Class A's GVW vs GCW??? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Blythe N Chuck · RV-Dreams Family Member

Class A's GVW vs GCW???

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

You are right to be worried. You can't exceed 26,000lbs combined so the weight of the motorhome with contents can't be more than 20,900 lbs while towing the Aspen. I suspect that will be very difficult and maybe impossible. Dealers are notorious for lying or stretching the truth.

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yeah... what Bill said. IF you fully load the RV to the max GVWR of 22,000 lbs that would only leave you 4,000 lbs. for towing a vehicle - less than you need for the Aspen. The only way you can make it work is to stay 1,100 lbs under on your GVWR so as to keep the GCWR under 26,000 lbs. Problem with that is it limits your CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity). Most folks agree that you need a minimum of 2,500 lbs of CCC to fulltime in a rig. Doing the math you'd have to have a CCC of at least 2,500 + 1,100 = 3,600 lbs. to make it work as a full time rig and tow the Aspen.

Of course the other option, if you truly are in love with the Georgetown, is to get a lighter toad. We tow a Honda Fit that only weighs 2,400 lbs.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ron - what is a Honda Fit and does it tow all 4 on the ground?

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

RVPAINTER wrote:
Ron - what is a Honda Fit and does it tow all 4 on the ground?

We have the 2008 Honda Fit Sport, which was redesigned in 2010. Here's the 2011 version:

Yes, it IS flat towable on all 4 wheels with both the standard and automatic trans. We love ours. 30 mpg around town, nearly 40 on the highway.

RVPAINTER · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Ron - I'm going to check these out.

jkrobbins · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hello

What does the MH actually weigh? You will need to get it weighed first to use as a starting point. GVWR is just the max it can weigh buy itself, not the weight of the vehicle. The GCWR is the max it can weigh while towing the Aspen. Get it wieghed then figure in 2500lbs for your stuff plus water, propane, etc. and see how close you are to your GVWR. Then add the weight of the Aspen to see if you are over the CGWR.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

John

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

The RV industry commonly turns out RV's that barely have enough carrying capacity to put 2 people and a dog (or a 2 year old) in your coach. You absolutely need to have the coach weighed BEFORE you buy. This should be done with a 4 wheel weighing but at a minimum take the coach to the local truck stop scales and get the overall number. Be sure to add the weight of a full tank of gas, full tank of propane, full fresh water (black and grey would be assumed to be empty). Now, add the 2500-3000 lbs. for clothes, grill, food, diapers, etc. and see what you have left over. My guess is that you are going to find that you "could" tow the car as the sales folks suggest, but that you will not be able to SAFELY tow that vehicle. Should you be in an accident and you have exceeded the max limits you will be found to be at fault as you will have exceeded the capabilities the unit was designed for.
With all the possible bad news, floor plans are the most critical part of a buying decision and I would buy for the floor plan for sure. You wouldn't by a house with 12 small bedrooms when you wanted 4 large ones so don't buy an RV with a floor plan you don't much care for. If this is it and it fits your budget I would get real serious about the weight and if the reality is that you can't tow that vehicle, look at some other tow car that will fall within the needed weight range.