Top of line Gasser Vs. bottom of line Diesel Pusher

-Gramps- wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:

-Gramps- wrote:
Don,

I have owned the coach for nine years. It may have cost more than most gas buyers wanted to spend, the marketing may have not worked but the design is very good. There are hundreds of them still on the road (not that you would know if you saw one), very few are for sale anywhere because most owners keep them. I met an owner of a Winnie UFO yesterday. He pulled in from Roanoke on his way to Key West. Loves his GP.

My coach is 39.5 feet long, 22.5 tires, tows 10,000 lbs Allison 2000 tranny, and climbs a 7 percent grade faster than most motorhomes or trucks. It also has a computer controlled counter-weighted torsion box suspension that keeps it upright on tight curves. It has quad piston pressurized brakes and it will stop faster from 60 to 0 than a dp the same size.

Gramps, I think a Gas Pusher is a neat idea and I'm glad that you like yours.

But, a 60 to 0 stop comparison has to be done by weight, not size.

Our 45 ft. DP has a 'retarder' with 6 speeds. Most other DP'ers will have a 2 or 3 speed jake brake. The six speed retarder is stronger.

You will not find a 55,500 lb. gasser like our DP. We can stop extremely quick for our weight when using our 6 speed retarder, it has automatic activation when using the service brakes.

MM.

I was referring to same weight rating, poor choice of words I guess. I am not going to compare my coach to a 55,000 lb high end diesel anymore than I would compare a 325hp entry level diesel to a Road Trek class B. Its not apples to apples

Maybe this article might be interesting to you.
Its one of the reasons I purchased the UFO and the brakes have saved me more than once. I also have a grade brake...meaning when the grade brake is turned on, when going downhill I can tap the break pedal, the brakes do not engage, the transmission downshifts instead.

Union City, November 28, 2006 -- The conventional wisdom is that the air brakes on a rear diesel pusher motor home can beat anything mechanical found on a gas-powered motor home. If you want the best in stopping power, that's the way to go.

This is among the assumptions the new Workhorse UFO™ chassis has just shattered. Test data indicates the Workhorse UFO™ HPB Quadraulic™ four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are superior to the competition's air brakes.

Results from head to head tests performed at the Bosch Proving Grounds in South Bend, Ind., have been released by Workhorse Custom Chassis. They show the Workhorse UFO™ coming to a complete stop more than a coach length sooner from 60 mph than the competition's rear diesel pusher.

Here are the facts:

" Coach on Workhorse UFO™ 26,000 lb. GVWR loaded to 26,000 lb.: Stopping distance, 60 mph to 0 mph, 189 feet.
" Similar coach on competitor's 28,000 lb. GVWR rear diesel pusher with air brakes and loaded to 26,000 lbs.: Stopping distance, 60 mph to 0 mph, 238 feet.

Difference: Workhorse UFO™ stopped 49 feet sooner.

"RVers driving big rigs want brakes they can trust to perform well in all kinds of weather and other conditions,"? said Bob Wert, Workhorse vice president of sales and marketing. "They haven't been mentioned much, but the stopping power and car-like touch of the Workhorse UFO™ brakes are some of the persuasive attributes for anyone who drives this chassis."?

Workhorse Custom Chassis

Workhorse Custom Chassis is ISO 9001 certified and a leader in the manufacture of chassis for motor homes, walk-in trucks and buses. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Truck and Engine Corporation. International produces IC brand school buses, school bus chassis, mid-range diesel engines, International brand medium and heavy trucks, and severe service vehicles. International also provides parts and service sold under the International® brand. Both Workhorse and International are subsidiaries of Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV). For additional information call 877-294-6773 or visit Workhorse.com.
__________________

I question those braking figures. My 2015 C7 Corvette has a 60-0 stopping distance of 97 feet which is exceptional. The Corvette weighs 3297 lbs and has very large disks along with the widest, stickiest, street legal tires available.

For comparison, a 2015 F150 has a 60-0 stopping distance of 129 feet. The F150 weighs 5160 lbs and has relatively wide all season radial tires.

I don't see how a 26,000 motor home is going to stop just 50 fewer feet than an F150 or 90 feet less than a Corvette.

Here's some other cars performance in a 60-0 stop.

Volvo C30 - 143
Dodge Caliber SXT - 149
Nissan Cube S - 149
Toyota Camry Hybrid - 145
Cadillac DTS Luxury II - 145
Jeep Liberty Sport - 150
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara - 150

the silverback wrote:
Lots of talk here!! How about getting the floor plan that best suits your needs. than worry about gas or DP.

