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Old 06-05-2016, 08:38 AM   #21
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My comments here are to cover most of this discussion.

Lippert owns Schwintek and PowerGear. I guess if you are having problems competing buy the competition.

HP seems to often come up in relation to mileage. Most of us with dp's get between 7+ to 10 mpg for the most part. A 400hp or 450hp fuel mileage is about the same. The bigger motor pulls better on the 6% grades. I noted in the brochure that the 400 was replaced with the 450 in the later '11 builds because of the DEF requirements. The DEF actually allows the same engine to be better tuned and still meet EPA requirements. This was also true for the 40U of course, and all of the diesel coaches across the industry.

The 40U has a bit more basement storage than the QD because the 40U is lacking the Aqua-Hot and tag for one thing. The 40U is not cramped at all for us. DW misses the dishwasher but the drawers in it's place are nice to have. We are surviving doing dishes. lol The 40U is just small enough to fit into many of the older campgrounds were the bigger rigs can't go. In our case, because of our volunteer work, this was a factor that helped with our final choice.

I don't know about others with the U/QD or E, but I found the topper tube covers a true pain. They would catch all of the debris that shed down on the toppers from the trees. Even sweeping them off before closing up was of little help because the covers were already filling. I took mine off. It is not pretty but I don't have leaves, pine needles and small twigs rolled up in the toppers any more causing damage.

To sum my thoughts up, go for the floor plan and length that suites your needs and lifestyle. Everything else is simply what it is.

Last thought: tires... I have given up on Michelin. They are just not worth the money for all the problems they consistently have. A few weeks back I got my drive tires replaced with Toyo M154 H series. What a difference in ride, handling and comfort. And the other bonus is the tire size change. I went from the 275/80 to the 295/75 profile and my speedometer is reading almost on the money for the first time. Besides, if I now have a tire failure I can easily find a replacement because I now have a standard truckers size.

And there are my thoughts, for what they are worth.

Happy trails all,
Rick Y
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Old 06-05-2016, 09:12 AM   #22
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DW misses the dishwasher but the drawers in it's place are nice to have. We are surviving doing dishes. lol
DW gave me 2 months to get a dishwasher in there The bottom two drawers are loaded with dish soap and a dish rack, scrub brushes and towels and she calls it "Brad's Drawers". She won't commit those drawers to anything else because her DH is going to tear those out anyway

We came from a dishwasher and that was the first condition of purchase she made with me! I don't think I can stall her too much longer It fits fine heightwise, but width needs to be wider. I'll have to see if I can get the top drawer face in that color for an Ellipse to match the dishwasher width.
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Old 06-05-2016, 03:36 PM   #23
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Lippert purchased Power Gear and Schwintek in June or July of 2014, just as the fiasco with the slides were coming to an end.


Once again, the 2012 Tour has a lot of upgrades not found on the 2011 Tour.
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Old 06-05-2016, 06:29 PM   #24
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2011 didn't have painted slide sides, but did have a bit bigger TV in the bedroom and it retracted out of the way. Was sorry to see that go.
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Old 06-06-2016, 08:59 AM   #25
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DW gave me 2 months to get a dishwasher in there The bottom two drawers are loaded with dish soap and a dish rack, scrub brushes and towels and she calls it "Brad's Drawers". She won't commit those drawers to anything else because her DH is going to tear those out anyway

We came from a dishwasher and that was the first condition of purchase she made with me! I don't think I can stall her too much longer It fits fine heightwise, but width needs to be wider. I'll have to see if I can get the top drawer face in that color for an Ellipse to match the dishwasher width.
Brad, I just looked up your coach. Like mine, it does NOT show the dishwasher as being an option. I wonder why? Is there a issue with plumbing? But the Ellipse offers it so it must be possible. Please try to keep a good account of what you do and post it. If you know someone with an Ellipse/Tour that will let you check out how the dishwasher is installed that might help you in the long run. One quick though is power availability. The out door entertainment system may be close enough.

Now I wait.

Rick Y
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Old 06-06-2016, 11:29 AM   #26
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Brad, I just looked up your coach. Like mine, it does NOT show the dishwasher as being an option. I wonder why? Is there a issue with plumbing? But the Ellipse offers it so it must be possible. Please try to keep a good account of what you do and post it. If you know someone with an Ellipse/Tour that will let you check out how the dishwasher is installed that might help you in the long run. One quick though is power availability. The out door entertainment system may be close enough.

Now I wait.

Rick Y
It won't be easy The height between the two lower drawers is exact for the dishwasher, but the width is not. The opening would need to be widened about 3/4 inch on each side. The back of the cabinet is also in the way, but plenty of room behind it. The sink is there so I think plumbing should be OK. I will have to pull power from somewhere and I haven't scoped that out yet.

