Trying to decide the right size MH for full timer

[Dcalderon]

Hello fellow RVers,

My wife and I are planning a trip around our wonderful country and guess what I'm going to ask? Yeah you guessed it, what's the right size for a full timer. I've done some research and I started at a 40' diesel pusher and have trimmed it down to possibly a 34 - 37 because so many people have said getting into National parks and manuevering around could be a challenge. I know as you go smaller you start eliminating conviences. Has anyone else had this challenge? LOL. Any input would be appreceiated as we continue to search, also any input as to the quality rigs for wintertime as well would help. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Confused

[Tom_Barb]

If I were moving up to a full time coach. I'd be buying this.

[Tom_Barb]

Dcalderon wrote:
Hello fellow RVers,

My wife and I are planning a trip around our wonderful country and guess what I'm going to ask? Yeah you guessed it, what's the right size for a full timer. I've done some research and I started at a 40' diesel pusher and have trimmed it down to possibly a 34 - 37 because so many people have said getting into National parks and manuevering around could be a challenge. I know as you go smaller you start eliminating conviences. Has anyone else had this challenge? LOL. Any input would be appreceiated as we continue to search, also any input as to the quality rigs for wintertime as well would help. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Confused

How we got to a 40' Newmar is a story of 49 years camping, kinda like an evolutionary process.
We started with a Harley Davidson Sportster with a back pac on a sissy bar. and just kept moving up as the family grew. we've done the tents thing, then had 4 different truck campers, because we towed toys. then 2 travel trailers (a 19' and a 25') 1 class C mini whinny, and were looking or a 34-36 M/H when we discovered the Newmar 40' for less money.
We love the big rig, it drives easier than towing a trailer. sets up easier than the trailers. carries a lot more than the trailers.
The only rig we have not tried is the 5ver, we always needed the truck bed for other things. (so we thought)
Don't bypass the big rigs until you actually try them.
Buy a quality coach, continually fixing stuff takes the fun out of camping.
Before you buy, drive a Newmar with comfort drive. you'll be amazed at how nice they handle.

[Goldencrazy]

Busskipper wrote:

Dcalderon wrote:
Hello fellow RVers,
You are correct. My fingers made my motorhome a lot shorter. 38 feet it is. Slides really make a difference. The residential refrigerator is very nice for long term living. Storage is important but we still pack too much. It seems the better things are organized the less I need. I am big on backups which is contrary to smart packing. We do not miss the dishwasher and find that without one we keep dishes washed so need fewer. The way you live at home will generally inform how you live on the road e.g if you don't bake you probably won't while traveling. Crock pot is nice and a grill a wast of space for me. A couple of toss away charcoal units are all I need but some folks grill all the time. We like our satelite TV. Outdoor chairs are now confined to two, Neighbors will bring their own. You will learn what works for you.
My wife and I are planning a trip around our wonderful country and guess what I'm going to ask? Yeah you guessed it, what's the right size for a full timer. I've done some research and I started at a 40' diesel pusher and have trimmed it down to possibly a 34 - 37 because so many people have said getting into National parks and maneuvering around could be a challenge. I know as you go smaller you start eliminating conveniences. Has anyone else had this challenge? LOL. Any input would be appreciated as we continue to search, also any input as to the quality rigs for wintertime as well would help. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Confused

The only way to "KNOW" what works is to first get a list of what You are Going to DO. How you enjoy travel. Where/When you plan to do it.

Sure a 40' might not fit in every spot - but neither will a 34' - once you learn to drive it you will find it might not be that big a challenge to Maneuver, but if you never become comfortable driving even a 25' unit can be a challenge.

The best way to find out what "might" work for you is to continue to ask questions - get into the RV parks and ask the people you meet - Walk up introduce yourself - ask the owners what they have learned.

When we did this I filled a notebook - tried a 37' gas unit that I thought was perfect - then did another notebook and had a 43' unit built to work - Large shower - Large Closets - King Bed - Mid station TV - Dishwasher - Flip up Dining Table, NO BOOTH - Extra Insulation for winter - Hydro Hot for Heat - ..................
List goes on and on over a 100 custom items to make it work for ME - and still left out one thing - where to put all 6 Granddaughters?......... still working on that.

So the ANSWER IS - there is NO ANSWER - just a lot of work trying to find what Might work for YOU.

Hope this is of some help,

Goldencrazy wrote:
Have you spent a week in a motorhome? From your post I concluded it is new to you. You will not know until you experience it. We spend 4-5 months in ours in winter. I have a 38 ft gas with three slides and washer/dryer. The opposing slides in living area are great. We do like being able to wash clothes in the coach. We think our Winnebago 28Q is perfect as do our friends with 45 ft Monaco os to each his own.

Think you left out 10'

?? 38Q ??

