What compact RV for family of 4
Hi, We are starting our research to purchase an RV to explore the USA and visit old sailing buddies across the country. We have about $25.000 - $35.000 to spend maybe more for the right vehicle with...
Forum Discussion
At those prices, you're presumably looking at used units. For a used RV, the condition and previous maintenance is probably more important than the specific brand: a top-tier brand that has been neglected will be a worse buy than a more budget brand that has received good care. Leaks and the water damage that comes from them are big things to look out for.
Plenty of class C motorhomes could fit the bill nicely. One option worth considering is getting an ex-rental unit from a large rental company such as CruiseAmerica. They do a pretty good job of reconditioning before selling their old units, and being in the rental fleet they receive at least basic maintenance and upkeep. There's a big thread in the Class C forum here about people's experience with them, generally pretty positive.
I would note that RV length makes less of a difference in terms of driving than you might imagine. A 22' class C and a 32' class C will not handle much differntly at all on the highway. The longer unit will usually have a poorer minimum turning radius (due to the longer wheelbase) and take a little more care in maneuvering around parking lots and gas stations, but even there it's not as big a difference as you might imagine; and neither one realistically fits in a single parking space. The length also doesn't make a huge difference in fuel economy since the air resistance is pretty nearly the same (and that's the largest source of friction when driving). You'll likely get somewhere around 8-9 mpg on the highway in a gas class C, give or take a bit.
I have a 1998 32' Coachmen class C that's served me well for the past few years, including a trip from Vermont to Alaska and back. There have been some repairs of varying difficulty and a lot of maintenance and general tinkering, as one would expect for something of that age. I've never towed a car behind it, and thus far there have been few if any times I really wished I did. Partly that's because of what sorts of travel I've liked to do, and partly I think that's because I knew when planning that I wouldn't have a car with me and worked things out based on that. If one isn't staying at any one place for many days at a time, it's not too hard in my experience to stop en route between campgrounds at a supermarket or other store and stock up as needed. If staying in one place for a longer time and needing a vehicle to tour around, having a car along is a bigger advantage as it gets old and irksome to break camp every day to go exploring. (One way around that, of course, is to go to places where a car isn't all that necessary--either because there's public transit available nearby, or because bicycling or walking or hiking suffices.)
As far as specific models and features, look for a layout that works for you. I'd suggest when considering a specific RV to spend some time walking through some daily tasks. Go through what steps it would take to go from sleeping mode to living mode. Go through the motions of preparing a meal and sitting down to eat it. See how it would work to grab a drink from the fridge or run to the bathroom when configured for driving. Step into the shower and try out the room to scrub your back or wash your hair. Figure out where to put the trash can.
Plenty of class C motorhomes could fit the bill nicely. One option worth considering is getting an ex-rental unit from a large rental company such as CruiseAmerica. They do a pretty good job of reconditioning before selling their old units, and being in the rental fleet they receive at least basic maintenance and upkeep. There's a big thread in the Class C forum here about people's experience with them, generally pretty positive.
I would note that RV length makes less of a difference in terms of driving than you might imagine. A 22' class C and a 32' class C will not handle much differntly at all on the highway. The longer unit will usually have a poorer minimum turning radius (due to the longer wheelbase) and take a little more care in maneuvering around parking lots and gas stations, but even there it's not as big a difference as you might imagine; and neither one realistically fits in a single parking space. The length also doesn't make a huge difference in fuel economy since the air resistance is pretty nearly the same (and that's the largest source of friction when driving). You'll likely get somewhere around 8-9 mpg on the highway in a gas class C, give or take a bit.
I have a 1998 32' Coachmen class C that's served me well for the past few years, including a trip from Vermont to Alaska and back. There have been some repairs of varying difficulty and a lot of maintenance and general tinkering, as one would expect for something of that age. I've never towed a car behind it, and thus far there have been few if any times I really wished I did. Partly that's because of what sorts of travel I've liked to do, and partly I think that's because I knew when planning that I wouldn't have a car with me and worked things out based on that. If one isn't staying at any one place for many days at a time, it's not too hard in my experience to stop en route between campgrounds at a supermarket or other store and stock up as needed. If staying in one place for a longer time and needing a vehicle to tour around, having a car along is a bigger advantage as it gets old and irksome to break camp every day to go exploring. (One way around that, of course, is to go to places where a car isn't all that necessary--either because there's public transit available nearby, or because bicycling or walking or hiking suffices.)
As far as specific models and features, look for a layout that works for you. I'd suggest when considering a specific RV to spend some time walking through some daily tasks. Go through what steps it would take to go from sleeping mode to living mode. Go through the motions of preparing a meal and sitting down to eat it. See how it would work to grab a drink from the fridge or run to the bathroom when configured for driving. Step into the shower and try out the room to scrub your back or wash your hair. Figure out where to put the trash can.
