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

[KristinU]

Sounds like you have logistics all figured out! That's awesome!

On the dumping - if you're between your double secret ultra private campgrounds that have duping facilities you can look for a Cabela's. I know our local one has a dump station for customers, and there's also an interstate rest stop near us that has one. You can find them on the Allstays Camp and RV app and I'm sure a big list is published elsewhere.

On the bunk beds for the grands - keep an eye on the size of them, kids can pretty quickly outgrow many of the undersized bunks that the industry puts in. They'll just be happy to be with you. When we camp with my parents we get ditched by our son in favor of my parents' fold out couch in their class A...Grandpa has Laurel and Hardy on DVD and will stay up all hours with him!

[southernkilowat]

Thanks guys. Yes I do plan to live in it fulltime. What I will not be doing is staying in campgrounds, at least not on a regular basis. Since this is something I have been planning for quite some time, I had the foresight to install 8 different 30 amp RV Receptacles in 8 different locations ranging about 150 miles apart. Imagine it being a big circle so to speak. I have one at my daughters house in one town, one at my sons house in another, one at my cousins house in another town, and one at a friends farm at yet another. You get the idea. Since my work covers 22 counties, and I visit each location once a month, I plan to stay at each little "Private" campground for at least a week (maybe two) before moving on to the next. It will give me more of a chance to see my Grandchildren which is very important to me, and spend more quality time with the kids as well.
I also have access to a sewer cleanout at my daughters and one at the farm, as well as a buddy who does own a 40 site campground that will let me dump there if need be. So I have all the technical basics covered I think, electricity, a place to dump, and my own spot to be.
I do plan to do some boondocking with the Grandbabies as soon as the weather warms up a bit and we can do some fishing, I am really excited about that. And I want to visit Myrtle Beach State Park this summer as well as the KOA in Wilmington, and a few others I have in mind.
So, all that said is why I am looking at a rig of this size. Like I said in an earlier post, I have a Class A now and it did its job at the time, but with no slides space was always an issue. I have enough experience to know that for me personally a Class C will do a much better job for what I need. I am divorced, so yes it will be me 90 percent of the time and I will be alone. But it would be nice to have the bunks for when the kids and grandkids come to visit.

[mgirardo]

If you are alone 90% of the time, skip the bunks. They will offer storage when parked if no one is sleeping on them, but otherwise they are wasted space.

Our 32' Greyhawk has bunks and 2 slides. The floor is flat from front to back, the only step inside is from the cab to the house. I would not want a step in the middle of the coach. I've never seen a Class C with a step like that.

When the kids were little the bunks were great, they actually used them. Now that they are bigger, they don't use them. They both complain they are too narrow (they are about 10 inches narrower than a standard twin bed). They are rarely used for sleeping anymore and it would be great to have that space for a desk or pair of recliners. Basically now they are for storage.

As was mentioned, jacks are standard now on the Greyhawks. Unfortuntately, they were not in 2009. Probably 35% of the campgrounds we stay in have sites that are completely level. We stay in plenty of state parks that are not. If the site is dirt or grass, even if it looks level, it might not be. The next motorhome we buy, no matter what it is or how big it is, will have auto leveling jacks.

-Michael

[Fastpaddler]

southernkilowatt wrote:
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?

OIC. Had no idea you wanted a rig that big!! We travel to a lot of rv resorts and found with previous big rv that parking in some of the spots was a chore as well as shopping except for places like Walmart.
You could live in that monster!

[Fastpaddler]

southernkilowatt wrote:
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

Check out the Thor Axis or Vegas. Great floorplan and huge view out front. crank out windows better as they don't jam so often and rain wont get in when they are opened up. The Axis or Vegas is priced well too IMHO, even here in Canada it is a good price. Good luck.
AL

[Mich_F]

OFDPOS wrote:


Also the step is in different places , so I question the "room for the rear axle/tires" at least on the ones we have looked at 22-25 Ft

I had a 22' and a 24' MH, both of which had flat floors, from the step between the cab and house, to the rear walls. The rear axle wheel wells were either under a frig. or hidden in the bathroom, or under a dinette or wherever. I think with most of the longer Cs that have steps, they start around the rear axles, and continue the raised floor to the rear wall. I assume that's to give more under floor space for larger grey and black tanks, and the floorplans might require the raised floors, and for whatever reasons they decided to keep the floor raised, instead of just building around/ over the wheel wells.
I have an Itasca 31K that has that raised floor in the back. I have an Itasca 31C that has a very high step between the cab and house but it doesn't have a step in the back, so the whole house floor is raised, it's a basement model, with tons of outside storage.

