RV's - Opinions/Advice?

[Super D]

Class A versus class C? Diesel or Gas? Which brands are good or not? We have a family of 5 (3 small kids), would occasionally tow our 19' boat, ~3,500lb? We used a 36' class A this past summer - had a great time, wife and I are starting to dream of our own...
Please share your opinions and any advice...
Thank you!:D
Super D

[DeltaSigBoater]

I dont own an RV, but
This may call for pop corn :idea:

[riverroyal]

Class A versus class C? Diesel or Gas? Which brands are good or not? We have a family of 5 (3 small kids), would occasionally tow our 19' boat, ~3,500lb? We used a 36' class A this past summer - had a great time, wife and I are starting to dream of our own...
Please share your opinions and any advice...
Thank you!:D
Super D
class with a v10 is good,easy to drive etc.

[OCMerrill]

Class A versus class C? Diesel or Gas? Which brands are good or not? We have a family of 5 (3 small kids), would occasionally tow our 19' boat, ~3,500lb? We used a 36' class A this past summer - had a great time, wife and I are starting to dream of our own...
Please share your opinions and any advice...
Thank you!:D
Super D
After the past 10 years with one....and still have it...I recommend RENTING. :D
It may seem expensive but it's cheaper in the long run and you can always get a newer one to use.
They are interest deductible 2nd home though. If your going to use it at least 2x a month then consider a purchase.
Class C's sleep the most but are the most uncomfortable to drive. I can not sit in the cab over 4 hrs. Easy to drive though.
Class A's Cost more but you get more coach.
We have a big C with no slides. They came out with slides a year later. Made our rig instantly worthless in resale.
Resale...another problem. They drop in value faster than a Bayliner on ebay. :D
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/medium/DSC00116.JPG

[Froggystyle]

I have had a "Super C" for a couple of years now, and it was not only my first motorhome, but the first time I had ever used one.
Lessons learned...
The variant I bought, with a garage in back in lieu of a master bedroom is the deal for anyone who is active. They call them "toterhomes" or "motorgarages" and have by far the most utility of all of them. In my case, you can put the Rhino back there and a bunch of gear, or if you were into bikes, quads, Harleys etc... you could put them back there instead. With kids, there is a great room where they can crash on the two drop down beds and you can have peace and quiet in the main compartment if you want. It is great if you go places where you don't want to tow a trailer, but still get everything there...
It tows our boat like it isn't there, but also tows everything we have put behind it with impunity. It is really a well set-up rig.
Mine has a Kodiak C5500 chassis with a Duramax and Alison combo. I wish it had more power, but it does just fine for almost everything except pulling the grade out of SD at 60+. It pulls the grade between 40 and 45 for most of the hills, but never below.
I will be doing a bigger one as soon as I can afford it, but I think it is safe to say I have used it enough to own one... :D I put 18,650 miles on it the first year, and over 6K the second year. We didn't get out to the river much this last year, so it limited the trips. We maintain it to the gills, and it has worked very, very well for us.
When I step up, I am going to get a proper over-the-road truck chassis like a Peterbilt or Volvo and start from there. I will get a slightly larger garage, build a bed OVER the garage and create a master suite for my wife and I. When I use it, I inevitably have several people with me, and we are the only ones without privacy. Guests almost always choose the garage, so we are in general population where the bathroom and kitchen is essentially. I will also get some slides, but will stick with a more utilitarian interior as that has been a godsend... but no more checkerboard floor. It is the only thing I truly hate about it.
The variant I want will end up running over $200K, so I am grateful that I got into mine for right around $100K and learned all of my lessons. It is still worth most of what I paid, since "retail" on it was close to $140K and I bought it a year old.
Everyone I have gone out with has essentially said that the motorgarage was the way to go after seeing it for our types of useage. I would heavily recommend looking into one, as it is a lot of moho for the money, and most are very, very well equipped.
PM me if you have any questions about this style of rig.

[MBlaster]

I'm on my 2nd. We have 2 kids. We had a 94 Tioga 24ft C with a 460. It was a good starter to see if we liked RVing with a boat in tow or not.
Yes we like it.
Sold the C and bought a used 01 33ft Southwind with slide and V10 from a private party for a good price. Couldn't be happier. We use it all summer towing the boat to Havi or Parker. When not towing the boat I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee to tow. We beach camped the last 3 weekends in a row. The kids love to go in it. Got the sat dome for tv. Going to Vegas next weekend for 4 nights.
We love to RV.
Going to put a Banks power pack on it for Christmas and thinking of putting a solar system on it next year.

