Community Forums

HRRV · 09-12-2020, 01:47 PM

We are changing our travel mod from the sky to RVing. We are retired and after some research we have narrowed it down to Tiffin motor coach’s. Now we narrowed to two models a Gas Open Road 34PA and a Allegro Red 33AA. The ones we are looking at right now are both 2018’s!

Our travels will be coast to coast with mountains included. For the difference in pricing you can afford a lot of gas.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons on each model as well as the driving up and down hills!

THX Larry

**Lt Dan** · 09-12-2020, 01:51 PM

First off, Welcome to IRV2!

Your decision should be based on the floor plan and which one you like the most. The ride will be much quieter and smoother in the RED but the livability in either one when you are stopped is the main concern. If the RED is the 360HP version it will pull the mountains much easier than the Open Road, but either one will make it up the hills. Our RED was the 340 and still handled mountains adequately.

Roger G · 09-12-2020, 01:56 PM

You will spend exponentially more time living in it than driving, base your decision on that.

SimRacer · 09-12-2020, 04:03 PM

Similar dilemma here except through in a 37 PA RED into the pot.
The 33 AA only has 81 ish cubic feet of advertised basement storage, the 34 PA has 200+ cf. advertised.
Both the RED's are diesel (++ ) but for moderate use the maintenance will be higher imho since I am not diesel care and feeding literate. Plus, I don't need a million mile engine to haul this young geezer around.

Full Time would be a different story though ! The 37 PA or a Phaeton would be the obvious choice.
My choice, for MY needs, is a 34 PA on the new FORD chassis/engine combo. I want the chassis more than the engine. The actual purchase price comes in at $$$ under 2018 33 AA's I have seen advertised though I think they were a bit high but NADA low retail is $182650 so the 185 and 195k I saw are/were close.
decisions,,,decisions

good luck and safe travels

weighit · 09-12-2020, 05:21 PM

Having owned a 34 ft Holiday Rambler Ford gas and this 34 ft Tiffin 34 ft RED there is no comparison in ride comfort, noise level and overall ease of driving the two different rigs. The gas was ok for our driving but when we had the chance to upgrade to a diesel it was like night and day. Both would get you from point a to b but the extra storage space was also very helpful to us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HRRV

We are changing our travel mod from the sky to RVing. We are retired and after some research we have narrowed it down to Tiffin motor coach’s. Now we narrowed to two models a Gas Open Road 34PA and a Allegro Red 33AA. The ones we are looking at right now are both 2018’s!

Our travels will be coast to coast with mountains included. For the difference in pricing you can afford a lot of gas.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons on each model as well as the driving up and down hills!

THX Larry

Mike8253 · 09-13-2020, 09:21 PM

I gather by the way you spoke of your travels that you are not full timing, rather you are just planning for extended coast to coast trips. Since the floor plans of the 33AA and 34PA are very similar, both in terms of sq. ft. and layout, the major differentiation between the two then becomes weight carrying capability (GVWR / GCWR) and storage area. (It's a given the diesel/air-ride chassis combo will be relatively quieter and more comfortable when driving than the gas chassis.) While the spec. data says you have significantly more storage capability in the 34PA, the 34PA has a GVWR that is 6,000 lbs. less, and a GCWR that is 12,000 lbs. less than the 33AA. If you are just starting out with your 1st MH and you plan to be comparatively frugal about how you will load out your 34PA so that you stay within your GVWR/GCWR limitations, it will serve you just fine and take you wherever you want to go, even through the mountains. We love our 34PA and it suits our travel requirements just fine, but we respect and pay close attention to its limitations. If, however, your anticipation is that you will be loading up your rig pretty significantly and/or you will be towing a heavier vehicle (your 34PA toad weight maximum will be somewhere between 4000 and 5000 lbs. depending on how you load out you MH and the 5000 lb. hitch rating) then you'd be better to go with the 33AA. There are other intangibles, but the above should be things you consider for sure.

