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Buying a Class A without slides??

Kidoo
Explorer
Explorer
Hi, I am looking at a 2011 Hurricane 30Q, no slides but very low milleage and below 40,000 dollars in excellent condition.

I would like your opinion on a class A without slides. I currently have a Bigfoot Truck Camper, so just a place to walk and strech my leg, or walk around the bed in a class A is a great upgrade for me.

If I do not like it, would it be easy to sell back if price is right?
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.
74 REPLIES 74

Scottiemom
Nomad
Nomad
As Teacher's Pet stated, we have a 4-slide Phaeton, but a year and a half ago, we purchased a 24 foot B+ with no slides to take to Alaska. We completed an 11,000+ journey there and back this past summer. Was it tight? Yep. But the tradeoffs were worth it. Easy to maneuver, small enough to fit almost anywhere, no drafts, etc. Heck, you could heat the interior with a match. We used our propane furnace THREE times and that was when we were boondocking. The rest of the time we used a small Lasko space heater. We have now added two Scotties to the mix and that will be a greater challenge, but we still love it.

We decided to keep the "wee" one and use it for travel when we go to the east coast and other places that will be more convenient with a small coach.

Different strokes for different folks. We love the convenience of no slides and it works well in certain applications.

Dale
Dale Pace
Widow of Terry (Teacher's Pet)

Traveling with Brendon, my Scottish Terrier

2022 Honda Odyssey
2011 Mazda Miata MX-5

2021 Coach House Platinum III 250DT
Fulltimed for 15 years, now living in Florida

http://www.skoolzoutforever.blogspot.com/

michelb
Explorer
Explorer
As you can see, it's just a matter of preference. Personally I would never even consider buying a mh without slides no matter what the cost and I think the majority of buyers are like me but there are some that are fine with it. Just be prepared that if you ever want to sell it, it will have to be real cheap and even then you might not be able to sell it (e.g. 15 years ago, a high end large screen rear-projection TV could have cost you $10k - now you'd probably have a hard time selling it for $100. I'm not even sure if you could give it away ...)

Teacher_s_Pet
Explorer
Explorer
We have toyed with going the other way. Sure 4 slides are great, but with our present coach there is very little livable room without the slides deployed, because of the stuff we carry and how the slides close up. The 4 slide-outs on 100°+ days make it hard for two roof AC units to keep up with cooling. We have had problems with every slide in 8 years and 90,000 miles of full time use. From gears breaking, pins shearing, motors failing, hydraulic systems leaking and cylinders slamming shut, floor failure in one, seals leaking, drafts along edges, a slide sagging, and scrapes on the floor. Now repairs have cost us very little over the years since the manufacturer has stood behind the unit, but that can't go on forever. Thinking that when we decide we want a different coach after reading this thread. We'll take the great resale value of our 4 slides and buy someone's older, lousy re-sale, high-end, slide-less or single slide, Foretravel, Newell or Country Coach, that was designed with more livable space and storage in the early 2000's.
'06 Phaeton 40' QSH
'14 Ford Flex SEL AWD Toad
'04 R-Vision Trail-Lite 213
Scottiemom's Pet or husband to Dale
RV.net Rallies 13, Other Rallies 21, Escapades 7
Fulltimers since 2005, Where are we?
Our Travel Blog

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
had a friend years back who owned a business and had had about 18 different class As. his comment at that time was that no matter the length, they were all the same width and it was difficult for two people to pass each other going from one end to the other.
Then slides came along and cured that problem.
bumpy

wa_desert_rat
Explorer
Explorer
We actually looked for a motor home with no slides; AND not 102" but 96" (8'). It is (or was) one of the top-of-the-line brands but their cheapest model. We want to return to Baja California where we sailed our 32' cutter "Kibitka" in the 1980s with two kids. We remember beaches with palapas that were sun drenched and right on the water for kayaking and fishing.

Our previous 5er had one slide and it was forever giving us issues. Plus it brought leaves into the rig when it closed. And it was hotter in the summer and drafty in the fall/spring.

The only thing I liked about the 5er was the bedroom which had no slide and was very comfortable with large windows on each side that gave us a breeze across the bed at night. The motor home we have now is very much like that.

We like the light weight for a DP (22,500lbs) and the engine with a Banks package gives us better hp/weight than many new coaches with 600hp engines. We commonly get to 50 by the end of the on-ramps and still get 10-12mpg depending on towed.

YMMV but we like our narrow, low, light, nimble motor home. Plus we bought it used so someone else already took the hit for no slides. 😄

Craig

Kidoo
Explorer
Explorer
Well, the thing is that I was looking at this Supper Deal, camper without slide, and it could have given me the occasion to try a Class A and see if I like it, or prefer it over a Truck camper.

Actually, I am looking at buying a class A for a while, but if I do not like it, how hard would it be to sell back, how long would it take.

I will start a new thread on best resale value, just in case.
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.

Kidoo
Explorer
Explorer
Slides open down the road is VERY impressive, the more you have, the more impressive it is.
Monaco Cayman 34 2003, Cummins 300HP
Bigfoot 2008, 10.4, F350, 2006, Diesel 6.0, Black, 4x4, long box, Air lift, Rancho 9000, Rear sway bar.

