2014 SR300 340BH or Gasser?

[sw20td06]

Hi everyone. I needed some help deciding between two used Class A motorhomes I am thinking of purchasing. One is a used 2014 FR SR300 340BH and the other is 2018 Thor Mirmamar Challenger 37.1. Both of course are bunk models. The Legacy is selling for 89k while the Miramar is at 124k. I really wanted a diesel pusher but like the floorplan if the Thor somewhat better. It has 1.5 baths and is of course newer and has a little more sleeping space. The FR for some reason does not have the overhead cab bed. From my research I’ve gathered the Legacy is anentry level pusher and the Miramar is Thor’s highest Class A line. I plan to tow a 5k vehicle and regularly travel the Cajon Pass in CA. Any input would be appreciated.

[formerFR]

I would say that Thor's highest Class A gas unit is the Challenger...

but, the FR Legacy is a 'twin' to my THor Palazzo 33.3 diesel pusher, and while they are the 'entry level' diesel models for both brands, don't take that as anything negative, they are great coaches, and certainly way above the level of any of the gas units either of these factories put out.

The 300hp Cummins engine is great, and we get about 11.4 to 12.4 mpg, depending on pulling our '14 Ford Focus or not.
The generator size and inverter capabilities of these diesel coaches far outshine the typical gas unit's systems, allowing for easier off-grid overnights... ALL of the outlets in the coach are run thru the Inverter, so you never have to 'give up' anything just because you don't have the generator running, or are on shore power. You can still have the residential fridge cooling, use any or all of the TVs, including your satellite receivers, and charge your phones and laptops...

The ride is SO much better as well, as it is smooth, and the power of the engine will take you anywhere you want to go -it's also in the back, so having a conversation while driving is a breeze. Since it's a diesel, you can also fuel up at both regular stations OR truck stops... easy.

Spend less, and enjoy more - and if you think you'd miss the 'additional' bath, I doubt you really will - we had the same conversation comparing a bath and half Challenger with this single bath Palazzo - but have never looked back. As for the 'missing' front electric bunk, FR may have had that as an 'option', and the dealer chose to order it without one, but even without it, I think you'll find the mid-hall bunks will work just great, especially if it has TVs, and not just DVD players.


Enjoy!

[sw20td06]

Originally Posted by formerFR

I would say that Thor's highest Class A gas unit is the Challenger...

but, the FR Legacy is a 'twin' to my THor Palazzo 33.3 diesel pusher, and while they are the 'entry level' diesel models for both brands, don't take that as anything negative, they are great coaches, and certainly way above the level of any of the gas units either of these factories put out.

The 300hp Cummins engine is great, and we get about 11.4 to 12.4 mpg, depending on pulling our '14 Ford Focus or not.
The generator size and inverter capabilities of these diesel coaches far outshine the typical gas unit's systems, allowing for easier off-grid overnights... ALL of the outlets in the coach are run thru the Inverter, so you never have to 'give up' anything just because you don't have the generator running, or are on shore power. You can still have the residential fridge cooling, use any or all of the TVs, including your satellite receivers, and charge your phones and laptops...

The ride is SO much better as well, as it is smooth, and the power of the engine will take you anywhere you want to go -it's also in the back, so having a conversation while driving is a breeze. Since it's a diesel, you can also fuel up at both regular stations OR truck stops... easy.

Spend less, and enjoy more - and if you think you'd miss the 'additional' bath, I doubt you really will - we had the same conversation comparing a bath and half Challenger with this single bath Palazzo - but have never looked back. As for the 'missing' front electric bunk, FR may have had that as an 'option', and the dealer chose to order it without one, but even without it, I think you'll find the mid-hall bunks will work just great, especially if it has TVs, and not just DVD players.


Enjoy!

Thank you for the reply. Those are the exact pros that have me leaning towards the DP. And it’s also cheaper in my case. I’m glad to hear you are happy with your Palazzo. The bath and half would be great but I know we don’t need it.

[psw757]

Originally Posted by sw20td06

Thank you for the reply. Those are the exact pros that have me leaning towards the DP. And it’s also cheaper in my case. I’m glad to hear you are happy with your Palazzo. The bath and half would be great but I know we don’t need it.

