Getting to Class A

[Seeyal]

Good morning/afternoon,
Newbie here... I live in Louisiana but hve been working in Houston for the past 7 years, throwing money away in apartment rentals. While I am tired of apartments, I do not want to get into ownership of a townhouse/condo either, but rather want to get a mobile personal space.
My wife has a gymnastic school back in Louisiana and I work 4 days in Houston. Towards the end of the year, she starts the gym competion season - about 5 months and is required to travel multiple week-ends all around the State.
I am planning to buy a Class A RV - It would only be me while in Houston, but a maximum of 4 when we travel for gymnastics.
The business would cover 1/2 of the cost in depreciation- I.e. tax deductible, and the rest would be personal.
I was looking at used - I.e. my budget is between 150K and 200K.
I consider Cummings deisel a must...
I also consider Onan generators a must...

To answer the moderator:
1/ Mostly parked
2/ Satelite TV is really the only feature I want while driving, and a relatively decent inside sitting area.
3/ Max sleeping-4
4/ 3-4 nights per week Houston RV park - about 45 weeks/years plus about 8 week ends min traveling in Louisiana.
5/ Small/Medium storage - I still have a house...
6/ I like quality
7/ Minimum counter space - by myself in Houston and eating out on the road
8/ Yes - W & D
9/ Dinette is fine
10/I like the bathroom separate from the sink and the toilet closed in
11/I want comfortable chairs/sofa and king size bed
12/I do not want to lose speed on hills, looking at Cummings 500 HP?
13/No, diesel will be deductible as company expenses
14/1000 miles should be about the range I am looking for
15/Normal, as I mostly will be in RV parks most of the time.
16/No pass through for long items. Fishing canes fold - no kayaks,...etc..
17/Up like a bus
18/Soundproofing and insolation is VERY important - Hot summers in Houston
19/Entertainment inside and outside is important
20/1 Large TV in living room available while traveling, one large for outside entertainment and one in the bedroom
21/Speakers - Ice chest will do while camping.

Here you go,... With that said... I am looking at Newmar - 2008/2009 or Allegro...
What else would you recommend...
Thank you for your time with this newbie.

Regards,

GP

[Deano56]

Seeyal wrote:

frankdamp wrote:
Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you have a very busy lifestyle!

I'm not sure what you meant by the comment about having the TV on while you're on the road. Bear in mind that most rigs have interlocks that turn the front TV off as soon as you start the engine. Watching TV while driving is against the traffic rules most places.

I think J-Rooster may have meant 34 ft, not 24 ft.

Good point indeed... But when I will be traveling it will be in family and the living room tv should entertain the kids...
No tv for me... U have enough watching the road and everyone around
Thank you
So far Tiffin or Newmar are front runner

I have thought all along that Newmar was a good bang for the buck, but after looking at Monaco MH I'm beginning to think they are the better value in the higher end coaches, such as Mountain aire versus the Dynasty. I would take the Dynasty hands down

[DSDP_Don]

Seeyal.....You have a pretty sizeable budget that will get you a nice used coach. You could even buy new at that price, but it would be an entry level diesel with a small motor. The motor you're looking for in your budget and year models is the Cummins 400 ISL. The Cat 400 was available, but a little harder to find.

A 36'-40' would be a reasonable size either with a full wall slide or quad slides. That will give you the entertaining and sleeping space for kids and not be so cramped when your living in it by yourself.

You'll want an in-motion dome type satellite dish that will allow the kids to watch TV on the road. Depending how much TV you'll watch on the road, think about DVD's or downloading Netflix and watching.

You'll find some great coaches in the following brands....Country Coach, Monaco, Newmar, Tiffin, Winnebago and the Fleetwood upper end coaches.

[Seeyal]

frankdamp wrote:
Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you have a very busy lifestyle!

I'm not sure what you meant by the comment about having the TV on while you're on the road. Bear in mind that most rigs have interlocks that turn the front TV off as soon as you start the engine. Watching TV while driving is against the traffic rules most places.

