Reflections on 6 Months of RV Research! ;)
Hi Class C Forum, I caught the RV bug about 6 months ago after a particularly stressful stretch at work. Researching RVs has become the way that I decompress when I have some discretionary time. Cu...
Forum Discussion
Hi All,
en Plain Air - " We went down the same 'path' of research. We attended the Hershey,PA show every year for 4 years. We originally went thinking truck campers were for us. . ..Then we fell in love with the Unity TB because of the beds in the back - giving the possibility of separate living areas in a short unit. But, we didn't like the MB for serviceability limitations in remote locations, CCC limitations, and the extra cost of the base unit over a standard american chassis. The payback on the additional costs vs improved gas mileage isn't realized until about 100,000 miles. We tried our hardest to find a similar (to the Unity) floor plan and finally 'compromised' on the Lazy Daze 27 mid-bath. We'll pick up our new unit in a few months. Our intent is to set up the back room as 'day beds' with bedspreads that turn down at night to reveal fully made beds. A very big part of our decision was build quality. Another big part of the decision was the engineering of the vehicle design and the impact on cargo carrying capacity. We learned a lot about weigh distribution, axle weight ratings etc. Your lead time is a great opportunity, You will use it well to figure this all out and select the right 'compromise' unit for you."
Wow. I can really identify with your post. Since launching this RV research odyssey, I have not been to Hershey yet, but we will go. I am so impressed with your 4 trips!!! I continue to have this infatuation with TCs, but I just don't think that will happen. Early on, I discovered LTVs and thought the Unity IB or TB would be THE way to go. It is still in my Top 4, but I have mixed thoughts about the MB for the reasons you identify, thus I am leaning American Steel, which probably means Ford. You have inspired me to spend the evening reexamining Lazy Daze again. They were on my short list, not my Top 4 list. In terms of LD floorplans, I have focused on the 27 ft, mid-bath. That is so frickin' cool that you have one on order!!! I am really hopeful that you will keep us posted regarding your experience with this rig. My concerns are about a permanent floor level bed(s) and I prefer a sofa to a dinette. But, your description of how you plan to use the twin-bed sofas has led me to want to reexamine LDs and put them officially in my new and expanded Top 5! ;) Your comments about weight distribution, ratings, etc. are issues that I need to examine more. I am aware of these issues, but I need a more pragmatic and deeper understanding. Thanks again!!! AND share about your LD experience.
pnichols - " For what it's worth (maybe not much compared to some of the excellent comments in this thread) ... here are some things, in no particular order, that we looked for when shopping for our new Class C or found out were beneficial and wound up with (luckily) after we owned it"
I am really impressed with your list. Once again, information like this adds to my depth of understanding. I am also going to take some time to see if I can find any videos on your rig and floor plan. I have noticed in the past that you seem quite pleased with your rig and floor plan. Too bad they are not making it anymore.
burlmart - "Dean, how do you think a typical outing might go? park and hangout w/ the rig perhaps w/ the awning unfurled and a fully furnished camp; reserve a cg spot but spend day touring around - you did not mention if you will usually or never have a toad; or never stay at one site but go on long tours. it was an eye opener when we learned that there is less spontaneity to rving than imagined. . . .on the rig, whew, a glance at your choices and posted msrps! things have really gone up. i like the idea already mentioned of spending less on rig and spend extra on travel. in the current market, what is your target price (rough +/-) for new? "
Excellent questions. My plans on how I will use the RV will probably change across time. Once my youngest graduates from college, I will step down from my 12 month administrative appointment at the university where I work and go back to a 9 month teaching appointment that will give me summers off. I will do this for a few years before retiring. I love to hike, jog, and bicycle and really love the idea of visiting lots of NPs and SPs. Once I buy an RV, I will be able to take anywhere from short trips up to traveling 2 to 3 months in the summer. I figure a few years of this will give a good idea of what full-timing would be like. So, I am thinking about 5 years or so of using the RV 3 to 4 months a year, then assessing where I am at that point. Your questions about a toad are important. One of the reasons why I am not interested in TTs or 5ers is because I don't want to tow; however, I can see some real advantages to a small toad. My plans are to RV for a couple of years before making a decision about a toad. Yes, MSRPs are quite high on the rigs I like. Surprise! Surprise! I have ruled out new Coach Houses, Born Frees, and Dynamax units for this reason. They would have to be used. I am guessing that if we decide to buy new, the goal would be to stay around $90,000 +/- $10,000. Darn, that is a whole lotta scratch! On the other hand, we may decide to buy used in order to spend less. I realize there are some things you just don't know until you start doing them, but I want my RV research to be as effective as possible.
