New here, Hello. Hot on the trail to find my 38T

[Matt-WO]

Hello folks,
Matt here.
In 2006 I was on a search to buy my first coach. I looked at and test drove dozens of models, gas and diesel. The all new floor plan of the Winnebago/Itasca 38T kept coming back to me over and over. The large front kitchen, walk thru hallway bath and TV at face level and not above the driver/passenger seats was a huge plus. It felt like a small apartment home. But at $175K new at the time it was out of my budget. I ended up purchasing a 2004 34ft SBD Monaco Safari Simba gas 8.1ltr Workhorse chassis for $72k with 12K miles on it. This coach was comfortable and I lived in it full time for 2 yrs. No major issues. I highly recommend this unit.
.
Fast forward 14 years to now. I am on the hunt for that elusive 38T model I could not afford in the past and which was only made for 3 years. 2006-2008. Winnebago Adventurer 38T/ Itasca Suncruiser 38T.
I have considered the 38J model as it seems a very close cousin to the 38T. Where I am now is stuck on the 38T with the big front kitchen.
.
MY QUESTIONS TO YOU FOLKS:
Do you have any pro or con words of advice/experience for the 38T model?
2X 18ft slide issues?
Any advice is appreciated.
If you know of a seller for a 38T, I can travel anywhere in U.S. to purchase.
I am keeping an eye on this thread, RV trader, RVT and craigslist for seller postings.
.
Happy RV'ing, its a lot of fun and some work but well worth it.
Cheers and thank you.
Best Regards,
Matt.

 

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Matt-

I see 5 Adventurer/Suncruiser 38Ts on RVtrader at the moment. Yes, it's an interesting floorplan.

I'm reminded of a few "class" problems with Winnebagos of that era:

1) Clear-coat breakdown and subsequent failure of underlying paint, especially on the roof edges
2) Rust along the structure that supports the windshields, with water leakage
3) Inattention to the longitudinal roof edge seals, with water leakage
4) Falling/Sagging ceiling liner

As always, any particular coach may have none, some or all of these "class" problems. I see at least one coach on RVtrader that suffers from 1).

Best wishes on your search!

 

[Matt-WO]

Matt-

I see 5 Adventurer/Suncruiser 38Ts on RVtrader at the moment. Yes, it's an interesting floorplan.

I'm reminded of a few "class" problems with Winnebagos of that era:

1) Clear-coat breakdown and subsequent failure of underlying paint, especially on the roof edges
2) Rust along the structure that supports the windshields, with water leakage
3) Inattention to the longitudinal roof edge seals, with water leakage
4) Falling/Sagging ceiling liner

As always, any particular coach may have none, some or all of these "class" problems. I see at least one coach on RVtrader that suffers from 1).

Best wishes on your search!

Mark,
Thank you for your message and the information. It is appreciated.
I wish you and yours the best.
Safe Travels.
Matt.

 

[al1florida]

I have always had an area of concern with the possibility of a very small amount of CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity) for a 39' RV on a gasoline chassis. Part of the CCC is the passengers in addition to all the "stuff" you carry.

There is a huge amount of storage space in a 38' to 39' RV and usually not a lot CCC capacity.

A few years ago, when we changed from a 26' Class C, I weighed everything as I took it out of the RV. All the stuff weighed just under 1000 pounds.

 

[creativepart]

The Adventurer 38T is an interesting floor plan and we considered the 38Q when we bought our 37F.

The problem areas listed are kind of generallized WBGO Class A issues and certainly not a real turn off or the kind of thing to keep someone from buying. The interior ceiling sagging is for very old models and so is any paint issues. The leaky windshield and side roof edges are easy enough to head off with annual inspections and resealing every few years with external caulking. They are actually one problem. The frame around the windshield is not the issue it's the side seals and cap sealing that allows water into that area. So, again. annual inspection and resealing every 2 to 3 years is the solution.

Our 37F is 3 years old next month. It's been a great Class A RV and we have had very few problems none of them extremely serious or costly.

I highly recommend a 2017 model year. It's the final year of the high-dollar Adventurers and it has the 6-speed transmission which solves a great number of driveability and noise while driving issues.

 

[Matt-WO]

I have always had an area of concern with the possibility of a very small amount of CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity) for a 39' RV on a gasoline chassis. Part of the CCC is the passengers in addition to all the "stuff" you carry.

There is a huge amount of storage space in a 38' to 39' RV and usually not a lot CCC capacity.

A few years ago, when we changed from a 26' Class C, I weighed everything as I took it out of the RV. All the stuff weighed just under 1000 pounds.

Hello Al and Sharon. Thank you for your reply. I definitely agree with you that cargo weight has to be kept under the max limits and with a gas 38ft unit one may not have as much wiggle room before maxing out. There is a lot of space on a 38ft gas chassis, but lower weight cargo carrying limits do to the shear weight of the unit. I have this in the back of my mind as I think of the things I want to load into the RV. I see max Gross total on the 38T as 24K lbs. I however cannot find anyone who reported an empty weight of this unit. I cant find info on dry curb weight either from Winnebago. Once I get the unit, I will have to weigh it dry and see what I have to work with, also taking into consideration, fuel, propane, water, black/grey tanks. I appreciate your reply. And best wishes. Matt..

 

[Matt-WO]

The Adventurer 38T is an interesting floor plan and we considered the 38Q when we bought our 37F.

The problem areas listed are kind of generallized WBGO Class A issues and certainly not a real turn off or the kind of thing to keep someone from buying. The interior ceiling sagging is for very old models and so is any paint issues. The leaky windshield and side roof edges are easy enough to head off with annual inspections and resealing every few years with external caulking. They are actually one problem. The frame around the windshield is not the issue it's the side seals and cap sealing that allows water into that area. So, again. annual inspection and resealing every 2 to 3 years is the solution.

Our 37F is 3 years old next month. It's been a great Class A RV and we have had very few problems none of them extremely serious or costly.

I highly recommend a 2017 model year. It's the final year of the high-dollar Adventurers and it has the 6-speed transmission which solves a great number of driveability and noise while driving issues.

Hello and thank you for your reply. I appreciate your detailed information.
Good to hear you are having a positive experience with your coach.
My best regards, safe travels.
Matt.

 

[al1florida]

There should be a sticker, usually right near the drivers seat showing the GVWR and the CCC. Usually this sticker only covers the usual options, so depending on which options have been added the CCC could be reduced somewhat.

Weighing the RV is easy if there is a CAT scale at a truck stop near where you are going to buy the RV. Do an internet search for "CAT scale location" to locate a scale near you.

It would be well worth while to weigh the rig before you buy. You could find that you have less than 1000 pounds of CCC even before adding 2 or more passengers as cargo.