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Old 09-16-2014, 06:40 PM   #29
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Since money isn't an object, then Provost, Newell, Foretravel and Wanderlodge.
Having said that about the money, many of these are available in older models and very affordable, so if you're looking for something that was built to last rather than newness, then one of these might be the ticket.
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Old 09-17-2014, 09:14 PM   #30
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If you want 4 slides and a tag IMHO Newmar on a Spartan Chassis, used, is the best bang for your buck. Mountain Aire, Dutch Star and Essex.
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Old 09-18-2014, 06:02 AM   #31
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Bluebird Wanderlodge, I'm on my 4th.
mine cost 750 grand, new
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Old 09-18-2014, 06:32 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rdfugere View Post
Has anyone know anything of the Damon Tuscany? I looked at a
2009 Damon
TUSCANY
4056

I know they have been bought by Thor but this seems to be made before the buyout. I've read nightmare stories about Thor but know nothing of Damons made before they were bought.
How about an answer to your question....

Thor doesn't exactly have the best reputation right now. Now with that being said, the Tuscany "seems" to have far less complaints than the entry levels that I have seen.

And I have heard from more than a couple owners that they love their Tuscany.

On the flip side, my RV repair guy once in causal convo about manufacturers said in a sentence "and whatever you do, stay away from the off brands like sports coach and the damons, they look pretty, but boy do they have some structural issues..." He was probably referring to the old damon company, but that's what he said. Just one opinion.

My thought is this - "how is my money going to work for me?" Would I apply it to

A. A company that made a product without a high opinion, then was bought by another company without a super high opinion who took over their operations, so therefore doesn't have a lot of experience (in number of years) in making this model of 38,000 lb bus.... also the same company has a ton of brand extensions which in my opinion makes them more of a jack of all...

or

b. A company that has made 5 or 6 busses for 25 years with a solid reputation?

All things being equal, I would take option b. Fleetwood, Newmar, Tiffin, Winnie

And if money were no object, I still would not want a bus conversion... sure they are built like a tank, but I'm not a band touring the country, and I don't care about white oak inlayed, fancy ultra modern interior. (although I would LOVE the 5 A/C units.) The fact that most of the bus converts have 0, 1 or 2 slides would bug me right off, and I don't need or want to drive something 45 feet long.

This is a very personal opinion, but it has to do with the way my wife and I USE our bus. We aren't resort kings, we aren't pavement huggers. Even 40 feet for us sometimes is too long, and we find ourselves at times, wishing we had a 36 footer (or sometimes, even a popup trailer! to get to some remote areas.)

So my question to you is, HOW are you going to use it.. like what's your dream trip?
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Old 09-18-2014, 06:34 AM   #33
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Another good gauge... how many Thor Tuscany's are for sale right now that are of 2012, 2013 used model year range... if you see a bunch, that's a sign something *might* be amiss with those year models.
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Old 09-19-2014, 11:35 PM   #34
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mine,
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The coach brand of the guy that offers me a beer every time I walk past his coach.
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Old 09-21-2014, 09:47 PM   #35
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Just went through a six month shopping process. We are newbies but have learned a ton in this process.

Make decision between gas or diesel. (We opted for Diesel- whole different ride!)
Figure out what floor plan your wife wants and what things you BOTH can't live without and be patient.
We absolutely had to have a King Bed our #1 issue!
We thought we wanted a 30-35' until we thought about being stuck inside for three days due to inclement weather.

Study RVTrader.com and MHSRV.COM to get an idea what coaches sell for and what floor plans you like. Use this forum once you narrow down to the specific models you like. We thought we had it figured out but folks here helped change our minds.

We are in a small town with no MH dealers so we made about six weekend trips to metro markets specifically to look at specific MFGs/floor plans to be efficient and unemotional.

We have driven 20-30 coaches this summer and really liked the Monaco Diplomat and Newmar Dutch Stars in the 2005-8 range the best. Best drive/workmanship for the buck but the Diplomat doesn't come with a King bed in the years/price range and she couldn't find the floor plan she liked in the Used Dutch Star. (king floor plans are really tough to find in <38' in this year/quality$ range. If you want a queen bed, there are some really nice options out there

So we ultimately bought a 40' '08 National Pacifica that had the perfect floor plan for us. All concerns about size went completely out the window when she saw this one. Triple slide, lots of windows and a nice ride although not quite as nice as the Aforementioned Newmar's and Monaco's. We compared it to several brand new coaches that were 50%-75% more but the newer coaches are noisier on the road, cheaply built and have less windows than our Pacifica. We just returned from our first trip and we love our Pacifica!

Bottom line...guys get to pick the chassis & engine and the gals get to pick the floor plan. (Happily married for 26 yrs)
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Old 09-21-2014, 11:11 PM   #36
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Bottom line...guys get to pick the chassis & engine and the gals get to pick the floor plan. (Happily married for 26 yrs)
Seriously??? I feel like I have just regressed a few decades. This may surprise you but I have definite opinions about chassis & engine (as well as side rad vs rear rad) and my husband definitely has strong opinions about floor plan. I doubt we are the only couple like this.
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Old 09-21-2014, 11:20 PM   #37
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Newmar kicks butt as far as i'm concerned.

Some people take 25 cats with them
We agree with Newmar, but we only take seven cats with us!
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Old 09-21-2014, 11:25 PM   #38
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There's a Newmar London Aire at a dealers in FL, it was right at or over $1,000,000 new. NADA says it's still worth $400,000+. Don't know what the dealer wants for it. Mid entry, white interior. Too gaudy for us though.
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Old 09-22-2014, 12:22 AM   #39
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Seriously??? I feel like I have just regressed a few decades. This may surprise you but I have definite opinions about chassis & engine (as well as side rad vs rear rad) and my husband definitely has strong opinions about floor plan. I doubt we are the only couple like this.
Definately not the only couple, but definately the minority......
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Old 09-22-2014, 06:48 AM   #40
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I have a Fleetwood that serves me well!
X-2^^
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Old 09-23-2014, 11:46 PM   #41
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Three manufacturers?

After twenty years in the high line DP Rv management biz my choices narrow completely.

91-92 40' 3176 cat Marquis. Probably the best quality and engineered coach made. Gillig, webasto, floating skins, sikkens paint like the country coach.

All country coaches

I bought a limping Foretravel 97' u320 40' and it's the finest driving machine made in the biz.

air disk brakes, Allison xtarder, fiberglass/steel framed vacuum bonded structure, loomed wiring.

Newell is aluminum skinned. Not

Neway is loose aluminum framed structure. Not.

Too many customer issues with tiffin stuff.

No body shell noises please. Drives me crazy. Quiet.

Only the Foretravel has no truck sway at all.

It's not the money.

And the only xtarder in the biz.

Brings a grin driving it that's hard to wipe off of your face.

It's a motorhome not a homemotor.

Monaco built a version but dimensionally very crude. No insulated floor. Two pieces of wood. Heavy.

Slides make the coach heavy and take away inside and outside storage. 18" for each slide. And make the coach taller so more body roll and truck sway.

White knuckle drive. Constant steering corrections. Tiring. 300 miles and you are beat.
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Old 09-24-2014, 06:03 AM   #42
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I guess nobody has driven a Bluebird Wanderlodge?
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