Country Coach Owners Forum

Country Coach Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums => Country Coach Archive => Topic started by: Buddywald on May 09, 2004, 11:46:18 pm

Title: buying a cc
Post by: Buddywald on May 09, 2004, 11:46:18 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9671 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9671)
Hi all

I am new to your site. We are considering buying a cc. We are also looking at bluebird, foretravel and newell. We are not sure which one to purchase. We will more than likely be buying used. There are many cc that we like. The Lexa is my favorite. My question on the lexa is why did they only make it for 1 year? Is it a bad coach? i have driven a magna and felt it floated. I have driven a foretravel and it felt like a sports car. I have not driven a bluebird and have never even been in a newell. Any comments about these coaches?

Thanks

Tom Wald
Title: Re: buying a cc
Post by: Bill Harris on May 10, 2004, 06:34:03 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9676 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9676)
If you look at the new Affinity, you will see why they will not sell many Lexas.

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave
Title: Re: buying a cc
Post by: Jan McNeill on May 10, 2004, 12:06:14 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9682 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9682)
With the coaches you're comparing you need to look at the CC Affinity series to be more comparable. There aren't enough Lexas for you to find many. Also, don't judge a CC coach by the driving characteristics of one rig. (Same goes to all other coaches, too.) In our experience, some dealers (and owners) don't necessarily have their tires inflated to the correct pressures for handling the best, so drive a couple of them. All are excellent coaches, though, so it will come down to what floorplans and features work for you (and the price). We didn't care for the Foretravel's floorplans and storage capabilities. Storage was a very important factor for us and although all the coaches are large ones, the storage capabilities vary considerably.

Do give CC's Affinity a good look though and drive one before making choices based on driving a Magna.
Good luck shopping...
Jan McNeill, Fulltimer
2001 Intrigue 11320
Title: Re: buying a cc
Post by: Paul Thomas on May 11, 2004, 08:54:30 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9694 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9694)
IMO, the Lexa appears to be a model that introduced a lot of new ideas, and the new Affinity and Magna reflect the results of CC's experience gained from the Lexa. In other words, the new Magna or Affinity would be my choice over the Lexa.

Paul Thomas, '03 Magna
Title: Re: buying a cc
Post by: C Marshall on May 11, 2004, 10:16:51 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9706 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9706)
At the Bob session in Tucson, the question was asked about the LEXA. The answer by Jay was as soon as the new Allure and Intrigue were introduced this fall, hopefully at Homecomming, then the Lexas would be looked at. I know the Affinity 770 is supposed to be a raw shell with slides for us to play with, but there is still 500,000+ difference between Affinity and Prevost. The CC Prevost I saw at FMCA didn't impress me, to much shinny plastic and very little room, but the Newell's had some ideas, and CC sure could improve on them as Newell can't do real WOOD, ONLY PLASTIC! The Marathon people know how to do plastic. There has to be an answer somewhere, for CC.. TWI 2004 Ovation.
Title: Buying a CC
Post by: Rick Barnette on May 12, 2004, 12:54:47 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9710 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9710)
Here's my opinion on Foretraveller, Newell, and Bluebird based on the research that I did before I bought my 2004 Allure:

Foretravel: best motorhome built per RV Consumer Group. The Foretraveller was the only motorhome to receive a 5 star rating. I went to the factory in Nagadoces(?) Texas and I visited the CC factory in Junction City Oregon. I believe the Foretraveller is a better built motorhome based on the tour I took at both the facilities. The attention to detail is much better than CC, and from what I heard from other Foretraveller owners, they break-in does not appear to be as painful. Also, Foretraveller has a 3 year warranty and the customer service is just as good if not better than CC. The reason I did not buy one, and It was my first choice, was because of price. To buy a two slide motorhome from Foretraveller, it cost about a $100k+ more than my Allure similarly equipped.

Bluebird: I test drove an older, used one and it drives like a tank. Slow, ponderous and very heavy feeling with no acceleration. CC is a race car compared to a Bluebird. The new M380 is a beautiful coach and drives like a dream but a 2 slide M380 cost about $350K new. Also, they had a lot of problems with the introduction of these new coaches, they had to buy back several from owners because of all the problems.

