Popular RV Magazine Columnist Chooses Entegra Coach Cornerstone

I first became interested in Entegra Coach when I visited the factory in 2010 and was impressed by the construction methods used in building their coaches. Leann and I were on our third class A motorhome at the time, a 42’ diesel pusher by another popular brand, and recognized the many areas where Entegra stood out from the rest. In 2011, while serving as Midwest Editor for RV Magazine my editor wanted me to do a road test and review of a class A motorhome so I chose an Entegra Anthem. After spending a few days learning about the coach, touring the plant, doing the road test and a photo shoot, I realized that this was the next coach I wanted to own.

Fortunately, because of my work as a writer for several magazines, I had the opportunity to participate is several road tests and reviews. Because of my work with RV Magazine and eventually FMCA’s Family Motor Coaching Magazine, I became very familiar with the Entegra Coach line, which never failed to impress. In late 2015, my wife and I made the move and ordered the very first 2016 Cornerstone to come off the Entegra Coach line in the new factory. It was the new 45A bath and a half floorplan, which featured a large galley, patio side dinette and an optional desk for my writing, which contained a 50” TV on a power lift.

Shortly after delivery, we took a long trip out west and the coach truly lived up to Entegra Coach’s claims of being “the quietest riding, best handling coach on the market today. Period”. The Spartan K3 chassis was the best available but Entegra Coach’s X-bridging structure further strengthened the frame so that the suspension did the work rather than allowing the frame and bodywork to twist. This allowed the coach to handle turns with minimal roll and no twisting or racking of the superstructure so that it wouldn’t develop those squeaks and creaks that typically occur in most RVs as things loosen up over time.

The grades in the Rocky Mountains were taken effortlessly with the big 600 HP engine, while the 3 speed engine compression brake and 6 wheel disc brakes effortlessly kept the downhill speed in check. But the most noticeable difference was in the handling. The steering was precise but effortless and driving the notorious 10% grade of Teton Pass, as we descended into Jackson Hole from Idaho, was uneventful. In fact, once we completed the pass Leann was amazed and remarked, “That was it? There was nothing to it.” The Cornerstone simply makes molehills out of mountains and straightens out curves to make any drive effortless and comfortable. My writing career affords me the luxury of driving everything from small class B motorhomes up to luxurious coaches in the $2 million bracket. At the end of the day, I always find the drive in the Cornerstone to be the most satisfying. It’s a combination of the little things, such as the placement of the mirrors, the dash layout, the forward control aspect of that huge windshield and many other items that just make you feel more at home when in the driver’s seat. We recently had a family emergency where we had to drive the coach 1,400 miles from Wisconsin to Texas and drove straight through, making the trip in just under 24 hours. When I arrived, I wasn’t sore or uncomfortable in the least, although I was ready for a nice long nap.

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of any Entegra Coach is the level of insulation and detail in its application that separates it from the pack. The insulation makes for a quiet interior when parked as well as when driving. In the past, we could hear campers partying in nearby campsites but with the Entegra Coach, any exterior noise is kept to a minimum. The R33 wood floor structure’s insulation is among the best in the industry. It filters out road noise and vibration when driving. The Aqua-Hot hydronic in-floor heat keeps the porcelain tile floor nice and toasty warm without requiring the extensive electrical usage common to electric heated floors. We found that our air conditioning and Aqua-Hot heating system ran about half as much as in our previous 42’ coach because the Entegra Coach was simply better insulated and air tight. While camping in West Yellowstone, we noticed a forest fire in the park that was blowing smoke our way. We couldn’t smell it inside the coach because it was nice and airtight with no drafts but as soon as we stepped outside the smell was heavy. The climate inside the coach is also cooler in hot sunny weather, in spite of the fact that our coach was in the Topaz color scheme, which uses lots of black.

The Cornerstone was a great choice for us and we couldn’t be happier. After an enjoyable day’s drive we simply pull into our campsite, extend the slideouts, push the button to automatically drop the jacks and level the coach, push the button to automatically raise and align the satellite dish, hook up the power and water and sit back and think of new places to go and explore in our Cornerstone.

Mark Quasius
RV Enthusiast & Author