Community Forums

rtlkj · 10-16-2013, 10:37 PM

Hello, Im new to Rvs and for my first, im thinking about buying the thor axis. What do you guys think about this? I just went to a Rv show and it was listed as 80k. Should i wait til prices go down? I feel its a bit expensive since its a new coach.

I will be going 2-3 nights of camping once every one or two months. Thanks!

RV Wizard · 10-17-2013, 03:54 AM

Hello and

We are glad to have you join us and we look forward to the day you get your first RV and hit the road. Good luck, stay safe and keep us posted.
My suggestion is that you take your time, rent different floor plan and even classes of RV's to find out what you like and which ones work for your style of use. Never pay full retail and consider a fairly new but used coach to as the depreciation on a 80k coach could be 10k the first year. We will be glad to help you through the process of evaluation but you need to give us all the info of how you want to use one as well.
Enjoy the hunt!

cv30 · 10-17-2013, 06:43 PM

Saw both the Vegas and the Axis this week in Pomona for about 73k. Intro price at MHS in Texas is 69k. MSRP is about 96k.

We have been searching forever for the right rv and love this one, but were concerned about some of the poor craftsmanship we saw in the Vegas. Decided not to buy yet and wait for some reviews over the next few months. Am reluctant to buy in the first year.

We are life long RVers in our 60's and have owned all types of RVs including Class A, Travel trailers and 5th wheels From our experience the Axis and Vegas models are excellent floorplans, demonstrating excellent potential for buyers. Hope they work out well!

rtlkj · 10-17-2013, 10:01 PM

what was the difference between the vegas and axis in craftsmanship?

cv30 · 10-17-2013, 11:55 PM

The axis finishing looked okay, but the vegas had issues around the driver' s window with molding and the liner. There was a big gap. Also, carpentry issues with mouldng around the beds with application of the moulding, and a patchwork of scrap pieces of wood screwed together, crazy. The rep blew it off as '6000 people during the show' issues, but there were definitely workmanship issues. The sink was dripping and wouldnt turn off. I am also troubled by issues with e350 chassis. I had check book in hand and ready to buy because the floorplan is so right on, but telltale quality issues can be indicative of other issues and I am not taking any chances.. According to the rep, this model has only been in production for 3 to 5 weeks, too early to buy. No doubt, every rv has seemingly superficial issues with cosmetics, but my gut tells me to wait on this one. The workmanship issues I saw were not 'damage' as the rep suggested, but application issues. Also, we are interested in gas mileage. The claim is 11.5 mpg, but am leery of the figure. The workmanship issues may appear minor, but can indicate annoyances down the line if hardware starts falling apart. The e350 and chassis issues warrant more research, too. The winnebago via with the same floorplan is probably abetter choice with the mercedes engine, but a lot pricier at over 100k. I guess it will boil down to 'you get what you pay for'; still, the cost of the axis is nothing to sneeze at. For my money, as much as I love the floorplan of the axis and the vegas...I am waiting for the reviews. Another consideration is the Solera...be sure to check it out, too.

cv30 · 10-18-2013, 01:10 AM

In all fairness to Thor, I must say they did hit a home run on the floorplan and the general size of the coach. We just loved the overall concept and the size. We are hoping the reviews will pan out ok and will be anxious to hear other opinions. We love the decor, the storage, the 2 door refir, the innovative bathroom space, comfortable captains chairs, position of the tv, the 'real' stovetop, the beds, the frameless windows and other features. Has the potential to be an A+ coach....time will tell!

mikebreeze · 10-18-2013, 06:39 AM

The pics of the Axis and Vegas that I saw look similar to the ACE in terms of size and shape. And the Axis is the same length as my class C Majestic. I like them.

camaraderie · 10-18-2013, 09:33 PM

I'm hoping they come out with another floor plan for the "bedroom" as a solid queen bed without separate cushions is non-negotiable for me...but otherwise I'm very impressed with the design and the $69k price is a hell of a lot of new coach for the money.
Plenty of time for them to get any early production issues sorted out. Never buy version 1.0 of anything!

cv30 · 10-19-2013, 10:26 PM

I hear you on the queen bed issue, but have given up and opting for the twins - why? The deal breaker for us is any bed you have to crawl, scoot, climb or wiggle into. Queen slides are usually like crawling into a cave, especially if you have the added obstacle of the underneath storage bump next to the bed. And FORGET any corner bed model of anything - been there, done that crap! At least with the twins we can sit down, then easily lay down.

Many of us retirees are often the ones with the money to buy the coach, but our knees and hips are giving out - and to have to crawl into a bed from the bottom up, or scoot into a 'cave' of a queen slide just doesn't cut it. Underneath storage bumps either half length or full length by the bed are a pain in the butt and very disappointing to see, especially if the rest of a coach is otherwise 'perfect.'

For example, the FR3 is a wonderful floor plan, but the deal breaker on the king bed is the bump on the far side; you can't walk around and you have to crawl in from the bottom. FORGET it! I would rather give up some underneath storage and be able to simply sit down then lay down to get in bed. Apparently, this is just too much to ask on the compact models.

Another consideration: we both use CPAP machines at night. the space between the head of the beds on the Thor is big enough for two machines and there are two electric outlets near the head of the bed to accommodate the equipment. Not everybody needs this, but we appreciate the space and the outlets!

Another deal breaker for us in many coaches is the skinny shower with the glass door on many coaches. Looks real elegant, right? but if you can't close the door or bend down to wash your feet, what good is it?

The shower in the Axis/Vegas is small, granted; however, with a little ingenuity with the shower curtain, you could have a decent 'camp' shower. At least, they do have a curtain and not a glass enclosure!

If we buy this model, our plan for the shower is to lengthen the shower curtain so we can 'poof' it out and have a little elbow room, but still have a seal between the curtain and the shower pan. The rep blew us off on any ideas, told us you can't expect for a compact RV, but good god, you can at least TRY some innovation.

A possible solution for us MIGHT be to lengthen the shower curtain with the old bottle nosed shower clips to keep the curtain in the pan, and then poof it out with an office clip on a string clipped on the curtain and secured to the wall or even tied around the toilet dispenser. Primitive, yes, but any thing to get a little elbow room in the shower and keep the bottom of the curtain in the pan! Yes, we're laughing about it, too.

Thor is pretty close to making the ideal coach for retired couples like us who want to be on the move and comfy at the same time, with a little bit of edge on gas mileage. We might be willing to sacrifice on the queen walk around for twins and a huge shower if we can make it work in our favor. At least they are listening to the consumer when we tell them we want a shorter coach.