Best advice is to pick the floor plan that makes you happy.

[sw20td06]

We like the Challenger floorplan better but there seems to be more pros with the DP.

Does anyone know if this 2014 model has DEF fluid or is it pre-emissions? I haven’t seen the unit in person yet but will be checking it out tomorrow.

[psw757]

Originally Posted by sw20td06

We like the Challenger floorplan better but there seems to be more pros with the DP.

Does anyone know if this 2014 model has DEF fluid or is it pre-emissions? I haven’t seen the unit in person yet but will be checking it out tomorrow.

Ours is a 2014 and we are actually trading it next week. To answer your question it does have a DEF system.
It’s been a good coach however as our kids are growing we need a little more space and the extra bathroom in our new unit will be nice.

The one big pro on the Legacy is the diesel power plant without a doubt.

The things that are disappointing is the lack of a pantry on the 340bh, insufficient basement storage and it does have a decent amount however the way it is configured isn’t ideal. The schwintek slides can be a headache as well, we will never buy another coach with large slides powered with these.

Like I said, been a fine coach but floorplan should be the biggest consideration or it won’t last for your family. Any other questions let me know.

[sw20td06]

Originally Posted by psw757

Ours is a 2014 and we are actually trading it next week. To answer your question it does have a DEF system.
It’s been a good coach however as our kids are growing we need a little more space and the extra bathroom in our new unit will be nice.

The one big pro on the Legacy is the diesel power plant without a doubt.

The things that are disappointing is the lack of a pantry on the 340bh, insufficient basement storage and it does have a decent amount however the way it is configured isn’t ideal. The schwintek slides can be a headache as well, we will never buy another coach with large slides powered with these.

Like I said, been a fine coach but floorplan should be the biggest consideration or it won’t last for your family. Any other questions let me know.

Thanks for the tips and I definitely see what you mean about pantry storage, etc. We just saw the Legacy in person the other day, and it was no where near what the pictures showed. The seller who is a dealer was using old (when the coach was new) photos for the ad. The coach is a consignment. The owner insisted on using those photos and we now we know why once we saw the coach. It had been used by a family of 6 for about 60k miles. They purchased it brand new for 160k, but t you can sure see the use throughout the coach. Broken hinges, cabinet doors, ripped couch, smelly bathroom and overall the smell in the coach was not so pleasant. The large slide was broken and now I know what you mean with the schwintek slide.

The outside was pretty nice, it would probably just need a good buff and wax or clay bar. The reverse camera and light were missing and the exhaust tip gone. The seller has agreed to pay up to 3k in any repairs that the coach may need and is only selling for 90k when they owe about 110k. I think that's a good price for this DP. There is an existing extended warranty that can be transferred over to me. In addition, the seller has all service records from the dealer so it was regularly maintained mechanically I'm assuming. If I decide to go this route, I may end up with a decent DP with only cosmetic issues that could be covered by the 3k credit balance the seller is offering. I was planning to pay about $400 to have a thorough 6 hour RV inspection done to ensure all issues are known. I am looking at a 850 monthly payment on this one.

We also saw the 2018 Challenger 37TB. Very nice clean coach with minimal cosmetic issues. Power seemed to be decent in the V10, but is considerably more monthly, about 1100 a month. It has that floor plan we want, but not the powertrain. The ride is just like my tow vehicle, an excursion, but more little noises to hear and the wife said it was a little bouncy on the test drive. It is newer, more gadgets, looks very upgraded with the glossy cabinets and just looks really nice.

So Im in a dilemma, Im leaning toward the DP, and if the inspection comes back ok, a thorough detail, a slide fix, and other cosmetic issues could be corrected rather easily if only just that, cosmetic. And the lower monthly payment would be great.

Or another option is just keeping my 2017 bunkhouse trailer with a 450 monthly payment and just enjoying what I have. In my unique situation I already had some negative equity that I am rolling into the new loans. I know I don't need a Class A, but they sure are nice and easier to setup. I know I don't need to upgrade but I definitely want to.

