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lslblues · 04-03-2019, 09:42 AM

S2RV/Valencia - we are very happy with it. Verona will have more power, and if you will be towing big heavy trailers, I could see the advantage. We tow a car and the Valencia has had plenty of power for us.

It drives great. Handles great. No weight distribution issues. For our needs, the Valencia was just a great combination of features with very good value.

ragoodspeed · 04-03-2019, 01:44 PM

AquaHeat is being offered in the Verona I have been told. My Verona is nearly 3 years old with 25000 miles. No issues what so ever with Renegade, the M2 is a brute and I love driving the coach. Do not mean to knock any manafacturer but there is just no comparison in the build quality between Renegade and Forest River/Dynamax. Go with the Verona.

spuds · 04-03-2019, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragoodspeed

AquaHeat is being offered in the Verona I have been told.

From what I have read, it's the AquaHot 250, as opposed to the 450 that's in the Verona LE.

Dargeljohn · 04-03-2019, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lslblues

S2RV/Valencia - we are very happy with it. Verona will have more power, and if you will be towing big heavy trailers, I could see the advantage. We tow a car and the Valencia has had plenty of power for us.

It drives great. Handles great. No weight distribution issues. For our needs, the Valencia was just a great combination of features with very good value.

Good to hear about the Valencia. I'm sure its much easier to fill up with one tank! Thanks

Dargeljohn · 04-03-2019, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragoodspeed

AquaHeat is being offered in the Verona I have been told. My Verona is nearly 3 years old with 25000 miles. No issues what so ever with Renegade, the M2 is a brute and I love driving the coach. Do not mean to knock any manafacturer but there is just no comparison in the build quality between Renegade and Forest River/Dynamax. Go with the Verona.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spuds

From what I have read, it's the AquaHot 250, as opposed to the 450 that's in the Verona LE.

Thanks, I really like the idea of the AquaHot system. It would also allow me to go all electric. Verona LE would be my preference, but they don't offer a Bunk house? Either way, I'm sold on the Renegades.

DeetsMaggie · 04-03-2019, 10:11 PM

Regarding the Valencia S2 chassis.....

My wife and I travelled far specifically to test drive a Valencia. All our web research had pointed to the Valencia. While at the dealer saw the Verona with cut away cab ceiling which looked really attractive to us and test drove the Verona. The over cab bunk wasn’t a big driver for us. The M2 chassis, with larger Cummins ISL 9 very noticeably outperformed the S2 chassis. Drove the Valencia again and it seemed slow and bogged down relative to Verona. Seemed like we also noticed more cab wind noise in the Valencia. Also, somewhat annoying air compressor noise on the S2 missing from the ISL9.

Ended up with Verona for several reasons, but the differences in chassis was a big one, including the 100 gal fuel tanks.

DeetsMaggie

lslblues · 04-04-2019, 04:29 AM

DeetsMaggie - do you recall if you had the Mode button on in the Valencia? It does opposite things in Verona vs the Valencia.

Wind noise - I do think the cabover design of the Valencia could create a bit more wind noise than the Veronas front cap. The cabs are virtually identical. Part numbers for everything I've looked at are the same between S2RV and M2.

What exactly does your fuel tank comment mean? Both have 100 gallon capacity. Valencia - 1 tank. Verona 100 gallons between the 2 tanks. Definite advantage Valencia in my mind.

Verona is super nice, no doubt. For us, just not worth an extra $60K.

ragoodspeed · 04-04-2019, 05:15 AM

I must say the two separate tanks on the Verona are a pain. The desperate tank set up works great at truck stops with the main pump and the slave pump you can fill both tanks in no time but at your neighborhood staition it does not work so well so the one tank approach would be a plus for me. Is the tank on the Valentia aluminum? Thanks, Ron G

tdeperte · 04-04-2019, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragoodspeed

I must say the two separate tanks on the Verona are a pain. The desperate tank set up works great at truck stops with the main pump and the slave pump you can fill both tanks in no time but at your neighborhood staition it does not work so well so the one tank approach would be a plus for me. Is the tank on the Valentia aluminum? Thanks, Ron G

Steel, mounted between the frame rails.

lslblues · 04-04-2019, 07:12 AM

Valencia is steel.

