Looking for a $10,000-15000 Class C MH that will sleep 8, 27 feet or less. Found one, a 1996 Dutchman. How about some other names I should look for? Did they make any with the bunk over the cab, sofa across from dinette booth and rear sleeping area that would sleep 2 in a queen or twin bunks that were less than 27 feet? This is the configuration I want. (I realize the sofa and dinette probably only adequate for kids). If so what names should I search?How about engine hp, size, etc. for the under 30 feet Class Cs. I had a 24 Foot 1997 with the chevy 350 and it was marginal on power. Now days ford is the big player with the v8 460 or the v10. Is there a strong preference there?How about the 350 vs 450 Chassis. For all of this think 30 feet or under. Tail overhang looks excessive on some models. Did a 450 chassis get you a longer wheel base? Starting over again. I searched for a big class c, daughter, paying half wanted a diesel. Bought a diesel. Too big 40 feet and expensive to maintain. Bought a 35 foot dolphin. Daughter filled it once with fuel and as a just retired school teacher realize it was gong to cost to much so that is for sale. I decided I wanted something to haul the family in so I am looking for the above mentioned class c. My cost for everything, purchase, fuel, maintenance etc. so big compromise between that and the Monaco diesel we had to start with. Thanks for your help

Most 27 footers can sleep two adults in rear bedroom,2 kids in overhead and one or two on the convertible dinette/bed or jacknife couch. Two more kids could sleep in a tent with sleeping bags when practical. 8 people/kids in a motorhome for more than a weekend is not my idea of relaxation.

It's gonna depend on just how "comfy" the people want to be, and their sizes.As BC mentioned, you'll have two in the bed, two in the overhead, and maybe two in the dinette and sofa.....but the dinette is going to fit short people/kids, and the sofa, will be for thin people or kids.If you've got 8 adults, and they have any size on them, you are asking for trouble.Bring along some air mattresses, and they can sleep on the floor!:)I've got the 31', and we can fit a lot of people if we want. I'd prefer not to use the dinette, but it's there if we need it.I really don't know if you'll notice the extra 4' of RV when you are driving, or camping. Unless you are restricted in your parking at home, I'd keep the 31' on the list. All of the mfgrs will have what you want, so it comes down to which one you can get the better deal on. The big players will be Winnebago, Thor, Fleetwood, Tioga, etc. You are right about looking in the 10-13 year range for your price range.The V-10 in the Fords has plenty of power....I used ours going over the mountains between Tennessee and NC....and it handled it fine. I have heard good things about the 460 also. But I think you first want to find the coach that you like, THEN think about the engine. Fords are probably the most common.Good luck in the search:)

Appreciate the quick replys. I'm not parking limited at home so will include 31 footers to give me more to search, however thought the shorter ones would be easier for the one or two day trips to see things, park it and preclude the necessity for a toad. Long term stays at a camp ground aren't in the plan with a load of rug rats, but the wife and I might take it for a few days here and there--like the NASCAR races or Mt. Dora flea market. Not concerned about size and down the road driving--owned 5 class A up to 36 feet. Thanks for the names.

We LOVE the floorplan on our 1983, 26 ft. Jamboree.The queen bunk is surrounded by windows. We have twin capt. chairs and a table pops up between them. My favorite feature is that there is no dinette. Instead we have a three or four person couch with a long table on two posts. Lift out the table and posts and you get a nice open floor. The couch folds down to a double bed and tall people actually fit.I don't have good pics of mine (still finishing the inside), but here are a couple I found online that show the floorplan well.The second pic shows how the sink and stove are on the driver's side and the fridge and pantry are on the passenger side, in front of the bed.Jose

Basically, any "original Class C" (with a big cabover bed that's usually bigger than Queen), that's "bed down" (double, queen, short queen, island, etc.) with Dinette and Sofa "will sleep eight." Tons of room in the cabover, good room in the bed down, marginal room in sofa and dinette. And pray for good weather - There's no room for 8 once out of bed. And no room to do much till the sofa and dinette are converted back to day use.Any C with 460 or V10 Ford, 6.0L or 454 or 8.1L GM engine will get you down the road. Reviews claimed the V10 (even original 275HP version in 1997-99 chassis) outperformed the 460 and 454 of the 1990s era. Personally I felt that our old 1983 carbureted 460 (rated maybe 250-HP) drove with more "authority" than our current 2002 305-HP V10. I liked the V8 sound and low-end torque more than the high whine of the revving V10. Best I can offer on this is that I wouldn't avoid a '96 with 460 to get a V10. In V10, the newer the better. Big improvements going into 2000, fully matured in 2004. Then the next big step in Ford was the TorqShift transmission, which I think was 2005 chassis year for E-Series with gas engines.