Newell: I test drove an older, used one and loved it; thought it was an awesome coach. The problem with Newell, is that they all specialty coaches and there are not many of them on the road and getting service done on them can be very challenging (finding someone who can work on them). Selling them can be difficult too. The guy who was trying to sell me his, had it on the market for over a year.

Again to qualify my opinion, my research was done looking for the best coach that I could buy for about $200-250K. I believe Country Coach was the best one. If I had been looking for a coach in the $300-400K range, I probably would have gone for the Foretraveller followed very closely by a CC Magna. The tiebreaker would have been the 3 year warranty and the better quality of the Foretraveller. It would be interesting to see what other CC owners think based on the research they did when looking to buy a new motorhome.

Rick Barnette,

Fulltiming in a 2004, 36' Allure, 31018
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Ann Wald on May 12, 2004, 12:39:47 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9715 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9715)
Thank you for your evaluation. Your opinion on the Newell was the same as a friend of mine. They certainly are beautiful. I love their rear bath floor plan. I also like the Lexa floor plan with the library desk. My big hangup with cc is they installed the hurricane heating system in the coaches and that system is not functional. My wife likes the safety of the Foretravel. yes the cost is much more than CC and we have heard and talked to many people who have gone with the CC over Foretravel for that very reason. I also have heard that Bluebird and Foretravel are having financial problems, have you heard this or is it just a rumor.

Thanks Tom
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Larry And Teddy Beer on May 12, 2004, 12:51:20 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9716 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9716)
Tom, how would you describe "not functional" as you refer to the Hurricane heating system? I think that you might get some other Ideas about the system if you ask around.
Larry
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Bradley J Salute on May 12, 2004, 01:01:17 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9717 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9717)
Aren't they using the AquaHot system on some coaches now instead of the Hurricane?
Bradley J. Salute
Leavitt Insurance Agency of the Coachella Valley Desert Southwest Insurance Brokers, Inc. 78010 Main Street, Suite 200 La Quinta, CA 92253
(760)771-5550
Fax (760)771-5755
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Candace And Dale Hollick on May 12, 2004, 01:12:52 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9719 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9719)
Tom, Foretravel is definitely having financial problems. We were told by a reputable source that FT has buried so many buyers financialy, that they can not afford to trade. FT does not have IFS. IFS is a very important feature. If you look around you will never see a Newell used on a lot, dealers do not want them on trade. Newell has some major weight issue for carrying capacity. Read J D GALLANTS report, that should help the decision process. Dale Hollick
Title: Re: hurricane heating system
Post by: Ann Wald on May 12, 2004, 01:17:46 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9720 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9720)
Hi Larry & Teddy

We had a 2003 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom with the Hurricane system in it. We never got hot water from the system. it was worked on at least 4 times. It was a switch, or it was that. It was replaced once. By the time it could be working, my wife was so beside herself that we sold, at a loss, the coach. We never had a trip with hot water. If I was to even consider a coach with that system in it, I would be endangering my marriage. If you have the system and like it, that is great, but I will not buy one with that system installed. All you have to do is call Rixen, a past distributor, to find out how much they lost trying to fix that system. In fact they have a lawsuit against Hurricane for service bills. Winnebago stopped installing the Hurricane system before we purchased our coach, but they did not tell us that when we bought. So I have looked into the system as much as i can stomach. Again, if you have the system and like it, I am happy for you.
Also I thank you for your response about the coaches I am looking at. I also have emailed CC to find out which models and years they installed the Hurricane system in, so I know which ones to avoid.

Sincerely,
Tom Wald
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Candace And Dale Hollick on May 12, 2004, 01:31:09 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9721 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9721)
Hurricane had some problems in the past but ITR is currently working very hard to rectify any problems consumers may be having. They have had techs at all the rallys (4) that we have attended this year. We dealt with them on our 02 Affinity. CC is currently installing Hydro Hot in the Magna and Affinity for 05.
Dale Hollick 05 Affinity 6370
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Truk4u2003 on May 12, 2004, 01:37:56 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9722 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9722)
Rick,

My previous Coach was a U-280 Foretravel (not Foretraveller) and was a fantastic machine. When it was time to move up, I chose CC due to a 70K difference that I couldn't justify. If the price differential was closer, I would still be in a Foretravel. I have also been to both factories and I didn't see the extra attention to detail at Foretravel compared to CC. I sold my Foretravel and bought my Allure in late 2002. At that time, getting service at Foretravel in Kodak, TN was near impossible and the factory was trying to correct the problem. I don't know if things are better now, but I would assume they are.

