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Post by spadoctor on Feb 3, 2015 8:23:33 GMT -5
Having worked for a RV manufacturer I can tell you they rarely reply to a general suggestion letter. And in most cases if you request service or parts they refer you to your dealer...the person you should be dealing with. Like it or not your dealer is their customer not you and is the one to help you. That being said I have found KZ....in the past....to be better then most as far as caing about the customer. However they are now owned by Thor who has a terrible reputation where customer service is concerned. My dealer has also told me things have changed since the sale and NOT for the better. If your dealer is going to replace the duct with one you want at no charge go for it because the factory will not for sure.
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43 
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Post by Gary on Apr 19, 2015 10:31:30 GMT -5
Hi all, We are Gary and Joy currently living in Roswell GA. We just purchased a Spree 300RLS at a show last week. We sold our year 2000 Trailmanor Monday and put the down payment of the Spree a few hours later. We get our walk through Tomorrow (Wednesday). I really didn't do much research but after reading all your comments I feel much better about our brand choice. Joy sat in the back of this unit and her mind was made up there was not much I could do except say yes! Our tow vehicle is a brand new 2015 Tahoe with every trailer option. I will update you all on how well the Tahoe does pulling this monster soon. We did opt for a Equal-i-er hitch we seems to get great reviews. I have an update for anyone thinking about towing something this heavy with a Tahoe. After our second outing on the way home we had a pretty scary drive. it was a bit windy and the big trucks were blowing us all over the road. I have an Equalizer hitch but it didn't seem to help much. Now that I am much more educated on the numbers we are right at the limit of GCWR with the Tahoe. Actually if we took two more adults we would be over weight. Another thing is I cannot find anything about Trailer length and tow vehicle wheelbase. We threw in the towel and have a 2015 1500 Silverado LTZ 6.2 8 speed on order and hope to see it in the next few weeks. I sure hope that solves our problem. Its GCWR is 17,700 and is rated to tow 12,000 pounds where the Tahoe is 14,000 lbs and can tow 8,600 lbs. Our Spree is rated at a max of 8,300 lbs and the yellow sticker on the door says that our maximum cargo is 880 lbs. So if you do the math our empty weight is 7,420. Now add a battery (50 lbs) and propane (50 lbs) and we are down to 780 lbs of cargo capacity not to mention the equalizer hitch about 100 lbs. Well the bottom line is we are very close to the maximum weight capacity of the Tahoe. The new Silverado should give us about 3,500 more pounds capacity and from what I have read a lot more horsepower and torque. I think the 20+ inches of wheelbase should also help a lot of the towing stability. I will update you in a month or so. |
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on Apr 19, 2015 10:43:34 GMT -5
Every rv manufacturer uses the heat duct you have and not an insulated duct....all about costs. My furnace is under the counter and a duct run thru it in 2 places....not a problem with anything stored there. The shower frame and base door track is sealed to the shower base with Geosel...a tough caulking / adhesive. Chances are they blocked a drain hole like on mine....a simple fix. I exchanged an email with the shower door company and they were very helpful. traico@seamerica.com What is going on is that the three section shower door is made to have the shower head on the left side and that is why the doors stagger in that manor so the water does not get in the gap. He said a lot of manufactures are using these door and the shower head is on the right like my Spree so there is a gap that the water goes into. For this problem he shipped a new gasket for each door to my dealer which helps prevent this. Also he sent me a copy of the installation instructions that clearly state caulk the outside of the door not the inside. I have forwarded this to KZ-RV and sure hope they have changed the method of installation. My dealer removed the shower door and installed them correctly. Great service but it should not have been necessary. |
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on May 13, 2015 18:18:57 GMT -5
Hi all, We are Gary and Joy currently living in Roswell GA. We just purchased a Spree 300RLS at a show last week. We sold our year 2000 Trailmanor Monday and put the down payment of the Spree a few hours later. We get our walk through Tomorrow (Wednesday). I really didn't do much research but after reading all your comments I feel much better about our brand choice. Joy sat in the back of this unit and her mind was made up there was not much I could do except say yes! Our tow vehicle is a brand new 2015 Tahoe with every trailer option. I will update you all on how well the Tahoe does pulling this monster soon. We did opt for a Equal-i-er hitch we seems to get great reviews. I have an update for anyone thinking about towing something this heavy with a Tahoe. After our second outing on the way home we had a pretty scary drive. it was a bit windy and the big trucks were blowing us all over the road. I have an Equalizer hitch but it didn't seem to help much. Now that I am much more educated on the numbers we are right at the limit of GCWR with the Tahoe. Actually if we took two more adults we would be over