Talk me out of (or into?) a 2023 Valencia

[Crabby Mike]

Hi Renegade owners, I need some honest advice. Short history: my wife and I have been RVing since 2007, from travel trailer, to gas Class A, to diesel pusher (2 actually), then downsized to our current unit, a Coach House “B+” for the last 4 years. The Coach House is a very-well-made RV, and has carried us coast-to-coast many times, but it’s small by my standards, especially for extended trips. I’m longing for more space, power, and carrying capacity, but don’t want to go back to a Class A, which leads me to Super Cs, and particularly Renegade. I initially preferred the Verona (don’t need to go above that), but the boss lady prefers the Valencia, and its $50k-ish lower price tag. I could live with that, but I have a few questions for those who own one:

· The Valencia, with the 6.7L Cummins, obviously has significantly less power than the 8.9L in the Verona. But is it enough, especially in the mountains? (Bear in mind that my current coach has the Ford V10, so either is a big step up.)
· How much cabin noise from the engine?
· How does the S2RV chassis handle the potholes, etc.? I actually think I prefer the S2RV to the M2-106, especially the fuel tank placement (and single-side fuel fill), but I wonder about the ride.
· I assume the slides are electric, though the brochure doesn’t say. How reliable are they? I lived through the issues with the early Schwintek slides, so I hope they’ve gotten better.
· How is the Truma Comfort Plus for back-to-back showers?
· Interestingly, I’ve seen some Valencia 38RW models online that seem to have a macerating toilet, and some that don’t? What about the two toilets in the 38RB?
· Anything else I should be aware of?

Lastly, I think I buy into the notion that Renegade Super Cs are significantly better built than lookalike models from Thor/Jayco/Entegra, Tiffin, etc. I’m sure no one in this group will disagree, but is there anything you’d want to say about that?

Thanks, and I look forward to some inside knowledge from this group!

[hippopapamus]

I’ll try to add more later when I have some time, but I found myself in this exact same spot at the end of 2021. You can read my old posts and will likely find many of the same questions / thoughts you are having. Ultimately, we went with the Verona 36VSB because the Valencia 35MB we ordered was delayed, there was going to be a price increase since we’d be pushed into the new year, there was a Verona 36VSB available, we liked Verona 36VSB floor plan better, and the dealer gave us a nice discount on the Verona 36VSB that helped bridge the gap.

Unless you need to tow a lot of weight, the Valencia should be fine. Sure you won’t be racing up the hills, but hopefully that’s not your intention anyway. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone on here that is unhappy with the 6.7 in the Valencia. Finally, if they had had the Valencia 36VSB instead of the 35MB when we bought it would have been a no brainer for us as we don’t need the additional towing. The coaches now look near identical inside and outside.

[MarineDI92]

I'm going to be the fly on the bulkhead with this thread. We're in the market as well and are split between Renegade's Verona 36VSB and Valencia 36SB.

We've walked through both models and there are minor differences overall. It seems the build quality was pretty much equal, floorplans are almost identical, drivetrains are identical, which leaves the chassis. Having one tank or two is a question. The Valencia cockpit layout seems to be a better ergonomically designed workspace. Enough of my unqualified, inexperienced observations!! Pricing surely puts the Valencia in the lead.

[outlawten5]

I'm in the market as well. I always lean toward more HP and TQ.

[Bayouownbeer]

Originally Posted by Crabby Mike

Hi Renegade owners, I need some honest advice. Short history: my wife and I have been RVing since 2007, from travel trailer, to gas Class A, to diesel pusher (2 actually), then downsized to our current unit, a Coach House “B+” for the last 4 years. The Coach House is a very-well-made RV, and has carried us coast-to-coast many times, but it’s small by my standards, especially for extended trips. I’m longing for more space, power, and carrying capacity, but don’t want to go back to a Class A, which leads me to Super Cs, and particularly Renegade. I initially preferred the Verona (don’t need to go above that), but the boss lady prefers the Valencia, and its $50k-ish lower price tag. I could live with that, but I have a few questions for those who own one:

· The Valencia, with the 6.7L Cummins, obviously has significantly less power than the 8.9L in the Verona. But is it enough, especially in the mountains? (Bear in mind that my current coach has the Ford V10, so either is a big step up.)
· How much cabin noise from the engine?
· How does the S2RV chassis handle the potholes, etc.? I actually think I prefer the S2RV to the M2-106, especially the fuel tank placement (and single-side fuel fill), but I wonder about the ride.
· I assume the slides are electric, though the brochure doesn’t say. How reliable are they? I lived through the issues with the early Schwintek slides, so I hope they’ve gotten better.
· How is the Truma Comfort Plus for back-to-back showers?
· Interestingly, I’ve seen some Valencia 38RW models online that seem to have a macerating toilet, and some that don’t? What about the two toilets in the 38RB?
· Anything else I should be aware of?

