Apples and Oranges. A or C

[rvhappy2010]

Hey all.
This might be long. My brother is a big bus coach conversion guy who thinks he know everything, but since he has lots of money to make mistakes he's ahead of the pack.
We are looking to enter the motorhome group and we have always been looking at a class c, however smart a.. Suggested we look at older class A motorhome s because they have better suspension, towing, and overall features.
I know this is like comparing apples and oranges, but feel free to throw in your two grapes worth and we can make a fruit salad.

[wny_pat1]

cjoseph wrote:
I wasted a ton of time shopping the Internet.

Go sit in them.

As soon as we sat in the Ford/Chevy based 350/450 Class Cs, too tight too little leg room. We liked the sprinter, but they were too small in the house.

But these guys aren't talking Ford/Chevy based 350/450 Class Cs. They are talking the bigger medium and large road straight trucks like Kenworth, Peterbilt, International, and Volvo straight trucks with Super Class C coaches attached just like a regular Class C would be attached to what you're talking about. Wonder if I could get a Western Star with one built like that?

[tropical36]

Don McL wrote:

GENECOP wrote:

northmeck0255 wrote:
When we were looking, we rented A LOT. I would highly recommend that you rent both to see which is best for you. We chose an older Class A (with all STEEL body) over the C.

-Hated the ride in the C.
-No levelers
-Very small tanks
-Less storage
-Small shower
-Not much towing capacity
-No air brakes
-No jake brake/retarder

You have to find the one that works best for your particular situation. The A's are mostly set up for a couple, while the C's are the "family motorhome" with more beds.

I float down the road like a flying tank
Push one button and I am level
Can Boondock for close to three weeks
Can pull a house off a foundation
Hi and Low one touch engine brake

and if we were driving in Wyoming we could use all class a's under 40 feet and under 40,000 lbs as our toad.

don

what was the question?

I think the question was A vs C and you appear to have neither. Some would call your rig a super C and I think there are some other names for them. I like the cab and the big diesel out front with it's ease of access, but for max space and cost effectiveness, I'm not so sure. We did see a used one for sale that I'm sure I'd like if it could have been bought for the right price and it's usually about money when it comes right down to it.

[cjoseph]

I wasted a ton of time shopping the Internet.

Go sit in them.

As soon as we sat in the Ford/Chevy based 350/450 Class Cs, too tight too little leg room. We liked the sprinter, but they were too small in the house.

[Don_McL]

GENECOP wrote:

northmeck0255 wrote:
When we were looking, we rented A LOT. I would highly recommend that you rent both to see which is best for you. We chose an older Class A (with all STEEL body) over the C.

-Hated the ride in the C.
-No levelers
-Very small tanks
-Less storage
-Small shower
-Not much towing capacity
-No air brakes
-No jake brake/retarder

You have to find the one that works best for your particular situation. The A's are mostly set up for a couple, while the C's are the "family motorhome" with more beds.

I float down the road like a flying tank
Push one button and I am level
Can Boondock for close to three weeks
Can pull a house off a foundation
Hi and Low one touch engine brake

and if we were driving in Wyoming we could use all class a's under 40 feet and under 40,000 lbs as our toad.

don

what was the question?

[GENECOP]

northmeck0255 wrote:
OK, I'm sure you can do all of tha in a Super C, but that didn't sound like what the OP was describing. The Super C's are every bit as good as a Class A and have superior crash protection to most A's.

Nice rig in your signature!

Thanks:)

[northmeck0255]

OK, I'm sure you can do all of tha in a Super C, but that didn't sound like what the OP was describing. The Super C's are every bit as good as a Class A and have superior crash protection to most A's.

Nice rig in your signature!

[GENECOP]

northmeck0255 wrote:
When we were looking, we rented A LOT. I would highly recommend that you rent both to see which is best for you. We chose an older Class A (with all STEEL body) over the C.

-Hated the ride in the C.
-No levelers
-Very small tanks
-Less storage
-Small shower
-Not much towing capacity
-No air brakes
-No jake brake/retarder

You have to find the one that works best for your particular situation. The A's are mostly set up for a couple, while the C's are the "family motorhome" with more beds.