There is no comparison to factory support between CC and Foretravel.
My Allure is out of warranty and CC has provided me with parts at no expense. I just came back from my first Rally in TN and watched all the work being providing to Coach owners and was very impressed.
I needed a few small items for my Allure and once again, no charge.
CC may only give one year warranty compared to Foretravels three, but that is certainly offset by continuing to get knowledgable factory support, free labor at the Rally's and a variety of parts at no charge regardless of the age of the Coach!

Just my opinion since I have owned both.....

Tom

02 Allure 30780
Title: Re: RV manufacturers destroying buyers financial security
Post by: Ann Wald on May 12, 2004, 01:54:18 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9723 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9723)
Hi Candace and Dale

I agree with the statement that Foretravel has probably buried a lot of buyers, so has all of the other manufacturers. When so many buyers do not realize there is a 40-60% mark-up on new coaches there are going to be allot of buyers stung on resale. I purchased a 2003 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom, (lemon) for lower than 40% mark-up price and still lost big time when I sold the yellow duck. When one searches for used coaches many sellers are asking a price that is over the price they should have paid for the RV in the first place. This tells me they were taken. This applies to all manufacturers including CC. This is an industry that lists their product at a ridiculous high price, builds a product that is unsafe and has a warranty that will fix your problems if you are willing to wait in some God awful location and length of time that the only way you can own one is to be retired and have no schedule to get anyplace because you may never get anywhere outside of the next cities repair shop. I see this and I still want to travel in an RV. Am I sick? Are we all sick to accept this crap put on us by the manufacturers. The MSRP should be honest, the warranty should be for when there is an unforeseen problem. The warranty now is to cover when things show up that the manufacturer did not install correctly or the engineers, (haha) did not design right the first time. We have had doors fly open, top caps crack, the list could go for over 150 items with repeats and we only put on 4500 miles on the Ultimate Lemon before we dumped it. If CC does not have these problems I will be very surprised and happy for everyone that owns a CC.
The concern I am having right now is whether Foretravel will be around to honor their warranty. I have heard that Bluebird is also in trouble. They are such a diverse company I would not think it to be a problem.
I am being much more careful this time around in purchasing a coach. I have received calls from several dealers who have been suggested to call me by CC owners. I tell them that I am looking for an honest deal. I have not heard back from any of them. They say call me if you want to buy. One dealer, I believe, was very open to me about CC and other manufacturers. I have kept his info. It is so sad that this industry is a buyer beware industry.

Tom Wald
Title: Re: Hurricane Heat system
Post by: Ann Wald on May 12, 2004, 01:55:31 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9724 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9724)
Hi Candace and Dale

ITR tried to fix mine also. It still did not work. I absolutely have no confidence in their system

Tom Wald
Title: Re: RV manufacturers destroying buyers financial security
Post by: Bradley J Salute on May 12, 2004, 02:01:56 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9725 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9725)
Tom,
I can understand your cynical attitude, most dealers I have dealt with were dishonest, except for Guaranty. I have purchased two Intrigues from them and felt they were honest and didn't sense the BS factor at all. For whatever it's worth, give Linda and Bruce Hauser a call if you are really serious about a Country Coach, their number is 760-863-1810.
Brad and Kim Salute
La Quinta, CA
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Raygrr@charter Net on May 12, 2004, 05:39:04 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9731 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9731)
The Hurricane system you refer to provided heat and hot water, the system used previously(as in my Magna 01)had a separate water heater(gas&elec)that provided hot water. The Hurricane supplied heat for the coach only.I've had very little trouble with the system. CC had tried to use the all in one system in the Allure and Intrigue in 03 and it was a bomb.

