Advice on unique oppotunity

[clotus]

Okay so here is my situation I am hoping to get some advice, thoughts, insight, or whatever you all have:

I currently have a 2017 Minnie Winnie 31K on E450 with a floorplan I love, but the rig doesn't seem to have the best fit n finish.

I have the opportunity to switch over to a 2007 Bigfoot 32ST Super C on the Kodiak 5500 chassis with Duramax diesel. Owned by my in-law and meticulously maintained. Floorplan isn't to my preference, but not is not far off.

I have always wanted a Super C, but I am concerned that due to the age and Bigfoot not making motorhomes since 2008, I do not want to get into something older that requires more work with minimal support available. On the other hand it seems Bigfoot made a solid product and the chassis seems to be similarly bulletproof like the E450, plus its a Super C with a solid fiberglass roof.

I understand there are many factors in this decision, but what would you do? I am really on the fence on this one.

Thanks!

[kwplot34]

I have a Super C on a 2020 F550 chassis 6.7L diesel, finding a shop to do maintenance on it is not an issue. Having owned several motor homes on the E chassis, you will enjoy driving this one much better. I will never go back to a gasser.

[bobndot]

Charles, you could star in your own detective Netflix series. :C 🙂

[CharlesinGA]

I am a member of the Bigfoot Owners Club Intl. and on the discussion forum there are several owners of the 4000 series. Most speak well of them, but they are not without their issues.

If the one you are planning on getting has been well cared for and kept under cover or shelter, it will be a real nice rig.

I would think you could sell your 2017 model and if a clean rig, make almost what you paid for it. Just be a wary seller and double check everything. When I sold my MH in 2019 I went behind the buyer and checked with the credit union they were borrowing part of the money with, to confirm it was a legit deal. I contacted them thru the email address I got off their web site and not via the one the CU employee handling it was using. I gave all pertinent info and simply asked for a yea or nay that the loan was actually being handled and was legit. They said yes. The buyer said he was going to give me a Wells Fargo cashiers check for a part of the price, so when they arrived (flew in on airline) i picked them up in the motorhome and we went to Wells Fargo. Oddly WF could not easily confirm the checks, they needed to talk to the issuing location, which would not open for 3 hrs. However the manager looked at the buyers accounts and saw that that exact amount had been moved out of the account. I also had done a bunch of research on the buyer, where they lived, I checked the property tax records for the address to confirm the ownership, and several other things.

There are some pretty good scams going right now. The very best thing you could do would be to walk into the sellers bank or credit union and be handed a check by the teller for the proper amount.

Charles

[ronfisherman]

Grit dog wrote:
LBZ are already 6 speed in 06-07 in the light duty trucks. Did the med duty keep the 5 speed longer?

2006 to 2007.5 Medium Duty C 45-5500 had a 6 speed transmission. But no program for 6th gear. GM never labeled the LBZ in MD trucks . They labeled it LLY. But it had LBZ updates.

[Grit_dog]

LBZ are already 6 speed in 06-07 in the light duty trucks. Did the med duty keep the 5 speed longer?

[ronfisherman]

When I looked at a Bigfoot Super C. One thing that caught my attention was fuel tank size. It was smaller than the 80 gallon tank in most Chevy Super C’s. One other item was access to cab from living area. All other manufacturers has a cutout to give access to cab. Beyond those items I liked the layout.
Depending on when this 2007 was built. It may have the LBZ engine. After 2007.5 they had LMM with DPF with 6 speed transmission. My preference would be the LBZ. It can get a program update for 6 speed.
Hope this one is what you want in a Super C.

[clotus]

Thanks for all the input. I am going to be taking a closer look over the entire RV to ensure there aren't any issues that I am not aware of, but I think I am going to go for it. I will post some pics if/when......

[bobndot]

Check the size when changing rvs. Height might be taller, I know someone who smacked his new rv into a low driveway tree branch that he cleared with his previous rv.

