The Holiday Rambler Endeavor motorhome line has been around for a while, and there’s a good reason for its longevity: It seldom disappoints. It’s always been a solid, well-thought-out coach. Following the company’s standard M.O., the 38PST I recently reviewed delivers in typical high-level form. The motorhome continues to feature the kinds of storage, standards, and spaciousness I’ve come to expect. The 2006 Endeavor version remains a top-notch choice for full-timers and weekend pleasure-seekers alike.

Overall, the cockpit is quite functional, loaded with key equipment designed to enhance the traveling experience for drivers and passengers alike. Remote mirrors, access to a bevy of exterior lighting controls, adjustable pedals, the wonderful lighted SmartWheel and its host of features, and ultra leather seats are but some of the cockpit’s offerings. Then there’s the massive Panaview™ One-Piece Windshield, which offers terrific wrap-around visibility while reducing potential blind spots. Seventeen-inch chrome remote mirrors add to the incredible visibility and look sharp as well. They standout as an impressive detail among coaches at this price point, the majority bearing typical 14-inch black mirrors.

The combination Roadmaster chassis, 400hp Cummins diesel engine, and 6-speed Allison transmission should result in a few brawls over who gets to drive. This begs the question of why should the driver have all the fun? Fortunately, those relegated to the passenger seat aren’t left out of the fun, for they have plenty of comfort and access to controls from their perch. Who would have thunk it, but the radio is actually within easy reach, thankfully bucking the trend of tilting every gage and gadget towards the driver. Riding shotgun still allows for sovereignty over a mix of interior and exterior lighting controls, and the praiseworthy electronic stepwell cover, which puts a merciful end to the problem of the passenger’s dilemma of where to put his or her feet.

The 38PST floorplan follows a fairly traditional layout of a pair of sofas up front and a streetside dinette across from the kitchen. The major difference, to everyone’s benefit, is the two massive living room slideouts, which perform double duty to expand the width of the coach. The effect in terms

Other RV manufacturers should examine the typical Holiday Rambler kitchen and take meticulous notes. The manufacturer never seems to offer anything but a textbook example of how this space should be used.

of both roominess and light is tremendous. The spaciousness isn’t just an optical illusion, however, as the interior ceiling has been raised to a full seven feet. The back dinette is a fabulous spot in which to work or do whatever. The table is at perfect height, with nothing to knock your knees against. For some reason, crafting a useful dinette area is easier said than done. Kudos to Holiday Rambler designers for getting it right. Still, it’s more than a perfect sized table and pair of comfortable chairs that make this spot so pleasant. Credit also goes to the solid surface countertop running along the side of the coach, complementing the dinette with even more space for papers, files, phone, etc., or simply to use as a display place for picture frames. The above lighting is elegant and the six overhead compartments leading up to the cockpit handle most any storage need. While I’m a big fan of the full-length mirror found behind the dinette, the vertical line etchings somewhat impair its reflective properties. Surely, there are ways to give the glass some flair without diminishing its function as a mirror.

The streetside sofa bed is comfortable, but could be a tad longer. You know, just in case your NBA pals stop over. The couch is comfortable to sit on and very nice looking, however. In pull-out-bed mode, it’s probably best reserved for kids and smaller adults. The curbside couch is the preferred choice, complete with optimum TV views and a long pullout drawer underneath, serving as the perfect spot for blankets, pillows, and sheets.

Other RV manufacturers should examine the typical Holiday Rambler kitchen and take meticulous notes. The manufacturer never seems to offer anything but a textbook example of how this space should be used. The 2006 Endeavor continues the tradition with a wonderful place to prepare the grub. Start with the nerve center, a 14-cubic-foot, four-door refrigerator/freezer with icemaker. Very nice. Knowing that the amount of available kitchen counterpace and storage can make or break a motorhome sale, the Endeavor doesn’t mess around on either front. How does a dozen compartments and drawers of varying size grab ya? Better still, the overhead cabinetry is slightly lowered, now sitting at a perfect height for reaching everything. Not only do the range and double sink covers create a wealth of space, but the flip-up counter extension seems like a slam-dunk option for getting even more. Activate the curbside slideout and a supplemental storage area — okay, a hutch if you will — complete with two additional cabinets are revealed. The convection oven is enormous.