Bordercollie - " A 27 foot Class C will be able to fit into almost all RV park and forest service campsites. If you are concerned about requently fitting into paralell car parking spots in malls etc., a shorter rig might suit you better. All Class C's are really too wide to fit standard car spaces. Towing a car has it's own disadvantages re complications in parking and manuevering in gas stations, etc. Buying a short Class C for parking ease and then towing a vehicle doesn't make sense to us although people who are social group camper/tourers seem to go that way. A class C can be disconnected from campsite hookups and driven into town, in a few minutes. If you want to tour Boston or San Francisco or other no-RV area, you can rent a car there or take a shuttle bus to tourist areas, take tour bus, etc. Plan ahead "
Hey, I am in serious plan ahead mode. No problem with that. Too many responsibilities helping my aging mom, educating two daughters, and too much work, thus at this point I limited to planning and dreaming. No problem, though. I am enjoying it. Plus, that gives me time to learn from everyone's successes and challenges. I am thinking a 27 ft' rig +/- 2 ft. will be about right. Hardly, nimble, but doable, particularly if it is in the 25 to 27 foot range. I like your idea of renting a car or using other forms of transportation besides a toad if we want to travel and leave the RV parked a bit. We will probably do this for a while until make a decision about a toad. We will go toad-less for a couple of years to figure this out.
CoolbaldguyRZR - " Good luck and most importantly have fun on your search. Our camping experiences goes like this....tent camping with three kids and dog.... Moved up to a Casita 17 foot TT... In my opinion small camper camping is one of the best was to go. We then moved up to a 31 foot Keystone springdale. . . .We then purchased a Voltage toy hauler 5th wheel. . . .We have just sold the 5th wheel and have purchased a 2008 Winnebage view 24j. Just brought it mome yesterday and have yet to camp in it. I can't wait to try our hand at class C camping. I think that with our experiences the best advice I can give you is ENJOY THE RIDE. Whatever you decide to do just plan on having fun...even if the camper, motor home, or tent you are in doesn't meet your expectations."
Loved reading about your experiences moving from tent camping to a small TT to larger TT to 5er. Interesting how each experience had its joys and pleasures, but also the challenges and compromises associated with it. A Skinnie Winnie is in my Top 5. Looking forward to hearing your experiences with it. I am currently ENJOYING the virtual ride!!!
Now time to go check out LDs again and Phil's Itasca 324V Spirit. Fun!
en Plain Air - " We went down the same 'path' of research. We attended the Hershey,PA show every year for 4 years. We originally went thinking truck campers were for us. . ..Then we fell in love with the Unity TB because of the beds in the back - giving the possibility of separate living areas in a short unit. But, we didn't like the MB for serviceability limitations in remote locations, CCC limitations, and the extra cost of the base unit over a standard american chassis. The payback on the additional costs vs improved gas mileage isn't realized until about 100,000 miles. We tried our hardest to find a similar (to the Unity) floor plan and finally 'compromised' on the Lazy Daze 27 mid-bath. We'll pick up our new unit in a few months. Our intent is to set up the back room as 'day beds' with bedspreads that turn down at night to reveal fully made beds. A very big part of our decision was build quality. Another big part of the decision was the engineering of the vehicle design and the impact on cargo carrying capacity. We learned a lot about weigh distribution, axle weight ratings etc. Your lead time is a great opportunity, You will use it well to figure this all out and select the right 'compromise' unit for you."
Wow. I can really identify with your post. Since launching this RV research odyssey, I have not been to Hershey yet, but we will go. I am so impressed with your 4 trips!!! I continue to have this infatuation with TCs, but I just don't think that will happen. Early on, I discovered LTVs and thought the Unity IB or TB would be THE way to go. It is still in my Top 4, but I have mixed thoughts about the MB for the reasons you identify, thus I am leaning American Steel, which probably means Ford. You have inspired me to spend the evening reexamining Lazy Daze again. They were on my short list, not my Top 4 list. In terms of LD floorplans, I have focused on the 27 ft, mid-bath. That is so frickin' cool that you have one on order!!! I am really hopeful that you will keep us posted regarding your experience with this rig. My concerns are about a permanent floor level bed(s) and I prefer a sofa to a dinette. But, your description of how you plan to use the twin-bed sofas has led me to want to reexamine LDs and put them officially in my new and expanded Top 5! ;) Your comments about weight distribution, ratings, etc. are issues that I need to examine more. I am aware of these issues, but I need a more pragmatic and deeper understanding. Thanks again!!! AND share about your LD experience.