[Froggystyle]

The one thing I need to get going on, believe it or not, is my audio/video system.
Most of it is dialed, but it is just a cluster **** trying to route wiring in that thing. I can't believe how cheaply these things are built....
I am thinking about just starting over with some external conduit instead of jacking around with the system currently in place. What a draggggg...
Still haven't figured out how to incorporate Direct TV either. I have the antenna, but I am not sure if it will work with my Direct TV box. Plus, how do you know what direction the Sat is?
All of these questions...

[bead]

02, National double slide. If you have that many kids, I would suggest a triple slide ,due to exrta sleeping bed . most triple slide outs, have one couch that pulls out to a queen bed the other usally folds down into a double plus the dinnet folds down into a single bed and they are extremly roomy inside .most class C are very cramped unless its a super C.I would prefer a diesel over gas. they tend to have more options .more storage ,better handling, more torque,nicer upgrades (interior/exterior). mgh is about the same though.

[squirt'nmyload]

The one thing I need to get going on, believe it or not, is my audio/video system.
Most of it is dialed, but it is just a cluster **** trying to route wiring in that thing. I can't believe how cheaply these things are built....
I am thinking about just starting over with some external conduit instead of jacking around with the system currently in place. What a draggggg...
Still haven't figured out how to incorporate Direct TV either. I have the antenna, but I am not sure if it will work with my Direct TV box. Plus, how do you know what direction the Sat is?
All of these questions...
no matter what coach you choose, they are all built cheap. if you (get) have a kingdome all you have to do is plug in your box from home and your good to go. it will lock into the sattelite on its own. if you use a dish you are gonna have to get the direction in which to aim it off of the box depending on where in the country you are :)

[Ike]

I have a Class A. I looked at both Class C and A and decided I like the A better because it isn't on a light truck chassis and it doesn't have a cab. We have an 2004 Itasca Sunova 35N which is identical to the Winnebago Sightseer 35, right down to the upholstery and accessories. Inside you can't tell the difference between the two because the difference is the name. It has a Workhorse chassis with a GM 8.1L gas engine and an Allison transmission. I pull a Chevy Cavalier as a dinghy and it's like it's not even back there. It gets about 8 mpg. I never drive over 65 or the mileage would be a lot worse. We will have had it three years this December and live in it full time. There have been no serious problems, and only a few minor ones which Winnebago fixed under warranty. We have been the full circle around the country twice in all kinds of weather, including spending part of the winter in Montana (not recommended!!!) I have driven it through snow, but again it's not something I want to do or like doing but the rig handled it well.
The newer Sightseer or Sunova are not the same as ours. Winnebago changed the layout to be more attractive to families with young children. The model closest to ours is the Vista.
If I could make changes, I would have bought a diesel. Better mileage. More torque. I pulled a trailer with a 4000 pound car on it for about 3 months and the GM 8.1 really bogged down on the grades. But then I was pretty close to the tow limit for this rig.
Otherwise a few odds and ends, a window in the head would be nice. A window on the back of the motorhome would be great. A skylight in the hallway would be great too. A slightly larger propane tank ( ours is 18 gal). In the winter in the Pac NW the propane goes pretty fast. The refrig is a combo 120VAC and propane. The propane function has never worked properly. But we rarely need it. But if it gets to replacement time I'll put in a 120VAC/12V unit. A better battery monitor system would be good and a way to charge the starting battery automatically when on hook ups would be good. right now I have to either run the engine or use an external batteyr charger. The house bateries, 2 deep cycle batteries, are great but a third would be nice insurance. However I would have to put in a slightly larger converter/charger to handle a third hosue battery.
Things to consider. How big are the black water and grey water tanks? the bigger the better. The combined capacity should at least add up to the size of the water tank. Also look for a flush connection for the black water tank. Mine doesn't have one and it's a pain to flush it. if possible go for 50 amps rather than 30. If you're just going to be doing overnights and maybe vacations, 30 amps is ok but for living 50 amps is much better. If I am running both air coniditioners, I have to turn one off to use the microwave. Fortunately the only time this was important was in Key West. Chekc the water pump. Mine sounds like a cement truck. One of these days I'm going to replace it for a silent one. But we don't use it on hook ups so it's not a big issue. If you have 30 amp service a 5kw generator is adequate, but if you have 50 amps go for 7kw or 10kw. You definitely want an onboard generator, but make sure it is quiet. Some of these are really loud. check it out. Ours is an Onan and is so quiet that standing 50 feet away directly behind the rig you cna barely hear it. Last but hardly least, it has a 6 gallon hot water tank. This is barely adequate. An instant hot water system would be ideal. But a bugger tank would be nice.

