Class C Recommendations / used

[Cider]

Been RV'ing for a lot of years and have always had towable, mainly 5th wheels. We are now consider going to a class C as the 1 year old 5th wheel we now have just sits and does not get the use due to time constraints. I am thinking it would be simpler with a class C vehicle. I of not plan on towing another vehicle, at this time. There will be primarily just the wife and I with a small dog. I will probably buy used as I am going to take a big hit on the trade in of the 5th wheel. I would prefer a diesel engine due to lifespan and mileage, but am interested in pros and cons of gas vs diesel, aside from fuel cost (currently have a F350 SD diesel). What are good used models, probably in the 27 - 31 foot range. Are there particular limitations concerns over the shorter models that end up being deal breakers long term? I know, lots of questions,, but never having dealt with motorhomes before, I am in a new realm here. Appreciate any insight offered.

[lfcjasp]

It is a good idea to buy a good, used camper to start out with...but we bought a brand new Thor Four Winds, 25', Ford v10. It has the corner bed everyone hates (it's not the easiest to make up, but I can still do it okay), a nice full bath and I love the kitchen. The dinette and pantry/closet are in a roadside slide-out. It's served us well through four camping seasons, mostly my husband and I and occassionaly one of our daughters and their families. It takes up only two lengths of parking spaces in say a WalMart and fits okay in most fast food places. Yes, we have unit that is considered not so great in quality, but we take care of our second home (that's what it is!) so it's holding up well going into it's fifth season. Good luck with whatever you decide. Oh and once we start camping each year, we stock it with as much as is safe (heat) and it's fairly easy to load up clothes and personal stuff and food and drink and go. Like not having to deal with a hitch, but that's just us.

[SBradley]

I have the Navion V (twin bed or flex bed), one reason was having usable space effectively two living spaces. We can go to bed without pushing out a slide while the other reads or watches movies. Only one slide reduces maintenance, you don't need to put a slide out at rest stops to sleep a consideration when space or state regulation are a concern.

I thought I would provide part of our thought process when choosing the V, It works for our living style.

[JohninSD]

I looked at a lot of Class C motorhomes before settling on an Itasca Navion, built on the Sprinter chassis. The one point I haven't seen mentioned above was the lack of legroom in the Ford and Chevy based units. At 6'4" legroom is important to me. The Navion is one of the few vehicles I've ever driven in which I don't have to put the seat all the way back. In the Navion, I can get from the driver's seat to the living space easily, but in the Ford based rigs the doghouse for the engine made it more of a challenge and in some it was actually easier to get out the driver's door and walk around to the side door. The passenger side legroom is nearly non existent in some of the Ford rigs as well. The floorplan in the Navion 24G has a rear slideout housing a queen sized bed, making the effective length of the rig about 28 feet while parked but it shrinks to 25.5 feet while driving. One drawback to having the rear slide is that a hitch mounted bike rack needs to have a drop down or swingaway design to allow opening the slide with bikes on the rack. When towing my Jeep there is no problem with clearance, the slide just comes out over the towbar. The lack of a doghouse also makes it easier (possible?) to have swivel seats, which further expands the living area.

[Bordercollie]

Rent a Class C, rents are expensive but a lot cheaper than buying a length and floor plan on impulse and later deciding you want something else. Make sure that you both want a Class C and what brand, model, length and floor plan you both want. IMHO, a 3-5 year old 27 foot Class C with a rear bed hopefully with access on both sides has enough elbow room, storage and cabinet space for a couple and a dog. We have a 2004 Fleetwood Tioga 26Q, and have been satisfied with it. The Tioga/Jamboree 26Q model is no longer made but used ones are available. RV tires older than 5 years old may need replacing due to sidewall cracks/tendency to fail with damage to underside parts and possible loss of control.

[Cider]

Really appreciate the posts and recommendations you all have given me. It has caused me to rethink several things: 1) the V10 may be a better, and cheaper long term, option rather than the Mercedes diesel. 2) Length is something I really have to strongly consider as all my 5th wheels have been in the 27+ ft range, thereby giving me tons of room and storage. In a Class C, I am going to have to consider less space, room, storage. Since we spend most of our time outside, maybe the smaller (less than 27') may be the better option. Tough to look at RV's right now as it is snowing and blowing here, so may have to wait a bit to get really serious in looking. Thanks again.

[magnusfide]

When we shopped for our used Class C we did the following:
We turned over the engine and listened to it for at least 15 minutes. Checked the oil and transmission fluid. Drove it at varying speeds to check the transmission shifting.

Checked the tires for age.

Looked for evidence of leaks. Ran the furnace and A/C. Checked the water pump. Ran the fridge.

