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Old 10-13-2019, 08:16 PM   #1
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New Horizon quality compared to others

Current Montana owner here but looking at New Horizons and others. We have gone full time unexpectedly early (finishing my career in the oilfield). Have the money and the reason to upgrade. Full timing really changes your perspective on what is important!!

The question to all of you who have owned other brands is how does your New Horizon stack up against other brands?

For those of you who have had true customs built by New Horizons: What was that experience like? Would we be better to select a true custom builder like Spacecraft rather than a hybrid conventional/custom builder?
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Old 10-14-2019, 01:12 AM   #2
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New Horizons is a true full custom builder, probably more-so than Spacecraft.

There is no comparison between New Horizons and most other brands in terms of quality. New Horizons is quite simply the best there is. Of course quality comes at a price, but you get what you pay for.

Definitely set up a meeting with Cole or Drew. They will give you a tour of the factory and you can see for yourself the quality of construction and what they are capable of building for you.

Be sure to do your research and put lots of thought into what you want and don't want in your RV. That way it will be exactly what you want and need.
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Old 10-14-2019, 04:01 AM   #3
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New Horizons is a very quality custom builder, I agree. And for the price point it is the manufacturer I would buy from myself.

But Spacecraft takes you to a new level of size and capabilities.
From the semi trailer size, shape and strenth on up.
Think simi tractor to pull a Spacecraft,
not always a dually pickup for a New Horizon.

I think the fit and finish may be the same.

But in NO WAY Can you compare the weight and custom build, from the frame up of a Spacecraft to a New Horizon 5ver.

My family is from Kansas and Missouri and I have visited both plants.

Both are the best of the best.
But its Apples and Oranges to even compare the two.

If your serious about comparing???
Start out by looking at total weight of the frame alone.
Then the total weight of the frame with tires and wheel's.

Spacecraft will most always be double or triple the weight than any other 5ver.

Yes, I personally would buy a New Horizon.
I cant afford a new Prevost class A nor a new Spacecraft and the semi tractor to pull it.

I can afford A dual purpose $80,000 dually diesel pickup that is required to pull a very nice New Horizon 5ver. Thats my reality.

Where the price on most New Horizons
Tops out. Is where the pricing for Designing and building a top end Spacecraft starts.

Apples to Oranges

95 percent of campers have not seen many New Horizons.

Most have never seen nor recognized a Spacecraft Trailer.

I saw one this summer.
Heading back to Texas from the Mid Ohio race track.
I see them in the Knoxville area now and then.

There are several in the Everglades Florida
Area South of Marco Island and Naples wintering annually.

Many in Texas, Oklahoma Oil field executives field offices. Alongside new Prevost 's
Out on sites.
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Old 10-14-2019, 07:13 AM   #4
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We came from the Class A side of things but did tour a few plants and looked at all of the major brands before going with a New Horizon. (well not Spacecraft, above our pay grade and to heavy for us"
Great people to deal with, "almost" fully custom but they won't let you do something stupid in a design that just won't work in the long run so they do know the word no LOL!! Or in our case " we will do that but we won't cover that feature in a warranty".
Will you find bugs after you pick up a NH, well sure you will as you will in ANY brand of RV you purchase, even a Spacecraft or Marathon bus but for me the key was having a sound rig after those bugs are worked through and that's what I think we have.
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Old 10-14-2019, 07:18 PM   #5
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Thanks for the responses.
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Old 02-22-2020, 06:02 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HJLowell View Post
New Horizons is a very quality custom builder, I agree. And for the price point it is the manufacturer I would buy from myself.

But Spacecraft takes you to a new level of size and capabilities.
From the semi trailer size, shape and strenth on up.
Think simi tractor to pull a Spacecraft,
not always a dually pickup for a New Horizon.

I think the fit and finish may be the same.

But in NO WAY Can you compare the weight and custom build, from the frame up of a Spacecraft to a New Horizon 5ver.

My family is from Kansas and Missouri and I have visited both plants.

Both are the best of the best.
But its Apples and Oranges to even compare the two.

If your serious about comparing???
Start out by looking at total weight of the frame alone.
Then the total weight of the frame with tires and wheel's.

Spacecraft will most always be double or triple the weight than any other 5ver.

