Deciding between a Lazy Daze and Born Free

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Barbara & Ken
Posts: 143
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:36 pm

Post by Barbara & Ken »

We formerly owned a 2001 24RB. It was a pre-loved unit that we found after a three year search, and we also loved it. Since it was our first motorhome, it gave us a wonderful and sometimes confusing RV ownership training experience. But we never had any major problems. Wish we could say the same about our house.

One of the best proofs of Born Free's quality and value is how many folks are "repeat" owners. We now are planning to become fulltimers within the next year or so, and we traded our Born Free for a Country Coach last fall. When our fulltime days are over, and we want to downsize, I guarantee that we will become Born Free owners again.

Finally, we cannot say enough good things about Born Free customer service. They were always there when we needed help, even if we were a thousand miles from home. Whenever we needed replacement parts or just a little advice, all we had to do was call. The Born Free folks treated us like family, and I still call them occasionally just to say hello.
Barbara & Ken
TwoShihtzus

Post by TwoShihtzus »

After about 3 yrs of constant conversation and tons of research, my wife and I decided we wanted to make the leap and buy an RV. Research led us to a class C - specifically a Bigfoot, Born Free, or Lazy Daze. We couldn't seem to find any old Bigfoots, so we narrowed it down to the Born Free or Lazy Daze. We'll never be able to afford a new one, so we started looking at older used vehicles. After about a year of searching and walking through about 20 used rigs, I'll share the following observations.

From an outside appearance factor, the Lazy Daze RV's tend to look best. bably Perhaps because the fiberglass on the BF's fades over time much more than the aluminum on the LD. In addition, several of the Born Free's had some level of "spider cracks" in the figerglass.

From a "functionality" perspective, I'd say it was a draw. Latches, hinges, and other hardware all seemed to wear about the same. The roof on the Born Free seems to have the edge on longevity - The LD uses an aluminum roof (older ones were actually several individual roof sections), the Born Free's all seemed to show almost no wear. Many of the LD's were black and had alot of chaulk.

The interior is where the Born Free jumped out as the clear leader. My wife never saw a LD interior scheme that she liked. She felt that all the patterns were gawdy or dated. The furniture in the LD's didn't seem as sturdy as the furniture we found in the Born Free's. Also, there weren't as many broken latches and peeling laminents in the Born Free's as we found in LD's. I will note that the LD floorplans were our favorite. The Mid-bath was absolutely wonderful layout - If we won the lottery, we'd have Born Free make us an RV with that layout. We would also get a decent paint job - the Born Free exterior paint scheme is simply boring. The LD is very nicely painted. Although we did see a brand new Born Free RSB at the factory with a beautiful paint job. Maybe 10 - 15 yrs from now we'll be able to buy one of those beauties on the used market :)

Overall, the Born Free's seemed to have higher mileage, but at the same time, they also seemed to handle much better. The LD's with Bilsteins were pretty good too, but without exception the best handling were the Born Free's.

Since we plan on spending alot of time in the RV, the interior and the ride quality were the most important aspects of our selecting a vehicle.

We finally found a 1991 RSB that was the right combination of price and condition and we bought it. We've taken 4 long weekend trips since buying it and absolutely love it. We can't wait for our 3 week trip this summer. I wish I had the $ to afford an E450 model for the extra capacity, but all 3 models we looked at were on the E350.
Last edited by TwoShihtzus on Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Brent
Posts: 314
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 4:53 pm

Post by Brent »

You've made good assessment of the three coaches.

I may be alone on this opinion, but I like the BF exterior. I like the fact that it does not become "dated" with a different paint job or body style coming out every year or two.

Fortunately I've been able to keep mine garaged since 1999 and waxed about 3 times a year- it truly has a new unit shine and exterior! The paint hasn't faded and is still mistaken for "new".

Not that it is a big deal but I wonder how you would keep dings out of a lightweight aluminum exterior such as LD?
Bornfree (1999 Rear Kitchen)
Traveling with Chester (The Boxer) - at least in spirit
TwoShihtzus

Post by TwoShihtzus »

You bring up a good point about the BF exterior never being dated.

Don't get me wrong, I really like the lines of the BF and find it to be an attractive rig. The smooth/rounded body styling of the BF is much more appealing than the "boxier" look of the LD. I also like being able to easily crawl under my BF. The LD sits much lower - and I don't care for the fender skirts on the LD.

