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Old 02-03-2017, 09:35 PM   #1
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2017 Diplomat

Would appreciate what the owners of the 2017 Diplomat 43 series think of their coaches. What are the best points? What do you wish was different?
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Old 02-05-2017, 06:29 AM   #2
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REV brought this coach out as a mid-year 2016 model along with the HR Scepter, which is essentially the same coach. The 2017 model year brought an improved entrance door and some additional technology to the coach.

I hope you get several responses to this question. There are some forum members who own these coaches but you don’t see many posts here yet. The word needs to get out about these coaches as they are a wonderful value being offered at a very reasonable price for what you get – numerous technological advances, upgrades, and additional amenities when compared to the original Diplomats and Camelots.

We traded in our 2007 Diplomat for one of the 2017 models three months ago, and so far we could not be happier. Click here, or on the link in my signature below, to see our 2017 Diplomat web site. It includes a lot of my impressions, as well as a detailed description of the coach, a photo gallery, and a page describing some modifications and enhancements I’ve made so far.

To answer your specific questions, here are the BEST things I like about the coach…
  1. The Freightliner XCM chassis for all the reasons I talk about here – especially the tag axle with UltraSteer passive steering. Also the comfort – the coach handles and drives like a large luxury automobile. While some folks here might disagree, I can tell you from experience that the XCM chassis is a far better chassis than the Roadmaster RR8R chassis that was under my previous Diplomat.
  2. The fact that the coach is an “all-electric” coach with no propane, and the advantages and amenities that brings with it – like all residential appliances, the Aqua Hot, the 2800 watt pure sine wave inverter/charger, etc.
  3. I like the fact that so many things come standard on this coach that I didn’t have before – the heated floors, the king size bed, the 50” LED TV with a Bose sound bar, the FireFly house control system, the Villa leather furniture throughout, the all-LED lighting inside and out, etc.
  4. As mentioned above, the very BEST thing about this coach is the value. REV is currently discounting them $100,000 below MSRP, and that is where you begin dealing purchase price with the dealer. (I was able to negotiate much more of a discount with the dealer.) I believe REV is offering that discount as a means of trying to build market share with the Monaco brand name.

Some things I wished were different…
  1. The king size bed looks as though it was stuffed into the space provided for a queen. Very small night stands with not much room on either side.
  2. Storage cabinets in the coach could have been both taller and deeper. However, there is ample basement room.
  3. No winterization bypass in the water utility bay, even though you must winterize with antifreeze due to the Aqua Hot. The trade-off here is the high-flow Remco 55AquaJet water pump and the ¾” water lines instead of the normal half inch lines, which makes the addition of a winterizing kit somewhat of a problem. Also, the water pump has quick-release fittings, so you can get a barbed fitting to snap on making winterizing, without the bypass kit, fairly easy.
  4. While the wrap-around ergonomic cockpit layout is nice, the dash area itself looks a little cheap - too much plastic there, not enough “free space” on the dash for mods, and not enough places to put stuff that you want handy while underway. Here's a picture for reference...

Here is a link to a picture album of my coach.

If you are considering trading up to one of these coaches and have additional questions, feel free to post them here or PM me.
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Old 02-05-2017, 07:55 AM   #3
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I would certainly take a very seriously hard look at them if we we're in the market right now. That if you have any questions for Robin please post them here, cause it would be great to see more activity here about the new Monaco's.
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Old 02-05-2017, 09:04 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Traps90 View Post
...cause it would be great to see more activity here about the new Monaco's.
I sure do agree with that!
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Old 02-05-2017, 07:06 PM   #5
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Really nice looking coach
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Old 02-07-2017, 04:56 PM   #6
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Robin M. Thanks for the feedback and great information. Your website on the Diplomat is one of the best and most informative I have seen anyway. Love the links. Very impressive.

My wife and I are going to be full-timing for 7-8 years. We have been considering Tiffin, Newmar and Entegra. But seeing everything you get in the Diplomat for the price it would be hard to pass up. It would be a new Diplomat or Phaeton, or a 2-3 year old Entegra, Newmar or Allegro Bus.

Considering we are going to be full timing, how do you think the Monaco would be as far as handling heat (temps in the 100s) and cold (probably rare to be in the 30s)? Entegra and Newmar seem to get the best marks for construction and insulation.

How will the Monaco build hold up to full time use for 7-8 years. I do a lot of my own work and tend to keep on top of things. But do you think it will depreciate faster than the other brands.

How would you rank a 17 Diplomat against a 15 Dutch Star?

We have friends who just picked up a new 43G last week to full time also. They are back at Alvarado today with major water leaks. What type of problems did you have with your 43G since you got it?

Thanks for you help. John
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Old 02-07-2017, 07:05 PM   #7
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John,

Thanks for the compliments on the web site. I enjoy keeping it up and did the same thing with our 2007 Diplomat, while we owned that.

Let me answer the questions I can by responding in your quoted post....

