Starting my education process....

[Frankthedriver]

Awesome forum!!!! been reading it for the past few days.

I do like Class B's but they are just outside of my budget, well at least the ones I like.

I'm looking at C's since we are 4 (parents and 2 young adult children)
Potential long vacation would be all 4, but long weekends would most likely be with 2. I'm not interested in slides. Other than traveling, sleeping etc, hope would be that more time is spent outside. So the extra room that a slide provides is nice but just something else that can go wrong.

I like Class B's for their mobility and figured C's would be the next step for focusing something bigger but not as restrictive as an A when it comes to driving around.

Reading through the site, there seems to be trend(at least it seems to be my impression) that introductory priced level rv's have more issues either right out of the dealer or shortly there after. I glanced through the A's and sort of saw a similar trend.

after reading a long post about quality (related to C's) by ron.ditmer there was a line that said it all to me.

When a motor home is driven, the house bounces, resonates, shakes, and leans, many thousands of times, representing a series of extended continuous earthquakes

Are the lower priced/introductory RV's in A and C something to shy away from? I get that adage you get what you pay for, but dropping 70-90k is not pocket money. LOL if it were, I would be driving a Roadtek E-tek or something from Coach house 🙂

Seriously, is the quality that different? is there something that can be upgraded or done to lessen the issues?

What about appliances in the introductory category? do they get shaken up enough to have issues earlier in their life cycle?

Thanks

[Frankthedriver]

My friend has a B, I've asked them tons of questions. Honestly, would love a B if it was just me and DW. Mobility is awesome. Storage not so much.
LOL if i could hit to Powerball, I'd get an A and tow B.

Honestly, don't know it if it is a mistake or not, but looking at the C's I've found myself straying into Small/medium A's. I think weight may be an issue and A's may(stress may) give us the wiggle room.

Example - Jayco Redhawk has a decent OCCC even after water (at total tank capacity) is utilized. No leveling jacks though. Add the Jacks and now its a tighter numbers game. from the readings, having a system is better than blocks. They can always be added after so better to not get them and see? don't know yet, my head isn't there yet.
Small C's help with numbers, but floorplans don't.

As mentioned in my last post, I'm still at the paper stage. what looks good on paper is to be tested with real time touching/feeling. I'm pretty good with visualizing space and design from drawings.

I'm still early in this game and appreciating the feedback and postings. 🙂

[Frankthedriver]

Bordercollie, I've watched tons of youtube videos. maintenance, dump stations, cleaning, how to shower, etc. seen just about everyone of RVTravel, RVgeek rv education. I don't have issues with most information shown.
After watching those, I started reading forums. this was the first I signed on to. I've lost count how many hours I've spent reading threads. Some were extremely informative that I lost track of time, just keep reading.

Personally, posting here are better than books. experiences are real just like in a book, but feedback is what makes for value added. Sort of when working on your car, using Chilton book and the words don't make sense but when looking at the pictures it all comes together.

What I've been trying to do is:
Learn about MH's in general
read about the craziness of having one as well as the fun.
Learning what is better and not so good in terms of materials.
example - I've knocked out a bunch of MH's because of TPO Roof. Heard complaints about needing to extend a slide to access a bed, not for me. that helps bring the available MH's down.

Now I'm starting the footwork phase and visually checking them out. I have my notebook and camera, trying to gain a sense and feel for the beast. 🙂 Once I've narrow it down, I'll bring my wife into the mix. right now i'm in pure stats mode. Then like our house shopping, least favorite first, most desired last. This purchase is going to be on me. I'm doing the upkeep. I know it. cars are mine to deal with, hers to drive 🙂 heck i have to push the family to clean the cars. OCD thing coupled with they are expensive and i want to keep them for a while thing.

In the mean time, I'm looking up BBB complaints on dealership as well as Yelp, google,and even Angie's list and forming a list of them as well as direct purchase companies.

i don't get emotionally attached until after I purchase something. 🙂

[Bordercollie]

There must be "real world" books, DVD's etc to help beginning RV'ers decide if they really want an RV, what type, length, floor plan, new or how old used, near custom made, higher quality vs largest selling brands as well as general information on cost of ownership, DIY maintenance vs professional maintenance and repair, What to take, what to buy on the way. Planned usage of an RV can be affected by changes in health, income, children growing up, and changes in camping vs touring styles. There are some You Tube videos that cover some of what you need to know about cold or hot weather camping, common DIY repairs and maintenance, etc.

[Frankthedriver]

yeap yeap. I don't remember which it was, but it was one of the brands on my don't buy list. I went in out of curiosity. I walked out thinking yeap, staying on my don't buy list lol

Show was dealers only, this a 2015 that they were trying to sell.

[jerseyjim]

"....put my pinky...." could just be a case of very sloppy assembly. You find that at a SHOW...stay away from that manufacturer. IMHO that simply means someone simply doesn't give a ****...to put that unit on the show floor.

[Frankthedriver]

That makes sense.

[DrewE]

Frankthedriver wrote:

I wasn't surprised to see multiple piece shower stall. I saw one that I think I could have put my pinkie between the floor and the walls. Most where pretty tight. I am guessing that base is a basin where the walls sit within the basin walls. curious why one piece staffs aren't used or used more often.

Indeed the base piece does go up some distance and overlap behind the wall piece(s).

