Entegra Esteem 29V: 5 Things We Love & 5 Things We Don't
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 พ.ย. 2024
- We're Joel and Emma, living tiny in our former school bus with our two pups. Follow along as we make this home on wheels a perfect Cozy Living Machine!
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Joel, great review, thank you for being so open with your opinion and experience up i have had with your motorhome.
My pleasure!
We have a 2020 29V that looks the same as this, and happy to report that we have not had any major problems with it at all. In fact everything that has ever gone wrong is by my own doing to be fair. Have almost 10,000 miles on it now, and other than fixing a rattle in the door and a few other minor DIY projects, have to say we probably lucked out. However, with this being a 2020, we got it in Nov 2019 just when Covid was kicking off. Since Covid, we all know that labour has been in short supply, and from what I've heard, the quality has tanked after 2020 in the RV industry. This one is a 2022 and frankly I am very surprised with the problems that have shown up on his rig. I suspect that the issue lies with assembly knowledge of the people they have putting these together now. It looks like all the parts are the same as mine, so it must be an shoddy assembly issue. Have not had issues with the structure on my 29V, all the seals and joints do not move and are not cracked or damaged. I guess its a case of your milage may vary....
Dang Joel that was an outstanding review, Matt better watch out for his job ! 😂 As a new RV owner as you know it’s videos like this that are extremely helpful. I know now that I need to double check all the plumbing fittings and watch out for slide leaks. It’s just a shame that we as consumers have to be troubled with such lack of quality and craftsmanship. Good job Joel ! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks!! I will say, I didn't take my fat ass up on the roof to show you what the roof has to offer! 🤣🤣 I'm glad they're helpful. I hope you heard my little 29V vs 30Z comparison in yesterday's live stream... You have me a bit envious! But some things like the plumbing fittings are universal! From a $10K RV to a $2.9M RV, it all loosens up and needs attention at some point!
@@CozyLivingMachine 😂😂😂😂 oh yes I did 👍👍👍👍👍 5k subscribers 🎊💥🍾🍕🥩🥳👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
@@georges4562 You noticed too!! We hit 5K late last night I believe, kind of nuts! That's a lot of people who like to hear my ridiculous reviews & rants!! 🤣🚐🥩🍕🍔🇺🇸🐶🎉🥳😎
@@CozyLivingMachine I know I do 👍👍👍👍
No "review" by any RV salesman is going to be remotely truthful. BIG market for someone truly unbiased that will call out the real flaws
Thank you for your review. We have pulled 5th wheels for years and have some awesome trailers and some junk. We are now in the market for a class C and are doing our research. Your review helped us with our open minds
Scratch Entegra Esteem out, sorry for your troubles, but thanks for your honesty. This make and model was on my short list, but no longer.
Thanks for the great review. You are living and thinking through some of the same experiences that we had when buying our new Jayco Greyhawk in 31fs in 2015. Unfortunately, just like with new house construction, rv's can gain amenities, but can have quality reduced over time even with price increases.
I learned early on why so many older experienced RV'ers that didn't want an A class, went with the Jayco Redhawks. It's much about weight. Auto leveling, porcelain toilets, 2 air conditioners, all these amenities reduce cargo capacity.
Going to any A class is a great idea if it works for you.
I kept my Jayco in driveway which is a must for me. So convenient for loading, maintenance, cleaning, etc. But i can't support an A and keep it level enough.
So will again buy the best C class on the market which is Jayco / Integra.
Also thanks so much for the tip on full body paint. I always regretted not getting that on my 2015. And now I will definitely reconsider and likely get standard gelcoat.
Excellent video. We own a 2021 Esteem 29V (paid $93900) also and have had it a little over 2 years and love it. We do not have full body paint. We feel lucky that for our first RV, purchased that we selected this unit. I think it is the best floor plan available for a Class C. I agree with you about how useable it is with the slides in and that has been a factor when we have looked at possibly upgrading to a Class A (so many Class A's are not as useable as this unit with the slides in). The CCC (ours is rated at 1450) is the biggest negative. We didn't really know/understand about the CCC when we purchased. However, we have had our RV weighed, while out on a trip/loaded, and we were within 200 lbs of the max. Thanks again.
Thanks! I am definitely jealous of that price, definitely a much better value at $30k less than we paid! I am also a little surprised to read that CCC, 200 pounds more than ours for whatever reason!
Our 2019 cabinet doors are fully made of wood including center piece, but, like yours the cabinet boxes themselves are composite along with panels around the RV. Some small corners (under fridge) starting to swell slightly but lucky and so far still looks pretty much perfect.
We also have stress cracking between cab and bunk and for us it’s only on the passenger side. seems like sealant should prevent this from becoming a problem and doesn’t seem to spread any further or degrade worse over time.
Ours says 1358 lbs of carrying capacity and I removed the heavy seatbelts from under the dinette so we should be around 1400lbs. Looks like when my batteries and panels arrive we will be a bit overweight with full tank of water 😬.
That's great! I'm sure there's a way to properly repair the swelling but I've yet to find the proper method. I'll have to share that with folks that do have the cabinetry like this, because if it's easy enough to repair, that could be a huge money saver, especially on resale!