After we bought it we upgraded the electrical system with a new board. We put a flexible coating on the roof (looks like white bedliner) that lasts 5 - 10 years.

It's 26 feet long. The 450 Ford engine had 65K miles and still runs great.

If we buy another we want one that's even shorter because we spend most of our time outside the RV and only need it for sleeping, and eating in inclement weather. We do most of our cooking outside unless it's raining.

[klutchdust]

As far as longevity based on the fact it is a diesel, my buddys V-10 just passed over 450,000 miles then a cylinder failed, another friend just passed 275,000 and he replaced an alternator.
Both are crew cab pick ups but the same motor. Read the thread about those that have purchased from rental companies and their experiences. As far as mileage a class C gets 8 MPG. Sometimes going down a hill I get 11. It has a 55 gallon fuel tank for a reason.
Rent a unit ,go somewhere and see if its to your liking and go from there.

[rjstractor]

Since you asked about gas vs diesel in class C, like others have mentioned they are rare. There are some 7.3 and 6.0 Powerstroke powered E450 Cs out there, but those engines are detuned significantly in the E series compared with the F series pickups. Horsepower is less and torque is comparable with the V10 gas and overall performance is similar. You'll pick up about 2-3 mpg with the diesel and lose about 500 lbs of weight capacity on the front axle.

[NCWriter]

neschultz wrote:
Have you considered a Winnebago Via (Class A) or View (Class C) on a Mercedes Sprinter Chassis? Service is expensive unless you do it yourself.

Smaller length, though. Ours is 25.5 feet vs his preference for 27 to 31.

[neschultz]

Have you considered a Winnebago Via (Class A) or View (Class C) on a Mercedes Sprinter Chassis? Service is expensive unless you do it yourself.

[IAMICHABOD]

DrewE wrote:


A fair number of people here have gotten and been very satisfied with ex-rental class C's from e.g. CruiseAmerica. There's a long thread on these units here. It's an option that IMHO is worth considering; the prices are generally fairly competitive, and the rental companies (at least the major ones) do a fairly decent job of maintenance.

DrewE makes some very good points,and Here is that thread about Former Rentals,They are another option to look at.

There are over 70 owners on it and all are happy with their decision.

Good luck in your search.

[DrewE]

You will find very few if indeed any diesel class C's in the range you're looking at. The diesels available are generally either based on the Sprinter platform (which would be a bit undersized for most in your length range) or else super-C's based on heavier truck chassis. The vast majority you'll be looking at will be on Ford or Chevy van chassis, more often Fords, and these are gas only (unless quite old).

That being said, you're very unlikely to ever put enough mileage on a motorhome to wear out the engine. Both the Ford V10 and the Chevy V8 are quite reliable and well-proven engines that will typically run a long time without significant problems if given reasonable basic maintenance.

The main tradeoff for a shorter model is the obvious one of interior space and hence appointments. Much below 27' and you won't find a center bed in the back (mainly because there isn't room enough in back of the wheel wells unless the rear overhang is excessive). With any class C, it is very wise to check the weight and balance and cargo carrying limitations; some have not much payload at all left for you and your stuff.

Do of course take the unit for a test drive. The motorhome will definitely not be as maneuverable as your truck, and most likely slower overall. Class C's tend to have pretty abysmal minimum turning radii, unsurprisingly worse as they get longer.

A fair number of people here have gotten and been very satisfied with ex-rental class C's from e.g. CruiseAmerica. There's a long thread on these units here. It's an option that IMHO is worth considering; the prices are generally fairly competitive, and the rental companies (at least the major ones) do a fairly decent job of maintenance.

While it is likely a little bit simpler to hop in a class C and go camping than it is to hook up a fifth wheel and head out, there's still a good bit of prep work involved. It generally takes me at least a few hours to fill the water tank, check the tire pressures, put food in the fridge and cupboards, get clothes together and stashed, and so on. I would give some hard thought to how much you'd actually gain in additional use and see if it's worth the financial hit you're (apparently) going to be taking.

[ksg5000]

People buy diesel engines for the towing/longevity/long travel advantages .. none of those are particularly suited for Class C. I have owned Class C for several decades - towing is a constant issue often because the frame limits towing capacity .. buying a bigger/better engine doesn't solve the problem.

[stevekk]

Check out Lazy Daze Class C. Made in southern CA. No dealers. Sold directly to buyer. GAS only.
They have a strong following and are very popular and high quality. Sides are made of painted alum. sheet metal.
$91k to 105 k brand new for 2017 models. Of course, you can save by shopping used. Good Luck
Here are floor plans...
http://www.lazydaze.com/flrplans.htm