Hi all, first time poster and not yet RV'r. I really need some feedback on the type of RV I should buy. After research and going to a few dealer lots, here is what I have found: I want a Class A or C in the 30-36 foot range, without slides. RVs in the under 28 foot range without slides just seem too small for me for full-timing long term.My Situation I will be full-timing alone in the RV. It will be my home for the next several years, easily 4+ years. I will begin my RV living by going on a spiritual and cleansing journey of sorts. I will spend 4 months on the road, driving up the California coast, and possibly up to central Oregon. I will visit a national forest for a few weeks, hit the beaches, hit the towns along the way, and possibly hit up other secluded BLM spots for free parking on public lands. I will be dry camping the entire time during those 4 months, and so my RV needs to be able to handle that. After that spiritual sojourn, I will set up camp in a northern California area/city/town. Preferably around the San Francisco area, obviously not in the city itself, but in the surrounding area. And that is where I will stay for some months or longer while I work to replenish my finances.Some preferences/concernsGiven that I want something in the 30-35 foot range, I wonder if a class C may start becoming unwieldy at that size on the road? I was told Class As will handle much better. I also like the bigger window in the class A, since it gives a less suffocating feeling inside the RV with that nice large window letting in sun. The class C wasn't nearly as inviting since its front window is so small in comparison. However, I dislike how much bigger a class C is since this seems like it would make it harder to drive in tighter areas, they stand out more (more tickets possibly for parking infractions?), and I've read some national forests/parks don't allow for them to be parked there due to their size? Class As look twice as big as a comparable class C. They just look intimidating, like driving a small semi. Granted, I have yet to drive either a Class C or A. I also really like how much more holding capability that class As have, though I don't know if that matters much since it will only be me in the RV? Finally, are class A's really that much harder to repair than Class C's? I want to be able to service my RV personally as much as possible. Obviously if the problem gets to large or complicated I will take it to a technician. Is it hard to find Class A technicians in more remote areas/less big city areas.This post is long, thank you for hanging in there. I would really appreciate any feedback from people on here as to what they would recommend to someone in my situation with my preferences. I have about $11,000 to spend, and I am hoping to buy my used RV in the next 3 months or so. Thank you for your time!!

Welcome to the Forum...Not much experience here with A' or C's, but lot of years and miles with pull behinds.I think you should consider the "no slide" requirement. Living full time for the next 4+ years in it...I'd be looking for something with slides.Just something to think about. Good luck with your search.

I think you will like an A better than a C for a lot of reasons. Short A's like mine are not hard to drive, but take some getting used to especially backing and some right turns. But so are C's. Since you plan to boondock a lot you will want to look for larger holding tanks, and at least the ability to have multiple batteries for the house side of things. Since you will be buying used, try to negotiate new tires, and make sure roof has been recently sealed and check for signs of leaks.

You have to work out what is your own preference.A 30 foot C and a 30 foot A gasser usually have the same footprint (most are built to the same width), but the A will have more usable floor space when parked. If you choose the right model level, the A will have a higher floor, higher profile, and more outside storage under the floor. It will usually have larger tanks.I know two reasons to prefer a C: 1. You want the finished cab of a van, with the extra doors and a front end built to passenger vehicle crash safety standards, and climate control sized for the space.2. The over-cab space is useful to you, either as a sleeping space for yourself or guests, or as temporary storage when not moving. Small A's can be fitted with a drop-down bunk for equivalent sleeping space, a standard feature when all motorhomes were A's and were typically 17-28 feet long, and coming back now as an option in the 22-32 foot range.There is not much difference in chassis service, A gasser or C. The smallest A's are built on a stripped van chassis, more a less a C without a cab. But around 30 feet or so, they get built on a bare chassis with 2000-4000 pound more capacity than the heaviest E-series (or going further back, GM G-series). Regular service points are reached under the hood or from underneath, in both cases, and either one requires that you find a truck service center for chassis work.There is really no difference taking care of the house, which is where most of the work will be. Appliances, construction methods, points of maintenance are pretty much the same. One possible difference, some larger A's will have water tanks in an enclosed space between the floor and the chassis, where they should be well protected from hazards but almost impossible to reach once the shell is built and enclosed. I'm another who prefers no slides, hard to find in a new motorhome today. I have two slides, which fit the needs of my wife, children and grandchildren for lots of floorspace, but also made this particular RV less usable with slides in. If you are willing to consider 30 feet, you might also consider up to about 32 in an A gasser. This is the size at which you get sofa, dinette, lounge chair space, and work space in the kitchen, in the 1980s and 1990s floor plans. For what you think you want to do, I recommend you look at Flair, Southwind Storm, and Bounder (all from Fleetwood) of this era, but you will find similar floorplans in Tiffin's Allegro, Winnebago Brave and Adventurer, Coachmen Mirada and Santara, FourWinds Hurricane and Windsport, Damon Daybreak and Intruder, as well as assorted models from Georgie Boy, National, and Forest River. Not all of these will have the basement space, rather some will have lower floors and smaller outside bins.Look at PPL motorhomes (an easy search) for examples of what can be found in this size in the 1990s, layouts and prices. It would be quite reasonable to expect to find a livable A gasser motorhome from the 1990s, no slide, this size range, for $8000 to $15,000. Not necessarily low mileage, but you are not planning to put big mileage on the thing.In your price range, I'd be looking for something like this Fleetwood Southwind or Winnebago Brave.I'm not so sure living in a motorhome is going to be less expensive than living in a mobile home or a small flat, even if you try to live off the grid in an urban area. But I'm used to living in a low-rent part of the country, the cost of living situation in the West might favor RV economics more.