Given the restraints of size and usage, it’s difficult to make the typical RV bathroom hardly anything more than just an afterthought. It’s for this reason why I applaud Holiday Rambler — and Monaco Coach Corporation — for consistently redefining this undervalued space. Yeah, such a room typically only boasts a couple of dozen cubic feet (at most!), but the Endeavor’s version really delivers the goods. For starters, the bathroom, sequestered in its own room, is larger than most. No knees banging against the sink, no claustrophobic, get-me-outta-here feeling. Not only is there lots of handy countertop (solid surface, too!), but there’s storage galore. Try three nice-sized drawers and a deep compartment under the sink. Overall, the bathroom is, dare I say, pleasant. The Endeavor’s first of two bathroom sinks resides in here, as well as a seemingly endless double-wide medicine cabinet.

The shower area is equally nice. I liked the three-dispenser system inside, virtually eliminating the need for bottles of shampoo and conditioner, as well as that slippery bar soap. It’s a nice space-saving feature. Meanwhile, a wide skylight floods the space with natural light. The unit’s second sink, plenty deep and surrounded with a lengthy countertop, is adjacent to the shower. Lots of nice, deep storage here, too, and not interfered with by a slew of plumbing fixtures underneath the sink, as is often the case with other brands. And not to be outdone by the bathroom — whoopee! — another sizable medicine cabinet. Between the pair of medicine cabinets and his-and-her sinks, consider your marriage secure forever! A pair of sliding privacy doors separates the bathroom/shower from both the bedroom and the main living area.

My requirements for a nice master suite are pretty simple: A comfortable bed and enough places to put my clothes. Anything beyond that is essentially gravy in my eyes. Well, people, let’s bring some biscuits, because this room certainly does impress. The bed, bolstered by the pillow top mattress (a must option) is wonderfully comfortable, and long enough for even taller travelers. I’m six feet tall

The bed, bolstered by the pillow top mattress is wonderfully comfortable, and long enough for even taller travelers

and enjoyed room to spare. The outlets and controls (bedroom and hallway lighting, radio, etc.) were well-placed. The bed portion of the room is home to the Endeavor’s third and final slideout. Obviously, extra room in the bedroom area is always a good thing – particularly if you ever have to travel with my wife! Despite its location within the slideout, the overhead cabinetry is spacious and far enough removed to avoid nightly head-butts. A fabric bed board really boosts the room’s aesthetics.

While certainly never one to complain about an extra surface area, I’d like to see adjacent vanity area a tad wider to accommodate a laptop or such. However, I can’t dismiss its four deep drawers, nor the tall cabinet and four Godzilla-sized compartments (with removable shelves) found in the compartment next to it. Combined with the wardrobe closet and three more shelves next to the TV (not to mention underneath the bed storage), deciding what to bring shouldn’t be difficult. Just bring it all, people. Speaking of the TV, credit designers for equipping the set with a swing-out arm to position it where you want it. This idea certainly beats the concept of a fixed TV placement.

The storage continues outside, with cavernous, easy-to-open compartments for more hulking items. Best of all, only one of the three slideouts interferes at all with accessing the compartments, and in this case, not much at all. Hooray. This sure beats the backbreaking limbo routine most of us have to perform to access a compartment found under a deployed slideout in order to retrieve Aunt Edna’s Swedish meatball recipe. The full-body paint and overall look of the coach is spectacular. I appreciated the wealth of standard awnings, for the windows, door, and patio side. And while everyone has his or her own taste for color schemes, there are numerous choices available. To each his (or her) own, right?

The new Endeavor does most everything right. It’s simply got it all, and worthy of an expensive diesel price tag. Fundamentally, the 38PST is rock solid. Storage abounds, the list of standards is very generous, and there’s lots of well-thought creature comforts. As in years past, Holiday Rambler knows their Endeavor market, and continues to deliver time and time again.