Ray G 01 Magna #5940

Wald buddywald@...>
Title: Re: RV manufacturers destroying buyers financial security
Post by: Candace And Dale Hollick on May 12, 2004, 09:18:58 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9734 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9734)
We found just the opposite recently when we purchased our 05 Affinity. Guaranty was higher than any other dealer. We purchased from Mike Pratt at Beaudry. He is very honest, straight forward, no pressure, good on follow up issues and an all around nice person who gave us the best price....no one else was even close! His # is 520 609 2795. Candace Hollick 05 Affinity 6370
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: Ann Wald on May 12, 2004, 09:43:30 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9735 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9735)
Hi Ray

The idea of one system heating the coach and heating water is a very good idea. Why should there be lp, electric and diesel fuel to run a coach. The refrigerator would run on lp or electric. This just adds to the weight and complexity of the systems on board. More to go wrong and more space taken up. What is wrong with the engineers who design these coaches? Or are there even engineers designing these coaches. I am sure they are involved in the chasis but how about the living functions. I would think that the number of refrigerators and stoves placed in RVs could command some appliance manufacturer to design an efficient and functional all electric system at a reasonable price. I know they are available on more expensive coaches why not put that safety issue into cheaper coaches. Nothing ever changes unless it is placed forward.

Tom Wald

Raygrr@... wrote:
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: C Marshall on May 12, 2004, 09:48:05 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9736 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9736)
Its true Foretravel had to shut down for 90 days and is surviving on the orders of their new dealers, they are still trying to unload some 2003's. Bluebird has had to restructure and combine their buss and rv operations. TWI 2004 )vation.
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: Candace And Dale Hollick on May 12, 2004, 10:03:23 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9738 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9738)
Tom, our 02 Affinity has a hurricane, is all electric, has a 10 gal water heater and in 27 months we always had heat and hot water. We purchased our 05 because of the quad slides not because of negative things about the 02. We have owned 4 CCs and we have always had excellent customer service and tech support. We love all of the CC extended family. Candace and Dale Hollick
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Rick Barnette on May 13, 2004, 01:04:57 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9739 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9739)
Hi Tom,

I don't think the 2004 Country Coachs have the Hurricane system on them anymore; mine doesn't. As for Bluebird and Foretravel having financial problems, I heard that Bluebird was having problems and they were considering getting out of the motorhome business. As for Foretravel, I ask that question directly to them and they stated they were absolutely not having any financial problems and that they were stronger than ever.

Rick,

Fulltiming in a 2004, 36' Allure, 31018
Title: Re: RV manufacturers destroying buyers financial security
Post by: Damon Rapozo_01 on May 13, 2004, 09:46:22 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9740 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9740)
Candace,

As you already know your salesperson at Guaranty thought you had a 2000 model year Affinity, not a 2002. He was fairly new and made an honest mistake.

Damon
Title: Re: RV manufacturers destroying buyers financial security
Post by: Candace And Dale Hollick on May 13, 2004, 11:41:21 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9742 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9742)
Damon, even when they figured out the mistake on the year, Guaranty was still higher. I was actually the one who pointed out the fact that something was wrong when the quotes were more than 100k apart. That gave a chance for a more competitive bid. Beaudry gave us a better price than anyone else by quite a bit. Candace
Title: Re: RV manufacturers destroying buyers financial security
Post by: Ann Wald on May 13, 2004, 12:27:58 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9743 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9743)
damon, it looks like Candace has laid down the challenge for Gurantee RV to do a better job of pricing. Thank you Candace for spelling it out.

Tom
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: Jan McNeill on May 13, 2004, 07:46:44 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9747 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9747)
I, for one, LOVE redundant systems and have found the need for them more than once! I would never buy a rig that didn't give me the option of several methods of fueling various appliances. There have been enough times when one fuel source or another made a difference to warrant the redundancy. This winter we used diesel to fuel our Hurricane heater (that also heats water)...we had marginal electric at the park we were in, so we used propane for our refrig. That's happened several times. (Yes, we could move, but sometimes it's not convenient to do so.)

