Suggestions on a used Class C for a family of 4

[Baja_Man]

Hello all....have a had MH, TT, and 5er over the years. Been thinking about a used class C, as we can tow our pontoon if we desire and our kids would love the idea of overhead sleeper!

We decided against a Class A (at least the models that we can afford) as they do not offer the sleeping accommodations offered by a Class C. 5er/TT would cause me to have to purchase a TV and that is an added expense we do not want.

We want to spend as much quality time with our kids as possible before the 14yo discovers it's not cool to hang with his parents! We also want to expose our 9yo son, who has Autism, to as much of the world as possible. Traveling by MH....camping, road trips, sight seeing, etc., are all positive experiences that we want him to see and participate in as fully as possible.

Family of 4 (DW, 1 Boy-14yo, 1 Autistic Boy-9yo) Sometimes granny may join us.

Primary uses include....Local CA parks/campgrounds/beaches, Lake Tahoe, Lake Havasu, Sierras, Arizona parks/lakes, perhaps a trip next year to Florida (Disneyworld!), any other yet TBD destinations!

I have several questions.....

Purchase a used $12K model (can pay cash) or a used $30K (must finance) model.

Slides or no slides?

24'-26' or 29'-30'?

Ford or Chevy?

older gas engines (ex. 460 V8) or newer gas engines

Workhorse chasis...what is it?

Any other suggestions is greatly appreciated!
Thanks

[Bordercollie]

With kids along, we never enjoyed staying inside the motorhome except for eating and sleeping, rainy days, or at night so interior room never mattered much. Shorter Class C's have very limited room for kids stuff and provisions leading to clutter in the aisle and stuff in the shower in cartons. We started camping in a tent, moved up to a VW bus camper conversion, then a Dodge van camper conversion before getting into Class C's. At times I've wished we still had the versatile (class B)Dodge van conversion. Another question is what size fits your home driveway?

[fireman93514]

With children I would want the largest I could afford. The slide gives you an amazing amount of room. You don't have to squeeze past each other. Important in bad weather. A rear bedroom was a must for us. The grand children are the only ones to stay in our overhead sleeping area. Having a local RV shop inspect any potential buy would be a wise idea.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Sounds good. Try for an independent inspection and be there when it happens.

[DaHose]

That Jayco sounds like a good candidate. FYI - Tires will run you upwards of $1000 for a full set. Convert the dinette to bed and be sure you will be happy with the size and function.

I also recommend you have the dealer put in writing what they will do during the inspection and hold them to it. It would be best if they will put in writing that the roof is leak free and that the coach is water damage free.

Jose

[Baja_Man]

Just found at my local RV shop (who repairs and consigns used RVs and I've known them for several years)), a 2008 Jayco 28 QB. It has the E450 6.8 V10. It has 7200 miles and is very clean condition. Original owner put it on consignment. Needs tires as they are original and needs new fabric on awning replaced (has a tear). Asking $35,999. Salesman said I may be able to get down to $32K. For a $295 cost to me, the RV shop will go completely through RV and check all systems out including a roof inspection. If repairs are needed, RV consignor will have to repair before close of sale. No slide, but low miles and in clean condition. It has a queen isle bead, dinette, overhead bunk and separate shower (split bath). The slide is something that would be nice, but he said I would have to pay $4-5K more for a slide model, all things considered equal.

Thoughts?
Thanks

[chloe_s_ranch]

For a family of four I would for sure want at least one slide. On 2005 and newer Fords you get the 5 speed transmission with tow/haul. Make sure the Rv is on the E-450 chassis.

[Snowman9000]

Thoughts on slides: They double your floor space, but then what do you do with the extra space? Speaking generally, it is just open space; it feels nicer but it doesn't change any functionality.

We have owned a fiver with a slide, and another one with two slides. They do make an RV feel more like home. No doubt about it. But we switched to a small MH with no slide, and we got used to it. It was not immediate though. At first we really wanted more free space. But, we came to appreciate how it fits into sites easily, less setup and take-down, is simpler, etc. So much so that our new small MH coming this week is also a no-slide model. We gave serious consideration to similar models with slides but decided what we gained was not all that much. Just a bit of empty floor space. And at the cost of some cabinet space besides. I know that most people want slides, and that's fine with me. I'm just giving the other side of the question.

PS: We never had any slide leaks or breakdowns, so that was not a decision point for us.

[Bordercollie]

If you forsee using a Class C for day trips to local parks, theme parks, sport and hobby usage, i.e. other than camping/touring, keep the length down to 27 feet bumper to bumper. Longer motorhomes are harder to park in public parks, shopping malls, etc. A rear RV queen size bed, preferably with access on both sides, is essential for mom and pop. Kids love sleeping in the overhead. Try to buy a rig that has no water damage,and with everything working properly. Get independant estimates for any repairs or upgrades needed. RV Fridges, furnaces, roof A/C units, etc start to need repairs/replacement at around 10 years. Tires older than 4-6 years old need replacement regardless of tread depth or appearance for your safety and to protect your rig from damage from flailing steel belts. Don't buy an extended warranty, save money in a pearl harbor account for eventual repairs. Learn what to look for and take your time choosing, don't get tired of looking and buy on impulse.

[Baja_Man]

It appears, after browsing through local Craigslist and private private party want ads, I am not real comforatble with an older (pre-2005 model) Class C in my price range. I don;t want to spenf time and money fixing issues, like water leaks, appliances, etc. Problems with these items mentioned are far less likely the newer I go(ex. 2005-2012). So, as DaHose, stated, it appears I may need to bump my price/budget up to the low 30's to get a nice unit.

