gas or diesel?

Diesel: More comfortable to drive. Heavier coach, so no road sway, no pushing from trucks etc. More stable coach. No noise when driving, you can talk to the passenger. Generally, more CCC, and more towing capacity.

Gas: You can buy a newer coach so you'll get newer appliances etc. More noise from the engine as it's under your nose as you're driving. Lighter coach so road noise is more pronounced. Less comfortable to drive. Less CCC and towing capacity.

Notice most of the difference is in the driving portion of your journey. So, depending on your situation, you have to decide which is best for you. If you 3-4 trips are short and around your S&B house then driving may not be that big a deal. However, going on long trips, the DP will win hands down. Add a tag and the difference becomes even greater. IMO, diesels tend to hold their value better than the gassers and many are better constructed.

Remember though, that the most important part of choosing a coach is not what it's powered by, but the floor plan that suits your needs. You'll spend more time 'living' in it than you will driving it. The best coach for you is the one with the right floor plan. Get one you like to drive that your wife hates the floor plan and you'll never be a happy camper......Dennis

In his price range I'd be looking for some thing like THIS

OK---I spent last evening with my friend that bought the V-10 and another friend that bought a C class V-10 recently and all they talked about was the noise. We use these things every weekend so how can they insulate the motor compartment?????

By the way both of these units are 2002 for the C and 2004 for the A. The C has 12,000 miles from the original owner for $12,000 and the A has 20,000mi 36ft and he paid $15,500 for it. Both of these are extremely clean units with a few normal wear things and are Winnebagoes.

How many people traveling?

For $40,000, and 3-4 times a year, gas is your best choice. The "house" part will be a lot newer and maintenance will be less. If the front engine is too noisy, it's easy to add sound proofing to the engine cover.

The other thing about a newer MH is that there will likely be more/bigger slides.

We use ours for several short trips a year and one long one. I added sound insulation to the engine cover and Koni shocks to the chassis. It is as quiet (except under hard acceleration, easy to handle, and comfortable to ride in as the one DP I've driven.

I only use mine about 3 time a year and definitively went diesel....however my 3-4 time covers about 6,000 miles. To me, the level of comfort, being able to go 40 ft, the ride, and general quality were far more important.

Now, if I had a family and stayed pretty close to home...say 500 mile radius I would even have a motor home at all and would have stuck with my TT or gone to a smallish 5er, around 30' of so. To me, having the extra drive train simply wouldn't be worth it.

3 or 4 times a year = gas. As far as the noise goes, check out various manufacture's. I use mine 5 or 6 months a year and it is as quiet as my car!!!!

The thing is you say 3-4 times a yr but you might find you use it more. I keep mine packed and all I have to do is put in meds and some perishables and leave for the weekend. I started out with a few times a year and it moved up from there. Now gas or diesel has been beaten to death on here over many threads. I have both a gas and a diesel rig but found more use for the diesel then the gas. Your usage may differ.

For the usage level, "3-4 times a year", a newer gas coach might be best. A diesel platform brings some really nice features that if you were planning to use the coach more would be a major up check but going with something several years newer on a gas chassis might be a better fit at this time. Add a zero behind your numbers and I would vote diesel.

Also my 2006 V10 isn't any louder than my 1998 Honda Accord thanks to the prior owner insulating the engine cover. I can hear every dish, pot and pan very clearly banging around in the cabinets on what has become the standard road surface quality.

I have a pusher. My friend just bought a gasser with a V-10 Ford motor and I drove it home about 100mi for him----that thing sounded like a hurricane under my feet at 60--65mph. That alone would keep me away from a gasser. Get yourself a used high end pusher for that money--American Eagle, Foretravel, etc comes to mind. Stay away from the entry level pushers as they are just that.