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Old 08-12-2020, 09:12 PM   #1
moikey
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Default 2008 Tour Master M40C - what are your thoughts?

Hi all, I currently own a 2014 Winnebago Class C (33' with a Ford V10) that we bought in 2017 for a 10 week vacation. I wanted a Class A but was worried about getting into national parks - which was the purpose of the trip. I will be retiring in spring of '21 and hoping to go full time for a few years to travel the country. It will only be the wife, myself and the dog for most of the Journey. The Winnebago is fine except (1) not a diesel (2) shower is cramped for me (6' 2"), fridge is small for full timing (4) want more space if I'm going to be full timing. There's a 2008 Tour Master on Craigslist that the owner listed as an M40C - he provided this link - https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/G...TourMaster.pdf but I don't find the M40C. It has 25k miles and looks to be in great shape from the pictures. I know about checking batteries, tires, roof, etc. but wanted to hear from other Tour Master owners - would you buy a Tour Master or Gulf Stream again? Is there anything about the 2008 year I should know about. I hear that GS doesn't make a Class A anymore - is that a concern as far as part for a 12 year old MH? Any other information you might be able to provide is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Old 08-12-2020, 10:11 PM   #2
Chuck v
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I had a 2007 Tour Master 40C that was a great coach for full time living. It is a very good floorplan, and has a proper diesel generator, inverter, and other high end appointments. I used it full time for about 8 + years and really enjoyed the very large shower, the 23 cu ft residential refrigerator and the walk in closet with a stack of washer and separate dryer. The kitchen was pretty spacious as well. I added some shelving and some storage in both the kitchen and the closet. I also upgraded the TVs to full HD/4k, but the 2008 model may already have that improvement. There are several threads under my name on this forum with information on these various projects.



I did have an issue with the defrost timer on the residential refrigerator, so I learned how to replace the control board without taking the appliance fully out of the coach. Other than replacing tires and batteries, there was not any other maintenance needs that should concern you if the coach you are looking at is in good shape at present. As with any RV that may have spent a majority of its life outside, take a careful look at the condition of the roof for any signs of water leaks. It is not uncommon for a roof to be sealed every 4 or so years (I did mine once about three years after I bought it, and cleaned/inspected it every other year after that...)


Attached below is the brochure for 2008 and it includes information for a TM 40C, including the floorplan. It was large enough that I split it into two parts to post directly here:


Chuck
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 2008 TM brochure part 1.pdf (1.35 MB, 18 views)
File Type: pdf 2008 TM brochure part 2.pdf (1.99 MB, 7 views)
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Old 08-12-2020, 11:21 PM   #3
moikey
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Thanks for the quick reply Chuck. We tend to prefer boondocking vs. going to full hookups - would that be an issue with the residential fridge. I currently have a 100w solar panel to keep my single coach battery topped up but the fridge is 3way. I thinking one panel wouldn't work for that. I've got a 4k generator but don't like running it if I don't have to - prefer the quiet of the woods and I'm sure my neighbors appreciate not hearing it running.
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Old 08-13-2020, 07:59 AM   #4
Chuck v
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The fridge runs fine on the inverter on the T40C, but that is a 2000 watt unit. If you are conservative on how often you open the doors and don't just stare at the contents, you can go a day or so on the battery power easily. This coach is not the ideal setup for dry camping due to the very long wheelbase (288 inches) and limited ground clearance, so I would not consider taking it off pavement or into very 'unimproved' sites. And at nearly 43 feet in length, it is a big unit. On the plus side, the Freightliner chassis allows for a 55 degree wheel cut in the front steering, so maneuvering while parking is not as difficult as you might imagine.


The family I sold the coach to are good friends, and I know that they have dry camped in it with two pre-teen kids for a week or more at a time. They did use the generator for a period each day to keep the inverter batteries topped up. That diesel is probably less noise than your gas 4K unit, so check it out.


Good luck however you decide. The 2008 coaches all had the 425 HP Cummins engines, mine was the last year of the optional Mercedes diesel that was a bit more economical on fuel, but still had 1000 ft-lbs of torque so it performed decently. You already have driven a class C motorhome, so you already know the value of patience and attention to overhang when turning and size/speed when changing lanes. Starting with my old Westphalia VW camper decades ago, my philosophy has always been that you are on vacation as soon as you turn the key on an RV, so don't rush anything...