Dishwasher is $650 on Amazon. Just need time to get to it I think I will go check out a Tour or Ellipse to see how the factory did it.
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Old 06-07-2016, 09:04 AM   #27
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It won't be easy The height between the two lower drawers is exact for the dishwasher, but the width is not. The opening would need to be widened about 3/4 inch on each side. The back of the cabinet is also in the way, but plenty of room behind it. The sink is there so I think plumbing should be OK. I will have to pull power from somewhere and I haven't scoped that out yet.

Dishwasher is $650 on Amazon. Just need time to get to it I think I will go check out a Tour or Ellipse to see how the factory did it.
We will be at the GNR next month. I'll have to take a peak at a rig with a dishwasher out of curiosity.

Rick Y still in mode.
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Old 06-07-2016, 09:22 AM   #28
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We have the Tour QD. We spent considerable time sitting in various dealers looking at all of the coaches. New/Used did not matter. We finally found the floor plan that suits us the best. Have not changed our minds.

The only issue with the big slide was one of the motors became unplugged. Bit of a struggle to get the plug back in but other than that works flawlessly.

Had an issue with the step cover. Either the brand or amount of grease on the shuttle. Grease became sticky and the motor did not have enough power to turn the shaft. Toughest part of the fix was getting the covering material off of the access plate. WGO used lots of very good adhesive to attach. Once I had access to the motor the fix was simple.

We really like our dealer. Lichtsinn gave us a good price but has given us excellent service. There service department has great staff. I call them whenever I have an issue and they have given us great advice. Unless a dire emergency will not take the coach anywhere else.
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Old 06-08-2016, 11:36 AM   #29
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We have the Tour QD. We spent considerable time sitting in various dealers looking at all of the coaches. New/Used did not matter. We finally found the floor plan that suits us the best. Have not changed our minds.

The only issue with the big slide was one of the motors became unplugged. Bit of a struggle to get the plug back in but other than that works flawlessly.

Had an issue with the step cover. Either the brand or amount of grease on the shuttle. Grease became sticky and the motor did not have enough power to turn the shaft. Toughest part of the fix was getting the covering material off of the access plate. WGO used lots of very good adhesive to attach. Once I had access to the motor the fix was simple.

We really like our dealer. Lichtsinn gave us a good price but has given us excellent service. There service department has great staff. I call them whenever I have an issue and they have given us great advice. Unless a dire emergency will not take the coach anywhere else.
Gordon, What year is your coach? Freightliner recommends a 30K mi chassis tuneup. I highly recommend a trip out to Gaffney, SC to the Freightliner Custom Chassis plant. Their service department is great and the plant tour is very educational.

They offer many levels of service. We had the chassis bolts re-tightened, the ride height adjusted, lube and weigh. I know I had other things done but I don't recall now. On your tag they would make certain all is working correctly there.

One thing many folks forget is the air dryer for the suspension and breaks. This needs to be serviced. I had it done by these folks shortly after we bought the coach used. I was probably not needed but now I know it will not be a problem for a long time. This thing is so far out of sight that it is very easy to forget you have one.

The QD is a lovely floorplan. We wanted that model but the size was more than many of our volunteer projects could fit. The 40U is a very good compromise.

Happy trails,
Rick Y
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Old 06-09-2016, 06:09 PM   #30
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Gordon, What year is your coach? Freightliner recommends a 30K mi chassis tuneup. I highly recommend a trip out to Gaffney, SC to the Freightliner Custom Chassis plant. Their service department is great and the plant tour is very educational.

They offer many levels of service. We had the chassis bolts re-tightened, the ride height adjusted, lube and weigh. I know I had other things done but I don't recall now. On your tag they would make certain all is working correctly there.

One thing many folks forget is the air dryer for the suspension and breaks. This needs to be serviced. I had it done by these folks shortly after we bought the coach used. I was probably not needed but now I know it will not be a problem for a long time. This thing is so far out of sight that it is very easy to forget you have one.

The QD is a lovely floorplan. We wanted that model but the size was more than many of our volunteer projects could fit. The 40U is a very good compromise.

Happy trails,
Rick Y
Hi Rick;
We have a 2015.

Planning on heading to Gaffney this coming fall. Several things I would like including a course in maintenance which I heard they have.

We looked at a bunch of MH at various dealers while on our search. There are lots of really nice MH out there, one for everyone's taste and needs. This one fits us very well.
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Old 06-09-2016, 09:01 PM   #31
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We are still vacationers, and I think I could fill each year with service trips! Could be fun! SC for chassis service, wouldn't mind the Winne factory for a outside TV install! So much to do on the way.
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Old 06-10-2016, 07:53 AM   #32
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Hi Rick;
We have a 2015.

Planning on heading to Gaffney this coming fall. Several things I would like including a course in maintenance which I heard they have.