But the advice is spot on - need to try a few out, find something that works for more than a weekend - more than a year.

[Goldencrazy]

Busskipper wrote:

Dcalderon wrote:
Hello fellow RVers,
You are correct. My fingers made my motorhome a lot shorter. 38 feet it is. Slides really make a difference. The residential refrigerator is very nice for long term living. Storage is important but we still pack too much. It seems the better things are organized the less I need. I am big on backups which is contrary to smart packing. We do not miss the dishwasher and find that without one we keep dishes washed so need fewer. The way you live at home will generally inform how you live on the road e.g if you don't bake you probably won't while traveling. Crock pot is nice and a grill a wast of space for me. A couple of toss away charcoal units are all I need but some folks grill all the time. We like our satelite TV. Outdoor chairs are now confined to two, Neighbors will bring their own. You will learn what works for you.
My wife and I are planning a trip around our wonderful country and guess what I'm going to ask? Yeah you guessed it, what's the right size for a full timer. I've done some research and I started at a 40' diesel pusher and have trimmed it down to possibly a 34 - 37 because so many people have said getting into National parks and maneuvering around could be a challenge. I know as you go smaller you start eliminating conveniences. Has anyone else had this challenge? LOL. Any input would be appreciated as we continue to search, also any input as to the quality rigs for wintertime as well would help. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Confused

The only way to "KNOW" what works is to first get a list of what You are Going to DO. How you enjoy travel. Where/When you plan to do it.

Sure a 40' might not fit in every spot - but neither will a 34' - once you learn to drive it you will find it might not be that big a challenge to Maneuver, but if you never become comfortable driving even a 25' unit can be a challenge.

The best way to find out what "might" work for you is to continue to ask questions - get into the RV parks and ask the people you meet - Walk up introduce yourself - ask the owners what they have learned.

When we did this I filled a notebook - tried a 37' gas unit that I thought was perfect - then did another notebook and had a 43' unit built to work - Large shower - Large Closets - King Bed - Mid station TV - Dishwasher - Flip up Dining Table, NO BOOTH - Extra Insulation for winter - Hydro Hot for Heat - ..................
List goes on and on over a 100 custom items to make it work for ME - and still left out one thing - where to put all 6 Granddaughters?......... still working on that.

So the ANSWER IS - there is NO ANSWER - just a lot of work trying to find what Might work for YOU.

Hope this is of some help,

Goldencrazy wrote:
Have you spent a week in a motorhome? From your post I concluded it is new to you. You will not know until you experience it. We spend 4-5 months in ours in winter. I have a 38 ft gas with three slides and washer/dryer. The opposing slides in living area are great. We do like being able to wash clothes in the coach. We think our Winnebago 28Q is perfect as do our friends with 45 ft Monaco os to each his own.

Think you left out 10'

?? 38Q ??

But the advice is spot on - need to try a few out, find something that works for more than a weekend - more than a year.

[Dcalderon]

We're not new to RVing, we used to use a TT for years as the kids were growing up and loved it. Now we camp on our Boat going to state parks as its the only way to get there and enjoy that as well. Looks like the consensious is like I posted with possibly a 34 to 37 foot.

[Thunder_Mountai]

Layout of the unit is probably more important than size within reason. Look at your lifestyle. If you are a gourmet cook, then kitchen storage and workspace might be important. Do you have pets? Then space for a bed or cat box is really important. Is the wife a glamour queen? Then a big two sink bathroom might be a consideration. Is he a big sports fan? Then maybe an outside TV would be nice. Take extended time to sit in the lounge area. Would both of you be able to see the TV with out sitting sideways or turning your neck? Visualize yourself preparing a meal? Think about placement of appliances such as the coffee maker, toaster oven etc. Do you have a place to slice and dice veggies? Be sure to take a close look at underneath storage. How accessible is the storage with the slides out? Those big double sliding trays that pull way out are really nice.

One important tip... Have the sales person pull in all the slides. Can you get the bathroom? What about the frig, microwave and pantry? We've looked at some units that would have made fixing a quick roadside meal challenging.

I've seen some 38' units I would consider for full timing, and I've seen some 42' units I wouldn't consider.

While we are not full timers, we do go out for months at a time. We used many of the above points in selecting our Winnebago 40R.

[Busskipper]

Dcalderon wrote:
Hello fellow RVers,

My wife and I are planning a trip around our wonderful country and guess what I'm going to ask? Yeah you guessed it, what's the right size for a full timer. I've done some research and I started at a 40' diesel pusher and have trimmed it down to possibly a 34 - 37 because so many people have said getting into National parks and maneuvering around could be a challenge. I know as you go smaller you start eliminating conveniences. Has anyone else had this challenge? LOL. Any input would be appreciated as we continue to search, also any input as to the quality rigs for wintertime as well would help. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Confused

The only way to "KNOW" what works is to first get a list of what You are Going to DO. How you enjoy travel. Where/When you plan to do it.

