2018 Isata 3 RW Sofabed

[Magnatudes]

Can anyone post photos of the sofabed option in a 2018 RW? Does it have footrests that extend out similar to a recliner? Is it a trifold that extends across the coach? Does it have a couple TV trays mounted into the armrests? Thanks.

[bclemens]

Footrests, yes
Trifold, yes
trays, no. It has one big table in a pedestal. The arms will take the little trays, but you would have to order those through parts.

[Magnatudes]

Trays yes according to Zac after lots of questioning. This is the problem when the factory does not clearly specify what these options are. There is nothing available at dealers or product literature, paper or online, about these things. For example, Tri-fold sofa functionality with extending leg rests, table trays, bed size, foam or air mattress, large table moves with slideout; now supplying double-wide window over galley instead of single wide & no longer supplying metal blinds in galley only blackout roller shade, group 27 batteries instead of group 31, cabling of sat antenna,.... What other changes are going to sneak up on buyers like me? Some of the stuff I just listed I wanted when I made the decision to buy to find out that it's no longer the case. sure you have reserved the right to make changes but I would think you also have an obligation to spell that out somewhere for potential buyers.

[bclemens]

Trays, no. When we first started doing the sofa we put the little tables in because we did not have any other place to eat. Most people would say that was fine, until we did that and then customers decided that they wanted a bigger table and pedestal. So we switched to that instead. So there was some confusion there...but if it gets a big table it does not get little tables. That's the trade off. If you want the little tables, you can order those. The big table is now reflected in the brochure...I don't think we ever had the little tables shown in the brochure.

We're not trying to be unclear...we have never shown them as standard. If you get them great, a bonus. If they don't come, you're not disappointed, but the above is the reasoning.

I do literature once a year. I try and make updates on the website where I can. Most mfg's just wait until the next model year to make changes. For me, if I think its better, I try to get them in. That means the brochure, at the very least, will reflect what you can expect for a 2018. If I start 2019 changes early, then I think its just value added. Some times that can bite us in the butt...but more often than not, we/you win.

My policy is this. If it is an improvement, or a quality issue. Make the change. I don't always publish that because it is NOT an official 2018 change. For example, the window. I think the larger widow is an improvement. But it was not an official change, because if someone got one with the smaller window they expect us to change that out under warranty even though it was perfectly acceptable when they bought it with the smaller window. They see it in a brochure, and say "mine is a 2018 and it did not get that". Or I ordered mine 12 weeks ago and I see you're doing a larger window, I expect that one mine. We had to prototype the window...so some lucky person got the bigger one, but it is not a guaranty for the next unit. Not until we make sure it doesn't cause some other issue.

WITH direct access to the factory like this forum, you get way more information than most mfg's would give you. There is a reason for that. While more info is good, it is also very dangerous. Some times, ignorance is bliss.

I will try and touch on each item.

1. trays, covered above.
2. Tri-Fold: most models at this level have a jackknife sofa. For us, we do the Tri-fold because it makes a bigger bed. We added the leg rests later and thus is not in the brochure as this was a 2019 addition that came early. (bonus)
3. Double window over the galley. Same thing. We ran a proto, but this was not an official 18 change and you will have 18's with the smaller window. It will only be in the literature for 2019.
4. The blind was a code clarification. You can't have flammable items within 9" of the burner and it has to be fixed. The blind technically solves that, but most people prefer the blind (quieter). My argument is that the blind can still be unclipped, and the roller shade still has to pass flame spread ratings and we're outside of 9". I don't know of anyone that would want the meal blind in place of a roller shade.
5. Group 27 was to allow more space in the battery compartment and cut some weight.
6. Sat used to be cabled with only one for reasons I have explained elsewhere. We started running two, but again, not official as I would rather have someone ask the question and we make sure they get what they want.

[Magnatudes]

Brian,
I appreciate the way you run this business, your policy on improvements & your prompt customer service via this forum. I know some of what I am relaying to you is transitional and I understand.
I just placed an order for an RW and specified 2 TV trays but I was not aware that this was in lieu of the large table & pedestal. I was expecting both.
I was also told that the large window in the galley would be there as standard issue from now on.
Regarding the blinds, I noticed this change in photos on several dealer websites. There are advantages & disadvantages to both roller shades & metal blinds. We were leaning toward the metal blinds for several reasons. They are metal less likely to catch fire, secured at the bottom to prevent wind gusts from moving them, and adjustable for how much & direction of light/shade coming in thru them. They usually can be unclipped and folded up to the cabinets. With roller shade you black out and therefore block all view but they are easier to clean. My wife preferred the metal blinds so I guess she is old school.
Regarding batteries, I was glad to see you were using Deka Intimidator Group 31 AGMs. We have RV'd most of our lives & know how important the capacity of coach batteries are. And when I discovered that these specific Group 31 batteries were supplied with this coach it made it even more desirable. I have been using these exact same batteries (four) since 2006 in our diesel powered boat. You know your batteries. However, I got surprised by the downgrade to Group 27s. I wish that change did not happen. The recent delivery of a coach to my dealer has the Group 31s so this change must have occurred not long ago.

