Forum Discussion

Spedunkle's avatar
Spedunkle
Explorer
Feb 27, 2017

First Time Buyers - Help Wanted

Hey everyone :)

Me and my girlfriend have spent the last 2 1/2 years together (we both work from home) and have decided to dive into full time RVing. After initially looking at travel trailers, 5th wheels, Class C then Super C, we finally settled on class A meeting most of our needs. Super C's "C+" can meet our needs and I prefer the thought of having a semi cab around us when traveling but they are generally out of our $140k-150k budget insofar as we've seen. We think it's because we want the interior to look and feel like something we can live in for a long time and many RVs seems to be built out of materials that are designed to fail(?).

We went to the dealer and spent a few hours looking through Thor and Winnebago newer model class A's but we were very unimpressed with the feel of those interiors. We did get a great idea on how large a layout actually is in the real world, though.

I would like to know if anyone would happen to know of any class A/C+ that would fit the following criteria that maybe we have not looked into or are taking for granted.

-$140-$150k price tag
-Full time
-Enough room for 4 comfortably - though 2 will occupy the RV for the most part
-Has unique or innovative features that most experienced RVers look for in their 2,3 or 4th RV
-We are larger 250+lb
-Drivability is #2
-Washer/dryer
-Five to ten days boondocking ability
-Diesel engine
-Safe wheel base, as close to 60% as we can(?)

Overall, we've researched our hearts out and really love the look, feel and layouts of the 2011 Tiffin Allegro Bus's - however we're not sure if we are overlooking anything and would like some help.

(We do have RV Consumer Group information purchased)

Archive: Answered Questions:
Snowy conditions/non-optimal roads at times (safety for us is #1)
Do any RVs have the edge over cold/hot weather conditions in general, or are there features to look for specifically to ensure our comfort in more extreme temps?
Class A
  • Spedunkle's avatar
    Spedunkle
    Explorer
    Feb 28, 2017
    Ivylog wrote:
    04-06 Dynasty or Executive in the $100K range or less... some of the best years from Monaco and for Diesel engines.

    Home refrigerators only requires 100W when running which is less than half the time so two batteries and maybe 100W of solar is all that's needed for a home refer.

    I love the Monaco RR10S chassis as 750-850 mile days are easy... YES even multiple ones. It gives you plenty of CCC (9000+) which for FTime comes in handy. DO NOT worry about finding a place to park a 40+' coach contrary to the naysayers... most of which DO NOT own a big rig and have NO idea where I can get it.

    Must haves for FT: AquaHot, tag axle, home refer, Girrard awning, four slides, big tanks, LED lights and TVs.

    I do not see the need for a bath and half floorplan which is about all you will find in newer 40+' DPs. They also have gotten very heavy... many with 365 tires on the front and even on the tag axle.

    *PS: buy more MH than you think you need... ONE TIME. I learned that the expensive way.


    Thanks!! I had a few questions...

    What is CCC (9000+)?
    What are FTimes
    The Girrard awning, can that be added after purchase - or is it an expensive "get around to it" item.
    We plan to bring up to 2 additional passengers semi-long-term (30days at a time) which is why bath and a half appealed.
    Is there a resource we can use to figure out if the chassis is overloaded from the get-go?

    Again, thanks :)
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Feb 28, 2017
    CCC is cargo carrying capacity and tag axle coaches will have 6000+lbs if newer and if older like mine 9,000+. Older coaches are require to have a sticker with the CCC posted, often on the back of a cabinet or mine is in the closet. Beside the drivers seat there is a sticker with weight info on it which should give you a close idea and it will post the tire pressures required to carry the max weight. Starting around 2003 it's hard to have much CCC in a 40' coach without a tag axle, but 4-5 years ago the single axle weight for MHs was increased from 20K to 24K lbs making it easier to have enough CCC it it has the 24K rear axle.

    FT is full time.

    Yes a awning can be added later but finding the support necessary for a Girrard is more difficult and NO a Girrard is not mandatory, but they sure are nice. On a used rig I would not change the type of awning.

    In order for your guests to shower, they are going to have to go through your bedroom to to get to it... not so with just a full bath that is mid coach. Not sure how we survived in a 2-3 bedroom home with just one bath.

    Good luck
  • Spedunkle's avatar
    Spedunkle
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2017
    Ivylog wrote:


    Good luck


    Thank you so much for your help. We're having an inspector look at an 2008 MONACO DYNASTY 43 SQUIRE right now.
  • Mr_Mark1's avatar
    Mr_Mark1
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2017
    Mr. Jeremy,

    Can you give us the particulars of that Dynasty? Mileage, etc.?

    Ivylog and I can give you a lot of things to look for.

    For one, make sure the dip switches are correct on the air units. Each air unit has a dip switch along with the thermostat. If your thermostat is located at the end of the kitchen cabinet, inside the cabinet, hidden behind a panel is the back of the thermostat that has dip a switch.

    Ours were not set correctly from the factory which made the front and middle air come on at the same time. Not good if you are on 30 amp.

    Good luck and safe travels,
    MM.
  • tinkerer's avatar
    tinkerer
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2017
    Isaac-1 wrote:
    First I would like to say that in my opinion residential refrigerators are NOT a good choice for boondocking as they either require massive amounts of solar panels, and a large battery bank with inverter and/or running your generator for hours each day to keep your food cold. By comparison an absorption refrigerator can run for months on a typical RV size tank of propane. Sure there is a trend toward installing residential refrigerators in RV's they hold much more food in the same footprint, and cost the same or less than an RV absorption refrigerator, which maybe great if you are moving from electrical hookup site to electrical hookup site and only need to run the generator to keep them going while on the road.

