Coachman Freedom Elite 21QB

We just bought a new Forest River Sunseeker 2300, 25 footer. No slides, with a choice of Ford or Chevy drivetrain. Queen bed in the rear, choice of dinette and nice floor plan.

We went with the Chevy cab because it has more leg room and the Ford is having front end issues.

Air conditioning is ducted up in the roof, sliding glass shower door, lots of nice other features also.

We love it because it's as easy to drive anywhere and park!

we chose the four winds 22e over the 23u because the interior closet is larger and the interior step is in a better location. no chair like the 23u but we use the driving seats for extra chairs.

We too have been researching similar models for a few months which will lead to a purchase in 2016.

Are you looking new or used?

Ford did a major redesign around 2008 including an entirely new front suspension. This improvement seems to have addressed the complaints about the previous models.

All other things being equal I would weigh heavily a reputable dealer that is not too far from your home.

We're in an older (2008) 21QB. When it comes to storage, the area underneath the bed is huge. It's our first so I can't compare it to anything but we're content with it.

I believe the Ford is the more rugged of the two chassis. But most of us don't wear RV tires out and most of us won't put the miles on an RV to where the Chevy might show wear that the Ford wouldn't.

The 2008+ Ford is better in axle capacity and braking than 2007- but the steering geometry wasn't changed that much if at all. I think improvements in handling might have resulted from more front axle capacity allowing longer wheelbase. Longer WB makes it possible to shift weight to the front axle, and more front axle load improves handling.

Those four small Class C rigs you have on your list are a great starting point.

Here are a few things to consider or ignore, per individual preference:

1) Do you want a floor plan with a permanent non-cabover queen bed, or a non-cabover queen bed you have unfold and make up each night? A permanent non-cabover queen bed in short Class C lengths will limit the models you can choose from.

2) Which is more important to you - inside storage or outside storage? Good outside storage may require a Class C with a step-up in the floor between the cab and the coach areas. Some Class C designs try to provide good outside storage by even having a step-up within the main coach flooring near the back.

3) If you would like a Class C with at least one cab seat that can be made to swivel to the back, later, by installing an after-market seat bracket - then a step-up in the floor just behind the cab area will make it just about impossible to use this after-market approach to get a cab chair that swivels.

4) Look for large tank capacities to keep tank emptying and tank refilling to a minimum while on RV trips.

5) Make sure that the exterior step into the coach is an automatic one.

6) Make sure that the heating system has multi-ducts.

7) Make sure that the air conditioning system has multi-ducts.

8) Make sure that at least one roof vent has a muilt-speed, reversible fan in it.

9) Make sure that the kitchen sink cold water faucet has a built-in filter for it.

10) Make sure that the coach battery(ies) have a convenient switch that completely disconnects them (for complete isolation) from any circuits in the RV.

11) Make sure that the dinette - or other main seating - has firm enough cushions in them.

12) Make sure that the cab's outside mirrors are remotely adjustable from the driver's seat.

13) Check to see if the rear tire wheel wells are lined with steel so that a blowout back there doesn't damage the coach structure.

14) Make sure that there is a spare tire included and stored nicely somewhere .... along with a long-handled lug wrench for removing the lug nuts.

15) Make sure that the Class C has a built-in, and strong, roof access ladder for easy roof maintenance, waxing, and repair of caulking and plastic items over time.

16) Check to see if the water pump is easily accessible. These sometimes fail and are fairly inexpensive to replace ... but can be a bear to gain access to.

17) If possible, insist upon a one piece fiberglass roof structure that is crowned ("not flat"), and has rolled over edges all along the length of each side.

18) If it has a built-in generator, have the generator started up to check inside/outside noise and inside floor vibration from it. Pass up a Class C in which it's generator is for the most part unusable due to it's noise and/or vibration resulting from a poor installation by the RV's manufacturer. A built-in generator is too expensive to have one that you can't, or don't want to, use due to a poor installation.

19) Check to see if the coach battery storage area has room for two batteries in case you'd like to increase your battery capacity later.

20) Check to see where the bathroom sink empties - into the black tank or into the grey tank (there is a reason to have it empty into the black tank instead of the grey tank).

21) Make sure that the coach living area has several 120 volt AC receptacles and several 12 volt DC receptacles

22) Look for steel slides on all interior drawers, and latching mechanisms for the drawers that operate by gravity instead of levers, springs, etc..

We learned of the above considerations - and many more - after we had already purchased our 24 foot Class C. Unfortunately, information sources like this forum were not available back then.

Good luck in your search!

might look at the Sunseeker same floor plan, fiberglass roof

mackenpc wrote:
Looking for our first RV. Our requirements include the following:

1. Overall length limited to around 24'
2. Queen bed needed. Do not want to sleep over the cab or on the sofa.
3. Storage capacity.
4. No slides

This led us to the following units.

Coachman Freelander 21QB
Thor Freedom Elite 21C
Fleetwood Jamboree 23'
Four Winds Thor 23U

Any advice, opinions, or knowledge of units for sale is appreciated.

If looking to purchase brand new and resell after 8 years or so, you will be fine. But if buying an 8 year old one, then watch out for water leaks. If planning to pack a lot of weight into that large under-bed outside storage, I would consider an E450 chassis instead of the E350.

They are entry level units which will typically leak due to their affordable construction methods. Do you have a family that you are looking at conventional C's instead of a B+? A B+ will be a more sound rig.

Thanks to all for your input. A great deal of information received and which I will keep on my wish list. However, 3 things have narrowed our search further.

1. Overall length of under 25' to fit in the area of the yard we want
2. Queen Bed. 60"X80". Many advertise Queen, but when you see the floor plan, they are 54"X80" which is a "Full" size.
3. No overhead front window space. Too many issues with leaks.

There is also a dealer in Alvarado, TX. which sells the 2016 Freedom Elite QB for $49,900 which is probably the cheapest anywhere.