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Old 02-10-2019, 05:18 PM   #1
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Isata 3 fw vs rw

I have some questions
that no one has been able to answer at a few dealerships
As some know, I am agonizing over an fw or rw as I really like the extra storage as I plan to travel a lot.
I saw an fw with the trifold sofa with the foot rests and loved that. The width was perfect for me
As I am going to hopefully be ordering one early this week, when I make my decision, I could use these answers as no rw model is available near me within 3 hours of driving, yesterday I drove over 2 hours to see the fw.

My first question is, is the width of the trifold sofa the same in the rw?
This could be possibly be answered if someone posted the inside width of the slide on the rw where the sofa lives
Do all new orders come with the "airline trays" on the sofas?
I was also wondering if there were available dimensions for the rw's bathroom?
Finally is there an actual cubic foot calculation between the fw and rw for storage size?
Thanks in advance
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Old 02-10-2019, 07:19 PM   #2
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I think sofa much smaller in rw
We have the fw with couch and bed over cab . Have no issues with storage. Sofa in fw makes into a huge bed, and if needed can sleep 2 more above, although usually used for storage. The fw felt small to us, where as fw feels huge for a 24 foot rv.
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Old 02-10-2019, 10:53 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Winger1 View Post
I have some questions
that no one has been able to answer at a few dealerships
As some know, I am agonizing over an fw or rw as I really like the extra storage as I plan to travel a lot.
I saw an fw with the trifold sofa with the foot rests and loved that. The width was perfect for me
As I am going to hopefully be ordering one early this week, when I make my decision, I could use these answers as no rw model is available near me within 3 hours of driving, yesterday I drove over 2 hours to see the fw.

My first question is, is the width of the trifold sofa the same in the rw?
This could be possibly be answered if someone posted the inside width of the slide on the rw where the sofa lives
Do all new orders come with the "airline trays" on the sofas?
I was also wondering if there were available dimensions for the rw's bathroom?
Finally is there an actual cubic foot calculation between the fw and rw for storage size?
Thanks in advance
This matter is being discussed in another thread. See below under Isata 3. I can answer some of your questions since I have a 2019 FW.

1. The trifold sofa is wider in the FW because the slide out is wider. In fact, if I remember correctly, it is about 65" which is 5" wider than the RV queen in the rear. I am not sure of the width of the trifold in the FW, but it is definitely narrower as the slide out is narrower.

2. The "airline" trays do come with the trifold sofa, but you best ask your dealer to make sure. Some have reported them missing.

3. I do not have any information on the dimensions of the FW bathroom. Subjectively it seemed smaller to me.

4. The exterior storage on the RW is said to be 75 cu ft. vs 45 cu ft for the FW. I am not sure about the interior storage. I have not seen any figures, but from my research, I don't think there is a huge difference. Also, if you go with the trifold, you get a huge storage area under the sofa.

Other things to consider.

1. If you are going to haul bikes, or sailboards, etc on the back, it may be difficult to use your rear slide without removing the items.

2. The generator is located on the awning side of the RW and the service side of the FW. This was a big deal for me.

3. There is a slight weight savings with the FW. Probably not enough to matter.

Hope this helps with your decision.
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Old 02-11-2019, 12:41 AM   #4
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If by chance you are going to have a toad, you can have the best of both worlds. The open interior space of the FW and some extra storage space in the toad.
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Old 02-11-2019, 01:05 AM   #5
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If by chance you are going to have a toad, you can have the best of both worlds. The open interior space of the FW and some extra storage space in the toad.
Exactly. Also, at 45 cu ft, the exterior storage on the Iata FW is not small. I have found it very adequate. It compares favorably with other Class C's such as the Tiffin (54 cu ft) and the Coachman Prism (43 cu ft.). It is just that the exterior storage on the RW is massive at 75 cu ft.
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Old 02-11-2019, 07:34 AM   #6
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How you use your RV might be a consideration.

Out Isata 3 FW requires the slide to be out to have a bed, so highway or non campground rest stops require careful selection to be sure the slide is not hit.

We installed reflective conspicuity tape to be more visible when parked.
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Old 02-11-2019, 11:21 AM   #7
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24FW sofa is 76" vs. 24RW sofa is 64"

RW bathroom is 54"w x 39" deep
Exterior storage. We show 66 for the RW and 34 for the FW. We're pretty conservative with our calculations.
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Old 02-11-2019, 11:49 AM   #8
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2. The generator is located on the awning side of the RW and the service side of the FW. This was a big deal for me.

I’ve seen similar statements about the side that the generator is on being important to other people too. I’m guessing like anything there are pros and cons and people on both sides of the debate but what is the reasoning behind wanting it on one side or the other? We have a CB on order and I’m not even sure what side the LP generator is on haha but just curious what the thinking behind it is, noise or exhaust or ease of access or what?
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Old 02-11-2019, 02:43 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Barch View Post
2. The generator is located on the awning side of the RW and the service side of the FW. This was a big deal for me.
I extended and rotated the generator exhaust to the right rear corner of the RW coach so it does not exhaust under the awning and I can use a Camco Genturi exhaust stack extension to clear the windows and roof.

Added an additional hanger for support.

Cost me about $35.

Added a CO detector in the bedroom.

Not sure what the thinking was behind putting the generator exhaust under the awning and the opening window.
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Old 02-11-2019, 04:06 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by RVDays View Post
I’ve seen similar statements about the side that the generator is on being important to other people too. I’m guessing like anything there are pros and cons and people on both sides of the debate but what is the reasoning behind wanting it on one side or the other? We have a CB on order and I’m not even sure what side the LP generator is on haha but just curious what the thinking behind it is, noise or exhaust or ease of access or what?
If you sit out under your awning when you need to use the generator, the fumes would be annoying if not even unsafe depending on how close you are.

