannot simply drop any design they may have onto any chassis they may have available is all the "integration" issues surrounding the placement of supports, tanks, etc. Since ALL the Bays are front engine, putting one on ANY rear engine chassis will require some re-engineering work. Perhaps your final statement should have read "Cash will buy anything-IF you have enough cash"

ED

rebelsbeach · 05-17-2008, 03:50 AM

Tiffin (and Newmar) had originally taken a "wait and see" attitude regarding the introduction of the UFO, then the economy crashed and put everyone in a tailspin....

With manufacturing and sales numbers down and fuel costs rising, it's understandable that manufacturers are being cautious.

I guess we'll all have to "wait and see" now.

Tom N · 05-17-2008, 04:07 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rebelsbeach:
Tiffin (and Newmar) had originally taken a "wait and see" attitude regarding the introduction of the UFO, then the economy crashed and put everyone in a tailspin....

With manufacturing and sales numbers down and fuel costs rising, it's understandable that manufacturers are being cautious.

I guess we'll all have to "wait and see" now.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, you don't have to "wait and see".

Winnebago and Monaco chose to campaign the gas UFO.

Tiffin and Newmar chose to campaign the Freightliner FRED.

Which ones has been more successful??

-Tom

Nonno · 05-17-2008, 05:03 AM

Last year I met Bob Tiffin at the Spingfield, MA RV Show and asked if they were going to use the UFO. They had no intention to use it at that time.
Like I've heard other salesmen say when giving reasons why they are not sold on the UFO, he mentioned his concern for the cooling aspect of a rear gasser. I know that is a throw back to the rear gasser of years ago but I don't have the technical expertise to get into a technical debate. I gather the "wait and see" is really a wait and see if the UFO performs as advertised.

Cruzer · 05-17-2008, 06:45 AM

Chuck's original post was "Would you buy a Tiffin UFO". When I upgraded from my 2003 Suncruiser I went right to a 40' Allegro Bus, so that really doesn't apply.

However, if I were to turn the clock back and upgrade from my 33' Suncruiser with a more limited budget I'd look really hard at a 37' Allegro Bay. My biggest choice would be which chassis. At the moment I'd lean heavily toward the FRED. The FRED is a substantial upcharge over the gas chassis so I'd probably have to drive it quite a few miles before I'd ever see a benefit financially. However, gas and diesel fuel keep going up and in a few years having a coach that gets those extra miles per gallon of fuel efficiency might make the difference. But, my main reason for buying it would be for the increased cruising range that the improved fuel economy brings as well as the extra torque that the Cummins has to offer. Overall the FRED would be a more enjoyable ride.

Personally I don't know that I'd go for a UFO. The UFO also would have a fair upcharge over a basic gasoline puller chassis. Unfortunately, it doesn't give you the benefits of the diesel engine. You do get a rear engine design so it's quieter but you don't get the benefits of an air-ride suspension system or a pass through basement storage of a diesel pusher. Granted, it's not in the price league of a diesel pusher either but I'm not sure that there's enough features there to warrant the upcharge for me. Although, that's hard to tell because there is no pricing available for something that doesn't yet exist.

Were there a diesel engined version of the UFO I'd have to consider it but my biggest fear there would be that the price would get too close to a Phaeton to make it a feasible choice. For the extra bucks I could get a Phaeton with air-ride suspension, air brakes, and pass through basement storage.

All in all I'd have to say that the success of the UFO is going to depend on how much more it will cost over a gas engined puller. There's no doubt that rear engine is more favorable than a front engine design but in that market segment coist is a major factor. If the upcharge is substantial, you won't see that many buyers opting for a UFO. They'll either jump to a DP if they can afford it or stay with a puller.