pnichols - " For what it's worth (maybe not much compared to some of the excellent comments in this thread) ... here are some things, in no particular order, that we looked for when shopping for our new Class C or found out were beneficial and wound up with (luckily) after we owned it"
I am really impressed with your list. Once again, information like this adds to my depth of understanding. I am also going to take some time to see if I can find any videos on your rig and floor plan. I have noticed in the past that you seem quite pleased with your rig and floor plan. Too bad they are not making it anymore.
burlmart - "Dean, how do you think a typical outing might go? park and hangout w/ the rig perhaps w/ the awning unfurled and a fully furnished camp; reserve a cg spot but spend day touring around - you did not mention if you will usually or never have a toad; or never stay at one site but go on long tours. it was an eye opener when we learned that there is less spontaneity to rving than imagined. . . .on the rig, whew, a glance at your choices and posted msrps! things have really gone up. i like the idea already mentioned of spending less on rig and spend extra on travel. in the current market, what is your target price (rough +/-) for new? "
Excellent questions. My plans on how I will use the RV will probably change across time. Once my youngest graduates from college, I will step down from my 12 month administrative appointment at the university where I work and go back to a 9 month teaching appointment that will give me summers off. I will do this for a few years before retiring. I love to hike, jog, and bicycle and really love the idea of visiting lots of NPs and SPs. Once I buy an RV, I will be able to take anywhere from short trips up to traveling 2 to 3 months in the summer. I figure a few years of this will give a good idea of what full-timing would be like. So, I am thinking about 5 years or so of using the RV 3 to 4 months a year, then assessing where I am at that point. Your questions about a toad are important. One of the reasons why I am not interested in TTs or 5ers is because I don't want to tow; however, I can see some real advantages to a small toad. My plans are to RV for a couple of years before making a decision about a toad. Yes, MSRPs are quite high on the rigs I like. Surprise! Surprise! I have ruled out new Coach Houses, Born Frees, and Dynamax units for this reason. They would have to be used. I am guessing that if we decide to buy new, the goal would be to stay around $90,000 +/- $10,000. Darn, that is a whole lotta scratch! On the other hand, we may decide to buy used in order to spend less. I realize there are some things you just don't know until you start doing them, but I want my RV research to be as effective as possible.
Bordercollie - " A 27 foot Class C will be able to fit into almost all RV park and forest service campsites. If you are concerned about requently fitting into paralell car parking spots in malls etc., a shorter rig might suit you better. All Class C's are really too wide to fit standard car spaces. Towing a car has it's own disadvantages re complications in parking and manuevering in gas stations, etc. Buying a short Class C for parking ease and then towing a vehicle doesn't make sense to us although people who are social group camper/tourers seem to go that way. A class C can be disconnected from campsite hookups and driven into town, in a few minutes. If you want to tour Boston or San Francisco or other no-RV area, you can rent a car there or take a shuttle bus to tourist areas, take tour bus, etc. Plan ahead "
Hey, I am in serious plan ahead mode. No problem with that. Too many responsibilities helping my aging mom, educating two daughters, and too much work, thus at this point I limited to planning and dreaming. No problem, though. I am enjoying it. Plus, that gives me time to learn from everyone's successes and challenges. I am thinking a 27 ft' rig +/- 2 ft. will be about right. Hardly, nimble, but doable, particularly if it is in the 25 to 27 foot range. I like your idea of renting a car or using other forms of transportation besides a toad if we want to travel and leave the RV parked a bit. We will probably do this for a while until make a decision about a toad. We will go toad-less for a couple of years to figure this out.
CoolbaldguyRZR - " Good luck and most importantly have fun on your search. Our camping experiences goes like this....tent camping with three kids and dog.... Moved up to a Casita 17 foot TT... In my opinion small camper camping is one of the best was to go. We then moved up to a 31 foot Keystone springdale. . . .We then purchased a Voltage toy hauler 5th wheel. . . .We have just sold the 5th wheel and have purchased a 2008 Winnebage view 24j. Just brought it mome yesterday and have yet to camp in it. I can't wait to try our hand at class C camping. I think that with our experiences the best advice I can give you is ENJOY THE RIDE. Whatever you decide to do just plan on having fun...even if the camper, motor home, or tent you are in doesn't meet your expectations."
Loved reading about your experiences moving from tent camping to a small TT to larger TT to 5er. Interesting how each experience had its joys and pleasures, but also the challenges and compromises associated with it. A Skinnie Winnie is in my Top 5. Looking forward to hearing your experiences with it. I am currently ENJOYING the virtual ride!!!
Now time to go check out LDs again and Phil's Itasca 324V Spirit. Fun!
