? Gas or Diesel Cl-A?

DrewE hit it out of the park. I have had 3 Gassers and now own a DP (for 14 years) no comparison !!! If you can afford a diesel, new or used, you will be much happier. I had two GM 454's and they were shot after 60,000 miles. My CAT has 60,000 miles and it is just broken in. Quieter, better fuel mileage and unbelievable torque and mountain climbing ability !!

Moved from General RVing

I would say it depends on how much you plan to drive. If you have a new diesel that uses DPF, that stuff lasts about 6 months in the tank before it starts to go bad, and it can get expensive to flush it out or change clogged components. The fuel economy is certainly better for a diesel, but the repair costs can be a lot higher. If I was going to full time I'd probably go diesel, otherwise I'd go gas.

Class A Diesel vs. Gasser? Guess that all depends on the size of your wallet!

Just passed our first year of ownership with our Class A gas motorhome. We have a Miramar 35.3. For us it came down to how we would be using the RV and of course cost. My wife and I both work 50+ hours a week and are basically weekend warriors. We take a week long trip once or twice a year but mostly a once a month weekend get away. When looking at floor plans we liked, it would have cost us minimum $50,000-$75,000 more to get a diesel with the similar features that we wanted. It just wasn't worth it to us.

In reading the forums for several years, you would think that all Class A gas motorhomes drive like **** and the entire time you are driving is a white knuckle event. I had read all of these horror stories and I was a little apprehensive the first time I drove our new Class A gas. I had never driven a motor home before. After a year of ownership, I can say I am very happy with the ride of our Miramar. Yes, the first couple of times I drove it I had to get used to the driving characteristics but I am used to it now. Before I purchased it, I had planned to save some money and get some suspension mods done but now that I have owned it a year, I don't think that it is necessary. I hear about semi trucks blowing you sideways but they barely push our Miramar. Most of the time I hardly notice them. I don't think all Class A's drive alike so my above comments don't apply to all Class A's. I am sure some Class A's might require some suspension mods to make the driver happy. I am sure that a diesel pusher will most likely drive nicer than my gas but it just wasn't worth the cost for us. If we lived out west and drove in the mountains a lot I probably would have seriously considered a diesel pusher. We live in Florida so it's not an issue for us. We are parked in the motorhome for way more time than we are in it driving it.

Burch

jarata1 wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
Discussed several (hundred) times on the forum. Search "gas vs. diesel". I got 6 pages in the last 12 months.

+1

+2

jplante4 wrote:
Discussed several (hundred) times on the forum. Search "gas vs. diesel". I got 6 pages in the last 12 months.

+1

Discussed several (hundred) times on the forum. Search "gas vs. diesel". I got 6 pages in the last 12 months.

For class A motorhomes, there are a lot of differences than just fuel that typically go with gas vs. diesel, some of which are of far more importance than the actual engine differences.

Gas class A's are basically all front engine units, with what amounts to a truck chassis (leaf springs, etc.). Diesel class A's are basically all rear engine units, usually with an air suspension, more like a transit bus. Having the engine in the rear unsurprisingly makes for quieter cockpit, and the air suspension makes for a smoother ride.

Diesel class A's also tend to be fancier and higher-end (and more expensive) in other areas than just drivetrain--fancier furnishings and systems, better finishes and fabrics and floor coverings, that sort of thing.

I suspect most would agree that the diesel pusher is a more comfortable and generally preferable setup. Whether it's better for you is something you'd have to figure out. The maintenance costs tend to be somewhat higher for the diesels, not necessarily due to the engine differences (or not due to them alone) but also because they have larger and more expensive tires (and possibly more wheels with tires), and more complicated systems, etc.

Towing a car four down is generally less annoyance than using a trailer. If you do tow with a trailer, consider installing a trailer hitch on the car so you can reposition the (empty) trailer in the campground without using the motorhome. Most any subcompact car should be able to haul an empty trailer at campground speeds without damage to the car or being dangerous to passers-by, even if it would be unsuitable for pulling it down the highway.

We had 2 class A gasser s, FIRST & LAST. If I went back to a MH I wouldn't even look at a gasser. This opinion is worth exactly what it cost :h