I think there are two reasons why the multiple piece units get used. The first is that it's much easier to get through the door into the RV during construction (or repair or renovation). The second is that there's some movement and settling of the RV structure during travel, and a one piece shower stall might be more prone to cracking or breaking.

[Frankthedriver]

Well ventured to the Allentown RV show. tons of TT's few MH's.
Man finding the OCCC was a bear on some. Used my phone to take pictures to read them. I think i was the only that went to the cab and looked at them.

I wasn't surprised to see multiple piece shower stall. I saw one that I think I could have put my pinkie between the floor and the walls. Most where pretty tight. I am guessing that base is a basin where the walls sit within the basin walls. curious why one piece staffs aren't used or used more often.

[DrewE]

Frankthedriver wrote:
Rolin I'm looking at both traditional C's and B+. While I'll most likely do the bulk of the driving, I have to consider my wife sitting behind the wheel. I've driven trucks and buses(I had CDL but gave it up 20 years ago). I don't know how comfortable she will be handling a C. She never drove anything bigger than Grand Caravan, so B+ is in the mix. It is just tough finding a B+ that can handle 2 adults + 2 young adult children, but they do seem to exist(at least on paper). I think she could do well with a C, just more to deal with after only driving cars.

A "B+" is a class C with a different name, and driving one won't be very much if any different from driving a similarly sized class C on the same chassis.

In my opinion, variations in length don't affect driving down the road very noticeably. Longer RVs certainly are trickier to maneuver in tight spaces, such as parking lots and gas stations, but adding or removing several feet of length makes next to no difference when going down the highway. (That naturally does assume that the overall balance and suspension setup and alignment of the units are correct.) I do notice the additional width rather keenly, particularly in situations such as going through construction zones with Jersey barriers right next to the lanes. I don't notice the additional height of a class C too much, since the cab ceiling is well below the actual roof. This last point admittedly can be a detriment if one forgets about it at the wrong time!

If your wife is willing to try things out and get some experience, I wouldn't suggest you compromise the decision of what length motorhome to get based on what would appear to be more readily drivable.

[NoVa_RT]

The key is to educate yourself so that you are comfortable with whatever decision you make. RVs are about trade-offs, what works best for one might not do it for someone else. This is a great place to start, read some old threads & the FAQs, too, but also check manufacturer & dealer websites.

RV shows let you look at a lot at once, but remember those "special" RV show prices are generally available any time. MSRP means even less for RVs than cars, so don't go by a single dealer's suggested price, it can be quite inflated. I thought I got a good deal by buying at the end of the month at the end of the model year, but you do take a hit on depreciation that way.

RVs are a depreciating asset, so I wouldn't stretch my budget to buy more than I could really afford. New comes with a warranty, and that has some value, but the trick is to find something that won't need much work, new or used. Easier said than done. Take your time.

[Frankthedriver]

Queen/King in the rear is in everyone of my floorplan picks 🙂
I'm also looking at something that doesn't need to be extended to use for those quick overnights that are on our way to the final destination.

From some of the weight postings I've seen, space isn't the issue, weight is. 🙂 I'm not the RV Ideal weight of 150Lbs. No where close to that. Need to work on shedding a bunch to help with weight distribution and make room for stuff lol

[Bordercollie]

Most women prefer driving a medium length Class C if at all. We settled on a 27 foot bumper to bumper rig. In my opinion a 27 foot Class C with no slides is adequate for a couple with two kids. A rear bedroom with RV queen bed is a must. Kids and their guests can sleep in the overhead and convertible sofa or dinette. We spend most time during the day outside under the awning while camped. Enjoy simple cooking outdoors on grill provided or small BBQ. Make sure that whatever rig you buy has adequate storage/cargo space for your camping chairs, kid's stuff, etc. We have a free standing screened anti-mosquito enclosure that we have never needed to set up and use. Travel light and buy food items as needed along the way.

[tenbear]

My wife also drives our Class C. In fact, she would rather drive than navigate with the computer. On a 4 week trip this summer she drove almost the entire trip. She lets me do the backing up though.

[jerseyjim]

My wife drives our Class A gasser...with no problems. Just like I never drove one...did it and got used to it. Her too. We mostly split the days 50-50 and arrive without being tired.

I figure....her name is on the title, she can drive it...and she does

[Frankthedriver]

I spent some time rereading all the posts and again, thanks for the info

Rolin I'm looking at both traditional C's and B+. While I'll most likely do the bulk of the driving, I have to consider my wife sitting behind the wheel. I've driven trucks and buses(I had CDL but gave it up 20 years ago). I don't know how comfortable she will be handling a C. She never drove anything bigger than Grand Caravan, so B+ is in the mix. It is just tough finding a B+ that can handle 2 adults + 2 young adult children, but they do seem to exist(at least on paper). I think she could do well with a C, just more to deal with after only driving cars.

One of the frustrating things is getting weight info. I wish OCCC and UVW were listed for at least standard layout on sites or brochures. It is rather scary reading how many people discovered that they were over loaded. read posting (on other sites) of people carrying half or a quarter of the fresh water because of weight. I even read that someone got a B and was way over because OCCC was unreasonably low. I guess it will soon be time to start hitting the pavement are reading labels. I guess my first show will be in Atlantic City in February if the weather holds up. Really would like to add Solar but would like to know the weight offset.