[HocusPocus]

After the past 10 years with one....and still have it...I recommend RENTING. :D
It may seem expensive but it's cheaper in the long run and you can always get a newer one to use.
i can second this, for us renting is the only way to go. we just don't use one enough to justify owning one.

[thatguy]

The one thing I need to get going on, believe it or not, is my audio/video system.
Most of it is dialed, but it is just a cluster **** trying to route wiring in that thing. I can't believe how cheaply these things are built....
I am thinking about just starting over with some external conduit instead of jacking around with the system currently in place. What a draggggg...
Still haven't figured out how to incorporate Direct TV either. I have the antenna, but I am not sure if it will work with my Direct TV box. Plus, how do you know what direction the Sat is?
All of these questions...
Piece of cake Froggy. Your box from home will work. I have 2 extra boxes since going to DVR's. I just reactivated one at home, brought it to my 5th wheel here in Colorado, bought a simple 1 reciever dish off a guy here and plugged it in. The dish co-ordinants are found by going to "Menu, set-up, dish aiming". Then just pick the nearest town it lists and it will tell you the co-ordinants. (You will also be asked which dish you have)
My 5th wheel was wired for cable, but the connection on the exterior does not support digital satilite. So I ran new cable with a 2 dollar bulkhead on the out side.
The single "eye" dish is very easy to aim. I get everything on my contract except local channels. BUT I just bought a 3 eye oval and have it mounted. As soon as I get some help I can fine tune it and will get all of the channels I get at home. (Watching Ricky Bobby as I type this)
Tommy

[MBlaster]

I have DISH and a sat dome. Its not a in-motion so I have to find my sat. I usually have to cycle the auto tracker a couple times to hit Echo Star 119. Then turn off the dome and were good to go with most of my programming. If I want the ones not on 119 I have to manually cycle the auto sat to hit 110. 90% of my programming is on 119.

[Mrs.Moose on the loose]

We always had a fifth wheel and I loved it, but I can say from our friends with the motor homes, defiantley get it with slides, what a difference it makes in any unit. I have seem them in motor homes that have had a bunk bed system in them with a single on top and a double on the bottom, great for kids..............
Good luck.

[hkunz]

We are on our third motorhome. First was a 21' Class "C", the second a 31' Class "A", and now a 39' desiel pusher. If you plan to pull something big, like a large boat, or a Jeep on a trailer, don't mess with the gas powered ones, unless you get a small RV with a big engine.
Our 21 footer was powered by a 460 Ford with a 4 speed auto, and it could power right up any grade in SoCal with the Jeep on a trailer or flat towed. We crested Cajon Pass at 65 with the Jeep in tow. The only problem towing was if the weight distribution wasn't spot on, it was a nightmare to drive. Stop, move the Jeep a few inches, and try again. I put paint marks on the trailer where the tires go, cured the issue. The interior issue was the kids - they were teenagers, and 21 feet isn't much space to stash spoiled city kids who are afraid of the dark in the outside air:rolleyes:
Our 31 footer, also a 460, had more room for the kids, but would overheat on long uphill grades, to the point that I installed misters in front of the radiator. We went through three transmissions in that RV. It worked great for my folks for the ten years before we bought it, but they never towed.
Our 39 foot Fleetwood has a Cummins 8.3 that is rated at less HP than the 460s, but makes almost 1,000 lbs-ft of torque. I fill up with 75 gallons of diesel, 100 gallons of water, 20 - 30 gallons of extra gas on the trailer with the Jeep (Jeep and trailer dry weigh 6,700), set the cruise control and motor up most any grade. I say most any because there's one in Colorado that goes to about 8,500 feet with tons of switchbacks that we had some problems with, but other than that one, I just boogie up any grade. Cajon Pass crests at almost 70 with the Jeep on the trailer, assuming I don't get cut off and lose momentum.
My first was a Jayco, seemed well put together. Second was Mallard, out of business. Fleetwood makes a pretty good product, and stands behind it pretty well. Most of the warranty issues we've had have been dealer problems, not manufacturer. We looked at National, made in Perris, and felt the quality was slipshod, although they may have improved it in the 8 years or so since we looked at them. Monaco is a top of the line coach, with a price to match.
Kids will tear up a nice new coach - not thier fault, they are just being kids. A RV without slides can be gotten for very cheap - I've seen some nice 400 HP pushers, used, no slides, for less than a fairly cheap new gas RV. Some of the modern amenities will be missing, but still, a nice, powerful coach. Add your own DirecTV and 2 - 3 KW inverter, and you're good to go.

