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Old 03-03-2016, 01:12 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 35C
State: South Dakota
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Looking at Hurricane 35C

My wife and I have been looking for over a year for a new(er) Class A gasser to replace our 1998 Itasca Sunflyer. We have looked at lots of different models and brands, been to lots of RV shows, talked to lots of dealers and have come away with a general floor plan that we like and a list of must haves. We recently looked at a 2016 Hurricane 35C that meets all of the requirements on our list.

With that said, we wanted to see if there were any owners out there who would recommend it and if there are any tips to owning one, as well as any owners who have some negative experiences to share. Typically we always see the negatives online and far fewer positive stories, but figured the one way to know is to ask.

So... let us hear from you. What about the build quality? Any improvements over the 2015's or 2014's? Any gotchas to have checked right away? Any aftermarket mods that you have done?

Thanks in advance!

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Old 03-03-2016, 01:40 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jpmihalk
Typically we always see the negatives online and far fewer positive stories
That is the nature of the internet. Happy people don't seek out forums to post their happy experiences. On the other hand when you are having issues you search around for solutions and to commiserate with others in a similar situation.

In general RVs as a whole are rarely 100% perfect; the trick is to find a dealer that you can work with and will go to bat on your behalf (although many people on here have had very good interactions with Thor--there are those that haven't though).
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Old 03-03-2016, 02:30 AM   #3
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I do not have a Hurricane but I did look at the floor plan you mention.

First, the coach does not include the full wall slide so that should not be an issue on the 35C. That is a good thing.

I notice it is a bath and a half. I also see on the specs what I believe are three waste tanks. You will want to verify how the tanks are plumbed. You will want to know if it 2 gray tanks and one black or if the rear bathroom fixtures (toilet and sink) are plumbed into a combination tank.

Also, if you decide to pull the trigger, verify with the dealer that the step recall, if applicable, has been applied prior to delivery. Also, if the coach has Harris batteries, tell the dealer to change them or no deal. Harris does not honor their warranty for faulty batteries.

I do not know where you are located in Virginia but if you are in NOVA, there are 2 Thor dealers. One is in Thorburg and the other in Manassas. The one in Manassas has the Hurricanes while the one in Thornburg sells the Windsport. They are the same coach with the same floor plans. The difference in the coaches are colors and the front and rear exterior design (headlights etc...). If that is your location check out the dealers' service departments on rvservice.com and then decide if you want Hurricane or Windsport.

I for one am extremely happy with my Thor motor coach and with Thor's customer service. In fact the warranty on my coach expired one month ago and today Thor emailed me some technical drawings of my coach three hours after I submitted the online request. My coach did have a slide issue during our shakedown cruise last year but Thor reimbursed me for a mobile tech to come out and complete the repair. My coach is now in the shop for its first and only warranty visit.
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Old 03-03-2016, 03:55 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jpmihalk View Post
My wife and I have been looking for over a year for a new(er) Class A gasser to replace our 1998 Itasca Sunflyer. We have looked at lots of different models and brands, been to lots of RV shows, talked to lots of dealers and have come away with a general floor plan that we like and a list of must haves. We recently looked at a 2016 Hurricane 35C that meets all of the requirements on our list.

With that said, we wanted to see if there were any owners out there who would recommend it and if there are any tips to owning one, as well as any owners who have some negative experiences to share. Typically we always see the negatives online and far fewer positive stories, but figured the one way to know is to ask.

So... let us hear from you. What about the build quality? Any improvements over the 2015's or 2014's? Any gotchas to have checked right away? Any aftermarket mods that you have done?

Thanks in advance!

We bought a 2015 Hurricane 27k last August. We have had our share of problems but after the issues are taken care of we will be very happy. The biggest problem is the dealer and not Thor. That said, I understand Thor had a rush of orders as the economy improved and had some quality related problems. All of my complaints so far have been minor and when I had the need to contact Thor customer service they were fantastic to work with.

Some of my problems were due to poor training by the dealer. For instance, we got the front bed stuck when we only partially lowered the bed based on instructions by the dealer. Guess what? Thor recommends fully raising and lowering the bed each time, just like the slides and the Lippert manual gives detailed instructions how to reset the lifting mechanism.

We had trouble with the Harris house batteries that created many frustrations with the leveling system and slides, but again, that was the dealer. They ruined the stock batteries by not keeping them charged. I replaced them with a set of Interstates and have not had trouble with either system since.

I also didn't like the way it handled so I invested in suspension upgrades but any coach on the F53 chassis will have similar issues. After 6 months ownership, I would have no problem buying another Hurricane, although I would maybe go a little longer so I could have a sofa or recliner!

