Looking At First Class A Purchase

[revrick3]

We are going to purchase our first MH within the next year. Looking at retirement in 5 years and plan to use it on short trips until then. Once we retire we will be taking longer trips for months at a time. This is where we need help.

Looking at a Class A. 35 to 40 ft. no longer so we can access state parks. Reading all I can but still need help. Trying to decide on gas or diesel and I know this is a touchy question here. We are trying to decide whether to tow a car or a trailer with golf cart. Not sure which would be better. Considered golf cart but will car be more beneficial to us on longer trips. Probably do some camping with no hookups at time to save expenses.

Probably going with a used unit to save cost. Just the 2 of us 90% of time with grandkids along sometimes. Looking at spending around 75,000 to 100,000 on unit. Need help with size generator, type of fuel for generator, is solar needed? Satelite for TV, we love our news and sports channels. I am just asking for input into our experience planned to eleviate mistakes down the road.

After our retirement we do want to travel quite extensively but we aren't wealthy and will be on a budget for expenses such as sites and facilities. Need help from all you experts out there. It will be greatly appreciated.

[revrick3]

Outstanding guys, this has given me more ways to narrow down choices. We have to have the cool, Both of us are very hot natured. Will focus on only 50 amp units. Also helps to know that you must run generator while driving to keep ac running. You guys are great.

Another question, as I am looking at both diesel and gas I notice so many different engines and trans. If a diesel which engine is most dependable the caterpillar or the cummins, also which transmission.

On the gas I see 8 cyl. and 10 cyl, both ford and chevy. Which works best on 35 ft and longer units to pull a toad.

[Mr_Mark1]

Like JR45 said, you will need to use the genny for air units if you are boondocking. But, if you go far enough north during the hot months, you might can get by with windows open at night and only use the genny during the day for A/C.

Depending which coach you buy, you might can run a unit or two off of the inverter going down the road. If your inverter is not wired for A/C, you will have to use the genny. And, generators like to be run so summer is a good time when you need air.

Ours is set up with four inverters and four alternators so we can run all four air units without the genny while going down the road. It can get mighty cold inside!

Safe travels,
MM.

[JR45]

When it comes to AC, microwave, hot water on electric you will need to run the gen set or 50amp service. Going down the road you can run your inventor to power the RR frig and other small things because the motor will charge the house batteries. I installed a RR frig going on 3 years and my inventor is on 100% of the time.
JR

[revrick3]

Thanks to all of you for your advise, It is greatly appreciated. That is why I use forums for various things. Wisdom abounds. You have all let me to make several decisions, one is to pull a toad not golf cart. That is done now. Floor plan is an obvious need and we already have a list of items we like and don't like. We have been looking at dealers around our area for quite some time and that can also cause some confusion after looking at so many. One other question I have deals with AC. We are both hot natured people. Heat in winter isn't as big a deal as cool in summer. We normally keep house heat at about 60 in winter and cool temp about 68 in summer. Can we run both air units on coach while camping and for how long on batteries, will be have to run generator most of the time. If hooked to land power and 50 w. can we run units all the time. Keep giving me input guys, it is all helpful and I have been reading all I can.

[bluwtr49]

Let me toss out a couple of thoughts on this topic. I personally am a great believer in older high end MH. Many of these can be purchased within your budget. My favorite of favorite is the 2000 to 2003 Beaver Patriot Thunder.

Why these year and why high end??? Several reasons which include getting nice to have features such as either a Hydro-Hot or Hurricane heater. Large tankage, many already have at least one solar panel, excellent build quality, and large engines with good fuel economy. Most will already have at least a combo washer dryer and don't forget the cedar lined closets.

We're very happy with 2 slides and there can be an advantage with two. There is nothing encroaching on your outdoor living area and you typically get a very large awning. In the case of the PT it's a 20 or 22' Girard. That value of a large awning can not be overemphasized.

Regarding price, I tend to go against the grain and look for value rather than rock bottom price. I also prefer to use a reputable dealer that conducts a bumper to bump PDI and ensures that absolutely everything is working before you drive off the lot. We have purchased both out MH's at Beaver Coach Sales in Bend. Their policy is to have you stay on the lot for several days after taking possession. That way if you find anything not working they will take care of it but once you leave the lot you're on your own. Using a good dealer may cost a bit more but you spend less (if that makes sense)

Also, if you want things like a sat dish installed or anything else you can negotiate that into the cost.

