Thor Forums

[jabrabu]

We just upsized from our 2017 Thor Chateau 23U to a 2018 Thor Chateau 31E. We are just a family of 3, so we didn’t really need anything bigger than the 23U, but we have 2 big dogs and wanted more interior space, and a more private bedroom. I also wanted leveling jacks and a power driver’s seat. Here is along post highlighting some of the pros and cons of the 2 floorplans.


The 23U was nicer to drive. The small size and short wheelbase made it maneuverable in towns. I could make U-turns on wider city streets and could almost always find a place to park by taking up a couple of spots at the end of a parking lot. It also had no problems going up steep hills. The extra size and weight of the 31E is noticeable. The turning radius is huge, so it can be a challenge to get into and out of some gas stations and other places. It also struggles a little more and downshifts more going up hills.


One thing we miss on the 23U is the Mega-storage compartment. We could put dog corrals, zero-gravity chairs, a screened room, a grill, fishing rods, large storage bins, etc. in that exterior storage compartment. The storage compartment on the 31E is much shallower/smaller, and it is a challenge to stow long or bulky items. We now have to stow some of these larger items inside the RV while we travel. The 31E has several smaller storage compartments, so overall storage volume is not bad, but they can’t accommodate the long or bulky items like the Mega-storage compartment can. The 31E has a lot more interior stowage, though, including dresser drawers and closet space, which the 23U didn't have.



The main advantages of the bigger 31E are obviously the extra living space and amenities. The large slide-out gives lots of space for us and our dogs. In the 23U we could not all sit comfortably and watch a movie. We would usually make the dinette into a bed and two of us would lie there while the third person would watch from the rear bed. The 31E has a sofa and dinette where you can see the TV, or we could all watch the TV in the bedroom while lying on the bed (after hooking up a DVD player to the bedroom TV). With just one child we didn’t need bunks, but it gives our son his own private space, which is nice. This will also enable us to bring along his cousins and/or grandparents. The bedroom can be closed off for privacy or if I want to go to bed earlier than the others. The corner bed in the 23U was a pain to make and difficult to get into and out of, so the walk-around bed in the 31E is nice, and the night stands are also nice to have.


It’s really nice to have the leveling jacks instead of leveling through trial and error by driving onto blocks. And the power driver’s seat really helps comfort on long drives, and also accommodates shorter drivers better.
I’m not a fan of the new frameless windows, though. I guess people like how they look, but I’d prefer to be able to slide a window open for more airflow through the coach. I’m also undecided about the tankless water heater – I guess it means that you won’t run out of hot water, but the water temperature seems to fluctuate more while taking a shower. The new stove with the 2 gas burners and induction cooktop is nice, but you have to use a lighter to light the gas burners. There is no spark ignition like the old 3-burner stoves, and it seems odd that it was designed like that. The new stove is much more solid, though, and doesn't rattle going down the road like the old one did.



The new 31E seems to be of better quality than the older unit. The 23U had lots of niggling little issues, and I usually had to fix something after every trip. We had problems with the entry door not sealing, water coming in when driving in the rain, countertop edges, wallpaper backsplash, mudflaps, drawer supports and latches, and some other small issues. I looked at a lot of RVs at shows and dealer lots, and we always liked the interior design and features of the Thors, but their quality was not as good as some of the other brands. I did notice that the Thor Quantums seemed to be better put together for some reason, and this new Chateau 31E seems very similar to those. The cabinets and drawers all close properly and the finish on them is nicer (although there were still the random bits of wire, screws, zip ties, etc. behind the drawers and cabinets). There are also fewer rattles going down the road. The salesman commented that they seem to be building them more slowly now and quality appears to be improving. The only problems I found at delivery were some expanding foam that had crumbled where some wires pass through one of the storage compartments, and some weatherstripping on the slide started sliding off. These were repaired at the dealership and there have been no other issues.