Lastly, I think I buy into the notion that Renegade Super Cs are significantly better built than lookalike models from Thor/Jayco/Entegra, Tiffin, etc. I’m sure no one in this group will disagree, but is there anything you’d want to say about that?

Thanks, and I look forward to some inside knowledge from this group!

I had class a ford v-10 37’ with the 6 speed which I hear made a lot of difference compared to the previous 5 speed before my 2023 Valencia RB. The power is very comparable to the v-10 six speed. It does fine in the mountains about the same as my v-10. Both toilets are maceraters and use a lot of water even on the low water consumption setting. The rear slide for the bed is a Schwintek but it small and not carrying much weight. The front slide not sure what set up it is but does have manual override. I’m very happy with the ride compared to ford class a. I have put 4,000 miles on it since November 2022. I did a lot of research and decided on renegade over the others. Have had no major issues yet.

[Bad Larry]

Originally Posted by MarineDI92

I'm going to be the fly on the bulkhead with this thread. We're in the market as well and are split between Renegade's Verona 36VSB and Valencia 36SB.

We've walked through both models and there are minor differences overall. It seems the build quality was pretty much equal, floorplans are almost identical, drivetrains are identical, which leaves the chassis. Having one tank or two is a question. The Valencia cockpit layout seems to be a better ergonomically designed workspace. Enough of my unqualified, inexperienced observations!! Pricing surely puts the Valencia in the lead.

While the Verona and Valencia share many components, there are some significant differences, including the drivetrain. As mentioned previously, Valencia is built on the S2RV, and features the Cummins 6.7 ISB (360 HP, 800 lb. ft. torque, variable geometry turbo exhaust brake mechanism, etc…) along with the Allison 3000 transmission. The Verona is built on the M2 106, with the Cummins ISL9 (360HP, 1150 lb. ft. torque, a true engine brake with off/low/high settings, etc…) and the Allison 3200 TRV transmission.

In addition to the tow ratings and GVWR, the chassis differences also include wheel base measurements which effect the turning radius, angle of departure and tail swing. The single belly tank on the S2RV is convenient, with a single fill behind the driver’s side duals, but the location of the DEF tank is still under the driver’s side cab step, which makes it a bit of a challenge to fuel both at some truck stop pumps without moving the rig a few feet.

It really comes down to what works best for each owner. For us, it was overall length, washer/dryer, ease/cost of regular preventative maintenance and up front cost.

I also agree that Renegade makes a quality product, the construction and durability has been great for us so far (1.5 years, 16500 miles).

[ROUGHRIDER3]

I have a 2020 Valencia 38RW and think it rides good and handles well. The front engine is somewhat noisy when starting from a stop, but quiet at cruise on the highway. A little nosier on mountains, but so is the v-10. I like it well and remember that everything in RV's is a compromise one way or other.

[M. Liner]

Originally Posted by Crabby Mike

Hi Renegade owners, I need some honest advice. Short history: my wife and I have been RVing since 2007, from travel trailer, to gas Class A, to diesel pusher (2 actually), then downsized to our current unit, a Coach House “B+” for the last 4 years. The Coach House is a very-well-made RV, and has carried us coast-to-coast many times, but it’s small by my standards, especially for extended trips. I’m longing for more space, power, and carrying capacity, but don’t want to go back to a Class A, which leads me to Super Cs, and particularly Renegade. I initially preferred the Verona (don’t need to go above that), but the boss lady prefers the Valencia, and its $50k-ish lower price tag. I could live with that, but I have a few questions for those who own one:

· The Valencia, with the 6.7L Cummins, obviously has significantly less power than the 8.9L in the Verona. But is it enough, especially in the mountains? (Bear in mind that my current coach has the Ford V10, so either is a big step up.)
· How much cabin noise from the engine?
· How does the S2RV chassis handle the potholes, etc.? I actually think I prefer the S2RV to the M2-106, especially the fuel tank placement (and single-side fuel fill), but I wonder about the ride.
· I assume the slides are electric, though the brochure doesn’t say. How reliable are they? I lived through the issues with the early Schwintek slides, so I hope they’ve gotten better.
· How is the Truma Comfort Plus for back-to-back showers?
· Interestingly, I’ve seen some Valencia 38RW models online that seem to have a macerating toilet, and some that don’t? What about the two toilets in the 38RB?
· Anything else I should be aware of?

Lastly, I think I buy into the notion that Renegade Super Cs are significantly better built than lookalike models from Thor/Jayco/Entegra, Tiffin, etc. I’m sure no one in this group will disagree, but is there anything you’d want to say about that?

Thanks, and I look forward to some inside knowledge from this group!

