Community Forums

Brinson · 10-28-2012, 02:17 PM

This my third motorhome and finally got what I needed to accomodate all of my various needs. It is a 2006 NRC Motorcoach built on a 06 Frieghtliner Columbia class 8 truck chassis. It is powered by a 515 Detroit with a Meritor Freedom 12 speed auto. Needless to say it has plenty of get up and go. Mileage is equal to or better than my previous two motorhomes. We camp several times a year in state parks(love to fish for smallmouth) and we also own a race car business which requires that we pull 32' triple axle stacker trailer to races along the east coast. This can do it all. My main concerns were the long turning radius and length in state parks. So far, I have camped in Ark, and Indiana with no issues with length or turning. It is extremely solid with little flex and no cracks in the granite tile like my Safari had. It is very heavy, weighing in at 41,000 lbs.

rvjimmy · 10-28-2012, 06:21 PM

Looks like a keeper to me.It should have plenty of get up and go with that engine. Enjoy and many safe and happy miles.

Jim

SarahW · 10-28-2012, 06:53 PM

Gorgeous!!

Congrats and enjoy.

OB-One · 10-29-2012, 01:29 PM

Nice rig! Without getting personal, what should someone expect to pay for a similar rig? Also, how do you like the ride quality? Is the ride harsher than a coach with an air-ride front axle?

Brinson · 10-29-2012, 05:32 PM

Comparatively, they are lower priced than class A's of the same type options. Price for an 06-08 will be around 150-200 range. This with real granite countertops, solid maple cabinets, aqua hot, twin screws, ceramic cooktop, Girard awnings, outdoor grill, outdoor refrig, 40k towing capacity, marble tile, etc. The ride is stiffer as it has leaf springs in the front and air bags in the rear. I do not mind the ride at all. The best attibute of all to me is the improved handling over my two motorhomes(1999 Mountain Aire and 2009 tag axle Safari Cheetah). There is no drift and wind does not affect it as much. Fuel mileage is basically the same 7-8 mpg empty. Best move I have made in my opinion. It is big(45') overall but you can purchase shorter versions. More tires to buy as it has 8 in the rear. You can also find singe rear axle versions if you prefer. I toured the factory before I settled on NRC and that's what convinced me. Solid steel weld box frame with no wood in the walls other than interior paneling. Very little flex when traveling.

Jon Mopar · 10-29-2012, 11:13 PM

I meet the president of NRC once...seems like a company that really takes pride in what they do.

Mr_D · 10-29-2012, 11:49 PM

Needs a fancy paint job though!

KoolBell · 10-30-2012, 05:28 AM

Nice!
Looks like a really comfortable way to travel

OB-One · 10-30-2012, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brinson

Comparatively, they are lower priced than class A's of the same type options. Price for an 06-08 will be around 150-200 range. This with real granite countertops, solid maple cabinets, aqua hot, twin screws, ceramic cooktop, Girard awnings, outdoor grill, outdoor refrig, 40k towing capacity, marble tile, etc. The ride is stiffer as it has leaf springs in the front and air bags in the rear. I do not mind the ride at all. The best attibute of all to me is the improved handling over my two motorhomes(1999 Mountain Aire and 2009 tag axle Safari Cheetah). There is no drift and wind does not affect it as much. Fuel mileage is basically the same 7-8 mpg empty. Best move I have made in my opinion. It is big(45') overall but you can purchase shorter versions. More tires to buy as it has 8 in the rear. You can also find singe rear axle versions if you prefer. I toured the factory before I settled on NRC and that's what convinced me. Solid steel weld box frame with no wood in the walls other than interior paneling. Very little flex when traveling.

Thanks for the info!

We're in the information gathering stage of deciding what will work best for us. While I can read all the spec-sheets in the world there's nothing like the insight of someone who's been there and done that. How do you like the auto-shift transmission vs the Allison automatic that your previous motor homes had?

We both have bad backs so ride quality is important. We've driven quite a few miles in single and tandem axle trucks so we've already decided that tandem or tag axle is a must have. One of the things I find disappointing on the motor homes is the relatively low fresh water capacity. Most seem to have 100 gallons or less while some of the truck conversions carry up to 200 gallons or more. Our present TT carries 50 gallons and we'd really like to triple that.

Additional insight or advice is appreciated!

Jon Mopar · 10-30-2012, 09:39 AM

I agree....throw some stripes on that bad boy

Chuck13 · 10-30-2012, 09:54 AM

I want one! And it doesn't even need to have a fancy paint job. I'll take it just as it is.

Brinson · 10-30-2012, 11:27 AM

The Meritor Freedom 12 speed auto works fine. It is actually more of a automatically shifted standard transmission. It still has a clutch and it is automatically disengaged and engaged. It does shift slower than an Allison and will roll backwards on hills. It is computer controlled and selects which gear is needed according to load. Unloaded, it starts in 3d, then 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th then 12th gear. Water cap is 200. Grey is 100, and black the same. 200 gallon fuel capacity. Many trips I do not fill up till I return home. Remember, although the ride is firmer, both cab seats are on air suspension. As far as the paint, I don't miss the graphics at all. Once you step inside it's easy to see that it is a high end coach for the investment.

Jon Mopar · 10-30-2012, 04:57 PM

They really should stripe them though, for the money you're spending. That's my only issue. When I spoke to Nick Cook (Pres. NRC), he claimed the lack of standard graphics was 2 fold. 1st, because units like these are commonly repainted anyway, often being used by teams with sponsorships etc, why bother?? 2nd, it's cheap to paint them all white, so if they can save thousands, why not? Plus as you stated, some like the low-key look anyway.

I love them. Nick showed us his 35ft tag axle. He joked, calling it "the fanciest moving-van you'll ever see" when he brought us inside. I was truly impressed by the quality.

Brinson · 10-30-2012, 06:46 PM

I've had the fancy paint jobs and it's no big deal to me. I prefer the cleanliness of the white. Also, these coaches are constructed with .060-.080" powder coated white aluminum sheets. Sure makes repair much less costly due to the ablility to replace individual pre coated sheets. As far as cost, I asked what the cost of a new coach and was quoted around $300K. My guess is I would be hard pressed to buy a new equivalent class A for that kind of money.