Class A Gas or Diesel
OK I'm sure this has been beaten to death... BUT as a 5th wheel owner just starting to look a getting a used 2006 - 2012 Class A. About 35 ft is a gas engine powerful? I see Ford V10 and Chevy V8 Is ...
Forum Discussion
Wow.....this thread is really all over the place. "donfrump" brings up a good point about people making disparaging remarks about something they can't afford. This really makes their opinion useless because it's so slanted.
One remark about the lack of throttle response is the craziest thing I ever heard. Large displacement diesels in motor homes and semi's are not designed to have the "pedal put to the floor". When you do that with a diesel, it will fall on it's face. They're designed to have the power rolled on. If you roll it on slowly, it will accelerate like other motor homes. Again, bad information.
If you drive down a smooth highway at 65 mph, both a gas motor home and a diesel will ride smoothly. If the road is full of potholes, both a gasser and a diesel will ride roughly. The diesel may absorb the shock a little better because of the size and weight, but you'll still feel it.
I had a gas motor home with the 8.1 Workhorse and it was a diesel eater. I could blow by most diesels on any grade. Now, the noise was horrendous in the cab, even after adding a lot of installation, but you only climb grades during about 5% of your travels, so not a big deal.
A diesel is more complicated to operate and maintain, but can haul and tow more weight. You need to decide what you want to do your coach, how often you'll use it and do you have a need for a diesel. Modern day gassers are very capable and probably the best choice for those who don't do more than 8-10K in miles every year.
My sister just took delivery of a new Fleetwood Southwind today. They were done dealing with the complexity of a diesel pusher. It's actually 4" longer than the diesel they sold and is just as nicely outfitted.
Good luck on your search. The lines between a diesel and a gasser have really been blurred so it's a tough choice.
One remark about the lack of throttle response is the craziest thing I ever heard. Large displacement diesels in motor homes and semi's are not designed to have the "pedal put to the floor". When you do that with a diesel, it will fall on it's face. They're designed to have the power rolled on. If you roll it on slowly, it will accelerate like other motor homes. Again, bad information.
If you drive down a smooth highway at 65 mph, both a gas motor home and a diesel will ride smoothly. If the road is full of potholes, both a gasser and a diesel will ride roughly. The diesel may absorb the shock a little better because of the size and weight, but you'll still feel it.
I had a gas motor home with the 8.1 Workhorse and it was a diesel eater. I could blow by most diesels on any grade. Now, the noise was horrendous in the cab, even after adding a lot of installation, but you only climb grades during about 5% of your travels, so not a big deal.
A diesel is more complicated to operate and maintain, but can haul and tow more weight. You need to decide what you want to do your coach, how often you'll use it and do you have a need for a diesel. Modern day gassers are very capable and probably the best choice for those who don't do more than 8-10K in miles every year.
My sister just took delivery of a new Fleetwood Southwind today. They were done dealing with the complexity of a diesel pusher. It's actually 4" longer than the diesel they sold and is just as nicely outfitted.
Good luck on your search. The lines between a diesel and a gasser have really been blurred so it's a tough choice.
