4x4 Class C, what do you think?

"For reference, the Phoenix Cruiser line of motor homes offers a Quigley 4x4 option for $24,750."

Indeed they do..but will only do their conversion on new. So...we have the huge price tag. However, taking a used, well maintained RV that is, hopefully, paid for...the numbers begin to open doors.


Gary Haupt

Wow. Thanks everybody for your input. For starters, it was not my objective to make anyone feel cheap for posting the same thing on two forums, I apologize if that was the case. I look at it like this, ask two people and get two different responses, both valuable. I am a lifelong four wheeler and have been doing it for a few decades. Thank you for letting me know that this is not like my old CJ-5, I did not list my previous experience and that is great advice. I feel I am getting a good deal and the po has driven it 15k miles with no issues so I believe this is a pretty decent shakedown run. I couldn't find any tangible info on what something like this generally runs in the marketplace due to how rare they are. I did see the new manufactures and the associated pricing but it really is apples and oranges even if the mission and vehicle are similar. I really just wanted an unbiased opinion of what you would pay (knowing full well you really didn't have as much info as you would like if you were actually making the purchase) or if you had knowledge of previous sales. Thanks again for your time and input and if you would like to continue with numbers and suggestions I'm all ears.

If you live in the area of 4-wheeling, I could understand owning a 4x4 motor home. But if you are like me who lives in the mid-west and has to drive across the great plains to get anywhere interesting, that would be a nightmare to wrestle with on interstate highways with trucks passing and cross winds for all those miles.

garyhaupt wrote:
Here are two pix of the rig he is talking about.




Gary Haupt

For reference, the Phoenix Cruiser line of motor homes offers a Quigley 4x4 option for $24,750.
That price is MSRP. I don't know the final cost after their factory direct discount.

KD4UPL wrote:
In one sense a really cool and rare camper like that is really valuable. However you need to compare it against two things:
What would it cost you to buy any other MH of same or even newer vintage and convert it to 4 x 4?
What would be the cost of a '79 or even newer 4 x 4 truck with a nice 1979 or even newer truck camper? I'm guessing this would be "not very much".

I have advocated to those that wanted a newer something, with 4x4...go get the RV you want and can pay for, then either get a kit or take it to a shop and have a conversion done. Cost will be about 25 grand for that. Go the Quigley route and a person is into it for maybe $200,000. Somehow, that just doesn't make sense to me.


Gary Haupt

In one sense a really cool and rare camper like that is really valuable. However you need to compare it against two things:
What would it cost you to buy any other MH of same or even newer vintage and convert it to 4 x 4?
What would be the cost of a '79 or even newer 4 x 4 truck with a nice 1979 or even newer truck camper? I'm guessing this would be "not very much".

I agree that a 4x4 class C house body could tear itself apart, if used hard off road, versus a 4x4 class B van camper with the van body intact.

Adding to my prior post: My 4x4RV experience is that many wanna-be owners just drool over them and have no idea of the reality, which is that you or someone is probably going to be spending a fair amount of time and/or money maintaining this vehicle.

I do what I call "4WD lite," lots of slow driving on rough-surface roads but no attempts at serious jeepy stuff. Still, I've had pipes break, pieces fall off, and roof items broken. Every cupboard and the refrigerator has done a spontaneous ejection of its contents at one time or another, even with double latches and some extra fasteners.

As someone else said, here or on Expedition Portal, a 4x4 C is still a C. It doesn't flex well.

It is NOT a four wheelin machine tho...it flexes and bends because it is a Class C RV. You'll bust it or flop it over if you try the Jeep thing.

This is so true..The higher the coach is the more likely to hit limbs or rocks...Living in Idaho, I can see the advantages of 4x4 on normal roads and ground clearance is a catch 22 with an RV making them more tipsy and leaning/swaying more on corners.

Looking at an older rig one must take into consideration parts for the engine and drive line...When I bought mine ground clearance was a major factor because so many hug the ground and that would not work for me and the 460 engine has parts available everywhere so far, if needed.

The twisting and bumping of off roading will work your seams looser than normal highway driving making leaks happen more often if your not aware of it(Something else I learned the hardway)..

Awesome looking RV though and it would depend on how your going to use it and what it's worth to you.Last one similar I looked at was $25k..

That sucker looks tough!