Coachman class c

[Komfort_23TS]

How does the coachman class c motor homes quality compare to other class c? Thanks for your input!

[Wiz]

We have a 2000 Coachmen Santara 31ft. Bought it used in 2003. Every RV is built to a price point as others have said. The biggest problem we have had was leaks in the cab-over. I've rebuilt it twice and need to work on it again this spring. I think it's leaking around the cab lights. It was top of the line, so included lighted compartments and an external shower. Not too fond of the front seats, I've seen much nicer in other coaches. It has a place for a trash container which it amazes me that some 300K coaches don't have.

[Komfort_23TS]

Please let me know how you like you new 24. I am planning on buying one in July. Thank you. Ts luxford@ gmail.com

[wpmike]

Hi,
My wife and I just bought our first RV--a Leprechaun 240FS. We drive it home on Wednesday and have reserved an overnight slot at a campground near Cape Cod on Saturday. Very excited. Wish us luck--at 69, I need all the luck I can get.
Mike

[Jackha1949]

We have a 2017 Coachmen Leprechaun 260DS which we bought last October. So far we really like the coach. The interior is well made with nice solid woods, all nicely finished. One item I really like about the coach is that it has self leveling jacks which you do not see on very many class C rigs. Ours has the Ford 450 V10 which seems to do a very nice job. We do tow a 2015 Subaru Forester 4 wheels down (its a standard trans) and is seems to do OK. I have notice a bit of a sway at times while towing but it has seemed to improve with inflating the rear air shocks to 80 psi. Our former rigs was a 40' Itasca Horizon which we full-timed in for 6 years, however, we have settled in Florida so we didn't need the big bus and wanted something smaller for get aways. So far we really love the fit and finish of the coachmen. I did forget to mention it did come with rear air shocks that are adjustable. We looked at other makes but didn't like quality of the others like the Minne Winne. We were Winnebago fans owning a Journey as our first rig but looking at there newer models I was not impressed with the fit and finish of them sorry to say. Hope this helps someone.

[JimmyRV]

Racine96 wrote:
Forest River owns Coachmen. They offer a second yr for $150 on all their rvs.

Please provide more specific information on this. Is there a form or link?

[Camping_Woody]

Messed up my message - please delete

[Racine96]

Forest River owns Coachmen. They offer a second yr for $150 on all their rvs.

[Oklahoma_Dan]

Perhaps consideration to 1 year warranty vs. an RV with a 2 year warranty should be on your list of considerations. You need more than one year to really pick up on any problem unless you intend to be a full timer where a short 1 year will be fine. Also the Ford chassis seems to be the choice of a majority of Class C owners I guess for a variety of reasons.

[DrewE]

I have a '98 Coachmen. A lot may have changed since then in how they build them.

My overall impression is that they took the time to do things that really matter properly but built the cabinetry etc. to a price point, which shows a little here and there in the fit and finish and in more places in the materials. The electric, plumbing, etc. all seem to be done in a perfectly acceptable and workmanlike manner. The overall design details are sensible for the most part, too: access is decent for maintenance, there is evidence of thought in the design of where things are and how they work, there's a spot in a cabinet for a standard trash can, etc.

On the whole, I think I'd rate mine as a good budget model.

[fred42]

I can only speak as a specification reader, I have never owned a Coachmen Class C nor spent a lot of time examining them in person.

I'm sure many will question the assembly quality of Coachmen, but I have given up focusing on the assembly quality with any of the Class C manufacturers as they are all poor. Instead, I focus on design and material quality.

I have found the following things I like about Coachmen Class Cs compared to other manufacturers:

1. Consistently higher wheelbase/length ratios (less rear overhang, better handling)

2. One of the very few to use composite(Azdel) sidewall substrate instead of luan. Also, walls are said to be 2" thick.

3. 80" long beds

4. Option of Chevy 4500 chassis

5. E450 models have a 7500 lb hitch as opposed to a 5000 lb. Perhaps someone knows if they downgrade the max tongue weight to 500 due to installation design? I have heard that Jayco installs it for 750 lb?

6. Crowned TPO roof. TPO vinyl is much whiter and stronger than EPDM rubber and does not streak. I know you are all screaming "but Winnebago and Jayco have fiberglass roofs!". I could be wrong about this, I have not seen them, I can only judge from brochures and websites. Neither the Winnebago nor Jayco brochures contain the word crowned. My guess is that it is a flat fiberglass roof and to make it worse has top side seams that can puddle water and require periodic maintenance. If so, I would prefer a Rolled-Over-The-Edge seamless piece of TPO vinyl on a crowned roof. My apologies and please correct me if I'm wrong.

...now if they could just do something about the name "Leprechaun" 🙂