Class C vs a smaller Class A

Gigem wrote:
I really appreciate all the great feedback. It sounds like in the world of RVs, its all about tradeoffs and personal preferences. One of the take aways from the comments offered is that Class As have a bit more room and may be a better choice for a retired couple while, the flexibility of the Class C may be a better fit for a younger family? Thanks again.

Boom you hit it on the head...

We have owned an A, a TT and finally a C. C makes sense for us since we are a young couple with a kid and eventually maybe another. i also do a lot of my own maintenance and the Class C is "easier" to wrench on as opposed to a class A. As an example I feel completely comfortable doing brake work and engine work, mainly cause my 6 ton jacks can support it! On a class A I'm not sure if I trust them...

On the road now in Canada and had a campground conversation with a newbie A owner on this topic in Maine the other evening. After 40+ years of owning 4 A's and now a Chevy B+, I found myself saying I would not own another A.

Our 2-slide 30' B+ offers all the space a couple needs while being considerably easier and less tiring to drive at just under 8' wide. Other benefits include: my wife can/will drive the B+, but not a wider A. B+ cab is solid, has 2 doors, a surprisingly powerful ice-cold A/C, 2 air bags, and all of its equipment is Chevy, not a collection of mediocre mfrs. we'd found in our A's. 16" tires are less expensive and readily available. Carrying capacity is all we need. Never have been turned away for service as we had been in our A's. Most Chevy dealers welcome us. A's often need heavier duty garages. Gas mileage is as much as 10 MPG. Braking is excellent. Noise level and cab comfort very good. More maneuverable turning ratio. Smaller, though adequate tanks. Engine servicing outside, not by lifting a clumsy internal canopy.

I'd say - drive both and choose the best fit for you. Best of luck.

lass A's can be more stressful on ya if in tight situations. They are higher for the driver thus you may miss closeup, they have a big blind spot on the passenger side and then take more room to maneuver overall. I drive a school bus and dont find the idea of driving a big bus for pleasure fu, We bought a Winnebago B+, it is just like a small school bus thus our name for it and it is actually easier to park and stow away when not needed. It is only 11ft high an I can get a storage shed for it cheaper than for a taller A. Its only me and the wife, it does have seat belts for more in the back but grand kids too small to take with us no so its not an issue. Yo need to do as recommended above, rent 1 of each and see which makes you feel more comfortable. Remember in an A the steer wheels are under your butt and in a C they are in a normal drive position.

Have fun however you go.

Gigem wrote:
I really appreciate all the great feedback. It sounds like in the world of RVs, its all about tradeoffs and personal preferences. One of the take aways from the comments offered is that Class As have a bit more room and may be a better choice for a retired couple while, the flexibility of the Class C may be a better fit for a younger family? Thanks again.

that's about it.

for the couple who want to be on the road more than staying in places a longer time, the b+ type is designed to be more nimble on the road and have sleeping mostly for 2. many b+ builders do luxury coaches (coach house, chinook, isats, phoenix cruiser, leisure travel, pleasureway, born free, etc.) to capture retirees who want to run the road more.

I was just looking for both recently.The larger Class A are far better suited for living in while on the road while the Class C has less storage and seems to have quite a bit more ground clearance in the units I looked at.

I ended up with a Class C and love the clearance it provides for the mountains of Idaho where I do all of my camping.

Good luck on your choice.I about went blind looking at all the motorhomes and comparing for my wants.

I really appreciate all the great feedback. It sounds like in the world of RVs, its all about tradeoffs and personal preferences. One of the take aways from the comments offered is that Class As have a bit more room and may be a better choice for a retired couple while, the flexibility of the Class C may be a better fit for a younger family? Thanks again.

When we bought our "A", we were empty nesters and it suited our needs(and it was a great deal). Then the DGK's came along and we started taking them with us. Not enough sleeping spaces. Rented a "C" when we needed to maximize our three weeks the kids were available for an AK trip. Got a 31' model and the kids loved it and we kind of fell for it.

Now Five years later, DGK's have lots of Teenager things to do and can't spend as much time with us.

We need a newer rig and we both lean toward another "A". DW want one 30' or under, I want about the same but, I've looked at a few older "A" diesels. The smaller ones seem to have a table and "2" chairs instead of dinette for four and so the old "six/four/two" is now "six/two/two". Six for cocktails, two for dinner and two for sleeping".

I like the extra room of a 35' pusher and the quieter cab when driving but, the "C"s are much quieter in the cab but have less room.

Even those of us who have been owners do flip flops over what to buy. I have never considered the ease of repair and maintenance or safety in a crash, I want the creature comforts. Floor plan, kitchen layout, down time comfort(looking straight at the TV, neck not bent to the side) view out the front and everything mentioned earlier.

Some "C"s have them and some don't, the same for "A"s. It is all what grabs you walking in the door.

We chose a C over an A because of the extra sleeping space, the ease of service on the chassis, and the crash safety for the cab. What I didn't ever see considered before is the ease and availability of body work.

My parents have a 12 year old class A and someone stopped short in front of them in May and their front end is smacked up, window broken, etc. It is mid July and they're still messing around with the insurance company trying to find out exactly who will repair it and what will be done since the front end will either need to be fabricated or salvaged off of a donor vehicle if they can find one. I have to think that our plain old un-sexy standard white E450 body panels are a dime a dozen and we'd be long back on the road by now if it had been our C.

Our passengers move about the cabin when deemed relatively safe (I know it is truly never safe), so I don't really know why that would be different between a C and an A.

Another thing that we like about having the cab is that we use it for storage when we're at our destination. We have a curtain behind the cab for privacy when we're stopped for an overnight, but we use a windshield cover when we're at a destination. So the cab essentially becomes out of sight storage for us between the two. A nice place to put collapsed dog crates, a bin for shoes, etc.

The class "C" also has the loss of the cab. Yes, newer models you can turn the seats around, but pretty much, the living space tends to start from behind the seats. In a class "A", your living room has a steering wheel in it.

Of course, the biggest downside of an "A" are repairs. With a "C", most chassis dealers can figure out the problem, or find parts. An "A", you just might be SOL if a headlight breaks.

Gigem wrote:
We're in the very early stages of looking at a late model Class C motor home. Browsing some sites such as PPL, it seems that the prices are comparable between a Class C and a smaller Class A (such as a 30 ft. gas Ford V10)? Don't hold me to that statement, I'm a novice in this area. This got me wondering if there were any advantages when comparing a typical 30 ft. Class C and say a 31 ft. Class A? As a novice I would think a Class C with a typical Ford 450 frame and cab may be easier to service? I would appreciate comments and observations from those with some experience in this area.

It has not yet been mentioned that both are measured from the front bumper to the back of the rear bumper. The Class A does not have the angled windshield and the hood using some of that footage in the front. That could be as much as 3-4 feet. So a 30' Class C will not have nearly as much house room as the 31' Class A.