34qs vs. 37A XL

[Jaimberlyn]

I've been researching Berkshires intermittently for approximately one year. I have narrowed it down to the 34QS and 37A XL models. I like them both, but can't afford to own both of them. We mostly stay at state parks and currently we have 3 dogs (two are 39lbs and one is 7lbs). I'm curious if any owners of the two mentioned models could provide me with their subject matter expertise from owning one and using it.
For example, we currently own a 2017 FR Sunseeker 3010DS. We like it overall, but wish we had more room. We've had issues with the TV splitters and outdoor speakers. We did a few upgrades: Blue Ox steering stabilizer and anti-sway bars. Otherwise the unit has been great.

[Eagle5]

We did the same comparison. Both are great.

SOME Differences are:

The engine in the XL is the ISL 8.9 liter VS the ISB 6.7 liter. The ISL is a beast and has like 1100ft lb of torque (roughly) VS the ISB that has about 800. The HP is 380 VS 360. Both have the Allison 3000 transmission. The engine and trans combo in the 34qs is sized correctly and is very ample power for the coach and it’s 10k towing capacity. Same goes for the 37A. They are both powered very well for their respective sizes. This goes for the generators as well .... 8000W VS 10,000W. Both have an XCR (rasied rail) chassis.

The furniture & wood work in the 37A is upgraded. There’s obviously a bit more space/length overall so it has a couple extra cabinets in kitchen area. It has a bigger bathroom which has a double sink (which is dumb if you ask me). I like the size of the bathroom counter top in the 37A but it should be one sink and have more counter top space. Bigger shower, more overall space.

The 37A has a LED lit trimmed edge kitchen counter top which looks awesome. AND its LED lit underneath that shines on the floor.

The 37A has a little more outside storage space obviously. It has an electric induction stove top instead of propane fired. I like the look of the induction but you need to buy induction pots/pans in order to use it, AND if you boon dock, propane is better. 37A has a bigger fridge. It has a 3 person couch AND a single theatre/recliner style chair. Headlights are different in front cap. I prefer the look of the 34 headlights.

Both can be ordered with the front overhead bunk. The 37A has a dishwasher. It also has a more decorative trim and little counter around the fireplace.

Both have king sized beds. BUT, when you walk into the bedroom in the 34qs, it feels more roomy. The 37A feels tighter. The reason for this is because of the location of the bathroom in the 37A. If you're walking to the back of the coach, into the bedroom in the 34qs, the HEAD of the bed is to the right. Where as in the 37A, its to the left. Walking around the foot of the bed in the 37A is tighter because the wall to the bathroom is close. Its not bad .... but if you walk in both RVs back to back, you'll notice the bedroom in the 34QS feels more roomy. So just depends on what matters more to you. The bathroom door in the 37A is a hinged, swing-out style door. The 34QS has a hollow slider type door. The door in the 37A is upgraded and a nicer door, but I prefer the slider style in the 34 because its easier to get into the bathroom while the slides are in.

Oh the toilet is nicer & upgraded too in the 37A ... Tecma Macerator Toilet. And there's a ceiling fan in bedroom

You'd be safe to Assume the price point is about $40k more for the 37A.

[Jaimberlyn]

Originally Posted by Eagle5

We did the same comparison. Both are great.

SOME Differences are:

The engine in the XL is the ISL 8.9 liter VS the ISB 6.7 liter. The ISL is a beast and has like 1100ft lb of torque (roughly) VS the ISB that has about 800. The HP is 380 VS 360. Both have the Allison 3000 transmission. The engine and trans combo in the 34qs is sized correctly and is very ample power for the coach and it’s 10k towing capacity. Same goes for the 37A. They are both powered very well for their respective sizes. This goes for the generators as well .... 8000W VS 10,000W. Both have an XCR (rasied rail) chassis.

The furniture & wood work in the 37A is upgraded. There’s obviously a bit more space/length overall so it has a couple extra cabinets in kitchen area. It has a bigger bathroom which has a double sink (which is dumb if you ask me). I like the size of the bathroom counter top in the 37A but it should be one sink and have more counter top space. Bigger shower, more overall space.

The 37A has a LED lit trimmed edge kitchen counter top which looks awesome. AND its LED lit underneath that shines on the floor.

The 37A has a little more outside storage space obviously. It has an electric induction stove top instead of propane fired. I like the look of the induction but you need to buy induction pots/pans in order to use it, AND if you boon dock, propane is better. 37A has a bigger fridge. It has a 3 person couch AND a single theatre/recliner style chair. Headlights are different in front cap. I prefer the look of the 34 headlights.

Both can be ordered with the front overhead bunk. The 37A has a dishwasher. It also has a more decorative trim and little counter around the fireplace.

