Class C vs Class A

LetsRV wrote:
Okay, so what are the advantages of a Class C over a Class A (gas or diesel)??

Info: just the two of us and a couple of four-legged fur kids. Generally out once or twice a month, Mar thru Oct, from 3 days at a time to a couple of week.s

Off the subject, but I noticed you're in Oregon. I am thinking of taking time and visiting Oregon (I am in CA). I want to see your state from east to west and north to south in my 24' Born Free.

In your opinion, what should I see, not miss, stay. I plan on a month...or more.

Thanks, Marsha

The best way to determine which type of RV to get is to list all your requirements. This includes things like:

how much storage do you need?
Do you want to be able to leave your RV at a site and go into town?
Do you want to tow a boat/motorcycle/atv/etc.?
Where do you want to stay (this requires researching actual places to see if there are size limits, etc.)?
Do you want to stay at RV parks or do you want to stay at more primitive campgrounds?
Do you want to store your RV at home?
Do you want all the comforts of home? Or do you want to change things up?

Determining your answer to these types of questions will help you make a better decision as to which RV to buy. By asking "class C vs class A?", the responses you get will be more about other peoples' answers to the above questions and their biases. And, as is said a lot on this forum "there is no BEST RV type, there is only the RIGHT RV FOR YOU".

bsinmich wrote:
I agree with Bumpy on leaks. My opinion is that all that weight and the bouncing of the MH with that unsupported weight is what will eventually cause leaks. I had 2 Cs and had the same problem on both. The window wasn't the leak spot.

It somewhat depends upon where the weight is carried. For instance, we do not load up our cabover bed area when underway other than with bedding and a couple of lightweight fold-up chairs. Most all of our weight-added items are carried way down low and hence supported mostly by bearing vertically on chassis frame members.

By the way regarding leaks in Class Cs that are in the cabover wall areas, we long ago completely sealed our five outside cabover running lights. This required disconnecting them so water couldn't even work it's way inside along the wires leading to the bulbs. Especially when on the road in the rain ... think of how hard water is pushed against the front of the cabover.

One thing that hasn't been addressed is height. Depending on where you like to camp, the height can make a difference. We love wooded state parks and have to be careful as it is with branches and limbs scraping the top of our class C. Most A's are taller (especially the new ones), so that would keep us out of some of our favorite spots.

I agree with Bumpy on leaks. My opinion is that all that weight and the bouncing of the MH with that unsupported weight is what will eventually cause leaks. I had 2 Cs and had the same problem on both. The window wasn't the leak spot.

It's just a thought-rut that we're probably in, but to us a "Class C" means small and a "Class A" means large. Our home and the life that goes with it are "large" compared to motorhome trips and, as such, when we want to get away for awhile we definitely wanted "to go small" ... but not too small.

Our well equipped 24 foot basement model Class C is a perfect balance for the two of us and a dog. We've taken it across the U.S. twice on 8 week and 10 week trips. We're going on the 11th week living in it in the backyard part-time this summer while our home is being remodeled - so it is possible to live weeks at a time in a small Class C. It's chassis (Ford) can be repaired all over the U.S. and the gas fuel for it is of course available everywhere.

When on trips we haven't found a campground we couldn't fit into with it, which gives great convenience and spontaneity when traveling. We can camp in campground sites which are considered as "tenting" spots. We even take it off pavement onto dirt roads to explore and camp in boondock wilderness areas where we would never take a long Class C or any size Class A. We have camped close to Washington D.C. to visit the capitol and we have camped out in the middle of nowhere in one of the most remote spots in the U.S. (the Oregon outback) ... all with the same small Class C.

Since ours is a basement model, we easily can pack along all the time on all trips such esoteric items as:

- Beach umbrella
- Full size shovel
- Portable generator as backup to the built-in generator
- Gas BBQ
- Folding outside table
- Two full size outside lounge chairs
- Four regular size outside chairs
- Full power air compressor
- Outside dog pen
- Bubble wrap for windows in case of really cold weather
- Box of firewood
- Buckets for manual dumping of grey water and filling of freshwater tank
- Limb pruners
- Fishing gear
- Large array of tools
- Some spare parts
- Outside entrance door step
- Outside carpet
- Several leveling blocks for all off-level situations
- Full tire changing equipment
- Hiking poles
- Crutches in case an ankle gets sprung

All of the above includes two queen size beds, one full size bed, and does not require having any equipment mounted or strapped to the outside of the motorhome or any items piled into the shower or onto the beds when underway. Our dry shower is full height for my 6'2" frame. Our grey, black, and fresh water tanks are small compared to those on many Class A rigs, but are larger than those on many Class C rigs, while our propane tank is larger than those on most Class C rigs. This makes it possible for us to camp without hookups for around 7 days without having to tap into any additional fresh water supplies we might carry along in internal storage areas.

For us, a small Class C is where it's at for a couple and a dog. :C

robsouth, yes, I did read about posting in two different areas.

I also thought I was asking two different groups of people for their opinion on two different issues. I wasn't sure all the Class A people would read the Class C threads and visa versa.

Generally folks on here are very helpful and I was hoping to gather all the info I could to make an informed decision.

Apparently my only choice is to post this in one area wait a couple of days and then post it again in the other.

Interesting that the admin that deleted one of my posts chose to delete the one in the area that is most used.

rockhillmanor wrote:
They leaked from the windows.
If owners were proactive on routine maintenance of keeping them sealed properly there would not be leaks.

Not necessarily so. Most were new, recently bought units. No routine maintenance issues. They just weren't sealed properly, and most required numerous trips and a lot of time at the dealer's before the problems were fixed.

We have a 29' Class C that we enjoy so much. We chose it because of ease of servicing, DW feels comfortable driving, it serves us well with plenty of space for just 2 people. We are animal lovers but do not have a pet at this time.

They leaked from the windows.
If owners were proactive on routine maintenance of keeping them sealed properly there would not be leaks.

Which is why you would be hard pressed to find a newer Class C with windows in the cabover. They manufacturers stopped putting the windows in the cabover area.

To the OP, I think from a financial point, what any RV'er buys should be based on "how much" they will be using it.

If you are only going out once or twice a month a few times a year I would suggest a used Class C or a TT if you already have a good tow vehicle to tow it with. Both can be sold around the same price you bought it for if you want to upgrade the next year or so.

If you buy a new Class A they loose so much of their value the minute you drive off the dealership lot. IMHO I just couldn't see investing/loosing that much money for it to sit the majority of each year. Just saying.