Sunseeker or FR3

I thought I'd provide an update.

We looked at the Sunseeker and FR3's extensively at Hershey. The 3101DS and 30DS are almost the same floorplan and these are the ones we are leaning towards. We decided not to order at that time but rather wait until the end of 2014.

I hope to have the new motorhome in the stable in time for our spring break trip to the Keys/Fort Wilderness. We recently purchased a CRV to replace my wife's van and hope to use as our toad.

BTW, we have been checking out used RV's, but no luck thus far. We really liked a 2009 Damon Challenger 371 with only 3000 miles, but the asking price was $69K. Even if they come down to say $65K, that is about 8o% of the price of a new Sunseeker/FR3. I am inclined to just get the new unit with full warranties, factory fresh, then one that has been sitting out for 6 years in the elements.

Anyway, December is hopefully decision time. I'll update as we get closer.

P.S. Anyone new input is welcome.

Thanks to all for the thoughtful replies.

The floor models we are looking at are the Sunseeker 3010ds, and the Forest River FR3 30DS. We are also looking at the Fleetwood Storm 32H and may consider one of the Georgetown 327DS or 328TS if the extra money justifies. That's the beauty of the Hershey show, they will probably have all models on display!

Back to the Sunseeker vs FR3. Note both floor plans are nearly identical.

The plusses on the Sunseeker are: Adzel walls and fiberglass roof, ability to get 4-door fridge, extra sleeping capacity over the cab, separate entry doors for the driver/passenger and as previous poster said, just might get my DW to drive it from time to time.

For the FR3: Available with king sized bed, 360 hp V10 (vs 300 hp for the Sunseeker), extra sleeping capacity over the driver's seats, and the small computer workstation in the passenger's seat.

Why the Storm? I like the ability to turn the lower bunk into a separate sitting area with some privacy and extra sleeping capacity if needed.

Keep the input coming! Can't wait for September as I know we will pull the trigger on a new unit this year.

Our first RV was a class A (diesel), and we have a C now.

Some considerations for our family:
-Driveability. With the A, my hubby always had to drive because I wasn't comfortable operating something on a Freightliner chassis. Tried it once, and I think my fellow drivers on the road would agree it's not for me! LOL

-Storage...Are you a large family or traveling for long periods? Make sure you have enough under-body storage for your stuff. Some C's have as much or more than some As, some A's have way more. Check the floor plan and unit carefully and think hard about what you need to pack and carry.

-In that same vein, think about cargo carrying and towing capacity. Do you need to tow a vehicle or trailer? How many people/dogs/suitcases/etc. are going to be on board? I was shocked that many C's AND A's are overloaded EMPTY! During your test drive, drive to a local scale if you can find one. Also, try to find a hill, or at least accelerate during your test drive. We tried a beautiful Fleetwood Class A that had everything we wanted except enough horsepower to get out of its own way!

-Tank sizes...fresh water isn't a huge deal to us as we mostly camp with full hook ups, but if you want to boondock or rough it you need tanks. Gray seems you never have enough! Also, check fuel tank sizes. A's tend to have more, but also lower mpg. Generally speaking.

-Bed quality. Drop that front bed down and lay in it for a while in the FR3. Crawl up and test out the cabover bed in the Sunseeker. I haven't done either, but I can tell you our Class C cabover bed required a lot of "help" before I could stand to even take a nap up there. If you are planning on using all of the sleeping spaces, make sure they are suitable. We have stuffed a 5'10 nephew on the dinette sleeper but I wouldn't make a habit of it.

The Sunseeker has a lot of floorplans, so it's hard to say without knowing which ones you're comparing. We (I, LOL) chose the smallest C that fit our needs because we weren't using the behemoth class A or 5th wheel that we had because my hubby hated to drive them both. We gave up a lot of space and amenities, but for our style of camping (weekend warriors), the C fit our needs best. If I was going on long trips and farther distances, I probably would have leaned towards the A.

Good luck and happy shopping!

We looked at the FR3, along with other comparable class A's, and decided on a Sunseeker 3010ds. Just not enough room in the FR3 25ds, didn't see the FR3 30ds.
Also, for me very difficult to get in and out of driver's seat of a class A.

That looks like an interesting MH, direct competition with the THOR Ace and the THOR Axis lines. Deciding between them falls along the lines of does one want a "A" versus a "C", and the advantages/disadvantages of a cutaway chassis versus one completely built from scratch on a frame by a RV maker.

Tough decision, and one that is very subjective. I'd take a look at the physical models, to the point of tracing how you get up, sit on the toilet, stand in the shower, etc., to see which one suits better. If everything was exactly the same, I'd lean towards the "A" because it has more usable living space inside, although some "C"s have seats that can turn around and be part of the living space as well.