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Old 10-29-2008, 06:28 AM   #1
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Hello,

I am taking delivery of a new 2008 Sunova 35J this Friday and I have some questions concerning this model. This is my first and I hope my final Class A and I moved up from a truck camper to a Class C and now this model.

1. What should I really check and double check during the delivery of the coach? Are there specific items that I need to really verify?

2. How is the warranty support from Itasca?

3. Has anyone dealt with Mike Thompson's RV Super Stores in Southern CA? Was the experience good and how are they about handling warranty issues?

4. They offered me an extended warranty for 5 five years which I think brings the total coverage to six years overall the initial cost they told me over the phone was $3900 for the warranty. Isn't that price high? If I use the coach over the 1st year and shake out everything I think that I would find almost all of the major issues within the 1st year correct? If that is correct then the extended warranty would not be worth the money right, after all I could just leave that money in savings and draw upon if I need to do a major repair in the future.

5. What kind of actual gas mileage are you getting with this unit?

6. Overall if you have purchased one would you do so again? In other words were you happy with the quality of the unit, the dealer and Itasca?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance for responses!

Mike
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Old 10-29-2008, 06:28 AM   #2
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Hello,

I am taking delivery of a new 2008 Sunova 35J this Friday and I have some questions concerning this model. This is my first and I hope my final Class A and I moved up from a truck camper to a Class C and now this model.

1. What should I really check and double check during the delivery of the coach? Are there specific items that I need to really verify?

2. How is the warranty support from Itasca?

3. Has anyone dealt with Mike Thompson's RV Super Stores in Southern CA? Was the experience good and how are they about handling warranty issues?

4. They offered me an extended warranty for 5 five years which I think brings the total coverage to six years overall the initial cost they told me over the phone was $3900 for the warranty. Isn't that price high? If I use the coach over the 1st year and shake out everything I think that I would find almost all of the major issues within the 1st year correct? If that is correct then the extended warranty would not be worth the money right, after all I could just leave that money in savings and draw upon if I need to do a major repair in the future.

5. What kind of actual gas mileage are you getting with this unit?

6. Overall if you have purchased one would you do so again? In other words were you happy with the quality of the unit, the dealer and Itasca?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance for responses!

Mike
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Old 10-29-2008, 08:22 AM   #3
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Welcome to this forum! You should be able to read for days everything you want to know about Winnebago/Itasca on this forum.

Congrats on the new coach!
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Old 10-29-2008, 08:42 AM   #4
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Mike, Welcome and good to see you here too! You will get replies to your questions on here and I won't repeat what I told you earlier, but... I'd recommed you do a search for 35J, Sunova, Sightseer (Winnebago version) and you'll come up with lots to read to learn. There are some great folks that will give you great advice and a lot of 35J fans in here.
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Old 10-29-2008, 01:19 PM   #5
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Answer to a couple of them:

I don't think you can find much beyond the really obvious stuff in a PDI. We did a good shake down trip the day after delivery for that reason but did not find anything.

Had zero significant warranty issues (bedroom curtain broke and the electric side of the H20 heater would not work...turned out a wire had come off of the power mgt system). I would have fixed them myself but we happened to be at Lazydays and they did during an oil change. Winnie did a superb job building this coach.

I did not get the warranty for the reason you cited. The engine and power train have a longer warranty and that's where the $ are. You could replace a lot of the house stuff for $3900 IMHO. Again, we've had not issues.

I barely get 7MPG at about 60MPH. I pull a Jeep GC but it doesn't seem to effect it much. We're at about 7,000 miles in 1 year. We're heavy...even have 300# of Dogs!!!

Definitely buy the J again. We love the design even if we don't use the bunks often but G'Son loves it when he goes with us. They are a great place to store junque! The fixes we made: replaced the dinky TV with a 32" LCD; got rid of the barrel chair and replaced it with a Lazyboy; just installed cockpit side shades that you can see through (but your Sunova may have them). I need to install an inverter but you may have one.

Enjoy your coach! Holler if any questions. Steve
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Old 10-29-2008, 04:36 PM   #6
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">2. How is the warranty support from Itasca? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Warranty support from Winnebago (mfg of Itasca) has been very good for us. In some cases when a dealer couldn't seem to do things right or told me they couldn't get an answer from Winnebago, I have communicated directly with Winnebago Owner Relations via email or telephone. They have always been excellent in helping me find answers to questions, helping me find a dealer who could fix a problem others could not, and in going beyond normal mfg expectations. My rating for Winnebago Customer Support is SUPERB!
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Old 10-29-2008, 05:05 PM   #7
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1. Check all the appliances, the fridge should be on before you arrive. Check that it works on power and gas. Same goes for the stove and check the oven too. Water Heater needs to be tested as well. If you have done PDI's before, its pretty routine but still worth doing.

2. I've had good support from Winnebago, did run into some time delay around December when they were closed over the Holiday but all in all no problems.

3. I've heard mixed comments over the years out Mike Thompson, but that was mainly from Toy Hauler owners. Mostly the comments have been related to slow service that doesn't follow through, but things always change. I've had very few issues so no problem. I always take in documentation with what needs to be fixed, give them a copy and get a signature on my copy, they can write up their own service agreement but I want mine too.

4. That seems high, but the debate on the value goes on and on, if you put that money away you might be further ahead in the long run. You can buy other warranties not from your dealer too, Camping World sells their own as do others.

5. We have an 07 35J on the Ford Chassis, I see a low of about 7 to about 9.5, average is right around 8. But we almost always are towing our ATV trailer and 4 ATVs.