You know the problem with your question is that we all have difference preferences etc and what I love about my C, another person might hate. We bought an A that was going to be our first and last, but then we decided we were not comfortable with no drivers side door, plus other things, so we bought a 30' C, and now we are looking for a B. We went to Camping World and they had a RV that a man had owned for 4 months and traded it in for a 5th Wheel because he wanted something to drive while he was parked, not wanting to unhook and hook up at every stop. So there is that to think about. When you need some milk in an RV and the store is 5 miles down the road, you have to unplug, put everything away, turn stuff off and on, and then find a store that will accommodate your RV. Also, if you look at our lifestyle but have never RV'ed you might consider renting for a week or so and seeing what it's like. It might not be all that you think it is, especially when you fill up the gas tank. LOLSize does matter, and since you mentioned BLM camping, you need to know that some campgrounds will not fit a 36' especially National Campgrounds in Northern California.

Sounds like a class A is going to be the better fit for your needs. Not sure why you would rule out slideouts? 1 or more really increase the living space without adding length.And in deciding on length, one big consideration is do you plan to have a toad? If you tow a small vehicle, things like running to the store or finding a parking spot become a different conversation.

First time buyer, I need some help in choosing!

14 Replies

BusaGuy
Explorer
Feb 26, 2015
NemoScopes wrote:
Thank you Tatest for that info! After walking through some RVs this week I noticed how thin those walls are. But that is okay, I am sure I can manage something. Either by using a cabinet as you mentioned, or just setting up a station when not in movement. I may also just go with a smaller and lighter TV and that should help create some extra options.

Winter Sun, that is very pertinent information! thanks for the heads up. Adds weight to getting a smaller setup.

Busa Guy, dam you, I think you sparked my interest enough to start looking at the travel trailer and pick up truck prices lol. I don't know if that is a combination I want to go with since it seems like it would be hard to drive such a setup, but I may as well give it a look. I don't know if I can buy both a used truck and travel trailer for under $11,000 but I will check it out. Thank you for the suggestion, good to explore all options.

After doing some more RV browsing at my local RV dealer, and some additional thought, I may be steering away from the bigger Class A options. I was looking at the smaller 24'-26' Class C's at the dealership, and I actually really dug them. A very familiar feel, and since its just me in the RV, it seems like a cozy fit. The overhead cab storage would be fantastic for my larger surfboards too. Jeez, I can tell this search is going to take longer than I originally anticipated! Dang it! I really wanted to take a break from working and go on an adventure haha.

One additional question: When buying a used motorhome, what is the most mileage I should accept as okay. I was using under 90,000 miles as my limit. But can I extend that some? If I find a coach i really like, inspect it inside and out, test drive it, and finally take it to an RV mechanic to do a final check and it passes all those tests well, should the fact that it has over 100,000 miles still be an automatic disqualifier?

Thanks!

I really think if you do some looking you will understand what I am talking about. It is nice to be able to get in a vehicle out of the elements and go somewhere only to come back to a camper that does not need to be set up again.
ncrowley
Explorer II
Feb 26, 2015
Mileage is not a big issue with diesels but it is a consideration with gas engines. The diesel engines that are designed to go into long haul trucks are designed to last more miles than you will ever drive.
NemoScopes
Explorer
Feb 25, 2015
Thank you Tatest for that info! After walking through some RVs this week I noticed how thin those walls are. But that is okay, I am sure I can manage something. Either by using a cabinet as you mentioned, or just setting up a station when not in movement. I may also just go with a smaller and lighter TV and that should help create some extra options.

Winter Sun, that is very pertinent information! thanks for the heads up. Adds weight to getting a smaller setup.

