Puma 257RESS Shakedown

[Maggot]

Sitting here in my camper on the first outting I still have not found any issues. Been through most every inch of it and really the Puma seems a well built rig. Did have a good amount of rain and no leaks found.



The 13.5 and 15K ACs really gets the job done.


Our only beef with Puma is the lighting in the hall is lacking and I will have to add some in that area. And the DDR grill drip pan is a pain to remove and the lighting hole is right over the support bar which makes me have to light from the top. That is not a Puma issue but still a aggravation.


Ran it over the CAT scales, and she is 9000# with full water putting 4900# on my rear and 3800# on front . Well with in vehicle speecs so I am good there. The Chevy mouse motor did decent(as expected) 60 mph put rpm at 2500. 60 seems like the sweet spot which was same as the other campers I've owned with this truck.


I am satisified with the Puma so far and I look forward to many years of good use as long as I do my diligence with maintaining it. Puma gave me a good base to work with. That is all I can expect and am really happy with it.

I also want to give a shout out to Delightful Days in Walton Ky. They treated me fine and was good working with them on a factory order.





Maggot
02 Chevy half ton
20 Puma 257RESS

[Maggot]

On my return home I noticed something that was odd. None of my drawers were opened, all the stuff was still standing up in its place just as before we pulled out of the site. Ran down some 2 lanes with turns and a few of the Kentucky crater holes and the stuff in the rig stayed in place. My old rig would have had stuff slung all over and many drawers opened.

[Iwannacamp]

Congrats on a happy camper.

One trip I had set a coke can on the “night stand”...maybe 1/4th full. I forgot until I saw it when unloading. Thing was still setting there. I left some tools on the counter....they rode one time too.

[Lighting546]

I'll have had my 257RESS 6 weeks this Saturday and I haven't been able to take it out for it's first trip yet.

I've been too busy chasing down all the things they screwed up at the factory and making a list for the dealers service dept to fix under warranty.

Today I was trying to install a drinking water RO filter system and I found out after disconnecting what should have been the cold water pipe to the kitchen sink (so I could insert the shut off valve for the filter system) was actually the hot water line from the water heater.

The red pipe which is supposed to be the hot water is actually the cold water, and the white pipe is the hot water. It's an easy but time consuming fix and I'm not going to do the work myself, I've got better things to do with my time.

I also learned that the shop had turned on the electric water heater element and left it on when I took delivery. So I need to add that switch to my pre-departure and arrival check lists so I know it's off before plugging in the shore power and turning the water hose off or on.

So now I've found 4 warranty items to have fixed once my license plate and registration gets here.

I also found out how much wasted space there is in the right rear of the coach. If you remove one of the speakers under the TV you will see two large holes with a ton of free space behind them. If you want a better example, the top of the back of the TV mounting area is about 6 inches to the left of the ladder on the roof. I found that out when drilling the hole for the satellite dish cable.

Also, if you turn off the breaker for the fridge in the outdoor kitchen, you are also turning off the power for the tv in the main living area.

[Iwannacamp]

You can use your breaker for the WH or the Suburban dual fuel units have a switch(hidden) and some others have a switch inside.

Here is a pic of mine. Lower left.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Lighting546

I'll have had my 257RESS 6 weeks this Saturday and I haven't been able to take it out for it's first trip yet.

I've been too busy chasing down all the things they screwed up at the factory and making a list for the dealers service dept to fix under warranty.

Today I was trying to install a drinking water RO filter system and I found out after disconnecting what should have been the cold water pipe to the kitchen sink (so I could insert the shut off valve for the filter system) was actually the hot water line from the water heater.

The red pipe which is supposed to be the hot water is actually the cold water, and the white pipe is the hot water. It's an easy but time consuming fix and I'm not going to do the work myself, I've got better things to do with my time.

I also learned that the shop had turned on the electric water heater element and left it on when I took delivery. So I need to add that switch to my pre-departure and arrival check lists so I know it's off before plugging in the shore power and turning the water hose off or on.

So now I've found 4 warranty items to have fixed once my license plate and registration gets here.

I also found out how much wasted space there is in the right rear of the coach. If you remove one of the speakers under the TV you will see two large holes with a ton of free space behind them. If you want a better example, the top of the back of the TV mounting area is about 6 inches to the left of the ladder on the roof. I found that out when drilling the hole for the satellite dish cable.

Also, if you turn off the breaker for the fridge in the outdoor kitchen, you are also turning off the power for the tv in the main living area.

Sounds like extremely minor issues. Enjoy.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Maggot

Sitting here in my camper on the first outting I still have not found any issues. Been through most every inch of it and really the Puma seems a well built rig. Did have a good amount of rain and no leaks found.



The 13.5 and 15K ACs really gets the job done.


Our only beef with Puma is the lighting in the hall is lacking and I will have to add some in that area. And the DDR grill drip pan is a pain to remove and the lighting hole is right over the support bar which makes me have to light from the top. That is not a Puma issue but still a aggravation.


Ran it over the CAT scales, and she is 9000# with full water putting 4900# on my rear and 3800# on front . Well with in vehicle speecs so I am good there. The Chevy mouse motor did decent(as expected) 60 mph put rpm at 2500. 60 seems like the sweet spot which was same as the other campers I've owned with this truck.


I am satisified with the Puma so far and I look forward to many years of good use as long as I do my diligence with maintaining it. Puma gave me a good base to work with. That is all I can expect and am really happy with it.

I also want to give a shout out to Delightful Days in Walton Ky. They treated me fine and was good working with them on a factory order.

Maggot
02 Chevy half ton
20 Puma 257RESS

Welcome and congrats !!!!!!! We owned two Pumas over the years both were really great campers.

[Lighting546]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

You can use your breaker for the WH or the Suburban dual fuel units have a switch(hidden) and some others have a switch inside.
Attachment 210247
Here is a pic of mine. Lower left.

Thanks for pointing this out to me.

I have the same water heater in my new 5er and in the wildcat I traded in on my puma. I should have checked the switch position as soon as I got home with the puma but I didn't even think about it because I never turned it on during the PDI.

So it was quite a shock to find hot water in the pipes today. The important thing is that I caught it and turned it off before I drain the water lines, water heater and FW tank, so I can fill it with soft water from the house filter system.

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by Lighting546

Thanks for pointing this out to me.

I have the same water heater in my new 5er and in the wildcat I traded in on my puma. I should have checked the switch position as soon as I got home with the puma but I didn't even think about it because I never turned it on during the PDI.

So it was quite a shock to find hot water in the pipes today. The important thing is that I caught it and turned it off before I drain the water lines, water heater and FW tank, so I can fill it with soft water from the house filter system.

Good news is the elements are <$10 I would pick up a spare when I had nothing else to buy. I was at a local hardware store and saw them for $5 each...I got two and haven’t used either. If you were standing here I would give you one. Just remember 120V.