6. I've been VERY happy with our dealer and our Coach. I would buy again in a heartbeat, but I plan on keeping this one for several more years at least.
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Old 10-30-2008, 04:52 AM   #8
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Thanks for all of the replies! I has certainly helped me out in knowing what to check during delivery and on the first trip out!

Mike
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Old 11-10-2008, 04:57 AM   #9
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Thanks again for all of the input!

I took delivery this past Wednesday and that went well overall only couple of minor issues and one was fixed on the spot and the other two items (touch-up paint and sending me the 2nd set of keys for the coach) should be completed this week.

I did in fact end up getting the extended warranty but the price changed quicker than the stock market lately. The first price I was given was $3,995, and then the second was $2,995, and the 3rd was $2,495, and the final price that I paid was $2,195 and that also included a 7 year - 70,000 miles tire and wheel extended warranty along with the 6 year - 60,000 miles extended warranty on the entire coach. Overall I had very mixed feelings about the warranty but I do understand that a single flat tire on the coach can cost up to $500 to fix if it is a blow out and the changes of that happening in the next seven years with me driving it about 7,000 miles a year are probaly a little better than even money so I went with the warranty.

I took it out to Lake Havasu this past weekend and everything worked just fine with the entire coach! It is certainly a nice rig and quite a bit of space for storage both inside and outside. The interior leather option was certainly worth the money as it is very nice and comfortable!

Driving back yesterday on the I-40 and the I-15 was very bad since the winds were blowing about 50 MPH steady with gusts even stronger! It certainly got my attention and blowing sand in few places cut visibility down to almost nothing and the overall gas mileage driving into that wind cut it down quite a bit but what can do about that other then just hang on and ride the road.

Just one more question regarding the VuQube 1000 Portable Satellite TV Antenna. I am assuming that there is an external connection somewhere on my coach for this antenna to connect to correct? Have you used this antenna and do you like it?

Thanks again for the help and advise!

Sincerely,

Mike
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Old 11-10-2008, 09:38 AM   #10
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Congratulations on your new coach Mike!

Glad your delivery went well. I'll add only two comments to those above:

1) Be sure to check all the tires before you take delivery. Sounds silly but when I got my new coach home I found that I had a large bolt stuck in an inside dual ruining the tire. Dealer said I must have run over it during the three mile drive home!

2) I thought I had been so smart learning here on the forum how to negotiate the price of the new coach and then I took a bath on the clear coat paint protection and the extended warranty. Those things are even more negotiable than the price of the coach and I should have driven harder on them.

The best advice I got from a verteran RV'er on my maiden voyage was not to get frustrated by finding things which need to be fixed. It will take a year to get the bugs worked out so expect it.

Good Luck!
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Old 11-10-2008, 09:44 AM   #11
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I purchased the Good Sam extended warranty for my rig. I felt that the coverage the dealer offered was way out of line. 4 year coverage of everything on this rig with a $500 deductable was less than $1200. And it's renewable after that up to 150K miles.
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Old 11-10-2008, 10:20 AM   #12
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Just one more question regarding the VuQube 1000 Portable Satellite TV Antenna. I am assuming that there is an external connection somewhere on my coach for this antenna to connect to correct? Have you used this antenna and do you like it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Mike, I don't have the VuQube, but inside your electrical power bay you should find a coax plug that's used for inputting cable or sat.

Enjoy the new coach! We look forward to hearing more from you.

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Old 11-11-2008, 03:09 AM   #13
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Congrats on 35 J. Got our used one about 3 months ago. At the risk of sounding facetious, everything needs to be checked, including screws and fasteners. Be amazed how many are loose. I usually find extras behind panels, etc. I recently found the lower nut and washer missing on the LR slide causing the leading edge to droop.

Think you will love the floorplan. I am jealous of Y-man's mileage. I am closer to Belique, I have seen a little bit in the sevens, mostly almost to seven and eight is a dream. I would not calculate range based on seven or eight. BTW: Unless the fuel gauge has been changed, it is not linear. Stays at F for a long while and then descends rapidly.

Also, if you have not discovered, Winnebago's website under Resources(?) have downloadable parts diagrams, schematics, wiring schemes and decoder documents. Very helpful.

Have fun taking everything apart and learning about it.
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Old 11-11-2008, 03:53 AM   #14
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike MDM:
Thanks again for all of the input!

I took delivery this past Wednesday and that went well overall only couple of minor issues and one was fixed on the spot and the other two items (touch-up paint and sending me the 2nd set of keys for the coach) should be completed this week.....

Mike </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

MIke;
Congratulations on your purchase of a Sunova. Welcome to the forum and the Winnebago Forum.

You now deserve some Winnebago Karma. All you have to do is go to the first post on this Forum (Winnebago Coach Forum ID), say YES and we will fix you up.

Post often and let us know about your travel adventures. It is posters who make this the valuable forum it is. It has saved lots of us time and money.

Don
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Old 11-11-2008, 05:01 AM   #15
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">BTW: Unless the fuel gauge has been changed, it is not linear. Stays at F for a long while and then descends rapidly. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

AMEN!!! I was so happy on our first trip for the first 150-200 miles and then:
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Old 11-11-2008, 06:45 AM   #16
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I did notice the gas gauge and the rapid drop once it got off the full mark! I agree my mileage on the first trip was certainly not 7 MPG it was likely right around 6 MPG. I also did notice that not everything is tight in terms of the screws, nuts and bolts.

I am looking forward to another trip out this weekend!
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