Community Forums

prespoole39 · 04-23-2013, 04:16 PM

I would like to know the difference in the chassis ride etc for a 2007 40' Mandalay and a 2006 40' country coach!

**CLIFFTALL** · 04-23-2013, 04:21 PM

Welcome to IRV2.

Cliff

chuydog · 04-23-2013, 04:54 PM

Although can't really comment on a Mandaly, our '04 CC Inspire with the air suspension and independent front end rides very smoothly. You will probably have to drive each one and make the decision yourself

Have fun doing it.

Medico · 04-23-2013, 06:45 PM

Our 45 foot CC Magna rides like a dream. The tag makes a difference. Does the 40 foot CC you are looking at include a tag? Cannot comment on the Mandalay, sorry.

dons2346 · 04-23-2013, 09:23 PM

Seeing as how you are looking at a 40ft Mandalay, it looks like it is a Freightliner chassis with a 5.9 Cummins ISB motor.

Country Coaches are built on a DynoMax chassis and the smallest motor is an 8.3 ISC. Really hard to tell with just "Country Coach" as to what model you are talking about.

There really isn't any comparison, the CC will ride much better

michelb · 04-24-2013, 08:11 AM

Don't know too much about the Mandalays or Country Coach but we probably need more info to give better advice. I believe the 39' Mandalays Presidios (which are really 40') have ISCs, the 40' Mandalays (which are really 42') have ISLs.

Country Coach is a higher end manufacturer but depending on the model, it's possible that the Mandalay is kind of higher end.

Rich-n-Linda · 04-24-2013, 06:17 PM

We own a 2006 Mandalay 40E and we love it. The Mandalay does NOT have the little ISB engine. The standard engine is the 350 Cat with an exhaust brake, but most Mandalays were equipped with the optional engine which is the 400-horse Cummins ISL with a 2-stage Jake brake. There were very few changes between 2006 and 2007 models and the Freightliner chassis is identical.

As for the ride, we are very pleased with the way this coach rides and handles. It rides smoothly and is very stable in crosswind situations.

RV Wizard · 04-25-2013, 01:55 AM

If you also investigate into other differences; the choice will be easy.

pumper9x9 · 04-25-2013, 08:37 AM

Another major consideration is what are you going to use it for? It seems that the Mandalay are designed for snowbirding and the Country Coach in all models > 32' are designed for fulltiming. We have a 2002 CC 36' and are delighted with the design, quality of construction, and the ride (but I do need new shocks, that happens next month). If this is your first coach I would suggest that you go to rv.org and buy their product not only do they have a very nice rating system they have a lot of great information on rving and buying a coach. It will be the best money you spend on your coach. Good Luck and happy hunting.

smlranger · 04-25-2013, 08:50 AM

As a new CC owner and a former owner of a DP on a Freightliner chassis, I can certainly see dramatic differences in ride quality and handling between the two. I had a 2002 Journey on a FL chassis and I put every sort of handling improvement on it I could find; Koni FSD's, steering stabilizer, Henderson motion control units, and Supersteer bell crank. It drove very nice for a 36' coach.

I just traded for a CC 42' with tag so I realize it is not an apples-to-apples comparison. It is like driving a big Cadillac....smooth, quiet, rumbles over rough pavement where the FL would shake everything. So, if either coach has a tag, that would be my choice if everything else is satisfactory.

As to construction, the CC is built like a tank. After poking around under the beast, inside exterior compartments, engine bay, and in the cabinet work inside the coach, my impressions is that they built this thing to last a long, long time. We had to remove a TV to make some connections for our Direct TV receiver and even the cabinet work you cannot normally see is solidly built. It is impressive.