I think you will do fine with a new Hurricane. You already have a coach so you know what to expect since you are not new to Motor homes as I was.
We regularly tow our jeep wrangler and our Sea Ray 220SD over 600 miles last year without trouble

Hope this helps (and yes I would do it again), good luck and safe travels.
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Old 03-04-2016, 06:03 PM   #5
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Thanks for the input so far! There are some great pieces of advice there that we have added to our list. For the record, we live in Virginia Beach but we will look anywhere in the lower 48 for the right motorhome. I am familiar with the previously mentioned dealers in Thornburg and Manassas, as well as a couple in Ashland and some others we have been to in VA.
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Old 03-13-2016, 08:08 PM   #6
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Update - after some research and discussion, we decided to go forward on a 2016 Hurricane 35C. We did the paperwork yesterday and are waiting to hear about financing and approvals.
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Old 03-13-2016, 11:28 PM   #7
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Welcome to the Thor family jpmihalk. You'll be back because that is just how it works. ENJOY
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Old 03-14-2016, 11:54 AM   #8
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I concur with Brucev about poor training at the dealership. It's an area that needs to be improved between the manufacturer and dealerships.

I have a 2016 Windsport 35c and experienced the same issue as Bruce with the bed. I did not receive a Lippert manual and wondering how to go about that.
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Old 03-14-2016, 12:47 PM   #9
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I concur with Brucev about poor training at the dealership. It's an area that needs to be improved between the manufacturer and dealerships.

I have a 2016 Windsport 35c and experienced the same issue as Bruce with the bed. I did not receive a Lippert manual and wondering how to go about that.
Not sure any of us received a "manual" for the slides or overhead bunk. You can however go to Lippert's web site and download some of what you may be looking for. Go to the following link and then click on Customer Service.

Lippert Components the leading OEM and Aftermarket RV Parts and Accessory Supplier
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Old 03-14-2016, 01:19 PM   #10
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Not sure any of us received a "manual" for the slides or overhead bunk. You can however go to Lippert's web site and download some of what you may be looking for. Go to the following link and then click on Customer Service.

Lippert Components the leading OEM and Aftermarket RV Parts and Accessory Supplier
Thanks for that link!

I also checked into the recalls for this particular unit. Since the 35C only has a single motorized step, it looks like the step recall may not apply. I also asked the dealer about the batteries that came with it, since they are probably at least a year old by now. They said they will replace them.
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Old 03-14-2016, 02:04 PM   #11
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Thanks for that link!

I also checked into the recalls for this particular unit. Since the 35C only has a single motorized step, it looks like the step recall may not apply. I also asked the dealer about the batteries that came with it, since they are probably at least a year old by now. They said they will replace them.
Have the dealer replace the batteries with something other than Harris. Harris has a history of not honoring their warranty and blaming the coach builder for their own defective product.
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Old 03-14-2016, 03:53 PM   #12
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I ended up contacting Thor service and they forwarded me the manual directly. Thanks.
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:27 PM   #13
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We are approved! We will be picking our new 35C up on April 7th.


We are looking forward to being a regular part of the crew here and sharing our experiences.
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:57 PM   #14
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We are approved! We will be picking our new 35C up on April 7th.


We are looking forward to being a regular part of the crew here and sharing our experiences.
Congrats.
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Old 03-15-2016, 06:13 PM   #15
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We are approved! We will be picking our new 35C up on April 7th.


We are looking forward to being a regular part of the crew here and sharing our experiences.
Congratulations! That is awesome. You will find wealth of information here. I know I have. Safe and happy travels!
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Old 03-16-2016, 12:01 AM   #16
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Congrats on the Hurricane! We have a 2015 34e, which is a bath and a half. Our half bath is plumbed so the toilet and sink empty into the mid black tank. This is good, as I often use that bathroom sink to help flush the tank. Good luck and have fun.....
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Old 03-16-2016, 03:12 PM   #17
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I do have what is probably an odd question... does anyone know where to get additional or replacement hanging wire baskets for the pantry? The 2016 35C has a pull out pantry with hanging white coated wire baskets and we are looking to add to them (I think it only has 4.)
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Old 04-03-2016, 05:56 PM   #18
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In regard to additional baskets, I ordered mine from Thor directly. Contact their service department at 1-877-855-2867. They will send them right out.
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Old 04-03-2016, 08:04 PM   #19
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I have a Hurricane 34E bath & half and on mine the front half bath has one combined holding tank grey/black and the rear full bath has a separate grey
and black tanks.


Only problem I have with the front half bath is the down pipe in the toilet has
a sharp bend and collects toilet paper/crap and you need to stick a old broom
handle down there and move it around so it will go down before you dump.


Other than that I've needed to add a Safety Plus steering stabilizer to the front and am now looking at replacing the front shock with something better (8K miles on rig).
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Old 04-05-2016, 01:15 AM   #20
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I have a Hurricane 34E bath & half and on mine the front half bath has one combined holding tank grey/black and the rear full bath has a separate grey
and black tanks.


Only problem I have with the front half bath is the down pipe in the toilet has
a sharp bend and collects toilet paper/crap and you need to stick a old broom
handle down there and move it around so it will go down before you dump.


Other than that I've needed to add a Safety Plus steering stabilizer to the front and am now looking at replacing the front shock with something better (8K miles on rig).

Where do you keep that broom handle?
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