Good luck on your search.

[Ivylog]

Over 37' you need a DP. In 11 years I have not had a problem finding Public CGs for my 42' on Monday... On Friday YES.

Buy more MH than you think you need... ONE TIME!

Most end up towing 4 wheels down.

Lots of info in the search box above... CCC, rr10s, AquaHot, 7 years tires, and tag axle for starters.

[2gypsies1]

First I would look at quality stable manufacturers THEN choose a floorplan from what they have to offer. A floorplan is not going to help you when things start falling apart.

Generators are standard on Class A motorhomes so you don't have to worry about buying a stand-alone.

We very successfully full-timed and traveled extensively, including to Alaska, with a 40' motorhome. Public parks are always our first choice and we never had an issue finding a site with our size. I will say that we stayed mostly west of the Mississippi so you'll have to check the eastern state parks that you like for any size restrictions. We've stayed in national parks, state parks, forest service campgrounds, Corp of Engineers, county and city parks.

We've boondocked a lot in national forests and BLM lands. We did have solar which helped a lot but it definitely is not necessary. Many boondockers use their generator. Solar can always be added later.

Definitely tow a car rather than just a golf cart. You can't sitesee in a golf cart. There are many parks that do not allow golf carts, thankfully.

Not all cars are towable 4-down which is the easiest way to do it rather than on a dolly. There are web sites with a listing of which cars can be towed. Check them out before buying.

[D_E_Bishop]

I'll add my $1.35(upgraded for inflation) is cheaper when you add in how much more enjoyable it is to have your space, decorated in your style and with your conveniences and your bed. We have been married for over 50 years and more and more we accommodate one another. I go to bed early, she sleeps late is an example. It is hard for her to watch TV until Jimmy Kimmel is over while I sleep, I find it hard to make coffee and go on line while she sleeps past 6 o'clock.

My point, a floor plan is the single most important thing to consider when shopping, I absolutely want a door to close off the bedroom so I don't wake her etc.

I'm not sure about these all electric units, we like State and Federal campgrounds as well as BLM areas. These may or may not have hookups but probably not. I like a three way rig, 12VDC, 120VAC and propane.

Solar can be a benefit.

There are now a lot of gassers and a lot of diesel rigs in the 35 foot range for under 100K. Any larger and you "MAY" be limited in some destinations. Yellowstone for one doesn't have many 40' + towed spaces, Hi Jolly BLM area has hundreds up to how big can they make one.

Rent a couple, I'm sure there are rentals near you, try en all first then buy.

[ncrowley]

I would spend a lot of time reading past posts since these issues have been discussed and there is a lot of good information out there. You can search for various phrases in the posts to find what you need.

I would pull a car because on those long trips, you will need to use a car to get supplies and you will want a car to see the sights.

If you are worried about getting into state parks, even 36 feet may be too long. I would go the web sites for the parks and see what they specify. My coach is 40 feet and I can always find a place to park at or near where I want to visit, so this does not concern me. I really like traveling in the diesel pusher. If you are going to a lot of driving, I would prefer the comfort of the diesel.

I would also recommend you look into work camping to save some money.

[Dale_Traveling]

At this point focus your attention not so much what's under the floor but above the floor as in the floor plan. A diesel brings a lot of desirable qualities but you might be able to get by with a gas coach. Based on your long range plan a 40' rear diesel might be best but you really need to get out to the shows this winter and walk thru both to give you an idea of what suits you wants and needs. Floor plans are somewhat static so even though what you'll be seeing at shows are new models you'll get a feel for which general lay out works best for you that you should be able to easily find several years old in the used market. Once you have that nailed down set your budget and see what fits, be it gas or diesel.

The coach builder will size the generator based on the electrical load on the coach. For a gas coach 5KW can be expected while a diesel they normally start at 7KW but can go big enough that you could almost power everything in your brick and mortar house during an electrical outage. Normally the generator fuel type will be the same as the chassis power train and will pull fuel from the main fuel tank. The exception would be an older diesel which could have a propane fueled generator. In general you want at least 5KW to keep the two AC's going should you find yourself in Death Valley in July.