[OFDPOS]

Every C in the 22-25 ft length we have looked at (except Nexus) had the step .
And every place said it was for added storage in the back under the rear bed etc.
And every one that had the step had a decent size storage anywhere had an access door from at least 1-2 doors from side and or back of MH.

Nexus the floor is flat from the back to the step down into the cab. The rear storage space isn't as big. But I'd take that over no step..

If you have ever stepped off a curb and jarred your back. You will hate that step ! Also the step is in different places , so I question the "room for the rear axle/tires" at least on the ones we have looked at 22-25 Ft

One coach had the step at an angle NOT straight across.
Some put that step right at the edge where the oven/range is next to the fridge.
So if your short and want to grab something out of the fridge/freezer while your cooking or ? Its step up open fridge/freezer get whatever out, step down , step up to open fridge ,to put back in then step down..Would get old real quick!

[HockeyTownMom]

The fresh water tank is under the bed and the B/G tanks are back there as well. I have a Sunseeker 3170ds, sounds like the same model almost. We have step up from the fridge to the bunk/bathroom and back bedroom area. I'm pretty sure it's because the tank are located back there and the underbelly is enclosed.

[southernkilowat]

EMD360 wrote:
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?

Yes, I do like the idea of having a truck cab. I have had my Class A for about 7 years now, so I'm not a newbie and there are things I do like about the A (storage, full basement etc) What I do not like about the A I currently own is; no slide, no jacks, F-53 Chassis, too big to maneuver in tight places, etc. I have done a lot of research and feel that a 'C is right for me. I like the fact that it has a hood, a front end, I am pretty sure my local mechanic can handle any drive train issue I may have after any warranty may expire. I like the smaller tires, I think it would be a lot easier to park and set up than my A. I really like the idea of having a drivers side door! That will be an awesome thing to have, no more tracking mud/dirt/grease through the living quarters and it will make life so much easier to get fuel.
I am concerned about weight though, as it will be a full time rig. I don't expect to load it to the gills, but I will have my clothes, dishes, pots and pans (etc) and the regular "stuff" it takes to live.
I'm not really a materialistic kind of guy and I don't need a lot of stuff/clutter to be happy. I am alone 90% of the time, so a C will be plenty of space for me. I just hope I can find one with a big enough shower!

I have enough experience repairing my old A that I am pretty sure I can handle anything that may go wrong with the house side of things.
The only MOD I would consider right out of the box is perhaps a Direct TV setup and maybe a couple extra batteries. Good TV and a cold one and I'm good to go!

Thank you to everyone for the replies so far, please keep them coming. I will check out the other rigs that yall have mentioned.

[Sfla2]

Boy that is a big slide on that thing (called a super slide,) it going to take up some occc for sure lots of underneath framing ect.
thae it on the road w/ no slide to see how it is to use-- refig-bathroom- geting clothes out of closet -- just living while on the road

what is the occc? & how do they get it full gas popane f water?& don;t forget to add people weight

[The_Logans]

Well, the Grayhawk comes with jacks as a standard... However we're so seldom in a campground that's out of level enough to need them ( and we didn't want the extra weight) so we got the Redhawk instead. Also, the Redhawk has a traditional water heater instead of the instant LP gas water heater. We're always using the campground electric for hot water, which is not something you can do with the tankless water heater.

We found the Class C a lot easier to maneuver and park than the Class A, so that made the decision even easier.

[KristinU]

We have the step up behind the kitchen and it doesn't bother us at all.

That Rapid Camp seems like way more of a marketing gimmick than anything else.,,something dreamed up in a cubicle rather than by people who actually camp. I've never wanted to start the genny the moment we get to camp at the same time as I want to pull the awning out.

And Leveling in a Motor Home is a lot quicker and easier than with a TT, at least for us it sure is. We also don't have jacks, we just use Lynx Levelers and haven't had a problem. And we camp at state parks up here in New England a fair amount, so it isn't like we're always on paved flat spots at RV parks. We do carry two sets of Lynx and often use all of them.

I would not limit yourself to only Thor just because that's what the local place has. Spend some time looking around and don't be rushed into a decision.

Happy Shopping!

[rtriple777]

Take a look at the different Jayco redhawk models,we have a redhawk and love it

[Mich_F]

EMD360 wrote:

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.

That is just not so.;) The Itasca I referenced above, has more OCCC than a number of Newmar class As (as one example).