New Owner of Country Coach Corporation: Winnebago!

[darstar]

Originally Posted by spuds

I'm not sure I understand your comment about weight. The cabinetry material in the Newells we've been in feels VERY heavy, and Newells are definitely heavy coaches.

I was going on the hi tech look Newells often display. I do know they make a lot of their interior materials in house.

Last week I was in a Provost Country Coach, I think a 2005 w two slides. It was beautiful!!. The salesman removed one of the smooth modern cabinet doors and handed it to me....shocking , it was light as air. No evidence there was any wood present, just a high grade finish foil look. I was told it was wood , a form of Italian poplar from Europe........

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by lowejug

didn't want to offend anyone and knew the " out dated interior" comment might..

and I never said 'glitz and glamour was what the country coaches should have.


I am sure the current country coach owners love there interior as thats why they bought them.

I just think updated colors and floor plans are a wise decision if they are going to re-birth the country coaches. I am also in my mid 40s so grandmas house in the 80s was pretty funky... LOL

I wasn't offended at all! Kind of laughed at it in fact! Some years ago the DW and I looked at high end rigs and decided we didn't like the "heavy wood" look and would never own a rig like that as they were "too fancy". Then we ended up buying the Magna and look at what we got!!

[darstar]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

You mean like this?

Not my taste at all. However over the years I have owned three Monacos , all with medium color wood as you have in your coach. It was very frustrating as no one company outside of Provost, Newell , and Travelodge did a clean modern look....I lived with it.

Listen , I built my modern house ,all glass and steel, foil covered cabinet doors, no wood anywhere. It's taken me a lot of years to now really enjoy my coach interior....no wood anywhere in my CCConcept. I am not alone out there, modern is my like, Art Deco as a second choice....I think there are a lot of owners who suffered for many years like me., and can't afford a Provost .

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

In addition to different models and price ranges, I'm also waiting to see what way WBGO goes with the chassis and engine options. Spartan and Freightliner both have different levels of chassis available. But one of the things that brought me to CC to start with, was the 'solid foundation' of the Dynomax chassis. A refresh, and restart of this chassis, would really show that WBGO is looking to keep the CC above and beyond their current coaches. If they adopt the standard chassis, my fear is we're going to see a repeat of what Monaco did with Holiday Rambler, Beaver being folded into the line. In many ways, they GM'ized these brands, like Buick/Chevy/Olds/Pontiac were basically lightly re-trimmed offerings of the same basic vehicle. That, IMO, would lead CC in the wrong direction...

I'd love to see them continue with the Dynomax chassis too, but would that put them into the $1,000,000 range and would people pay for that?
Ron said that the one he had built was in that range since it was pretty much hand built.

[smlranger]

Would using the Dynomax chassis raise the cost of the coach that much more than using one of the top of the line Freightliner or Spartan foundations? I would think once they have tooled up to build the Dynomax, there would not be a significant difference since (other than the chassis rails) the stuff they bolt on to the chassis is pretty much the same as that used by everyone else.

I think the question is will they continue to use a semi monoque build or switch to a box merely bolted to a chassis?

IMO the new company will have a difficult, perhaps, decision to make. Assuming they will not want to compete with the really highest end rigs like Prevost conversions, Newell's and Foretravel's IH45, they will need to target those buyers considering the Cornerstone, London Aires, Essex, King Aires, Eagles, Heritage, Zephyr, and the like. All of those are built on either FL or Spartan (maybe with a few mods like the Liberty) and seem to do well. Would having the Dynomax chassis be a sufficient differentiator to make buyers consider CC?

[spuds]

Originally Posted by darstar

I was going on the hi tech look Newells often display. I do know they make a lot of their interior materials in house.

Last week I was in a Prevost Country Coach, I think a 2005 w two slides. It was beautiful!!. The salesman removed one of the smooth modern cabinet doors and handed it to me....shocking , it was light as air.

I agree - the cabinetry in the CC Prevost conversions was really forward-thinking (and abundant). Much nicer IMHO than Newell. CC Prevost is on our list for possible future coaches

[darstar]

I can only continue to wonder why so many innovations never made it into the lower price point models. This could be a warning to other makes, and why now so many are having steering weight problems...... I would like to see the same awareness in RVs as found in private aircraft, the outcome would be a better, last longer, and cleaner look. The closest CC interior to more clean less cluttered look, outside the Provosts CCs , was a 32' double slide model I visited last week. It was mostly wood, a surprise considering my theory on the use of traditional materials.

[Smitty77]

Originally Posted by spuds

I agree - the cabinetry in the CC Prevost conversions was really forward-thinking (and abundant). Much nicer IMHO than Newell. CC Prevost is on our list for possible future coaches

Spuds - It would be a good idea to get out from under that dive of U320, and into a Prevost. Because I care for my fellow RV'ers, this week only, I'll take that unit off of you for $10K. Now understand, I expect at that price point - it will be freely waxed, fully serviced - a full tank of fuel!!

Yes - A Prevost is where you want to head... And I'm here to help you along...

! Smitty !

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Smitty77

Spuds - It would be a good idea to get out from under that dive of U320, and into a Prevost. Because I care for my fellow RV'ers, this week only, I'll take that unit off of you for $10K. Now understand, I expect at that price point - it will be freely waxed, fully serviced - a full tank of fuel!!

Yes - A Prevost is where you want to head... And I'm here to help you along...

! Smitty !

Wow, Nice guy you are!

I'll go 12K for it but I'll have to wait till mid Feb till our annuity payout comes in and I can spare a few bucks out of it.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Wow, Nice guy you are!

I'll go 12K for it but I'll have to wait till mid Feb till our annuity payout comes in and I can spare a few bucks out of it.

If we are reaching for the stars, why not go all the way, give me a gutted fresh Provost with the delivery driver sitting on an egg crate..........I can take it from there please.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by darstar

If we are reaching for the stars, why not go all the way, give me a gutted fresh Provost with the delivery driver sitting on an egg crate..........I can take it from there please.

I'm pretty handy, but NOT that handy. I learned back in junior high in the late 50's that I was NOT a cabinet maker, in fact I'm not much of a woodworker either!

[gregmchugh]

Newspaper story...

Winnebago banking on Lane County to help it grow | Business | Eugene, Oregon

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Newspaper story...

Winnebago banking on Lane County to help it grow | Business | Eugene, Oregon

I like this part:

“What won’t change is the DNA of what Country Coach was, and that DNA was a superior chassis with a superior ride and suspension and the highest quality interiors available in the industry,” he said.

One of the main reasons Winnebago wants to revive the Country Coach brand is its “fabulous reputation,” Degnan said.

An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Country Coach motor homes still are on the road, he said. Their owners are “a very loyal, passionate group, and we’d love to bring them into the greater Winnebago family and be able to produce a luxury motor home to the level they are accustomed to.”