I test drove my first motorhome today - Noisy

[praisetoGod]

The wife and I are looking at a small 35' diesel pusher. I've never driven a motorhome and I don't know what I expected, other than I thought it would be a lot quieter. Because the engine is in the back, I guess I expected to hear nothing but wind, but that wasn't the case. Of course our Louisiana roads are in poor condition, and this particular stretch of interstate was horrible (uneven and potholes), but still. Is your motorhome quite? Do you have to spend $300-$400K to get a quite ride?

[Mile_High]

Ours was pretty noisy on the test drive empty, but once we got our stuff in and packed right, it really quieted down. It is a dream down a good highway.

[WILDEBILL308]

praisetoGod wrote:
The wife and I are looking at a small 35' diesel pusher. I've never driven a motorhome and I don't know what I expected, other than I thought it would be a lot quieter. Because the engine is in the back, I guess I expected to hear nothing but wind, but that wasn't the case. Of course our Louisiana roads are in poor condition, and this particular stretch of interstate was horrible (uneven and potholes), but still. Is your motorhome quite? Do you have to spend $300-$400K to get a quite ride?

Well what coach did you drive? What did you hear, road noise, engine noise, wind noise? Now go drive 5 outher makes and models. Try some gas coaches. Yes drive on the freeways but also drive on some outher streets. Here is a fun thing to do. Down load a sound meter onto your phone and measure the noise in the coach. When under full acceleration and at cruse. Try it in your car two.
You just need to get more experience to draw from to make a good decision. I would drive some 38ft and 40 ft. coaches.
Bill

[et2]

It's a learning curve. First thing, what are the tire pressures? If it was like ours when new they were aired too much based on the actual weights (rode hard and felt every bump). Stock shocks on ours (Sachs) rode very hard. Switched to Koni's the first year and it made a world of change.

Next, were the blinds down ( if so raise when traveling). Take the racks out of the microwave. Make sure everything is secure. I don't hear our engine at all. Sure there will be rattles.

No you don't have to spend $400k.

[bullydogs1]

that the entegra's are the quiet ones


I can guarantee you that they are...in fact, it takes a lot of getting used to...as the Entegra Spartan chassis is a totally different animal than my HR Endeavor Roadmaster Chassis was.

[K_Charles]

I drove 4 or 5 before buying, some gas and some diesel. Some were full of rattles, road noise or engine noise. We did have a budget so to get a DP you have to give up something and sometimes that is the care it didn't get. We ended up with an '04 Winnebago gas on a W22 workhorse chassis.
It is much quieter then our Excursion pulling a 8500 lb TT. At 70 on the open road the wind and a little whine from the drive line is all you hear. Yes, maybe in the Rockies you may hear the engine for a few min but not bad.

[old_guy]

have heard,(haven't driven one yet) that the entegra's are the quiet ones out there. I would like to see for myself.

[tropical36]

praisetoGod wrote:
The wife and I are looking at a small 35' diesel pusher. I've never driven a motorhome and I don't know what I expected, other than I thought it would be a lot quieter. Because the engine is in the back, I guess I expected to hear nothing but wind, but that wasn't the case. Of course our Louisiana roads are in poor condition, and this particular stretch of interstate was horrible (uneven and potholes), but still. Is your motorhome quite? Do you have to spend $300-$400K to get a quite ride?

Not bad at all and a far cry from our old gasser, which really wasn't all that bad until you were listening to the engine screaming between the seats while crossing over the rockies or other. As for the ride, I'm assuming what you tested, had air, rather than a spring suspension?
Depends on the coach of course and all we have to complain about is a little wind noise coming in somewhere, but again, no biggie.
Longer the wheel base, the better the ride and the less overhang in the back, the better the handling and especially when the trucks blow by you at speed. Generally speaking and without a tag axle, you'd like not having the tail wagging the dog.

[MrWizard]

If you want luxury car quiet..Yes but more like a million dollar provost conversion

Engine in back equal Bus

Engine in front equal Truck

A big chassis with a big engine
Nothing provides "quiet" like distance from the engine and lots of money for padding

[Johno02]

In our gasser, we can talk to each other comfortably, without yelling, most of the time. worst noise is window rattling, usually depends on which way the wind is blowing. 30', 2005 model, under $75K. Suits us fine..