Another draw-back to fancy paint was that many of the bright colors (red and green mainly) were quite faded. Even though my fiberglass has a yellow tint, it's better looking than an extremely faded red paint job.
rv4fun

Post by rv4fun »

One other difference between Born Free and Lazy Daze that I've observed is the great, friendly supportive attitude from Born Free to their customers. I also looked at LD several years ago and was turned off during a phone call with them. I was talking with the owner/founder and he didn't seem very friendly or like he cared whether or not I bought a LD. On the other hand Born Free is great!.. Larry
Judy Harris

Post by Judy Harris »

It is interesting how many of us have had the same experience shopping for our motorhome, deciding among the BF, LD and Bigfoot. When we were in Las Cruces this spring, there was a brand new 26 and 1/2' LD at the campground (BTW, a very nice campground) that the owner very graciously let us tour. It is the first LD I have ever been in. While I had thought that I preferred the mid-bath floor plan that this LD model has to our 26' RSB, I was surprised that the interior of the LD had a more crowded and cluttered feeling than I expected with the "stuff " in it associated with living and camping. The very nice people who owned the coach weren't messy but there are more surfaces available so, of course, more stuff was on them. In our 26' BF, you either put it away, sit on it, or the dogs eat it, so we put it away. I also wasn't crazy about the fabrics, which was one reason we never went to CA to LD. The one thing that still intrigues us, however, is the 27' Bigfoot with slides and a basement, but we know we would be very disappointed compared to the BF.

Happy with our BF, Judy Harris
SteveR

Post by SteveR »

[quote="Judy Harris... The one thing that still intrigues us, however, is the 27' Bigfoot with slides and a basement, but we know we would be very disappointed compared to the BF.

Happy with our BF, Judy Harris[/quote]

We looked at a Bigfoot and were not happy with the quality of the interior trim and fabrics. The basement storage was wonderful as was the extra large battery storage area and the space for a spare tire; all under the coach. We also liked the enclosed basement especially for winter use to keep the tanks and water lines from freezing. BF is really only a 3 season coach and does not do well in very cold conditions due to all the exposed piping and tanks. We liked the Bigfoot slides but not the quality of build. We were going to test drive a 34 footer but they could not get the slide to retract despite three mechanics working on it for almost an hour. We gave up and were fortunate to find a "used" BF that met our needs.
Trisha

Post by Trisha »

SteveR wrote: We also liked the enclosed basement especially for winter use to keep the tanks and water lines from freezing. BF is really only a 3 season coach and does not do we
This is one of those main things that I wish Born Free would do better. I tend do appreciate places which get colder than average. and I don't like that the floor gets cold and that the tanks are not protected well.

My suggestions: More insulation in the walls. Find a way to seal the bottom (or more of it) and insulate. Have a winter package with heater pads for tanks as part of a 'winter package'. Check with Kodiak RV's (made in Canada) to find out what THEY do to make them more 4-season. I would like to be able to use it to about zero degrees without worry about freezing (when in use, not when parked empty).

Maybe I should add something liek that.

Folks who know me know that I have had my share of troubles with my RV. The list is pretty ridiculously long. I'm thinking I got a lemon, actually. But it's never one thing over and over, it's always something new, after something else new, and theres really no way to point a finger at someone, because it's a group of failures that involve various component manufacturers. Much of us wasn't Born Free. Some was. They fixed it.

I do wish my rig would not have broken so often. I do wish that I didn't have duct tape glue still stuck to the side of the cabinet wehre I used it to hold the pantry closed after it broke and the whole slide pulled out of the wall. It was difficult to fix and it's never worked quite the same since.

In many cases, it gets to 'it doesn't work quite the same." I'm there with my fantastic fan which quit while in Alaska. (my list really is over 30 items long for 2 years. ) One has to have a sense of humor. Maybe it's a test???

I'm going to put those in another post. But I am grateful for my warranty and I can't say I'm glad I've spent so much time getting things fixed. I have never ever had an issue with anyone whose gone to fix it, just that it *is* and inconvenience, and I've gotten to think that you can't go on a trip without coming back from the trip with a list of things that needs to be fix because they broke on that trip. It's a constant. Thank God the factory is on my way home...but if it weren't...and even with it being...it's still an inconvenience.

Still...nothing can be attributed to them doing something wrong. Or even using poor parts. It's just a convergence of things...time and chance, and what can you do? I can't do anything about that.

I have no experience with any other coaches so I don't have a point of comparison. Maybe that would help?

Trish
Brent
Posts: 314
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 4:53 pm

Post by Brent »

Trisha,
That's really too bad - that doesn't seem the way it should be. I admire your patience, but it must be a little frustrating. I'm too low maintenance oriented - I expect to have work on the rig, it is like a boat, but not all the time.
Bornfree (1999 Rear Kitchen)
Traveling with Chester (The Boxer) - at least in spirit
Trisha

Post by Trisha »

Hi Brent.

Yeah, i guess I have gotten frustrated. I am hoping that, going forward, this won't be an ongoing thing. I'll just have to see how it works.

I also have to reiterate, though, that Born Free has always been so helpful and accomodating. I wonder, sometimes if I should trade this rig for another, but there are so many add-ons I have on, and I won't get the retail price I want, and there isn't another rig I really want yet. I'm just watching to see what happens.