weight. Another thing is I cannot find anything about Trailer length and tow vehicle wheelbase. We threw in the towel and have a 2015 1500 Silverado LTZ 6.2 8 speed on order and hope to see it in the next few weeks. I sure hope that solves our problem. Its GCWR is 17,700 and is rated to tow 12,000 pounds where the Tahoe is 14,000 lbs and can tow 8,600 lbs. Our Spree is rated at a max of 8,300 lbs and the yellow sticker on the door says that our maximum cargo is 880 lbs. So if you do the math our empty weight is 7,420. Now add a battery (50 lbs) and propane (50 lbs) and we are down to 780 lbs of cargo capacity not to mention the equalizer hitch about 100 lbs. Well the bottom line is we are very close to the maximum weight capacity of the Tahoe. The new Silverado should give us about 3,500 more pounds capacity and from what I have read a lot more horsepower and torque. I think the 20+ inches of wheelbase should also help a lot of the towing stability. I will update you in a month or so. Ok, now I have a new update for anyone interested. We picked up our new Silverado 1500 LTZ 6.2 L 8 speed with a towing package. I have also bought a tongue weight scale and found my tongue weight. Strange thing is that the Silverado can tow a lot more than the Tahoe but the tongue weight rating is the same at 1,200 lbs. I am very curious if that is a function of the factory hitch or the suspension of the vehicle. I have seen hitches for this vehicle that have a higher rating. Anyway I have towed the Spree home about 40 miles from the dealership and it seems pretty good. My new concern is that the tongue weight is 1,200 lbs the same rating as my vehicle is specified for. I was hoping for a little extra buffer so we could take more stuff with us. I also think KZ should have mounted the axles forward a couple inches more. Even if I take the empty numbers for my Spree it puts me at 14% tongue weight. I look forward to putting a lot of miles on this rig over the years and just have to remind everyone to do the match and don't trust everything you read. I will update more when I get to do some driving. |
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on Oct 6, 2015 9:30:05 GMT -5
Sorry but I am overdue for an update. According to my dealer one of the drawers next to the furnace ripped the duct and that is why it was so hot under the sink. They put a piece of thin plywood inside to keep the drawer from contacting the duct. As far as I can tell they did not replace the duct even though I told them I would pay for the better duct. I guess some thinks you just have to do yourself.
New information on the shower, the dealer did remove and reinstall the shower. I spoke to the shower enclosure manufacturer and he sent some sort of silicone gasket material for the edge of the shower door to keep water from getting in between the glass. Then on our last trip I noticed that the oval holes in the shower track for the water to drain through were about 1/8 inch from the bottom of the track. This caused the water to just sit there and it did not drain properly. I have to say the shower door company is awesome. They sent a new bottom track machined much better and paid the dealer to install it so now that problem seems to be resolved.
The 12 volt outlet, I ordered a dual 12 volt plug from eBay with a dual usb plug in one of the holes. I was able to mount it next to my wife's side of the bed and the back is up high in the storage compartment so it is out of the way. I ran jacketed cable with a couple of pretty thick wires in it through the hole where the cables and pipes for the water pump are and managed to reach up in the underbelly and grab it. I ran it to the battery and put in an in line fuse inside the battery box for protection. I even just left the extra fuses inside the battery box.
Speaking of battery I bought a surface mount marine battery disconnect switch on eBay and just mounted it to the side of the battery box. From what I read on the internet you are supposed to disconnect the negative cable. Personally I don't think it matters but I went along with the suggestion and did just that. It does not come with mounting hardware so I bought some stainless steed hardware and a 18 inch black battery cable, the other existing cables were long enough to reach.
Our new Silverado 6.2 gas truck tows pretty darn good. We went from Atlanta to Memphis for Elvis Week and on the way there I used cruise control and only got about 8 mpg. On the way home I managed the gas pedal and we got a little over 10 mpg. The truck is much better and safer that then Tahoe but for daily driving the Tahoe was the perfect vehicle for us. You can't have everything. I am a little concerned about the tongue weight still because with the trailer hooked up I only have about 1 inch between the rear axle and the bump stop. I am considering air bags or helper springs. Any input on this choice would be appreciated. Well so far so good, we are going out a few more times in the next month and going to the Florida Keys for New Years.
I have begun to realize they build it and its up to me to add the things I feel are necesary.
Thanks for listening and commenting,
Gary
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Post by johnr on Oct 6, 2015 12:47:42 GMT -5
Thanks for the update Gary. Glad to hear that you're out and about traveling!
For the Atlanta to Memphis trip, were you going uphill on the way there and downhill on the way back? That might account for the difference in MPG. I know I get really good mileage going from Ohio to South Carolina, but the return trip is not good at all for MPG.