DeetsMaggie · 04-04-2019, 10:34 AM

ISLBlues,

You are exactly correct. My comment regarding the fuel capacities was in error. I might have been confusing the Valencia S2 chassis with the Jayco/Seneca chassis. I think, but won't swear that the Seneca had a 75 gallon tank, something did. Shopping and comparing was well over a year ago and memory is getting muddled.

The Verona is our first large diesel motorhome. At the dealer, we ended up in a conversation with a fellow who primarily flies to Renegade factory and drives new renegade coaches of all models to dealers or directly to new owners. A commercial driver. We mentioned concern of inconvenience of tanks on both sides of coach. His answer was that it didn't matter. From now on he told us, we were only going to obtain fuel at truck plazas with master slave pumps, all unfamiliar to us. Also, by only going where the truckers go, we were going to avoid all the issues with tight turns horizontal and vertical clearance, etc encountered at the local gas station. Ended up in another test drive with him to truck plaza where we filled the new unit up using master slave pumps, learned all the rules (at least his version) of truck stop etiquette so we wouldn't upset truckers.

Now we are completely comfortable with the truck plazas. Find them low stress as there is lots of space and clearance, pumps are very fast and tanks fill very quickly, and everything you need to clean the bugs off windshield, DEF pumps as well. Pilot, TA, etc all have apps so you can easily plan next fuel stop. If you're in a pinch for an overnight stop location, that's available also.

We think he gave us good advice and for fuel and we only go where the truckers go. It works well for us.

By the way. The driver told us he never sleeps on the beds of the new coaches , not even in a sleeping bag. And never uses the sink or toilet. All overnights for him are at motels along the way.

DeetsMaggie

ragoodspeed · 04-04-2019, 11:49 AM

While the truck stop approach works very well with the two pump approach and you can get DEF fluid right at the island at most truck stops. The issue I dislike is truck stops are very dirty, the pumps are very complicated and some only take company debt cards and the price is always much higher. I have the Good Sam Flying J CC but that only knocks 6 cents per gallon off.
I really like the aluminum fuel tanks that the M2 has and having them up front helps with the general handling of the coach I do think. I do bet the SC2 chassis is not as stiff as the M2 and would give you a better ride? The ISL9 is a hard engine to beat. Thanks, Ron

lslblues · 04-04-2019, 12:19 PM

I tend to buy from regular gas stations as well just due to cost. I can often find fuel for $.20-.30 cheaper. Do a little fly-by with Google Maps to make sure it doesn't look too crazy.

Bottom line is I think both are great RVs. We came from a gas class A and the Valencia drives like a dream. We did test drive a Verona, and while yes it felt heavier or a tiny bit stiffer, wasn't anything significant enough for us to worry about. But you should definitely go to a dealer that has both, check them out side by side and drive them. Make sure you drive the Valencia with the Mode button enabled and the Verona with it disabled as they operate exactly opposite by default.

Ziggy8321 · 04-04-2019, 01:28 PM

I will generally try to find the most reasonable priced fuel. Truck stops are great for ease etc, they really rip off those that don't have a commercial contract with them.

I have found many truck stops off the interstates with much lower prices, as noted as much as 20-30 cents less.

Look for Circle K, Flash and a few others that are big players OFF the interstates and many have truck pumps.

I also find filling only one tank at regular station to be easy and no big deal. Yes you can never really ever fill it since the equalization tube is so small but if I stop when I am 1/2 full and fill one side I will end up about 2/3 full and that works fine for me. Doesn't matter which one side you pick, you'll see the fuel equalize as you are driving down the road and it takes about 10-15 minutes for full equalization (never really timed it).

I hate being ripped off by the truck stops on the interstates. It's more about principle than the $$$.