Opinions Wanted

[southernkilowat]

Hi all,
I am in the process of looking at Class C's and there are several things I am noticing. For starters, I have found only one so far with a level floor from front to back. All the others I have seen has a step up just past the kitchen heading back to the bedroom. This was a Thor, cant recall the model. I looked at a Thor Chateau and it has roll out or crank out windows, instead of sliding windows. The other thing I noticed is that none of them have leveling jacks. I asked the sales lady about this and she tells me that most if not all campgrounds are level now-a-days and jacks are not really needed anymore.
I told her that I am not planning on staying in CG's very often, and I would need jacks. Looking at mhsrv out of Texas and every Thor I see has jacks. Really? So Texas RV's need jacks and North Carolina RV's don't?
Anyway, what is the general opinion of crank out windows vs sliders? Are most C's built with a step up in the floor plan? Jacks or no Jacks?
Looking at 2015 models, Thor is what they sell. Really like the bunk bed model, seems to offer more room than the others?
Oh, one more thing...this new fangled "Rapid Camp" remote control thingy, it starts the gen, rolls out the slide, deploys the awning, and lowers the jacks that the RV DOES NOT HAVE!!! Opinions?

Thanks
SK

[Markiemark32]

As you are doing start looking and learning about all the options out there. This site and other company speific forums are a wealth of knowledge.

1st step is to try to narrow down a type, size and general floorplan. Part this is to know type of traveling and camping.

2nd step is to get to know the differences in construction & benefits (most of the appliances & gadgets pretty standard througout), but there are some construction differences between the manuactuers (roof types, wall construction, cab setup). Once a type is selected, there are only a couple different drive-train setups, need to understand differenes there.

3rd Investigate warranty follow-up and support from a dealer & mfgr (many brand new RV's will need some warranty work to work out bugs, how this handled can make or break a happy experience of RV owning).

Jacks are not a regional thing, the online Texas dealer is a large "Wholesalers" & may purchase with all bells & whistles than some dealers. Jacks are standard, my C does not have them (approx $3k extra to have them), we have no issues using blocks to level, no biggie.

Our Forest River as a step up in back (rear axle) and how they setup cabin. Stubbed toe once, you adjust and get use to whatever setup. Some models have step up in the front near driving area, Jayco's handles this differently.

Crank out windows, plus if raining, just different design.

Remote control, is a gimmick, in my opinion.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

Markiemark:C

[EMD360]

Step ups are not uncommon for rear bedrooms--they may also provide for more storage underneath.
I have to admit I also like the bunk area. I have seen units that will allow you to use the space as a desk when not being used as a bunk--that would be great for full timing.
As far as the weight issue, all Class C's are more limited in carrying capacity. They use the same 450 for everything from 24' to 32'. Draw your own conclusions.
Why are you looking at Class C instead of A? Do you like the idea of having a truck cab?

[Jq1953]

We owned a class A for eight years and used the jacks most of the time. Last year we purchased a class C w/o jacks. I have not really missed the jacks as everywhere we have been had fairly level sites. We use drive-on leveling blocks when needed now.
Jacks are nice for helping stop movement when you walk inside, but at $3500 or more, we have adjusted to life w/o them.
The step up you reference is for the wheels and axle. No big issue with us, just be aware of it as you walk through.
I have never seen roll out windows, but I don't see why they would be an issue.
Hope my thoughts have helped.

[johnnyrv]

Most class c 's have a step in the living area, four winds, forest river sunseeker, coachmen. An exception is the winnebago 22r and 25b, but their step into the cab is larger. We have the four winds 22e and are used to the step. The class a motor homes don't have the living area step , but have many more steps to get into the coach.

[Mich_F]

There are larger Cs with a high OCCC. My 31K at 32 1/2' has an OCCC of 3,275#.

[Bordercollie]

I don't think I'd want the "rapid camp" setup, sounds like something to act up due to low house/starting batteries or poor connections, bad relays,etc. Large heavy slides themselves can have electro-mechanical problems resulting in dilemmas in the boonies.

[Artum_Snowbird]

As others have said, buying an E450 that is 29+ feet long starts to cut down the amount of carrying capacity. A B+ in a large size is just a C with a shorter overhead nose that usually contains an entertainment center, and perhaps a small cot.

I have never seen the step up before.. I stand corrected. Good luck in your search.

