mitchell Report post Posted August 5, 2020 I’m looking into a Ventana LE 4037 like yours and have a couple of questions. I will be towing the same vehicle as yours and was wondering how it performs on hills? I don’t want to be that guy that everyone gets stuck behind. When comparing the LE to the Ventana you lose 40hp but about 500ft-lb of torque. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fagnaml Report post Posted August 5, 2020 Mitchell -- Welcome to the forum! There are many good forum members will to help at anytime! With regards to your question, the only "hills" I've driven are those in the Texas Hill Country and big bridges on I-10 across major rivers in Texas and Louisiana. While some of those hills & bridges are quite steep, they are relatively short. Can the LE 4037 crest the hills at 65-70 mph? No! Can it crest the hills at 50-55 mph and pass semi-trucks going up a hill? Yes! The only times I slow down traffic is after an LSU football game when I start climbing the west bound side of the big I-10 bridge over the Mississippi River. That climb is started from a speed of 10-15 mph due to the extremely sharp 180-degree curve "entrance ramp". During that climb I may crest the bridge at 40-45 mph. Semi-trucks do no better than I do. I have not driven long hills such as I-70 in Colorado nor I-80 in Wyoming so I can't comment on how the Ventana LE would perform on those highways. For my wife and me, our 2016 Ventana LE 4037 is a very nice, very affordable upgrade over the 2007 Damon Astoria 3774 diesel pusher we had (it was our first ever motorhome). The 4037 floor plan is fantastic! We purchased the Ventana LE sixteen months ago. It has been trouble free during that time! We both still have full time careers so our Ventana LE is a "family toy" for long weekend get-aways and for LSU football weekends (if there are any this year!!). Even after we retire a few years from now, the Ventana LE has enough nice amenities / capabilities to provide great enjoyment for a weeks long journey. We'll never be "full timers". For the LE vs. Ventana comparison, depending on the Ventana model, the size and weight are both more than the LE which requires a larger engine. Being bigger and heavier, the driving performance of a Ventana won't be much different than a Ventana LE. The general "rule of thumb" for required engine size is 100 HP per 1,000 LBS of GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating). A Ventana LE 4037 has a GVWR of 36,400 lbs. hence its 360 HP Cummins ISB 6.7 L engine. For a family toy with mostly long weekends use, my wife and I couldn't justify the higher cost of a similar age Ventana (or Dutchstar). My opinion (which is a bit tainted!) is you can't go wrong purchasing a 2016 Ventana LE 4037. If needed, here is a link to the sales brochure for the 2016 Ventana LE --> https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/2016VentanaLEBrochure.pdf Hope this info is useful. Let me know if you need any additional info. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted August 5, 2020 4 hours ago, mitchell said: I’m looking into a Ventana LE 4037 like yours and have a couple of questions. I will be towing the same vehicle as yours and was wondering how it performs on hills? I don’t want to be that guy that everyone gets stuck behind. When comparing the LE to the Ventana you lose 40hp but about 500ft-lb of torque. Thanks Welcome to the forum Mitchell. Where are you looking? I can verify the quality of service and customer care Mike related about National Indoor RV Centers. I just bought the coach in my sig from them. This is what I told Mike when he was looking. "Yes the 6.7 is the upgraded 5.9 that I have. You just have to downshift and keep your rpm up (Don't lug the engine) watch your EGT and you can climb any hill." I don't think you would have any problems. You do need to learn how to drive a big rig. Keep in mind most coaches are pretty close in weight to horsepower ratio. The guy with 600+ HP is moving more weight. Many many times it isn't the hp and torque of a coach slowing you down it is slower trucks on the grade. You only spend a short time on hills so don't get to hung up on "flying" up the hills. Any questions just ask. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