Both have king sized beds. BUT, when you walk into the bedroom in the 34qs, it feels more roomy. The 37A feels tighter. The reason for this is because of the location of the bathroom in the 37A. If you're walking to the back of the coach, into the bedroom in the 34qs, the HEAD of the bed is to the right. Where as in the 37A, its to the left. Walking around the foot of the bed in the 37A is tighter because the wall to the bathroom is close. Its not bad .... but if you walk in both RVs back to back, you'll notice the bedroom in the 34QS feels more roomy. So just depends on what matters more to you. The bathroom door in the 37A is a hinged, swing-out style door. The 34QS has a hollow slider type door. The door in the 37A is upgraded and a nicer door, but I prefer the slider style in the 34 because its easier to get into the bathroom while the slides are in.

Oh the toilet is nicer & upgraded too in the 37A ... Tecma Macerator Toilet. And there's a ceiling fan in bedroom

You'd be safe to Assume the price point is about $40k more for the 37A.

Thanks for the info. We have come up with the same differences as well during our research. Do you know the cubic feet of the fridge in the 37A XL? Which one did y'all purchase?

I'm also hoping owners of these models will provide me with their feedback as an owner. Things they like or don't like about the models.

[Eagle5]

Originally Posted by Jaimberlyn

Thanks for the info. We have come up with the same differences as well during our research. Do you know the cubic feet of the fridge in the 37A XL? Which one did y'all purchase?

I'm also hoping owners of these models will provide me with their feedback as an owner. Things they like or don't like about the models.

I dont know the cubic feet of either. The 34QS fridge is not "small" by any means. The 37 is just a litter bigger, that's all. Depends on your fridge habits/needs

We ordered a '19 34qs. Havent received it yet, but have done an obscene amount of research on all the different models and features. Driven them both. The 37 is awesome. I just preferred the compact-ness of the 34. Thats why Berkshire has several different models. It all about YOUR needs/wants and how you're going to use it, drive it, park/store it, your comfort level, price budget level, etc etc.

There's nothing about the 37 that was a deal breaker. Its awesome and probably the best RV they have in their line up in my opinion. The 40'+ RVs are pretty darn big/long/cumbersome. So that leaves the 38, 37, and 34 they have. The XL versions are the bigger motors (ISL)

I just preferred the 34QS for my uses. It checks all the boxes for me. You can't go wrong with either. Both are bada**

[Jaimberlyn]

I know the 2018 34QS has 16.3cubic foot unit. Just not sure about the 37A XL. How exciting on the 2019 34QS. Congratulations!

[Eagle5]

Originally Posted by Jaimberlyn

I know the 2018 34QS has 16.3cubic foot unit. Just not sure about the 37A XL. How exciting on the 2019 34QS. Congratulations!

The fridge in the 34 is adequate for us and our uses. The whole RV floorplan is laid out so well. Yes we are pretty excited. Shopped around for quite some time. Driven many DP and even owned 3 previously (fleetwood and tiffin products). So we feel pretty versed on the info and options, features, floorplans, etc etc. So that should say something about the Berkshire product! Again, there's many RVs out there and many floorplans. Everyone is different. Everyone uses their RV differently and has different needs/requirements.

But take the 2019 34QS for example ... there's literally NOT ONE other RV out there that checks all of the boxes like this one does for us. Literally not one other RV (at ANY price range) tiffin, fleetwood, newmar, entegra, thor (haha), Winnebago, or the new Monacos. There are many RVs in this 33/34/35 size, but they all have "issues" or stupid things that dont work, or design flaws, underpowered, or floorplan negatives. There's "something" that wasn't right on all of the ones we saw. ..... except the Berkshire.

If I could design a 34' coach, I would have designed the 2019 34QS. Its perfect for us. And for people that are looking for a 34' sized coach, its the best one in my opinion.

[The Wanderer2]

We did a lot of research and came to the same conclusion, the Berkshire 34QS was the best fit for us.

[CZNEDY]

We have owned our 34QS for just over a year now and love the layout. The 37A came out after we did all of our research (i think). We were between the 34QS and the 38A, but really liked the king bed and the overall layout. Fridge, Generator and engine are just right for us. We purchased a 5 year warranty, so we are going to hang on to this one for a while. Ours is a first half og the year 2018 and I wish we had the shiny tile floor, but I guess we can wait until we get our next one.

[Jaimberlyn]

Originally Posted by CZNEDY

We have owned our 34QS for just over a year now and love the layout. The 37A came out after we did all of our research (i think). We were between the 34QS and the 38A, but really liked the king bed and the overall layout. Fridge, Generator and engine are just right for us. We purchased a 5 year warranty, so we are going to hang on to this one for a while. Ours is a first half og the year 2018 and I wish we had the shiny tile floor, but I guess we can wait until we get our next one.

Thank you taking the time to respond. Do you ever have issues finding RV sites to accommodate the 34QS? Usually I find most state parks have fewer sites that are greater than 34 feet or at least they don't advertise they can accommodate.

