Quality in a class C

How handy are you repairing minor items. Also find a mobile mechanic and have him become your friend. If buying pre owned have it inspected by a mechanic or someone that has no interest in the vehicle. The overhead bunks can be a issue with water leaking in, make sure that's secure.They all get 8 miles per gallon unless you get a Mb diesel which has it's own set of issues. I owner a itasca Cambria for 6 years ,pre owned, was pleased with it. The Ford V-10 is bullet proof if maintained properly. Any mechanic worth his salt can repair it.
friends have owned or still own RV's costing 500 K and up and yes, they still have issues. Mainly with wiring, fuses and where they are located.

Some pretty good answers so far,it seems to me that the quality has gone down in the last several years.
So older ones have a lot better quality,my 2006 Tioga has not given me any problems as far as the quality of the build,All doors, cabinets and drawers are tight and working as they should, the fit and finish is still very good. Even all the tank sensors work!

Things to look for is not only quality of the build when looking for a used unit but also the maintenance that was given the unit.

Another avenue to look at is the Rental Market there you have a quality build that has to stand up to vigorous use and is maintained well to keep in on the road and making money.

There is more than 140 Forum members here that have chosen to do that and are happy with their choice.

I would have to say that at 31 feet, you are definitely stretching the length of a F450. Maybe you are more interested in a Super C though? It seems like when you get quality, (I am super happy with my Winnebago) it adds weight, and if you get slides, it cuts the carrying capacity down. A family of four might need a lot of gear, so watch that limitation.

My Winnebago has been great but you need annual maintenance. Being handy is a big advantage, only time to bring the unit to a professional was for tires. Ford E450 is a good chassis change the oil. Good luck we have the same unit for 19 years and still going. Be careful easy to justify buying more shiny tools :).

I have had two used class Cs. The first was a Four Winds (Thor) Chateau 28A on a E350 chassis with the V10. After a few years stepping up into the shower became less desirable for me. It also had less food prep area than I would have liked. The build was average & I had no real problems with the house. I do not miss the sound of that V10 engine screaming on small hills one bit.

My current Leprechaun 290QB on a Chevy 4500 chassis with a 6.0 engine has been a step up in quality for me. The first thing that surprised me is all the water drain pipes are put through flanges in the floor. Thus eliminating holes for critters to get in. The floorplan works well for me without having to put the slide out. Also the stock 4500 chassis handles wind & trucks passing much better than the modified Ford chassis did.

My impression is Coachmen took more time figuring out how the unit was going to be used. An example is the 60x80 queen bed that is offset to one side. Giving the other side more room for getting dressed.

AJR wrote:
I have had two used class Cs. The first was a Four Winds (Thor) Chateau 28A on a E350 chassis with the V10. After a few years stepping up into the shower became less desirable for me. It also had less food prep area than I would have liked. The build was average & I had no real problems with the house. I do not miss the sound of that V10 engine screaming on small hills one bit.

My current Leprechaun 290QB on a Chevy 4500 chassis with a 6.0 engine has been a step up in quality for me. The first thing that surprised me is all the water drain pipes are put through flanges in the floor. Thus eliminating holes for critters to get in. The floorplan works well for me without having to put the slide out. Also the stock 4500 chassis handles wind & trucks passing much better than the modified Ford chassis did.

My impression is Coachmen took more time figuring out how the unit was going to be used. An example is the 60x80 queen bed that is offset to one side. Giving the other side more room for getting dressed.

I can understand why your Chevy 4500 chassis would handle wind & trucks passing much better - as a Ford E350 chassis under your previous Chateau 28A would seem to me to be right at, or over, the weight carrying and handling design of an E350 chassis. I wonder what Thor was thinking using only an E350 chassis under a Class C that large?

Our slide-less 24 ft. Class C on an E450 chassis handles rock solid at all times. However, I did have to install automatic variable damping-rate shocks in the rear in order to reduce high frequency stiffness for a better experience when traveling over highway cracks and potholes.

Meh. See these quality threads come occasionally. Had a thor funmover 39c and now a thor 23u. Love the easy handling of the smaller unit. I observed many, many used thor class c rentals with 140k plus miles on market. Good enough for them, I'll give a try.

None of these is great quality. You should be prepared to pay for some work or better yet get handy and do it yourself. (In my experience, frequently after I paid for someone to work, wasn't done right or had to be redone) Majority of the few times I e had issues were in the field so the repair man was me.

Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances!

Minor inconveniences compared to the fun I've had and places we've been. Little hotel room I put wherever I want and know its clean and safe.