Suncruiser 37F?

[pequeajim]

I'm looking to make a change from our HR Arista Bunkhouse. Our grandkids are starting to out grow the bunks and we would like to get something with better features, thus, I have been looking and settled with the Winnebego/Itasca line, (2011-2014).

I want to stay away from the basement air which is why I am not looking at anything older than 2011. I also want to stay away from the Schwintek slides which is why I am not looking at anything newer than 2014. I can take a Schwintek slide on the smaller bedroom slide(s), but not on the larger ones closer to the front.

I fell in love with the Suncruiser 37F floor plan. It was a 2010 that I was looking at and the only negative that I saw was that it has basement air, which is no longer supported by Coleman.

I started looking at the newer floor plans because I heard that Winnebago discontinued using the basement air after 2011?

Can you folks give me some pros and cons of a 2010 Suncruiser 37 F and talk me into changing my mind back to this pretty coach?

[Podivin]

I have HEARD that unlike roof air, basement air can be worked on by the same folks that work on home AC units.
I don't know how true that is, but I suspect others will chime in here with more info.

[pequeajim]

Originally Posted by Podivin

I have HEARD that unlike roof air, basement air can be worked on by the same folks that work on home AC units.
I don't know how true that is, but I suspect others will chime in here with more info.

That would be an advantage.

[rk911]

when we were shopping in the fall of 2015 it came down to a 37F or a 38Q. the advantages of the 'F' were a really large rear shower but that was offset by no pantry. we could've used the space intended for the washer/dryer but to us that was "making do'. the 38Q had a nice pantry but a smaller shower. we figured we were only in the shower for a few minutes while the pantry space was up higher on the list of wants & needs. we also didn't like the placement of the front TV in the 37F. we're not fans of the motorized bed that has to be retracted before the slide can come in but both models had that and we decided to take the gamble. so far, so good. take a look at the 38Q.

[pequeajim]

Originally Posted by rk911

when we were shopping in the fall of 2015 it came down to a 37F or a 38Q. the advantages of the 'F' were a really large rear shower but that was offset by no pantry. we could've used the space intended for the washer/dryer but to us that was "making do'. the 38Q had a nice pantry but a smaller shower. we figured we were only in the shower for a few minutes while the pantry space was up higher on the list of wants & needs. we also didn't like the placement of the front TV in the 37F. we're not fans of the motorized bed that has to be retracted before the slide can come in but both models had that and we decided to take the gamble. so far, so good. take a look at the 38Q.

Thank you for the comments. So how do you like the 38Q?

[rk911]

Originally Posted by pequeajim

Thank you for the comments. So how do you like the 38Q?

i have to answer that in two parts...livability and reliability. i woud rate the livability of the 38Q as 4 out if 5 stars. the shower is small and the bedroom is tight. beyond that it is a very livable coach. the fireplace keeps the entire coach warm on mild nights, the heat pump in the forward zone provides enough heat to keep the bedroom area warm on cooler than mild nights and the A/C in the front zone keeps the bedroom cool on warm nights. the advantage there is noise reduction in the rear. interior and exterior storage is good and the ride & handling is ok. the coach does rock a bit when crossing curbs or uneven pavement at an angle. going s-l-o-w-l-y solves that problem. this is our first really large coach so that may be endemic to all large coaches. the three slides provide a roomy interior.

all of that said we have made a number of custom changes that make the 38Q more livable. judt a few...

- we opted for the queen bed to gain side tables.
- we declined the washer/dryer to gain additional closet space
- we had a custom couch installed by winnebago as the std couch was a euro-style that was equally ugly and uncomfortable.
- we removed and sold the recliner and replaced it with a folding computer workstation.
- we replaced the std co-pilot chaur with a 6-way powered chair
- added a number if AC, 12-volt and USB power outlets
- relocated the umbillical connector for the toad to the bumper making it easier to connect the toad
- i will be adding a slideout tray to the battery compartment making battery service and replacement easier.
- additional latches securing the pantry and other drawers in the kitchen to defend against the rocking.
- added 12-volt cooling fans and replaced the center cabinet door with a screen to keep the electronics cool in the front cabinets
- added insulation between the back of the front cabinets and the windshield.
- added motorized reels for the fresh water hose and 50-amp cord.
- added a pair of PVC tubes under the chassis to carry additional sewer hose.
- added central vac system.
- several other minor things.

we figure this will likely be our last MH.

reliability or more correctly workmanship and quality control...2-stars out of 5. don't know if we have a lemon or not but based on other posts i think the quality control and workmansip...two things i would brag about on our two previous Winnebago products, a 1985 26' Chieftain, (1986-2000) and a 2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U (2000-2015) and which was a major reason we purchased another Winnebago product....has gone downhill, dramatically.

