Went to an RV Show Yesterday

As previously stated the quality is similar in these rigs. Your number one factor should be floorplan. Then go from there.

4x4van wrote:
Working on the engine of a Ford class C is a nightmare; there is absolutely no easy access to anything, and it's all packed tightly into an extremely narrow space between the seats and under the dash. Opening the hood allows you to "see" the front of the engine (sort of). Opening the doghouse allows you access to only the back half of the engine. Neither actually gives you elbow room to do anything, especially on the front/sides of the engine.

Well ... if one wants the maximum RV in the minimum overall size ... it seems like a Class C can hit the mark better than a Class A. Compactness has a price - as any purchaser of a new Class B can attest to.

But you're maybe correct for backyard/garage DIY access to the front of a van's engine. However, my mechanic that specialises in commercial trucks didn't seem to have any problem replacing the bolts on one of my E450's V10 exhaust manifolds - which at first sounds like a horrendous job. I think that he just removed one front tire and then unbolted the engine side-shield piece in the fender for complete access to the side of the V10 ... no need to crawl under ... and probably easier side access than on non-van bodied vehicles.

BTW, I love the rear access to my V10 with the doghouse off - no need to crawl under it and struggle reaching up. For instance, it is a terrible job working near the back of the V8 in my 4X4 pickup - where the distributor, plug wiring, and exhaust manifold access is.

Excellent reply about the almost impossible ability to do any engine work on a Class C. We are in the test driving mode looking for a used gas 30-32' Class A and right away noticed how much easier they handle! Our trip in some wind last month was white knuckle for 4 hours.. exhausting. In looking at the engine compartment, there is much more room too.

Just a quick note here; don't discount a medium size (30-34') class A gasser because you think your husband can't work on it as easily. I've owned 2 class Cs, and now a class A; I do all my own maintenance and repairs, and my A is 10x easier to work on than either of my Cs were. It sits high enough that I can actually sit upright underneath, the entire sides of the engine are exposed and accessible from underneath and from the wheelwells, and lifting off the low doghouse cover inside exposes the entire top of the engine, from the front to the back.

Working on the engine of a Ford class C is a nightmare; there is absolutely no easy access to anything, and it's all packed tightly into an extremely narrow space between the seats and under the dash. Opening the hood allows you to "see" the front of the engine (sort of). Opening the doghouse allows you access to only the back half of the engine. Neither actually gives you elbow room to do anything, especially on the front/sides of the engine.

A class A will also give you better/larger tank capacities, better CCCs, and more walk-around room inside since the cab area becomes part of the living area (with a large picture window!). We used and enjoyed our class Cs, for nearly 25 years...but after purchasing a class A two years ago, I would never go back. The increased cargo capacity (both weight and volume), the larger water/waste/fuel tanks, the towing capacity, the living space...for 4-6 people, you will be thankful for all of the "additionals" that a class A provides over a C.

Simpler is less expensive with less to go wrong.
It is easy to be dazzled at the RV show.

Also remember that kids grow up and your RV sleeping needs may change over time. We bought a bunk house trailer years ago but when the kids moved out we wanted the bunk space back because they rarely slept in the bunks anymore. So I guess my point is your requirements may change over the years.

As far as pet safety, I have a temperature monitoring system (mine is from RV Whisper) that sends me email and text messages if the temperature gets too high or if shore power goes out. It has been working well for me.

I do not have gen auto start, but even if I did I would still want remote temperature monitoring. It just makes me feel better knowing what the actual temperature is in the RV.

Good luck finding the right RV for your needs.

People that live on boats came up with this saying decades ago.
6 for drinks
4 for dinner
2 for overnight.

pnichols wrote:
When we have to leave our dog in her playpen in the RV in warm temperatures in a non-hookup situation, we leave with the built-in generator and roof air conditioner running ... while at the same time FOR SAFETY BACKUP (in case the generator should ever quit while we're gone - it did once) ... we also leave a powerful 12 volt fan set on high blowing directly at the dog's playpen. In moderate temperatures we leave the front/rear roof vents open with the front vent's built-in fan drawing air from the rear vent through the full length of the motorhome.

We feel that this is a simple arrangement not relying too much on technology.

This is a good practice, and I think it's worth mentioning that while the interior of an RV will heat up without AC, if all the windows are covered it won't heat nearly as fast or hot as a car.

When we have to leave our dog in her playpen in the RV in warm temperatures in a non-hookup situation, we leave with the built-in generator and roof air conditioner running ... while at the same time FOR SAFETY BACKUP (in case the generator should ever quit while we're gone - it did once) ... we also leave a powerful 12 volt fan set on high blowing directly at the dog's playpen. In moderate temperatures we leave the front/rear roof vents open with the front vent's built-in fan drawing air from the rear vent through the full length of the motorhome.

We feel that this is a simple arrangement not relying too much on technology.

SidecarFlip wrote:
One thing I've learned (the hard way I might add) is, the more convenience and 'automatic' features any RV has, the more they break down as the acquire some age and the more it costs to get in fixed.

My latest one (I've had 5) is simple.

Convenience and automatic stuff is nice when new. Then it gets to be an issue.

In total agreement here. I have also owned 5. My utmost mission was to make the current one as simple as possible. See my signature.
If I could have gotten one without the electric awning, I would have done that also, but it came that way. Very happy with our choice.