I'll never buy an all-electric rig...what happens when the inverter starts to do crazy things...like they have done to some of us? Give me propane, diesel, AND batteries and I'll be happy.
Jan McNeill, Fulltimer

Currently in VA...heading north soon
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: Ann Wald on May 13, 2004, 09:02:27 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9748 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9748)
Thank you very much for your opinion, I never thought of the need for several types of fuel.janmcneill wrote: I, for one, LOVE redundant systems and have found the need for them more than once! I would never buy a rig that didn't give me the option of several methods of fueling various appliances. There have been enough times when one fuel source or another made a difference to warrant the redundancy. This winter we used diesel to fuel our Hurricane heater (that also heats water)...we had marginal electric at the park we were in, so we used propane for our refrig. That's happened several times. (Yes, we could move, but sometimes it's not convenient to do so.)I'll never buy an all-electric rig...what happens when the inverter starts to do crazy things...like they have done to some of us?Give me propane, diesel, AND batteries and I'll be happy. Jan McNeill, FulltimerCurrently in VA...heading north soon
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: David & Karen on May 13, 2004, 09:04:12 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9749 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9749)
You forgot the solar panel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I agree with you 100%.  I almost wish I had an LP furnace, especially now that diesel is so high.  My older Hurricane quit last winter and my plumbing bay froze.  Broke the filter housing and the pressure switch on the pump.  Very inconvenient.
 
David & Karen CA.
2000 Intrigue 11062
40 ft Single slide. PT
2002 Odyssey TOAD
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: C Marshall on May 13, 2004, 09:55:15 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9750 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9750)
You can look up the article about their problems on the iternet there was an article in the local Nacadoches Paper. TWI
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Bill Gabler on May 14, 2004, 09:11:15 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9766 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9766)
Tom,

From what I have heard Foretravel has closed all their factory stores and gone to a dealer system. I also heard their factory was closed for a time, but I see in the FMCA mag. that there are dealers now advertizing Foretravel units in stock. I have also heard that Blue Bird is thinking about selling off or spliting off the RV conversion business, don't know much about this but I drove a blue bird M380 and I liked the ride but I don't like the way it stops with just 2 axles. My Magna with the tag stops so much better and I think thats important. The M380 is at it's limits for 2 axles, thats why they do not use any ceramic tile in the 2 axle unit. They are trying to keep the weight down so they do not need a tag.

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998 with a 2005 Magna on order
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Ann Wald on May 14, 2004, 11:22:28 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9769 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9769)
Thanks Bill for the info on Bluebirds and Foretravel

Tom
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: Jan McNeill on May 15, 2004, 11:58:34 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9777 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9777)
Quote
You forgot the solar panel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, I'm jealous! They'd be neat sometimes, but we're still not into "roughing it" that much ! We're almost always hooked up, but a lot of times in the summer especially we'll find campgrounds with VERY marginal electric...voltage has gone down to low 90's! (We trip our surge guard of course...) So, the only way to stay powered is to put the refrig on propane as well as the water heater...then, at least I can run the microwave or "let George" grill.

Jan McNeill, Fulltimer

Currently in VA, heading north to New England soon...
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Walt Rothermel_02 on May 17, 2004, 09:06:23 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9808 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9808)
Ray, I agree with your statement the Hurricane combo heat and hot water unit was a bomb in the 03 Allure and Intrigue. I was one of the most vocal complainers re the problems with mine. I must report, however, that my unit is now operating flawlessly. Some of the problems had to do with CC's installation, but most fell squarely on Hurricane. To their credit, they hung in there with me, and I assume others and made changes in their organization. It speaks volumes that they had people at the CCI rally inTennessee to service their product even though they lost the account to Accu Hot.

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811
Title: Re: Buying a CC
Post by: Bill Harris on May 18, 2004, 06:44:23 am
Yahoo Message Number: 9814 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9814)
Walt, I have to agree with you.

Once Hurricane tweaked their control board, our system has worked like a champ.

Now, if we could just do something about the weather up here in Mich, we could use the darn thing! 50 degrees the other day, 87 and humid the next, and rain, rain, rain.....

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
Datastorm
Title: Re: Buying a CC hurricane heat
Post by: Gdbettig@aol Com on May 26, 2004, 09:01:40 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9931 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9931)
David and Karen,

I have had 2000 hours on my heater and had it overhauled last fall, during the overhaul process a stud which not welded correctly twisted off from the plem in the heater combustion chamber so it had to be sent out to Canada to be fixed. This was done but I could not pick it up until this May because of my work schedule. I keep the coach in Clt, NC and live in it.
So what I did was I brought 2 ceramic heaters I placed one in the lower bay where the access panel is for the water filter, I took the access panel off and the heater kept the water bays warm I put a temp gauge in the bay where the dump valves and water fill ups are and even when it was in the low teens outside it was always 60 in the bays it also kept the tiles warm to walk on in the coach. I used the other heater in the coachand it always kept it warm enough to live in.
So I think I'm going to use this system all the time now to heat the coach.

