Coachmen Futura Campers

[hfamtbp]

Good morning, all.  My first post here at PUP Times was about the new Futura line and now my second post regards them as well.  Can anyone confirm or deny that there is a 10 foot model with 2 queen bunks, toilet/shower combo, outside shower, no slide and no front trunk?  If there is, it sounds almost exactly what I've been looking for and I'd love to see one.  problem is that none of the dealers I've talked to can give me any information whatsoever.  That has me a little worried since it would seem that since Coachmen has put a lot of money into this venture that information would be more readily available.  Please understand, I'm not discounting the curve they got thrown when the judge ruled against them using the Coleman name and many things had to be changed but it feels as if this new line has essentially gone away.  Any info would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks so much and take care.

[tlhdoc]

I am surprised that there isn't information out there as well.

[hfamtbp]

RVTRADERONLINE has a couple of listings for the new Coachmens from an RV dealer in Pennsylvania.  One is the Grand Pointe with the front storage trunk and the other is the Tupelo without the trunk.  Both are 12 foot, but no pics.  Last week I called the dealer and spoke with one of the salesmen who said he'd send me a copy of the floorplans that are available.  Haven't received the info yet, obviously, but it made me wonder if I could reach Coachmen directly.  Being like a dog that won't let go of a bone I called the Coachmen number on the Clipper website and was directed to another number.  I call it and was directed to a gentleman in the sales division.  He and I talked for several minutes and he stated he'd send me a copy of the brochure.  By now I'm feeling pretty good.  Then I tell him I'm looking for a 12 foot box, no slide or front storage, toilet and shower.  He tells me there's no 12 foot but there is a 10 foot.  So now I'm stoked.  Heck, the extra 2 feet would be nice but it'd be a lot easier on my TV to not have them.  So, I call the dealer in PA again to see what price they have on this model.  The dealer responds that he wasn't aware of the 10 foot having a shower.  Toilet, yes, shower, he wasn't sure.  This has left me a bit frustrated.  Folks who own Viking and Coachmen products seem to like them.  I like what they've done with the new line.  Ergo, I'm interested in the Futura line but it seems like hen's teeth, you hear of them but never see them.

[Used 2B PopUPTimes]

Our February issue will have the Futura article that we pulled last December. It'll include photos and floor plans

[jawilson]

They look very similar to the previous Fleetwood versions. And they're built in a similar manner as well, which leads me to believe that Coachmen must have gotten the blueprints from Coleman and just did a lot of copying (Sunbrella, those nasty looking thermofoiled cabinet doors, a non-integrated front storage compartment, aluminum framed dinette seats, etc). There's a few innovative things, like the rear mini-garage, but nothing earth shattering.

FYI... the Ocala and Grand Lodge (stupid names, I know) come closest to what you want. Both are a 10' box. The Ocala has dual queens, but no front storage. The Grand Pointe only has a king and a double, but it does have the front storage. Both can be optioned out with a cassette toilet. The Tupelo has a king and a queen, with front storage, but no toilet.

[tlhdoc]

Is there a website where we can see the floor plans?

[hfamtbp]

JA, thanks so much for the info.  Regardless of anything else I'm really looking forward to these new pups.  The 05 Fleetwoods were such a huge disappointment.  The Victory could have been great, but....

Dave, can't wait for the new issue, but not just because of the Futura article.  Love the magazine and consider the subscription one of the best investments I've made.

thldoc, I asked the salesman I spoke with at Coachmen about a website and he told me they're still working on it.  He also said that while there are 8 floorplans available now, 2 more are in the works.

Thanks again for the responses and take care.

[tlhdoc]

Thanks for the information.

[Popups4Rent]

I understand your interest in a new line of campers, but have you looked at the 2004 Fleetwood Pecos? It is everything you describe, but an 11' box. Only made the one year. I have one that is a rental unit. It is holding up well all things considered. I am considering searching for 2 more.

[jawilson]

Is there a website where we can see the floor plans?

Not yet, and I can't get a straight answer about when one will be up and running.

[ColemanDude]

Here's similar floorplans to the new Coachman Futura line, as of the December show in KY.

Luna: 8', similar to Viking 1906
Pocono SS: 8' with slide, similar to Viking 1906
Ocala: 10', similar to Fleetwood Santa Fe/Colonial
Grand Lodge SS: 10', similar to Fleetwood Cheyenne/Resolute
Tupelo: 12', similar to Fleetwood Tacoma/Allegiance
Grand Point SS: 12', similar to Fleetwood Mesa/Valor
Grand Resort SS: 12', similar to Fleetwood Utah
Grand Haven SS: 12', similar to Fleetwood 04 Bayside

I guess if you're going to copy someone, copy the leader in PUs.  The innovative SuperSlide looks pretty cool, but also expensive.  Their version of the swing level galley needs some work on the swinging level part.  The rear storage extension, where the spare tire is hidden, looks neat too, but I'm not sure what else you should put back there.

[hfamtbp]

Popups4Rent, DW and I took a long hard look at the Pecos and, believe me, we almost bought it.  The price was definitely right but, luckily, we left the dealership to think about it before we made a snap decision.  On the surface the Pecos has pretty much everything we need, i.e. shower/toilet, furnace, 2 queen beds.  However, while it is not a necessity, we would like to get something with an outside shower as well.  Dealer said they could add one but admitted they were reluctant to do it.  We also prefer the crank down stabilizers as opposed to the stab version.  Again, dealer stated he could replace them with crank down but it would be a few hundred bucks for parts and labor.  We weren't especially keen on the cassette removal of the toilet, either.  While not a deal breaker we would prefer outside access instead of having to reach into the pup itself to release it (I know, I'm splitting hairs, but, hey, if I'm spending several thousand dollars I want my camper to be as close to what I want as I can get).  Finally, I shy away from the angled front and rear walls that you see on the majority of pups because I feel that it causes loss of storage space.  Fleetwood higher-ends and the new Futuras have straight walls so that's why they are the ones most considered.  So, while the basic idea of the Pecos was good it had too many shortcomings that I wasn't willing to settle for.  We also looked at the Fleetwood Victory but that one has been pretty well decided against because I'd rather have 2 queens instead of 1 king and 1 double and the cassette removal of the toilet is simply hideous.  I can only assume that the engineer who designed that method was the same person who tanked the 05 Bayside floorplan.  So, as of this moment the lead runner in the pack is an 04 leftover Westlake.  2 kings, outside toilet cassette access, outside shower, etc.  My only issue with it is the front storage trunk, which with a 12 foot box we could live without, but that's really my only complaint.  The price is decent and it's got the little extras like stepper door and waist-level crank and swing-level galley.  So, we'll see what happens.  DW and I have been searching for about 3 years so we can wait a while longer if need be.

[Popups4Rent]

I was not concerened about the interior cassette removal until now. I was more concerned about the interior fresh water fill. I can imagine water from the hose going everywhere.

I have never actually used the facilities inside a camper except for during potty training (DD). I do not like the idea. I will probably use them on the new hybrid though.
 
I have used the outside shower on others, it is so very helpful.