We looked at a bunch of MH at various dealers while on our search. There are lots of really nice MH out there, one for everyone's taste and needs. This one fits us very well.
I strongly suggest that you make an appointment at Gaffney. They take walk-ins but you may have to wait in the lot for several days. We know this from experience.

Choosing a MH can be a challenge. We didn't like most of the layouts until we saw the QD. We were at a show in Dallas. I tried to fit a new one into our budget but it didn't work out. We went into the Tour 3 times. The last time DW demanded that we leave. She wanted it so badly. That's when I tried to make a deal. It is good we didn't get it. Many of the places we visit and volunteer at could not accommodate the size. The 40U is a good compromise. DW is happy and that counts for a lot.

Rick Y
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Old 06-10-2016, 07:58 AM   #33
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We are still vacationers, and I think I could fill each year with service trips! Could be fun! SC for chassis service, wouldn't mind the Winne factory for a outside TV install! So much to do on the way.
Brad, there are many places that do RV upgrades and may not be as expensive as the factory, as reasonable as their hourly rates are. I suggest that you do a search on line. As far as "to do" goes. YES!

Happy trials,
Rick Y
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Old 06-10-2016, 08:35 AM   #34
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Brad, there are many places that do RV upgrades and may not be as expensive as the factory, as reasonable as their hourly rates are. I suggest that you do a search on line. As far as "to do" goes. YES!

Happy trials,
Rick Y
Ya, its after the dishwasher install. I wouldn't mind trying the TV myself, as it is all prepped behind the buffet, but I don't do paint.
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Old 06-10-2016, 09:56 AM   #35
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I strongly suggest that you make an appointment at Gaffney. They take walk-ins but you may have to wait in the lot for several days. We know this from experience.

Choosing a MH can be a challenge. We didn't like most of the layouts until we saw the QD. We were at a show in Dallas. I tried to fit a new one into our budget but it didn't work out. We went into the Tour 3 times. The last time DW demanded that we leave. She wanted it so badly. That's when I tried to make a deal. It is good we didn't get it. Many of the places we visit and volunteer at could not accommodate the size. The 40U is a good compromise. DW is happy and that counts for a lot.

Rick Y
Same with us. Visited many dealers and looked at a lot of used and new brands and models. Kept coming back to the Tour. We were willing to give up some parking spots for the layout. As it turns out we have been able to get into any spot so far. Has taken some maneuvering at times so the neighbors have to be patient. If we cannot get into the spot we will find someplace close that can.
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Old 06-11-2016, 09:14 AM   #36
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Same with us. Visited many dealers and looked at a lot of used and new brands and models. Kept coming back to the Tour. We were willing to give up some parking spots for the layout. As it turns out we have been able to get into any spot so far. Has taken some maneuvering at times so the neighbors have to be patient. If we cannot get into the spot we will find someplace close that can.
Your a trouper Gordon. If I had the tour now my tag would be seeing light under the tires. My stepson's RV parking is on a rise and just long enough for the Meridian. This is our new base camp. We are enjoying the grand kids and the beauty of the family and land.

Happy trails,
Rick Y
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Old 06-11-2016, 09:22 AM   #37
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Your a trouper Gordon. If I had the tour now my tag would be seeing light under the tires. My stepson's RV parking is on a rise and just long enough for the Meridian. This is our new base camp. We are enjoying the grand kids and the beauty of the family and land.

Happy trails,
Rick Y
And that is the goal and the payoff. We are enjoying our kid's inheritance.
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Old 06-12-2016, 08:08 AM   #38
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And that is the goal and the payoff. We are enjoying our kid's inheritance.
Well stated. Well earned. Now it's time to and enjoy it.
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Old 06-12-2016, 06:05 PM   #39
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Just got back from a weekend. Pretty windy but the coach computer said we were making 3.7 km / Ltr. 10.4 mpg imp/ 8.7 mpg US. Very please considering the wind mostly was on the side or slightly to the front.
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Old 06-13-2016, 08:52 AM   #40
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Just got back from a weekend. Pretty windy but the coach computer said we were making 3.7 km / Ltr. 10.4 mpg imp/ 8.7 mpg US. Very please considering the wind mostly was on the side or slightly to the front.
Not bad mpg. What is your average driving speed? (mph please )

How does your rig handle in the wind? I had many pulling situations. I didn't realize that my end of day driving fatigue was greater than it needed to be. After installing the Blue Ox steering assist unit I am now more relaxed after a long days drive. The next big handling improvement was getting rid of the Michelin's. Long story short... I have Continental's on the front and Toyo's on the rear. If I had been more fore thinking I would have left the dealer offering the Continental's and not the Toyo's I wanted. But, I thought I was being treated well. My poor judgment. The front tires are good and are doing a great job. I just simply spent way more money than I had to. The Toyo's are just as good a tire for much less money.

Happy trails,
Rick Y
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