SargeW · 09-13-2020, 10:53 PM

The diesel chassis also allows Tiffin to use heavier building materials inside the coach. That translates into tile floors instead of linoleum, solid surface counters instead of linoleum counters, heavier cabinets ect. Also the diesel chassis will have an engine or exhaust brake, something not found on a gas chassis. This makes driving the mountain passes easier and more relaxing IMHO. Since the diesel is at a higher price point when new, you can also expect more "whistles and bells". Drive them both before you decide. Odds are the diesel chassis will drive a bit better on the highway.

Dsrtrider · 09-14-2020, 07:13 PM

if you are driving coast to coast and you can swing it get the diesel itv will givev you more comfort and amenities.

CWO USN · 09-16-2020, 07:28 AM

I agree with comments regarding ability to carry and tow more with the DP. That alone based on your preliminary post should lock you into the 33AA.

EcoRick · 09-17-2020, 02:27 PM

I agree with comments that both favor the gas and diesel. All the comments both ways were valid. The issue mentioned regarding storage is a big one. If you're going coast to coast, the Red has a fraction of the storage the 34PA has. For a diesel, you won't get that much more towing capacity either. It should be quieter and ride better, but it doesn't matter once you get there. I suggest you go with the floor plan you like better and make sure you can fit everything you need into that model. We just sold our 32SA and I had to get 5' x 10' storage locker for our RV "stuff" until our new one arrives. I couldn't believe how much stuff I have to feel comfortable on the road.

vettenuts · 09-17-2020, 03:25 PM

To me, the thing to consider is drive both. Use the tow/haul in the gas and the exhaust brake with the diesel. Try a downhill if you can, otherwise let the coach slow without brakes as if you are going downhill. Then use this to help with your decision.

I just went from an older Newmar on the Workhorse chassis to a Phaeton. The Newmar was a great coach, and I honestly had a hard time fitting what I had in the Newmar basement into the Phaeton. However, the engine had a hard time controlling speed on downhill runs of any length whereas the diesel does a much better job. Our plans call for a lot of travel out west (we are on the east coast) and we felt a diesel was a better fir for us. The prior owner of our gas Newmar toured the entire country with it, so I know it would do the job.

JpalmerCass · 09-17-2020, 03:35 PM

The 34PA has a considerably roomier john and bigger shower. And a far longer wheelbase.

Z714X4 · 09-17-2020, 04:11 PM

I'll add my $0.02...

Having had both, if doing long days of driving then nothing does better than the diesel. IMHO, it is more quiet up front and it feels less stressful, and it simply rides better - you still feel the road - but its much better being heavier and with the air bags. My gasser would see a hill in the distance and jump into 3rd gear and scream 5,000 rpm until I took it off cruise control. I was constantly on the cruise, off the cruise, back on the cruise. The diesel doesn't really care and keeps cruising along until we get to the really serious mountains. Truth, the diesel is absolutely more expensive for maintenance even if doing it yourself. More oil, more filters, more checking and inspecting. The gasser was much more simple.

It also sounds like a storage question as well. I've found you can never have too much storage!! My gasser had 69 cuft of basement storage and my diesel has 119 cuft.. but the gasser seemed larger due to the configuration. Lot's of thinner over the frame storage for chairs, canopy, mats and the like. The diesel is mostly under the frame and some side engine storage. It works, just different.

All that said, both the gasser and diesel will get you there and both feel just the same when setup for camping. I frequently go camping close by with another gasser class A and a fifth wheel... nothing wrong with either of them as they all have pluses and minuses. You simply need to decide what is important to you and adjust your way of thinking towards that.

Good luck and please let us know what you decide and why!!

PS Looks like the gasser has max 5k towing and the RED has max 10k towing if that makes any difference.

Iceman-31D · 09-18-2020, 08:15 AM

As many people have posted here, the floor plan is most important, as you will probably be stopped 80% of the time, during which the drivetrain is then irrelevant. Hopefully I am not inviting a public beatdown here, but here goes: If you accept the assumption that all systems have a probability of failure, a gasser will cause you fewer headaches/trip interruptions because: a gasser has no air compressor, air brake, or air bag issues, no diesel injection/injector line issues, no fuel filter/water seperator issues, and finally, when you do have chassis issues, there are probably 10X more ford gas engine mechanics than diesel chassis mechanics...