Yes, I personally would buy a New Horizon.
I cant afford a new Prevost class A nor a new Spacecraft and the semi tractor to pull it.

I can afford A dual purpose $80,000 dually diesel pickup that is required to pull a very nice New Horizon 5ver. Thats my reality.

Where the price on most New Horizons
Tops out. Is where the pricing for Designing and building a top end Spacecraft starts.

Apples to Oranges

95 percent of campers have not seen many New Horizons.

Most have never seen nor recognized a Spacecraft Trailer.

I saw one this summer.
Heading back to Texas from the Mid Ohio race track.
I see them in the Knoxville area now and then.

There are several in the Everglades Florida
Area South of Marco Island and Naples wintering annually.

Many in Texas, Oklahoma Oil field executives field offices. Alongside new Prevost 's
Out on sites.

I find this very untrue. I am parked next to a Spacecraft trailer that was pulled into the park by a 2018 F350 dually. He had no problems with it pulling it from Colorado to the coast of Texas. I also looked at the exterior finish and the fiberglass is all wavy. My 2016 BayHill has much smoother fiberglass than the Spacecraft. I think you need glasses.
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Old 02-23-2020, 01:17 AM   #7
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Well schrod

If you re read my post carefully and digest what I specifically said.
You would know if you were parked next to a 57 ft. Custom Space Craft semi trailer home weighing 40,000 lbs with a 12 thousand # toung weight loaded to travel.
22.5 inch dual wheals on triple axles.

Compaired to your 17.5 inch wheels. For example. Or the trailer parked next to you.

There are fivers , toy haulers called spaceraft that you can pull with a 3500
But they weigh under 20,000 #s and sell new for under $50,000
A Very Differend Animal.
Like you described, Trailer.

Like I stated clearly
If I wanted a fiver ???
I would build a nice New Horizon.
In the $150, to $200,000 Range for my comfort.

To get into the custom full time living Space Craft Custom built semi trailer and tractor to pull it your talking Big $$$$s

Nobody but Anderson in California can deliver.
And Anderson may be gone ? Now.
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Old 02-23-2020, 11:02 AM   #8
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Mtlakejim -

You asked for previous experiences, so let me quickly share some:

Our first fifth wheel was 2010 Keystone Alpine. I won't even start to list the problems and bugs in that unit! But, the last straw was when the bed fell off the slide - the bed stayed in the middle of the bedroom and the slide went out at an angle! If you are a member of the Keystone Forum, my winterizing posts are still stickied on the Modifications Section.

We traded that for a (pre-Thor) 2013 DRV Elite Suites with some custom features. It was a very nice unit and provided us with many miles of comfortable full-time living. (We started our full-time in May 2013.) As we still snow ski, we spend part of the winter in Pagosa Springs, CO. Coldest night in our DRV was -17F, and we were warm and cozy. As far as heat, we had several days in Texas that it reached 105F with no shade. The number one problem with the DRV was the hung wall construction. As it bumps down the road, the #8 screws that hold the outside structure work their way back and forth and literally drill out their grip in the aluminum studs. When the DRV was about 3 years old, I was going around the outside twice a year replacing #8 screws with #10. Then the following checks and years, the #10 screws were replaced with #12, then #14, and finally, I had about a dozen 1/4" screws securing the front and rear cap and one slide frame. And, from what I have heard and seen, I wouldn't even touch a Thor DRV!

Our present unit is a 2018 New Horizons Majestic. We love it! When we ordered our unit, we spent two weeks in Junction City to assure we had everything we wanted. In total and to be brief, our New Horizons experience has been excellent! Yes, we have had some problems, but New Horizons always steps up. Last year, in Pagosa Springs, we had a -9F night during a six day period that dropped 52" snow on the campground. Look at the picture at the bottom of the New Horizons Majestic webpage - that's us on day 4. I could drone on, but what about this:

I too worked in the oil industry for 41 years, some in New Mexico. (And, my Thesis area was this little place named Chaco Canyon!) I am also the rally master for the next New Horizons Owners Group rally. If you look at the top sticky post of this forum, you will find some information on this rally. You are not far from our rally location: Creede, Colorado! Sept. 7-11. (Plus, we will be spending most of the summer in Creede preparing for the rally starting May 1.) I would like to invite you to the rally as a "wannabe". At this time, we will have one of the Hershey RV Show models at the rally on Sept. 7 with a mini-split, etc. We will have an Open House of Owners on two afternoons. We will have various talks from owners, vendors, and local societies. It will be great fun, and would be very interesting for you, I believe. Plus, we have two other "wannabes" who will be attending also! Send me a Private Message with your email address and information, and I will send you more information about the NHOG Rally.