Whenever I change trucks I look into the turning radius and ground clearance at the rear. I have a tight swing and steep driveway apron to navigate.

I can't back into my driveway with my current rv. The rear overhang drags on the apron and sidewalk. I can only pull head-in and the rear overhang just clears dragging its hitch welded 'safety tabs' in the street.

[Rick_Jay]

Hi,

I'm 99% sure if it was me, I'd go with the Bigfoot. There is only one major thing and a few "nitpicks" that might cause me to reconsider the decision, and even then, I'm not so sure I still wouldn't jump on it, especially if the price was right. The Bigfoot brand & reputation plus the heavier diesel chassis make a pretty tempting combination.

I noticed in the Bigfoot brochure that the Diesel chassis motorhomes were available with either an Onan propane (LPG) powered generator or the diesel powered generator (Quiet Diesel), both rated at 5.5 kW. My preference for an RV generator is that it use the same fuel as the engine of the motorhome. If you use the generator a lot, a propane generator can be a pain as it will require a lot of frequent propane refills. On the other hand, if you don't use the generator much, then it probably won't make much difference.

For us, we tend to run the generator most times we're on the road (either for A/C or heat) to keep the family comfortable. So used in that way, an LPG generator wouldn't be ideal for us.

The other thing I see that might be a bit bothersome is that it looks like you'll lose access to two(?) kitchen drawers when the slide is in? Maybe a cabinet door under the sink, too? Can't tell for sure. And access to the kitchen sink will be a bit encumbered as well. When we travel, we like access to everything in the kitchen without putting out the slide.

Both rigs have split baths, and while not my preference, IF I had one in my motorhome, I'd prefer a layout similar to your current rig, which I believe has the sink and the john on the same side of the aisle, and the shower opposite. I think the Bigfoot has the john and the shower together.

And I'm REALLY nitpicking now, but personally I'd prefer a dinette (which looked to be an option on the Bigfoot) to the folding table & chairs shown on the brochure.

But if that rig has a Quiet Diesel model generator, I'm pretty sure I could live with the other possible issues.

Good Luck and be sure to let us know what you decided! 🙂

~Rick

[valhalla360]

If the dollars make sense and it's a layout you like, go for it.

RVs largely use the same appliances and construction methods, so there was never much you were going to gain from manufacturer support.

[rjstractor]

bobndot wrote:
Medium duty trucks are more expensive to maintain than E450's.

Research the mechanical end.
You will have to use shops as well as dealerships that are willing to accommodate you with large enough specialty bays and equipment. That can get pricey, especially while on the road in unfamiliar territory.

Parts: Due to overall parts shortages , I have no idea about the availability of parts for that year med duty truck.

The GM 5500 chassis is really not a whole lot more "medium duty" than an E450. Yes, the 5500 is bigger and heavier, but only incrementally so. Both use engines and transmissions also found in pickups and have hydraulic brakes. Either one may need a shop with larger bays, but the GM 5500 doesn't need a true heavy truck shop, like a Freightliner or the like.

[KD4UPL]

I'd love to have one of those Duramax Topkick chassis Super Cs. The drive train is as solid as they come. The chassis is a standard MD truck chassis that is used under dump trucks, box trucks, flat bed trucks, etc. There should be no trouble finding mechanics to work on it if it even needs much.
Bigfoot makes a great camper. The combination you're looking at is about as good as it gets. The fact that you know it's history makes it that much better.

[bobndot]

Medium duty trucks are more expensive to maintain than E450's.

Research the mechanical end.
You will have to use shops as well as dealerships that are willing to accommodate you with large enough specialty bays and equipment. That can get pricey, especially while on the road in unfamiliar territory.

Parts: Due to overall parts shortages , I have no idea about the availability of parts for that year med duty truck.

[PartyOf_Five]

Super C makes a lot of sense, and you know it's called for- and good time to sell yours, coming into spring in a hot market.