Freak encounter with a new Thor Palazzo

[Scarab0088]

2013-2014 Palazzo's had a single top and bottom track Schwintek slide drive...even on those massive full wall slides.

2015's and later have the 3Trak, which has hardened shafts and higher gear ratios...greatly remedying the situation.

The Schwintek slide drive was new on 2013 models and is on 30 brands...Winnie owners are just now feeling the same pain.

The chassis is the same Freightliner XC that is under most every smaller Diesel Pusher made in North America...don't know what problems are there

It would be on my short list if I was looking for a DP...a lot of RV for the money (now that the slide drive issue is improved).

Safe travels

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

2013-2014 Palazzo's had a single top and bottom track Schwintek slide drive...even on those massive full wall slides.

2015's and later have the 3Trak, which has hardened shafts and higher gear ratios...greatly remedying the situation.

The Schwintek slide drive was new on 2013 models and is on 30 brands...Winnie owners are just now feeling the same pain.

The chassis is the same Freightliner XC that is under most every smaller Diesel Pusher made in North America...don't know what problems are there

It would be on my short list if I was looking for a DP...a lot of RV for the money (now that the slide drive issue is improved).

Safe travels

I've been looking at them,... can't find one without the res. fridge

freightliner is like ford

they have the market sewed up..

you have to spend a lot of doe to get the true bus chassis and power

the compeditor to the plazzo , the excursion, was what we bought..
all the problems we had were chassis related... bad shocks, bad tires and I didn't like the drum brakes... always squeaking..i never did check with the DB meter..

[ABrask]

I couldn't care less if some folks are determined to hate the Palazzo, Thor has sold a load of them...far more than a lot of the competition (at least partially because they were first to market in the category). We love ours, and have met many other owners who feel the same. And, it's not for sale.

The worse thing we've had happen to ours in its first 12K miles is broken bedroom door hardware (easily fixed) and a leaky drain pipe (two minutes with a wrench). All other issues were a matter of user error or learning on the job. Not a bad track record, in my opinion. For those determined to believe otherwise (or who unfortunately had bad experiences with the first coaches off the line), move on. There's nothing more to see here.

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by ABrask

I couldn't care less if some folks are determined to hate the Palazzo, Thor has sold a load of them...far more than a lot of the competition (at least partially because they were first to market in the category). We love ours, and have met many other owners who feel the same. And, it's not for sale.

The worse thing we've had happen to ours in its first 12K miles is broken bedroom door hardware (easily fixed) and a leaky drain pipe (two minutes with a wrench). All other issues were a matter of user error or learning on the job. Not a bad track record, in my opinion. For those determined to believe otherwise (or who unfortunately had bad experiences with the first coaches off the line), move on. There's nothing more to see here.

you have the best floor plan that we like do you have a propane fridge?

[Agaveguy]

Nothing wrong with a Palazzo. Schwintec made some slide hardware that was not adequate for the job and poisoned every one's thoughts about them. Now Thor has upgraded the slide hardware and that seems to have fixed the problem. They are no better or worse than any other coach offered in that price range.

Fwiw, just the other day I walked through a handful of new RVs at my local dealer, the new Fleetwood Pace Arrow and the Winnebego Journey had so many cosmetic items wrong with them I couldn't believe it. Wallpaper damage, fixtures loose, cabinet doors crooked/missing hardware, shower doors that were installed so crooked they were bound up, bathroom doors that weren't installed plumb that wouldn't close without pushing on them, and loose wood trim with staples that went into nothing. So the installer shot the staple in, let the trim go and it falls down, then he walks away satisfied he did his job. Unbelievable.

I wasn't aware the Freightliner chassis was the downfall of the Palazzo???

LVRVLUVR What is a true bus chassis? Prevost?

[Brian W]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

The Schwintek slide drive was new on 2013 models and is on 30 brands...Winnie owners are just now feeling the same pain.

Safe travels

I had one of those brands that used Schwintek on a full wall slide. The results ended up being disastrous. Bent slide and wall that the manufacturer said would take 9 months to fix.

At least Thor did something to address the problem. The brand I had is still building them the same way.

[slowmachine]

Daimler (Freightliner's corporate overlord) offers a full range of buses, from Thomas on the utilitarian end of the spectrum, to MCI/Setra in the luxury market. They have plenty of bus-building expertise.

