Entegra Floorplans

[hdgoldie]

I find it really interesting that we all have different areas of importance - and that we find coaches to support those needs. The bath and a half was a must for us - we plan on (eventually) using our coach for long periods of time and having the second bath really works for us. I love "my" bathroom in the back - and don't mind losing those extra few feet up front. I'd rather have the bathroom space. It was also a bonus for us that, when pulled into the nearest Walmart for the night, we could both access a bathroom without opening any slides or climbing over a sleeping spouse. Who immediately became an irate, awake spouse. We also love the booth - hated the table/chair setup in our last coach. Having a booth dinette was mandatory when we were shopping. It sounds like I'm one of the few who really prefers to cook on a gas stove. I like the look of the all electric coach, but only the look. When cooking, I'll take the gas over electric all day, every day. That's why we are in the Aspire instead of the Anthem. And I can't imagine ever "needing" to have a dishwasher in a coach. Just not on my priority list. But the stackable washer/dryer....love it! And tile floors. I never want another coach with carpeting. This is sooooo easy to clean and always looks great - even after a rainy day with four dogs.

I would have liked a desk - because I do work some from the coach when we are traveling. But I have a portable desk that folds flat for storage and a wireless printer that I stash back in the bedroom. That is working for now. And for those days when I have spread out all over the dinette anyway - well....that's why they have picnic tables at campsites!

We like the four TV set up. When sitting at the dinette, I can see the front TV while DH watches the big set. And he loves swinging the passenger seat around, leaning back and getting his feet up with a straight on view to the big set when we are tucked in for the night.

This coach is only two feet longer than our last coach - and it feels more like 10. We seem to have more space everywhere - closet, bathroom, living area. I was a little concerned about the lack of a "real" pantry, but even that has worked well. I can't wait to see what the next few years will bring in new designs and updates. And it's nice to know that the Entegra will hold a little extra value over those years - for when they decide to build my next dream coach!

[Mrboo]

Hi Ron I would like a e-mail of the photo's. parisonr@bellsouth.net thanks Rich.

[mfrazier]

Ron - please email with photos to me also. Mfraz777@att.net thanks Mike.

[RudyD]

Hey Ron
I'd be up to see those photos as well. I heard the dinette option on Cornerstore has been ordered only twice so there's really limited # of photos of these options. I requested also a blue print of the layout with the dinette as well.
thanks much
rdostal@megasource.net

Rudy

[Cruzer]

Ron just emailed me his photos. I've resized them and am posting them here for him.

Here's one shot of the dinette.

Here's another dinette shot

This image shows the couch next to the dinette

This is the passenger side desk, located next to the galley.

Another shot of the desk. Note the location of the TV screen, which is mounted beneath on a power lift mechanism.

[mfrazier]

Thanks Ron and Mark.

[sailor_lou]

We do not travel with passengers nor do we have grandkids to accomodate, so the 1-1/2 baths and extra sleeping space(s) are items that do not fit our needs or lifestyle. Having a single couch with a desk and two bathroom sinks were features that initially interested us in our Travel Supreme. Based on that, we really like the Entegra DEQ floorplan, but wished they offered more flexibility with options like:

1) Grout color. It appears most manufacturers only offer a white or an off-white/light colored grout with their ceramic tile. When we tiled our house we specifically installed a darker grout, which to us not only looks better (better contrast with the tile) but is easier to manitain.

2) Furniture material. We really do not care for leather furniture and that is all that appears available today. An option for a good quality cloth couch instead of leather would be a plus IMO and probably less expensive. I would even prefer cloth driver/passenger seats.

3) If the rig has an entertainment center, we have no need for an extra TV above the dash yet they all seem to have one.

4) I'm good with the residential fridge, but do like having the propane for the cooktop/oven. However, I do understand the change to an all electric rig once the fridge and heating systems no longer require propane.

5) I'm not sure why so many RV showers have seats molded into the fiberglass or tile surrround. Most home showers, which are typically larger, do not have seats yet many RV showers do. To me is just makes the shower smaller. If there is a need for one, why not a fold down seat?

None of the items I have listed are show stoppers for us, but they seem like items that could be accomodated within an existing floorplan with little to no impact on the overall price/production of the motorhome.