[CZNEDY]

We don’t go to many state parks so I can’t comment. The few we go to in Mass are usually all 30-40’

[gordonsick]

Originally Posted by Jaimberlyn

Thank you taking the time to respond. Do you ever have issues finding RV sites to accommodate the 34QS? Usually I find most state parks have fewer sites that are greater than 34 feet or at least they don't advertise they can accommodate.

Our 34QS is listed as 35 feet 7" with the ladder on. I just quote it as 35 feet and have found that a lot of parks set 35 feet as the maximum, so it gets me into a lot of sites that wouldn't take a bigger rig.

Overall, we are very happy with our 34QS. The only concern I would have with the new models is that they have placed a bit TV unit beside the dinette, which is where we have nice picture window. They do have some tiny side windows, but they aren't pleasant. We sometimes have one of our kids travel with us, so that seat gets used for travelling, and the lack of a decent window would be a problem.

–Gordon

[CZNEDY]

I agree Gordon. I like our big window at the dinette.

[MartyQ]

Originally Posted by CZNEDY

I agree Gordon. I like our big window at the dinette.

Exactly why we did not choose the 34QS. FR ruined the design by installing a very small window over the dinette and relocating the TV.

[Eagle5]

You guys are funny about the TV in the dinette. It’s just another example of how difficult it is to be an RV manufacturer these days.

One of the main reasons we decided on buying a new 34qs is because we love the floor plan. For those of you who are unaware, the 2018 Tiffin 33AA is an extremely similar floor plan to the 34qs berk. And at first, We really liked the new Tiffin 33AA until we realized the tv is above the fireplace and gets covered up by the slide. We were shocked the TV wasn’t above the dinette area. We thought that was so dumb. The 2017 and earlier berk 34qs was like this but they improved it on the 2018-up by moving the tv to the dinette. We have a little baby in a car seat (which would be on the couch facing the dinette) and having a TV there is awesome. Not just for the baby, but it’s also nice for all passengers. That’s one of the cool things about traveling in an RV or a limo in our opinion. And There are plenty of windows otherwise. Obviously it’s cool to look out the windows and see stuff, and we like to do that too. That’s why we like a class A to begin with. The big wide open glass front windshield is great. And there are plenty of windows on the sides even with the TV in the dinette.

Anyways, we went to the new Berkshire 34qs over the Tiffin because of the TV location, all tile basically no carpet, Euro-loft above driver, and the better basement storage in the berk. There’s several other reasons too but those stood out.

My wife and I saw that even the new 2019 Tiffin 33AA it still has the TV above the fireplace and not at the dinette. We said to each other that “tiffin will catch up one day” ... but who knows, maybe there’s enough people that like the window only. I never would think the TV being covered up by the slide would be “ok” for so many people. But to each their own. That’s why there’s lots of RVs with lots of floor plans.

On a side note, I know people will say that the TV being covered up by the slide is no big deal because there’s also a TV above the driver. The problem with that (in our opinion) is that it’s just not good for kids/people sitting on the couch facing the dinette. Plus it’s a distraction for the driver. PLUS we like to plug in our laptop to the TV and use the dinette like an office/desk sometimes, which is a super convenient spot. And you don’t have to open the slide to use it. Again, our opinion.

And NO we don’t watch tons of TV. We limit our screen time a lot actually. We are very conscious of it. We are big on paying attention to the world around us. But the TV in that place at the dinette just makes great sense while we are driving down the road. It just works for us and helps pass time on some boring stretches.

We absolutely love the floor plan on the 2019 34qs.

[gordonsick]

On our 34QS, the TV slides out on a rail, so it isn't covered by the slide. If we every lost our 34QS, we'd seriously consider the Tiffin, because of the TV location.

–Gordon

[Eagle5]

Originally Posted by gordonsick

On our 34QS, the TV slides out on a rail, so it isn't covered by the slide. If we every lost our 34QS, we'd seriously consider the Tiffin, because of the TV location.

–Gordon

Yes, the 2017 and earlier 34QS has the TV above the fireplace and ~80% of it is covered when that wall slide is all the way in. And yes, the TV is on a mount that can slide towards the kitchen area away from the wall. But I don't think that can be adequately used in that position while you're driving. It would shake and bounce all over the place and eventually break something for sure. Plus it impedes the galley hallway somewhat. I think this is partially why Berkshire changed the location. The Tiffin TV isn't on a slide rail by the way.

The biggest reason I think the dinette TV makes sense is because its in the easiest place to be used without the slides open. Doesn't impede hallway .... AND it can be used easily when the RV is being driven. That's the best reason. While driving down the road, people at the dinette can be using the TV and people sitting on the couch are looking straight at it. The TV on the dinette is in a great spot. Of course this is 100% opinion and clearly varies between different RVers.

People like & use RVs for different reasons.

I've actually met people that prefer the awful/boring fixed table with 2 loose chairs instead of the comfy dinette. There's people that hate full body paint of any color. There's people that just LOVE wall to wall carpet in their coach. These are clearly all first world problems. These coaches have 4 TVs. Get the TVs where they work for you best.