Traveling requires patience anyway. What the heck. Nothin' wrong with having more patience and being more relaxed. Stuff gets done eventually. Things work out. I look at it as adventures. (except for the whole ammonia in the rig/no frig/ on top of the world highway/causing breathing problems and a bird on board who had to be trasferred to our, best ever tailgunner, George & Sue Boley. They sure bailed us out on that one.) You just deal with it. Nothing ever is perfect, anywhere. At least not forever. There's no such thing as a 'dream home' or 'perfect car' or 'ideal wife.' Hah!

I suppose one could get close, but so long as we're seeking the realistic, then when what we get is the realistic, there aren't many disappointments along the way. And sometimes some pleasant surprises. There are some NEARLY perfect cars, NEARLY dream homes and NEARLY ideal wives and husbands! <grin>

Trisha
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Roger H
Posts: 653
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 7:48 pm

Post by Roger H »

Hi Trish!

I have had a parade of trailers and mohos over the past few years. I recently bought my '01 23'RK specifically to tow an '06 25' Bigfoot trailer. That may sound a little over-the-top, but it really is the best of all worlds; a really comfortable tow vehicle that has the amenities with a full 80" visco-foam queen bed, full kitchen and stand-up bed that all stay at the campground while we explore in the moho. The trailer is truly 4 seasons, so no cold weather worries, and both are of about as fine a quality manufacture as is available today. Plus, I have less invested in both than for a new '07 24'RB Born Free alone!

Anyway, we came to Born Free and Bigfoot from Airstream, having had six of them in the past twenty years including a Classis 325 moho and most recently a 34' tri-axle trailer.

I can tell you from my experience that the only thing the trailer/moho manufacturers can call their own and exercize any quality control over is the shell and cabinetry (and frame, in the case of the trailer). Every other component is supplied from another manufacturer including the axles and tires!

The new Airstreams cost about $2700/linear foot and the quality control on the coaches is unbelievably poor for the cost. I have friends who have over 70 items on their new-coach punchlist, and some of those issues are structural, and may not be repairable! ON A NEW COACH!!!

Dometic has had a recall on fridges, Ford ALWAYS has recalls on their chassis, and almost all cabinet hardware is now manufactured in China. I can understand your frustration, but if it's any consolation, your frustration isn't brand-specific any more. One of our friends from Kelseyville CA with a Bigfoot 30'RQ moho had the same fridge meltdown you did in her Bigfoot last year.

You have a good perspective about it all. Hang in there!

Roger
'06 Born Free 32 RQ Kodiak Chassis
(Former: '01 Born Free 23 RK)
Dinghy: '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar.
Traveling with Sir Winston and Lady Rae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
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bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Roger H wrote:I recently bought my '01 23'RK specifically to tow an '06 25' Bigfoot trailer.
I would sure like to see a picture of this setup all hooked up. :D

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
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Roger H
Posts: 653
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 7:48 pm

Post by Roger H »

Hi Bill!

I thought I could tow the Bigfoot with the Born Free out of the box, but because the hitch weight is 700 lbs and curb weight of 5300 lbs (7500 lb gvwr on the Bigfoot) I need to have the Born Free added frame beefed up to handle the weight distributing hitch. I have a company lined up to do it, I just can't get it to them for a couple of weeks. As soon as I have the 23RK beefed up, I'll hook it all up and post some photos for you.

Roger

p.s. My wife is a native San Diegan, and I lived in Mira Mesa and later Ramona for years. My, how Escondido and Ramona have grown!
'06 Born Free 32 RQ Kodiak Chassis
(Former: '01 Born Free 23 RK)
Dinghy: '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar.
Traveling with Sir Winston and Lady Rae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
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bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Roger, looking forward to seeing the photos. Yes, North San Diego County is growing like crazy. Too fast in my opinion.

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
nccampguy

LD vs BF

Post by nccampguy »

Hi,

I just joined this group. I have owned (2) Lazy Daze 26.5 MidBath models. The last one was a 2003 model. We then swtiched to a 5th wheel to have more room when camped but then.... well its a long story. We decided to get another Class C and I was about to oder a new LD when I stumbled on an almost new 24RB Born Free.

The two companies have their plusses and minuses for sure. Having had the BF for two days I'm not an expert on it yet. I do know that the interior quality and feel is in a different league to that of the LD. The LD was fine and way beyond anything found in the volume production Class Cs out there. The LD is "practical". The BF is "elegant" The BF feels warmer, cosier and so sturdy.

Driving the BF is way better IMHO. The view along the saides is better as it is a bit narrower and the exterior walls are slanted. I dont hit my head on the cabover when I get in and out like I did on the LD. No silly step to mess with on the BF. The LD had very very nice sofas that made very very nice beds. Much better than the Flexsteel. Of course they were custom LD designs and cost more to make. I am taking my BF to the factory to have the chairs replaced with the twin lounge. I hope it is as nice to sleep on as LD sofa.

Anyone wants to share thoughts on the lounge vs the sofa bed....I'm all ears!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jeff in NC
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