Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Allure changes (not for the better) (Read 1756 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Allure changes (not for the better)

Yahoo Message Number: 6338
During the factory tour, it was noted that one layer of sound absorbtion material is being eliminated from the Allure. It will now be built as the Inspire. Also, they have changed the design of the outside of the slides. Instead of retracting into the side in a flush fashion, they have a mitered edge that closes against the side of the coach, such as the Inspire. When the slides are open, this design results in a very sharp edge to avoid as you work around the coach, or bend over to access the bays. When closed, you can feel and see the 2" wide flange that closes against the coach side. The miters were poorly done (as if the moulding around your door in your house did not match at the 45 joint). They said they will be changing the design again, due to the inabillity to provide good miters.

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6340
I completely agree Bill... I was at the factory earlier this year and saw the new slide and was really disappointed. I looks more like a low end staple and glue Coach instead of a CC. I will not upgrade to that slide style when the time comes.
Tom

02 Allure 30780

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6341
The 2004's are now showing the necessary "gap" between the two lines, Allure and Intrigue. Motor changes (Intrigue with the C-12), slide changes (Power Gear, electric vs. HWH), etc. In the 2003 model year the Allure vs. Intrigue was as little as a $5,000 difference, what's the point? The funny thing is the fuel tank on the new Allure (135gal) is now larger than the Intrigue (110gal, except for the Ovation floor plan).
Finely, Country Coach with its "updated line" is a player in the market place. Today a Country Coach can go "toe to toe" with any product in the country, and win! No more excuses. Colors, floorplans, etc. are on target.
The last FMCA rally, we were even taking Monaco customers and introducing them to their new Country Coach!! Inspire $230's, Allure $340's, Intrigue $400's, and Magna $500's (all list prices), are four distinctive models with direct market targets.

I sell Country Coaches.

Robin

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6354
Robin, I agree you need model separation, by improving the Intrigue line, not cheapening the Allure line. Once you giveth, you should not taketh away, folks don't like that. If they want to sell lots more Intrigues, they should change the dash so that you can see the Silverleaf without having to lean over the steering wheel, and widen the entrance door from the existing 20". With those two changes, we would have bought a new Ovation at the rally. We love the floorplan, and the new engine option. But, dragging a cooler full of food through the narrow door is hard on your back, and trying to watch the Silverleaf while driving gets to be a pain, as you can't see it without tilting the steering wheel down, or looking around it.
Details, details, details.

When you sit in the driver's seat of the Magna, everything is right there for you to see when driving. This should be a basic part of the product design, since that is what we do all day. On the Intrigue and Allure, you can not see half the stuff as it is laid out.

However, if you sat in "Bob Lee's Magna" at the show, you realize that you can not see a good part of the drop down TV screen, as the driver and passenger seat backs block the lower part. You can turn the passenger seat 90 deg., but with the wrap around cupholder by the driver seat, you can not turn the seat, there is not enough clearance to spin it. (Sorry, I drifted off subject.)

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912

Quote from: Robin McCracken
The 2004's are now showing the necessary "gap" between the two
lines, Allure

Quote
and Intrigue. ..........Inspire $230's, Allure $340's, Intrigue > $400's, and Magna $500's (all list prices), are four distinctive

models with

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6356
I too noticed the changes in the Allure line. I believe that National RV is making a marketing mistake. One must look at National RV as a whole in which Country Coach is only a line of coaches.
The CC nameplate has always meant a very top of the line product until the Mystique line was launched--remember that one. A Tradewinds coach with a Country Coach name. Now they have the Inspire line which in my opinion should have the National nameplate and not the CC. The Inspire is built totally different than all other CC's as it is built on a production line that was designed by a person hired from Toyota.
It is not the custom coach that has meant Country Coach! Now when one sees some of the products(cheaper) brought over from the Inspire line it stands to reason that the Allure is a "cheaper" coach. In effect you are taking a nameplate that has stood for quality and making it the name for a "cheaper line". Ask Ford how putting the Fairlane 500 name on a cheaper line effected that nameplate. Same can be said for GM and the nameplate Impala. Once the nameplate is cheapened it never stands for quality again.
One can only imagine how far up the product line this will continue. Are the Intigue, Magna & Affinity lines next? In my opinion it would make a lot more marketing sense for NRV to keep CC as their top, quality line and introduce these products in the National line. Then if you need to divide the Allure & Intrigue do so by lowering the price & making more of its features optional. That way your Allure buyers still will find the product desirable and equip it as they and their pocketbook wants.
I know Fleetwood is not a real popular name these days but one must notice that even they did not make their Bounder diesel a part of their American Coach line. Less expensive coaches are what they are and there is a market for these vehicles, but don't cheapen the CC nameplate to sell vehicles. You, NRV, will pay for that strategy in the long run.