[TheCarDudes]

Rent. Rent. Rent. They seem like a friggin great idea out of the box, but after owning 2 Monaco's and absolutely loving everything about the coach and RV'ing, these were definitely the 2 worst money decisions I have ever made in my life.
Once again, RENT. Or, try something like coachshare. Fractional ownership isn't a bad way to go these days.
http://www.coachshare.com/
TCD

[MBlaster]

Rent. Rent. Rent. They seem like a friggin great idea out of the box, but after owning 2 Monaco's and absolutely loving everything about the coach and RV'ing, these were definitely the 2 worst money decisions I have ever made in my life.
Once again, RENT. Or, try something like coachshare. Fractional ownership isn't a bad way to go these days.
http://www.coachshare.com/
TCD
Or buy something 5 or 6 years old and let someone else take it in the shorts.:D

[Super D]

Thanks for all the input.
Renting seems good at first, but for a minimum of $1,000/week (or more), I'm not sure. 5 weeks usage a year = at least $5,000 in rental fees, or purchase new/used for $500/month (for arguments sake), and you're at $6,000/year. Of course there's storage, maintenance, insurance, etc, but you can use it 24/7/365 if you own.:idea:
The co-ownership/fractional ownership dealy sounded cool, but you still pay at least $230/month for a monthly "maintenance" fee, plus the initial down of at least $10k...
What else?

[OCMerrill]

Rent. Rent. Rent. They seem like a friggin great idea out of the box, but after owning 2 Monaco's and absolutely loving everything about the coach and RV'ing, these were definitely the 2 worst money decisions I have ever made in my life.
Once again, RENT. Or, try something like coachshare. Fractional ownership isn't a bad way to go these days.
http://www.coachshare.com/
TCD
Motor homes will most definitely turn a large pile of cash into a small one in no time flat. :D
Another thing that should influence your decision is where you want to take it. I can air mine down and drive all over Pismo Beach. We do this 2x per year. I see big Pushers on the beach every once and a while but what an effort.

[catman-do]

Between Class A & C, deffinately go with a class A. They are MUCH more comfortable and user friendly while camping. Now between a diesel and gas is going to be up to how much you realistically plan on using it and what length you want. Since you arent pulling much weight a diesel isnt neccesary unless you are planning on using it alot, keeping it for many years, or are going over 36 feet in length. Diesels are generally more reliable, and come with nicer interiors (with an ugly price tag though)

[MBlaster]

If you like state beaches and national parks don't go too big. I'm at 33 ft and there have been places we couldn't have stayed if we were any longer.
If you look for a older gasser like my 02 I'd recommend only 1 slide. Slides are very heavy and cut down on your carrying capacity. I drove several 35 foot gassers with 2 slides and they were dogs EMPTY. I could only imagine fully loaded and towing. My 33ft with 1 slide is very quick for a moho, and has a huge carrying capacity. It should do even better with the Banks kit.

[OGShocker]

I put around 20,000 miles per year on our coaches. If we were the type of RVers who used our MoHo in the 3,000 to 5,000 mile range, I would be a renter.

[Super D]

Where did you all purchase yours? New or used?

[socalmofo]

I just bought an Used 31' Jayco from 10000 RV in San Diego. Got an incredible finance rate, great price, and also a 4 year additional bumper to bumper warranty included. It is a Class C. I liked driving the Class C better than the Class A. I felt like I was driving a bus!

[Ike]

I bought mine at K & C RV in Longmont Co. Just north of Denver. Super dealership. They treated us first class, they even drove my rental car back to the airport for me. They have a great service department as well. They have other dealerships as well. Look them up on the web www.kcrv.com
Just one added thought, no matter what RV you get. Where are you going to park it? Some towns and cities do not allow them to be parked on the street, some won't even let you store them on your own property. They have to be in an RV park or a storage facility. Most towns don't give a damn where you park it but there a some who are really assholes about it. Check it out.
One other thought. If you buy new they will try to sell you an extended warranty. If you are just using it occasionally for vacations etc. The extended warranty isn't worth it. If you plan to live in it and keep it for 10 years or so the it is. However, you can get a better extended warranty through Good Sam, or Camping World.

