2008 Tour Master

[JRBone]

Hello everyone,

We are newbies here and are very interested in purchasing a 40C with the aft walk in closet. There is a 2008 listed for sale in the Orlando area that we are considering that has a 425 hp Cummins engine. There are lots of issues to consider in purchasing but I wondered if anyone might have some some bullet items that we might not be aware of regarding this particular year and model that we should be looking at?

Many thanks for anyone's thoughts.

:shock:

[Chuck v]

Well, my own 40C is a 2007 with the Mercedes engine so not everything is the same, but almost all the 'house' features are. Your coach will have four 6 volt golf cart style batteries in the front (access door is under the windshield...) that need to be serviced regularly and replaced every so often. Expect 5 to 7 years service from these if properly cared for -- so if you unit has the original ones they are likely due for replacement. No biggie, but they need to be in good shape for the diesel generator to be started AND for the inverter to be used.

There are four other bateries in the coach as well -- two 12 v in parallel for starting the diesel motor, and another two for 'house' lighting and other DC items (my original TV in the bedroom was a 12 volt unit...the new one is a much larger and fully HD one that runs on line voltage.)

Since the coach has a residential refrigerator (a GREAT feature for anyone living aboard) you need the inverter for keeping the food cold for longer drives. The factory information that came with the Tourmaster is minimal by anyone's definition, so this site's archived topics are quite a useful resource.

My 2007 had flat screen TVs but not fully modern ones in terms of receiving over the air or cable digital HD content -- maybe this has been addressed in the 2008, but changing out the front and bedroom TVs was not that difficult for me and the results are excellent.

The walk in closet is also a very good configuration for living aboard -- and I have added even more drawer and shelf storage to mine. The separate washer and dryer are much faster on wash days than the combined unit often found in some other rigs.

Is this your first RV? Have you driven large vehicles before? I went from a 20 foot travel trailer behind my truck to this 42+ foot unit and towing an SUV behind it. Once acclimatized, I find this rig easier to drive and much more comfortable -- and the larger engine in the one you are considering should allow you to tow with ease. Just stay aware of how much room you need to maneuver and take your time.

There are lots of small details that might be useful to you -- just ask the group here (I find everyone friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.) Be aware that Gulf Stream had a real good design with the Tourmaster series, but suffered a bit from variable quality control. Maybe your coach has been fully "debugged" by the prior owner, but if you find something you question just post it here.

Keep us posted on your decisions and progress...

Chuck