Class C

[ohmily]

I am also trying to find the right type of Class C for me, the wife, plus 2 dogs. We plan to spend time on the road not the repair shop. Is gas a better option over diesel? Reading about the limited Sprinter repair places that concerns me cause i have been reading about the Thor models. In looking and reading different model reviews there seems to be issues with some models, Thor and Jayco,. If you can recommend a
fair and balance web site i would appreciate that. Money is not a major issues (is Limited some) but i do want value for what i buy. Watched a video where the full timers suggested you talk to those that have been on the road for advise and suggestions. Why i am asking for help to find the best we can afford. My wife would like something that is around 24' so she would feel comfortable driving it, it would also need the power to tow a car behind it, so when we get where were we are going we can see the area not the just campground cause i have seen parking lots where RVs are not welcomed. I know we all have our favorites, i am looking for one that is dependable and reliable. I thank you in advance for your help. I appreciate you help and suggestions.

[ron_dittmer]

One consideration is the Ford and Chevy front cab ceiling is significantly lower than a Sprinter, making access to the cab-over bed in a class C much easier, along with more bunk headroom.

Like TXGearhead, I am not a fan of slide-outs. Slide-outs have come a long way since their conception, but I worry how well they work and how well they seal on an old aged rig. If buying new and trading in after 10 years, I think concerns about slide outs is nil. But woe to the person buying that 10 year old rig and own it for many years there-after.

There is also the issue of the extra 400 to 600 pounds each slide-out adds, reducing that much weight-allowance for people, water, gear, food, etc. The biggest class Cs with triple slide-outs can carry the least. You'll be driving your rig alone with your family in the car following behind you.

[FireGuard]

Winnebago or Fleetwood 24-26’ with rear corner bed and slide with the Ford V10 450 Chasis.
One advantage of a rear bed is the larger exterior storage compartment.
Class C MH with only the cabover bed have very limited storage.

[Bordercollie]

Most young people can sleep anywhere. Sleeping in the overhead bunk means climbing up and down a ladder and crawling over your bed partner without waking them in the middle of the night or early morning. If you have bad knees or feet, the ladder can be painful. Most class C's with a rear bedroom and RV queen sized bed are 27 feet long. Some have a bedroom slide to make access to bed on both sides and foot possible. It's hard to make a bed with access on only one side and you have to crawl over your partner without waking them. Being able to sleep and get in and out of bed without waking your partner become increasingly important. The need for towing another vehicle is questionable when you can rent a car or take public transportation to tour RV- unfriendly cities like Boston or NYC. Towing can be awkward/bothersome pulling into gas stations and tourist attraction parking lots, malls, etc. RV'ing requires many compromises, take your time learning and choosing wisely.

[TxGearhead]

I'm always thinking about selling the 5th wheel and going to a Class C.
Here are some things I look at:
How is the exterior transition from cabover to coach? Is it just butted or does the fiberglass wrap around that corner. Or is the entire front all fiberglass.(Jayco & Holiday Rambler Vesta) Thinking water leaks at the joint.
Is the refrigerator in a slide? I prefer not for better convection.
What is in the slides..less is better.
Not sure how I feel about the bed in a slide that has to fold to close the slide.
I would want satellite radio and GPS.
Would prefer some factory equipped rear suspension aids.
pplmotorhomes.com usually has some low mileage class c for price/condition comparisons.

[AJR]

Things to look for I have found value in while having in a class C ….

Walk into shower. Some showers you have to step up to get into them.

Corner shower, some are bigger than others. Big ones are real roomy inside.

Counter space by the kitchen sink for food prep.

Large outside rear storage. They can be up to 100cu ft.

No window over the headboard of the bed.

Livable with slide(s) in.

A north south bed that is offset to one side. That gives you room to walk & dress on one side.

60x80 real queen bed. Uses standard bed sheets and such.

Ford E450 or Chevy 4500 chassis. As a Ford guy, I have found the Chevy better. Hate to admit that.

Just a comment. All class Cs have an overhead above the cab designed to be a bed or audio center. It is a great place for storing things. My current rig has lots of storage behind the TV.

[theoldwizard1]

rockhillmanor wrote:

I decided on a Class C over a Class A because it is nothing more than a van and you can have it repaired at just about 'any' service station or Ford Truck Dealership which I found to be wherever there was a Ford Dealerhip there was always a Ford Truck Dealership with full repair shop within 10 miles.

You logic is perfect !

All Ford Dealerships sell and service "light duty" truck, which usually includes any thing up to F350/450 and E350/450. Ofiically "Medium Duty" does not start until F650, but there never have been many F550 and even fewer E550. Anything over 450 would have to be serviced at a truck dealership.

[ron_dittmer]

I also recommend you look at a Phoenix Cruiser. Our model 2350 is just under 24 feet long. It is now over 11 years old. We bought it new and we still love it. We ordered ours without a slide out for a cost savings but it comes standard with one. Click on my signature below to see many pictures of our PC2350

PCs are smaller than a typical class B+ or C. You get less elbow room but if you don't need so much elbow room, go for ease of manueverability and improved handling.

You can't go wrong with a gas Ford V10-E350/E450 or Chevy V8-3500/4500. Both are extremely reliable and easy to get maintenance and such taken care of, and done much more affordably than a Sprinter.

