Two weeks ago I was sitting in my TT watching TV all by my self and it dawned on me that with the kids mostly no longer camping. My wife preferring a vacation that did not involve dishes, cooking, or making beds. And putting my boat on top of the truck when a perfectly good boat trailer was at home was getting too be a bit of a struggle. It was time to let the TT with the bunks find a new family to make memories with. Well today a wonderful family we know has bought both the trailer and the truck. I am now shopping for a class C rig.I am looking to get the world, for the cost of nothing. (like everyone else!)Seriously here is my list:1) Queen Rear island bed - I like the nightstand idea and it is what I am used to.2) Bunk over the cab - my youngest daughter will still be my fishing buddy for a year or two.3) Dinette, my wife would like to come out for day trips and when we go diving.4) Onboard Generator - to run the air and so I don't have to run my champion :)5) A/C, Furnace, Fridge & Freezer6) AwningThat puts me in the 27 to 30 foot range and my budget puts me in the mid nineties for years. I don't want to tie up too much cash as I will only be using about 6 times a year.I see some Shasta and Glendale models available and a few with the twin beds in the back that while I see benefits just do not appeal to me. I am also open on the two chairs or the couch set up. Feel free to pass on any advice for my search or comments you have.

March is the time to buy and Florida is the place. Fly down to Orlando and rent a car and look at thousands of units within 100 miles of the airport. Google first for inventory and trades coming in as the new units are usually ordered then picked up on the way North and trades left in Florida. Southwest is the best deal with lowest rates three months before hand. They also will book you cars at a discount and if you go with their Southwest Chase Credit card it's $100 off first plus $500 purchase, which can reduce the flight cost. Try to get a 96 or newer so you get 4 speed overdrive, Chevy being best transmission. If you stay a while in Florida and proclaim it your domicile, you will get no state tax on income. Residency can be proclaimed for Plates at most RV Parks but requires you to change drivers licenses, and register as a voter, as we have Motor-Voter, which is when you register vehicle you also register as voter. It was Jimmy Carters idea years ago in Georgia that many states adopted.

About the best value out there that I have seen is the Winnebago brand for best selection, best availability, value for your money, and best universal acceptance with about the longest run in the industry.I have my eye on the Sprinter based Mercedes-Benz turbodiesel powered Class C and the Reyo Class A - ALL by Winnebago in Forest City, Iowa.Winnebago makes larger Class Cs based on the Ford E450 chassis, and the Chevrolet 3500 chassis too.Their coaches are full of innovative features and benefits for way less money than the other leading manufacturers. I spent some time over the weekend on the Lichtsinn RV dealership, Forest City, Iowa - YouTubes touring the Winnebagos that I am interested in. Lichtsinn is a class act dealer for over 40 years, located 1 mile from the Winnebago Factory in Forest City, Iowa, so you pay no transportation buying from the dealer that sells more Winnebagos than any other dealer in the country.Are there other brands? Yes. Are there better values in the marketplace? I don't think so from what I seen by shopping for months for another Class C.Frankly, I would familiarize myself with the Winnebago Brand coaches - then work outward from there after knowing what Winnebago has for what money. I keep coming back to Winnebago, time and time again. They seem to have their act together, and I am now convinced to do the deal with Lichtsinn for their deals, versus any other remote dealer.

If the kids and the DW no longer like camping, DW wants a real vacation, why ae you looking at a class C? According to you you would be alone watching TV. You should have kept the TT. I just don't understand.

tandkj wrote:If the kids and the DW no longer like camping, DW wants a real vacation, why ae you looking at a class C? According to you you would be alone watching TV. You should have kept the TT. I just don't understand.The only person who needs to understand is my wife. I was hoping some users may have some tips on models/years.Purchase in the US is an option I am looking at, but declaring Florida as a residence is not an easy option for a non-resident of the US. Besides, I still would be a tax resident of Canada.

If you could get over the Queen rear island bed requirement (unfortunately that was also my wife's wish) you would give yourself a lot more vehicles to choose from. It would also let you go with a shorter unit,which can be a good thing, while still satisfying your other requirements.Something like my 24' rear kitchen Coachmen would fit all your needs with the exception of the rear queen bed. It has the cab over bunk, a nice couch that easily turns into a bed, and the dinette also converts to a bed.

Looking for a Class C (or maybe an (A) | Good Sam Community

Mich_F
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
Bearhawk wrote:
I have noticed that some older coaches with what seem to be reasonable mileage have replaced or rebuilt the engines. Is this common or just bad luck?

How are these units for launching your boat? my trailer and boat are really light (14' jon and triton trailer) all of 500lbs with motor.

