Small Class C owners, I want to hear from you...
Help me weigh out all the advantages and disadvantages of a small class C. (25 or 26' or less bumper to bumper). Especially interested in hearing from families that camp in a smallish C.
Right now we have a 5th wheel. It's great, has tons of features, space, storage, but it is too cumbersome for me to drive and it stresses my husband out both with hauling ad set up.
When we got rid of our Diesel pusher, I really wanted to downsize and though I had him sold on the idea too, but oops. :) Hopefully we aren't the only ones who keep makig RV mistakes. :S But I'm hoping this can be our last mistake for a little while! ;)
My thoughts:
Smaller, and self contained (i.e., generator) means I can drive and it and use it for more things, like day trips to the beach or amusement parks, etc. (I have test driven and am comfortale with driving/parking).
Smaller size makes some campgrounds more accessible, whereas we are often too large or it's a big hassle so we avoid places we would like to try.
Smaller size and maneuverability means I could pull in or back in, which is nice when you're camping with friends, to set up awnings facing one another. Often not possible with the 5er due to slideouts/size/awnings, etc.
Definite disadvantages:
Can't sleep as many people (or is that an advantage? ;) ) We have 2 kids of our own, model we are looking at sleeps 5, might be able to squeeze a 6th in.
Loss of space. Of course this is the biggie. Smaller means we will be giving up room, storage and features. However, the model we are looking at has great storage and in my opinion everything we need. We are the type who don't spend a lot of time in the camper when we camp. I think we will be fine. Hubby is more reluctant to give up the features and space.
There is a definite lack of counter space but I don't cook in our current RV. I make things at home ahead of time and reheat, and we cook most stuff outside. We do have an outside kitchen in our current model, and I will be very, very sad to give that up (kids will no longer be able to wash hands at outside sink or use outside mini fridge, but I know there are solutions to that as well...still the outside kitchen is my favorite feature of our current camper).
I'm totally sold on the small RV (Coachmen 21qb). I know about the concerns of shoddy materials and craftsmanship. Our 5th wheel is a Coachmen and we've had some issues, I know to expect the same of a C if we do switch. I love the storage, the tank size, and the compactness. I also love that we can all sleep (2 overhead, 2 in rear queen) without having to break the dinette down to a bed unless we want to. The bathroom is tiny, but nobody in the family is over 5'10" or more than average build, so we'll be fine. Hubby also prefers to use bath houses even when we had huge shower in the diesel pusher/5er. I'm sure he'll continue to do so if we downsize.
The small C's also leave towing options too. Most C's come with a 5000lb hitch that I wouldn't dare use because the things are so overloaded before you even put anything in, but with a small c that doesn't have a slide, you've got a lot more room between your dry weight and GCWR to play with.
So what advantages and disadvantages am I missing? What do you love and hate about your small C?
Right now we have a 5th wheel. It's great, has tons of features, space, storage, but it is too cumbersome for me to drive and it stresses my husband out both with hauling ad set up.
When we got rid of our Diesel pusher, I really wanted to downsize and though I had him sold on the idea too, but oops. :) Hopefully we aren't the only ones who keep makig RV mistakes. :S But I'm hoping this can be our last mistake for a little while! ;)
My thoughts:
Smaller, and self contained (i.e., generator) means I can drive and it and use it for more things, like day trips to the beach or amusement parks, etc. (I have test driven and am comfortale with driving/parking).
Smaller size makes some campgrounds more accessible, whereas we are often too large or it's a big hassle so we avoid places we would like to try.
Smaller size and maneuverability means I could pull in or back in, which is nice when you're camping with friends, to set up awnings facing one another. Often not possible with the 5er due to slideouts/size/awnings, etc.
Definite disadvantages:
Can't sleep as many people (or is that an advantage? ;) ) We have 2 kids of our own, model we are looking at sleeps 5, might be able to squeeze a 6th in.
Loss of space. Of course this is the biggie. Smaller means we will be giving up room, storage and features. However, the model we are looking at has great storage and in my opinion everything we need. We are the type who don't spend a lot of time in the camper when we camp. I think we will be fine. Hubby is more reluctant to give up the features and space.
There is a definite lack of counter space but I don't cook in our current RV. I make things at home ahead of time and reheat, and we cook most stuff outside. We do have an outside kitchen in our current model, and I will be very, very sad to give that up (kids will no longer be able to wash hands at outside sink or use outside mini fridge, but I know there are solutions to that as well...still the outside kitchen is my favorite feature of our current camper).
I'm totally sold on the small RV (Coachmen 21qb). I know about the concerns of shoddy materials and craftsmanship. Our 5th wheel is a Coachmen and we've had some issues, I know to expect the same of a C if we do switch. I love the storage, the tank size, and the compactness. I also love that we can all sleep (2 overhead, 2 in rear queen) without having to break the dinette down to a bed unless we want to. The bathroom is tiny, but nobody in the family is over 5'10" or more than average build, so we'll be fine. Hubby also prefers to use bath houses even when we had huge shower in the diesel pusher/5er. I'm sure he'll continue to do so if we downsize.
The small C's also leave towing options too. Most C's come with a 5000lb hitch that I wouldn't dare use because the things are so overloaded before you even put anything in, but with a small c that doesn't have a slide, you've got a lot more room between your dry weight and GCWR to play with.
So what advantages and disadvantages am I missing? What do you love and hate about your small C?
