2013 Cornerstone vs 2016 Anthem

[lincoln20]

I've been reading a lot of the posts about an Anthem vs the Cornerstone. And I think Mark hit it on the head, you have to do what's right for you. If you don't do that, then sometimes your reasoning of why you went with your decision seems less valid and more of a justification or you trying to convince yourself of your decision.

The argument of whether the money is worth it or not becomes a little redundant. Don't get me wrong, I've read through a lot of these posts and it's helped me make up my own buying decision.

I just think what some consider excessive in one area may not be for some. It's impossible to use someone else's level of importance for your own.

Most people that see the car I drive will say negative comments and how they wouldn't spend that kind of money. The car enthusiasts that understand my passion for sports cars, have no idea why I want to purchase a motorhome, lol.

The point is, spend more time enjoying your life and less time justifying it. And for those that think they're not justifying it--reread your posts

[hogdriver]

While I like to give grief to those Cornerstoners, I'm glad for them. I am happy with my Anthem/450. First, it's more RV than I ever thought I'd own when I was backpacking in those same mountains 40 years ago. Secondly, I'm not in that much of a rush I must have the biggest motor available. I remember driving a dump truck over Vail pass in the 70s and it didn't go very fast but I enjoyed the ride. My first diesel RV had a 5.9 Cummins 230 hp and it still went over the pass albeit slower.

To me it's like driving a big Honda and watching someone pass me on a hill with their Corvette. It doesn't bother me. Good for them if they like that vehicle.

[CVO]

Originally Posted by Saltydog44

Joking alert: Don't bash "used" we might want to sell ours one day and the value needs to stay up!!! OK - sort of Joking :-)

I see MHSRV has raised their advertised "sale" discount to 31% on 2016 Anthems and Cornerstones and to 33% on Aspires. 2016 inventory must be building so the OP should be able to cut an attractive deal.

I always get a kick out of the used seller who asks more for their 2 year old coach than what a new one with 2 years of warranty costs.

Silly, or merely foolish?

[loisjop]

Originally Posted by CVO

I see MHSRV has raised their advertised "sale" discount to 31% on 2016 Anthems and Cornerstones and to 33% on Aspires. 2016 inventory must be building so the OP should be able to cut an attractive deal.

I always get a kick out of the used seller who asks more for their 2 year old coach than what a new one with 2 years of warranty costs.

Silly, or merely foolish?

What mhsrv giveth on discounts they taketh away if you have a trade.

[Cruzer]

Originally Posted by CVO

I see MHSRV has raised their advertised "sale" discount to 31% on 2016 Anthems and Cornerstones and to 33% on Aspires. 2016 inventory must be building so the OP should be able to cut an attractive deal.

I always get a kick out of the used seller who asks more for their 2 year old coach than what a new one with 2 years of warranty costs.

Silly, or merely foolish?

I manage the Classifieds section on the Tiffin RV Network and see that all the time. I think part of the problem is that many of these owners bought at a higher price, didn't get a very good trade-in allowance, etc. The other issue is that many of them are upside down as far as equity versus loan balance goes and they want to get out without having to pay off the loan with additional cash. All of that doesn't work of course so those are the ads that I see with very long "age of ad" days and those ads sit there forever. The double whammy to this is that the blue book value drops even further and it's even a bigger hole to get out of the longer the ad remains the same. There are some good deals out there but there are just as many where the asking price is far from realistic. The only way to avoid this is to buy at a fair price in the first place and put enough equity into the coach to minimize the financing.

[rex-racer]

Originally Posted by lincoln20

I've been reading a lot of the posts about an Anthem vs the Cornerstone. And I think Mark hit it on the head, you have to do what's right for you. If you don't do that, then sometimes your reasoning of why you went with your decision seems less valid and more of a justification or you trying to convince yourself of your decision.

The argument of whether the money is worth it or not becomes a little redundant. Don't get me wrong, I've read through a lot of these posts and it's helped me make up my own buying decision.

I just think what some consider excessive in one area may not be for some. It's impossible to use someone else's level of importance for your own.

Most people that see the car I drive will say negative comments and how they wouldn't spend that kind of money. The car enthusiasts that understand my passion for sports cars, have no idea why I want to purchase a motorhome, lol.

The point is, spend more time enjoying your life and less time justifying it. And for those that think they're not justifying it--reread your posts

Not to derail my own topic and being and massive car guy myself, I must ask what you drive. In fairness, I'll go first, I drive a 2014 M5.

[rex-racer]

So I chatted with the dealer today and he's telling me Entegra are done taking 2016 orders and are into the 2017 model year now. I was hoping to avoid that as there is always a price bump.

Now, they have a coach on the lot with everything we want but the solar and the iPad. I can live without the solar as it will be stored inside or being running on the gen at the track. The iPad I really wanted as I've read if you have a switch panel go out, you can still control via the ipad.

Those with the ipad, how big a deal is that? Not sure if it's big enough to wait for 2017 but then again, it depends on what's being added/changed for 2017.

[DSL417]

You know...I didn't think I'd use it that much, but I have used it. OTOH, $5k+ is a lotta cash for what I get from it. It is almost like a toy; I use it as an iPad or other stuff now.