[Froggystyle]

Now that I have been in a bunch of them and driven several... I would definitely get another "C". The way it was described to me is that a Class "A" is for two people to live in. If you do a lot of touring and traveling with just you and your wife, a Class A is the deal. Especially if you are going to full time it for a while. They are set up on a bus chassis, and you are really part of the whole rig when you are driving it. Which is good and bad. ANYTHING going on in the rig affects the driver. In ours, you just pull the curtain and the coach essentially goes away. The nicest motorhomes are all Class "A" rigs, with all of the granite counters, leather interiors etc...
A Class "B" is a van conversion rig, but is really agile, easy as pie to drive and gets the best mileage. Some have pretty much the same motors as you will find in Class "C" mohos, but with a lot less weight so they can be the real hotrods of the moho world too. Easily tow my boat in many cases.
A Class "C" is based on a van or truck chassis and has the most sleeping and utility of the three. If you are a vacationer with a family, plan on bringing friends or more folks... the is the way to go. They have lots of configurations, but most will allow for sleeping over the cab, conversion table, sofa-bed and a big bed in the rear.
A "Super-C" is similar to a "C", but start with a medium duty truck chassis like a Chevy 5500 or a Ford F650-750 for a base. The big show haulers with a Freightliner/Peterbilt/Volvo tractor are also considered Super C's. You get a lot more truck with a Super C, and with it the tow capacity, carrying capacity and braking performance of the bigger rig. In many cases your mileage will improve too. They are available with the garage setups in the rear like mine as well in this category. These can really handle the slides and extra weight the best IMO. You can get these custom built as well.

[WaterJunky]

All of the decisions you are asking depend on your use. If it will get used twice a year, rent. If it will get used once a month, buy. Are you someone who "upgrades" vehicles every other year or are you someone who drives a vehicle for years? RVs are very expensive to upgrade every couple of years. As a side note, I have seen many a problem on rented RVs. If you are towing heavy, pulling serious hills regularly, or traveling long distances, you will want to take the hit up front and buy a diesel. Buying a new RV is just as bad or worse than buying a boat for deprecation over the first few years. Also like buying a boat there are advantages to buying new like warantys, and knowing its history. All of these are critical components when buying a high dollar item like this.

[OCMerrill]

Now that I have been in a bunch of them and driven several... I would definitely get another "C". The way it was described to me is that a Class "A" is for two people to live in. If you do a lot of touring and traveling with just you and your wife, a Class A is the deal. Especially if you are going to full time it for a while. They are set up on a bus chassis, and you are really part of the whole rig when you are driving it. Which is good and bad. ANYTHING going on in the rig affects the driver. In ours, you just pull the curtain and the coach essentially goes away. The nicest motorhomes are all Class "A" rigs, with all of the granite counters, leather interiors etc...
A Class "B" is a van conversion rig, but is really agile, easy as pie to drive and gets the best mileage. Some have pretty much the same motors as you will find in Class "C" mohos, but with a lot less weight so they can be the real hotrods of the moho world too. Easily tow my boat in many cases.
A Class "C" is based on a van or truck chassis and has the most sleeping and utility of the three. If you are a vacationer with a family, plan on bringing friends or more folks... the is the way to go. They have lots of configurations, but most will allow for sleeping over the cab, conversion table, sofa-bed and a big bed in the rear.
A "Super-C" is similar to a "C", but start with a medium duty truck chassis like a Chevy 5500 or a Ford F650-750 for a base. The big show haulers with a Freightliner/Peterbilt/Volvo tractor are also considered Super C's. You get a lot more truck with a Super C, and with it the tow capacity, carrying capacity and braking performance of the bigger rig. In many cases your mileage will improve too. They are available with the garage setups in the rear like mine as well in this category. These can really handle the slides and extra weight the best IMO. You can get these custom built as well.
The main reason I bought a C was (and in 98 the was no Kodiak based chassis) the extra sleeping capacity and the fact that you should be able to have the chassis (van based) fixed at, in our case, any Ford dealer.
I remember my Dads class A would break down and nobody could find the fuel pressure relay or whatever because shit was nailed to small pieces of plywood all over the thing. The Van deal I felt was more standardizied. I don't think my comments hold true any longer. Both Workhorse and the Ford F-53's are very nice well thoughout chassis. I am talking Gas here.
Funny thing is 10 years later and the very first year of the Ford V-10 and I have never had a Ford related issue. Not a one and I expected many.
We were close to buying an Endura about two years ago and decided not to. I think when we are done with ours we will rent for a few years.
Kids in school we just don't go as much as before them and when they were little.
We can tow our Jeep with kids quads and just barely squeak under the 20,000GCWR of my Superduty chassis. Mostly because we do not have a slide.