[dahkota]

That Thor is 2 feet shorter than my Class A. And yet, it is on a 14.5K chassis - about 7.5K less gross weight. I have 3500 lb. cargo capacity; I cannot imagine how limited the CC may be in this rig. For fulltiming, and wanting lots of storage for stuff, you may want to look at how much weight is available for stuff. And, you need to include people weight in your figures.

[derh20]

As far as the sales lady saying most campgrounds these days are level--wrong. i find leveling is almost always a problem, but i must ad that we typically stay in State or County campgrounds. As stated earlier, most larger C's or B+'s leave little room for added weight. We have a 29' B+ and we are maxed out on our rear axle. We don't carry much that is heavy, just clothes, etc. Electric Jacks is therefore not possible.

[southernkilowat]

Ah that makes sense, a step up to clear the rear axle. Agreed, there is a lot of stuff in the unit.
So, the next question is; what unit offers counter space, enough cabinet space for pots/pans/plates/silverware; closet space, and the big one..a shower large enough to turn around in? I'm not talking HUGE shower, but larger than the itty bitty square one that my shoulders hit both side walls.
I am still not sure about the crank out windows, if they cannot be open while underway? It does get hot here in NC. The bunkhouse is cool, but it is not a deal breaker. The sales lady did bring the slide in, and it is do-able. To get to the bedroom, you go through the bathroom. LOL on the TV's!
Again, what ever I do choose will be a full time rig. Function over Fancy!

[DrewE]

That's an E-450 chassis, so not a super C in my opinion. (The term, like a "B+," is rather nebulous, but I take it to mean a unit built on a heavier duty chassis than a 450.) I would guess that the unit has very little weight capacity left for carrying stuff; you might even be overloaded if you had your ten people and some gas and some water.

I don't think the step in the middle is common; it's certainly not universal. A step up from the cab to the house part, on the other hand, is very common.

Crank out windows can be opened in the rain, but need to be closed for travel. Sliding windows don't work so well in the rain, but probably could be opened while en route (though big ones would create more ventilation than one might want). Crank out windows also offer more open area when open than sliders—only half of a slider can be open, while practically all of the crank out can be. I have a few sliders and a couple of crank outs in my motorhome. Both seem to serve their purpose.

To me, the unit you looked at doesn't seem to have a lot of space; rather, it has a lot of stuff crammed into a space barely able to contain it. The counter space in the kitchen area is pretty much non-existent, and getting around with the slide in looks quite difficult—the dinette and the couch would be nearly on top of each other, it looks, and the bunks pretty much inaccessible. Turning around in the bedroom without sitting on the bed looks tricky at any point in time.

At least there are five television sets so everyone can watch their own shows while you're visiting Yellowstone. :R

[Mich_F]

I believe that raised rear step is to give clearance over the rear axle. I have the step up in my Itasca. I tripped on that step when I got up during the night, the first night I used the MH. I went out the next morning and bought a night light, which I plugged into an outlet that's right by the step. Mine also came with a yellow sticker with the word step on it.

[southernkilowat]

HERE is the one I was looking at.

In the pictures you can see the step up I was talking about, and the bunks on the right side of the coach. Is this considered a Super C?

[southernkilowat]

The one I saw today was a Thor Chateau Bunk house model. You are right, it has the over the cab bed, the dinette folds down to make a bed, the couch folds out or some sort of thing for a bed and then the big bed in the back. PLUS, it has two single bunks, one on top and one on bottom; just south of the kitchen. Between the fridge and the bedroom. The dinette, kitchen, bunks, and bedroom closets are all on one big slide that looks like it goes from one end to the other. When the slide is pulled in, you have to go through the bathroom to get to the bedroom. The step up is between the fridge and the bathroom door.
I am pretty sure this was not a super C, it has the regular Ford van front end, with a V-10 gasser.

[Artum_Snowbird]

So, with a class C as you say.. and a bunkhouse.. I find almost all C's have an overhead bed, and a main bedroom at the back. Are you thinking bunkhouse is the over the cab bed?

Certainly, as others have said, when you get into 29+ feet you move into Super C category if you want to have a heavy solid unit, and you can go up in GVW into the 550 and Kodiak style and chassis. Once there, you can have your levelers and other nice things and go to even bigger lengths.

I cannot imagine crank out windows anymore.. double pane sliders and you ventilate through the ceiling fans if need be.

I do wonder whether you are looking at smaller Class A units though?