Maybe the 16 folks will chime in with more, but I'd take a 16 w/o rather than take a $20k price hike. Also, I'm not sure all the dealers are through their 2016 orders being sold. I'd check around; RVOne, MHSRV, Beaver in Bend OR, NIRVC, even the smaller dealers. I suppose it is possible that all CS are sold through the start of making the 17 model year, but that won't start until about late April 2016. Surprising id you can't find one.

Also you can have the solar panels added as I think the 16 is wired for it to be added.

[lincoln20]

Originally Posted by rex-racer

Not to derail my own topic and being and massive car guy myself, I must ask what you drive. In fairness, I'll go first, I drive a 2014 M5.

I love the M5. I have a 09 M3 E92 and probably the best overall car I've ever had. I bought new and tracked the progress of it being built in Germany and being shipped over. I have an Audi R8 and this is the one people tend to shake their heads over. My DD is a Jeep Rubicon Unlimited (just picked it up to eventually tow behind my RV).

Cheers bud.

[Hayman]

Originally Posted by DSL417

Maybe the 16 folks will chime in with more, but I'd take a 16 w/o rather than take a $20k price hike. Also, I'm not sure all the dealers are through their 2016 orders being sold. I'd check around; RVOne, MHSRV, Beaver in Bend OR, NIRVC, even the smaller dealers. I suppose it is possible that all CS are sold through the start of making the 17 model year, but that won't start until about late April 2016. Surprising id you can't find one.

We ordered our Anthem without IPad as we saw no need for it but that's just us. A friend purchased off the lot w/IPad , did not want but now likes it !

Lazydays as of 2 weeks ago had 3 2016 Cornerstones in stock and a bunch of Anthems and Aspires. Don't know if in the floorplan you are looking for but plenty to choose from and usually loaded up with the options.

[Cruzer]

The 2016s are pre-wired for solar panels. You just plug in the controller in the basement, unfurl the wiring harness and connect to the batteries and go up on the roof where the wires are inside an access cap and connect your panels.

Adding an iPad isn't so easy because you need the wireless router and the interface to the Firefly network plus some programming. It can be done later but it is a bit of work and expense.

I didn't order either option on our 2016 CS. I've had four solar panels on the last two coaches and just didn't get that much benefit from them because we don't dry camp that often, when we do it's not always sunny and we tend to use more power rather than being frugal.

The iPad I couldn't justify that price. Maybe if it had thermostat control but not with the minimal features it did have. However, I do plan on adding a Total Coach Control system with a touch panel interface to handle these functions and much more in the future.

[hogdriver]

....Total Coach Control System???? What is that Marc?

In my RV that is DW. She controls how hot it is, how cold it is, how loud the ballgame is, where the RV travels, how much the driver gets to spend.....

[Cruzer]

Silverleaf makes the Total Coach system. I've seen it in the Foretravel Realm and London Aire. It uses a colored LCD display panel to interface with a number of modules via the RV-CAN network. It can communicate with the engine buss to get extensive diagnostics, it can communicate with a generator module that handles AGS functions as well, it can communicate with the multiplex lighting and shades, it can communicate with the freshwater and holding tanks sensors and dump/fill valves, it can communicate with the 40250-RVC transfer switch and Magnum inverters to create a complete energy management system, it can communicate with the thermostat and AquaHot, and so forth. It uses distributed logic so just popping in a new module adds that to the system and you just reconfigure your screen menu. You can have multiple displays and I would like one in the rear bath and one in the galley so that it's easy to see tank levels and adjust the thermostat without running into the mid-bath.

However, I've seen what Firefly has to offer in their VegaTouch system. It's a larger touch screen that has a slick user interface. Just take your finger and drag one of the thermostat zone sliders to set the temperature for that zone. Push a button when leaving the coach and it sets the lighting or whatever to the "away" scene and locks the doors 30 seconds after you leave. When returning you touch the "back" button and everything returns to your preset settings. A total of four scenes.

Each system has its pros and cons so I'm not sure which way I'm going yet. Technically the Firefly system could even replace all of the switch panels in the coach but I would still leave them because sometimes its easier to access a local panel rather than walk to one of the touch screens in the wall. Either system would provide a backup for a failed switch panel although the Firefly probably handles more circuits than the Silverleaf but it doesn't have the engine diagnostics that the Silverleaf has to offer because Silverleaf is used to the J1938 buss as well as RV-CAN whereas Firefly doesn't get into the engine stuff.

[Dennis Dean]

Originally Posted by Cruzer

Either system would provide a backup for a failed switch panel although the Firefly probably handles more circuits than the Silverleaf but it doesn't have the engine diagnostics that the Silverleaf has to offer because Silverleaf is used to the J1938 buss as well as RV-CAN whereas Firefly doesn't get into the engine stuff.

OKAY all you show-off Entegra Owners and Braggarts!! You all are giving me real coach envy and i haven't hit the 1.5 year trade make yet or even close

But on a serious note: I have been looking at the Entegra's and all the wood looks really SHINY, Like mirror like in the views, especially the cornerstone. Is it really that glossy in the coach or is it a little milder? I don't see where you have a option for a NON-gloss wood finish on the Entegra site? I really don't care for that super high gloss wood look or the GOLD everywhere. Just askin