Class C, 27 feet or shorter, sleeps 8? | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

noe-place
Explorer
Aug 23, 2013
Like I said we bought our C in 04 and that was our first purchase after renting for years. I only researched the 04's before making our purchase so I can't give you an accurate assessment of previous units. As far as lengths of that type available before 04 there were others made by various manufacturers. If you're searching used try the "rv's for sale" in the search block. Good luck.
fighterpilota
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
noe=place, glad to read your first hand experience, and in a 29 foot class c. Do you know if that version was available before 2004, and if so, how far back would that be? Thanks.
noe-place
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013
We got our 29' Itasca Spirit new in 04 and it will sleep that many comfortably. We usually travel with four (sometimes 6) in ours and have room to play with our dog, cook, and move about without running into each other. :B
fighterpilota
Explorer
Aug 20, 2013
My story is straight. Read again. I sold the 40 foot DP and bought a gas 35 foot. Well my daughter and I did. After she retired from 34 years teaching and filled the 75 gal. tank, replaced the rear brakes and put new belts on it she said can't afford this even with me paying half. So it is for sale. 1997 Class A dolphin, very clean.

Now the Class C consideration is my nickel. My choice, and is brought about by the fact I might go that route myself and at least the grandkids, and great grand babies would have some experience with camping, traveling to places etc. I choose the Class C because it is smaller yet will sleep more if you are friendly. Also easier to make one or two day trips with it and not have to pull a toad. Keeping the Class A we have is an option since it is in good shape, but size is a consideration and it doesn't have a full size bed over the driver for two more bodies like the class C does. I would pull a toad with that one.

As far as fuel mileage for me, it is a non issue. My first 4 Class A only got 6 so anything above that is a plus, not withstanding the price of fuel is up. Her pocketbook, however didn't like the costs of fuel as well as maintenance. I doubt the Class A we have versus a 27-31 foot Class C mileage will vary even 1 mile per gallon. That isn't a factor.

Not looking for miracles, just want to make informed choices. Thanks for your help.
bsinmich
Explorer
Aug 19, 2013
If you are thinking a shorter Class C is going to give better mileage than others you are in for a big surprise. My experience has been the opposite. My first MH was a 21' C on a '76 Dodge 360 that gave 5-6 mpg. Second was a 27' E240 in an '89 Jamboree that gave 7 mpg. I then got a '96 35' Pace Arrow that gave 7.5 mpg and now have a 38' that gets 8.5 mpg. Most of the mileage improvements have been through engineeringn changes. Having followed your stories it seems you are looking for miracles. You said at oe time you had sold the 40' RV, now you have it. Your stories don't stay straight.
Gene_in_NE
Explorer III
Aug 19, 2013
fighterpilota - Have you thought about a short Class C and pull a pop-up trailer for those times you need more sleeping room? Our short unit can seat 3 on the couch and 4 in the dinette with 2 up front for travel. I've seen pop-ups that would sleep 6.
Liltippy
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
I have a Born Free 27' Rear bath. It has a queen bed over the cab. This is a unique layout in that I have a sofa that jack knifes for 2 more sleepers. I also have a single powered incline bed, best of the bunch. So, that takes care of 5.

Others would need to sleep on floor or in the shower :)

How about a small tent.
DaHose
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
Wow .... that Delta sounds like it was an "experience". :-)

We had to have a rear bed AND the overhead or my daughter would have been sorely disappointed. We have had 6 sitting at a meal inside and were comfortable. 8 would be a stretch to feed, but we could certainly sleep 8.

Jose
j-d
Explorer II
Aug 18, 2013
In 2000 they brought out "Performance Improved" heads. Those heads with "PI" molded into them, improved HP from 275 to 305 and added threads to the plug holes. If only they had machined them properly it would have been Case Closed on the plug problems. BUT some plants made some heads where the sealing surface and the threads weren't aligned, concentric, or whatever you want to call it. Not all, but enough to keep the frustration going. It took till 2004 for all the holes in all the heads from all the plants to line up. All the V10's were two-valve for a number of years, then a three-valve head design went into the F-Series trucks and F-53 Class A motorhome chassis. Those take a very skinny plug, and some of those have failed, but in a different way than early two-valve plugs.
Get an E-Series that has "Tow/Haul" on the shift lever button. That means TorqShift transmission, and by then all the plug holes were OK.
fighterpilota
Explorer
Aug 18, 2013
j-d, thanks for the detailed information. Regarding the V10 I had read where the earlier models had problems with the spark plugs, so the V10 in 2000 or later would be a better choice as far as V10s are concerned. Also the high revving, whine would be a distraction as well.

Understand about the 8 bodies once out of bed until sofa and dinette available. Typical load would be 4 adults and 3 children under the age of 10 as of this year. We did some traveling in the 24 footer but slept in motels for the overnighters. Great to travel but want ability to camp and sleep now an than as well. Thanks