Quote:
Originally Posted by jlazar View Post
My wife and I are going to be full-timing for 7-8 years. We have been considering Tiffin, Newmar and Entegra. But seeing everything you get in the Diplomat for the price it would be hard to pass up. It would be a new Diplomat or Phaeton, or a 2-3 year old Entegra, Newmar or Allegro Bus.

Hmm. Picking a coach for full-timing can be a very personal decision - the most important one perhaps being the "livability" of the coach. Is it laid out to your liking and does it have enough storage space, etc.? We looked at the Tiffin coaches and I'm not a real fan of those for what you pay. Newmar and Entegra offer some nice options at a higher price - which means considering a 2-3 year old one may be a good option. WRT the 43G, I might be concerned about the bedroom space for full-timing. I might be looking for a different floor plan that "separates" the bedroom more from the rest of the coach, and also offers more storage for personal items. This coach comes in 5 different floor plans and some are better than others in that regard.

Considering we are going to be full timing, how do you think the Monaco would be as far as handling heat (temps in the 100s) and cold (probably rare to be in the 30s)? Entegra and Newmar seem to get the best marks for construction and insulation.

The REV Diplomat seems to shine in this regard. I have been doing a lot of work in there on some very cold days - sometimes spending entire days in the coach. The insulation seems more than adequate, and the Aqua Hot keeps the temps spot on to where you set them. There are two heating zones. You also have the fireplace and the heated floor. I haven't spent any hot days in it so far, but there are three roof-top A/C units with three cooling zones. That would also seem adequate. The A/C units are fairly quiet compared to our last coach.

How will the Monaco build hold up to full time use for 7-8 years. I do a lot of my own work and tend to keep on top of things. But do you think it will depreciate faster than the other brands.

As far as "holding up" physically, I see no problem with that. As far as holding market value, well, that's harder to tell. This is a new offering by a new manufacturer who is trying different marketing strategies to re-gain market share within the Monaco brand. There is no telling what future strategies they will take which may effect resale value. There is already a rumor that 2016/2017 will be unique model-years for this coach, and that the 2018 Diplomat will not have all the amenities that this one has. If that's true, I'm very glad I bought one when I did.

How would you rank a 17 Diplomat against a 15 Dutch Star?

Newmar coaches have always had a good reputation, but I'm not familiar enough with the Dutch Star (any any Newmar coach) to offer an opinion on that. Again, if considering "biggest bang for the buck", the new Dip is hard to beat. But that may not be necessarily the most important factor for full-timing.

We have friends who just picked up a new 43G last week to full time also. They are back at Alvarado today with major water leaks. What type of problems did you have with your 43G since you got it?

Our windshield leaked badly on one side. They took it out of the front cap, re-set it and glued it back in under warranty, then replaced all the outside trim. This seems to have fixed the problem. No other leaks or major issues yet. We're about to leave for a few months in it, so we'll be putting it through it's paces from a warranty perspective. There always seem to be some issues with new coaches. Our 2007 Dip had several warranty issues the first year, followed by 9 more years of dependable service. The components in this coach seem to be first rate - most taken right from the Fleetwood American Coach line, and I'm a big fan of the Freightliner chassis, so I'm not terribly concerned about reliability.
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Old 02-07-2017, 08:10 PM   #8
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Rob.

Thanks for the prompt and thorough response. We hadn't given a lot of thought to having the bedroom at the back of the coach. Seems like most plans that have that only have a single bath which is in the middle. A second bath is not high on our list of needs.

Given the blend of old RV parks and newer ones, what do you feel is the optimum size of motorhome if you were full timing?

Is 40ft too short? Will give you less storage and a single axle unless a Newmar.

42-43 seem to be in the middle. You get a tag. Is this the sweet spot?

44-45 are the largest. But is it too big and are there issues related to size?

Or is it a toss up and go with the best floorplan.

One final thought. Everything seems to be moving from propane to all electric. Is the all electric that much better in todays world. I think it would help resell 8 years down the road.

FYI, our only previous experience was with a 2005 Allegro Bay 8.1L Chevy on a Workhorse 24W. It was 37ft and we loved the coach.
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Old 02-07-2017, 08:41 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jlazar View Post
Rob.

Thanks for the prompt and thorough response. We hadn't given a lot of thought to having the bedroom at the back of the coach. Seems like most plans that have that only have a single bath which is in the middle. A second bath is not high on our list of needs.

Given the blend of old RV parks and newer ones, what do you feel is the optimum size of motorhome if you were full timing?

Is 40ft too short? Will give you less storage and a single axle unless a
Newmar.

Here's my take most 40's do not have enough weight carrying capacity leftover for all the weight you need as fulltimers to carry. Yes the Newmar has a tag axle but you give up basement storage space which as a fulltimer is valuable and in our case necessary
42-43 seem to be in the middle. You get a tag. Is this the sweet spot?

44-45 are the largest. But is it too big and are there issues related to size?
If you can get the 42-43' coach into the space you most likely will have no problem getting in with the 44-45' We have a 45' coach and have gone everywhere our friends have gone with 40's

Or is it a toss up and go with the best floorplan.
Floorplan is probably the most important for a fulltimer. As you are living in the coach and need adequate storage and liveability. We prefer the bath and 1/2 cause one the rear bath is just seperate enough that someone showering and using the bath does not interfer with using the rest of the coach.