Chuck
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Old 08-13-2020, 11:32 AM   #5
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Thanks Chuck,
You're a wealth of information. I agree 100% with your last statement. No MH is known for fuel mileage, but I noticed that if I kept mine at 60 on the freeway it appeared to get about 1/2 mpg better than at 65 (maybe wishful thinking). I told my wife - we're on vacation and I'm not in a hurry so I could always be found in the right lane.
I see that the rig is longer than most class A's without a tag axle - my wife wants to stay at 36 ft but she won't drive it anyway so that is not much of a concern. Do you think the extra 3 feet makes a difference vs. a 40 ft as far as turning radius, etc. It will probably be harder to find accommodations other than RV parks but wonder if the extra 3 makes a difference when you're that big anyway.
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Old 08-13-2020, 03:38 PM   #6
Chuck v
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The 'nominal' length of the T40C is 42 feet and 2 inches, but the ladder and other items on the rear of mine made it better to think of it as a bit longer... I have driven other rigs of about the same length and did not notice any appreciable difference. As with any vehicle of this size and weight, the operative phrase is PAY ATTENTION !!


The long wheelbase makes this coach very nice to drive on the highway, and the sophisticated air suspension and massive weight makes it less of a concern for side winds, passing diesel big rigs, etc. I usually drove it at 65 to 70 on the open road and know it would cruise even faster than that. When towing the car, I tried to stay below 65 -- but that dog want to run...


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Old 08-23-2020, 09:54 AM   #7
zippyphd
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Default Beware...

Quote:
Originally Posted by moikey View Post
Hi all, I currently own a 2014 Winnebago Class C (33' with a Ford V10) that we bought in 2017 for a 10 week vacation. I wanted a Class A but was worried about getting into national parks - which was the purpose of the trip. I will be retiring in spring of '21 and hoping to go full time for a few years to travel the country. It will only be the wife, myself and the dog for most of the Journey. The Winnebago is fine except (1) not a diesel (2) shower is cramped for me (6' 2"), fridge is small for full timing (4) want more space if I'm going to be full timing. There's a 2008 Tour Master on Craigslist that the owner listed as an M40C - he provided this link - https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/G...TourMaster.pdf but I don't find the M40C. It has 25k miles and looks to be in great shape from the pictures. I know about checking batteries, tires, roof, etc. but wanted to hear from other Tour Master owners - would you buy a Tour Master or Gulf Stream again? Is there anything about the 2008 year I should know about. I hear that GS doesn't make a Class A anymore - is that a concern as far as part for a 12 year old MH? Any other information you might be able to provide is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have a 2007 GS T40B. All in all, great rig. (3rd one for me, including a 32' gasses and a class B)
Worst thing, hydraulic slides. Parts are impossible to find. Fridge is marginal, and replacement difficult. Wish I had solar. Engine has been decent, but repair is expensive. Check out Gulfstream FB group for others experience. If your handy, great rig. If your paying $150+/hour for repairs, hope your wealthy.
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Old 08-23-2020, 11:49 AM   #8
RayChez1
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We used to belong to a Gulf Stream club and there were some TourMaster coaches. If I recall they all had Mercedes engines which were very good engines. Seemed to me talking with some of the owners that they were very happy with their coaches, but there was one that had a slide the full length of the coach and he was having problems with the slide starting to come out at the bottom about four inches while the top was still flush with the wall. Other then that never heard of other problems.

I have the Scenic Cruiser which was in 2002 Gulf Streams top of the line coach then. And it has been an excellent coach. But mine is a shorter coach. And it is very different from the TM as far as floor plan. But as far as quality the Gulf Stream top of the line coaches were second to none. Mine has the real Walnut cabinets not the cheap wood other coach lines have. Gulf Stream used to manufacture real good Class A coaches. They do not manufacture class A's anymore because of the economy crash when president Bush left office, but many other RV companies also closed their plants.

If that coach you are interested in good condition and well taken care off, I would not be afraid to purchase it, but like Chuck posted. It is a big coach and I am not sure whether it would fit your needs as to dry camping. Those are luxury coaches with long wheel base.

You got to remember that every company has different levels of coaches as far as quality items put into the manufacturing of a coach. That is what determines how much you are going to pay when new.
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Old 08-23-2020, 01:16 PM   #9
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Default T40a

We have a 2006 T40A. We have camped in several NP and had no trouble at all. We have the ISL400 Cummins engine have had no problems at all. We have put 25000 miles on it since we purchased it in 2012. We had the Norcold 1200 refrigerator and replaced it with a 18 cu. ft. Samsung residential. Best upgrade we ever did. We full timed in it up until last year when we purchased a mobile home in our park in TX . Very comfortable rig for full timing. I would highly recommend the Tourmaster no matter what model you choose. Mine is for sale right now. It has 42000 miles on it. $59000.
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Old 08-29-2020, 11:43 AM   #10
dougdhc
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Default 1999 Tourmaster 8405 40' 450 Cummins

I have had my coach for the last 6 years and Gulfstream has been great about parts and trouble shooting issues with coach. Miley in parts has been great if you have any concerns.
We got 6 miles to the gallon until I treated the engine and the Allison with a friction reducer I found on line called GO15. 7.1 miles to the gallon on the last 2500 mile trip.
Just remember the inverter works great as long as you have good batteries to go with it.

Douglas Hoelzle
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