I think J-Rooster may have meant 34 ft, not 24 ft.

Good point indeed... But when I will be traveling it will be in family and the living room tv should entertain the kids...
No tv for me... U have enough watching the road and everyone around
Thank you
So far Tiffin or Newmar are front runner

[frankdamp]

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you have a very busy lifestyle!

I'm not sure what you meant by the comment about having the TV on while you're on the road. Bear in mind that most rigs have interlocks that turn the front TV off as soon as you start the engine. Watching TV while driving is against the traffic rules most places.

I think J-Rooster may have meant 34 ft, not 24 ft.

[J-Rooster]

Let me be the first one to Welcome you to RV.Net! Glad your here and you asked some really good questions. I just wanted to suggest to you what an "Old Boy" suggested to me when I first started RVing in 1976! Don't buy any coach smaller then 24 feet, pick out 3 RV's that you like, then narrow your search down thru : #1. Budget, make one that you can live comfortable with and stick to it no matter what. #2. Go with the RV that the floor plan best suits your needs. #3. Colors, engine, transmission etc. Happy Trails and have fun RVing.

[falconman]

I'd consider the Monaco line with the Roadmaster chassis.

[oneolddog]

To the OP:

Here is my advice to some of your questions based on my experiences:

2) I think that you are referring to 'in motion' satellite dishes? If you are don't get one as they have a harder time getting a signal than an open dish.

6) Who doesn't like quality?

12) 500HP? If that is what you think you need you will be spending more or getting an older rig.

16) No pass through? Don't you mean you want pass through?

If you are deciding between a 2008/2009 Newmar or Allegro I'd stick with Newmar. Tiffin backs up their products and has incredible customer service but those years they had serious problems including roof separation, floor sagging under tanks and very poor quality controls etc. I think that they've worked through their problems now but I wouldn't go near a 2008/2009 year.

There is my advice for what you paid for it....lol.

[bsinmich]

As far as I have seen Newmar is the only one that publishes the R factor for their insulation in floors walls and roofs.

[ralbert3]

I own a 07 40QSP Allegro Bus and love it. With that said, I will one day own a tag axle coach.everyone says that a tag is much more stable going down the road. In your price range you are in the drivers seat. I would look for a Spartan chassis coach 42 or 43'. You look at good coaches and you will find they have good power. Good luck and enjoy the buying process. Rob

[Bumpyroad]

Seeyal wrote:


I apoogize for my futile attempt to get a good conversation going but I think I would get better answer of a log... To see the questions, see the mod list in his informative posts,... but I am sure you know everything don't you, so continue on pulling...

I guess I must have mis-interpreted this post as a "friendly" one.
but I guess I will just take a hike as the OP requested.
bumpy

[CG_Dawson]

It certainly appears that there are some on here that just wait for a newbie post and then berate him/her in every way possible. Come on folks, life is too short to act this way.

[gemert]

Bumpyroad wrote:
so you knew exactly what/where the questions of the moderator were located.
bumpy

Yes bumpy I remember reading it when I was looking for my first MH a couple of months ago. But forget that and just look at the post, it is obvious what he was saying and on most if not all of his answers I could have written the questions just by seeing the answer. But my main point is that you-all seemed to be more concerned with attacking someone obviously trying to give a good complete picture of what he was looking for, than just helping him. That is something I rarely see here. There are a couple of obviously grumpy old men pissed at the world here but most are helpful and polite. I'm real glad I didn't run across those types when I first got on here because I would have left before I figured out how much you-all actually help. I've seen your posts before bumpy and as I recall they were all helpful. Give the newbies a break and have fun. Thats all fom me on the subject. Happy RVing!

[Seeyal]

Apologies to evryone I confused... Understood and thought that the post from the mod was a recent one and all knew about it and the associated questions he had included... My bad...
Sorry and good bye. Did not think indeed such vitriol was flying so high...
To all the helpful posters, thank you, the others take a hike.

[wolfe10]

I agree it wasn't clear.

But, here they are-- the very first post under "First Time Buyer": http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/13792144.cfm