    As to the hot / cold issues, the answer is yes, some models are better insulated than others, have dual pane windows, and some even have options for basement heaters and electrical heating pads to keep the water and waste tanks from freezing.
    If a diesel is purchased a residential refrigerator will be a blessing as they generally have a an inverter and batteries that easily take care of a residential refrigerator. Posters on this site report the batteries are going 12-18 hours without charge. Most posters who replaced their rv refrigerator with a residential refrigerator have not looked back. Now a gas powered motorhome might be a different story.
  • X-OEM's avatar
    X-OEM
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2017
    Cold weather should be avoided if possible. Hard to drive in the snow, really hard to chain up and uses a LOT if fuel keeping the coach warm.
    As mentioned Newmars are pretty good choices for cold weather. We have one and it is pretty comfortable.

    Do not understand the wheelbase concern. You should look for a floor plan that works for your lifestyle, the electronic package that fits that as well. I would not go WITHOUT a residential fridge. If the coach has one, it LIKELY has a decent inverter and adequate size battery bank. They do not use that much power. If boondocking, your generator would be on often enough for cooking that that battery bank would get recharged.

    Your time limitation would be tanks, either fresh or black/gray water capacity. 6 to 10 days is not realistic unless you can dump and supplement fresh water. Sure you can go Rambo and all that and last a long time, me I like a shower every other day at the least.

    Floorplan first, then a solid manufacturer, then a model tear. By floorplan, I don't mean EXACT dimensions. Some people like a front kitchen, some don't. Some like the TV in the "living room" as opposed to over the dashboard. Do you need desk space? I assume do if you work from home. You might have to tale out a couch or chair to make that work. Does the floorplan still work for you with those kinds of modifications.

    Forget the wheelbase, they are all very close to each other in reality as they are all built on the same "bases" no mater who the manufacturer is. (I know, some build their own)
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Mar 01, 2017
    tinkerer wrote:
    If a diesel is purchased a residential refrigerator will be a blessing as they generally have a an inverter and batteries that easily take care of a residential refrigerator. Posters on this site report the batteries are going 12-18 hours without charge. Most posters who replaced their rv refrigerator with a residential refrigerator have not looked back. Now a gas powered motorhome might be a different story.


    Just by way of comparison, I can (in my lowly class C) go for at least five days fairly easily without using the generator with an absorption fridge, a relatively modest battery bank (a pair of golf cart batteries), and no solar. 12-18 hours really doesn't sound very good to me for boondocking or camping without hookups; that requires running the generator twice a day rather than twice a week, a rather big difference.

    Obviously a larger battery bank and preferably a decent solar installation would make things rather more practical. Likewise, for people who mainly camp with electric hookups, a residential fridge makes a whole lot of sense--and that does indeed cover many people.

    I don't see where the motorhome's chassis fuel requirements enter into the discussion at all here, assuming the generator runs on the engine's fuel source (and isn't, say, a propane powered generator on a diesel motorhome). If it's a propane generator, that would seem to me to make a residential fridge even less desirable for dry camping.
  • X-OEM's avatar
    X-OEM
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2017
    Agree that a propane fridge will allow much longer without running the generator. In reading the OP's initial musings about size, year and price range, it appeared that they could get a coach with a residential fridge.

    I referred to the fact that they do not use as much power as some people fear. I have 6 AGM's (above average I know) and could easily go 4 days without using the generator to keep the fridge running (and making ice!!) I would most certainly run out of water before battery life. But we are NOT hardened boondockers.

    If they are serious about 6 to 10 days boondocking requirement, then perhaps a propane fridge with just enough batteries for the 12v lights would work for them.

    Also, maybe a fifth wheel with extra tankage in the tow vehicle and a smaller gas generator would work out better that trying to get a newer Class A to fit those needs.
  • tinkerer's avatar
    tinkerer
    Explorer
    Mar 02, 2017
    DrewE wrote:
    tinkerer wrote:
    If a diesel is purchased a residential refrigerator will be a blessing as they generally have a an inverter and batteries that easily take care of a residential refrigerator. Posters on this site report the batteries are going 12-18 hours without charge. Most posters who replaced their rv refrigerator with a residential refrigerator have not looked back. Now a gas powered motorhome might be a different story.


    Just by way of comparison, I can (in my lowly class C) go for at least five days fairly easily without using the generator with an absorption fridge, a relatively modest battery bank (a pair of golf cart batteries), and no solar. 12-18 hours really doesn't sound very good to me for boondocking or camping without hookups; that requires running the generator twice a day rather than twice a week, a rather big difference.

    Obviously a larger battery bank and preferably a decent solar installation would make things rather more practical. Likewise, for people who mainly camp with electric hookups, a residential fridge makes a whole lot of sense--and that does indeed cover many people.

    I don't see where the motorhome's chassis fuel requirements enter into the discussion at all here, assuming the generator runs on the engine's fuel source (and isn't, say, a propane powered generator on a diesel motorhome). If it's a propane generator, that would seem to me to make a residential fridge even less desirable for dry camping.
    The point is most diesel pushers have a minimum of 4 golf cart batteries which can be charged by the diesel generator set to automatically start when the voltage gets low.The diesel generators just sip fuel.Just saying.

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