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on Oct 6, 2015 21:17:23 GMT -5
There were hills in both directions. I really don't know if there is much change in altitude. When using the cruise control I could hear that throaty sound of the throttle being pushed. When I drove I was easier on the gas pedal. All that being said, the truck weighs 6,000 lbs and driving on the highway it can get up into the 24 mpg area, so hooking up a 8,000 lb trailer I would expect less than half the mpg. So about 12 mpg with the trailer is OK with me.
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Post by spreevilla on Oct 7, 2015 9:25:34 GMT -5
Hi Gary, your Silverado will pull the camper with no problem, (I have F250 with 6.2L and TT (spree 322RES and use weight distribution hitch)), I recommend using weight distribution hitch (10,000lb) with sway control and it will keep the TT away from the rear bumper.
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Post by 2edgesword on Oct 8, 2015 7:50:36 GMT -5
Congrats on the new trailer!
I second the benefit of having a site at your house to park it. We had just enough room at the side of our house to extend the driveway and make room for our 7' wide 24' long KZ Spree Escape. Very convenient for getting prepped for a trip and we have a better sense of security with the unit parked next to the house.
Enjoy.
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on May 21, 2016 21:14:09 GMT -5
Sorry but I am overdue for an update. According to my dealer one of the drawers next to the furnace ripped the duct and that is why it was so hot under the sink. They put a piece of thin plywood inside to keep the drawer from contacting the duct. As far as I can tell they did not replace the duct even though I told them I would pay for the better duct. I guess some thinks you just have to do yourself. New information on the shower, the dealer did remove and reinstall the shower. I spoke to the shower enclosure manufacturer and he sent some sort of silicone gasket material for the edge of the shower door to keep water from getting in between the glass. Then on our last trip I noticed that the oval holes in the shower track for the water to drain through were about 1/8 inch from the bottom of the track. This caused the water to just sit there and it did not drain properly. I have to say the shower door company is awesome. They sent a new bottom track machined much better and paid the dealer to install it so now that problem seems to be resolved. The 12 volt outlet, I ordered a dual 12 volt plug from eBay with a dual usb plug in one of the holes. I was able to mount it next to my wife's side of the bed and the back is up high in the storage compartment so it is out of the way. I ran jacketed cable with a couple of pretty thick wires in it through the hole where the cables and pipes for the water pump are and managed to reach up in the underbelly and grab it. I ran it to the battery and put in an in line fuse inside the battery box for protection. I even just left the extra fuses inside the battery box. Speaking of battery I bought a surface mount marine battery disconnect switch on eBay and just mounted it to the side of the battery box. From what I read on the internet you are supposed to disconnect the negative cable. Personally I don't think it matters but I went along with the suggestion and did just that. It does not come with mounting hardware so I bought some stainless steed hardware and a 18 inch black battery cable, the other existing cables were long enough to reach. Our new Silverado 6.2 gas truck tows pretty darn good. We went from Atlanta to Memphis for Elvis Week and on the way there I used cruise control and only got about 8 mpg. On the way home I managed the gas pedal and we got a little over 10 mpg. The truck is much better and safer that then Tahoe but for daily driving the Tahoe was the perfect vehicle for us. You can't have everything. I am a little concerned about the tongue weight still because with the trailer hooked up I only have about 1 inch between the rear axle and the bump stop. I am considering air bags or helper springs. Any input on this choice would be appreciated. Well so far so good, we are going out a few more times in the next month and going to the Florida Keys for New Years. I have begun to realize they build it and its up to me to add the things I feel are necesary. Thanks for listening and commenting, Gary |
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on May 21, 2016 21:21:07 GMT -5
Another update about our tow vehicle. Just before our trip to the Florida Keys last December I traded that nice 2015 Silverado 1500 in on a slightly used 2015 Silverado 2500 4x4 black High Country Diesel. Needless to say that trip from Atlanta to the Keys was awesome. The new truck tows like a dream. I have never owned a Diesel before and it's the right choice for towing. I get about 13 mpg with the Spree and about 23 mpg on the highway without it and can drive very relaxed. There seems to be one big problem with our 2500, I'm now looking at fifth wheels.....