I float down the road like a flying tank
Push one button and I am level
Can Boondock for close to three weeks
Can pull a house off a foundation
Hi and Low one touch engine brake

[Don_and_Barb]

I tossed the coin also. I used to own a Chevy van and I couldn't stand working on it. Part of the engine work from the inside and the other from the outside and some very hard to get to from in or out. Since Class C's are basically a van with a house strapped to it I opted for the Class A. More room in the cockpit, especially if you want to get into the back to fix a drink (don't try cruise control, it doesn't steer worth beans, lol). But my friend has a Class C, but he has 2 kids so it works for him. His is Class C is 32' and seems smaller than our 27' Class A. His Ford V10 setup is probably as strong as our workhorse chassis except we have a wider wheelbase than his so ours holds the road better. I would say they all have their good points depending on the person. We bought the shorter Class A so we didn't have to parking lot camp.

[northmeck0255]

When we were looking, we rented A LOT. I would highly recommend that you rent both to see which is best for you. We chose an older Class A (with all STEEL body) over the C.

-Hated the ride in the C.
-No levelers
-Very small tanks
-Less storage
-Small shower
-Not much towing capacity
-No air brakes
-No jake brake/retarder

You have to find the one that works best for your particular situation. The A's are mostly set up for a couple, while the C's are the "family motorhome" with more beds.

[robertbenita]

I agree that sitting in them and possibly renting can help you decide. Each has its own pros/cons. Good luck!

[G7ARYM]

“Why would you choose a Super C versus a type A?”
Let me count the ways. Yes, the Super C and lower end A’s have similar house appointments all from the same makers and many living area floor plans are similar. For us the Super C had an oven, big deal with the person I travel with. The seats up front are used as storage when stopped but the area above is not lost as it is a large entertainment center with two large storage cabinets and a full width pull out drawer for more storage or a 7’ long bed with the pad provided. Then for some of us there is a large advantage to a Super C based on a commercial truck chassis due to its design and intended use. The truck is used as a box truck, small passenger tour bus, flat bed tow truck and a few dozen other applications. It is used, abused; beat up, flogged, ridden hard and put away wet by employees who have no respect for the vehicle. Now, if I use the rig as if I was the owner and cared about its care and feeding the truck will outlive me. Then some of us like the driving position of a truck cockpit which is not much different from my full size van in steering wheel and peddle position over the Lazy Boy chair in the corner of a family room with picture window feel ahead of the front wheels. Finally, all of the pieces which go around or move are up front under a clam shell hood where all fluids and filters are easy to see and change without removing a panel under the bed or the closet. Oh yes, did I mention cooling of the engine, transmission and turbo inlet temperature? All cooling radiators are up in the cool air in front of the large heat generating pieces of metal rather than the last thing in the rig way behind the hot metal out of the fresh cooling air. The dash air on its lowest temperature setting with the fan on low was too cool for my wife as we climbed out of the Colorado River eastbound on I-40 when the outside air showed 104. And the water temp gage actually moved two needle widths to the right on the long climb out. Get in, turn it on and drive. It’s as complicated as an anvil with few systems to monitor and maintain. It’s a truck, nothing fancy.

On edit let me add one other difference to consider. Try driving west for a few hours on a hot summer day with the sun in your eyes and a huge expanse of glass allowing the interior to heat up. On my Super C the sun rarely gets to the side windows and almost never shines through the windshield until the end of the day when we are at our destination. The large front overhang is not visible to me above the windshield so does not interfere with seeing out to drive. And since we do not sightsee from inside the rig the lack of Class A glass is not an issue. Just another thought, do you know how little it costs and how easy it is to replace a truck windshield? Factor that difference into your future expense with a Class A.
Again, your mileage may differ and be happy whichever way you go.

[NCWriter]

Which type does the co-pilot like the most?

My friend rented a C but bought an A - she loved having the roominess around the seat while he drove them down the highway, and liked to put her feet up on the dash.

[tropical36]

In view of some of the recent posts, I have a question. So, how many Class C's or Class A's are owned by people who really wanted the other, but chose the opposite because they thought it safer in a collision? If that be the case, then my thoughts are that the greatest danger is going to be with another vehicle collision and a 45ft class a or super C is going to win out over other RV's.

[wny_pat1]

Here is a link for NHTSA vehicle crash testing - vehicle catalog:
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/database/aspx/vehdb/veh_catalog_by_mmy.aspx, just to debunk any idea of that your Class C may have been tested. The last time a Ford F350 was tested was 1979. And no Ford Econolines over the E150 have been tested. And no Chevy Kodiak or TopKicks have been tested.