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Dependability of an older Tiffin Phaeton

n4hwl
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2004 Phaeton. It is 40 ft long with 4 slides. I bought this motorhome when it 4 years old and had 30 k miles on it and it now has 93 k miles. It has a Cat C7 7.2 liter engine in it. I have changed the oil every 3k miles, I know too often, but I have. I have kept all maintenance items up to date over the years. I want know what you think about the dependability of continued use of my motorhome in the future. I usually drive about 10,000 miles a year. I have recently had some expensive breakdowns while on a 3 month trip out west, I'm from Tennessee, and am starting to wonder about getting a newer Tiffin . Below are some of the major repairs I have had over the years.

A new air conditioner compressor 9 years ago.
A new wet bay floor and a new driver slide floor about 6 years ago.
New converter/inverter about 5 years ago.
A new alternator about 4 years ago.
A new set of injectors and a new turbo about 3 years ago.
A new rear air conditioner about 2 years ago.
On the current trip I have had to get a new rear differential installed, expensive, and my water pump locked up 2 days after I picked it up from that repair.

I have replaced so much over the years that I don't know if I should consider the major items in good shape and continue driving it of be scared for the next big ticket item to go out and get a newer motorhome. I do plan to get with the Cat shop when I get home, I am in California now, and do a blow by test and get a better idea of the shape of the engine piston and cylinder walls. It seems to have good power but if it has excessive blow by I will be shopping for something else.

I just need your opinion about my options and future dependability of this Phaeton.

Thanks

Ken
2014 Tiffin Zephyr
4 REPLIES 4

Bill1374
Explorer
Explorer
I've had several anticipated repairs and a few that were not planned on. Inverter/converter died 2 weeks after I brought it home. Lost the alternator coming home from Florida last spring. Other fixes include a new cooling unit for the fridge, new water inlet valve, propane detector, expansion tank cracked, and 2 new tvs. I knew I would have some repairs and I'm really not far from what I thought the costs might be
KZ Montego Bay in Florida
Rockwood lite up north
2016 HD Street Glide, 12 Fatboy for cruisin

n4hwl
Explorer
Explorer
I just posted this last night. It's running along about the same. It just seems like I've had a lot of repair but I'm finding out a lot of people have had problems so maybe I'm not any more unlucky than everybody else
2014 Tiffin Zephyr

luvlabs
Explorer
Explorer
You've posted these questions on at least three different forums. Did you get any consensus of opinions or are they all over the place?
2017 Winnebago Navion 24V
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH (sold)
2012 Tiffin Allegro 32CA (traded)
2012 Honda Fit

Teacher_s_Pet
Explorer
Explorer
We have an '06 Phaeton with a C7 Cat, purchased new in Dec of '05

Your list compared to ours. 12 years full time and 127K miles.

"A new air conditioner compressor 9 years ago."----Ours original, We did have a Air Dryer installed this summer by Bay Diesel.

"A new wet bay floor and a new driver slide floor about 6 years ago." -- 2 wet bay floors in the 7 past years (1st wasn't the composite floor) and DS slide floor 4 years ago

"New converter/inverter about 5 years ago." ---Ours Original

"A new alternator about 4 years ago."---Ours Original

"A new set of injectors and a new turbo about 3 years ago." ---Ours Original

"A new rear air conditioner about 2 years ago." ---Ours Original, got new fan blades this summer, up front we're on AC #4

"On the current trip I have had to get a new rear differential installed, expensive," --- Ours Original

---"and my water pump locked up 2 days after I picked it up from that repair." ---Ours Original

We had our injector cups replaced in Dec '15 took 7 different times in the shop to find problem, including Freightliner in Gaffney (#4 on the list)

Lost fan belt March '16 only time "on the hook"

On windshield #4, latest was replaced in Red Bay as the other 3 were this past June.

Still driving it
'06 Phaeton 40' QSH
'14 Ford Flex SEL AWD Toad
'04 R-Vision Trail-Lite 213
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