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10-09-2012, 04:35 PM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 602
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Fleetwood vs. Tiffin
My wife and I are looking at the Allegro 32CA and the Southwind 32VS. Both have very similar floor plans and both units appear to be of quality components and construction. We are new to RVing and have been shopping for around 3-4 months. We now own a Lance Camper 1121 on a F550, and love the RVing experience. This will, more than likely, be our last coach as well, we hope to use the coach extensively over the next 5-7 years.
My question is, does one company i.e., Fleetwood or Tiffin do a better job in customer service?
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10-09-2012, 04:47 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Almond, Wisconsin
Posts: 1,512
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Buy the one the DW likes then you're off the hook. Jim
__________________
2006 Monaco Camelot 40 PAQ 400ISL - Toad Jeep Grand Cherokee - DW is the Nagivator. Retired to travel and everything revolves around the price of diesel.
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10-09-2012, 05:07 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Mariposa, CA
Posts: 3,928
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Tiffin
__________________
2003 - 2010: 2004 35' National RV Sea Breeze LX 8341
2010 - 2021: 2001 41' Newmar Mountain Aire 4095
2021 - ???? : 2001 31' National RV Sea View 8311
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10-09-2012, 06:28 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 8,638
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It seems you are worried about customer service, are you buying new or used. Do you want service from a dealer and service center or manufacturer. Who has the most across the country in case you need something worked on. Those are very similar coaches what chassis are they both on, don't just look at the frilly things start at the ground up.
__________________
2007 Fleetwood Revolution LE 40V
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10-09-2012, 06:39 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 1,202
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Tiffin, in years past, had the best support of any manufacturer. Today, in my opinion, there is not much difference. I think a key consideration is whether your local dealer is any good. Many aren't. Both the Tiffin plant and the Fleetwood plant do similar quality work , but that would mean driving to their plant. I think, if you go with either model, picking the floor plan you like the best, you'll have a good coach.
__________________
Jim and Lynda, (Sophie, Jake, attack trained killer Shi-Tzus :-))
2003 Fleetwood Expedition 38N 2005 Saturn Vue
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10-09-2012, 06:57 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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Tiffin used to be great but seems to have fallen back some. We'd buy a Newmar again over anything else out there.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
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10-10-2012, 05:18 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NJ
Posts: 514
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnmbeard
My wife and I are looking at the Allegro 32CA and the Southwind 32VS. Both have very similar floor plans and both units appear to be of quality components and construction. We are new to RVing and have been shopping for around 3-4 months. We now own a Lance Camper 1121 on a F550, and love the RVing experience. This will, more than likely, be our last coach as well, we hope to use the coach extensively over the next 5-7 years.
My question is, does one company i.e., Fleetwood or Tiffin do a better job in customer service?
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You will get varied opinions on this, but at the end of the day, you are definitely comparing apples to apples. And, they are both good apples. You truly can't go wrong with either one.
__________________
2016 American Coach Revolution 42T
2004 Jeep Wrangler Sport
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10-10-2012, 06:43 AM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 602
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We're going to a RV show this weekend (2/12/2012) in Pomona, CA to preview each coach (32 CA vs. 32 VS) and compare one to the other. The DW would prefer a used coach, of course the DW doesn't have the maintenance and upkeep responsibility...I do, and I am leaning towards a new Tiffin Coach.
The Fleetwood prices out at 6k to 7k more expensive than the Tiffin. Both are on a 22,000# Ford Chassis. Identical power plants, and drive train on each coach. Floor plans are nearly identical, which is what attracted the DW and I to the coach in the first place. The A/C system in the Tiffin is fully ducted (supply & return) whereas the Fleetwood only has a ducted supply and central return. That is the most glaring difference between the coaches.
We want a smaller coach to fit into smaller camp areas and National Parks.
Both coaches do fit our budget of around 100k to 110k. Of course I would love to have a DP such as a Phaeton, but I/we do not want to spend 150k to 250k+ for a coach.
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10-10-2012, 06:43 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 4,040
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I'm completely biased here but I wouldn't waste my time or $ on a Fleetwood product. PM me if you have specific questions about the 32CA, Tiffin, or anything else you can think of.
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Roger & Mary
2017 Winnebago Navion 24V (Sold)
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH (Sold)
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10-10-2012, 06:43 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 619
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We've owned a 98 Fleetwood Pace Arrow for 4 years which I've been very happy with but we just bought and 03 Tiffin Phaeton and based on my initial observation there's a huge difference in construction. If nothing else, every electrical connection in the Tiffin is clearly labeled and accessible. The Phaeton seems to be better insulated (the whole underbelly is covered with foam, etc). Based on my observation, it just seems like a better built coach. Obviously I'm comparing a 98 gasser to a 03 DP so it's not quite the same but I do think the Phaeton would also compare favorably to a 03 Discovery (Phaeton was cheaper): fibreglass (on Phaeton) vs rubber roof, passthrough storage (on Phaeton), 10k (on Phaeton) vs 5k towing, higher GVWR and GCWR (on Phaeton) etc. Fleetwood did include some things standard that were options or n/a on the Tiffin (solar panel, inverter, etc) and I do like some of their floorplans but if I had to pick one over the other, I'd pick Tiffin (note that I bought our new coach (and the previous one) simply because I found it for a good deal and not because I favoured one brand over another).
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10-10-2012, 08:44 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: OKLAHOMA
Posts: 1
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We love our fleetwood.Rides smooth and drives great. Very well built and has been a very good dependable unit.Would buy another in a heartbeat.
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10-10-2012, 09:12 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Fort walton Beach Fl
Posts: 1,059
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And I dumped my 11 Phaeton due to the house part being broke every week. Almost 100 issues in 11 months. Tiffin will fix all but I did not think I would live long enough to get all fixed, Dropped ceilings, cracked roof rails, rotted walls and on and on. They all have issues. Just how many??
__________________
Larry
2016 Entegra Cornerstone
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10-10-2012, 09:39 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Winter Park, Fl
Posts: 495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jlfbatonrg
Tiffin, in years past, had the best support of any manufacturer. Today, in my opinion, there is not much difference. I think a key consideration is whether your local dealer is any good. Many aren't. Both the Tiffin plant and the Fleetwood plant do similar quality work , but that would mean driving to their plant. I think, if you go with either model, picking the floor plan you like the best, you'll have a good coach.
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What do you base this on? My coach is an 07 and I just had an item covered by Tiffin for free at my chosen dealer. You can ague who makes the best coach as it leaves the manufactures floor. But to state Tiffin is like the others after a sale is not not accurate from my personal experiences.
__________________
2007 Allegro Bus 42 QRP, 400 ISL now 2017 LTV Serenity on a 2016 Sprinter chassis
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10-10-2012, 09:51 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 134
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Love our FW product! Like luvlabs said I wouldn't WASTE my time on that other one. Just get the one the wife prefers-can't go wrong. Good Luck
__________________
2011 American Heritage 45BT ISX 650 Cummins
We believe in God and Guns if you enter this home unwelcomed be prepared to meet both.
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