Questions before buying first C class!

28-32 feet will likely be the smallest comfortable living space for a family your size, in a C. The living space is usually equivalent to a travel trailer about four feet shorter.

Yes there will be campground spaces too small for you to use, but in most places you will likely want to go with a family, 28-32 feet with a single vehicle is pretty small, and finding spaces should not be a problem in RV parks and developed public campgrounds. There may be some RV campsites too small in older forested parks, and there will be campsites you can use only if camping, not RVing.

The most important problem for a family of that size in a motorhome is safe and legal seating for the children. Having seven or more seatbelt positions is rare. Having positions suitable for child safety seating, which might still be mandatory in many states for a four year old, is rarer. My motorhome is configured such that I can strap two such seats into my dinette if it is broken down and the cushions removed, that means taking up four of the six usable seat positions to accommodate two toddlers. I worked around the problem by adding seat belts for three additional persons, not that I will ever carry nine people, but it allows for flexibility in seating a smaller number.

This is not an impossible problem, but one you must consider when making your choice: "can I safely seat my whole family during travel?" "What modifications are needed to make this possible?"

My recommendation for a family this size would be a travel trailer with equivalent accommodations (will be 24 to 28 feet minimum) and a full-size passenger van or large SUV to pull it. That way you get automotive safety seating for 7,8, 12 or 15 people, and something to get around in while the RV is parked in a campsite (else you might be towing something behind a motorhome, and something to tow (behind a C) that carries seven people is not easy to find).

Halibut214 wrote:


Whatever you get MUST have seat-belted seats for all 7 people.

Just curious as to what this means?

The driver's and front passenger's seats in the cab of a class C will have seat belts. You want to make sure the dinette and other seating (e.g. A sofa) in the house part also have automotive lap belts. While on the road, everyone needs to be seat-belted into a seat.

Whatever you get MUST have seat-belted seats for all 7 people.

.
Just curious as to what this means?

Halibut214 wrote:
Ditto on the above. I think a lot of the other stuff is overkill. If your going camping with 5 kids, your going camping, your not living in it per say. Part of the fun is learning how to do things. If it needs tires or new house batteries I would adjust the price accordingly and get them myself. I then know what I have and the quality of what I have. If someone else does it you know they will get the cheapest they can find. Pretty much any place you go can accommodate a 31'er and if they cant you don't go there. Good luck

I agree in part. I agree that it's better to buy the tires and batteries yourself (or as I suggested on the battery, ask the dealer to replace it for your preferred choice).

In regards to learning how to do things, I agree in part. There will always be a learning curve with doing things in an RV. But knowing in advance that the older kids can't sit at the dinette playing cards in the evening because the little ones need to sleep on it can help prevent the "after one season we're selling our RV for a different one because it doesn't work for us". Personally, I'd rather measure twice and buy once.

In regards to the "if they can't you don't go there", I think it's better to pick your RV according to the places you want to go, than to pick the places you go according to your RV. In my mind, the RV is the method, the campgrounds are the end result - if you don't get the end result you want, then your method is wrong.

Rick Jay wrote:

Best advice I can give you is to take your time and do lots of research before you buy.

AND even more important:
There is no substitute for real first-hand, hands-on experience.

Whatever you get MUST have seat-belted seats for all 7 people.

Guessing at what might be appropriate for your family is not a wise thing to do.....no matter how much good and well meaning advice you might get from other people.

RENT AN RV THAT YOU THINK MIGHT WORK FOR YOU for a weekend or two, with all hands present.

Doing so might save you a lot of heartache and a LOT of money in the end.

midnightsadie wrote:
TWO TOP THINGS, tires look on the side wall theres a date code, if there 6yrs old they gotta go NO matter how good they look tires rot. and water damage go around the ceiling look for water marks, roofs leak. and rot the wood . these are major things to look at ,and the very best advice is hire a RV inspector, it,ll be the best money you,ve ever spent. you should not beleave everything a seller or sales person says, let the inspector be your guide.