One final thought. Everything seems to be moving from propane to all electric. Is the all electric that much better in todays world. I think it would help resell 8 years down the road.

FYI, our only previous experience was with a 2005 Allegro Bay 8.1L Chevy on a Workhorse 24W. It was 37ft and we loved the coach.
One point to remember is that you are going to live in this coach more than you'll drive it. So any of the coaches in this price range will work, but as Robin said you are getting a really nice coach for the money with the Diplomat,
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Old 02-07-2017, 08:55 PM   #10
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I was talking about the fact that this is a "wide open" floor plan, which gives you a sense of more space, but I would imagine that a bedroom that is more isolated (like back a hallway) might be an asset at times when full-timing. Just my opinion. I agree with Trap that you will come to appreciate a second half bath. I also agree that the floor-plan and "liveability" of the lay-out and storage would be an extremely important consideration. If I were planning to full-time, I'd look at LOTS of coaches before buying.

The tag axle is a real asset for full-timing because you'll be less likely to be overweight. Plus, the ride is much smoother. The passive steering tag axle on this coach allows it to maneuver like a much shorter coach, which would be nice for smaller campgrounds and city streets. As for a 45' coach, it'll obviously give you more room, but there may be some older campgrounds that will be off-limit to you. (That may or may not matter to you.)

As for an all-electric coach, opinions will very, but I think it's much better. I would NEVER have another propane refrigerator - we replaced the Norcold with a residential refrigerator on our last coach. Also, the the Aqua Hot heating is sooo much easier to regulate than propane furnaces. The six batteries and 2800 watt PSW inverter will provide plenty of power when you are underway or have to dry camp. All 120 volt outlets are fed by the inverter on this coach. And yes, it will be a plus when it's time to sell the coach.
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Old 02-08-2017, 03:20 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jlazar View Post
Robin M. Thanks for the feedback and great information. Your website on the Diplomat is one of the best and most informative I have seen anyway. Love the links. Very impressive.

My wife and I are going to be full-timing for 7-8 years. We have been considering Tiffin, Newmar and Entegra. But seeing everything you get in the Diplomat for the price it would be hard to pass up. It would be a new Diplomat or Phaeton, or a 2-3 year old Entegra, Newmar or Allegro Bus.

Considering we are going to be full timing, how do you think the Monaco would be as far as handling heat (temps in the 100s) and cold (probably rare to be in the 30s)? Entegra and Newmar seem to get the best marks for construction and insulation.

How will the Monaco build hold up to full time use for 7-8 years. I do a lot of my own work and tend to keep on top of things. But do you think it will depreciate faster than the other brands.

How would you rank a 17 Diplomat against a 15 Dutch Star?

We have friends who just picked up a new 43G last week to full time also. They are back at Alvarado today with major water leaks. What type of problems did you have with your 43G since you got it?

Thanks for you help. John
We have the 2016 Diplomat 43D We have been living in it full time since August 2016. We have had it in 119 degree temperature. With the 3 ac units, very comfortable inside. Currently spending the winter in Albuquerque NM. On nights where not below freezing, we use 2 space heaters bought at walmart. When is colder, the aquahot works very well. I feel that the coach is very well insulated. The only problem we had was one night when temperature was down to 10 degrees, the kitchen sink drain froze, so no water from sink would drain. On investigating, the sink, which in our model is on the full wall slide, shares drain with laundry washer and then exits under the slide. It is in an open tray that is not insulated. We then taped some insulation on the underside during colder weather and have not had any problem since.

overall, we love the quality and design of our coach. The only major issue we have had was the Magnum inverter failed. We sent it to the manufacturer and they fixed and returned it....believed to be faulty computer board.

regarding longevity, only people can speculate since it is so new.
Craig
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Old 02-09-2017, 12:06 PM   #12
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Good writeup !

We have a 2011 43DFT now, and went to MHSRV to look at the 43G, but they wouldn't let us drive it, so they lost out on a potential sale...

but LOVE the differences in the 43g layout from ours, especially the shower and tv placement...
even though the plastic dash top really did not impress us.
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Old 02-10-2017, 08:20 PM   #13
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Good writeup !
Thanks.

Are you serious about upgrading that 2011 to one of the new ones? If so, I'm sure MHSRV will take you out for a test drive. If they do, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise. And I hear those folks give pretty good discounts.
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Old 02-10-2017, 10:39 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Robin_M View Post
Thanks.

Are you serious about upgrading that 2011 to one of the new ones? If so, I'm sure MHSRV will take you out for a test drive. If they do, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise. And I hear those folks give pretty good discounts.
MHSRV policy is cannot test drive a unit unless you commit to buying it. We have bought 2 coaches from them. I can tell you that the diplomat with the steering tag axle has a great turning radius and never feel semiso passing us
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