Possible GS Tourmaster Purchase

[insearchof]

Hello all! I am looking at possibly purchasing a 2007 Tourmaster T40B. Don't know much about this particular product but I love the floorplan and the features of this unit. I would really like to hear some feedback from experienced Tourmaster owners. Thanks. :)

[Arthur Hayes]

I have had mine since September of 06 and have been very happy with it. We have lived in it full time. The extra storage makes it a great fit for our life style.

[insearchof]

Mr. Hayes,

Thank you kindly for replying to my post. If you don't mind I have some questions I'd like to ask you... Do you like the ride of your RV when traveling , is it soft and does it handle well? What kind of fuel mileage do you get? Does the transmission change smoothly and do you like the mercedes engine? How does the wind and/or big truckers effect you on the road, is the unit heavy enough to hold its own? I noticed you have a Blue Ox - what kind of vehicle do you tow and if you have traveled in mountainous areas how does the unit handle pulling your tow vehicle.

Have you ever needed any major warranty work and/or repairs on your RV? Has your experience dealing with Gulf Stream been a problem? I have read where some people have had some bad experiences with this company.

Thank you for your time, I appreciate any information you can share with us.

[Luckiest Dreamer]

I will put in my 2 cents worth as well. I have a 2008 40A with the Mercedes. It is a good ride and handles the towing well. Even in the mountains. I do recommend having brakes on the Toad. It just makes sense to have the extra braking power. The Allison Transmission is the best and any problems with it would be unusual. As for how Gulf-stream is to deal with, they are about as good as your local dealer is. Having one with a solid connection to them is a must. I know that many will say they are responsive, but that has not been the case with me. I go hot and cold on this, when I am sitting in one spot and out playing golf or fishing the MH is not giving me any trouble. But it seems that the miniute I have a need to work on it I "always" find three other things wrong and they are usually connected to something that I think leads directly to something that could have been done better during the construction process. I have to admit, the Tour master is the first MH that I have owned. Although, I have owned several campers and boats and was very familar with most of the systems installed, I cannot compare apples to apples when it comes to Motorhomes.
8 MPG

[Chuck v]

Insearchof,

I would presume that the 2007 TM you are looking to purchase is a used unit (although some unsold coaches are still out there, I suppose...) We bought a used 2007 40-C TourMaster with the Mercedes engine about two years ago and are very pleased with the cost per performance/features of the coach.

The Mercedes engine is a good choice for economy versus performance trade-offs, we get about 8 to 9 MPG on most highway trips, depending on grades, winds and if towing or not. The transmission is great and the ride is smooth due to the air suspension. I have been considering adding the SuperSteer brand motion control units to the air suspension (auxiliary valving) to reduce the rocking on uneven driveway entries at low speed, but otherwise have absolutely no complaints. If this is your first large coach, you will learn to "plan much further ahead" while driving in terms of turning, braking, etc. We tow a 2005 Acura MDX which is an AWD SUV of about 5000 pounds -- no issues with the proportional air brake and mountain driving is not a big deal.

I had some non-warranty work done on my large slide -- other than that I have just been doing upgrades to my coach to personalize it and make it just what the wife and I want: better HDTV receivers in the main area and in the bedroom, storage organizers, upgraded faucets in the two vanity sinks and in the kitchen, upgraded carpet, dimming lights in the bath and over the dining table...things of that nature. Most are documented in threads on this forum, here are representative examples:
viewtopic.php?t=2249 (http://www.gsowners.com/viewtopic.php?t=2249)
viewtopic.php?t=2471 (http://www.gsowners.com/viewtopic.php?t=2471)

This forum is great for tapping into the combined knowledge of TourMaster owners -- I always get thoughtful answers to my question here!

Chuck

[insearchof]

I was nottified today by a local long time RV Repair shop not to buy a motorhome with a Mercedes engine in it. No one will work on them if the need ever arises. Have called several places and am finding this to be true. Would love to hear what experienced TM RVers do when you need engine work done??????? :?

[Chuck v]

Insearchof,

My local Freight Liner shop works on these and all the over-the-road Mercedes truck engines. The engine is badged as a Detroit Diesel model series MBE 926 and is used on lots of trucks and buses besides the motor homes.

My Freight Liner dealer here in Portland Oregon has reasonable shop rates and their work is first rate.

I would suspect that the individual telling you to avoid the Mercedes running gear has something else they wished to sell you...correct?

Chuck

[insearchof]

No chuck, they are not in the sales business. They are just an independent rv repair shop. I will try contacting a Freightliner Shop and see what they say. Thanks.

[tarheel]

I have had a recall, an engine ground wire issue, and a compressor failure on my Mercedes and each one of these have been handled under warranty by three different Freightliner facilities without any questions or concerns. During the break-in period with my last motorhome with a Cummins, none of the issues were handled by Cummins as well as those handled by Freightliner.

Additionally, the Cummins was the same size as my present Mercedes, and on a trip through the Rockies recently, the Mercedes had more power on the mountains than the Cummins had.

That's been my experience.

[Luckiest Dreamer]

The only issue that I would complain about is that most, if not all, of the Freightliner dealers do not stock the parts for the Mercedes or the chassis for the MH. It always requires they order it. If you want it now, you have to pay overnight freight. I do understand why they do not want to stock a slow moving part. However, the service has been good at all of the dealers I have delt with, two have been in Canada.
I have had four problems, all was taken care of under Warranty. I doubt that dealing with the Freightliner dealers will be any different than dealing with a Ford or Chevy dealer.