Sure a 40' might not fit in every spot - but neither will a 34' - once you learn to drive it you will find it might not be that big a challenge to Maneuver, but if you never become comfortable driving even a 25' unit can be a challenge.

The best way to find out what "might" work for you is to continue to ask questions - get into the RV parks and ask the people you meet - Walk up introduce yourself - ask the owners what they have learned.

When we did this I filled a notebook - tried a 37' gas unit that I thought was perfect - then did another notebook and had a 43' unit built to work - Large shower - Large Closets - King Bed - Mid station TV - Dishwasher - Flip up Dining Table, NO BOOTH - Extra Insulation for winter - Hydro Hot for Heat - ..................
List goes on and on over a 100 custom items to make it work for ME - and still left out one thing - where to put all 6 Granddaughters?......... still working on that.

So the ANSWER IS - there is NO ANSWER - just a lot of work trying to find what Might work for YOU.

Hope this is of some help,

Goldencrazy wrote:
Have you spent a week in a motorhome? From your post I concluded it is new to you. You will not know until you experience it. We spend 4-5 months in ours in winter. I have a 38 ft gas with three slides and washer/dryer. The opposing slides in living area are great. We do like being able to wash clothes in the coach. We think our Winnebago 28Q is perfect as do our friends with 45 ft Monaco os to each his own.

Think you left out 10'

?? 38Q ??

But the advice is spot on - need to try a few out, find something that works for more than a weekend - more than a year.

[Goldencrazy]

Have you spent a week in a motorhome? From your post I concluded it is new to you. You will not know until you experience it. We spend 4-5 months in ours in winter. I have a 38 ft gas with three slides and washer/dryer. The opposing slides in living area are great. We do like being able to wash clothes in the coach. We think our Winnebago 28Q is perfect as do our friends with 45 ft Monaco os to each his own.

[Winnipeg]

Some, and perhaps most parks have at least a couple long sites. If you are full time, you should be able to plan your arrival to maximize your chance of getting a good site.

Second, there are parks (such as Zion) that actually measure your rig, but mostly they don't. You can usually fit a 40' coach in a 35' site.

Lastly, length only matters for the few minutes when you are parking or leaving (assuming it fits in the spot). Once you are moving (or parked), it makes no difference.

[Tom_Barb]

timmac wrote:
Some have done fine with 40 footers in some National Parks, however full timing you want room, I have a 33 foot with 2 slides its roomy and does get around easy BUT I would not like this size full time, 36 foot with 3 slides would be a nice size, not to big but big enough for 2 people full time.

I agree 40 foot is just to big in many areas.

We have never found this to be true. Of course you can't take 40' where you can a smart car.

We stay clear of the down town urban areas and the narrow dirt roads , that is why we have the jeep in tow.
I've never been told we were too big for any camp ground.

[doxiemom11]

We are full-timing in a 36' with 2 slides, have been for 6 yrs, and are comfortable with our choice. Once you decide on a size, find the floorplan that you like. Some work better than others. Make sure you have access to the facilities, frig, etc when the slides are in. We do except for bedroom closets, which is no problem. We have the washer/dryer closet, but use it as a pantry/coatcloset/storage/dirty clothes basket etc. We also have a lot of basement storage with 2 pass thru areas. We have an older Monaco which is well built and nicely appointed with many of the options as standard equipment for Monaco. 10 gal water heater would be a must vs 6 gal. 2 AC units if you are in a warmer area at times , full size shower and walk around bed. We also have plenty of storage space inside.

[MeanderMan]

We started full timing twelve years ago with a 37' gas motor home. It was great, but the kitchen was lacking and the wind buffet could be tiring. We traded for a 40' DP eight years ago and have never had a problem with state or Federal parks in the central or western U.S. The only problem we've had is in the northeast U.S., where even private parks have smaller sites. I love the space in the DP, wouldn't want a longer or shorter rig.

[TexasShadow]

35-38 ft with two slides (living and bedroom) get the washer/dryer closet but wait to install one, and just use the space for a pantry, etc.
you want it roomy, but small enough to fit into smaller sites if that's all you can get.

[msmith1199]

I have a 35 dp and it works good for me. We haven't full timed in it yet, but are planning on doing some months long trips real soon. I think 35 will be big enough for us, but if I had it to do all over again I would have looked for something with bigger basement compartments. We have one good size pass through compartment, but I've seen shorter DP's like ours with much more room in the basement.

[MountainAir05]

We settled with a 38 but wish we had go 40 or bigger. Not had any issue with the 38 staying anywhere we wanted. I seen 40 and 45 feet at all the places we have stayed. Just find something that suits you both and you can live with and have fun.