Diesel or Gas Class A, That's the question.
We'll be going full time in about a year, Never did the RV thing but we need an adventurous change. Wondering about the pros & cons of both. Fuel, Maintenance etc. Thanks.
Forum Discussion
The OP asked about going full time RV'ing in a gas or diesel motorhome. Somehow, this has turned into an argument about antifreeze fires. Let's stow it, please. :M
As for taxes and licensing, the OP's going full time soon as they said. I've had full time relatives base their address/residency in Texas, and I assume it's because you can vote without living there in a stick house, (A lot of states bar voting unless you have a house you occupy for a large % of the time) the taxes and licensing is cheaper or better, etc. (There's a lot of Texas plated RV's out there) That's something to research, maybe thru FMCA. In fact, joining the Family Motorcoach Association would be a good idea anyway for such benefits as mail forwarding. I know if/when I ever go full time, I will NOT be based here in my home state of Washington for a laundry list of reasons.
My oil change thing was based on driving a rig about the same amount. If you're always on the move and drive say 20k miles a year, add up $49.95 oil changes for every 3k miles and its about 7 oil changes and/or $350. A diesel's service is around $400, so where's the huge difference? At Cat, that includes all filters, (I think 7 total) and chassis lube too. (Even a gasser needs chassis lube, and that's extra above an basic oil change) Granted you can use Mobile One and go 5k to 7k between changes, but the synthetic oil's more than triple the cost, so that still comes out in the end. The local lube place (NOT Jiffy Lube!) wants $99.95 for Mobile One in my Chrysler 300. A motorhome's 454 or Ford V10 is going to use even more oil than my 300's V6, so that's even more $$$.
But and however, I think a lot of gas rigs don't get nearly the miles racked up, (weekend usage) so it can come down to a diesel's yearly expense verses a gasser's being driven only 5k or so a year, in which case, yes the diesel is much more expensive, and the endless arguments about cost. But, unless you "park and plant" for much of the year, I'd think 20k miles for a full timer is pretty normal. My aunt and uncle easily racked up more than that a year moving around with a dually truck and 40' fifth wheel. They'd stay a while, maybe work camp for 3 weeks/month, then move on to another nat'l park or wherever. Like most full timers, they head south in winter, north in summer. Visit relatives on the Pacific NW, then go and see horses in Kentucky.
As for taxes and licensing, the OP's going full time soon as they said. I've had full time relatives base their address/residency in Texas, and I assume it's because you can vote without living there in a stick house, (A lot of states bar voting unless you have a house you occupy for a large % of the time) the taxes and licensing is cheaper or better, etc. (There's a lot of Texas plated RV's out there) That's something to research, maybe thru FMCA. In fact, joining the Family Motorcoach Association would be a good idea anyway for such benefits as mail forwarding. I know if/when I ever go full time, I will NOT be based here in my home state of Washington for a laundry list of reasons.
My oil change thing was based on driving a rig about the same amount. If you're always on the move and drive say 20k miles a year, add up $49.95 oil changes for every 3k miles and its about 7 oil changes and/or $350. A diesel's service is around $400, so where's the huge difference? At Cat, that includes all filters, (I think 7 total) and chassis lube too. (Even a gasser needs chassis lube, and that's extra above an basic oil change) Granted you can use Mobile One and go 5k to 7k between changes, but the synthetic oil's more than triple the cost, so that still comes out in the end. The local lube place (NOT Jiffy Lube!) wants $99.95 for Mobile One in my Chrysler 300. A motorhome's 454 or Ford V10 is going to use even more oil than my 300's V6, so that's even more $$$.
But and however, I think a lot of gas rigs don't get nearly the miles racked up, (weekend usage) so it can come down to a diesel's yearly expense verses a gasser's being driven only 5k or so a year, in which case, yes the diesel is much more expensive, and the endless arguments about cost. But, unless you "park and plant" for much of the year, I'd think 20k miles for a full timer is pretty normal. My aunt and uncle easily racked up more than that a year moving around with a dually truck and 40' fifth wheel. They'd stay a while, maybe work camp for 3 weeks/month, then move on to another nat'l park or wherever. Like most full timers, they head south in winter, north in summer. Visit relatives on the Pacific NW, then go and see horses in Kentucky.