I don’t understand the reasoning of exhausting where users are most likely to congregate. We have an FW, so it’s on the drivers side. I don’t know where the CB exhausts.
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Old 02-11-2019, 04:28 PM   #11
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Sometimes things are placed where they are placed to try and balance weight. The second we have one heavy on one side it's always "Why in the world would you put all the heavy stuff on the driver side?"

Engineers sometimes have their reasons. We also get coaches all the time that have about 5 hours of gen use 5 years. So I would say, pick the one that works for the way you camp...different strokes for different folks.
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Old 02-11-2019, 06:38 PM   #12
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A minor point. The' notepad trays' on the theater seats for the FW are a bit wobbly and I asked the dealer if they had the right ones. They checked and yes they are supposed to be this way. They work like a charm as long as you use non-adhesive shelf liner sometimes referred to Gorilla grip. Wrap that around the tray and you can put your IPad, Kindle or notepad on the tray and it works great without slipping. The shelf liner just pulls off. Without and things will slide around in a very frustrating manner.

The main point about storage is true between the two. We love the FW but have had to store a few things inside the rig to accommodate things like our outside table. I can live with that considering what options I wanted with the FW.
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Old 02-11-2019, 06:49 PM   #13
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Ok folks......I have made a decision......well maybe not......just kidding

I am going with the FW. I thought about what I will need to carry and its fine. Secondly, if I need more temp storage, I can buy a hitch rack and carry it there. I do not want the over cab bed or this all would have been moot with that extra space.

I appreciate all the help. My main reasoning was that I wanted the bigger bath and the bigger couch. I figure if I am on the road and want to take a nap. I can nap on the couch without the slide out.
The extra space would have been nice but creature comforts won out

I appreciate all the answers, it really helped me come to a conclusion
Thanks

PS Now the final shopping, down to two dealers
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Old 02-11-2019, 07:05 PM   #14
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We picked up our FW today and feel really comfortable with the layout and the storage. Our dealer, although quite a ways from New York, sells all over the country with great success. If you want more info send me a private message. I couldn't come close to their price from any other source.
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Old 02-11-2019, 08:51 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FleckDreher View Post
I extended and rotated the generator exhaust to the right rear corner of the RW coach so it does not exhaust under the awning and I can use a Camco Genturi exhaust stack extension to clear the windows and roof.

Added an additional hanger for support.

Cost me about $35.

Added a CO detector in the bedroom.

Not sure what the thinking was behind putting the generator exhaust under the awning and the opening window.
I did the same thing.
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:56 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by FleckDreher View Post
I extended and rotated the generator exhaust to the right rear corner of the RW coach so it does not exhaust under the awning and I can use a Camco Genturi exhaust stack extension to clear the windows and roof.

Added an additional hanger for support.

Cost me about $35.

Added a CO detector in the bedroom.

Not sure what the thinking was behind putting the generator exhaust under the awning and the opening window.
I agree on the generator location. It really should be on the driver side for 3 major reasons, 1-Noise on the camping side, 2-exhaust on the camping side, 3- weight distribution. I ended up installing an Onan resonator in addition to the stock muffler & I extended the gen exhaust completely to the driver side. Much quieter and less stink.
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Old 02-11-2019, 11:24 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Winger1 View Post
Ok folks......I have made a decision......well maybe not......just kidding



I am going with the FW. I thought about what I will need to carry and its fine. Secondly, if I need more temp storage, I can buy a hitch rack and carry it there. I do not want the over cab bed or this all would have been moot with that extra space.



I appreciate all the help. My main reasoning was that I wanted the bigger bath and the bigger couch. I figure if I am on the road and want to take a nap. I can nap on the couch without the slide out.

The extra space would have been nice but creature comforts won out



I appreciate all the answers, it really helped me come to a conclusion

Thanks



PS Now the final shopping, down to two dealers


One nice thing about the over head bunk is that it shades the windshield, helped keep cab cool. Since we camp a lot in the Southwest, traveling on hot clear days, really helped.
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Old 02-12-2019, 03:18 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Winger1 View Post
Ok folks......I have made a decision......well maybe not......just kidding

I am going with the FW. I thought about what I will need to carry and its fine. Secondly, if I need more temp storage, I can buy a hitch rack and carry it there. I do not want the over cab bed or this all would have been moot with that extra space.

I appreciate all the help. My main reasoning was that I wanted the bigger bath and the bigger couch. I figure if I am on the road and want to take a nap. I can nap on the couch without the slide out.
The extra space would have been nice but creature comforts won out

I appreciate all the answers, it really helped me come to a conclusion
Thanks

PS Now the final shopping, down to two dealers
Just to be clear. I love the trifold sofa in my FW, but unless you are 5'5" or less, you are not going to sleep on the sofa without extending the slide. There are arm rests on the sofa which take up some of the room in the slide out. The actual bed width is about 65".
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Old 02-12-2019, 10:20 AM   #19
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I agree on the generator location. It really should be on the driver side for 3 major reasons, 1-Noise on the camping side, 2-exhaust on the camping side, 3- weight distribution. I ended up installing an Onan resonator in addition to the stock muffler & I extended the gen exhaust completely to the driver side. Much quieter and less stink.
I'll note that to engineering. We're looking at the 24RW, to see if there is a way to get a larger shower. Might as well take a look at the gen, or at least exhaust while we're at it.
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Old 02-12-2019, 08:15 PM   #20
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Ok its official. Placed my order for a 2020 and gave my deposit.
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