After having a look at what’s in store for the 2005 Scepter, there’s an old adage I’d like to take issue with: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Well, last year’s Scepter certainly was not “broke,” but Holiday Rambler’s design team did not leave it alone, and I believe it’s bound to be a better coach for it.

Exhibit A: the floorplans. The 2005 model year brings sweeping changes in the way of floorplans, in fact, there are only two carry overs from last year, a 40-foot quad slide and a 40-foot triple slide. The remaining four floorplans are all new, including three quad slides and one triple, none under 38 feet. Gone are the days of the double slide, and this change brings a new dimension for creativity in layout and furniture arrangement.

This increased space is also filled with some great new equipment, including a 24-inch CRT flat screen television in the living area and a 20-inch CRT flat screen in the bedroom. There is a new in-dash AM/FM stereo and CD player, a Sony color rear vision system monitor instead of black and white, and standard exhaust brake and manual hydraulic leveling system. A redesigned air leveling system is optional.

Of course, the interior has been upgraded, including new decorative fluorescent lighting in the kitchen, providing bright task lighting, and new satin nickel hardware for softer incandescent lights in the living room, dinette and bath. (Because nobody wants to see that much detail in the bathroom.) Standard day/night shades in the living area provide additional lighting control.

The slideout fascia throughout the coach has been redesigned and valances get some new woodwork and fabric accents. In the way of new furniture, the 2005 Scepter comes with free-standing dinette chairs, allowing for a bit more flexibility in seating options.

Ceramic tile flooring comes standard in the bathroom and kitchen, and a nice addition is the tile in front of the washer dryer area in the bedroom. This makes detergent or bleach spills less of a concern and looks pretty sharp too. The Scepter comes prepped for the washer dryer combo, but it must be optioned. In the kitchen, a stainless steel sink with two covers rests in the Corian countertop and nearly all the floorplans come with a standard Corian pull-out kitchen cutting board extension.

Big changes have also occurred outside the coach, starting with your window to the outside of the coach. The Scepter now bears a one-piece windshield with wipers set low out of the way. It’s a good-looking picture out of a good-looking fiberglass front cap, redesigned with new headlamps and fog lights. The rear molded cap has also been reconfigured and the ’05 Scepter comes with four new graphics packages. The new A/C drain tubes for water runoff will help protect that lovely paint job from staining.

Some new features that are all about utility include a more powerful Onan 8.0kW diesel generator with auxiliary start switch, a slide out battery tray that sweetens up the task of regular inspections and maintenance, and a larger 12 gallon LP gas/electric water heater. To compliment that, the new Scepter comes with dual zone electronic ignition furnaces of 25BTU each.

In the utility bay, new exterior tank monitoring gauges help you keep an eye on levels and some new options in this area are definitely worth a mention. They are the RV Sani-Con tank drainage system and electric automatic winterization. The first is a system that processes waste more efficiently and allows the use of smaller hoses, and electric automatic winterization injects the proper plumbing lines with antifreeze at the push of a button when it comes time to winterize the coach: a labor saver that will probably be very popular in years to come.

In light of all this, I can’t imagine a coach that is any farther from the word “broke,” but I certainly hope Holiday Rambler fixes it again next year. What a dull world it would be if we never tried to improve on something good, and the 2005 Scepter is proof of that.