Hi and newby to the C class world

[Wanderin_fool]

Hi gang, Frank here. I have been in the truck camper section for over 10 years, and will be searching for a small C after I move to Florida in a few months.
I have done a bit of searching, but have some questions. This site has helped me a lot over the years, as I have helped others also.
Im going to be looking for the shortest, (21-24 feet), Im not sure how short they go. I would like a queen bed, but not in the overhead. How realistic is that?
Are the shorter C`s usually equipped with a generator and decent size holding tanks?
Im going to need to buy older due to cost and may not be able to find a diesel, but what kind of mileage do some of you get?
Im going to go over them closely, as I know about leaks, appliances working, delamination, running gear, ect.
As with most campers, I dont really think anything I have seen is just junk. But, any opinions or feedback is appreciated because I may not think of things as a newby to a camper with a motor in it,,,
Thanks!

[Wanderin_fool]

Well PGHBOB,,, Im good to go all the way around!!! The weight police were chasing me around with my 3000 lbs Lance on my single axle truck!
There will only be 2 of us and a lot more storage than the truck camper,but not much weight added. But thanks for the tip! The bed situation is a bit negotiable vs the size. I plan to come back to Colorado for part of the summers, possibly alone. Even a small one will be a lot more room than the truck camper.

Duramax/Lance 835
KTM/Arctic Cats
Motorized advocate in Colo. CMTRA, our local club.
www.cmtrail.org come visit!
Other Forums:
Thedieselplace.com ( chevsforever)
KTMtalk.com (xrcrasher)
Pontoonboating.com (Lounge Lizard)
Arcticchat.com (400crasher)

[PghBob]

Hey Wanderin, welcome to the C forum. One thing not noted yet that is real important to Class C RVing is the amount of weight of people, food, stuff you can carry. You may or may not be able to use all the space/storage in a C, it's the weight that matters. Many of the newer Class C use the Ford E450 cab/chassis and that can carry a total of 14500 pounds. E350 chassis and older E450 chassis can carry less. Once the manufacturer puts the house on, the weight of the box is subtracted from the max. weight of the chassis, to give you the amount of weight you can carry.

One factor that can affect your useful weight (the occupant and cargo carrying capacity) OCCC is length of the rig. Generally, the longer the RV the more it weighs, thereby reducing what you can carry. Other factors include options like slideouts and automatic leveling systems which both reduce your OCCC.

I agree with others that you would likely need at least 24 feet to get a queen bed in the rear. FWIW, our C is 27 feet, has two couches in the rear that slide together to make a huge bed, no slides, no levelers, and has an OCCC of 2900 pounds. It also has a generator.

Good luck with your search.

[Wanderin_fool]

Thanks you guys! I learned some new stuff! Like what a corner bed is. Obviously I need to get around, but Im selling my house and fixing a rental. Thats consuming a lot of time!! Just like real estate, the **** pictures make things look twice as big as they are. Hell, my 8.5 foot Lance looked like a 12 footer!
I know these are vague questions, but you guys have brought up points I havent thought of. I either had a pull behind or truck campers. Keep em coming and thanks again,,nothing like going directly to the source for info. But then,,,,a salesman would have all the answers too,,,,,,right??? ( Okay, that was mean)

Duramax/Lance 835
KTM/Arctic Cats
Motorized advocate in Colo. CMTRA, our local club.
www.cmtrail.org come visit!
Other Forums:
Thedieselplace.com ( chevsforever)
KTMtalk.com (xrcrasher)
Pontoonboating.com (Lounge Lizard)
Arcticchat.com (400crasher)

[DrewE]

Some of the questions that haven't been addressed yet:

I think most shorter class C's have a generator, or at least the option to have one. Obviously check on any particular unit whether it has one and whether it works properly.

Holding tanks are often not huge, but that is variable. Obviously the larger the RV the more room there is for big tanks.

For a smallish gas class C on a Ford or Chevy van chassis, you might reasonably expect somewhere around 8 mpg +/- 1 mpg. Particularly old models (before maybe the mid 90's, or perhaps a bit older still) could be somewhat less. If it's an old Toyota RV, the mileage will be higher, and your speed will be lower.

[Gonzo42]

The Winnebago View has floor plans, one with a corner bed and one with a Queen on a rear slide. Its 24 ft long.

[Bordercollie]

If you are sleeping alone in the overhead bed, and you have good knees and feet, it can be quite comfortable. If sleeping with a partner, it's hard to get up in middle of night, climb down ladder, go to the john and return without disturbing partner, effort may make getting back to sleep difficult. A small corner bed is OK for a smallish person. Convertible sofas and dinettes for sleeping are OK for kids. You will need a min 27foot rig to get an RV Queen bed in a rear bedroom. Short rigs have very limited storage and cabinet room. For rear beds with access on both sides you need a 30 foot rig.
You might be interested in a Class B Roadtrek or similar depending on your intentions for using the rig. Class B van conversions are more expensive than short Class C's. Buying cheap requires due diligence as it can become expensive in repairs and upgrades. Know the total cost of ownership. Tires go bad in 5 years sitting parked,a used rig often needs six new tires at $300 apiece. Have brake fluid replaced and brake system and cooling system checked.

[rockhillmanor]

Im going to be looking for the shortest, (21-24 feet), Im not sure how short they go. I would like a queen bed, but not in the overhead. How realistic is that?

The Biggest drawback of the short Class C is the corner bed/corner bathroom.

Definitely go to a dealership and check out all the floor plans BEFORE you start your hunt on a used/privately owned 21 to 24 ft Class C. The dealership will have all the different models and lengths for you to take your time and look at them all in one place.

It will save you a lot of time driving around looking at used RV's only to find out the floor plan is not suited to your needs.

Good Luck finding just the right new to you MH. :C
Good thing for you is there are tons of real nice RV's for sale in Florida at VERY low prices.

[EMD360]

I love our short C but we do have the bed in the overhead. I think the smallest with a bed below is about 24'. You can get a corner bed in several older models but usually with only a dinette and chair, not a couch. I like having both a couch and a dinette in ours. I look at small RV layouts all the time and have yet to find one I really like. Probably the older sprinter Views and Navions are my favorite with the beds below and overhead. Some of them have a couch instead of a dinette.
The trucks are great because they are proven. Likely to be gas, either Ford, which is ours or the Chevy which is rarer. A bit of spark plug issue in the late 90 Fords--up to 2002 or so. Our is a 2002 and we have not had an issue. But I have read that the mechanics are used to the problem now and don't make the same mistakes made in the early years. Plugs aren't changed until 100,000 miles so really it is not an issue for most RV's.
I have no experience with any other type of RV but do really like our rig. Good luck with your search.