[bohica]

My class A will sleep 6, more comfortable for 4, but really only made for 2. If friends want to come out with you, tell them to bring a tent.:)
I've had RV's of every kind, from a Lance camper to class A diesel pusher. A low end diesel pusher will not have much better of a ride than a high end gas coach. I have Winnebago's top of the line pusher, the Vectra. Great coach, it's a one finger on the steering wheel, no white knuckle ride from being pushed around by the wind or big rigs.
One misconception a lot of people have about diesel pushers is they get better gas mileage. Because of the weight, the fuel mileage is terrible, I only get 5.5 mpg when fully loaded and towing.

[Froggystyle]

One misconception a lot of people have about diesel pushers is they get better gas mileage. Because of the weight, the fuel mileage is terrible, I only get 5.5 mpg when fully loaded and towing.
It's better than it would be with a gas engine big enough to do the job... ;)

[bohica]

It's better than it would be with a gas engine big enough to do the job... ;)
I don't know about that. I had a 2002 Winnebago Adventurer w/ 8.1. I got 7mpg towing the same trailer I tow now.:jawdrop:

[Froggystyle]

I don't know about that. I had a 2002 Winnebago Adventurer w/ 8.1. I got 7mpg towing the same trailer I tow now.:jawdrop:
That Adventurer weighs a whole pile less and is seriously smaller than the Vectra... I bet the 8.1 wouldn't even move it. What is in the Vectra? A 1,000 ft/lb Cat?

[bohica]

That Adventurer weighs a whole pile less and is seriously smaller than the Vectra... I bet the 8.1 wouldn't even move it. What is in the Vectra? A 1,000 ft/lb Cat?
Only 12,000lbs heavier:D I have the Cummins 400 ISL w/ 1280 ft/lb of torque. Worse part about it is now me & my buddies are racing coaches. My buddy got tired of getting smoked up the hills, so he had to go out and buy a new American Eagle w/ Cat 525 and 1600 ft/lbs of torque. Time to go shopping next year.:D

[uvindex]

That Adventurer weighs a whole pile less and is seriously smaller than the Vectra... I bet the 8.1 wouldn't even move it. What is in the Vectra? A 1,000 ft/lb Cat?'08 Vectra is a Cummins ISL 8.9L -- 425hp and 1200 ft-lbs torque (yikes!).

[H2oracer]

My class A will sleep 6, more comfortable for 4, but really only made for 2. If friends want to come out with you, tell them to bring a tent.:)
I've had RV's of every kind, from a Lance camper to class A diesel pusher. A low end diesel pusher will not have much better of a ride than a high end gas coach. I have Winnebago's top of the line pusher, the Vectra. Great coach, it's a one finger on the steering wheel, no white knuckle ride from being pushed around by the wind or big rigs.
One misconception a lot of people have about diesel pushers is they get better gas mileage. Because of the weight, the fuel mileage is terrible, I only get 5.5 mpg when fully loaded and towing.
Good fuel economy is not a misconception. I have a 36ft Holiday Rambler Ambasador with a 5.9 cummins and allison and get 10.5 on flat land towing and on a recent trip to a race in Michigan and back I averaged 9.5 mpg loaded and towing.
Air ride greatly improves the handling. Not all class A's have it which can affect handling. Once you have experienced air ride you won't want anything else.

[hkunz]

We get 8 MPG with our Fleetwood Revolution, 8.3 Cummins, coach is 27 k dry, trailer is 6,700 with Jeep. I'd get better mileage if I a) didn't tow the Jeep everywhere I take it, and/or b) didn't go throttle down all the time. I've been stopped twice for speeding the coach, and it wasn't for in-town speeds:(

[THOR]

I think if you have kids a Class C will work better since it has more usable space. A Class A has a ton of room but the space you can use is limited. I have a 29' Class C Winnebago with 2 slides and it does just great for us. But, my kids are 4 and 2.