Gary Bettig

2002 Intrigue 11451
Title: Re: dumping hurricane
Post by: Ann Wald on May 26, 2004, 09:59:04 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9934 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9934)
Hi Dave and Karen

Does not speak well of the hurricane heat system for your to use portable heat system.

Tom
Title: Re: dumping hurricane
Post by: Bill Gabler on May 28, 2004, 10:17:09 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9979 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9979)
Tom,

One of the problems with the Hurricane system was that people are to cheap to use it all the time. They used the electric heaters and the heat pumps and then when it was really cold they used the Hurricane. To late then because the diesel fuel which

is not the greatest fuel would not work well. So everyone hated the Hurricane. Once we realized this we started using the Hurricane all the time and it worked fine. We even run it in the summer just to keep it working. We also change the hurricane fuel filter every trip and the nozzle once a year. The hurricane is like the generator, use it or lose it.

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998
Title: Re: dumping hurricane
Post by: Thomas Sims on May 28, 2004, 11:27:35 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 9985 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/9985)
We have an interesting scenario with our hurricane.
We keep our 2002 Intrigue at home in Oregon during the winter and set the hurricane thermostat to 55 degrees. We notice it works well for awhile - then quits for some strange reason. We've taken it to CC twice to have it fixed and both times, once arriving there, it works fine.
Then it dawned on me. Each time we need to take it to JC we need to add fuel. Ha. It seemed that when our fuel tank was about 1/2 empty - and I mean 1/2, not a typo that should read 1/4 - the hurricane stopped working probably because it simply couldn't pull fuel out of the tank.
We believe the tube which runs into the fuel tank from the hurricane does not go into the tank as far as it should. We recall that both the generator and hurricane should stop when the fuel tank is out 1/4 empty - but not 1/2. Accordingly, then, we're taking our coach back to CC to have then check this and repair it this is the problem. We don't know if the generator will run when the fuel tank is at 1/2 or not. Never tried it. I wonder if both the generator fuel intake tube and hurricane are the same or do two separate tubes going to the fuel take to supply their respective pieces of equipment.

Has anyone else had this same problem? I'd really like to know and I'd really appreciate CC fixing this under warranty even tho the coach is now out of warranty.
Tom
Title: Re: dumping hurricane
Post by: Bill Gabler on May 31, 2004, 02:35:43 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 10030 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/10030)
Tom,

One thing that will will help the hurricane work better when you go into storage is to make sure your fuel tank is full with winter fuel. We never store our coach without the tank being full, infact our neighbor fills his tank 15 miles from home and then he tops it off with a can of diesel when he gets home. I don't go to that extream but a full tank always stores better. We also do not buy fuel in a warn climate and then go into a cold climate with out filling up as much as possible. When we stored our coach outside in Baltimore, MD. in the winter I always added anti-gel to the fuel before the storage fillup to keep the lines from gelling. Winter fuel has different additives and the fuel line from the tank to the Hurricane is small, much smaller then the engine line and as far as I know there is no return fuel line. Not many people talk about winter fuel but that helps the hurricane work better, I think!.

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998
Title: Re: dumping hurricane
Post by: David & Karen on May 31, 2004, 04:24:01 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 10032 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/10032)
Hi Bill,    Thanks for all your recent comments regarding potential Hurricane problems,  you mentioned several things that hadn't occurred to me.  In a couple of weeks we will be back to where the coach is presently located and with luck I will have time to play with the Hurricane and see if it can be made to work.  Otherwise it will have to wait for the factory visit in August.
 
David & Karen CA.
2000 Intrigue 11062
40 ft Single slide. PT
2002 Odyssey TOAD
Title: Re: dumping hurricane
Post by: Bill Vincent on June 04, 2004, 02:09:22 am
Yahoo Message Number: 10081 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/10081)
Bill I have learned a lot from you hope to meet you at the rally

bill Vincent 2002 Manga 6048