[zgipson]

I apologize for the misunderstanding on my part. I was under the assumption that the sofa does has the tray tables, however I was mistaken. I should have asked for clarification before conforming that aspect of the option.

[Magnatudes]

I already placed my order last week and it specifies tray tables. But, the dealer & I assumed that the large table with pedestal was still part of the Tri-fold option.

[Magnatudes]

Brian,
Please clarify. If the standard large table & pedestal option is ordered, will the Tri-fold be delivered with the mounts in the armrests for the tray tables?
Who is the manufacturer/source of these tray mounts?
Will the footrests extend when the pedestal table is in place?

[bclemens]

Just to clarify....the small tables are not in lieu of the big table. The big table was in lieu of the small tables. (I hope that makes sense). The large table and pedestal is shown on the print that way. If you specify that you want the small tables, then the dealer should request it that way, it would be priced that way and that is what you should get. (as in Both, because the big table comes standard now and is listed as such in the brochure)

Large window, while not technically standard for 2018, is how we are building them now (semantics I know, but more important than most people think). Again, since that is not a standard listed item for 2018, it does not hurt to clarify. Make sure it is listed on the order that way if it is something that is important to you and not listed or shown as such on the brochure.

You are the first person, I know of that has ever wanted metal blinds over the shade. Not sure if you have driven with them before, but that was a the biggest request we got. That is also the story of my life

All fabrics in a motorized RV must be treated or pass a flame spread rating. So I don't think flammability should be on the pro-con list. I was always concerned about the strings anyway...if the roller shade was flammable so were the blind strings. If you must have the metal blinds, you are welcome to request that...we may have a couple sitting around.

Batteries, we still use the same Intimidator AGM (but again we do reserve the right to change brand based on availability), but thread after thread had to do with more CCC. This saved I think 16 lbs and solved another issue for us regarding all the stuff, stuffed into the area with solar being so popular, fuse blocks, etc. In fact, the 2018 brochure lists them as Group 27, even though we may have been putting 31's in, just so we did not over promise anything.

The footrests do not extend with the table and pedestal in place as the table and pedestal came after by customer demand. It was originally designed with small tables so the leg extensions would be usable to matter what. We will continue to look at this and improve where we can, but the sofa is not our design. We would have to have that redesigned by the supplier just to be specific to OUR design. As every other mfg I have seen, sets the sofa low on the slide floor to cover the face of the slide out with the sofa kick plate. When the sofa comes in, you have to take the table down. I think we are the first mfg that did a sofa up on the slide floor so that the table and mount come IN and OUT with the slide.

[Magnatudes]

Brian, we finally ordered the RW last week Saturday after asking lots of questions thru the dealer, on the phone & email with Zac and now on this forum. Having access to you is invaluable.

Now after all the pain I put the dealer thru insisting they list things like tray tables on the build sheet, we may have to re-do the build sheet again. The dealer assumed the same as I about the pedestal table as standard with Tri-fold sofa. They also assumed, once we learned of it, the tray tables also were supplied.

I still have an open question about whether the tray mounts in the armrests are standard and will be there with the pedestal table?

Regarding the large window, I asked the dealer to list it on the build sheet but apparently after they inquired with someone at Dynamax, they were told this window was standard and they decided not to list it on the build sheet.

I may take you up on the metal blinds. We had this in our Country Coach & because they were secured at the bottom they did not rattle. Wife says they were a bitch to clean. Maybe you can install the now standard roller shade & reserve one metal blind assembly for our order. Just throw it in a storage cabinet & I'll deal with it after delivery.

The Intimidator 31s weigh 6lbs more per battery compared to the 27s. the 31s are shorter by 1/2", longer by 3/16" and the same width. the 31s have a 20AH rate of 105 while the 27s are at 92. With two 31 batteries that equates to about 1.2amps more per hour. The dish receivers are 110VAC so the inverter has to be used at night. The dish receiver consumes about 50 watts, whether it's on or powered off but plugged in. that's about 2-2.5 amps. Calculating without considering losses in inverter & battery age, this could mean a few more hours of TV viewing, possibly 10 hours, realistically maybe 4-5hours. That's significant inverter power when dry camping.

Whatever you do, stick with the Intimidator AGM batteries. As I said before, I have been using the 31s exclusively since 2006 in a diesel boat with four batteries at a time. These batteries will easily last 7+ years provided they are maintained properly with a smart 3 or 4 stage charging system like a Progressive Dynamics converter w/charge wizard.

The footrest interference with the table pedestal is not a problem for us. It is better that you move the table along with the slideout.

Watch this video and take a close look at the larger tray tables that Coach House offers.
https://youtu.be/J5neKfAtHTs

I think the mounts are Logen. This would kill 2 birds with one stone. I have seen rectangular & oval shapes. It would be nice if they had a cupholder in each. I wonder if you folks could prototype this idea, possibly using the existing tray mounts in the arms of the sofa but with larger trays. They could be used for dining, laptop, swivel the one so when the driver seat is rotated it can use it as well.

I am open to being the guinea pig for this prototype. :-)

[bclemens]

Just tell them to add the tables, shouldn't require anything new, just confirming that you want them in addition to the table with pedestals. I'm trying to clarify things on my end as well.