Busa Guy, dam you, I think you sparked my interest enough to start looking at the travel trailer and pick up truck prices lol. I don't know if that is a combination I want to go with since it seems like it would be hard to drive such a setup, but I may as well give it a look. I don't know if I can buy both a used truck and travel trailer for under $11,000 but I will check it out. Thank you for the suggestion, good to explore all options.

After doing some more RV browsing at my local RV dealer, and some additional thought, I may be steering away from the bigger Class A options. I was looking at the smaller 24'-26' Class C's at the dealership, and I actually really dug them. A very familiar feel, and since its just me in the RV, it seems like a cozy fit. The overhead cab storage would be fantastic for my larger surfboards too. Jeez, I can tell this search is going to take longer than I originally anticipated! Dang it! I really wanted to take a break from working and go on an adventure haha.

One additional question: When buying a used motorhome, what is the most mileage I should accept as okay. I was using under 90,000 miles as my limit. But can I extend that some? If I find a coach i really like, inspect it inside and out, test drive it, and finally take it to an RV mechanic to do a final check and it passes all those tests well, should the fact that it has over 100,000 miles still be an automatic disqualifier?

Thanks!
BusaGuy
Explorer
Feb 25, 2015
I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but I would also consider a TT or a 5th wheel. I had a class C and used it for a few years and it was a pain when I wanted to go somewhere. Unhooking and disconnecting everything is a real downer. TRUST me, you will be wanting to go places late at night or when it is raining and a bike just won't do. Plus your fuel costs wont be quite as bad either. You can get a small(ish) TT or 5th wheel with a slide and be plenty happy. The floor plans are plentiful as well.

This is just my opinion from my own personal experiences, but I hope it helps you some.
wintersun
Explorer II
Feb 25, 2015
Much harder to find campsites at state and federal campgrounds if you RV is longer than 28 feet. A slideout will make a big difference in living space and I would go with a shorter RV with at least one slideout.

I did a check awhile back of campgrounds outside of Yosemite. This is what I found in terms of size of RV and campgrounds with spaces large enough. It overstates the reality of the situation as a campground that has 10 sites large enough for a 35 ft. RV may have all of them taken when you arrive but have lots of spaces available for shorter RV's to use. Or you can elect to stay at private RV parks and pay up to 10x as much.

16' RV - 211 campgrounds 100% of RV campground
21' RV - 180 campgrounds 85%
25' RV - 150 campgrounds 71%
30' RV - 138 campgrounds 65%
35' RV - 88 campgrounds 42%
40' RV - 64 campgrounds 30%
45' RV - 32 campgrounds 15%
tatest
Explorer II
Feb 21, 2015
The way most motorhome walls are constructed (laminate of thin materials sandwiching a foam core) the outer walls are not likely to be strong enough to support a TV mount. For anything originally installed on the walls, the manufacturer imbedded a metal or heavy plywood mounting plate, before laminating the wall. For stiffness, the wall will have some perimeter framing in the sandwich, and a few verticals, but this will be 1" square, not full depth of wall, usually against the outside skin so there is insulation on the inside.

There are a few manufacturers of small A motorhomes that were built with framed walls, i.e. regularly spaced studs, usually aluminum. What Holiday Rambler built for the Monaco group, and Newmar, come immediately to mind, but there may be other small volume producers that did not adopt mass production laminated wall construction.

These studs may or may not be usable for mounting. Sizes will be 1 1/4" to something less than 2", by something less than 1". From what I remember of Holiday Rambler walls in the era of aluminum skin, the framing material was a channel, heavily perforated for weight management. So even if you find a stud, you could be trying to fasten a screw into a slot or a hole in the channel.

If I wanted to carry a 28-32" TV, I think I would find a place to carry it while moving (under the bed might work for my RV) and set it up on the table, across from the couch, for viewing.

In smaller sizes, there might be a possibility of finding a spot on a cabinet that is sturdy enough to handle a TV mount, particularly if you could go through a cabinet wall and install a backing plate.

Many A's put a medium-size CRT TV in a cabinet up front. Some part of that cabinet should be sturdy enough to handle a TV mount, if the load was spread over a large enough area.

RV parks having size limits? I don't know that I've ever been in a park that would turn away a 45-footer, which is the largest coach legal without a permit on U.S. highways. In most mobile home parks, the smallest units are typically at least 40 feet long. I don't think a 30-35 foot motorhome is going to run up against size limits in those places. Campsites in older public parks, and in forests, those might be more of a problem in some parts of the country, as many were not sized for RVs of any size, rather to serve as a parking space for campers.
NemoScopes
Explorer
Feb 20, 2015
Wow, thank you everyone for you responses, i wasn't expecting so many so quickly. They have been very helpful.

