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Jeepnfool's avatar
Jeepnfool
Explorer
Jul 10, 2018

Looking to get into RVing.. need help

We just recently returned from a long road trip from Pittsburgh, PA to California and back in a 2-week time frame. We enjoyed the trip, but not so much looking for a hotel/food every night. I couldn't help but wonder if it would have been better in an RV than in the SUV... I'm pretty sure I don't want/need a large Class A and have been looking more towards a Class C, but I also want to be able to tow my Jeep on a trailer behind me... Jeep and trailer are close to 6500#. Are there any Class C's that can safely tow this much? Or will I need to bite the bullet and go with a large Class A? From my limited initial research, most Class C's (save Super C's) don't appear to tow much. If at possible, I would love to find a Class C diesel. Like a RAM based. Gas just doesn't seem to make much sense to me on such a large vehicle. It's only the wife, myself and our 10yo son. Any good suggestions for what I intend on doing? Thanks in advance and sorry for the long winded initial opener. I'm full of questions....
  • Optimistic_Para's avatar
    Optimistic_Para
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    OK, as somebody else mentioned RV's depreciate like crazy. Any RV you buy now will be worth almost nothing in 15 or 20 years, even if it mostly sits and doesn't get a lot of mileage. Seals deteriorate, rubber deteriorates, mice and other critters will get in and chew on wiring, etc.

    If you want to get into this, you should be thinking in terms of buying a good USED RV - one that someone else has taken the biggest depreciation hit on - and trading it in on another one every 4 or 5 years.

    Trailers aren't as bad as motorhomes, you've only got the axles, bearings and brakes all of which would be easy for a Jeeper to work on.

    Rather than tow your jeep, consider a so-called toy hauler and carry it in the garage. A 3/4 or 1 ton truck and a fifth wheel set up in back for the toy hauler. Trade the truck in as necessary for the next 20 years.

    Spend some time on RV Trader, looking at all the possibilities.

    https://www.rvtrader.com/
  • NMDriver2's avatar
    NMDriver2
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    If your main reason for an RV is to avoid getting motels and finding food you will find that a RV comes with more issues to solve than finding food and motels.

    1) Any RV does not go near as far in a day as a SUV and takes twice the fuel to do it. Your two week trip would likely take three in an RV and cost twice as much.
    2) You still need to find a place to stay each night anyway.
    3) RV's other than a B or small C, require a lot more maintenance than a SUV and the maintenance is more likely to be something you will not be able to do yourself in the driveway.
    4) Get a good smart phone and there are apps for finding accommodations and food is almost always next door.
  • 2chiefsRus's avatar
    2chiefsRus
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    there are a lot of Class A's that would fall between that 44' pusher that your neighbor had and a small Class C.
  • Jeepnfool's avatar
    Jeepnfool
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    Thanks for the replies thus far... As to answer some of the questions.. My Jeep is a true Off-Road Jeep, it wouldn't flat tow very well. With super aggressive Mud tires and a large suspension lift, she's not up to doing much of anything over 40mph.. I tow it now with my Ram 1500 on an 18' trailer. Trailer is just under 1900 and the Jeep is just over 3700, maybe closer to 4000 with all the armor and big axles/tires and tools loaded up... Maybe I'm chasing a pipe dream thinking this would work out. The wife and I have plans of driving around after retirement, but that's almost 15 - 20yrs away unless the lottery comes my way. Neighbor had a big 44' pusher, but said it was too much and felt it wasn't worth it, which is why I was looking smaller Class C. I have ventured to look at the slide in's on a 1 ton truck, but maybe the ones I looked at just weren't the right ones. Wife wasn't too keen on the toilet and shower sharing the same space...perhaps there are others out there.
  • garmp's avatar
    garmp
    Explorer II
    Jul 10, 2018
    Had you thought about a Class B or B+? We have a B+ for the two of us and don't tow. Go into town, restaurants, stores, whatever, with out a problem. We love it. But there again it is the two of us.
  • Jayco-noslide's avatar
    Jayco-noslide
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    Flat tow and save the hundreds of pounds the trailer will weigh. I think you're right that Class C's aren't technically rated to tow a lot but the great majority of owners kind of do it anyway I think. We've towed a 2700 lb. car behind our 30 ft. Class C (Gas Ford V-10 engine) and now a 3000 lb. Focus. No problem with either but obviously liter is better. How much does the Jeep weigh? I would try to stay as much below 3000 lbs. as possible but I see many towing twice that. It's costly to get set up and in most cases you need dinghy brakes.
  • Optimistic_Para's avatar
    Optimistic_Para
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    If you're just looking for a place to sleep and cook simple meals on the road, consider a truck camper on the back of a one ton pickup, which should hold it's value better than a Class C RV. A good diesel engine should have ample power to pull your jeep,as well.

    Truck Camper Magazine is a great educational resource for people new to truck campers.

    https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    Jul 10, 2018
    Typical class Cs tend to be right at their limits without a toad. There may be some, but for the initial cost a class A is more desirable resell. However all RVs are a huge depreciating asset, so unless you use it a lot it becomes a great big money pit. Add in the huge numbers of new RVers hitting the parks its getting nealy impossible to find a spot on a moments notice.

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