Hello fellow rv'ers. My husband and I are out shopping for our new toyhauler and have narrowed it down to two. We were planning to order a Thunderbolt XLR 35x14. Until we came across a very friendly store that has a keystone Fuzion 399 on hand. We are really loving some of the amenities in the XLR the most but having to wait 8 weeks is a small con. What we would really appreciate is anyone's advice on the tongue and groove flooring as opposed to the dynaspan flooring. Also anyone's opinion on the Fuzion compared with the XLR would be greatly appreciated.. Thank you
GENECOP said
08:10 PM Sep 26, 2013
Sun, can't really comment on one flooring VS another, but I can tell you to NOT base your decision on 8 weeks sooner or later, hopefully you will own and enjoy your Toy Hauler for many years 8 weeks is nothing considering the big picture, also consider the dealer, the place you purchase from will SIGNIFICANTLY influence your experience,,,,,,after sales support is key to getting things up and working correctly....most of these units have pretty durable comparable flooring....good luck, keep us posted.
sunflwrgirl said
08:21 PM Sep 26, 2013
Thank you Genecop. We do not want to base our purchase on the 8 weeks, but it honestly tugs at us a bit lol. At any rate our concern at this moment is more durability. We were set and excited to order the XLR from the dealership that has been somewhat of a pain. More so since their customer service is lacking a bit. But they are the closest place for us to order.... Then we happen to go next door to check out if they had a 14ft garage which is mandatory for us to put our Mini Cooper. They did, and with this they explained in depth why a Fuzion is a great way to go... Thus causing us to question our purchase. As I tell my husband, if both were sitting in front of me at this moment, I would want the XLR. But still, is that the most durable choice..
SnowGypsy said
07:05 PM Sep 27, 2013
Have you tried the Forest River owner forums? I know they have one and that Keystone should. I would become a member of both and post any concerns or questions that I have. Often times, someone will answer in a pm if they have had some real problems and avoid the main forum since people can become rather fierce when it comes to brand loyalty. It has been our experience that you want to buy from a superior dealer because almost all units have some issues that need to be addressed since quality control is often weak on units being shipped out. When you say that you came upon a "friendly store", is that an RV dealership?
Bobbi said
03:50 PM Sep 29, 2013
I'm sorry I don't have any specific advice on the flooring for either, but I thought I would throw some other things out there to consider.
Do both RVs have ample cargo capacity for the weight of the car?
Other random things to throw out there are:
I don't know for sure what Keystone's warranty is, but you can get a second-year warranty on a FR product for (I think) $150. You have to buy it soon after your purchase.
Just in case it may matter to you at some point......They both use fiberglass insulation, and I *believe* they both use astro-foil insulation in conjunction with the fiberglass. Keystone's was R-31 in the roof and floor with the Blizzard Package. FR's numbers were R-38, I believe. Anyhow, you'll want to double check those numbers ...it's been a while since I looked.
Keystone's Fuzion Chrome line, or at least the floor plans that we saw at the recent RV show, were very impressive to say the least. Really had a "Wow!" factor! I remember the one had a dining area that totally reminded me of pub seating. Very cool! :>)
The only thing we really don't like about Keystone's lines is the fact that they are still using those small corner showers. My fiance is 6'2" at about 200 lbs. and they are just not big enough for someone of that size to shower comfortably. FR's XLR line isn't much better, but there are two floor plans that offer a tub instead of a shower. They are the 380 and 415 AMP.
I would browse, or preferably join, those brand-specific forums and use the search feature to dig up posts on these to see if any common problems show up over and over.
Since you will have a car on board, are both brands using adequate size frames? What about the axles?
-- Edited by Bobbi on Monday 30th of September 2013 10:50:41 AM
jayc said
01:30 PM Oct 2, 2013
I would suggest coming over to the Heartland Owners forum to check out the Cyclone and Road Warrior models of toyhaulers. There you will find many other owners of these models that can give you good advice and helpful hints.
I'm sorry I don't have any specific advice on the flooring for either, but I thought I would throw some other things out there to consider.
Do both RVs have ample cargo capacity for the weight of the car?
Other random things to throw out there are:
I don't know for sure what Keystone's warranty is, but you can get a second-year warranty on a FR product for (I think) $150. You have to buy it soon after your purchase.
Just in case it may matter to you at some point......They both use fiberglass insulation, and I *believe* they both use astro-foil insulation in conjunction with the fiberglass. Keystone's was R-31 in the roof and floor with the Blizzard Package. FR's numbers were R-38, I believe. Anyhow, you'll want to double check those numbers ...it's been a while since I looked.
Keystone's Fuzion Chrome line, or at least the floor plans that we saw at the recent RV show, were very impressive to say the least. Really had a "Wow!" factor! I remember the one had a dining area that totally reminded me of pub seating. Very cool! :>)
The only thing we really don't like about Keystone's lines is the fact that they are still using those small corner showers. My fiance is 6'2" at about 200 lbs. and they are just not big enough for someone of that size to shower comfortably. FR's XLR line isn't much better, but there are two floor plans that offer a tub instead of a shower. They are the 380 and 415 AMP.
I would browse, or preferably join, those brand-specific forums and use the search feature to dig up posts on these to see if any common problems show up over and over.
Since you will have a car on board, are both brands using adequate size frames? What about the axles?
-- Edited by Bobbi on Monday 30th of September 2013 10:50:41 AM
I would suggest coming over to the Heartland Owners forum to check out the Cyclone and Road Warrior models of toyhaulers. There you will find many other owners of these models that can give you good advice and helpful hints.