Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison May 21, 2014, 11:49:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146452In November 2013 I traded in my 2005 LD MB for a Nexus Phantom 28P. Several people requested that I post comparison information to this group. I was a bit reluctant to do same, but after communicating with Andy I said that I would create a document and put it into the "Files" area. I finally have completed that task. I have been working on the document over time and really didn't want to complete it until I had resolved warranty issues with Nexus. However, I decided that it needed to be completed sooner as we hit the road for the summer about the middle of June. Between now and then I have a lot of work to do to get the Nexus ready.In the "Files" section I created a folder "Some Other Brands - SOBs" and put the PDF file for my document in it. (Andy, I didn't look to see whether there was already an appropriate folder. You can move the document file to wherever you want it.)Be aware, the document is long (20 pages) and probably boring. Those of you that have read my postings know that I tend to add too much detail. Once I got started writing the document I kept thinking of more things that I should add.I have tried diligently to be as objective as possible. In my mind "Once you have owned an LD you will always be an LD supporter, no matter the brand of your coach." I now own a Nexus so I very much have mixed loyalties.You will get the standard notice of a "new file posted." However, it doesn't identify the subject. Because I made the commitment to this group, I felt that it was important to let people know that I have delivered on that commitment.If you have questions about the document content, let me know. I would prefer that we do it via private email as I am not always faithful about reading the daily digests. If there are questions, I will aggregate them and my answers and post them here for all to see.Doug Baker
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #1 – May 22, 2014, 10:38:32 am Yahoo Message Number: 146458Thanks for posting the comparison write-up, Doug; very interesting, and I appreciated the detailed information.I looked at the 2013 LD spec sheet; it doesn't state the brand of water heater used. You mentioned that both the LD and the Nexus use Suburban water heaters; when did LD switch to Suburbans? There's no mention of the switch from Atwood to Suburban in Andy's 'Changes by Year' document. (My 2003 has an Atwood, and I was pretty sure that later models did, too. )Joan
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #2 – May 22, 2014, 03:22:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146460Our 2013 31IB reads "Atwood G6a-8E" joel & Mary
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #3 – May 22, 2014, 03:45:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146461"Our 2013 31IB [water heater] reads 'Atwood G6a-8E'."Same one they've used for more than a decade. Unless they've switched brands for 2014--which would surprise me--I suspect that statement about both LD and Nexus using Suburban water heaters was a typo. (LD does use a Suburban furnace, however.)Andy Bairdhttp://www.andybaird.com/travels
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #4 – May 22, 2014, 05:14:30 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146462Thanks for posting that, Doug. Although it's nominally a comparison of Lazy Daze and Nexus, it's also an even-handed, detailed assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each brand... and for that reason, I found it a very interesting read.Andy BairdTravels with Andy
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #5 – May 23, 2014, 04:32:42 am Yahoo Message Number: 146464Hi Joan,You, Andy and a few others are correct; LD installs Atwood water heaters. When reminded of I remembered buying parts to fit an Atwood. I guess that I was thinking about the rig we had before the LD as it did have a Suburban water heater. I probably should have gone out and looked at the LD but it is about 2500 miles awayDoug Baker
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #6 – May 23, 2014, 03:17:59 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146472Yes LD uses Atwood W/H and my experience with them isn't so good. I know of one LD owner that had to replace his after 10 years because the tank rotted and started leaking. The design doesn't use an anode like others I have seen preferring to let your tank rot so you can buy a whole new unit instead of repair it. I recently had an ignitor board go out causing an irritating no start problem which was intermittent. Cost me over $100 for a new board. The board is sealed rendering it unrepairable. When mine dies I will look into replacing with one of the tankless models. I had one of these in a SOB I used to own and it worked great. Never let me down.Bob
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #7 – May 24, 2014, 12:07:56 am Yahoo Message Number: 146481Bob,I used the Atwood for over 8 years and never had a problem. However, I have known several others who were not so lucky. Several years ago, at the suggestion of an RV repair shop, I removed the drain plug and installed an anode. The only problem with this arrangement was that removing the anode was a little more difficult than removing the drain plug when you want to drain the heater.Doug Baker
