tmahanna Report post Posted November 29, 2017 I am a Tiffin Owner and really like the support and coach quality and I am trading up to a diesel pusher. I like the Phaeton but am considering a pretty good deal on a new Fleetwood Discovery LXE 40. Can anyone give me any feedback on how the Fleetwood product stacks up in overall quality and how good is the access and support. Especially heads up against a Tiffin Phaeton 40 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clayobx Report post Posted November 29, 2017 I'm a twice purchaser of FW products. One a 39P pre REV and present Providence 42M. I live in a motorhome community in Titusville Fl., Willow Lakes, so I'm exposed to all makes and models of RV's. Bottom line I see the good, bad, and ugly! My neighbor is a Tiffin Phaeton owner since 09. My providence will be six years old this Jan. 18. Personal experience with FW CS, very good to excellent. Neighbor, very good to excellent. Summary..tie. Negatives of both coaches, both handmade mass products. This equals quality control issues right out of the gate. However, this is true of all production coaches no matter the dollar amount. If I were buying in today's market the reputation and service department of the selling dealer would be my major determining factor in any motorhome purchase regardless of brand. However!. I'm going for the deal! Looks like that's your direction so let's look again at the dealer and service post purchase. Pluses and negatives. Red Bay, you'll wait in que for a lengthy time even with a new coach. FW now offers three major regional service centers. Plus one for REV, if your dealer stinks and 90% fall into this slot. Bob Tiffin, if available is the best in the business, a plus for Tiffin. Note, Bob's old, older than me and that's OLD! Just sayin'.! Chassis tie, I'm assuming both FCCC. House, this is where IMHO REV in the FW line has put all their eggs in one basket for their Discovery, especially the "LXE" being the top dog. No Providence houses anymore but that's ok I got a good one. Real good coach, I would not trade or sell except for health reasons, fingers crossed. So, in an effort to shut off my over active finger, if your getting a good price you can rest assured your getting a very good coach equal to if not a couple notches up over the Phaeton line. I've been pleased with FW customer service over the phone technical assistance. Thankfully, never had to use the factory or regional service areas. FW full wall slide is a tried and proven system. No issues and I'm a fan of Power Gear product. It's simple and easy to maintain. I've adjusted the passenger side s/o myself to raise the travel height several years ago. Hope this helps. You'll not get a better coach for the dollar amount IMHO. Regards, Clay Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 29, 2017 Tmahana. Welcome to the Forum! Since you live in Arizona, you might want to compare the distance to the nearest Factory Service Centers. REV Group is in Indiana, Texas and Oregon! Tiffin is in Alabama! I have had several coaches by both Tiffin and Fleetwood/Allied/REV Group (REV is a division of Allied), IMHO Tiffin was great up to 2010. I had a 2011 Allegro Bus, POS and traded it in on my current coach...listed under my signature. Would I get another FW or Tiffin? No. My next coach will be a Newmar or Foretravel . They both make a 40 foot with tag axel...I and my SO love the Tag! She has a 40 foot Phaeton 2006, but she want's my tag on a 40. Happy SO, happy travels! Clay. Agree with you on all your points, except one. Power Gear by Lipper Industries is the pits (I have both air and Jacks)! Hard to get any customer service and a pain to work on! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tmahanna Report post Posted November 29, 2017 Thanks to both of you. Good point all round. Have had a good friend rave about his Dutch Star but so far have not seen one that jumps out at me. I have heard from "sales" people that the Fleetwood overall can be problematic; not sure how to read that. I did notice the Discovery has a fairly short warranty listed on their web site, just 1 and 3 years. I assume the engine and transmission have their own. Will check it out today. The Tiffin has 1,5 and 10 plus the drive train. I will take another look at the Dutch Star. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 30, 2017 Jim. My Linda want's the 40 foot Ventana, also with tag. I want one also...guess we will be a 2 Ventana family in sin! She want's a bath and half. I don't, not in a 40! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tmahanna Report post Posted November 30, 2017 I drove a couple of Fleetwood products and agree, they are noisy and poor handling. I also drove a Newmar Dutch Star but not a tag axle. It is a very nice drive and solid feeling coach. I did not drive a Newmar Ventana, I am not enthusiastic about the weight of the Tag Axle but sounds like I need to try one out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obedb Report post Posted November 30, 2017 In 2015 I met an 80 year old gent that had recently taken delivery on a new 40' Dutch Star with a tag axle. He loved it, and he was an experienced RVer. Look longer than 40' because of the tag. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 30, 2017 Jim. Have you measured your coach? take a tape from outside bow to stern....bet your over 45 foot. Mine is a 45 foot chassis = 46 foot 4 inches! They go by length of chassis not including end and front cap! I drove a Dutch Star and a King Air last year, very impressed with ride on the K2 & K3 chassis....I have the K2 now. A friend keeps telling me that the new Freightliner/Daimler chassis is a 100% better than what I had in 2007 ! I'm skeptical about that, so no, I have not driven the Ventana yet! I'm never going back to a single rear axle again....Tag makes your road trip so much more relaxing and comfortable! I only know of 2 manufacturer's that offer the Tag on 40 foot. Dutch Star did a 38 foot Tag in 2015, don't know why they stopped! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