[rockhillmanor]

ohmily wrote:
I am also trying to find the right type of Class C for me, the wife, plus 2 dogs. We plan to spend time on the road not the repair shop. Is gas a better option over diesel? Reading about the limited Sprinter repair places that concerns me cause i have been reading about the Thor models. In looking and reading different model reviews there seems to be issues with some models, Thor and Jayco,. If you can recommend a
fair and balance web site i would appreciate that. Money is not a major issues (is Limited some) but i do want value for what i buy. Watched a video where the full timers suggested you talk to those that have been on the road for advise and suggestions. Why i am asking for help to find the best we can afford. My wife would like something that is around 24' so she would feel comfortable driving it, it would also need the power to tow a car behind it, so when we get where were we are going we can see the area not the just campground cause i have seen parking lots where RVs are not welcomed. I know we all have our favorites, i am looking for one that is dependable and reliable. I thank you in advance for your help. I appreciate you help and suggestions.

I decided on a Class C over a Class A because it is nothing more than a van and you can have it repaired at just about 'any' service station or Ford Truck Dealership which I found to be wherever there was a Ford Dealerhip there was always a Ford Truck Dealership with full repair shop within 10 miles.

Being able to get repairs "Easily" was my number one concern before hitting the road as a full timer. The Class C fits that bill.

I traveled with friends in A's and even the most minor repair could not be done at most repair shops because they just don't want to take them in. AND if it's a diesel forget it! That left them with finding their brand name dealerships and/or Camping Worlds and leaving the coach for weeks on end sometimes, IF they were even close to one of these places.

And just a note about the dogs. 'Many' CG's have a limit on the size of dogs they will allow AND breeds they will allow.

You'll find some that don't, but plan on not being able to just pull of the road and expect to get into any CG with dogs over the weight limit or on the banned breed list.

Happy Camping and finding just the right RV for your family. :C

[Expyinflight]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
There is a reason why most of the Class C RVs on the road are built on the Ford E series chassis. Get one built on an E450 chassis. You only have on choice for engine/transmission, the 6.8L V10 and the 6R140 transmission. This is pretty much identical to what for is using in their F53 Class A RV chassis and the F650/750 Medium Duty trucks. Solid and dependable.

Solid and dependable...yes. But far from identical.

[theoldwizard1]

There is a reason why most of the Class C RVs on the road are built on the Ford E series chassis. Get one built on an E450 chassis. You only have on choice for engine/transmission, the 6.8L V10 and the 6R140 transmission. This is pretty much identical to what for is using in their F53 Class A RV chassis and the F650/750 Medium Duty trucks. Solid and dependable.

[Chum_lee]

ohmily wrote: "We plan to spend time on the road not the repair shop."

Few people plan to be in the repair shop, but, it does happen. You are considering buying a complex vehicle with most the features of a house and all the features of a truck/van, plus the interface between the two, and, the interface between the vehicle and the constantly changing environment. Things do go wrong. I don't mean to scare you, but being prepared and dealing with reality is usually less painful than dealing with fantasy.

I suggest you read the "Tech Issues" section of this site. Pay particular attention to the threads that repeat, over, and over, and over, and over again. You can reasonably expect to face some of those issues in your near future should you decide to buy an RV.

Good luck with your purchase. Take your time and do your research first.

Chum lee

[Desert_Captain]

Since the OP is planning on pulling a Toad I highly recommend the Ford 6.8L V-10 chassis or a Chevy with the 6.0L V-8. Less than that in a 24' C towing can easily be problematic. I don't need a Toad but do tow my motorcycle, {Indian Springfield - bike and trailer weigh 2,220#} in our new 6 X 10' {14' overall} cargo trailer with good results {performance, handling, mileage etc..}

My 2012 Nexus Pantom 23P {24'} does not have a slide {never wanted or needed one} but it is 101" wide with a full 7' of headroom throughout the coach. This combination works very well for my bride and I {we used to have a 68# Greyhound before she departed over the Rainbow Bridge... sigh}. Our rear queen is 75 x 60", with a quality innerspring mattress. My 67 year old bride has no issues making up the bed.

After 5 years and 51K+ trouble free miles I would not change a thing about our rig.

As always... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

[LetsRV]

Agree with the "lots of research" theme but to get much help here would need a lot more info:
How big are the dogs
Have you been in a 24ft MH (more than 15 mins with the dogs)
Is it just for weekends (maybe 3 days)
Will it be for longer trips or time (over a week)
Have you or more inportantly the wife driven any MH's
(the difference between 24ft and 26ft is significant in interior
space but not so much in driving)
Will you be dry camping (boondocking)
Will you be at RV parks with full or partial hookups
Summer, Winter, year round

The list goes on but I think you get the idea. Need more info here to get you suggestions that would be more to your ideas and useage.

Shopping and research can be part of the fun but keep in mind if you go in an RV and something just doesn't feel quite right it won't get any better over time.

Good Luck

[lhenry8113]

Recently we bought a used 2017 Class C. A Forest River Forester LE with a 450 Chevy truck/chassis-V8 gas engine. It's Model 2251S, 23-24ft. At time of purchase had about 8000 miles on it. Like the idea of buying new/used cause figured the majority of problems would be handled and still under Factory Warranty if some did develop and from a Dlr. with a reputable service Dept. Within a months time of purchase we left on a 4000 mile trip and there wasn't any problems with truck or camper. We were in high winds, 110+ temp, and hard rain storms-particularly in Galveston-McAllen, Tx. My Wife did a bunch of driving but when the bad weather hit-that was it for her. Our 30lb American Eskimo dog traveled with us. Lars