Community Forums

ScottnJulie · 07-02-2022, 08:20 AM

Not sure if this is the correct place for this but here goes. We bought a 2012 Breeze 32 last year as our first RV. We took some short trips and really fell in love with RV lifestyle so rented our house out for 6 mos and took the dive.
We now have had issues with Maxforce 7 twice and are considering a trade up to a 2016 Phaeton 40 AH listed at 249k with 21k miles.

Seeking hive wisdom and feedback on the Phaeton 40Ah specifically

Hoping everyone is enjoying the 4th of July weekend.

B52Rnav · 07-02-2022, 09:20 AM

The AH has a great floor plan. We had same floor plan in a '14 Allegro Open Road. AH floor plan was our favorite until we discovered the IH. I know market is crazy now but that price seems high for a '16. Good Luck and safe travels.

**Lt Dan** · 07-02-2022, 09:43 AM

I agree with B52 that the price sounds a bit high. That's close to what we paid for our 2017 brand new. With fuel prices scaring off some buyers, I would make an offer in the 210-225k range and see what they say.

Don and ren · 07-02-2022, 12:02 PM

We have a 17 40 AH. About the most counter space you will find. That was the wife’s plan, though we would have preferred propane cooking. Have lived full time in ours for about 2 years and traveled across the country. Had a few cabinet modifications done in Red Bay last year to add storage in the unused spaces above the TV and across from the kitchen sink. Ours had 18,000 miles and we paid 231 through a west coast dealer.

dmctlc · 07-02-2022, 04:31 PM

It seems high but what I see out there on the Web the range from 205k all the way to 254k. Prices are crazy like mentioned but agree with LT Dan offer lower the market is slowing down especially with interest rates going up so much. Whatever you offer make sure a thorough PDI is done from end to end and underneath it. If you trust yourself and knowledgeable do it yourself though hiring a professional can be the best approach if they are good at their job.

ScottnJulie · 07-02-2022, 10:21 PM

I thank you all and appreciate the input. We want to stay around 200 to 210 which should find us a good example. Alas, the time to buy is not when you 'need' one. We just test drove an 2016 Allegro Bus 37AP I believe. Man. Shouldn't drive a caddilac when shopping for a buick. It was priced 289 for a 2016 with 42k on the ticker. It was hard to say no but just can't justify the money. We will wait for the correct one.

ehunt · 07-03-2022, 05:43 AM

Have you considered looking at a newer Breeze? A lot depends on the places you like to go, the larger coach is going to limit your ability to get into a lot of places. We just traded in our Open Road for a ‘17 Breeze so we can better access tighter campgrounds found at many places such as state parks. 2017 Tiffin changed to a 275 HP Cummins which is no longer available so in 2020 it was changed to a 340 HP Cummins. You may find one of these will fit your price range and not limit your camping options.

Hpozzuoli · 07-03-2022, 07:40 AM

What were the maxforce issues? I have the same year 32’ breeze with the maxforce. The engine is extremely reliable. The aftermarket emission crap is the weak point, but it seems that way with every engine manufacturer.

Most of the RV related issues stem from the dpf. Either it gets caked up with carbon and it might allow soot back into the turbo. This isn’t a common occurrence. The more common issue, aside from the dpf clogging, is oil dilution. This will cause the turbo bearings to seize causing the shaft to snap. Maxforce upgraded the turbo shaft size to stay ahead of the oil dilution issue. Stay on top of oil changes is the moral of the story.

If the engine is your motivation to switch I wouldn’t approach this as a grass is greener situation. If the added length is what you truley desire the Phaeton is a great choice.

The maxforce was crap when they were partnered with ford. Navistar sold the engines to ford who then over did the emission controls on the engines turning them into grenades. Navistar never adopted the changes, they were only done by ford after they had possession of the engines from Navistar. Navistar got roped into the law suit because they were the engine provider. Their initial design is the what we have in the breeze and it’s a solid platform.

The 2011-2012 and early 2013 breezes were also the most reliable batch of maxforces. Moving on to 2014-2017 Def was I introduced and things changed. Around 2017 they started offering the small Cummins as standard power.

jerhofer · 07-04-2022, 01:21 PM

We had a 2014 Breeze that we bought used with 24K miles and then put another 20K on it before we traded it on a Red. We never had any engine issues. The only reason we traded it was that my wife wanted a washer and dryer. I see that the new Breeze's offer a combination W/D. While that would not be as good as separate units, had that been available in our Breeze, we might still have it.

Or maybe not as we sold our Red in the summer of 2020 and than bought a 2019 Phaeton last year. We paid $235K for the Phaeton with 13K miles. So I think the price on the Phaeton you are looking at is high. On the other hand,I hope the seller sells it for that price!!!

ScottnJulie · 07-05-2022, 07:44 AM

We do love our Breeze and they are certainly one we would consider. Hoping maybe end of summer brings some more flexibility to the market. Surely don't want it to drop, that sinks all boats. These dealers have been reaping the rewards for a while so they may be stubborn for a while I am afraid.

SAMPL · 07-12-2022, 08:13 PM

ScottnJulie - The main reason we have kept our used 2011 Tiffin 28 Breeze is because of the Maxxforce 7 engine. The coach itself is of mediocre quality other than the paint. It looks gorgeous and has never been waxed. We have an air seat for the driver, air horns, spare tire, backup alarm, dashcam, cb radio, and a full set of gauges. Electrical problems have finally been resolved. Air conditioning and heat are sadly inadequate.

McCharlie · 07-13-2022, 10:53 AM

You might also consider a RED 37PA which has the same floor plan as the AH. We compared the AH and PA and for us the PA was a better fit for our budget. Ordered it configured the way we wanted and have been fulltime since Aug '21. Love the layout, love the way it handles (this replace our gasser), and our two dogs seem happier too. Good luck in your search.

HerbieHauler · 07-13-2022, 11:03 AM

We had the Maxx Force engine in our Monaco Vesta and traded up because of engine problems and international having a very, very, hard time finding parts to repair it.. Our coach sat at a International major repair shop for two months as they had to source out the parts and the next problem was installing them as the engine was made for trucks and accessibility to the engine in a motorhome was difficult at best. Our deciding factor was when we where told that most truck shops won't touch the Maxxforce engine. A scary thought when your miles away from anything.. We sold her and purchased a Tiffin, and so far so good.. We feel more comfortable that their are more Cummins repair shops and truck stops around that can help us in a pinch.. The price of the coach your looking at seems a bit high to me unless it's extremely low miles and have newer tires.. A lot to consider before you decide to purchase. Anything you do, Make sure you have the coach examined by a qualified RV tech.. Good luck..