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #8 – May 24, 2014, 12:08:39 am Yahoo Message Number: 146482I too liked the even handed comparison of Nexus and LD. Frequently people will create a comparison that verifies their choice, but that didn't happen here.After reading the 20 page comparison, I started looking at Nexus' website and found the Ghost. From the Ghost video the announcer said the price is supposed to be less than $150K, which surprised me as I was expecting $175 to $200K (based on the video). That's still a lot of money.The video link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xYkp300FDfkA few specs on the Ghost.2014 Class Super C Diesel Motorhome, The Ghost A New Class C Diesel Motorhome from NeXus RV. The 2014 Ghost is built on the International Terra Star Chassis and features the MaXX Force 7 300 HP / 660 ft. lb. Torque engine with 5 speed Allison transmission, which enables towing up to 10,000 lbs. Other standard features include, 80 gallon fuel tank, all steel cage construction, azdel composite in place of wood in sidewalls, wrap around seamless fiberglass roof, tankless - on demand water heater, 50 Amp Electrical Service, 3 LED TV's, King Size Bed, Automatic Quadra Leveling System, LED and Flourescent Lighting, Lexington Furniture, 40,000 BTU Furnace, 2 - 13,500 BTU Ducted Air Conditioners, 115 Cu. Ft. of Storage, and much more. All at a lower price than the Seneca or Dyna Quest XL, and available factory direct from NeXus RV.I still like my mid-bath with the big windows in the "living room". Nexus would have to make a mid-bath copy to make me drool, but that would only be for a moment or two until I remembered the price.Bob
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #9 – May 24, 2014, 02:04:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146490Bob, If Nexus were to build a "mid-bath clone" I would trade-in my Phantom for it at the drop of a hat. If they put the dinette on a slide I would be there even sooner. I once considered asking Dave Middleton what it would take to get Nexus to build such a coach. I am going to Nexus this summer and I may ask him that question. I've thought about it a lot and IMHO if they use one of their Viper or Phantom models as a base, it should not take a major engineering effort to do it. Because the Nexus floor is above the wheels (there no wheel wells cutting into the living space as with LD) shifting things around is not as difficult as it is with a Lazy Daze. The down side of this construction is that my Nexus is about 1-foot taller than an LD. (I really noticed this last December when we went to the LD Caravan at Live Oak. I was hitting low hanging tree branches that everyone else drove under.) A mid-bath version would also eliminate a couple of other items that I don't care for on my Nexus. I really started this post to comment on the Nexus Ghost. I have never seen a "finished" coach. Per their sales rep "We can't keep one on the floor." (Many of the coaches in their showroom are "customer coaches" waiting for pickup. Ours spent about two weeks there. However, there were no marks, dings, etc to indicate that it had been "shown." It did get us a free TV in the bedroom as it was too much work to remove it.) Nexus has (or had) a waiting list for the Ghost. I did see a Ghost in the factory being assembled. The side walls were in place and they were installing the rear wall. Then I watched them drop on the roof assembly. They have coach assembly really refined! The construction of the Ghost is identical to that of my Phantom, and all of their other coaches. A side note: Nexus is building "Weekend Warrior toy haulers" on a production line in their factory. (There are various opinions as to why they are doing this.) The construction techniques for it appear to be very similar to that of Nexus coaches. I feel that the main attraction of the Ghost is the price. If I were to buy a "Super C" it would be one from Dynamax on the Freightliner chassis with Cummins engine. (They are right down the street from Nexus and we visited them a while back.) Depending on where you live, Dynamax has (or had) "factory direct prices" for their products that were significantly less than the advertised "MRSP." Some of the other Elkhart builders have similar deals. My rationale for the DynaQuest is pretty basic. When traveling I see lots of Freightliner and Cummins dealers and service places but fewer Navistar (International) places.Doug Baker
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #10 – May 24, 2014, 05:09:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146500I'm looking forward to what Nexus says about your mid-bath idea. If they did that, my drooling would begin. But I'm an old fart and already drool most of the time. Between the drooling and inability to walk a straight line, I'm prime material for driving an even bigger machine down the highway. Look out, here comes Bob with his Super C Class.Regarding those low overhanging tree branches, I'd install a tree chipper shredder on the front of the roof to take care of those low branches. Just chew them up and mulch them over the side. It might a little noisy when I first arrive in a campground with my shredder going, but I don't think anyone would notice. It's just a few hundred dB louder than the generator.Bob
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #11 – May 25, 2014, 04:50:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146534Doug, thanks for posting your comparison document. Not many folks would take this much time and diligence to undertake such a thorough compilation. I'd like to be a fly on the wall when you buy a new car. Were I to consider another RV, I would give great pause before switching to another class C brand simply because I have been so satisfied with the Lazy Daze. Mine is 12 years old now, fits like a glove and has been accessorized and upgraded (TV/radio, etc.) to my liking. It's painful to think of going through all that with any new RV, even a new Lazy Daze. And I seriously would miss the support this forum and all LD owners offer to each other. That said, each to his/her own, of course.Thanks again for the article.Chris 2002 30' IB - 64,000 miles
Re: Nexus - Lazy Daze Comparison Reply #12 – May 26, 2014, 03:55:38 pm Yahoo Message Number: 146550Doug, as we're about to head east, I won't take the time to read all the replies you've had, but I did want to note one thing - in case it hasn't been mentioned. The floor structure of the LD is actually a sandwich, and LD does provide a sloped descent into the cab. There are two sheets of plywood, separated about 1.75" by a stud latticework, with the interstices filled with styrofoam blocks. I found this out in our '83 when I had to repair some water damage. The retaining bolts are quite long. I don't recall the plywood thickness, but the total is around 3".Steve
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