[formerFR]

it looks like you know you'll have a few items to take care of, but the room and enjoyable use by the family while you're driving will change things dramatically... have a soda, use the restroom, take a nap in the bed, watch tv... all things they can do while you travel.

[formerFR]

and, being able to simply 'pull in' and be ready to overnight without even having to get out is a big plug - a parking lot is your friend, when needed. Or, as we've done in many cases, pull IN to your site, rather than backing in, if the real beauty is out the back of the site - you'll enjoy the scenery from the coach's huge front window, and even from bed!

[psw757]

Yep...class Ais the way to go if you can afford it. The travel experience for the family is just much better than being cooped up in a truck.

If you don’t mind me asking, what was going on with the large slide that it was broken?

[cgpalmer]

We have traveled through most of the big mountain passes in western US and Canada and the legacy has plenty of power for that towing a 4,500 Jeep. A gasser would struggle. Gas mileage is 10-12 mpg. The freight liner chassis has been trouble free for us (we have 45,000 miles on the coach). We’ve done a fair amount of upgrades to hardware on doors and closures but overall it is in good shape. We considered trading / upgrading about once a year, but we love the size, we don’t have the BH model and have a lot of room with the pantry and on-board laundry is great. The cost differential to upgrade is just not worth it every time we’ve considered it. I’d investigate the slide issue thoroughly if there is one. The swintek slide mechanism seems light for the application. It is the “big expense” I’m expecting in the next couple of years. I would check pricing against what you find on RV trader - you might find one with less wear and miles for not a lot more money

[sw20td06]

Thanks for the help everyone. I ended up passing up on both the Legacy and Challenger. I picked up a used 2016 Thor Palazzo 36.1. I've heard good and bad things about this model, but I decided to pull the trigger after I paid for a thorough RV inspection by independent provider. Its a 340 Cummins ISB on a Freightliner XCS chassis. I like the fact this model uses three rails for the full wall slide. It has the 1.5 baths, but no bunks. But it has the over the cab powered bunk and couch/airbed. They also replaced all 6 tires with some new Yokohama's. I paid 119k plus TTL.

I think I got a good deal considering the Challenger was at 124k with no wiggle room. I am loving the diesel pusher and air ride. This is definitely an upgrade from my TT. Now its time to sell the tow vehicle and pickup a TOAD. Anyone interested in a bulletproof 6.0 Excursion with 2016 front end?

[formerFR]

You'll find it very enjoyable and very comfortable traveling in your new rig. It's a MAJOR change and style of travel versus the typical trailer or fifth wheel where you can't 'enjoy' the actual RV while you are in motion.

We went from a fifth wheel bunkhouse 40' pulled by a dually Ram. We didn't like the effort and time to set up and to leave, when traveling a lot. Plus, with teenage boys, we didn't like all being 'stuffed' into the truck.
We traded to a 38' Georgetown XL360DS gas motorhome, which is an excellent model, and well built, but a totally different feel and travel style than the fifth wheel, though a good change. We eventually found that it didn't meet our 'parking' style, as it had no bunks, only a front 'fold down' bunk, and a large queen pull-out sofa that, unfortunately, took up all of the living area when pulled out - with no access around it to the door. : /

So, we traded again for this Palazzo 33.3 model, though we had actually already decided on a new 36' bath and 1/2 Challenger. The Challenger didn't make it to the dealer from the factory in a timely matter, and my wife got inpatient and started looking 'around' the Texas dealership at all the Palazzos, which she liked even better.

I actually was a little nervous about driving a 'diesel' coach, and really tried to talk her out of it, but making her happy made more sense than my original hesitations, especially since it also only had the single full bath - but, it was slight shorter, had air bags, had only a single exterior entrance step, had the power plant diesel 'machine' in the back, and had a 10,000lb hitch. (the 'whole house' Inverter to all of the outlets, with 4 6v House batteries, the 6kw generator, and the front-facing master bed didn't hurt, either!)

We've never looked back. She was right.


(Our 33.3 is a little shorter, and comes with the 300hp 6.7l Cummins, and has no issues with any mountains...we've seen 'um all. Travel, have fun!)