Newbie - Class C Motor/Brand questions...
We're considering getting a Class C that will be shared among our family members (Myself, DW, 16 Y.O. son & 13 Y.O. daughter), my parents and my brothers family (Married w/ two kids - 10 & 7). Look...
Forum Discussion
Both the Ford and Chevy chassis are good designs, largely comparable though with some unique strengths and weaknesses. With a little bit of care, either one will generally outlast the house part of the motorhome in most situations.
As far as mileage, I would not generally even start to be concerned with the chassis under 100k miles. The Fords often get over twice that when used in other vehicle types such as shuttle busses, etc., and I think the Chevys do likewise. Most commonly the mileage on motorhomes is rather on the low side anyway.
For the Ford chassis, the newer ones are generally a little better, though there haven't been too many significant changes since around '97 or '98 or so. The oldest ones will have a four speed transmission and this can be recognized by the labeling of the shift lever: it will have a switch for "O/D Off" rather than "Tow/Haul". Besides the transmission changes, there have been improvements to the engine; in particular, the early versions have a somewhat marginal design where the spark plugs screw into the head with barely enough threads, and so have a bit of a tendency to eject spark plugs if they aren't installed and torqued with care. Getting one with the five or six speed transmission will avoid this weakness.
Your fourth question is probably the best one. I would pay as much attention as possible to the condition of the unit, particularly the house part, and not worry too much about details of the chassis; that's where you're likely to run into big problems. Water leaks are the biggest concern, and the cabover area is one common place for them to occur (but not the only possible location). Look carefully for discolored ceilings, for blistering or delamination in the walls, for soft spots particularly in the corners of the ceiling and the walls or on the roof surface. Some would say run away from the slightest sign of water damage or intrusion; I don't go quite that far, depending on your budget, but do pay careful attention to it and be prepared that it's usually worse than it first appears if there is any. If it's at all extensive, do run away unless you specifically want to restore an RV; it doesn't take too much to greatly compromise the structure of most motorhomes.
Have the seller demonstrate that all the appliances and systems are working properly. Make sure the fridge cools, the water heater heats, the air conditioner and furnace work, the generator starts and runs well and doesn't stumble under load, etc.
Check how new the tires are (based on the DOT date codes). Most tire manufacturers recommend a professional inspection annually after around seven years, which involves dismounting the tires to check the inside as well as the outside, and replacement in any case after ten years; most RVers replace after seven years or sometimes fewer. Usually the tires will age out of service before they must be replaced due to treadwear. A new set of (six) tires for a class C is an expense of $1000 or more, depending on the deal you get on tires--usually more for brand-name tires. A blow out can cause extensive damage, besides the obvious danger of causing a crash.
Check the weight carrying capacity of the motorhomes you look at. Some class C's have very little payload available. Some (quite old ones) were above the chassis weight rating empty when they left the factory, but you probably won't run into one of them.
As far as mileage, I would not generally even start to be concerned with the chassis under 100k miles. The Fords often get over twice that when used in other vehicle types such as shuttle busses, etc., and I think the Chevys do likewise. Most commonly the mileage on motorhomes is rather on the low side anyway.
For the Ford chassis, the newer ones are generally a little better, though there haven't been too many significant changes since around '97 or '98 or so. The oldest ones will have a four speed transmission and this can be recognized by the labeling of the shift lever: it will have a switch for "O/D Off" rather than "Tow/Haul". Besides the transmission changes, there have been improvements to the engine; in particular, the early versions have a somewhat marginal design where the spark plugs screw into the head with barely enough threads, and so have a bit of a tendency to eject spark plugs if they aren't installed and torqued with care. Getting one with the five or six speed transmission will avoid this weakness.
Your fourth question is probably the best one. I would pay as much attention as possible to the condition of the unit, particularly the house part, and not worry too much about details of the chassis; that's where you're likely to run into big problems. Water leaks are the biggest concern, and the cabover area is one common place for them to occur (but not the only possible location). Look carefully for discolored ceilings, for blistering or delamination in the walls, for soft spots particularly in the corners of the ceiling and the walls or on the roof surface. Some would say run away from the slightest sign of water damage or intrusion; I don't go quite that far, depending on your budget, but do pay careful attention to it and be prepared that it's usually worse than it first appears if there is any. If it's at all extensive, do run away unless you specifically want to restore an RV; it doesn't take too much to greatly compromise the structure of most motorhomes.
Have the seller demonstrate that all the appliances and systems are working properly. Make sure the fridge cools, the water heater heats, the air conditioner and furnace work, the generator starts and runs well and doesn't stumble under load, etc.
Check how new the tires are (based on the DOT date codes). Most tire manufacturers recommend a professional inspection annually after around seven years, which involves dismounting the tires to check the inside as well as the outside, and replacement in any case after ten years; most RVers replace after seven years or sometimes fewer. Usually the tires will age out of service before they must be replaced due to treadwear. A new set of (six) tires for a class C is an expense of $1000 or more, depending on the deal you get on tires--usually more for brand-name tires. A blow out can cause extensive damage, besides the obvious danger of causing a crash.
Check the weight carrying capacity of the motorhomes you look at. Some class C's have very little payload available. Some (quite old ones) were above the chassis weight rating empty when they left the factory, but you probably won't run into one of them.