Not for me--there are about a million floor plans that could work for me, but if I don't like driving it, the floor plan doesn't matter.

Mondooker wrote:
Ivylog you sure pay attention! You are exactly right and have been a great help to me!

Thanks... I've been RVing for most of my life and have learned a fair amount. Unfortunately the most expensive education was because of posts on here 13 years ago that 36' was the MAX for NP, SP, USFS..... campgrounds. As you can see (Oops, you can't see I now have a 42' quad slide) I learned that was not true and hate to see anyone make the same $$$$ mistakes I did. Fortunately I started with a well used 36' DP, but trading twice is expensive.

It's tempting to suggest you should rent something before buying, but it's almost impossible to rent a nice enough rig that will give the DW a good and realistic experience. Even if you found a nice rig to rent with the unusually wet winter we are having... it would rain all week killing any hopes of getting her on board.

The good news is you are already located where most would want to be this winter so you have plenty of time... no need to get in a hurry. Without a trade and cash money you are in the driver's seat on any deal.

OK, there are a FEW bath & 1/2 gassers, but IMHO it takes up too much space unless it's in a 45' DP and I've been told I'm full of it.:B

Maybe I missed something...but I couldn't find if you (OP) were looking for new or used. Anyway...my 2 cents, my thoughts, my opinions...well,maybe 3 cents.

Back in 2000, 2001 looking at DPs or gassers, side by side (new) I found the difference in price (new) side by side was about $30,000. My first (and only) reaction was "I can buy alot of gas for 30 grand". So...I bought a (new) 2001, 33 foot gasser. Ford V-10...at that time the ONLY mfg available. While I realize DPs are smoother and less noise, I got used to the "less than" smoothness real fast, and for the noise...either take my hearing aid out....or turn the radio volume up. Or...just ignore the thing. No biggie either way.

As far as fuel costs go...they probably even out. 7.5 mpg gas vs. 11 mpg diesel. Diesel is around 40-50 cents a gallon more than gas...so........
The only caution: gassers are best way under 40 ft long. Early to mid 30's, IMO is best. Mainly because of the weight. Each slideout is around 1000 pounds plus the frame extensions....in the past some new gassers were so heavy that by the time the driver and passenger get in...you are at or exceed the max weight limit. And...the usual "DPs can go 200,000 miles...." yes. Probably true. But it's only 3000 miles east/west/coast to coast. How many times y'gonna do that?
Bottom line: your bucks, spend them your way...and g'luck!

The problem with threads of this nature is that we get posts from those who own gassers and have never owned a DP, and posts from DP owners who have never owned a gasser.

I've owned both and would never go back to a gasser. The benefits of a DP have already been listed, so I won't do it again.

Ivylog is saying the same thing that I brought up early on!

Ivylog wrote:
Not many gassers over 37' as that's about the max weight for a V10.
PS: you will not find a bath and a half in a gasser.:B

I'm not a Ford chassis advocate but the largest Ford motorhome chassis has a GVWR of 26,000# and a GCWR of 30,000#. And, Winnebago makes a gas chassised coach with a bath and a half.

Depends on what homey is, I guess. Tiles floors, cherry cabinetry, endless hot water, storage for all your stuff, tows 10k, 8.3 mpg no towed, 7.3 with a Silverado n tow and etc. We full timed for 17 months in our 40' Dynasty. Waay less than $100k when I bought it as our first Class A. Down side is single rear axle and one slide.

Ivylog you sure pay attention! You are exactly right and have been a great help to me!

Having followed the OP for the month he's been on here he's come a long way, but unless you have read his posts you do not know
The MH is for half time use and they will winter in their Fla home.
He's come from a 34' without a toad to a 39+ with a toad.
She is not as enthused about this first RV and can you make it homier?
He wants to try this sport by spending $100K so even after a year if she does not like it... they are out less than $20K.
If they like it then I think he is willing to spend a lot more.
I'm guessing that if they like this sport they could be doing it for 20 years.

The problems I sense are:
They have never RVed before and he is a lot more excited about all of this than she.
Unless the rig has plenty of creature comforts she may not like it.
As this post has proved, there is always a spirited debate about gas and DP MHs and now even a GP (gas pusher)... NOT. All you need to know is it uses the same tranny as a PU.
This may be where she is going to have twice the husband on 1/2 the money and in 1/10th the space... fortunately for only half the year in 1/0th the space.

My suggestion at this point is THEY need to go and sit in a bunch of different MHs which should be easy to do living on the Gulf coast of Florida. Look at how much storage it has and how many gallons of fuel and water it holds. At the end of two rainy days, does the floor plan still work?

Good Luck.