first B class cutaway or extendedlease
Help me decide on first B class cutaway or extended I like the looks & overall size of Dodge 2014 RAM PROMASTER 3500 3500 STANDARD My main objective is towing a 3500LB boat this is total weight ...
Forum Discussion
A Promaster cut-away with single rear wheel can't carry much of a load, let along tow a notable load. I personally wonder why it is even offered for the RV industry.
Your most affordable and capable Class-C choices will be a Ford E350, for smaller applications and the E450 up to the largest of applications. They also rank high in reliability, have a low maintenance cost, great ease of maintenance, good access to service, and have high power and towing capabilities. Buying a new one with the latest transmission with more gears makes it even better yet.
But the E350 and E450 is the least comfortable, most noisy, least fuel efficient, and has the worst turning radius of the bunch. If "cost to purchase and maintain" is a serious factor, and you can work with those monetary deficiencies, they are an excellent choice.
If you seek better fuel economy, a more quiet ride, improved comfort, and a better turning radius, any Sprinter diesel has that going for it. Note that the new 2019 Sprinter 4500 chassis is a significant step up from previous model years with 12,125 pounds of GVWR and lots of new technology like smarter driver assist features. There is an extra price hike for that so be mindful of it.
A Chevy 3500 and 4500 are very nice as well. They seem to be a great compromise between the Ford E-series and Sprinter.
The Ford Transit is great, but only for the smallest of applications.
Reiterating that I would stay away from any Class-C Promaster. A Class-B Promaster is another story. They seem ideal because of the front-wheel drive configuration. The lack of a drive shaft permits the RV outfitter a lot more under-belly space for more RV-specific features and capacities, assuming they utilize the space smartly.
I would imagine launching a boat with any Class-C with a notable extended rear over-hang would be very difficult. I have seen a few Class-C rigs with a front tow ball hitch specifically for boat-launching. They push the boat into the water rather than backing it in. It keeps the boat's trailer hitch much closer to the road surface to prevent the rear of the trailer from getting damaged by dragging on the boat ramp.
Your most affordable and capable Class-C choices will be a Ford E350, for smaller applications and the E450 up to the largest of applications. They also rank high in reliability, have a low maintenance cost, great ease of maintenance, good access to service, and have high power and towing capabilities. Buying a new one with the latest transmission with more gears makes it even better yet.
But the E350 and E450 is the least comfortable, most noisy, least fuel efficient, and has the worst turning radius of the bunch. If "cost to purchase and maintain" is a serious factor, and you can work with those monetary deficiencies, they are an excellent choice.
If you seek better fuel economy, a more quiet ride, improved comfort, and a better turning radius, any Sprinter diesel has that going for it. Note that the new 2019 Sprinter 4500 chassis is a significant step up from previous model years with 12,125 pounds of GVWR and lots of new technology like smarter driver assist features. There is an extra price hike for that so be mindful of it.
A Chevy 3500 and 4500 are very nice as well. They seem to be a great compromise between the Ford E-series and Sprinter.
The Ford Transit is great, but only for the smallest of applications.
Reiterating that I would stay away from any Class-C Promaster. A Class-B Promaster is another story. They seem ideal because of the front-wheel drive configuration. The lack of a drive shaft permits the RV outfitter a lot more under-belly space for more RV-specific features and capacities, assuming they utilize the space smartly.
I would imagine launching a boat with any Class-C with a notable extended rear over-hang would be very difficult. I have seen a few Class-C rigs with a front tow ball hitch specifically for boat-launching. They push the boat into the water rather than backing it in. It keeps the boat's trailer hitch much closer to the road surface to prevent the rear of the trailer from getting damaged by dragging on the boat ramp.