five Report post Posted November 30, 2017 Some general comments, lots of info here, all is not correct for all coaches: - All 40' and over coaches do not have tags, and a majority of 40' coaches are really about 40'11". - Some tags wheel bases are the same length as their non tag coaches...just more aft over hang. - I would not pay much attention to wheelbase listings on brochures. The correct way to measure a wheelbase is front hub to dually hub. Fleetwood, at least AC, measures front hub to the mid distance between the dually hub and the tag hub. I questioned them on that and all I got was a tap dance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted November 30, 2017 FIVE. Read my post...word for word in ref to coaches of 40' with tag...I know of 2, Newmar and Foretravel is the other! So, you don't misunderstand, Foretravel has 3 lines of coaches they make! There is one other, but I generally don't include it, due to $$$$, that is Newell...38 foot to 47 foot with steering Tag! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rfsod48 Report post Posted November 30, 2017 Jim, Did you order your unit thru a dealer or direct from Newmar? Did ordering have an effect on the final price you paid? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rfsod48 Report post Posted December 1, 2017 Thanks! Some day I hope to do the same. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted December 1, 2017 Jim. You can buy direct from Newmar, go to factory and tell them what you want...they list their suggested MSRP on the web. You can have it built, interior colors, wood and more, Exterior design and paint colors, other than what's offered in catalogue...get a total MSRP, then negotiate with a dealer....We have a member of River City Travelers who did it that way and the Dutch Star will be ready for PU at factory in Feb., he got the best deal thru a dealer that's 35 miles from Factory and recommended by Newmar...as soon as he said yes, Newmar call and gave a heads up to dealer. You can also, have the coach delivered pre painted and taken to a Custom Paint Shop in Bremen (8 miles from Newmar) and they do some unbelievable paint jobs....we toured that place before Indy! They had a booth in Indy..cost $18K- $40K. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted December 1, 2017 Jim. They live in Liberty City off Hwy. 29. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted December 1, 2017 I know, contract issues...it's obscene how much $$$ the Factory & Dealer makes! Look at MHS in Alvarado, they discount from 25% to 45% depending on Brand ! 2 years ago, when REV moved in across the Hwy. MHS took in all the AC coaches that Acira had...called me and gave me a offer on a 2015 Tradition at 45% off MSRP (Factory)! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
five Report post Posted December 1, 2017 21 hours ago, manholt said: FIVE. Read my post...word for word in ref to coaches of 40' with tag...I know of 2, Newmar and Foretravel is the other! So, you don't misunderstand, Foretravel has 3 lines of coaches they make! There is one other, but I generally don't include it, due to $$$$, that is Newell...38 foot to 47 foot with steering Tag! My comments were not directed at you...read my post word for word...it says "general comments." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted December 1, 2017 Looks like my reply, is in computer thrash heaven! Any way, my bad! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffypuff Report post Posted December 2, 2017 I just had my coach annual service at Freightliner Northwest. The shop foreman showed me a recent year DutchStar that caught on fire in the engine compartment. The engine had to be removed and repainted along with inside and back of the coach. It was sitting there waiting for an engine wiring harness along with batteries cables. Seem that a battery cable shorted on the frame and cause the fire. Now DutchStar is supposed to be recalled the models with the Freightliner chassis. Insurance is paying for it and it's lucky the entire coach didn't burn up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sundancev Report post Posted December 11, 2017 With reference to Fleetwood RV's service and factory help. We have owned our 2004 Fleetwood Providence (39' Diesel Pusher, 4 slides) for some 7 years now. We have 170,000 miles on it with us being responsible for 135,000 of them. We have crossed the country East to West and North to South many times. We have been extremely impressed with the overall quality and serviceability of the Providence which we understand is a little bit of an upgrade over the same size Discovery. The Fleetwood factory repair center at Decatur, IN is simply superb. The quality of service, the pricing of the service and the very gracious welcome is second to none. We have met many folks with very high end coaches in our travels. All have had similar problems to ours over the years with similar mileage. Very high end Tiffens have had good years and bad so we have been told. Same with Newmar. Same with Monaco. The Cummins 350 HP ISC has proven to be very good, although if repaired and serviced at a Cummins or Freightliner dealer it is very expensive (nothing to do with Fleetwood.) The typical minimum charges from Freightliner and Cummins are simply not supported i.e. $285 minimum diagnostic charge for a diode in the Alternator that was already diagnosed by telephone with Cummins rep or $300 minimum charge to change Strut bushings, which local tractor dealer took care of in 30 minutes for $50. Back to the subject. Oftentimes when we had trouble on the road, we were many miles or many days wait from a Fleetwood Dealer or competent mobile mechanic. I found in every case, a phone call to their Customer Service Center in Decatur IN would put me in contact with someone who could diagnose the problem and give me a quick and possibly at times temporary solution to get us back on the road. The folks at their call center are simply fantastic. We are lucky enough to be able to afford a possibly higher end product if we so desire. Frankly the help provided by the Factory Repair center and their Call center in Decatur will insure I continue to do business with Fleetwood. Are there higher quality products, undoubtedly so, however, for the money I will stay with them forever. Hope this helps. Paul Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
