Newer Wanderlodge For Me...Or Not?

[dthollis1961]

I started out 5 years ago with a nice '78FC33. Great coach, reliable
and simple. It never left me stranded and when I got done with it, it
went to a happy new owner.

I've now owned my present 84FC35 for 3 years. Great coach- More
power, retarder, diesel generator, air ride, etc. It is also more
complex. That makes sense with the upgrades over the '78. What I
can't seem to get over though, is what appears to me as taking a
reliable, simple way of doing things and making it complex only for
complexities'(?) sake. For instance: The '78 has fresh air vents for
driver and passenger operated by either a cable or a rod. This allows
the vent to be opened a little or wide open with a touch of your hand
to give just the right amount of fresh air. The '84 has air operated
vents that are either fully opened or fully closed. It's the same
with the driver's and passenger's heat. '78 has a cable operated
valve in a coolant line that can be opened anywhere between full on
and full off to fine tune the coolant flow to the heater. '84 has a
Sporlan valve that is either opened or closed.

I've got the '84 in great shape now and have been thinking of moving
up since I've run out of things to do to it, but I find myself
thinking of more complicated things on a new coach(early '90s). I'm
talking toilets here!(among other things I'm sure) If I want to take
a dump, you're telling me I have to have not only water, but also air
and 12 volts for a royal flush? Primus heating also seems to generate
more discussion than Suburban furnaces. I don't mind working on a
system to make it right, but by reading the posts here it seems that
some of these systems cannot be made to be as reliable as say pushing
a pedal on the toilet and the poop drops through the trap door. That
is simple and it works every time.

What I'm looking for is for you guys to tell me that I am wrong. I'm
looking for owners that have moved up in model years that say that
the benefits are far and away better than the negatives that are
stuck in my mind.(and not just because it cost a bunch more money)

I should be out working on that stuck Sporlan valve, but it's too
cold.

David Hollis 84FC35 Springfield,IL