DrewE, I wish I had 110,000 to spend on an RV! haha. Yes that is a typo error on my part-I have but only around $11,000 to spend.

KMP44, I won't have a separate vehicle in tow. However, I do plan on bringing a nice multi-gear bike to get around town with. I think with a bike and bus systems, I can get to where I want to go with not too much stress. But good point nonetheless. The reason I am not considering slideouts is because they are not in my price range. I will probably be buying a 90's model, and many of those do not have slideouts.

Roy and Lynne, thank you for the information pertaining to national forests not being able to house RVs over 36 feet. I will definitely be looking into that to see what the deal is.

Tatest, thank you very much for your very informative and in-detail post, it was most helpful.

To everyone else that I did not mention- thank you as well! :)

I may rent an RV. It is no doubt a good idea to see what it is all about and get a better feel for the workings of it. However, at about 200 dollars a night, I don't think I can afford it. I am working with an extremely limited budget, with very little wiggle room. I barely make enough to cover my day to day expenses. I am sure, however, that i will be purchasing a motorhome as my current housing situation is not acceptable, and going the RV route is definitely what I want to do, especially given that i want to travel around.

After researching more, I find myself continuing to lean towards a 30-35 foot Class A with a dinette, couch, separate bedroom with queen size bed (i wish more RVs had a real door separating the bedroom, but most have just a slider cloth material separation), and all the other usual suspects.

Additional Questions to add to the post

It is important for me to have television in my bedroom (i am a film buff), but I notice that most RVs only leave room for a very small TV off to the side(or sometimes atop a small spot atop a cabinet). Is it possible to buy a television wall mount and attach it to the RV wall for a lightweight 30'' TV sit on? Or are the walls of RVs too lightweight and not strong enough to hold that weight? Are there lots of electrical wires behind the walls I could hit? I am talking about something like this--- http://www.amazon.com/Mount--MI-411-Bracket-Articulating-200x200/dp/B0055IX824/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1424483187&sr=8-5&keywords=television+wall+mount+extend

Do RV parks/trailer parks have size limitations on RVs that they will accept?
wbwood
Explorer
Feb 19, 2015
I have not driven a Class A. We have a Class C. But my boss has had both. He had a 30' Class A, a 35' Class A and now a 33' Class C. His words last week to me is that the Class C he has now is much better and easier to drive than the Class A's he had. The Class A's were a Thor ACE and a Itasca Sunstar. He now has a Winnebago. I believe the A's were both 2012 models and the Class C is a 2014 model I believe.
DrewE
Explorer III
Feb 19, 2015
Is your budget $11,000 or $110,000? There seems to be a typo one way or the other in your first post, and it will make a vast difference on what you can find that suits your needs.

For $11,000, I wouldn't worry too much about A vs. C and instead concentrate on finding the unit in the best condition I could, particularly with respect to structural soundness (no leaks, etc.) and drivetrain. At that price point you're going to have an older RV, and the appliances and probably the interior bits are going to have some wear, and you need to expect there to be some maintenance bumps along the way. (Any RV is going to require ongoing maintenance, of course.)

For $110,000, you can get something that's new or nearly new, and have all sorts of options.

I don't find that driving my 32'-ish class C (a 1998 Coachmen Santara) is troublesome at all. On the highway, it's not unwieldy, at least no more than a class A would be. Maneuvering in tight quarters does require care, particularly when doing so alone (lots of getting out and looking and moving a bit and repeating if things are tight), but normal driving is not bad at all. For getting in and out and looking, the driver's door is a distinct advantage over the side door on a typical class A. I'm not sure there's really much difference overall. Some class A's (particularly larger diesel pushers with air bags) do have much more comfortable suspension setups for travel, and rear engine class A's are much quieter than class C's or front engine class A's, but those are probably more vehicle than what you're considering and start being too big to get into remote campsites easily.

The larger windshield, while often a benefit, can be a liability when the sun is bright and in your eyes. The overhang of a typical class C is very effective as a sort of cap visor, and keeps the windshield remarkably free of rain as well. It's not as though you have a lot of chance to really gawk at the scenery while driving an RV; you need to pay attention mostly to the road ahead. When parked, of course, having that big picture window in front is often a fantastic thing.

I wholeheartedly agree with Ron&Lynne that it would be well worth renting a motorhome for a week to see what it's like and get an idea of some things to look for and some to avoid.
KMP44
Explorer
Feb 19, 2015
Sounds like a class A is going to be the better fit for your needs. Not sure why you would rule out slideouts? 1 or more really increase the living space without adding length.

And in deciding on length, one big consideration is do you plan to have a toad? If you tow a small vehicle, things like running to the store or finding a parking spot become a different conversation.

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First time buyer, I need some help in choosing!

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