Strange that you're also having trouble with the stress cracking! Ours had been getting worse but seems to have stabilized since adding silicone though we've noticed a spider making its way out of there when we resealed one day - I don't care much for that!
Funny that you have a little more CCC! I'm sure you'll be just a bit overweight, but with a suspension upgrade (if needed) hopefully you don't notice any ride quality issues at all! We always try to have a full tank, so that's something that could work against us a bit but wouldn't change! 😂
@@CozyLivingMachine would love to know how to fix that stuff. Looks terrible once swollen.
Luckily Crack is not big enough for much to enter right now but definitely will be resealing it like you did to prevent it from opening up more and to prevent water intrusion. Will test the ride after installing solar and let you know! Panels and charge controllers ordered this morning(2000w) hopefully it all works out 🤞.
@@hawksleym1 Please let me know how that turns out!!
The odyssey was one of the few units that met most of my wants list. I have been concerned with quality of newer units since I plan on full time living so thanks for this info
Thank you for the great review. I have a 26ft Jayco Grayhawk for the last 23 years Love my rig but age is catching up and i have a issue with a wall that is delaminating If I could fix it I would but no option so I have checked out the 29v. I agree that in some parts quality does not seem to be there. It looks beautiful but will it stand the test of time and actual usage. I love camping off the grid and I am so concerned that it will not be a good choice in the long haul I dont have a usge budget and what i buy i want to last for me. Thanks again gives me good food for thought.
Same wood issues with GD cabinets. The plastic elbow on back of hot water heater cracked sprayed steam and delaminated all the dresser drawers around it.
That's just unacceptable! I want to say that we need to demand higher quality from the mfrs, but at the same time, we need to be educated about what these components actually are! I would never have known (or cared) if it didn't happen to me. And it's not IF something happens, but WHEN, because we can't predict things like this, even with perfect maintenance. We can just hope for quality materials that can withstand some of the elements being thrown at it - especially considering these are CAMPING vehicles...
Another great review!
And I’m seriously on the edge waiting for you guys to get your new rig lol
I do agree they should find a way to give you more CCC with these larger units. The 30z says around 1500 and I’m pretty sure I can swing that if I travel with dry tanks.
The outside cracks up front make me wonder if the front is almost too stiff. Or if it would be better if you did stiffen up the rear - less body roll.
But I have lots of ideas and things to consider thanks to your vids!
Thanks! You and us both!! I would think 2k pounds CCC would be ideal for the majority of us. Dry tanks will absolutely make a huge difference, that can be 350+ pounds right there! And I can't say. The ride is pretty soft as it is, but it could be related to the fact that the rear is different in stiffness because of the overhang and such, which creates kind of a wave when things get to bumping down the road and that could be a huge contributing factor for us. I'm inclined to believe that having a stiffer suspension would be the key, though I suppose that's why airbags are a thing! Take the blow and feel things firm all around. I think airbags or Liquid Springs would be amazing on these rigs. Btw, I know these 30Zs can be kind of difficult to find on a lot, but fingers crossed you don't have to wait long once you pull the trigger!!
@@CozyLivingMachine totally agree 2k CCC sounds pretty perfect. I think I’m going to look into Liquid Springs for the suspension.
I also agree finding a 30z on a lot will be difficult. Especially since I want the sofa and not the theater seating. So I feel like Im going to end up ordering one. But first I need to take the 2 week trip and make sure I know exactly what I’m getting into. Well most of it anyway lol
@@heatherb3886 It's absolutely worth taking the tour!! It's just so much fun. Some people like going to the movies, others like going to the bar, I like going to RV plants and taking their tours. 🤣🤣
@@CozyLivingMachine I’ve actually been thinking about it. They do look fun tbh. But hey. Everybody likes different stuff 😊
Great info!
Great information.
I'm glad it was helpful!!
So its probably fair to say that you have a " Love -- Hate " relationship with the Esteem 29V. LOL Its a good RV overall, and even though I'm excited to see you guys getting a new RV, the frugal minimalist in me says... NOOOOOOoooooooo LOL
At this point it's been a pretty disappointing relationship for sure. Looks great on the surface, but we just don't have a lot in common. 😂 I'm sure it'll make a great RV for someone, but we're definitely getting a lot more value out of the upgrade for how we live!
The 29MV was #1 on my list until I learned of the cap issues Jayco has as well as some of your other concerns. It puts me in a tough spot because most class C's (IMO) are just glorified fleet rental units and I could never full time in something so cheap looking/feeling. If fleetwood still made the jamboree with their current interior designers they would have the market cornered.
EXACTLY. It's a shame that they quit producing that unit, though I was reading that it had to do with not wanting to cheapen their lineup by using lower quality materials in order to keep giving folks cargo carrying capacity (all speculation, of course). It makes sense that they're only on class As now. The trouble is that they look so much more intimidating whereas I think the class Cs look more approachable to the average Joe looking at motorhomes for the first time or as an upgrade from a trailer. That was definitely the case for us. Oh well, I think the marketing teams can pivot a bit and make these rigs more approachable and educate the consumer as to the benefits one way or the other!