Desert_Captain
Explorer III
Explorer III
The biggest myth in RV's today is that everybody "Has" to have a slide. Give me a break. If you have a large family the extra space is probably a no brainer. For two and the pooch hardly necessary if you buy the right floor plan in the first place.

The second biggest myth is that you will not be able to sell any RV without slides which is a bigger joke than myth number one. Lots of folks do not "need" a slide and are smart enough to see the many advantages of not having them.

The reliability of slide on the newer RV's are excellent (older units... not so much), but the bottom line is there are two kinds of folks with slides....
Those that have had trouble and those that will... there is no third category.

For those who would dispute this, and we frequently see comments that slide problems are rare... try reading this Forum, one of the most common topics are the multitude of problems folks encounter with their slides. Now none of them are the end of the world but most are a serious PITA and not cheap to correct.

If you need a slide or more than one by all means go for it. Just be aware that they do add cost, weight , complexity, often leak and are harder to heat and cool. Get whatever you need but buy with your eyes wide open (much like many slides get stuck), Ok, OK, Yes, now I am kidding. :B

OhhWell
Explorer
Explorer
msmith1199 wrote:
OhhWell wrote:
67Cutlass wrote:
msmith1199 wrote:

You are correct. I bought my DP with three slides with the only thought in mind to impress others in the RV park. I really don't need the space or even like the slides, but I spent the money because I just love to impress people. :R

I'll up you one, we bought our DP with 4 slides to impress even more people in the campgrounds. Who wants the space anyway?:S

BTW - can you even buy a new class A without slides?

Regardless of what anyone says, buy what fits YOUR needs and wants.


I actually like to roll into the campground with the slide already fully extended. I make sure to tour every loop to get the highest number of impressed campers possible.


I have always found that to be very impressive right up to the point where you tear one of your slides off on a tree. Then the impressive factor seems to go down. 😉


No way that is happening! I roll right down the middle of the road. All the other people on the road can just wait or get off to the side and be impressed with my slide. Also, the kids on bikes can marvel at it from the ground after running into it as I roll on by...
1998 bounder 36s V10 F53

msmith1199
Explorer II
Explorer II
OhhWell wrote:
67Cutlass wrote:
msmith1199 wrote:

You are correct. I bought my DP with three slides with the only thought in mind to impress others in the RV park. I really don't need the space or even like the slides, but I spent the money because I just love to impress people. :R

I'll up you one, we bought our DP with 4 slides to impress even more people in the campgrounds. Who wants the space anyway?:S

BTW - can you even buy a new class A without slides?

Regardless of what anyone says, buy what fits YOUR needs and wants.


I actually like to roll into the campground with the slide already fully extended. I make sure to tour every loop to get the highest number of impressed campers possible.


I have always found that to be very impressive right up to the point where you tear one of your slides off on a tree. Then the impressive factor seems to go down. 😉

2021 Nexus Viper 27V. Class B+


2019 Ford Ranger 4x4

OhhWell
Explorer
Explorer
LongWeekends wrote:
ferndaleflyer wrote:
I have a feeling that those that favor slides .....need to impress others in the camp ground.... But I do have a top of the line coach.


:S


Yeah, I caught that too....
1998 bounder 36s V10 F53

msmith1199
Explorer II
Explorer II
chuckftboy wrote:
What I got from this thread was, people with slides prefer slides. People without slides, prefer no slides and people with multipal slides want more slides except for those who would like less slides. Is that what mose pretty much got out of it too?


And people with slides only have them to impress people!

2021 Nexus Viper 27V. Class B+


2019 Ford Ranger 4x4

OhhWell
Explorer
Explorer
67Cutlass wrote:
msmith1199 wrote:

You are correct. I bought my DP with three slides with the only thought in mind to impress others in the RV park. I really don't need the space or even like the slides, but I spent the money because I just love to impress people. :R

I'll up you one, we bought our DP with 4 slides to impress even more people in the campgrounds. Who wants the space anyway?:S

BTW - can you even buy a new class A without slides?

Regardless of what anyone says, buy what fits YOUR needs and wants.


I actually like to roll into the campground with the slide already fully extended. I make sure to tour every loop to get the highest number of impressed campers possible.
1998 bounder 36s V10 F53

chuckftboy
Explorer
Explorer
What I got from this thread was, people with slides prefer slides. People without slides, prefer no slides and people with multipal slides want more slides except for those who would like less slides. Is that what mose pretty much got out of it too?
2019 Horizon 42Q Maxum Chassis w/tag
Cummins L-9 450 HP / Allison 3000
2006 Jeep TJ and 2011 Chevy Traverse Tows

427435
Explorer
Explorer
I've got an older (now) MH with 2 slides. Without the slides, I would have been divorced!!!!! The slides were a much cheaper alternative and have given me zero problems during the 38,000 miles and 8 years that I have owned the MH.
Mark

2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a Ford chassis, 80,000 miles
2003 Ford Explorer toad with Ready Brake supplemental brakes,
Ready Brute tow bar, and Demco base plate.