What is the difference...

[GraphicQueen]

between the Prairie Schooner and the Yellowstone fifth wheels please? We are seriously considering the Yellowstone for a full time unit and am wondering if it will be ok for full timing in. I am realy interested in getting to know what the service is like from the facory people. Howe are you treated and are they pretty much on the ball with fixing problems and all? Please tell me anything else you think I might need to know concerning the Yellowstone 5vers.

GQ

[Jim]

they are the same unit, only out side paint. as for Gulfstream service it good, dealer can be a problem after the sale. We are full timeing for 7 months a year and living in a camp on a lake in Maine the rest of the time. We have a Yellowstone and it is great for a fulltimer. we have had a few problems with it but Gulfstream has helped us out.

[GraphicQueen]

Thanks so much. We do plan on full timing in the unit and from what I have read it has been a 50/50 crapshoot of whether there is good-great service. I like them myself, but have not had a chance to actually walk through one yet. I was able to get my nearest dealer, who happens to be in Albuquerque has been willing to meet another out of state dealer's price on the Prairie Schooner and that means a great deal to us. We have to wait until after our property sells and then we will see where both dealers are about wanting our business bad enough.

GQ

[GStream40]

As was stated earlier, they both are the same except for the paint. BUT I personally like the paint scheme on the Prairie Schooner better.

As for the service from Gulf Stream, I have found that Gulf Stream has been great. The problem lies in the dealer in our area. One example was in May we took our motorhome to our dealer with a windshield problem after I had personally talked to Gulf Stream factory service. I was told that the "zip strip" needed to be changed to the larger size to keep the windshield held in place since it had moved out at the top.

Gulf Stream gave me the part number of the new strip that needed to be ordered and installed. Gulf Stream even stated they would pay for the repair.

I called the dealer's service department and made arrangements for the coach to be taken to them.

Well, guess what?? The dealer did NOT do what Gulf Stream told them to do and just put the windshield back in place. Our first trip out was to go to the GulfStreamer's Back Home Rally in Indiana. The windshield came back out at the top.

Luckily the factory service techs were at the rally. They looked at the windshield and right away took action to pull the old "zip strip" and reset the windshield, they installed the larger "zip strip" as they had instructed Sirpilla RV to do one month earlier and they had not.
Windshield problem now seems to be solved because the windshield stayed in place on the way home and looks like it will forever.

One other thing, our toilet decided to start leaking at the rally. I again went to see the factory techs, they checked it out and said the water valve was leaking on the toilet. Well they would have to pull the toilet to rebuild the valve so they decided to just replace the toilet. They sent the parts person back to the factory to pick up a new toilet and installed it in our coach.

Now our coach is out of the basic one year warranty BUT there was NO CHARGE for any of the above by Gulf Stream.
That's Service with a smile. :D

If you do buy a Gulf Stream product, I highly encourage you to join the Gulf Streamers International RV Club. I also encourage you to attend the "Back Home Rally" that is usually held in June of each year. The contacts that you will make at the factory level are very valuable and makes life much easier if/when you have a problems that need correcting.

Good luck with your full timing plans, hopefully we will meet on the road or at a Gulf Streamers Rally.

Ron Woods

[RJ82much]

Ron,

Thanks for taking the time to write your report & to praise "our" manufacturer when it's deserved. It sounds as though "kudos" was in order for the Gulf Stream factory team.

[GStream40]

Yes, You are correct. "Our" factory team is great.

I have other good reports of things they have done for us on our
previous GS coach.

I am sure that there are many others that had the same great service,
it's just too bad that many only report the bad experiences and others forget about letting others know of the good.

Ron

[Maggie]

I agree with you about joining the Gulf Streamers and the Back Home Rally. It is sad but in many cases it is knowing the right person makes a difference in the service you get. Some of these dealers won't work with you and if you don't know how to network the factory you have a hard time getting things done. I have had 3 Gulf Streams and they have always taken care of me.