[TOBTEK]

WHERE is a good place to rent a RV in SD county? We want to drive one from San Diego to redding over the hollidays. Thought it would be nice to have the room and the bathroom for the family. Thought it would be cool, as long as it doesn't cost me my left nut:D

[2Driver]

Or buy something 5 or 6 years old and let someone else take it in the shorts.:D
My buddy in San Diego just got a 2006 34' gulf stream Class A with 9,500 miles on it (with slider) for $55K :eek:
I bet with 5 people and a loaded coach it would NOT be fun towing your boat. If it were me I’d be looking at something in the diesel category. If ya got the dough: DYNAMAX

[cxr133]

WHERE is a good place to rent a RV in SD county? We want to drive one from San Diego to redding over the hollidays. Thought it would be nice to have the room and the bathroom for the family. Thought it would be cool, as long as it doesn't cost me my left nut:D
When we were at campland is SD this Thanksgiving.. there were loads of stickers for a place called: TravelTime RV Rental

[ULTRA28]

I'm real happy with mine. It's a class A Country Coach on a Dynomax chassis. Ours sleeps eight the way we had it built. We had another sofa put in it instead of the two chairs, and a dinette instead of the regular table with chairs. I'm actually looking at new ones right now and it looks like we will be ordering another Country Coach. I tow a pretty heavy trailer and it does just fine. We bought ours from Holland RV in San Diego.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Country-Coach.jpg
The trailer I tow.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/DSC01792.JPG

[voodoomedman]

I'm real happy with mine. It's a class A Country Coach on a Dynomax chassis. Ours sleeps eight the way we had it built. We had another sofa put in it instead of the two chairs, and a dinette instead of the regular table with chairs. I'm actually looking at new ones right now and it looks like we will be ordering another Country Coach. I tow a pretty heavy trailer and it does just fine. We bought ours from Holland RV in San Diego.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Country-Coach.jpg
The trailer I tow.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/DSC01792.JPG
How in the hell do you have time to do that and build boats and go to Havasu and....
I can't even find time to fart lately. Nice rig. I'd love to buy it but don't have that kind of dough. :(

[Screaming Pete]

Dam john can't you get that trailer painted to match you coach, thats just wrong:D

[ULTRA28]

How in the hell do you have time to do that and build boats and go to Havasu and....
I can't even find time to fart lately. Nice rig. I'd love to buy it but don't have that kind of dough. :(
I don't get to Havasu much anymore. If the market wasn't so bad I'd sell my Havasu house completely furnished. I think I only used it three times in the past 12 months. We use the motorhome every other weekend between the kids racing and the desert. As for having time to build boats, it's really been slow lately, so that's not much of an issue this year.;)

[voodoomedman]

Looking at getting one in a few years when we move and will use it. These are all great ideas. I'm digging on the Class C with pop outs if we can. Seems a C will be easier to find a place to put it whether you are at home or driving wherever. Also more beds with kids and stuff. Of course John's rig above is cool but it looks like it was a custom order and cost a lot of dough. Which brings up another point. Buying used seems to be the way to go and probably what we will do. My boats I like new and want to design them and such, don't want to be stuck on the water, and in reality there aren't that many customs to choose from used. RV's there are trillions. People buy them use them one year or so and then sell them because they just sit. Find a clean one with low miles and the configuration you want and score because the original owner took a bath on the depreciation.

[voodoomedman]

I don't get to Havasu much anymore. If the market wasn't so bad I'd sell my Havasu house completely furnished. I think I only used it three times in the past 12 months. We use the motorhome every other weekend between the kids racing and the desert. As for having time to build boats, it's really been slow lately, so that's not much of an issue this year.;)
Tell shippingguy to get off his butt and buy it. :D
That's one of the reasons among many we are planning the move. I'm tired of driving that long to get to Havasu. Where were going we can be on the lake in an Ultra on Saturday and out riding or shooting or just kickin it on Sunday and just chillin at home afterwork on Friday instead of trying to run the freeways here with everybody else. This year with the new kid and the wifes surgery we didn't get much of a boating season having the house 4 hours away. Plus we love camping, fishing and all that other outdoor stuff we don't get to do as often because a day on the lake means a whole weekend outing.
And yeah I'm sure you are slow building. Slowly taking your time to make sure you build the first 26 Stealth and 32 Shadow Full Canopies correctly. I can't wait to ride in both but my pocketbook and lifestyle can't wait to ride in the 26 Stealth.

