Community Forums

alethaj · 05-20-2014, 12:57 PM

We are looking to buy a 2011 Damon Challenger 371...does anyone have any input as to how this Class A holds up...we are leary of buying a used unit so any input is appreciated...it has a little over 13K miles on it..anything we need to look for especially? thanks

teddyu · 05-20-2014, 01:32 PM

Have a 2008 371. Love the floor plan. Unit has 42500 miles, is quiet still, rides well, with 5 star tune shifts better than stock and has only two major components (isolator solenoid for BCC and the faux leather seat deteriorated) that have failed. Like any unit, I tinkered and tweaked mine to my satisfaction. Thor provided a stipend to help recover the seats. Thor technical support is very good. They have provided what ever drawings that I have requested. JM2¢...

alethaj · 05-20-2014, 06:12 PM

We have a 42' 2013 Voltage Toy Hauler right now but want a driver..it is just the two of us and a smaler unit will be easier to handle..we hope..ha ha...will have to learn to drive pulling a tow vehicle...just kinda sacred of what repair cost on a class A would be.

teddyu · 05-20-2014, 06:31 PM

Repair cost, if needed, would be on par with the cost of repairs on your tow vehicle. JM2¢...

195pilot · 05-21-2014, 11:19 PM

I bought my 2007 Challenger unused (but three years old) from my local dealer. I've been very happy with it! A few details may be helpful for you.

Nearly 50,000 miles so far. I have the F53 chassis and it's been trouble-free. The tires were getting thin by 45,000 miles and were replaced. Insofar as the chassis, the only other expenses have been oil changes and lubes and a chassis battery last year, plus one transmission flush, filter and fill. I've become a fan of the Fort F53 for certain.

I've driven from sea level to a bit over 10,000 feet and never felt that I might need to get out and push. Camped in hot summers and as cold as single digit temperatures (she struggles to keep up with the latter, but we survived and it wasn't all that bad - had frequent visits to the propane guy, though.).

The most bothersome coach repair was to replace the main entry door lock (the so-called plunger broke and left the door completely unusable. While I was inside. I had to climb out a window to escape. Fortunately it happened in my driveway instead of 500 miles from home! Removing the defective lock is reminiscent of a root canal - it's pretty forceful. I replaced it with a version that the dealer said was upgraded from the OEM part - it allegedly has a steel plunger instead of the pot metal part in the original part). Various screws have given up the ghost and have been replaced with alternates - usually a larger screw with some beefed-up connection areas in the coach. One sink and all faucets have been upgraded, mostly to stick-house equivalents. Two faucets failed and the 3rd was replaced as a precaution. My wife always hated the cheap plastic bathroom sink; I bought a much nicer cast iron one at a big-box home improvement store on sale and it's placated her.

One double-paned window shows signs of internal moisture and will be redone sometime soon. I don't think this is unique to the Challenger.

A couple of electrical switches have been replaced after they failed. And the cheap Chinese light bulbs have proven to be short-lived and have been replaced by hopefully-higher-quality Chinese replacements.

My personal observation is that the basic coach is very solid. Some of the accessories, especially faucet sets and sinks, are pretty cheap compared with stick homes or even higher tiered rigs, but they're replaceable and it's not hard to do.

My brother and his wife have an older Newmar diesel rig. Its components are higher quality, except for the ones I have already replaced on mine. The air suspension offers a more civilized ride. The noise of their rear-mounted engine is subdued compared with my underfoot Ford. But I don't feel compromised in any of those areas. And his bedroom is heat soaked after a day on the road while mine isn't. So it's all a compromise.

My wife and I agree that our floor plan fits us better than anything we've seen so far at RV shows, friends' rigs, etc. THAT's the most important factor in my opinion. I've been very pleased with our Damon/Thor, especially so when considering the price point. for my money, they pack a lot of value and experience into their products, but the prices are relatively attractive. I definitely would consider Thor again if I were in the market, but I have no such urges right now.

Good luck with your decision! I haven't looked back with any regret.

jkcruzer1 · 05-22-2014, 08:59 PM

We have a 2011 371 with the platinum options. It also has 13k miles. Overall, very pleased.

snshatz · 07-26-2019, 08:56 PM

I too am looking at a 2011 challenger 37. Current owner said they get 11mpg...is that a realistic estimate?

edgray · 07-26-2019, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snshatz

I too am looking at a 2011 challenger 37. Current owner said they get 11mpg...is that a realistic estimate?

You don't say what chassis/engine/ tranny, but regardless, I think that claim is VERY optimistic.

There are very few class A 37' coaches that get better than 7-8 MPG over a long stretch of miles. They can't ALL be downhill

paddler1954 · 07-27-2019, 04:03 AM

My camping buddy had a 2010 Challenger that he purchased used in 2014. His unit had 9K miles on it and when he traded it in two weeks ago it had close to 54K miles. He and I both feel it was a very good starter motorhome. The only problems he had with the coach were, one roof air conditioner fan motor seized up and had to be replaced, his right front leveling jack had to be repaired, he had the same issue with the driver and passenger seat covers flaking. Overall, not a lot of trouble for a 9 year old coach. Be sure to check the date code on the tires, if they are over 5-6 years old have them replaced or get $3k off the price of the rig.