When we started looking at MH I said 36' was absolute max.  Well, the price was right and we fell in love with a 40' so that's what we have had for 3 years.  We have been fulltimers since Sept. '06.  That extra 4' has never been a major problem,  we can go most places but would never consider anything any longer.  I think you would definately encounter some problems with 42' but then,  many places are adapting to the "big rigs".
Brenda

The size of your rig will matter or not - depending on the type of places you plan to camp.  Generally, campgrounds in the eastern US are older and therefore smaller and built for smaller rigs.  Heading west you'll find things more spread out.  It pays to do your research ahead of time to know if the parks limit your size and if there are any problems with the roads getting there.  Even then, be careful.  We had printed directions from a campground in PA and had to unhook our car and spend an hour turning around on a narrow road because we couldn't fit our 34 ft. rig into a 100 year old covered wooden bridge.  Now in a 40' rig we occasionally find ourselves in a tight situation, but there are usually many options.  You just need to be observant and look for a way out before you take the way in.  Call ahead and/or check directories and websites as you plan your trip.  Ask them for their definition of "big rig."

Good luck!
Mary

We have been full timers since 1/05 with a 40 ft motor coach and this is not our first 40 footer. We haven't had a problem finding a site to park. However, we haven't traveled very much back east. We have seen many parks that state that nothing over 40 ft is allowed and others with even shorter restrictions. Many of these places have turned out to be places we wouldn't drive our coach any way.  Also a lot will depend on when you are trying to get into the park.  If it is at a time when they are in heavy useage then I am sure the length limitations would be strictly enforced.  Even Yellowstone parks, fishing bridge RV park, has allowed larger units than their posted length limit during off peak times.

-- Edited by ahoweth at 09:35, 2008-01-20

We, too, are considering the many RV options available to us. Since we are going to go fulltime (basically just jumping in feet-first!) and we very much want this lifestyle to work for us, we must go with the floorplan we are most likely to enjoy. If we skimp too much on the size or the quality, it will have an effect on our enjoyment as well as the chances of sticking with it. SO, we're really trying to figure out what will be the most likely set-up to ensure success. What we don't want to do, if at all possible, is to get two years into the lifestyle, only to find out that we're in the wrong rig! Details, details!

As one who was "lucky" and got it right the first time, I would offer these comments.

Unlike houses, RV's are not always suitable for fulltime living and don't necessarily have the build quality, or come with quality fittings and appliances. Since the RV business is very competititve, and the average RV is only used for vacation use of about 30 days a year, manufacturers generally build them for this market profile.

You have to look past the surface appearance and make sure the inherent quality is there.
Is it well insulated for 4 season use?, and is it quiet inside?
Does it have sufficient carrying capacity? The average couple will add between 2,000 and 3,000 pounds of "stuff". We've managed to add slightly over 4,000# between us.
Does it have sufficient storage space, and are the cabinets well built?
Does the manufacturer warrant it for fulltime use?

I think buyers today are lucky in that there are groups like this, and online forums for just about every brand that allow you to find out what current owners think, and whether or not there are design problems or customer service issues.

Also, I would recommend  spending the $100 or so and joining the RV Consumer Group. Their  rating system can be invaluable for weeding out the "wheat from the chaff". Once you pare the selections down to the 2 or 3 brands that are suitable for your lifestyle and pocket book, it's just a matter of finding the layout that suits you best.

Good luck, there's nothing more exciting than choosing your new rolling home!

Fred

I will chime in that I found the RV consumer group CD's almost useless for motor homes. They basically apply a standard formula to the model data provided by the manufacturers. They use data such as wheelbase length and weight to make handling judgements. Not that the formula does not provide a guideline, it does. But it is not the be all and end all that they present it as. I think the interface for the CD is so ancient as to make it useless. If anyone wants my CD let me know and I will send it your way if I can find it.

If it sounds like I dislike the group I will elaborate as to why that is the case. Once you sign up they periodically send out updates with industry news. These updates tend to be sensationalist in nature. In one that I recall a RV burned very quickly with no injuries, and in another a family perished after the RV crashed going down hill. Now I fell sad for the family, but considering both incidents were in RV's approximately 20 years old, this is not useful data. If they could tell me what RV's currently have the design flaw that caused these catastrophic failures then it would be useful. But to notify me in a sensationalist manner of a major failure in a very old unit with no respect to maintenance history is just not needed. I think a responsible organization would provide useful data for someone shoping for a RV, not just a terrifying story about a unit older than most readers would buy.

Just my $0.02
-- Bruce