Solar is a good option if you plan to hit the great outdoors off the electrical grid. Really depends on how you plan to use the coach but at this time I would classify solar as a want rather than a need. Satellite about the same. Again the need will dictate where you plan to camp. Local free to air TV is usually available unless you're really out in the sticks. If you find a coach with a roof dish great but I wouldn't walk away from a coach that doesn't have one. Easy to add later.

I would go with a tow car over a golf cart. Golf carts are nice in a camp ground that allow them but not much help if you need to head out on a food restock run or sightseeing. The other downside you might run into restrictions in government parks. A small size SUV has the most flexibility. Honda CRV's or Jeeps have been past favorites. What you have in the driveway now is always best if it can be towed. What you have to watch is the tow car weight and how much available capacity you have with the coach. Just because the coach has a 5K hitch doesn't always mean you can tow 5K.

Keeping your travel costs under control takes some planning. Camp grounds can get expensive depending on where you stay. Demand drives the price. Key West during Christmas is going to be a lot more than a stay on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Research work camping options such as camp hosting. Normally as a host it's a month commitment with a free full hook up site for the time you are there. Some camp grounds will also pay for your time. I've read blogs of full time campers getting into an Amazon shipping center during the holiday rush. Pay along with a free camp site but long hours (mandatory overtime, 6 day work weeks) with a lot of physical activity but they end up making enough to support themselves for several months.

Read thru the Class A Frequently Asked Questions and First Time Buy topics. You may find answers to questions you didn't even know to ask there. Good luck with your search for THE coach.

[WyoTraveler]

Have you ever owned an RV of any type before? DW & I had RVd for years and FTd for a few years. We got out of RVing for several years. When we decided to get back into RVing there were many changes. We started with a small TT. Within a year of using it we knew what we didn't want. It wasn't the TT it was just differences in how RVs are built, what is offered etc. JMHO. If you have never RVd before I would rent an RV for several trips. You will quickly figure out what you need and don't need. You will get a chance to talk with other RVers on those trips. For brands check out RV brand forums. Listen to their likes and dislikes. You will quickly learn a lot just reading on this forum. Just driving any MH for 20 minutes new or used will not always give a good picture of what it will or won't do.

BTW. When I mention change that means everything. Our parks have changed. In the 60s & 70s driving into a park and finding a place to stay without reservations was easy. I drove up to Yellowstone on a day trip last Thursday (We live close) the traffic was terrible. Finding a parking place to watch old faithful was almost impossible. Although you may enjoy places like Yellowstone maybe you will change your mind about sizing an RV for those places. Lots of things change once on the road.

[Mr_Mark1]

revrick3, as you probably know, there are tons of threads here talking about exactly what you want to do so you will have a lot of reading to do.

If you are going to boondock, solar is certainly a plus to keep the batteries topped off. Even more solar and you may not have to run the genny very often.

If you are trying to budget, a lot of people will 'work-camp' to defray costs. The thread on work camping is interesting to read. Some people work for Amazon at Christmas time to earn a few extra bucks to keep traveling all year.

As far as fuel usage on the coach, I personally, didn't want propane on board. I just wanted to buy one fuel (diesel). Our previous coach and the new one are all electric which works well for us. Our type of camping may dictate a different set-up which is fine, everyone is different and there are 1,000's of set-ups that will cater to your needs.

I feel having a regular tow vehicle is best. If you don't start with one, I think you will have one eventually. It just makes sense, especially, if you break down you can drive for parts, etc.

We even used our tow vehicle to give our coach a slight push (car connected to the tow bar) out of a slippery RV spot. We were in Tea, SD, and our site was higher in the front than the rear. It had rained the night before and our 40,000 lb. coach (previous coach) sunk during the night.

When I started the coach and put it in drive, I could roll about three feet and the drive wheels would start spinning. I did that 3 or 4 times. Then, I got the bright idea for my co-pilot to jump in the Honda and hit the gas as I try and pull forward. It worked, the little Honda gave us a enough momentum to overcome the mud slick. LOL!

A dingy vehicle is so handy. If you really want something small, a Honda Fit (manual) or Smart car are nice.

Good luck,
MM.