An FR3 or the Winnebago Vista

[dbareford]

I currently have a Sunseeker 2500ts and we have been happy with our Forest River product, but we are looking for something bigger and when comparing, the Vista is at a similar price point and gets good reviews.

I was hoping I could get feedback from those who know best as to why you chose the FR3 vs. competition. The fiberglass roofs on both are important to me, so I haven't been considering any without them. But what were the other deciding factors for you?

Also, I can't find any information as to what the loft bunk supports from a weight perspective, anyone know that is? Looking at FR3 30ds specifically.

Thanks.

[welder]

There is a lot more leg room in the FR3 for the passenger.

[rk06382]

Originally Posted by dbareford

I currently have a Sunseeker 2500ts and we have been happy with our Forest River product, but we are looking for something bigger and when comparing, the Vista is at a similar price point and gets good reviews.

I was hoping I could get feedback from those who know best as to why you chose the FR3 vs. competition. The fiberglass roofs on both are important to me, so I haven't been considering any without them. But what were the other deciding factors for you?

Also, I can't find any information as to what the loft bunk supports from a weight perspective, anyone know that is? Looking at FR3 30ds specifically.

Thanks.

The floor is level. There is no step up to the front Cockpit.

We choose the FR3 28DS because it had a Dinette on the left side and the Sofa on the right and under 30 foot in length. (Exterior Length: 29' 11")

High Output Quiet Air Command™ Ducted Roof A/C with Chill Construction and Heat Pump
FR3 28DS Floorplan:
Attachment 139568

All plumbing connections are in one bay. The Black Tank Flush is a must have. I used it this weekend.
Attachment 139570

We picked ours up six weeks ago and love it. My wife loves the ride, even from the Dinette or Sofa.

[Knoxie89]

Originally Posted by rk06382

The floor is level. There is no step up to the front Cockpit.

We choose the FR3 28DS because it had a Dinette on the left side and the Sofa on the right and under 30 foot in length. (Exterior Length: 29' 11")

High Output Quiet Air Command™ Ducted Roof A/C with Chill Construction and Heat Pump
FR3 28DS Floorplan:
Attachment 139568

All plumbing connections are in one bay. The Black Tank Flush is a must have. I used it this weekend.
Attachment 139570

We picked ours up six weeks ago and love it. My wife loves the ride, even from the Dinette or Sofa.

I have FR3 30DS, it works great for us. Repairs and dealing with FR have been a royal pain in the butt! I wont buy another FR if I dont have to.

[Branchman]

Go with the Vista............my experience with the FR3 has been horrendous and the service even worse! No more Forest River for me!

[Larry Roth]

I have a 2015 FR-3 30DS It now has 29000 miles. Been across America 2 times and up to Canadian Provinces last summer. Its a Ford V-10 and I am pulling a 7x12 trailer with the Harleys behind it.. The unit is under powered however I don't believe its a show stopper as I went every where I wanted to go. Just the extreme up hill runs were usually very slow. I usually am in the 60/65 mpg range on the highways and this is not a problem at all.. 6 mpg with the trailer so I am sure without this it would be better..

The suspension was not very good and through these forms I did the Cheap Handling Fix and added a new set of Koni shocks to the front end and now its much better to handle and the swaying has been reduced substantially.

Yes there were initial problems and I did make a trip to Forrest River HQ for some adjustments however after reading these forms it appears this is normal for RV's.
I would say the only thing I have been disappointed in is the AC in the Ford portion of the unit is very poor. It just does not get very cold.

Also regarding problems I have to compliment my dealer as without them I surely would have been lost. They are the best and have constantly helped me out either in person or over the phone. I think this is one of the most important thing to consider when purchasing an RV. IF the dealer is not good you definitely will have problems.

The floor plan for the unit is excellent and after changing the mattress out of the KING SIZE bed the sleeping is much better. Also the way the doors in the unit are designed it offers privacy from the bedroom and bath to the living quarters.. Many of the up scale units we looked at did not offer this.

I think for the price of the unit and the amenities it has offers very good value. It is not top of the line but has great room, easy to drive, fantastic visibility when driving and fairly easy to set up and take down when using.

I hope you are a tinker as all of these RV's require that!!!

I wish you luck and cant wait to get on the road again!!

[camaraderie]

I think the fit & finish in the Vistas is more comparable to the Georgetown line...we shopped both extensively a couple of years ago and went with Georgetown at about the same discounted price. Got more for my money I thought and still do.
At the time, the FR3's didn't have the FG roof which was a knockout for us...but I also thought the rest of the coach was not up to the Georgetown standard.
The one thing I think Winnie has over FR is that the schematics and parts operation is superior for each model. Look at the G'towns before you make your final decision...and good luck with that!