Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Class A Motorhome Discussions
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-19-2018, 07:26 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
AF Guy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 23
TPO Roof or Fiberglass Roof??

Good morning from a newbie! Looking at finally purchasing our first Class A. Question...fiberglass roof or TPO roof??? We have it narrowed down to Tiffin and Holiday Rambler. Tiffin has fiberglass roof and the Holiday Rambler has a TPO.

Any info and personal experience would be much appreciated.

Thank you!
AF Guy is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-19-2018, 07:43 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,513
Some people have strong feelings on the topic, in my experience it's irrelevant. Many more important considerations than roof material.

New or used? If used, then maintenance is everything. Speaking of the whole unit, not just the roof.

If new, then T and HR are not in the same league (IMO).
__________________
Newmar Ventana 4037, 2023.
Finance is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2018, 07:48 AM   #3
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 4,985
We have a TPO roof on our 10 year old FW and it has held up very good. For maint, we just power wash once a year with water only. The only down side is that TPO has a fabric backing on the under side and if it gets wet it will act like a wet rag and hold moisture. One of our slide outs did have a exposed TPO edge under the gutter that was not caulked which acted like a wick and resulted in rotting the slide plywood roof underlayment.
I can now add roofing replacement to my BTDT list.
grindstone01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2018, 08:23 AM   #4
Junior Member
 
AF Guy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by Finance View Post
Some people have strong feelings on the topic, in my experience it's irrelevant. Many more important considerations than roof material.

New or used? If used, then maintenance is everything. Speaking of the whole unit, not just the roof.

If new, then T and HR are not in the same league (IMO).


Can you explain? It would be new...heard great things about Tiffin...can’t find anything on Holiday Rambler.
AF Guy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2018, 07:50 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
NCC-1701A's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1,695
Quote:
Originally Posted by AF Guy View Post
...can’t find anything on Holiday Rambler.

How did you narrow it down to Tiffin vs Holiday Rambler if you cannot find anything on the latter? I must be misunderstanding because Holiday Rambler has a website and there's an owner's club for them right on IRV2.


I like a quality fiberglass roof because I have found them to be easier to keep clean and I feel they are less prone to potentially getting a hole poked in them if a low hanging branch scrapes across the top of the rig.



That said, of the several RV's I've had with TPO roofs, I never had problems.


Tiffin would be hard to beat. It would be my choice over HR.
__________________
"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning"
NCC-1701A is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2018, 09:06 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
brokenrule's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Vacaville, CA
Posts: 439
Vote for fiberglass and Tiffin.
__________________
2013 Tiffin Allegro 32CA 24K
1996 Itasca Suncruiser 29RQ, 7.4, P32
brokenrule is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2018, 05:12 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Winemaker2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,113
If you like the Tiffin take a look at some Newmars. 🤣
Not trying to start a P...ing contest but worth a look.
Newmars have either fiberglass or Britetek roofs and both report very good results.
I have had FG and wasn't sure when I picked up my current Ventana but have to say Britetek is not a typical "rubber roof" it has a different surface that seems to shed the dirt.
__________________
Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
Winemaker2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2018, 10:24 AM   #8
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Salisbury, Maryland
Posts: 51
AF, I think Finance was spot on... As a newbie looking for the least expensive/good coach I convinced myself a solid roof would be better. I failed to anticipate Winnebago's joints between roof and F/R caps could easily be corrupted by a lack of maintenance.

At least you will be in charge from the beginning. Good luck to you.

Jim
Wetstuff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2018, 02:50 PM   #9
Moderator Emeritus
 
Gary RVRoamer's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,519
I slightly prefer fiberglass, but have owned a TPO roof and it was excellent too. I would not let TPO vs fiberglass be a deciding factor if I liked one coach more than another for other reasons.


Few roof problems have to do with the material - it's the seams and openings that cause trouble and all roofs are the same in that regard.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
Gary RVRoamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2018, 07:21 PM   #10
Moderator Emeritus
 
barmcd's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 13,426
What year HR? I thought some of them had an aluminum roof.
__________________
Dennis and Katherine
2000 Monaco Dynasty
barmcd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2018, 07:02 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
dezolen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 961
Quote:
Originally Posted by barmcd View Post
What year HR? I thought some of them had an aluminum roof.
Not even in the same league. Tiffin wins hands down.
__________________
2013 Tiffin Allegro 36LA OPEN ROAD
2012 Honda CRV AWD toad
dezolen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2018, 09:00 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,345
Our old rig had TPO and it held up just fine for the 7 years we had it. It was under cover most of that time. Had one big tree limb fall on and put a hole in it but it was easily repairable.

I just read yesterday on here where preventative maintenance on TPO consisted of cleaning and treating it 4 times a year. Nope, I ain't wanting to get in that predicament.

We have fiberglass now and feel that it is better with regards to ongoing maintenance. Since ours is normally under cover, i've never felt the need to wax or use some other treatment. I do inspect seams and caulking at least once a year. Washing occurs about every three years or when I feel like it, whichever comes first. Of course, my maintenance schedule would be more rigorous if it was stored outside in the elements.
__________________
03 Itasca Sunova, Workhorse P32 with the 8.1 and 4L85-E
Mudfrog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2018, 06:59 PM   #13
Moderator Emeritus
 
barmcd's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 13,426
Quote:
Originally Posted by dezolen View Post
Not even in the same league. Tiffin wins hands down.
That's a matter of opinion and everyone has one.
__________________
Dennis and Katherine
2000 Monaco Dynasty
barmcd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2018, 04:56 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Winemaker2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,113
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer View Post
I slightly prefer fiberglass, but have owned a TPO roof and it was excellent too. I would not let TPO vs fiberglass be a deciding factor if I liked one coach more than another for other reasons.


Few roof problems have to do with the material - it's the seams and openings that cause trouble and all roofs are the same in that regard.
Absolutely agree w the last paragraph... in fact the only leak I've ever had was on a FG roof where the roof, side and front cap meet.
Harder to find the leak than repair it.
__________________
Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
Winemaker2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fiberglass, roof



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Installing Roof Rack on a Class C with a TPO roof rvaction2015 MH-General Discussions & Problems 3 05-08-2017 02:58 PM
Class C - TPO roof versus fiberglass and Boondocking? Rvlegaleagle Class C Motorhome Discussions 14 12-03-2016 08:24 PM
TPO vinyl roof better than EPDM rubber roof MPH Class C Motorhome Discussions 14 09-22-2014 05:44 PM
TPO vs Fiberglass Roofs good-bad-ugly waynesc Class A Motorhome Discussions 16 01-30-2014 07:27 PM
TPO roof - Washing myway2rv Class C Motorhome Discussions 5 04-21-2006 06:11 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.