@@CozyLivingMachine Thing is cargo capacity can be improved if they use the F550 chassis with the 7.3L. Everyone will buy that. Currently its F350/450 van chassis or jump 100K in price for a F550/600 diesel that is riddled with DEF issues and higher costs. The F550 7.3 cutaway is right on the Ford fleet website and nobody is using them for RV's. Dodge and Chevy have them as well.
We have a 2020 29V with partial body paint. Even that has some chipping on the edges here and there. Also hate the dinette and those silly button style Velcro tabs that do not remotely hold the back cushions in place. We are not full timers and keep it inside when not using so I suppose that is helping keep it looking decent. Love the simplicity though. Not much on this coach that I can’t fix myself. Oil change are a breeze and I winterize using compressed air, which is really easy and just poor some pink stuff down the drains. We did not get the aluminum rims and the wheel covers really cheapen the look. Might have some Alcoas in our future. I have not had any issues with leaks or the cracks in the front cap. I do have rust pitting on the faucets, bathroom sink and even the microwave, which is really frustrating. Overall though, it is plenty roomy and meets our needs without breaking the bank.
With our 29V, we haven’t had any issues with the slides, but I like to be prepared. I figured you have already researched all this, but do you know where the controllers are for each of the 2 slides and is there a way to operate them manually? You have never mentioned it, but I assume you have had good performance with the slides (aside from the leak on the bedroom slide of course!!!)?
I believe that the controller is under the slide and the motors are behind the fascia around the slides if I'm not mistaken! Never an issue with the operation of the slides, thankfully!!
I'm surprised to learn about the shortcuts taken for paint and the cracking on the overhang. Very concerning. Also the fake wood with stickers is awful on a $124000 RV.
Absolutely! Imagine our frustration as well... I'd consider Emma and myself rather forgiving folks, but this has just been a bit too overwhelming, so we were lucky to strike while the iron was hot and our trade in value still existed. Very lucky there.
Arg! the waiting on the new motorhome is stressing me out! It really sounds like it is going to be a night and day change. The paint issue is nuts! Why is it necessary to give large motorhome such elaborate paint jobs? It does seem like the price paid was a bargain considering its equivalent to the cost of a van RV. You do get a lot for your money but it would be nice if they included a list of all the cost cutting measures taken to get to that price. It would be fun if you had a "Joels List of Corners Cut" where you made a comprehensive digital check list and then announced "cheap fake cabinet wood, check!" (possibly with a ding on regular and a gong on way stupid stuff}. How many items of cost cutting cheapness could you come up with at this point with your extensive RV reviews, repairs and daily living?
Hahaha I completely understand that stress! But only a few more days!! I'm with you, I think that the value proposition compared to a B van is definitely much greater. More room, more features, but the quality of cabinetry and components of the vans is there and certainly not here! I love that idea of cut corners being a list to share during reviews!! I've already done a ton of reviews that are pending release, but when I start shooting them again I'll try to remember that! Thank you for that idea especially!! I try not to copy any other TH-camr and that's something that I haven't seen!
We have a 2018 Jayco 29mV. We also have the full body paint and have just a few minor blemishes. After viewing your video I check the area where you indicated cracking, I didn’t find any 😊. I agree with your assessment on load capacity, way to light needs another five hundred pounds for sure. I feel that our rig might be an exception to some of the issues other owners are dealing with
We also like the backsplash!! And we’re overweight AND have some empty cabinets!!
I'm not surprised at your paint issues. We were considering a Jayco SuperC, and when we went to see it in person noticed the poor quality of the paint job. You could actually feel the color transitions. You're not supposed to be able to "feel" the color transition. I'm not impressed with the Jayco products.
Hopefully you'll have better luck with Fleetwood.
Oh yeah, that's something we can feel as well, definitely transitions between the paints. I'm so frustrated by that! I understand that it's quite an investment to do the paint right, but we are paying for a $10k upgrade here... Meh. Definitely not impressed either! And fingers crossed, I know REV Group has their own in house paint facility, so I have high hopes!!
@@CozyLivingMachine the REV group paint jobs I've seen have been great.
What about the cabinet face frames on the Voyager, are they wood, or vinyl covered composite?
@@RamblinRoadies Same here, so fingers crossed! And if it all sucks, I'll be the first to share it! I have been told (it's hard to confirm without getting under whatever coverings or paint) that it's all actual plywood and regular wood composition. Time will tell though!!
Great video, subscribed and liked. Good luck. I have ideas to modify the design for the latest. If you wish, please communicate
It's a Ford, paint quality was never their best thing.
Hahaha I have to give them credit, their white paint has held up beautifully under the crap that was sprayed over it. My old 2000 Ford Taurus, however... The same cannot be said. 😂 That thing looked like a rolling cow with all the dark spots on it!
Your “Pros” are pretty weak and the “Cons” are big problems. Looks like a pretty low quality brand and RV. The CCC is a joke!
Can you really run both ac's at the same time ?
You sure can! If you run the microwave or something else requiring more than 30A of 120V it will automatically shut off the rear unit temporarily and then resume operation once the load is terminated. It's very smart!