1492
Virginia, USA
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Joined: 04/08/2005
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Just too expand a little on -Gramps-' post, at present, Rexhall only offers a gas pusher coach built on either the 24K or 26K UFO chassis. Their diesel option is actually built on the Workhorse R-series chassis w/CAT engine and full air system. In short, their are "no" diesel UFO options available. My understanding is that Workhorse is prototyping an International Maxxforce diesel UFO, but their engineers are still working out optimizing the engine/tranny combo so it's not currently an available option to manufacturers.
IMO, one likely reason Monaco dropped the UFO chassis was that it was too expensive to compete with their own Roadmaster RSR chassis. Given the opportunity to purchase a LaPalma/Vacationer built on a UFO GM8.1L gas chassis, or a Roadmaster RSR Cummins ISB diesel chassis at about the same price, which do you think dealers are going to stock?
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Dynasty40
Hangtown, Northern California
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Joined: 02/07/2008
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.....and if you get a UFO chassis..you have to wear those cool yellow glasses like in "Gramps" pic.....
Dennis and Debi
Monaco Dynasty Baron 40PFD
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Getup'ngo
Utah
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Joined: 02/18/2007
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For us quilters, it's an Un-Finished Object -- those projects that get so far ... and just languish.
Janice and Bandit the Wonder Dog (+ Kiwi too!)
2000 Holiday Rambler Vacationer, 2 slides
Toad green 2001 Honda CRV / Blue Ox towing system
Steer-Safe stabilizer and Bilsteins all around
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-Gramps-
Portsmouth VA
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Joined: 03/09/2005
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1492,
I keep forgetting that Rexhall builds on the R chassis. Their web site can be a bit confusing to a guy like me. Your thought about why Monaco dropped the UFO reminds me of something I noticed at the dealer where I purchased our coach. They had a 34ft Vacationer on the lot with an MSRP of 159,000. My 38ft coach has an MSRP of 153,000. The diesel still commmands a slightly higher price on the retail side, I wonder about the list though. I think Monaco makes more money with its own chassis and they may also be looking into the future and seeing the retirement of the Chevy Vortex engine in 2010. At that point you may only get the UFO in diesel and not Gas and the main difference between the Roadmaster and the UFO would be suspension and breaks, etc, not the fuel option. Just speculation.
___________________________________________
08 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 38PLT Workhorse UFO GAS Pusher Chassis
06 Saturn Vue toad, SMI Breaking sys,Blue Ox tow bar. Myspace site and blog
Gramps and family
Drive a UFO.com
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raydf_1
Miami FL
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Joined: 05/10/2008
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Another interesting item is that for 2009 Winnebago is making the diesel (on a Freightliner chassis) the standard drive train, while the UFO with gas is now an option. For 2008, it was the other way around. I guess that the market has spoken!
Ray
1492 wrote:...IMO, one likely reason Monaco dropped the UFO chassis was that it was too expensive to compete with their own Roadmaster RSR chassis. Given the opportunity to purchase a LaPalma/Vacationer built on a UFO GM8.1L gas chassis, or a Roadmaster RSR Cummins ISB diesel chassis at about the same price, which do you think dealers are going to stock?
Ray
2009 Fleetwood Pulse 24A
Miami FL
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1492
Virginia, USA
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Joined: 04/08/2005
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raydf_1 wrote:Another interesting item is that for 2009 Winnebago is making the diesel (on a Freightliner chassis) the standard drive train, while the UFO with gas is now an option. For 2008, it was the other way around. I guess that the market has spoken!
Ray
1492 wrote:...IMO, one likely reason Monaco dropped the UFO chassis was that it was too expensive to compete with their own Roadmaster RSR chassis. Given the opportunity to purchase a LaPalma/Vacationer built on a UFO GM8.1L gas chassis, or a Roadmaster RSR Cummins ISB diesel chassis at about the same price, which do you think dealers are going to stock?
IMO, also a similiar situation. A Winnebago Dealer posted on another forum that he only stocked the Freightliner version of the Destination, citing that at an additional ~$7,000. over the cost of a UFO, there wasn't enough of a difference to justify purchasing the UFO gas chassis version. The Freightliner version comes equipped with a Cummins ISB 6.7L diesel, an air system(n/a on UFO), and a 10K hitch receiver(5K on UFO). It was nothing against the UFO chassis itself. In fact, he does carry the Adventurer Limited UFO. 
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geezer34nh
New Hampshire
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Beside the diesel vrs gas pusher option, the rear suspension of this rig is unique. The coil springs, anti sway system, trailing arms and tracking system, should make one of the most stable platforms on the road.
Brad & Lucy aka the Geezer & The Hedgehog
1990 Foretravel 38' DP
Kitty Kat: Earl
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adondo
Pasco, Washington
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Joined: 07/28/2004
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When I very first saw the UFO ads, I thought they’d finally started installing military type multi-fuel engines. Those will run on anything from gasoline to kerosene to peanut oil.
But, noooOOOooo, it’s just a new marketing ploy for the chassis. You have to ‘’pick your poison’’ when you order a brand new coach as to whether a gas or diesel engine installed during the build.
Other than that, the rear engine coach would be nice with a gas engine for the same reasons a DP is nice… quiet riding up front, no dog house hump up front, no engine heat rising up under your feet, etc.
FMCA# F355513. 1997 Safari Continental, 40 foot, 1 slide. Cat 3126B, Allison MD3060. 2000 Durango SLT 4x4 toad with a Blue Ox Aventa II and stopped with a Brake Buddy.
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BigRabbitMan
Dixon, CA
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adondo wrote:Other than that, the rear engine coach would be nice with a gas engine for the same reasons a DP is nice… quiet riding up front, no dog house hump up front, no engine heat rising up under your feet, etc.
I will endorse that statement as it summarizes a lot of the reasons I like my existing coach. In my case, I can add independent rear suspension.
BigRabbitMan & DiamondGal
Dixon,CADiamond Gal's T-Tapp fitness site
76 FMC #1046, Gas Pusher W/Chrysler 440-I
Edelbrock MPI fuel injection, Allison 545
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Daveinet
il
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Nothing against the UFO, but one doesn't need a rear engine to have a coach that is quiet up front. If manufacturers would just wake up, use some intelligence and actually put some acoustical treatment/insulation up front, the coach will be perfectly quiet and cool. I can easily carry on a conversation from the front seat to the back without yelling while in route. And even so, I could make it better than it is for very little money. Think about a luxury car, they are quiet.
Yes, all puller manufacturers are just plain lazy and stupid. No reason it can't be dead quiet up front.
Dave
FMCA F298817
'83 Revcon Prince 31' FWD
502 w/Thorley's & Magnaflows,
Howell/Edelbrock MPFI, Koni FSD,
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