Sunseeker vs. Nexus RV vs. Winnebago

[DaveR]

We are contemplating the purchase of a new Class C RV and due to a variety of construction and design factors, we have narrowed it down to the following:
1. Sunseeker 3010DS
2. Nexus RV 31P
3. Winnebago 31WP
Does anyone have any experience with these that would allow an assessment of the relative pros and cons of each including quality of construction, amenities, service, and overall value?

Thanks..

[stonekeepers]

Don't know about the Nexus or Winnebago, but we just bought a 2011 Sunseeker 3010DS and so far we love the floor plan.

Ours was in "new" condition with only 3700 miles and the interior looked showroom awesome. The only things that we have had issues with are the fan on the range hood and the pilot light on the oven. Those issues could exist in most any brand coach since they all use similar appliances. We haven't found any construction issues and it seems to be pretty well thought out. I think they have made even more improvements in the newer models.

[Rugged Brown]

First I heard of the Nexus RV. Man they do look good. I wonder do they have a dealersip network in Canada.

[DaveR]

To my knowledge they do not have dealer networks, but sell only factory direct from Elkhart, IN.

[paulmlac]

Well, you probably realize you are asking on a Forest River Forum so you will get biased answers (or really unhappy people!).

We bought a new '13 Sunseeker 3100 about 3 months ago. We've been very pleased with it. The Sunseeker won us over because of the construction (fiberglass roof, Azdel walls) & price / value relationship.

We considered all 3 manufacturers you are asking about.

Sunseeker

Positives: Fiberglass roof, Azdel walls, price / value

Winnebago

Positives: Fiberglass roof, support network

Negatives: Wood walls, higher price

Just didn’t think their higher price was worth it given wood walls

Nexus

Positives: Fiberglass roof, Azdel walls, Azdel roof

Negatives: Higher price, support network is a potential question mark depending upon availability in your area (there weren’t a lot of authorized repair shops where we live)

We honestly thought this was a better unit from a construction perspective than the Sunseeker (Azdel roof as an example). But, as I recall, it was about $10 - $15 k more. At the end of the day, we just didn’t feel that it was worth the extra cost given how we plan to use the unit (we are just using it on weekends with kids). Might have been different if we were fulltiming in it or something like that.

Good luck!

[DaveR]

Thanks for the valuable insights. Anyone else have experience with these units?

[Lisa Dishong]

I had the great opportunity to go through the Plant in Elkhart, these guys are doing something different than any other company. There steel cage construction is what sold us on their unit. The Azdel is also a great feature to eliminate the mold and other stuff associated with wood.

We priced out our unit against a lot of other companies and the pricing actually seemed lower once we reviewed the features....but sometimes that is hard to determine as the dealers all use different pricing strategies.

When I was in their showroom, another couple from Texas had just purchased and they mentioned Nexus RV had set up a dealership down the street from them....interesting customized service location.

Winnebago is a good company and they have a great reputation but I think their hay day is passed. They were the most expensive we looked at but they did not seem to have many other benefits.

Sunseeker was a great value and they were second on our list, we were hoping to get some things modified for us and because they are running so many units it was hard for them to consider. Great group of factory guys though.

hope that helps

[bclemens]

I am biased so take this however you want. I have a rental dealer that I sell to. He bought Nexus units because he knew the owners. He said he would hesitate before buying again. His comment "it seems like they built it, then figured out the engineering". He bought all Sunseekers this year.

My concern would be resale. Lots of unknowns.

[Xhevoice]

Originally Posted by bclemens

I am biased so take this however you want. I have a rental dealer that I sell to. He bought Nexus units because he knew the owners. He said he would hesitate before buying again. His comment "it seems like they built it, then figured out the engineering". He bought all Sunseekers this year.

My concern would be resale. Lots of unknowns.

What do you mean by "figured out the engineering?"

[bclemens]

His impression was that they were sort of "improvised" and that they would figure out the engineering as they went along to learn if it would work. My interpretation is that some things did not work like they should and did not hold up as rentals. Take it how you want it. I'm sure you can find opinions all over the board.

[Sunseeker 88]

I have a new 2014 sunseeker 3050s i bought in January. Looked at winnebago and most class c models. Love the sunseeker. Not familiar with nexus. Put 6,500 miles on it so far this year. Had a few minor issues that the dealer fixed with no problems.

[deanjp1]

I went to the Hersey RV show and looked at the FR 3011 and 3010 compared to:

All have similar floor plans

Looking to get a cab over bunk and large refrig

Some of the things noticed

Winnebago 31K
Pros:

Cons:
Limited bedroom storage
No storage over dinette
Materials seems average quality
Jack knife sofa

Thor 31L
Pros:
Bedroom storage
Bathroom cabinets over sink and toilet

Cons:
Jack knife sofa

Jayco 29mv:
Pros:
Bathroom is nice, good quality
Bathroom cabinets over sink
Bathroom is larger
Shower is larger

Cons:
Tv placement
No large refrig
Jack knife sofa



Forester 3011:
Pros:
I like the quality of the sofa material,
the full fold out sofa
The U shaped dinette
The placement of the tv
I like the bedroom slide on the passenger's side
Storage over dinette
Storage over entry door
Outdoor tv
2 cab over Windows
New pull down shades

Cons:
Limited headroom in dinette seating under storage (I didn't mind it) but lead me to notice other brands did not have the storage
Small bathroom
Small shower
Accordion door for bedroom, be nice if it were a pocket door
Open shelf over microwave, should have a door
Open shelves in bathroom, should have a door

Probable will purchase the 3011 in Feb.

If forest river could make the bathroom and shower bigger, it would be a home run.

They should really put doors on the shelves listed above.

[GL1800Rider]

We have the Forester 3011 and are the guinea pigs for the pull down shades that are now standard, as we were the first to "special order" them. They keep the coach much cooler and you don't have to worry about the strings messing up on the day/night shades.

Some other pros:
1) Airbag suspension
2) Atwood water heater (no anode and outside switch)
3) Progressive Dynamics converter, power center and transfer switch as opposed to Chinese WFCO
4) 12 volt Televisons that can be used with out shore power or generator (not sure what the others use)
5) On the Forester, padded ceiling, flat surface LED lights, cedar lined closets
6) Windows that actually open for ventilation. Some units have frameless that only open a few inches at the bottom.
7) No retractable steps
8) Joshua and Brian (factory reps on the FR forum)

X2 on a couple of cons:
1) Shower is small - but adequate
2) Bathroom is a bit cramped when using - ok if you leave the door open