Another gasser question

The choice of a coach that works for you is an individual question. However there are some broad things you need to think about. First thing is Class C or Class A gas coaches CAN NOT be worked on by any Ford dealership as I discovered after I purchased our first motorhome. We have several Ford dealerships very close to our house but none of them would work on our motorhome. It seems that Ford has a separate network of medium duty "truck" dealerships that will work on F450 - F750, E350 - E450, vans trucks and motorhomes. You may be lucky and the local dealership is also a full Ford truck center but usually not. Now diesel motorhomes aren't a peach either however I have found that usually the shops are open very late and some are open 24x7. Cost is another complex topic. Diesel engines are simpler than gas engines but typically cost more to work on however, that isn't the complete story because the diesel engines have longer service intervals than gas engines so it may balance out depending on your situation. Also, keep in mind that Ford truck shops charge very similarly to the Freightliner diesel shops do so there isn't as much of savings. A common mistake is to assume that the price will be the same for a motorhome vs a Ford van it isn't. I have found it useful to start with requirements. What is important to you and whoever will be traveling with you. Gas motorhomes tend to be noisy especially on grades squeaks and rattles are very common, they also tend to have less integrated coach systems e.g. no AGS (Automatic generator start) no residential refrigerator, tiny inverters that only run the TV and are not consolidated into a inverter / converter system. Another thing to consider is the diesel coaches come with diesel generators that typically run at 1800 rpm and are dramatically quieter vs the gas generators that run at 3600 rpm. Gas coaches can work well for certain people as long as you understand the limitations and don't exceed their limits including GCWR and GVWR. I strongly recommend taking a gas rig that has the layout you like on a long test drive that includes a long uphill grade. Make sure you include some rough roads in your test drive. Next take a diesel coach on the same trip if possible. You will hear and feel the immediate difference. There are low end diesel coaches that have vinyl flooring and lower end finishes that have costs similar to gas coaches.