Community Forums

Rule62 · 02-17-2015, 07:21 PM

My wife and I are shopping around for our first RV and have developed interest in the Gulfstream G7 Friendship model. In particular we like the idea of the "Atrium Slide" with 10 windows in it. Does anyone have any experience/issues with the window seals or leaks? This is an Cummins/ISL 400HP side radiator model. Anyone have any experience or (dare I ask) opinions on this particular coach? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Grey Ghost I · 02-17-2015, 08:53 PM

With that many windows, I would think it would be very hot in the sun, and very cold in cold weather. I would also give some thought to the integrity of the slide. I hope someone who has that model contacts you with their experience.

TAGAXLE · 02-17-2015, 09:12 PM

I have nothing for you on the windows. However my wife and I owned a 2003 Yellowstone 40 FT MH pusher. The worst thing on my MH was the roof. I spent more time there than anywhere else in the MH to insure there were no leaks. In 2013 I lost and the water went into the walls and the laminations came apart. The way they did the roof was to lay down a piece of flat fiberglass, install the radius on each side then attached the strapping along each side creating a dam to hold water in as the end caps are also attached in the same manner. On each slide if you do not insure that the caulking is leak free the angle of the trim is such that it goes under the wooden floor. If there are leaks there your subflooring will rot. jus bad engineering on GS part The exterior paint was excellent though. I take very good care of my exterior so in the ten years we owned the YS, each one in the very hot sun, most of the time, there were no heat cracks in the Martin Seymour paint. Ended up using the same paint on my 1956 Chevy P-up because of this. Anyways just beware of these issues also make sure you get "all" of the original documents that came with the RV. GS does not have wiring diagrams for their coaches. They told me in person when I stopped in asked for one that it would be to costly for them to have/keep them for their customers. SOL otherwise. There are other higher end coaches out there that might be older for the same price as you will be paying for this one but for me I would shop for one of them.

Tagaxle

Rule62 · 02-18-2015, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TAGAXLE

There are other higher end coaches out there that might be older for the same price as you will be paying for this one but for me I would shop for one of them.

Tagaxle

Thanks TAGAXLE-

I appreciate that. What do you think of Newmar Products? They seem to have a pretty good reputation and may be one of the "higher end coaches" to which you refer?

super_rep · 02-18-2015, 07:44 AM

Over the years we have toured many of the RV motorhome and 5thwheel manufacturer's plants. Back around 2002, we really liked the floor plan of the Gulf Stream Tourmaster and decided to tour their plant in IN. After the plant tour, the one thing we knew for sure is we would never own one.

If the one you are looking at has a rubber roof, walk away and never look back. There are plenty of Newmar, Monaco, Americans, Tiffins and Foretravels out there that are outstanding coaches and great buys.

TAGAXLE · 02-19-2015, 08:45 PM

I agree Chet. Good luck 62

townsendr · 02-21-2015, 08:12 AM

We have owned a 2004 Friendship Friendship G7 for four years now, and will probably keep it until retirement (5-7 years from now) when we will upgrade and be full-timing (6 months per year). We have read several negative reviews regarding Gulfstream, but we have not had any issues with ours. Maybe we were just lucky, but we really enjoy our G7. We typically put around 7000 miles a year on the MH, and keep it at a campgrounds on the reservoir during the summer as our weekend get away. The only issue we have with the Atrium room and all the windows is the air conditioner can't keep up in hot weather. (We set a fan in the doorway to the bedroom to help push cooler air to the front of the MH, and this really helps. We really do like the brightness and the open feel with all the windows. Good luck with your pursuit of a MH.

bamaboy473 · 02-21-2015, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by super_rep

If the one you are looking at has a rubber roof, walk away and never look back. There are plenty of Newmar, Monaco, Americans, Tiffins and Foretravels out there that are outstanding coaches and great buys.

That's just a silly statement that is based on personal opinion without regard to fact. It seems to suggest that ALL rubber roofs are bad, and that ALL fiberglass roofs are good. Hogwash on both assumptions.

People read these forums in order to learn from the experts, and when newbies read something like that, they develop fast opinions without knowing why.

A fiberglass roof is a very thin boat hull that's had a bunch of holes cut and drilled in to accommodate installs. What's great about that?

It would be safer to say that ALL roofs need to be checked for caulking integrity, regardless of what they're made of. Following that, it might be accurate to suggest that the higher end coaches use a better grade of caulk, but we still need to be vigilant.