Looking At Different Options In Buying A Class A Diesel

[vtdave]

I just found 2 coaches that I'm thinking about but I've not seen many, (only 2) of the Tsunami out there. Can anyone tell me about that?

2003 Forest River Tsunami Class A 37'

And how would you compare it to a 2003 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom 40KD

Both have a 400 Cummins.

Thank you for any help here.

David

[dickandlois]

Hi Dave, welcome to FMCA,

The two top items we consider are the floor plan and how you think they will work for you. Second is what kind of camping you like. Private campgrounds or rustic camping, like state and federal campgrounds where one can run into length restrictions.

The next one for me is the CCC, Cargo Carrying Capacity.

Then the condition and year, not so much the manufacture. Although we do have some coach manufactures that we tend to like over others. Some just tend to fit our needs better.

The rest of the requirements go from there, we have kind of built a mental list over the years. You might just want to set down and make up one for your family's top requirements down to the lowest requirement. Remember this is your home away from home so everything is on the table. Even fuel capacity, water, gray and black water tank sizes, fresh water if you do some rustic dry camping and the list goes on !!!

Hope these thoughts help.

Rich.

[vtdave]

Hi Dave, welcome to FMCA,

The two top items we consider are the floor plan and how you think they will work for you. Second is what kind of camping you like. Private campgrounds or rustic camping, like state and federal campgrounds where one can run into length restrictions.

The next one for me is the CCC, Cargo Carrying Capacity.

Then the condition and year, not so much the manufacture. Although we do have some coach manufactures that we tend to like over others. Some just tend to fit our needs better.

The rest of the requirements go from there, we have kind of built a mental list over the years. You might just want to set down and make up one for your family's top requirements down to the lowest requirement. Remember this is your home away from home so everything is on the table. Even fuel capacity, water, gray and black water tank sizes, fresh water if you do some rustic dry camping and the list goes on !!!

Hope these thoughts help.

Rich.

That helps a lot.

I will sit down with the family and make that list.

Thanks for the welcome.

david

[chp007kd40]

You might want to consider a coach that has a 60 degree turning radius. The freedom it gives you is just unreal. We were exploring the high country East of Mt. St. Helens a few weeks ago just as they were opening the National Park for the season. Hardly anyone was up there and the snow was mostly off the roads and what a sight to see, the beauty of all those vistas with lakes and water falls. We came across a tree in the roadway so large that I didn't want to try my small electric saw on it so we just turned the Freightliner chassis around on the Forest Service road drove back. When you first do this on a 37 ft. mountain road it can really get your attention. We have a 40 DP by Itasca, model KD with an ISL 400. The weight to torque ratio is almost perfect and no a/c units on top so we are low profile compared to many coaches. Many coaches have this 60 degree turning radius chassis and quite by accident we discovered we don't need to tow our Jeep anymore and that is true freedom. Most people have to think about that for awhile before they can even spin a day dream on not towing. Once you figure it out, you will enjoy your coach in ways you could have not even imagined. Good Luck and enjoy this beautiful country. David and Ruthie PS: we are getting a bigger electric saw!

[vtdave]

You might want to consider a coach that has a 60 degree turning radius. The freedom it gives you is just unreal. We were exploring the high country East of Mt. St. Helens a few weeks ago just as they were opening the National Park for the season. Hardly anyone was up there and the snow was mostly off the roads and what a sight to see, the beauty of all those vistas with lakes and water falls. We came across a tree in the roadway so large that I didn't want to try my small electric saw on it so we just turned the Freightliner chassis around on the Forest Service road drove back. When you first do this on a 37 ft. mountain road it can really get your attention. We have a 40 DP by Itasca, model KD with an ISL 400. The weight to torque ratio is almost perfect and no a/c units on top so we are low profile compared to many coaches. Many coaches have this 60 degree turning radius chassis and quite by accident we discovered we don't need to tow our Jeep anymore and that is true freedom. Most people have to think about that for awhile before they can even spin a day dream on not towing. Once you figure it out, you will enjoy your coach in ways you could have not even imagined. Good Luck and enjoy this beautiful country. David and Ruthie PS: we are getting a bigger electric saw!

Great advise.

How did you figure out how to travel without a toad?

[dickandlois]

Dave,

We are frequent fliers with Enterprise. When we travel and are not going to stay in one place for an extended time we can get a set of wheels that match what we want to do. Truck or car. Also, one less thing to brake on the road.

Rich.

[chp007kd40]

I'm late responding to your question about how do you leave the toad home and feel comfortable? I have to thank my wife for thinking out of the box on this one. The coach turns so sharp that a couple of times we noticed it out turned the Jeep by creating such a strain on the hitch and Jeep with the fast moving overhang. Later on that evening I told Ruthie that this coach drives about as easy as my new truck and that planted the idea that we could drive the motorhome as if I were in the truck. Sounds over simplified I know, but I started thinking about all the positives instead of the negatives like backing up at will. If you can turn sharp going forward, can you have the same benefit backing up? Yes. We now can get fuel just about anyplace where as before I really sweated it and headed for truck stops for ease of turning, but you all know how unpleasant those islands can be with fuel, grime and noise.

To further help some of you without acting like a know it all, I will let you know non of this came easy. The first time we left the Jeep home it was like leaving a friend or your security blanket in the middle of the driveway. I mentioned to Ruthie that I can turn as sharp as a city bus and she said, "look at all the places they can go". That did it! I was now a practicing city bus driver and it worked just perfect.

We hardly stop at RV Campgrounds anymore because of our new found freedom of backing or pulling into the most perfect spots of opportunity along the way like medical centers large and small, fairgrounds, shopping centers and so on. If we need a vehicle for what ever reason it is fun to pick out a different ride every time and most of the time they bring the rental car to you. A taxis is great for having crazy conversations or getting local information that is hard to come-by. Asking for a ride is my wife's specialty. I'm a bit shy. All of this is still cheaper than pulling and worrying about your toad because as some of you have already figured out that we now can use our RV as our toad especially when not trapped mentally about staying in an RV Campground and we can back out of tough situations.

My wife also showed me how to take a complete shower with one gallon of water which I thought was not possible, but like anything new you must get the negative set aside first then go-for-it!!!! I dont't have all the answers but I'm having a lot of fun in this motorhome and my wife is tickled pink with our new freedom. Enjoy the ride. David and Ruthie

PS: That turnaround on that mountain road that I talked about before. Well it takes some swing room in back and in front of the motorhome and a Darling Wife on a two-way radio and your all set. The first two requirements are pretty easy to find, the third is a bit more difficult. Just sayin.