Do the tires slip or do you have enough weight?

As far as towing goes you'll be fine. My 22'er towed a couple of different 18' center consoles and a 20' center console. This was a 1995 Chevy 5.7L engine and it was just barely adequate. My 1997 24'er with a Ford V10 has towed a 20' as well as a heavy 25'er and it has done great.
With something as small as you're talking, unless you have a rear window,back up camera or adequate mirrors you'll be jackknifing before you know what the trailer is doing.
You'll have plenty of weight on that rear axle, it's not like a pick up truck.:B
ron_dittmer
Explorer II
Oct 01, 2013
Even considering an occasional guest, I would stay away from the large cab-over bed and stick with a B+ concept. You'll appreciate the aerodynamics and much reduced rain water trouble/damage. Of coarse there are exceptions to water damage concerns, but the rule says otherwise. I would get a rig with 3rd-person sleeping accomodations via a couch or dinette conversion. I do like the idea of a rear walk around queen bed, especially like the older days, done without a slideout.
Bearhawk
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
I have noticed that some older coaches with what seem to be reasonable mileage have replaced or rebuilt the engines. Is this common or just bad luck?

How are these units for launching your boat? my trailer and boat are really light (14' jon and triton trailer) all of 500lbs with motor.

Do the tires slip or do you have enough weight?
Bearhawk
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
Mich F wrote:
If you could get over the Queen rear island bed requirement (unfortunately that was also my wife's wish) you would give yourself a lot more vehicles to choose from. It would also let you go with a shorter unit,which can be a good thing, while still satisfying your other requirements.
Something like my 24' rear kitchen Coachmen would fit all your needs with the exception of the rear queen bed. It has the cab over bunk, a nice couch that easily turns into a bed, and the dinette also converts to a bed.

I do notice that the shorter units do have the bed on the side, and usually the bathroom on the other. My reason is pure aesthetics, and a nightstand. I know its silly.

I won't be climbing into the cab-over - that is for my 16 year old dancer that likes to fish with dad. She is way more flexible!
pnichols
Explorer II
Oct 01, 2013
Regarding slides, we have plenty of use for the extra room that slides give.

However we give higher priority to the added coach strength, reduced chance of leaks, and reduced vehicle weight that one gets from going slideless. ;)
Desert_Captain
Explorer III
Sep 30, 2013
pnichols wrote:
Hmmm .... our 24 footer has both the cabover bed and a permanent always-ready queen size bed in the back.

Same here in our Nexus 23P(24'). Our cabover bunk is strictly for guests but more than large and comfortable enough for (occasional), guests. We use it as a movie/reading/napping lounge. The rear queen has a wonderful innerspring mattress and it is no problem whatsoever to get in and out of. Sorry folks but I still see the walk around queen as the biggest waste of space in any coach... But I have no use for slides either, go figure. :B
Mich_F
Explorer
Sep 30, 2013
pnichols wrote:
Hmmm .... our 24 footer has both the cabover bed and a permanent always-ready queen size bed in the back.

.
I assume that's a corner bed and not an island bed. I had a corner bed in a 1995 Four Winds 21A that was 22' long. I found that a permanent bed took up too much valuable floor space in that small a unit. I found my 24'long Coachmen, with the one step pull out couch has much more room to move around. Neither unit has/had a slide out.
pnichols
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2013
Hmmm .... our 24 footer has both the cabover bed and a permanent always-ready queen size bed in the back.
j-d
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2013
Many "Life Experienced" folks can't/won't/shouldn't be climbing into a cabover bed. They're also difficult to make up. We got out of ours while we could still do the climbing but not long afterwards the DW no longer could. When we first got into RV, one of my requirements was "a bedroom" and by that I meant something that didn't have to be folded/put away etc. to use the coach the rest of the day. Our cabover met that requirement because we left the bed deployed (so we had to duck to get into the cockpit) and it had a curtain to hide it from the rest of the coach.
A nurse encouraged us to get away from cabover bed. This is close to what she said: "One slip-and-fall can ruin the rest of your retirement." We chose to follow that advice. Loved the compactness of the 24-footer, but it was time to move on.
Mich_F
Explorer
Sep 30, 2013
If you could get over the Queen rear island bed requirement (unfortunately that was also my wife's wish) you would give yourself a lot more vehicles to choose from. It would also let you go with a shorter unit,which can be a good thing, while still satisfying your other requirements.
Something like my 24' rear kitchen Coachmen would fit all your needs with the exception of the rear queen bed. It has the cab over bunk, a nice couch that easily turns into a bed, and the dinette also converts to a bed.