Community Forums

charliebebo · 03-30-2010, 06:35 PM

Just curious...How many Tradewinds owners? How well do you like. What would you change if you were the designer?

Theberrys · 03-30-2010, 07:44 PM

Charlie

We have a 1999 Tradewinds 7372 with the kitchen in the slide. We like the table on the pass side and the kitchen on the driver’s side. By having the kitchen in the slide we don't get the big hutch on the rear wall of the living room, so the biggest TV we can install is 24". With the big hutch by the booth VegasDan was able to fit a 32" TV in that spot and reclaim the center overhead compartment where the old TV was as storage. We like having two sofas and the front door.
We like the 300hp CAT and the Allison 6 speed, it gives plenty of power in a 36' coach and still I get between 9 & 10 MPG so it's a real nice match.
The things I like about the various models are mutually exclusive so I guess I wouldn't change anything. So count us as a happy owner of a Tradewinds. Perhaps the best part is we know what to expect from National (nothing) and it's paid for.

Dick

charliebebo · 03-30-2010, 08:21 PM

Dick we have the same layout as yours. You get more countertop with the driver side kitchen.My wife loves the kitchen and tons of storage. So far with only a month and a half I like mine pretty well. The one thing I don't like is the slide so close to the drivers seat It makes it hard to get in and out of the seat and sometimes would love the seat back a bit.My first Cat. Still a little nervous about reliability Praying for long engine life

Joec · 03-31-2010, 07:05 AM

I would like my 1999 just fine if I could get the cruise working, stop the fuses from blowing, Clear up the windows. Other than that it's great!

Vegasdan · 03-31-2010, 09:34 AM

My wife and I are fairly short timers with our 01 Tradewinds. We like the quality that National built in. We have a 7370 with 2 slides. We like the slide with the couch and dining area as it really opens up the "living room" and the kitchen is adequate although not as large as the floor plan with the kitchen slide. We were able to utilize the hutch area as a place for a 32" TV and still utilize that cabinetry for aditional kitchen storage. My wife really appreciates the side by side refrig/freezer w/ ice maker. The other thing we like since we are going to full time is the tons of closet space. We really like the large bath room. When we looked at other coaches in our search we found we didn't like the baths with the toilet in it's own small room. This plan still allows for privacy with sliding doors on both ends of the bath. The only thing we would change at this point would be to have an oven.

Theberrys · 03-31-2010, 10:37 AM

Dan

The oven isn't a big job. The gas is already there for the stove top and all you need to do is remove two or three drawers under the stove top and install a off the shelf oven for RV's. Perhaps a little trim work and you've got it. You have done harder things than that under the coach, this at least you could remain upright

Dick

Deon-Jim · 04-01-2010, 08:15 AM

We have a 2003 Tradewinds 7374-LTC which we have owned since August, 2009. We have put about 6000 miles on it since we bought it and lived in it for 3 months this winter in the Rio Grande Valley. It is on a Freightliner chassis and has the Cummins ISC 8.3 liter 350 hp engine. So far we like it a lot. It has lots of power (goes up hills the same speed it comes down) and is very roomy with lots of storage space. The two slides are on the driver's side with the dining table on the passenger side. We do not have the washer/dryer and use that area as a linen closet with the shelves above used as a pantry. The closet is huge and there are lots of drawers in the bedroom. Our toilet is in its own little room and that room is pretty darn small. So far there are a few things we don't like and need to get fixed. It needs new slide toppers and the living room slide still leaks. It would appear to be a combination of poor slide topper and poor seal. We have to get that fixed. When the slide is in, it does not leak, only when out. It rides like a dream (compared to what we had before) and even in the horrible winds driving home last week from Texas we managed to stay on the road. It is not particularly fuel efficient ranging from 7 to 9 MPG depending on the wind and the terrain. We do tow a little car on a tow dolly. Would we buy another? YES.

Jim & Deon, Wisconsin

Vegasdan · 04-01-2010, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theberrys

Dan

The oven isn't a big job. The gas is already there for the stove top and all you need to do is remove two or three drawers under the stove top and install a off the shelf oven for RV's. Perhaps a little trim work and you've got it. You have done harder things than that under the coach, this at least you could remain upright

Dick

SSSSSHHHHH Don't tell the DW!

Theberrys · 04-01-2010, 09:32 AM

Jim

I bought a new slide topper from
http://www.rv-motorhome-answers.com/rv-slide-out-topper.html
My wife and I replaced it ourselves in under an hour, a pretty easy job. The material is thicker than the original and after a year it's the same as new. The price was $144 for a 12' piece of material cut to fit with the proper beads installed, all we had to do was pull it through the grooves. They need the length and the model of the existing hardware to make the fit perfect. Worth looking into, it will save you a bunch of cash.

Dick

Vegasdan · 04-01-2010, 10:26 AM

Filed for future reference. Thanks

sgtjoe · 04-02-2010, 05:18 PM

We have a 2001 TradeWinds 7390 and really love it. We have 1 slide on drivers side for the sofa and booth and the other slide is on the opposite side rear for the bdrm with the bed sliding out. As with most of us guys the DW gets the big closet that goes across the entire back with drop down area for long dresses and 4 deep shelves. My closet is in the bath room with double glass sliding doors (4 ft closet) this is where the w/d would go if we ever wanted one. In the back bdrm there is a counter top with a flip up section that has a mirror and inside there are molded areas for the wifes jewerly and make up. It is centered under the window and there are 3 lights on each side like a make up desk. The closet space and the make up desk is what really sold the wife. I was sold on the CAT 300 and Alliston 2000, a great match along with the freightliner chassis. We have more room in our 39' then our friends do in their 40' Beaver. We have looked at a lot of other mh's but can't find anything to compare to our layout.
Only thing I would change is the color, it's all white.
Do I like it, yes, It has been very reliable and we snowbird for 6 months. We bought it used in 2004 and have never regretted it.

I put a new 22" TV in the front overhead and will be putting it in the rear and installing a 32" in the front this summer.

bldrbob · 04-04-2010, 07:43 AM

I have a 2000 Tradewinds 7373.It has a dinette sofa slide and a closet in the bedroom.The toilet is in a separate room whch I like.One thing I would like is to keep the windshield in place.I have given up and tape the gaps to stop wind whistle.With 124000 miles it is still going strong.
BOB

mogulsmoke · 04-07-2010, 11:27 AM

I wish National had placed the House Batteries on a slide out tray, rather than the inaccessible stationery method used. Seems they did not think too much about the owner having to service the deep cycle batteries. Otherwise, my rig has been quite reliable, after NRV finished rebuilding the entire ceiling at a cost of over $30,000 and two months in the shop due to the delamination of the interior ceiling panels. The ceiling is now just two sheets of 3/8 plywood plus the normal structure above. No delam, no seams, just fine. Good coach for the money. Ron 2001 LTC Tradewinds 37' and a 2008 Saturn Vue Toad.

Submustang · 04-11-2010, 05:58 PM

We have a 2002 Tradewinds LTC Founder Edition 7370. We have been living in it for the last 2 1/2 years. It has been very comfortable. The only thing I would change is the hitch. For some unknown reason, they put a 5K lb hitch on the founders edition, rather than the 10K lb they put on the regular LTC.