Being extremely happy Travel Supreme owners we were disappointed when they closed their doors, but now view Entegra as a manufacture to have made a good product even better. I hope they continue to maintain the quality and styling when we are ready for our next upgrade in a few years.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

[DSL417]

I never really sensed the living area difference between the bath and a half and the single bath models, but it seems pretty stark. The desk seems small with no leg room underneath. Is that due to the pop up TV which also looks smaller than the DEQ model. Don't get me wrong, but if that is the set up, I'd take the DEQ with a freestanding computer table to use as a desk. Also, there are now some coffee table furniture models that the top swings up into a desk. Might make better sense than this approach (albeit you do gain some drawer space). As I look at this desk, I'd rather have the Newmar (and others approach of a two person love seat with a pop up TV behind it.

[slabman]

We custom ordered our '07 Alante with the desk, queen-sized couch/bed in distressed leather, all-electric, pantry, FULL-sized (76 in. wide) king bed, and Maytag washer and dryer. The desk option is the best I've seen anywhere and with a WiFi router, amp and roof antenna I'm all set up for accessing the 'net about anywhere we go. Don't care for the crummy Corian countertops, but not worth changing out since I'm hoping a new coach is just around the "Corner"?????

We have two sink basins-one in the mid-bath and another in a BR corner. Who needs to take up all that space for a rear bath?...not to mention the additional water that macerator toilet requires? And the TV over the passenger's seat is a must! What else can one do whilst driving down the road?

I keep waiting to see what else a coach builder can come up with to attract me out of this one and into a new one, but so far nothing's come along. Can't stand the phoney Ultraleather you see so often in a lot of higher-end coaches. The added 4 in. to the bed is a real plus to us!...no one but Tiffin has done that to the best of my knowledge. And the separate desk is a must!...but no TV in the desktop surface, please....how can SHE watch her shows while I'm studying my stock portfolio? I can live without a dishwasher....I married one!

Entegra has really upgraded the "stuff" in their new coaches and they look very tempting...now all I need is a floorplan tweak that'll get me more interested. Perhaps a bit more room in the LR and kitchen counter space, along with the wider bed and I'm a buyer. Oh...and how about a refresh of that outdated cockpit area?

[MarkofSJC]

Things I would really like to see.
1) Kitchens on the drivers side with dining on the curb side is a huge draw (I want look at the view while eating, not the side of someone's rig).
2) Bigger Windows! Why bother with tiny little cupboards that are useless above the windows. Eliminate them and make the windows bigger! Especially on the curb side.
3) Better insulation. We want to use our coach in all 4 seasons...and not hear what the neighbors are doing.
4) Sofa beds that can actually be used as beds. Some of them must have been made for those under 3' tall and are uncomfortable even then.
5) Pantry space that's adjustable and abudant. Full slide draws whose heights are easily adjustable.
6) A floorplan that works just as well when your driving down the road (and comfortably accomodate passengers, get into closets, bathroom, etc) as they are when set up to camp.
7) Eliminating carpet in the entry area and offering heated tile flooring throughout. So much easier to keep up and be comfortable in.

Just my two cents!

Mark

[Cruzer]

That particular desk is a nice piece of furniture bit I would hesitate to call it a desk. It offers excellent storage and place to drop the TV down into so that you can still see out the window but it's not a very user friendly area to work in. There should be the ability to tuck a recliner or comfortable desk chair into it during travel and also be able to use the desk to write on or use a keyboard without having to reach 3' away.

My personal view towards TVs is not to have them on a power lift. I'd prefer to see them tucked in a corner at a slight angle, next to the window, rather than in front of it. The DEQ is sort of that way but the desk is to small and needs work.

However, for those who don't want a desk I do like the idea of a power lift TV behind a love seat that is directly across from the couch.

I've seen a number of motorhomes that don't have very good access when the slides are in and parked or driving. American Coach and Newmar particularly have that issue because both slides are deep and when retracted the aisle gets super tight. The new Aspire 44U has a great aisle during travel though so that's a step in the right direction. It also has an excellent pantry space - about the same size as a stackable washer-dryer enclosure so there's plenty of room in it. The galley space is also larger so that's another step in the right direction.

As always, the designers have lots of compromises to work with. If the coach could be built at a 50' length it'd be easy to include everything but it gets tougher as they get shorter. The two baths and walk-in wardrobe are nice but it takes a 45' plan to make it work without giving up too much other stuff.