This is just MHO
Steve

Intrigue #10673

Quote from: Robin McCracken
> The 2004's are now showing the necessary "gap" between the two
lines, Allure

Quote
and Intrigue. Motor changes (Intrigue with the C-12), slide changes

(Power

Quote
Gear, electric vs. HWH), etc. In the 2003 model year the Allure vs.

Intrigue

Quote
was as little as a $5,000 difference, what's the point? The funny

thing is

Quote
the fuel tank on the new Allure (135gal) is now larger than the

Intrigue

Quote
(110gal, except for the Ovation floor plan).

Finely, Country Coach with its "updated line" is a player in the

market

Quote
place. Today a Country Coach can go "toe to toe" with any product in

the

Quote
country, and win! No more excuses. Colors, floorplans, etc. are on

target.

Quote
The last FMCA rally, we were even taking Monaco customers and

introducing

Quote
them to their new Country Coach!! Inspire $230's, Allure $340's,

Intrigue

Quote
$400's, and Magna $500's (all list prices), are four distinctive

models with

Quote
direct market targets.

I sell Country Coaches.

Robin

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6360
We agree with everyone's statement so far on this issue. When we bought our 2002 Allure, it had enough options on it to be about the level of the stock Intrigue. Building the basic coach cheaper is not the right way to go. We were thinking that CC would likely drop either the Intrigue line or the Allure line, because the two models were getting close. Then in 2003 the Intrigue had some upgrades and the price difference was jutified.

The Inspire (as someone else mentioned) appears to be an upgraded National product. It should not be under the CC name. In fact, National would have been ahead to advertise it as "almost" up to CC level.

Anyone who has marketing experience knows that making too many product changes too quickly ends with confused consumers - - and those consumers may go to Monaco instead of CC. There are a lot of boat manufacturers who have traveled this same road - and are out of business now.

Seems like CC and National are still trying to find the market niches tthat CC has always had, and that National had for a couple of years before they messed up their product line.

How many of you would be interested in buying stock in NRVH (the parent company)?

Jim and Mary Jo Brown
2002 Allure 30778

Quote from: Bill Harris
During the factory tour, it was noted that one layer of sound > absorbtion material is being eliminated from the Allure. It will > now be built as the Inspire. Also, they have changed the design of > the outside of the slides. Instead of retracting into the side in

a

Quote
flush fashion, they have a mitered edge that closes against the

side

Quote
of the coach, such as the Inspire. When the slides are open, this > design results in a very sharp edge to avoid as you work around the > coach, or bend over to access the bays. When closed, you can feel

and

Quote
see the 2" wide flange that closes against the coach side. The > miters were poorly done (as if the moulding around your door in

your

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6361
Hi Jim and Mary Jo,

After reading Nation RV's financial position (ref message 6318), to answer your last question - NO. Looking at the return on investment, '98, '99 were good years but since then, things have not turned around.
Fred Kovol

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6405
I've said for years.... The folks who make design decisions for motorhomes, CC as well as most others, seem to never have spent any time driving or living in one.

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
 

Re: Allure changes (not for the better)

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 6481
I just returned from a South Central rally in Wichita Falls, Tx where Buddy Gregg had some 04's to sell. After looking at both the Allure and Intrigue I made a point of thanking Bill Kipp ( Buddy Gregg-Dallas Sales Manager), for selling me an 03 Allure. I agree with others on this board that CC has gone backward with the Allure, but I didn't note any price reductions. Did any of you notice they've gone to Carefree of Colorado awnings on both the Allure and The Intrigue? Also, I'm pretty sure I saw Norcold refrigerators in both models.
My 03 is driving and performing like a dream now, and I won't be in the m arket for a long time. Maybe that's why CC has downgraded.

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811