Forum Discussion

nosebreaker's avatar
nosebreaker
Explorer
Mar 01, 2018

Common question: Should I get a TT or MH? Selling after 6mo

I've read several different postings on choosing a MH over a TT, what would you do if you were in my situation?


My wife and I (no kids) plan to take a ~3mo trip around the USA/Canada. When we are done, we plan to sell the RV and any tow vehicle or truck.

I am familiar with TT, I took a trip around the USA (10,000mi+) back in 2010 using my F250 and a 19ft TT. I have never driven a MH but my wife would prefer one as it seems more "vacationy", I prefer a TT since it is familiar to me and I believe cheaper.

We can afford to purchase any type of vehicle or combination. We are thinking we would buy either:
A) 5yr old ~30ft TT and a 5yr old F150 or F250 truck (or similar)
B) 5-10yr old ~30ft Class C MH and a tow vehicle. I am a bit wary about purchasing a MH over 5yrs old. We may keep the truck or tow vehicle when we are finished, we do not currently have a towable vehicle.

Some questions:
1) How hard is it to sell a Class C motorhome? We wouldn't care as much about best price since it really just needs to be cheaper than renting and I sure hope it won't depreciate $15k+ in 6mo! I know I could sell a truck and TT in a reasonable amount of time, unsure about a MH though.
2) Is a tow vehicle really that bad to deal with? I understand you cannot back up with one?
3) We would bring a cat with us, which is currently terrified of car travel. We started the process to make it easier to travel but I was wondering if a MH would be easier than a TT since it could sit inside the MH and not have to go into the truck. Thoughts?
4) I read several people say that setup is quicker in a MH, but I don't remember it taking all that long to unhook and level a TT on my last trip. I also don't recall that hookups were more than a few minutes either.
5) How often do MH break down? Is it that hard to get them fixed? I had one minor breakdown on my prior trip (alternator died) and it was fairly easy to repair the truck.
  • Tvov's avatar
    Tvov
    Explorer II
    Honestly, for a lot of driving, I would lean towards a motorhome / class C. Your "facilities" are available immediately if you need them. I would think the cat would be far more comfortable in a motorhome? He could "roam" a bit around inside it.

    When we (my family) did our two trips to Disney World, driving down along the east coast, I could really see how a motorhome would have been nice to use.
  • VERY hard to sell any type of RV. Try to buy as cheap as possible but expect to take a loss when you sell it (get the price down where it should be and it will sell faster). Hey, you did have fun times using it, right? You expect something like that to come free? As retired old coots, my wife and I prefer a motorhome. You can stroll back to the bathroom without having to stop or go outside in weather that could be bad. A single vehicle is always easier to maneuver and park than a tow rig either at a campground or at a restaurant for lunch. It IS much easier to set up camp with a MH. Probably most parks you stop at have sites too short not to unhook when you stop for the night. Leveling in a Class A is a matter of just pushing a button. The MH is REALLY appreciated in inclement weather. We "graduated" to a Class A from a TT, then 2 Cs. In the used market, it seems you can get an A for little more than a C. Class As have that nice "IMax" view out the front that nothing else has. Travelling the country we have certainly enjoyed watching (and photographing) the landscape through it! We travel with a cat that isn't particularly happy riding in a car but apparently the larger size of the MH agrees with her. She'll curl up on the dash and travel for hours looking out at the world. Sacrificed a cabinet for a cat box holder by adding a cat door to the side. We've not had breakdown problems but have always looked rigs over with a fine tooth come when buying and keep up with the maintenance. We bought several used RVs from a private broker and were pleased with our purchases from him. Two years ago we bought our first new motorhome as we are now old enough we probably won't be needing another. Expect to take a real depreciation hit that way but we've come to use our RVs so much, we felt it was a worthwhile expense for us. Everyone has their own priorities. I'm sure you will enjoy which ever way you decide to go! I should add that if we are going to stay at one location for a few days to sightsee, we'll just rent a car. Enterprise will come to your campground and pick you up.