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully meeting you at the rally!

Just my two cents,
Ron
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Old 02-23-2020, 03:30 PM   #9
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One thing that is very characteristic about a NH owner: They are very pleased and rightfully proud of their rigs.
I was able to do a walk through of a NH Ambassador's 2020 Summit; he was so pleased to show off how good things were. And at the same time was wholly honest about some disappointments. The worst disappointment was the lack of aligning the MorRyde suspension systems - had to replace all of the tires after a major trip. But the other side of that story, NH stood behind the problem and paid for the repairs. Hence he remains a very happy NH camper.
You need to check out the Ambassador availability and get a walk through that way as well as a factory tour. Just my 13 cents.
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Old 02-24-2020, 09:59 AM   #10
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The worst disappointment was the lack of aligning the MorRyde suspension systems - had to replace all of the tires after a major trip. But the other side of that story, NH stood behind the problem and paid for the repairs.
Just to finish the alignment story: The Independent Suspension axles are supposed to be pre-aligned at MorRyde such that they can just be welded onto the unit ready to roll. That didn't always happen. To make sure it doesn't happen again, NH have purchased their own alignment machine so that every unit can be verified before leaving the factory. That's the way they do things at New Horizons!
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Old 02-25-2020, 06:23 AM   #11
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Just to finish the alignment story: The Independent Suspension axles are supposed to be pre-aligned at MorRyde such that they can just be welded onto the unit ready to roll. That didn't always happen. To make sure it doesn't happen again, NH have purchased their own alignment machine so that every unit can be verified before leaving the factory. That's the way they do things at New Horizons!
I agree that New Horizon made a step in the right direction by getting the alignment machine but after NH said my alignment was within specs and after only 3200 miles on the road we ate up 2 tires and certainly took some life away from the other 4. After having the alignment checked at Henderson in Grants Pass Oregon we found that not 1 single wheel position was within spec in camber or toe and also after I personally called Moryde found out that they DO NOT pre-align the axles for anyone and said there is no way they can. So pay attention to your tires and don't just think things are all warm and fuzzy.
For the record NH DID stand tall and take care of our situation.
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Old 02-27-2020, 11:07 AM   #12
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I agree that New Horizon made a step in the right direction by getting the alignment machine but after NH said my alignment was within specs and after only 3200 miles on the road we ate up 2 tires and certainly took some life away from the other 4. After having the alignment checked at Henderson in Grants Pass Oregon we found that not 1 single wheel position was within spec in camber or toe and also after I personally called Moryde found out that they DO NOT pre-align the axles for anyone and said there is no way they can. So pay attention to your tires and don't just think things are all warm and fuzzy.
For the record NH DID stand tall and take care of our situation.
For the record, I second all that Dave has written here. My suspension was so out of spec on my trip to and from Alaska last summer that I had to have all 4 tires replaced. Toe and camber are the issue and MorRyde does NOT prealign! My advice to everyone getting the IS is to have their toe and camber alignment checked soon after they pick up their unit. It will save you tire wear, consequently unnecessary vibration as you travel down the highway, and may save NH a bundle on reimbursement. NH did come through with my tire replacement and alignment costs. Bottom line, front to rear alignment by itself is not enough.
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Old 03-06-2020, 09:13 PM   #13
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I find that NH is good on quality in that I'm back to where I was in my Class A Newmar and find sitting at camp great and homey with travelers and pups. That said while good quality, attention to detail is missing on occasion. Ken in service is good in trying to get things fixed up but sometimes one has to just go Hmmmm how'd they do that. Much was found and fixed on p[ickup. However some things poip up as surprises. Such as having to crawl underneath to c heck one thing and suddenly seeing that there are no bolts on the bottom studs of the IS and the top bolts aren't secured. Likely actually a MOrryde problem since the assemblies are shipped in fully assembled IAW Ken and Morryde. However, one would think that when assembling the suspension onto the frame it might click that something looked different :-)
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