Hi CrabbyMike,
I can share my thoughts on this similar dilemma I had for a couple of years before ultimately purchasing a 2023 Verona 36VSB (and coming to terms with how much the prices of both had skyrocketed in such a short time). I was upgrading from a 24’ class C gasser towing my Subaru and wanted more power, especially going up the mountains and steep country road hills. I was naturally attracted to the Super C and thought the Valencia would be the one. Unfortunately you can’t really go to a dealer, load one up with gear, passengers, fluids, hook up your toad and then take a test drive over a nice steep mountain pass.

So I read everything I could from owners of the Cummins 6.7L. The consensus was the S2RV chassis with this engine will get you wherever you want to go, even towing the maximum allowable weight, BUT you weren’t going to win any races to the top. Ultimately it seems to come down to what the drivers’ expectations are. Some complained it was painfully slow while most were fine with it. I’d say the vast majority of Valencia owners are more than satisfied with their rigs. If you haven’t join the Facebook Renegade group which gets a lot more traffic and you can search this and many other questions.

For me the extra $ wasn’t too much of an issue. I’m 71 and this is my last RV. I eventually decided on the Verona because I didn’t want to spend so much money on the Valencia and take the chance of being disappointed. I felt the Valencia was a little underpowered for such a heavy vehicle. So far driving the mountains out west I have been pleased with the performance of the Cummins 8.9L. No, I am not keeping up with the passenger cars but I can generally keep my speed up near the limits without flooring the accelerator. A bonus is the true engine brake for safely driving down the other side. It has been for me a dream to drive.

A few other thoughts. Don’t let the Covid narrative that everything built since is crap. Renegade still makes a quality product (though not perfect) and their quality control is first rate. However whichever model you choose, buy from a dealer with a good reputation for after sale service. Picking one solely on lowest price may cause lots of frustration down the road.

I will admit having the saddle tanks is a pain, requiring truck stops to completely fill up but you can drive all day on one fill up. The 2023 changes in the Valencia line are making it much closer in appearance to the Verona line. There’s still some differences but the biggest one is the engine. It will depend on what you tow, where you travel, what you can afford, what you expect, and mostly, what the wife wants.😁

Good luck with your search. It’s half the fun.

[hippopapamus]

Originally Posted by M. Liner

The 2023 changes in the Valencia line are making it much closer in appearance to the Verona line. There’s still some differences but the biggest one is the engine. It will depend on what you tow, where you travel, what you can afford, what you expect, and mostly, what the wife wants.

I think this is really what it all boils down to. The other relatively minor differences aren’t going to make the decision for you.

I will say we just tackled the CA Grapevine towing a Ford Expedition and the Verona chewed it up like it wasn’t even back there. Perhaps more impressive for me, however, was that I didn’t even need to use the brake pedal on the way down. I have heard several Valencia owners complaining about the 6.7’s exhaust brake being insufficient.

[Rumline]

We have a '20 Valencia 38RW. For us, the floorplan is perfect, and back when we were shopping, there was no option for cab-over bunk on the Verona. The rear wardrobe adds a LOT of storage, which is awesome for us as a family of 4, but not available in Verona.

I really like how on both the Valencia and Verona, there is no plumbing or appliances on the slides. And only 2 slides total. I'm not aware of any other Class A / Super C mfg that keeps it simple to this degree.

I'm pretty sure that all the Valencias have macerating toilets, as the black tank is under the dinette (roughly) on all models. If the tank isn't directly under the toilet, the toilet must be a macerating type.

Re: performance, we live in Colorado and relatively often drive the Eisenhower Tunnel (see "Ike Gauntlet" videos from TFL on YouTube) and Vail Pass. We flat-tow a 4300lb car, so nothing crazy, but it does add to the load on the engine. The engine is definitely powerful enough to keep up with the majority of semis, about 40 mph eastbound and 50mph westbound, but I often see pickups towing 5th wheels fly past us at 60+. Speed limit for >26,000 lbs GVWR is either 35 or 45 on that stretch anyway, but if you have "the need for speed" or tow a heavier trailer, maybe get the Verona. On flat land it's definitely good. We can cruise at 78-80mph comfortably through Utah or Wyoming where 80 is the speed limit. This thing eats up miles on the Interstates.

Going downhill, I wish there was a stronger engine brake, but as long as you're going no more than the truck speed limit, or how fast most trucks are going, the exhaust brake is adequate with some brake pedal applications. The only time my brakes have started overheating is when we were inching down that section in heavy traffic during the height of summer. I didn't lose brake performance but my TPMS popped a high temp alarm. Pulled off at a brake check area and let them cool down.

So the Valencia is definitely up to the task, in all 48 states. I would not call it "marginal" at all. Is the Verona better? Sure is; no doubt about it. Do I wish we'd bought a Verona instead? Nope, I'm happy with what we have. If we were ever to upgrade, it'd be to a Classic on a class 8 chassis. If we went full time and sold our house.