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Post by wolftrax on May 23, 2016 8:03:31 GMT -5
LOL Gary! That sounds exactly like my "problem". We had a Dodge Ram 1500 when we purchased our Sportsman which was near the limit for my particular Ram. Late last year I ended up trading up to a Ford F-350 Diesel and heard my wife telling the kids this past weekend while camping that she can't wait to trade up to a fifth wheel toy hauler. To be honest that was the original purpose of getting the F-350 so that we would have more options down the road. It's a problem I guess I'll have to put up with  |
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on May 23, 2016 8:22:23 GMT -5
LOL Gary! That sounds exactly like my "problem". We had a Dodge Ram 1500 when we purchased our Sportsman which was near the limit for my particular Ram. Late last year I ended up trading up to a Ford F-350 Diesel and heard my wife telling the kids this past weekend while camping that she can't wait to trade up to a fifth wheel toy hauler. To be honest that was the original purpose of getting the F-350 so that we would have more options down the road. It's a problem I guess I'll have to put up with I guess it never ends. I thought my 2500 High Country Diesel was the last truck but maybe I should have looked for a 3500. My Chevrolet dealer really likes me. |
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nancyanddan
Newbie RV’er
2007 Ford Explorer 4.0 V6; 2016 KZ Spree Escape E170S
Posts: 23 
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Post by nancyanddan on Jun 18, 2016 11:30:34 GMT -5
Hello! Nancy and Dan from Redondo Beach, CA here. We're 70-something seniors who just moved up from a popup. We decided it was time to minimize the physical effort and time required to set up and take down the popup. We love to travel and camp and want to do it as long as we can!
Next Tuesday we'll pick up our new Spree Escape E170S, and we are really excited! I was so pleased when Dan found this KZ Family Forum yesterday. I know we'll become regulars and undoubtedly have a lot of questions. Thanks in advance for being here as we embark on yet another camping adventure!
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Post by sandymelody on Jun 18, 2016 18:02:42 GMT -5
Hello Nancy and Dan, welcome to the group. My wife and I took a west coast trip back in November and December, your area of our Country is gorgeous, we can't wait to go back. We also traded up from a popup, then a modified tear drop, now a hybrid.
Enjoy, retirement is great work if you can get it!
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Post by johnr on Jun 21, 2016 6:46:31 GMT -5
Hi Nancy and Dan, welcome to the group!
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Gary
Newbie RV’er
2015 Spree 300RLS. 2015 Chevrolet 2500 High Country Duramax.
Posts: 43
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Post by Gary on Mar 26, 2017 18:31:03 GMT -5
Hi everyone, it's been a while. We have gotten a lot of use out of our Spree and have big plans for the future. We upgraded our tow vehicle twice last year. The never should have sold us that 34 1/2 foot Spree to be towed by a Tahoe. We traded in the Tahoe and ordered a 2015 1500 2wd 6.2 liter engine. It did much better than the Tahoe but I stepped up and got a 2015 2500 Diesel 4WD High Country and love it. It tows our Spree with ease and gets about 12 mpg while doing it. Now that we are out of warranty on the Spree and it's time to do some upgrades.
I realize you just have to make it your own and make it better. I was planning on buying a fifth wheel but for now we are just going to use the Spree and see how it goes
I installed a Progressive built in 30 amp surge protector.
I installed a TST Tpms system.
I just bought Goodyear Endurance tire which give me a lot of confidence not to mention much more tire weight capacity.
I sealed up the air ducts in the ceiling and got some new grills that allow me to close of some vents like at night this was a huge improvement.
I partially blocked off the heater duct in the bathroom and the side of the kitchen where way too much air came out and now have better air in the bedroom and living area
I just bought a LevelMatePRO - Bluetooth® Vehicle Leveling System
I just bought a Oxygenics Shower head
I just bought an AP products blue tooth propane level check system
I just mounted a small fan above the bed where a TV can go
I have upgraded the leaf spring bushing and shackles
I bought a bunch of Bolt Locks for hitch, trailer and a long cable to lock stuff up with Bolt Locks all using my truck key
I plan to replace the window in the door with one of those clear tinted ones.
So many more things to do. I have watched a lot of Youtube videos about camper upgrades and gotten lots of great ideas.
So use what you got and make it your own and most important is nobody wins!
December 2017 update: I plan to upgrade to a KZ Durango Gold 384RLT as soon as a dealer makes me the right offer.
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abs
Weekender RV’er
Posts: 65
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Post by abs on Mar 26, 2017 19:50:20 GMT -5
Gary,
Where do you get the clear tinted windows for the door? Ive always wanted to do that, but have never seen one. Do you know the cost?
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Post by lynnmor on Mar 26, 2017 20:31:11 GMT -5
Gary,
Looks like you have a lot if nice upgrades going on. I think you might want to consider putting the ball back in the coupler and locking it, rather than welding on a reciever. The ball will stay clean, the hitch locked up and the trailer secured as well. I made a lifting tool to carry the hitch with one hand to the coupler or the truck. When the hitch is locked on the coupler, just swing it to the side and out if the way.
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Post by Chuck on Mar 27, 2017 1:20:21 GMT -5
Welcome to the Kz family This is one reason to go to the Kz Rally, so you talk to the reps, get things fixed, let Kz know about things that need to be addressed for future Kz owners happy camping an safe trails Chuck |
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