[LVRVLUVR]

Originally Posted by Agaveguy

Nothing wrong with a Palazzo. Schwintec made some slide hardware that was not adequate for the job and poisoned every one's thoughts about them. Now Thor has upgraded the slide hardware and that seems to have fixed the problem. They are no better or worse than any other coach offered in that price range.

Fwiw, just the other day I walked through a handful of new RVs at my local dealer, the new Fleetwood Pace Arrow and the Winnebego Journey had so many cosmetic items wrong with them I couldn't believe it. Wallpaper damage, fixtures loose, cabinet doors crooked/missing hardware, shower doors that were installed so crooked they were bound up, bathroom doors that weren't installed plumb that wouldn't close without pushing on them, and loose wood trim with staples that went into nothing. So the installer shot the staple in, let the trim go and it falls down, then he walks away satisfied he did his job. Unbelievable.

I wasn't aware the Freightliner chassis was the downfall of the Palazzo???

LVRVLUVR What is a true bus chassis? Prevost?

I would say yeah...the spartan... road master.prevous...
the entry level freightliners leave a lot of want room for ride, and power..

freightliners ride real smooth on a real smooth road

[LVRVLUVR]

I think this is more of the squeaky syndrome , lot of people talk about what they have heard, and never have experienced for them self..

I here all the bad about the monoco vector and it all seems to come from those that have never owned one...those that have them say they are fine..

I like the plazzo don't like the res. fridge... so I won't buy one..

I do know a guy that changed it back to propane... said it wasn't that big of deal... only 3k

[WyoFree]

Thera are currently 53 Thor Palazzo on RV Trader of all years shapes and sizes. That doesn't seem like that many With so many that were sold.

And are we going to waste syber space talking about the Freightliner chassis, really? It's the number one selling chassis in the business. I think we need to seddle down and move forward. How bout them Cuby's!

I'm a lot more interested in the part built by Thor than Freightliner and Cummins! And if Thor has fixed the slide problem that's of great importance me.

I was looking at the full wall slide and how much room it gave the coach. For a 37 and a half foot coach it's cavernous! But if it doesn't go in and out BIG trouble. How would you get something that big back in? So if it's fixed that's great news!

Fixating on Freightliner, you can only shake your head! I think some of us need to go do something important. Like rotating the air in the tires!

[tamdle]

Originally Posted by WyoFree

Thera are currently 53 Thor Palazzo on RV Trader of all years shapes and sizes. That doesn't seem like that many With so many that were sold.

And are we going to waste syber space talking about the Freightliner chassis, really? It's the number one selling chassis in the business...

I'm a lot more interested in the part built by Thor than Freightliner and Cummins! And if Thor has fixed the slide problem that's of great importance me...

Agreed!

I am in search for my first new coach, and with the length, weight restriction, I am landing with the Palazzo 33.x and found that the one that being on the market as used are more of the earlier models especially prior to 2015 which had the slide problem.

I also have been at some of the dealers looking at the 2016 Palazzo, the quality furniture, cabinet, and other details were not that all bad as those earlier models. I think that they may improve over the year provided the Palazzo first model was 2012. I am excited about the 2017 model with more improvement to come. I think that Thor has stepped up their game a little. One other thing is the Palazzo has the lower gravity chassis than some other MH at the same price point. That may help quite a bit with the ride as well. Too bad that I have not owned one yet to tell the fact, but from my research, it seems to be the one that may stay on my pick list for a little longer.

Also, I just look at the closest competitor is the Allegro Breeze, it close enough to be considered as it has the similar floor plan as the Palazzo 33.4, but it MSRP cost $20,000 higher than the Palazzo and yet, it has fewer amenities than the Palazzo. For that much different, would it justify that cost to buy a Tiffin provided many people have the higher respect for the Tiffin brand?

The important question to the Palazzo owners is if you would do it all over again, knowing what you know now, would you pick the Palazzo again at this price point provide that Palazzo has been growing over the year since 2012?

[HHIDan]

Probably a great time to buy a Palazzo... With so many bad reviews Thor fixed the slides issues, probably had to do a bunch of other improvements to compensate some more and as an earlier post mentions they had to remain very competitive on price...

[WyoFree]

I've been trying to find the changes made to the Palazzo for 2017? I thought I'd find it at the Thor website but if it's there it's well hidden. Also did a search and no help there either. Any of you know?

[Rooster54]

I think I want to check one now. Not ready to buy anything but curious.