Our RV experience has been challenging over the past year
and for several reasons I will share several of the reasons. Some of you
followed our journey out West summer before last so you will know that we had a
42’ diesel pusher. We really liked the “Big Rig” but we experienced some
serious drawbacks. One – when in remote areas it was nearly impossible at times
to get close to a pump to get fuel; especially with the added length of a tow
vehicle. Two – we encountered situations where we could find a site long enough
to accommodate our rig. For instance, when visiting the Grand Canyon we camped
eighty miles away for lack of a suitable site. This all being said, we sold
that coach when we returned to Florida.
That began the process of looking for something that would
give us the balance of utility and comfort that we desire. Kathy wanted a Class
C because of the sleeper over the cab for grandkids. I refused because I
absolutely wanted the conveniences (self-leveling, ride, interior height, Etc.)
of a Class A coach. Well, what do you do in such circumstances? You compromise.
Our compromise came in the form of a 28’ Thor ACE. The ACE stands for A & C
Evolution. The design is to combine features of both A & C coaches in one
unit. Very good in theory but poor in execution. Most of the little bells and
whistles were useless and many of the features included on our previous Class A
coaches were missing. One example; the drivers se3at had no electric adjustment
so my feet barely reached the floor. After a day of driving I was exhausted and
painfully cramping. The modification for the seat was about $2000.
This began a succession of modifications to make our “entry
level” coach more functional and comfortable. A year later found us with
serious issues, both functional and quality in nature. In the year we owned the
ACE it spent 80% of that time in the shop. Our very first trip was without any
a/c (defective from the factory). Upon leaving last summer for New York with
our new coach we were driving from Camping World to Camping World addressing
malfunctions and quality issues. This spring upon checking to see if our year
old coach was ready for our journey we discovered even more problems and things
we concluded we couldn’t live with. Kathy’s comment was; “it’s like putting
lipstick on a pig.” My conclusion was, “enough.” Bye-bye ACE. The lessons
learned are multiple. We downsized too much. The ACE was 28’ and didn’t have
the room for comfort we sought. It was an entry level coach that was missing
many conveniences.
The biggest thing I discovered is that my ideal coach is a
diesel pusher between 34’ and 38’. We purchased a used Tuscany that falls right
in the middle of that range. So far it appears to be the perfect coach for us.
:-)))
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