- upon delivery the microwave oven door would not latch securely. after several months the mfg supplied a fix
- two, now possibly a third, water leak in the line from the kitchen to the residential fridge.
- ice maker failure (possibly the third water leak)
- water heater control board failure
- street-slide fails to open
- replaced two front tires with excessive outer edge wear after 11,000-miles (to be fair the jury is still out if this was a failure of the factory to do a proper alignment or as the result of an encounter with a missing partial segment of pavement in Alabama).
- front mcd privacy shade too heavy for the motor so it drops a bit at the end of every driving day. resetting the limits doesn't solve the problem, only replacing the motor.
- the cover to one of the couch's built-in footstools fell off. just fell off.
- i keep finding loose screws, nuts and bolts on the floor and in the storage bays. don't know if they were dropped during production or if additional surprises await.

to be fair my dealer has been excellent (other than with the obvious pblm with the microwave oven door...something that should've been caught during the PDI) in getting me in quickly to repair the water leaks, the slideout and other issues. no, most of these problems are at the production end. my servicing dealer has been excellent in addressing these issues but that would not have been...should not have been necessary...with proper engineering and better quality control.

so, there you have it..my honest opinions. based on whati've been reading you're very likely to experience some of what i and others have gone thru. and to be frank given the condition most of our nation's highways are in it's a miracle our RV's hold up as well as they do. and to expect zero problems is unrealistic. modern RV's are complicated machines but shake, rattle and roll is no excuse for poor engineering or the of quality control.

[pequeajim]

Thanks rk911, great insight and just the kind of feedback I am looking for. I am probably looking at later than 2012. The one thing that scares me about that year range is the Schwintek slides they used on some of the slide outs.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by pequeajim

Thanks rk911, great insight and just the kind of feedback I am looking for. I am probably looking at later than 2012. The one thing that scares me about that year range is the Schwintek slides they used on some of the slide outs.

you're very welcome. i've been told that Schwintek has made improvements to their slde mechanisms but that's what i've been told. it will be interesting to see what the fix is to my slide issue.

[pequeajim]

This we shall see. I have a hard time believing that they will operate correctly over the long haul on big slides. On my Dutchman 5vr, the long side typically got out of alignment and had to be recalibrated quite often. But then that was a 2010 unit that I bought new.

[Americanrascal]

We went the 38Q route. Boy do we ever love the interior layout, features and comfort. We are very happy with the Ford F-53 chassis and engine.

But the list of problems and failures on our 1 year old rig is endless. Yes we have eventually- after many weeks of extended repairs over the past year- been able to get things fixed but it's been very frustrating and we are very concerned about the reliability of the coach whenever we use it. In fairness thus far WBGO has been responsive.

Aside from the refrigerator falling over out of its hole, destroying it and the microwave, our major problems have primarily been with slides and leakage. (the replacement refrigerator then failed also).The 2 rams on the large drivers side slide each failed separately, and the passenger side Power Gear slide mechanisms also failed requiring the replacement of both systems. In addition our mattress system pump quit and the mechanism that raised and lowered the bed also lost its programming.

We've run into numerous leak issues, Some with plumbing and some with exterior sealants allowing rain to enter the rig.

The list of failures is much longer and is a statement as to the quality of components and workmanship of our 38Q. We keep thinking if we can just get past these failures the rig will be straightened out. But invariably another major component fails it seems at least after every second use.

While we love the comfort of the 38Q we've learned to sleep with one eye opened when using it.

[pequeajim]

Originally Posted by Americanrascal

We went the 38Q route. Boy do we ever love the interior layout, features and comfort. We are very happy with the Ford F-53 chassis and engine.

