Moving From a Class C to a Winnebago Forza DP

[shemphill]

We have had our Spirit 31K for a little over a year now and we've been having allot of fun. We've been enjoying it enough that we are thinking about moving up and getting something that would be more comfortable for extended trips along with a better ride and better drivability.

I have seen several of the Forza line out there that I really like. The 38F has a really cool layout.

I realize these are at the low end of the DP lines and I was looking for some sage advice. Is that something I should navigate away from or are they fairly solid? I have not seen one in person yet, but from the pictures it looks like they are a particle board laminate interior with hard wood cabinet doors etc. allot like our Spirit.

How are they holding up? Is there anyone that can make a recommendation one way or the other?

Thanks! Advice is always appreciated

 

[wahoonc]

No clue about the actual construction and durability of the Forza.

However, we went from a Class C to a DP for the added space and carrying capacity. They are more comfortable over the road, they take a bit more planning when driving. They are more expensive to maintain and more complicated systems. We are happy with our DP for now and plan to use it for at least a few more years. YMMV

Aaron

 

[deckape]

Have a 2016 Forza 34T . Enjoy the size and no dinette . Tv tables or outside for eating . Center line queen bed that do not require opening the slide to sleep or get to bathroom . Sleeps 2, dines 4 , entertains 6 . No major problems, but having soft floor , and resealing or roof done now at Forest City . Check all service records for any coach you look at . Freightliner chassie has worked great .

 

[Scubadude62-WO]

I had a 2017 38W, put over 80000 miles on it and now have a 2025 38W. It's a nearly perfect floor plan.

What year are you looking at?

 

[J mulgrew]

We have had our Spirit 31K for a little over a year now and we've been having allot of fun. We've been enjoying it enough that we are thinking about moving up and getting something that would be more comfortable for extended trips along with a better ride and better drivability.

I have seen several of the Forza line out there that I really like. The 38F has a really cool layout.

I realize these are at the low end of the DP lines and I was looking for some sage advice. Is that something I should navigate away from or are they fairly solid? I have not seen one in person yet, but from the pictures it looks like they are a particle board laminate interior with hard wood cabinet doors etc. allot like our Spirit.

How are they holding up? Is there anyone that can make a recommendation one way or the other?

Thanks! Advice is always appreciated

We have a 2018 Forza 3 8W. 110 thousand miles on it brought a brand new in California. Right now I’m undergoing major rust repair.. I think it’s because it’s sat on the ocean for a year before we bought it in Pismo Beach and they probably drove it from the factory there and left the salt on it. Also, I think the metal that Winnebago uses is probably the cheapest they can get. I think if you couldn’t fix it yourself a person would probably have to scrap it. That’s how bad it is. We’ve had a ton of problems over the years, but managed to fix them all ourselves basically to keep it out on the road. wouldn’t trade the last seven years for nothing it’s been a lot of fun! But they have very poor build quality. I’ve been back to the factory a couple times when it was new and they’re pretty good there spent three days or once! Way too much to list here, but good luck maybe look at a Tiffin?

 

[shemphill]

Thanks! We just missed out on a Tiffin Allegro RED 37PA. it was really nice. I just could not get off work to to look at it before it sold. I really like the quality in the TIffins. There is a Forza 38F in Woodstock Georgia for sale that I really like. It's just a loooong way from Texas.

 

[BirchyBoy]

We had a ‘17 Vista and went to a ‘22 Forza 36H. It has been very good overall with no major issues in 3.5 years and 20k miles. It isn’t overly powerful (340hp / 700ish torque) but it will haul our 4 door Wrangler Rubicon up over the mountains between Denver and California.

The build quality will be similar to your Spirit - some real wood, some fake wood. The most common issue I’ve had is screws backing out of the hinges; either a larger screw or some glue helps that. She’s a little noisy when driving in certain conditions. The driver window is huge and will rattle when the wind hits it just right.

Do I wish we could afford a Ventana or similar? Yes, but we enjoy it for a month at a time and are headed to Cali next month.

 

[shemphill]

Thanks For the info! I'm in the same boat. I'd like the better ride and drive of the freightliner chassis but I don't want to drop Ventana money on it either. I love the Class C we have but for long trips the rough ride starts to get to me after a while so I was looking for something more comfortable for me to drive without having to spend a ton of money. I know there are trade offs with everything but going in with the understanding, that like our Spirit, there are things we need to be a little more careful with because of durability I figure we can survive. So far the Spirit has been flawless but we are careful with her.

 

[RayIN]

I venture to say, most Forza owners quickly adapt to the lower power of the Cummins ISB engine and not trying to be the first to the top of the mountain. It's a solid dependable medium-duty diesel engine if an owner follows the Cummins maintenance schedule.

We have friends who bought a new Forza 10 yrs ago. They have full-timed in it to this day, but poor health forced them off the road, so now the Forza is permanently parked in S. Texas. They towed a Jeep Wrangler 4-down all the time and averaged 9 MPG for those 10 yrs.
Birchyboy is right. This Winnebago's entry-level DP, and has the expected build quality. The drivetrain should not give you problems when the chassis mainteance schedule if followed.