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Old 09-19-2014, 06:18 AM   #1
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Winnebago Itasca Info Wanted

I am considering a Winnebago/Itasca 2014.Would appreciate any and all information & reccommendations.
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Old 09-19-2014, 12:30 PM   #2
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Ray;

Sorry I can't answer your question. I do own a 2005 Itasca Horizon and I have been very happy with it.

Don
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Old 09-19-2014, 12:32 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray Stooksbury View Post
I am considering a Winnebago/Itasca 2014.Would appreciate any and all information & reccommendations.
You may get some replies if you were to give more details. Which model, new or used, any options such as chassis, etc. The gowinnebago.com website has brochures, specs etc.

Winnebago Motorhomes - Brochure Archive
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Old 09-19-2014, 03:29 PM   #4
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We have a 2014 Itasca Meridian 36M. Do you need information on that coach?
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Old 09-19-2014, 06:33 PM   #5
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I am looking at a 2014 winnebago tour & a itasca ellipse to purchase.
Please post any comments pro or con
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Old 09-20-2014, 09:14 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray Stooksbury View Post
I am looking at a 2014 winnebago tour & a itasca ellipse to purchase.
Please post any comments pro or con
Good choice. First of all know what floorplan you want. The floorplan of this Meridian can be found in the Tour/Ellipse and is very user friendly. The units you are looking at have the extra length and a bath and a half.

Why are you choosing new? Used units are a great choice if you are wise when buying one and the depreciation is not as great driving off the lot. The first owner most often has many issues to resolve that come from the factory. Quality control is not that great for most of the coaches in this price range.

What ever you buy spend time going over it. Get on the roof and check ALL of the caulking yourself. Water leaks are not uncommon and many dealers miss the cause. Some times it takes years for the weak spot to actually leak but can be seen if looked for. (Personal experience.)

What are your plans for usage? Camping with the family or full-time?

Happy hunting.

Rick Y

PS: have you gone to the Winnebago web site? Great information there.
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Old 09-21-2014, 02:08 AM   #7
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Thanx,for the info & comments.
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Old 09-21-2014, 04:54 AM   #8
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Hi Ray,
We just purchased the 2014 Ellipse QD. It's our 3rd MH, 2nd Winnebago, and 1st Diesel. We previously owned the Winnebago Adventurer 37F and spent a great deal of time searching for a similar floor plan (1 1/2 bath, etc).

For the most part, we are extremely happy with our purchase. As with any MH purchase, there are issues but, thankfully, none yet that are show stoppers. For example, the right mirror camera has a bad connection and the turn signal video intermittently works.

The Good: The engine and driving are fantastic. The turning radius is amazing - I can maneuver better in the 43' Ellipse than I could in our 38' Adventurer. All the major parts work very well. We've driven almost 1000 miles since purchasing without incident. The refrigerator, batteries, inverter, plumbing, electric, generator, and AV all work extremely well. We love the basement storage and center storage slide-out.

The Not So Good: When we picked it up and drove home, the metal entry steps clanged against the metal right front wheel guard. A little glue, rubber, and foam fixed it. We miss the large (width and depth) cabinets in the Adventurer. The Ellipse cabinets are many but are smaller and placed a little too high (clearly in choice of larger windows). That and the aforementioned mirror camera are the only problems so far. We just started our 2 1/2 week annual trip, so I might have more to add as we keep moving.

Concerns & Rumors: I read before we purchased there was a weight problem with the Ellipse, in that the front axles were close to the max out of the factory. I wanted to weigh before committing but there were no scales nearby. When I brought it home, we immediately weighed and the rumor was unfounded. Neither the front nor the rear were anywhere close to the max. Even after loading with full tanks, we're nowhere close. My biggest concern is finding a good service center for the Freightliner and Cummins without having to drive forever. Dealers are pretty useless for routine preventative maintenance. I think I've found one but won't know until we return.

Good luck with your search and purchase!
Jim
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Old 09-22-2014, 06:46 AM   #9
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Jim, thanks for the comments. We are surviving very well without the bath and 1/2 you have but I do agree it is a very nice feature. We had a size requirement we had to consider and 40' is our limit. If Winnebago has stuck with their new electrical design, similar to what is in my coach, you have a solid rig in that area.

If you have not done so, please consider getting the chassis tuned now that you have it loaded. I suggest a trip to Freightliner in Gaffney, SC. (You are on a Freightliner?) Call for an appointment. The folks are great and the factory tour is an eye opener. Very educational. They offer a school there for RVers that has a good rep.
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Old 09-22-2014, 04:52 PM   #10
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We have a 2014 meridian 40u- while we like our coach we have had a number of issues... But I just want to tell you there is no exhaust vent in the toilet (yes there is a window but when it is 20 degrees outside...) cost us $1000 to have one installed - it also doesn't have a ladder on back so you can get on the roof-that was almost a thousand dollars to have installed. Getting ready for the third time to try to take a month long trip & once again it is in the shop- keep your fingers crossed for us!!
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Old 09-24-2014, 02:42 AM   #11
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We have a 2014 meridian 40u- while we like our coach we have had a number of issues... But I just want to tell you there is no exhaust vent in the toilet (yes there is a window but when it is 20 degrees outside...) cost us $1000 to have one installed - it also doesn't have a ladder on back so you can get on the roof-that was almost a thousand dollars to have installed. Getting ready for the third time to try to take a month long trip & once again it is in the shop- keep your fingers crossed for us!!
The fan in the water closet is not needed believe it or not. I thought the same thing when we first got our coach but the smells don't linger. We use baking soda in the tank to help. (Mix a cup or 2 with hot water and pour it down the hopper.) I see that the ladder is an option. That makes no sense to me.

Here is a list of a few things to watch: Bungee the refrigerator doors because the added latches at the top won't always work and be certain the freezer lock is secure.

Inspect the roof track seals. I had a weak spot in mine. I thought the shower steam was affecting the ceiling dividers. It turned out that I had a small leak from the factory that was never found and had been saturating the ceiling for years. When I cleaned the gutter goop out to replace it I found the problem area. I replaced the original goop with Henry 212 from HD.

This is my second Winne product and both have had slide roof leaks. Because the flat roof design is so poor a leak can develop behind the interior trim mounting plate. This just happened to me over the J couch. After I got things dried out (thank God for a dry summer) I pulled the topper back, cleaned the roof well, cleaned the blotched repair caulking out and resealed the seam with the Henry 212 and 3/8" backer rod.

Another area of concern is the rope light connector. The lighting I am talking about is over the windshield cabinets. I think this has been corrected at the factory. Give a look see at the connector. Mine is located over the passengers reading light at the ceiling. The connector used was poor and there was a fire potential over time. Many of us have posted on this problem.

I hope you have a good dealer. They are rare, far and few between. Many of the issues with the new coaches are compounded by the incompetence found in the service departments. If all else fails head to Forest City.

One of the add ons I did was a "TruCenter" steering stabilizer. I am not certain it will work on an independent front suspension. I have the I beam type. I added it because I felt the road too much. Cross winds made long drives even longer. With this device I am much more relaxed at the end of a long drive.

We love our coach. We bought it used and have been dealing with a few quality control issues that the first owner never addressed or got resolved, but they are so minor that they are not worth fretting over or I have addressed them. I hope, once you get the new coach issues resolved, that you enjoy yours as much as we do ours. If you have any questions about the rig PM me and I will do my best to answer them.

Happy trails.

Rick Y
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