But the list of problems and failures on our 1 year old rig is endless. Yes we have eventually- after many weeks of extended repairs over the past year- been able to get things fixed but it's been very frustrating and we are very concerned about the reliability of the coach whenever we use it. In fairness thus far WBGO has been responsive.

Aside from the refrigerator falling over out of its hole, destroying it and the microwave, our major problems have primarily been with slides and leakage. (the replacement refrigerator then failed also).The 2 rams on the large drivers side slide each failed separately, and the passenger side Power Gear slide mechanisms also failed requiring the replacement of both systems. In addition our mattress system pump quit and the mechanism that raised and lowered the bed also lost its programming.

We've run into numerous leak issues, Some with plumbing and some with exterior sealants allowing rain to enter the rig.

The list of failures is much longer and is a statement as to the quality of components and workmanship of our 38Q. We keep thinking if we can just get past these failures the rig will be straightened out. But invariably another major component fails it seems at least after every second use.

While we love the comfort of the 38Q we've learned to sleep with one eye opened when using it.

Wow! I've heard a lot of good things about Winnebago/Itasca. This is why I have focused on their models. I also like the F-53 chassis and am looking to get the 24k or 26k version with whatever coach I get. In reading on here, there is a lot of information that I need to absorb, so, thanks for the input.

[Cover Dog]

We also love the features of our 38Q. Every time I see that Americanrascal has a new comment I cringe hoping he has not experienced another problem. I would not wish his problems on my worst enemy.

The only problem we have in common is our fridge also fell over and destroyed the microwave. Factory fault not dealer prep. Once fixed, we have had no other problems. I held my breath this spring after getting our coach out of indoor storage and reversing the winterizing process. Everything was fine and have not had any problems to date this year.

rk911 you have made some nice improvements, some of which I will also copy. Next on our list is to try and figure out where to run the cable from the portable sat. to somewhere under the cab and into the overhead cabinets. If anyone has already done this please let me know your recommendation.

[jrpend]

We have a 2015 Suncruiser 37F and after 2 years of full timing we still think we got the right one.


We have schwinteks and have had one failure on the whole wall slide so far. They fixed it with the old mechanism. Winnebago has a new system to replace the Schwintek and we have decided if it fails again we set sail for the nearest Winnebago factory and get it retro-fitted. We have heard that Winnebago is being very good about it.


We have the built in wash/dryer that did cost us the pantry, we have learned to live with out it.

[Peteyboy]

We also have the 37F and love it. Had the full wall slide mechanism replaced at the factory with the Power Gear setup and it has been working fine so far with close to 100 cycles over a year. The bath and a half was top priority on our list and the washer and dryer were just there, but we would not be without them now. The large shower with the on demand water heater is just like being at home and we don't even have a king size bed at home and love the one in the coach. We have friends who had the 38Q and they only had it for a little over a year as the problems it had turned them off from RVing completely.

[pequeajim]

I'm sorry to hear that your friends are having issues with their 38Q. Glad to hear that you are doing well with your 37F. What year is it? Also what did you have before, Schwintek on the full wall slide?

[Peteyboy]

Originally Posted by pequeajim

I'm sorry to hear that your friends are having issues with their 38Q. Glad to hear that you are doing well with your 37F. What year is it? Also what did you have before, Schwintek on the full wall slide?

Ours is a 2015 and the slide had the Swintek mechanism on it. Our bedroom slide has the same system and has worked flawlessly since new.

[pequeajim]

Originally Posted by Peteyboy

Ours is a 2015 and the slide had the Swintek mechanism on it. Our bedroom slide has the same system and has worked flawlessly since new.

Does yours have the upgraded version of the slide. Someone said that Winnebago changed the version of the slide to a newer upgraded version.

I'm not sure what year they did that.

[Peteyboy]

The bedroom system is as it came from the factory,,, the FWS was replaced last year with the new Power Gear setup. I believe that Swintek owns Power Gear.

[FirstMH]

pequeajim,

I currently have an Itasca 37F that at the present time has all the bugs worked out of it. The Winnebago Service Center in Oregon worked on the coach for a week last summer and made everything all better. If you are looking for a 37F please let me know because we would like to move up to a newer coach. You can contact me at C[email protected].

[pequeajim]

What year is it?