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Old 11-16-2017, 05:51 PM   #1
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The First 55 Days Out

We picked up our 2017 Aspire in MI from MH2Go on 8/29. After spending 55 days/nights in our coach since moving up from our 34’ Tiffin gasser, I thought a 1st season wrap-up might be of some interest/help to others who are considering a similar change. [Sadly, I completed winterization yesterday - coach in storage until early March.]

Before we chose our Aspire, we compared Entegra, Tiffin and Newmar (JMO - I believe these three are the best in our price range). After a few months researching and looking, our top reasons to choose Entegra include:

Really like the overall design and construction, including:
Chassis (x-brace, etc...)
Design of the 44B floorplan (we find it perfect for our needs, and, I’m not a fan of full-side slide-outs - I’m probably overly concerned, but a a 28’ span with no floor-to-roof support scares me…)
Interior decor, fit/finish, storage, etc… (my wife was sold the moment she walked in the coach…)
Warranty - 2 years is impressive
Drive-ability - on the road, our coach was the winner
Exterior design - we love the look, and have received many favorable comments about the beauty of our coach
Value - when combined with the above, the price made our choice a no-brainer

Quick run-down of the perceived benefits over our gasser:

Quieter - even with the generator running, much quieter - especially when climbing
Smoother ride - almost a “night and day” improvement
Power - almost 3X the torque to handle twice the weight
Handling and overall coach stability - big improvement (my wife drove 160 miles during our trip home from MI - she loved it…)
Fuel mileage - so far, an ~1.5 - 2 MPG improvement
Carry capacity - seems to be often overlooked, but our Aspire has ~10,500 lbs. vs. the gasser’s ~4100 lbs.

An example of driving performance: we recently completed a 100 mile trip to a SE TN state park. Although there are no “mountains”, I-40 east out of Nashville includes a number of fairly long grades, and 111 has a “fun” 3-mile grade that alternates between 8 and 9%.

On the way to the park (climbing up the Cumberland Plateau, and driving up the 3-mile grade), we averaged ~8.3 MPG while running ~62. On the way back, the average was ~9.4MPG. [We have a small toad - ~2800 lbs.]

Fortunately, we've encountered very little to complain about, although I have to admit I was truly “intimidated” during the first few weeks: this thing is huge, and, on the surface, the systems appear to be very complicated.

However, once I had a few highway and campground miles under belt, the driving experience actually became enjoyable. Also, we learned that the complicated systems are there to actually make our coach more livable, and, with help provided in this forum, the intimidation factor gradually went away.

[Ex: I admit I was fearful of the winterization process. Other than using much more antifreeze than the 2 gallons mentioned in the manual, and nearly knocking myself out twice (raised up under the bedroom slide - ouch - "concussion protocol"!), the process was quite simple]

Problems: I’ll probably jinx our coach; however, we’ve been very lucky so far - only 4 minor items that will eventually require warranty work.

Sure, I’ve tightened a few screws and bolts, adjusted the headlights, and pulled the fuse on that stupid CO alarm a couple of times, but swarming ladybugs last week were actually a greater aggravation than all our coach problems combined.

Things may change next season; however, for now, we're Entegra “fan persons”, and, if given the opportunity, we’d definitely make the exact same decision.
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Old 11-16-2017, 06:34 PM   #2
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Thank you for the detailed run down! As prospective buyers, I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. Looked at the same three and have settled on Entegra as well.
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Old 11-16-2017, 07:00 PM   #3
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Welcome to the Entegra Family, Bob! Though you see mainly complaints on the forum I think most of us share your opinion!
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Old 11-16-2017, 08:16 PM   #4
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Glad you're enjoying the coach and welcome to the growing family!
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Old 11-17-2017, 06:52 AM   #5
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Enjoy
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Old 11-17-2017, 07:47 AM   #6
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Great report on your first experiences in your new coach and welcome to the Entegra family..! Enjoy the new ride..!
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Old 11-17-2017, 07:50 AM   #7
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Pick our 44W up end of January, hope we have as few issues as you.
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Old 11-17-2017, 04:46 PM   #8
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Great report.. I think people who have owned other brands and then go to a Entegra see the difference even more... Entegra built motorhomes just
Have all the details figured out.. when you frustrate with other brands and then experience the full package and quality of a Entegra it just hits a very positive Great feeling.... thanks for sharing...
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Old 11-17-2017, 06:29 PM   #9
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Actually, owning the Tiffin gasser was a pleasant experience - only 5 punch-list items after the first year, and we enjoyed our camping experience in the coach.

However, to Lowejug's point, all design/execution elements of our Aspire are definitely a clear cut above... Thanks,

BG
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Old 11-18-2017, 04:55 AM   #10
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Congratulations....nice report that should help others wanting to hear first hand experiences.
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