I like slide models and had them on my 5er and TT and never had any issues with them. Granted, TT was new but 5 er was 10 years old when I purchased.

Thoughts on slides? They sure do create nice living space when opened!

The floorplan I am considering is rear queen, overhead cab queen, dinette, and jacknife couch. This allows for two kids on overhead bunk, DW and I in rear queen, and granny (when she goes) on jacknife couch.

Questions....
1. Thoughts on jacknife couch vs couch with fold out bed?
2. Thoughts on rear queen vs double twin beds? (seems twins make for easier in/out of beds?
3. Thoughts on slides and 1 large vs large and a bedroom slide?

Thanks!

[IAMICHABOD]

I will have to go along with the other posters on the merits of buying an Ex Rental.

They are well maintained, with records, built to last, if they were not dependable they would not be used. In my case the it came with a completely new interior. The price was right and they offer financing if needed.

Mine came with a 1 year warrantee on the drivetrain that would be honored at any of their locations nationwide.

The one I bought is a Tioga 26Q, it is 28Ft long and has a queen bed in the rear and a bed over the cab, just right for 4 people.

The floor plan looks like this



It is built on a WORKHORSE CHEVY CHASSIS that you were asking about.
They are known for their dependability.

The Chevy Chassis is about 9 inches longer than the same one built on a ford chassis, this gives you much more room and comfort in the cockpit area and being built on the Chevy Chassis it is not prone to the handling problems that has plagued the fords.

To read more about Buying a rental you may like to read the thread that is in my signature or CLICK HERE

Good luck in your search for your next RV.

[ron_dittmer]

Coachman Freelander 21QB
- affordable
- accommodates 4 comfortably
- nice size beds for all
- not so huge a rig to get around in
- tows boats well

Google "Coachman Freelander 21QB"

[DaHose]

I bought an old 1983 Jamboree and it has been a crash course in RV restoration. I had to completely rebuild the cabover and have done a TON of work all over. If you are paying less than $20K for a motorhome, you are looking at high mileage or older MH's and have to really know what you are looking at. Otherwise you can end up with something that might need major work.

It sounds like you want to buy an RV that DOES NOT need work. Also, in California it seems like you can't get a loan for anything over 10 years old. With the above in mind, you will probably be shopping for RV's ranging from $25K and up.

Short answer is that if you want something used that you could feel comfortable jumping right into and using today, then you will want to buy in the $25-$35K range from a rental fleet or dealership.

Now, forget about price. I believe THE most important place to start is floorplans. I REALLY like my 26ft with no slides. Slides will leak and are another thing to maintain. The extra floor space really is nice, but I just don't think the tradeoff is worth it. They do make 26' RV's with rear Queen bed, but ours has a full in the back corner. That works for me (6', 260lb) and my wife. It takes a night to adjust, but with a memory foam topper, that bed is REALLY comfy. I also highly recommend you NOT get the dinette floor plan. Ours has jack-knife couch and removable table (on two posts) instead of a dinette. So you can have the table up to eat and then have clear floor when you are done. Our floor plan also has two captain chairs across from the couch with their own pop-up table. The couch folds out to a full size bed and the cabover is a queen.

Ours has been an adventure in repair work, but we LOVE going on trips as a family. My daughter absolutely LOVES her cabover "kingdom" and DW and I are excited and happy when we go on a trip. Best of luck finding the right rig for your family.

Jose

[PghBob]

Our Class C is 27 feet and have no difficulty with DW & me, plus two adult children. We could easily handle another person if we wanted to. We don't tow, so we often use the RV as a car while traveling, and have had little difficulty. The issue with slide outs is complex and often sparks debates. Only you can decide if you want them and the associated weight penalty. Remember, while working out your budget that the tires will need to be replaced at about 6 to 7 years of age no matter how good the tread looks.

Good Luck

Bob

[Snowman9000]

I agree on buying a used rental. The odds of buying a reliable and leak free older Class C are not that good. It can be done, of course. But I'd rather have a well maintained, newer but high miles, ex-rental. The Ford vs. Chevy thing, ignore that for now IMO. Otherwise this thread will go sideways.

For 4+ people, I'm with the crowd saying 26-28 feet at least.

[Md_06Unltd]

I purchased one of the used Class C's from Cruise America and couldn't be happier. I purchased the 23A, but they also have a 28A. Either is enough for a family of four.

I chose to buy from them for several reasons.

1. They are all fleet maintained and kept in very good condition.
2. They are built by THOR and have commercial grade interiors.
3. They are built on the Ford Cab and Chassis (a quick review of the owners forums told me Ford was much more durable and less problematic than the Chevy's).
4. Though they do have high mileage, the engines are all good for 200K miles (I don't plan on driving mine more than 5k per year at best).
5. The price is excellent! and they will provide financing if needed.
6. They keep the units simple...no slides...but no leaks. The less moving parts, the less that breaks.
7. They offer extended powertrain and coach warranties that are the the best price with all the components covered.

They were also very easy to work with, none of that high pressure BS. And if you find one at a location that is not near to you, they will reimburse you to fly out and pick it up.

I did have to add a couple of my own amenities. Added a tv and antenna, rear ladder. Replaced the shocks and front stabilizer.

Just something to consider.