[Froggystyle]

IAs for having time to build boats, it's really been slow lately, so that's not much of an issue this year.;)
Understatement of the year...
You got the number for that truck driving school... "Truck Master" I think it was... :D
(Top Gun quote for those who missed it...)

[ULTRA28]

Dam john can't you get that trailer painted to match you coach, thats just wrong:D
It's geting a full vinyl wrap next month. Something like this. I'm just waiting for some different shots of the boat to come in with models in it.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/D_Side1.jpg

[ULTRA28]

Understatement of the year...
You got the number for that truck driving school... "Truck Master" I think it was... :D
(Top Gun quote for those who missed it...)
I was actually looking into what I could make as a Wal Mart greeter. I heard the beneifts are good and the work is steady.

[shippingguy]

Tell shippingguy to get off his butt and buy it. :DThat's one of the reasons among many we are planning the move. I'm tired of driving that long to get to Havasu. Where were going we can be on the lake in an Ultra on Saturday and out riding or shooting or just kickin it on Sunday and just chillin at home afterwork on Friday instead of trying to run the freeways here with everybody else. This year with the new kid and the wifes surgery we didn't get much of a boating season having the house 4 hours away. Plus we love camping, fishing and all that other outdoor stuff we don't get to do as often because a day on the lake means a whole weekend outing.
And yeah I'm sure you are slow building. Slowly taking your time to make sure you build the first 26 Stealth and 32 Shadow Full Canopies correctly. I can't wait to ride in both but my pocketbook and lifestyle can't wait to ride in the 26 Stealth.
I would if I could without a doubt, but too much for my wallet. The house is beautiful. They really put alot of work into it and it is perfect. I have had the chance to use it a few times:) :D

[voodoomedman]

I would if I could without a doubt, but too much for my wallet. The house is beautiful. They really put alot of work into it and it is perfect. I have had the chance to use it a few times:) :D
Buy mine then so I can get closer to Nashville. :D
I'll make you a package deal. 1 mil for the house in Chino and the house in Havi. :)

[bohica]

I'm real happy with mine. It's a class A Country Coach on a Dynomax chassis. Ours sleeps eight the way we had it built. We had another sofa put in it instead of the two chairs, and a dinette instead of the regular table with chairs. I'm actually looking at new ones right now and it looks like we will be ordering another Country Coach. I tow a pretty heavy trailer and it does just fine. We bought ours from Holland RV in San Diego.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Country-Coach.jpg
The trailer I tow.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/DSC01792.JPG
Nice set up, but I'd bet your over-length and over-weight on the tow rating with that TPD.:D

[shippingguy]

Buy mine then so I can get closer to Nashville. :D
I'll make you a package deal. 1 mil for the house in Chino and the house in Havi. :)
And the 24 Stealth:D

[Cole Trickle]

And the 24 Stealth:D
your getting better but ask for more;):D:eek:

[Magic34]

I just got a quote today for a new trailer. 50' custom ATC gooseneck loaded, actually some options doubled like 2 40 gllon fuel stations... $92k.
holy fock!

[Cole Trickle]

I just got a quote today for a new trailer. 50' custom ATC gooseneck loaded, actually some options doubled like 2 40 gllon fuel stations... $92k.
holy fock!
Your wife is gonna have her ninja stiletto wearing sister kick your ass if you keep spending the kids college funds!!!!:mad: ;) :D :jawdrop:

[voodoomedman]

And the 24 Stealth:D
Yes. I'll want a new 26 Stealth anyway.
your getting better but ask for more;):D:eek:
He can have the matching Chevy to pull it with.

[shippingguy]

Yes. I'll want a new 26 Stealth anyway.
He can have the matching Chevy to pull it with.
I would have done the deal tonight, but yellow is not my color so it won't work.:D

[ULTRA28]

Nice set up, but I'd bet your over-length and over-weight on the tow rating with that TPD.:D
Yeah, I'm 69' overall, that's why I only went with a 36' motorhome was to stay a little shorter. I don't know about the overweight thing though. The TPD weighs 10,000 empty. So I'm guessing that I'm about 15,000 loaded.

[ULTRA28]

I just got a quote today for a new trailer. 50' custom ATC gooseneck loaded, actually some options doubled like 2 40 gllon fuel stations... $92k.
holy fock!
Give the guys at TPD a call. They do real nice work, it will probably end up about the same price though.

[voodoomedman]

I would have done the deal tonight, but yellow is not my color so it won't work.:D
I'll take 300 bucks off the price and you can take it to Maaco. :)