Ditto on the above. I think a lot of the other stuff is overkill. If your going camping with 5 kids, your going camping, your not living in it per say. Part of the fun is learning how to do things. If it needs tires or new house batteries I would adjust the price accordingly and get them myself. I then know what I have and the quality of what I have. If someone else does it you know they will get the cheapest they can find. Pretty much any place you go can accommodate a 31'er and if they cant you don't go there. Good luck

The length may restrict you some, particularly at more rustic state parks and the like. In my (limited) experience, it shouldn't be a big problem. Often but certainly not always the limits listed for sites are rather conservative. My class C is 32' long, nose to tail, and there certainly are some campsites that I couldn't fit in—and others that would be quite tricky to get into.

For that matter, there are quite a few campsites in Vermont state parks that are tent only because there is no direct road access; any sort of a trailer or motorhome is more or less restrictive.

Width and height can also make life interesting. The slide adds to the width required for a camp site and might limit your options for positioning. Rear overhang can be a problem, particularly if the overhang is pretty low. Parking in non-campground situations might be tricky, though that's going to be true with most anything that's reasonable for five people. I find I can usually park in two end-to-end parking spaces, though it's often quite tight width-wise and a square of four if there's space available in the parking lot makes life a lot easier.

On the whole, I don't think the size would be a big hinderance for you, broadly speaking.

arasmada,

Welcome to the Forums!

It sounds like you're new to RV's. If you are, you owe it to yourself to come up to speed with the weight ratings on these vehicles. Part of your post "31' with a slide out, 2003" suggests to me that it is possible the rear axle of that motorhome might be overloaded or near capacity with full water and fuel, before you add people, food and stuff into it. The only way to know for sure is to have it weighed BEFORE you buy.

There are 3 classes of weight conscious folks here. There are some on here who strictly adhere to the chassis weight limits, there are some who know they're overloaded but take "reasonable precautions" and feel they are safe doing so, and there are those who don't know/ever worry about it. You really need to know which camp you're in BEFORE you buy. You don't want to spend your money and then find you're a nervous wreck driving the thing because you're over the chassis weight limits.

Perhaps others here can give you more weight information about that specific model. I know when we were looking for motorhomes in that era for our family of 6, the 31' class C's with a slide would not work for us AND stay under the limits. Yes...I am in the first group I mentioned. :) And YES, there have been motorhomes sold in which chassis weight limits were exceeded right from the factory. With the rig empty!!! So, buyer beware.

Best advice I can give you is to take your time and do lots of research before you buy. These forums can give you more hands-on, practical information than probably any place else on the planet. Feel free to ask questions and search away. :)

Good Luck,

~Rick

Depending on what you consider "camping" and where you want to do it, yes, the length MAY restrict you. If you plan on staying in RV Parks, then the length should not be a factor. Actual campgrounds can vary - generally, the more remote the campground, the more likely length will be an issue. What I recommend is taking a look at the campgrounds that interest you the most - if 80% or more will fit the 31ft, then you'll be OK. You might have to make some compromises (on the 20% that it didn't fit), but you'll be happy for the most part. If less than 80% will fit that length, than reconsider your ideal size.

What to look for:

Water damage - do you see any water stains? Where are they located? If only one around a vent or a window, then you're probably OK (all RVs will leak at some point as they get older - as long as the prior owners dealt with it quickly and efficiently, there isn't any long term issue). If there are stains on the walls, floor, cabinetry (in and out), etc.; if there are soft spots in the walls, floor, ceiling, etc.; if there are signs of mold, mildew, etc.; then you want to walk away - those are signs of a leak left uncorrected.

Chassis Mechanical - get a thorough check of the engine, transmission, brakes, battery, lights, etc. Just like you would a car.

House mechanical - make sure all appliances work (including water heater), run water through the entire system to make sure there are no problems. Check age of house battery and type (if a car battery, then ask them to replace with a new deep cell battery (6 volts or 12 volts, AGM or wet cell, etc., do your own research and figure what will work best for you).

House layout - make sure the layout works for your family. Spend some time in it acting out meal time, bedtime, morning time, etc. See if there are any bottlenecks that make those things awkward.

Generator/Propane - make sure they are working properly and there are no fuel leaks.

TWO TOP THINGS, tires look on the side wall theres a date code, if there 6yrs old they gotta go NO matter how good they look tires rot. and water damage go around the ceiling look for water marks, roofs leak. and rot the wood . these are major things to look at ,and the very best advice is hire a RV inspector, it,ll be the best money you,ve ever spent. you should not beleave everything a seller or sales person says, let the inspector be your guide.