Lots of people would like to have the dinette on the patio side rather than looking at their sewer connection. The biggest reasons that you don't see too much of that is because of the compromises it requires. Typically the driver side main slide is deeper than the curbside and also goes out and drops down to a flush floor. That's the best location for a couch or pair of recliners and also the dinette because you have enough depth to the slide and no ledge to trip over. If you move the dinette over to the curbside you then have the galley on the driver side. Galleys are wider so that means the couch has to be shorter. I've seen them with decent sized couches but the galley is really compressed and not very functional for actually cooking in. A well designed 45' floorplan was fairly easy to develop, although the walk in wardrobe complicates that a bit more. What we really need is a 5 slideout coach. The rear could extend to offer another 3-5' and then we would have it.

[tvolk]

Toured Tiffin, Entegra, and Newmar factories in last year.
Now drive 2010 Tiffin Phaeton 40 (excellent floorplan and use of space in my opinion), but have had a lot of various powered and non-powered RV's over 30 years. (started young!) Only other DP was 2009 Journey 34Y.

My list for next RV:

43' +- tag axle
IFS
150 Gallon fuel tank minimum
all electric
Excellent chassis (Spartan or better if possible)
3 roof air conditioners and a generator that can power everything easily

Must be usable when slides are in. Many RV's are surprisingly not usable when slides are in. Counter depth in kitchen is one big reason--some RV's have unnecessary/unusable counter depth. I like lots of counter space (another thing I look for) but if it is so deep that a 6'2" guy hardly can reach the back--it is too deep!

Usable couch that makes into a good bed--double or queen size.
I like L shaped couch concept--but most L shaped I saw did not add any seating--they just took away from a spot on the couch. Entegra DEQ L shaped couch was the exception.

'Lazy boy' style chairs instead of second couch. Again--makes interior space more 'open' --but mostly I like to have one couch and one or two comfortable sitting chairs--plus the chairs at the dining table. This combination offers a lot of flexibility in seating.

Main TV across from couch (Journey had that--it was great). TV's that slide up and down (hidden )are neat--but in Newmar for instance--it adds 6" to depth of couch or whatever furniture it is installed in --and this seriously intrudes into aisle when slides are in as well as narrowing the interior space when they are out.

Table and chair--no dinette. Table and chairs are more user flexible and maximize the 'open space' inside the RV (or at least make it feel more open to me).

Single Mid bath/toilet. I do not like giving up space for rear bath-- decreased ceiling height in rear bath and smaller slides make the coach 'live' smaller. I like the idea of a 1.5 bath--but not in the size coach I want. The bedroom slides on various models/manufactures have different widths for the bed side depending on the floorplan. Some have the side of the slide right up to the bed--some have extra 12" or so away from the bed (width) . I like the slides NOT touching the bed!! Again--makes bedroom live and feel bigger/airier (is that a word?).

Another benefit --in my opinion--of a single bath is that there is a much less complicated plumbing system. Less stuff to trouble shoot, maintain, and winterize. This may be nitpicking--or even wrong thinking!----but it seems to me that fewer plumbing issues can arise with one toilet and centralized water usage. (washer is the only water line and drain line in the rear of the coach)

I like 4 slides rather than full wall slide. I looked at a lot of full wall slides and they made the coach seem like one big room. I like having 'separate' rooms that come with a 4 slide mid-bath layout. This allows one person (or kid/grandkid) to go to the rear bedroom and sleep/nap --and offers a physical 'break' (bath) between the living area and the bedroom. I know that a lot of people like the full wall slide for an open feeling in the coach--but it is not for me!

TV over front driving area is unnecessary with good placement of mid/main TV. I would rather save the money and gain storage space. Newmar offers 'no front TV' --and it looks fine to me without that TV.

Tiffin has the best floorplans in my opinion. Excellent use of space. Tiffin continues to lead in this area. Newmar has excellent construction and good floorplans, but not many floorplans offer the ability to use the coach with the slides in. Newmar is also more expensive--but perhaps worth it if you want custom things done at the factory and can live with the slides -in situation. Entegra has, (as I am sure everybody on this post agrees!) the best overall value, construction, features, benefits, and excellent quality. The floorplans still need some work (some more than others) --especially optimizing interior storage/space.

All that said--I am waiting on delivery of a 2013 Anthem DEQ in early January.

[Cruzer]

Sounds like you might like the 44Q.

[racefn]

Is this what you brought to Entegra? will your name be imbedded into the the top of the seats, u know like a " special edition"