Looking to buy our first RV....tips and/or suggestions - RV-Dreams Community Forum

murphyjames · RV-Dreams Community Member

Looking to buy our first RV....tips and/or suggestions

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jay,

First of all, welcome to the forums. You have found a place with lots of knowledgeable folks in just about every form of RV available. All of us welcome any questions that you may have, and feel free to ask as many as you want. Not only will you be learning, but others will as well.

I have little knowledge about Class C RV's, so I won't be much help. However, are you interested in knowledge about brands, or of the standard and optional amenities, or perhaps even of the driving characteristics of a Class C?

While it is hard to sometimes imagine questions to ask, I suggest you attend as many RV shows as you can, or if those aren't available at the time, spend some time on the dealer's lots. You will be amazed at the number of observations you will make that will prompt questions.

Good luck with the research and planning.

Terry

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the RV Dreams Forum! I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there that are fulltiming in Class C motorhomes but I'll give you my slant on the subject.

We've owned a couple of Class C motorhomes and at least from our experience we wouldn't consider them as fulltime rigs. This doesn't mean they wouldn't work for you, but make sure you know what you want/need before you get something that simply won't work for fulltiming.

One biggie for us was storage and carrying capacity. A lot of the C's have less than 50 cubic feet of exterior storage and no compartments that will handle larger items like lawn chairs or BBQ grills. On top of that they often don't have the weight carrying capacity. Some that we saw had only about 400 lbs. of carrying capacity after you deduct the weight of the people and fluids in various tanks. We also found the interior appointments a bit lacking - I like my recliner and DW wants adequate counter space in the kitchen.

All that being said we did enjoy the maneuverability of the Class C's that we owned. We often didn't take a towed vehicle (toad) and did our sightseeing in the motorhome. As a part time, weekend coach they worked just fine.

You might look into a short Class A as an alternative. We have friends that were set on a C until they looked at the Serrano by Thor. They love it and are sure they made the right decision. OTOH, RVPainter here on this forum just ordered a 2012 Nexus Class C and obviously feels it will work great for him. Different strokes for different folks!

Good luck in your search and don't be afraid to ask questions here!

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the forum, a few reputable brands to consider would be LAZY DAZE, Nexus, Born Free, and Leisure Travel Vans, there are others but this is a good start....stick with Brands that are built well and offer good customer service....

Waggin Tails · RV-Dreams Family Member

Welcome to the forum. We opted for a fifth wheel because we like the layout, storage and features. Sure we have to drive a big truck to the grocery store but for us that is not an issue. Texans like their trucks.
You will find plenty of experiential advice on this forum.

MrToad · RV-Dreams Community Member

Well done in realizing that a Class C meets your needs.

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

The RV you chose as right for you is the correct RV. That is why there are so many makes and models out there. Just take your time and look at as many makes and models of Class C's as you can and talk with as many owners as possible about the ones you are interested in. You will find that the mid to upper end manufacturers have units that are built more for full time use but that is not to say that some of the entry level units might also work for you. It will depend on your personal tastes. The Class C's that GENECOP listed are what I would consider high end Class C units and probably some of the best on the market for long term full time use.

Jake62 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've owned two different Tioga Class C Motorhomes in the past. Tioga is a Fleetwood product which "technically" doesn't exist since American Coach bought out their entire line ... although they're currently still made in Elkhart, IN. Like many of the members stated, there's no "right or wrong" when it comes time to purchase any type of RV. The issues for us now: Empty nesters (no kids now); larger budget now then when we were in our 30s; longer travel time in retirement, maybe up to six to twelve months at a time; oh, and did I mention budget.

I think anyone looking for a RV 1st starts with their respective budget. From there, you can then decide on trailer vs. 5th wheel; class B or Truck Camper vs. class C; or Class A Gas vs. Class A Diesel. When our kids were smaller, our budget dictated a trailer or Class C. We choose the Class C twice. But many families choose the trailer option. Heading in retirement, many couples choose between a 5th Wheel & Class A. Again, no wrong decision since a 5th Wheel with Truck is probably priced out the same as a Class A Gas. If you go to Diesel, it's certainly going to take you into another budget/price bracket.

Yonnie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our family started with Van conversion then moved to a 26 Aero Cub. Time frame covered 15 years. We are now empty nesters with about 36 months before retirement. We spent about 2 years debating what we wanted/needed. We bought a 2011 Tiffin opened road (gas) 35 QBA. We wanted bunk beds for our grandkids. Our plan is to do extended vacations (multiple months). Good luck on your selection. You might want to look into an RV club near you and talk to those folks as many of us are in the same decision making mode. You will find this site a great place for help and insight. Best of luck.

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yonnie has a good idea. Another possibility is to ask those in the campground what they like and dislike about their coaches, and compare that to your "mission profile."

We're a couple of years out from shopping for our FT retirement coach, but we started out like you, with a general idea of what we wanted. We're refining that now, and working on some budgets. Since we know that whatever we get will have something towing something else, one of the budgets is the purchase of the two parts. We're setting aside a cushion to deal with the repairs and upgrades that we will need and want before we hit the road.

We've started a list of things that we know will be going with us, and as we look at coaches, we "place" those things in the coach. If we can't find a place for it in a particular coach, we discuss whether it really needs to go with us. A few of the things that were must-haves six months ago are now on the "nice, but not absolutely necessary" list.

Some helpful sites for prices, etc.:
http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/
http://motorhomesoftexas.com/
http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs

The first two have coaches for sale. PPL is a huge consignment place, and their coaches seem to move fairly quickly, so a few weeks of checking in your price range will give you a pretty good idea of what you can expect. MOT deals mainly with Class A coaches, but they have some Class C units, too. I've not dealt directly with either one, but both have been highly recommended, so I check their prices. NADA will let you figure out what the loan company might think your prospective coach is worth. Keep in mind, though, that each coach is an individual, and may be worth more or less than what NADA thinks it is. I generally ask questions if the asking price is a lot different than the NADA price. Sometimes, though, an individual may want to get out from under a coach quickly, and they price to sell. Other times, the seller owes more than the coach is worth, and is trying to get enough to pay off the loan.

Enjoy the hunt!

rvingft · RV-Dreams Family Member

A small membership fee to rv.org will give you an independent rating system. Check out Lazy Daze owners forum. WALK in a Lazy Daze and ask specifically how many are full-timing in theirs. Platinum used to build a good Class C also.

My mom is a solo RVer and she is now in her 5th RV - a DynaQuest - 26' on a freightliner chassis.
Be aware, some of the fancy dancy RV Parks will not allow a Class C RV in their park - even ones that cost $250K ! Buckhorn in Kerrville, TX is one that comes to mind immediately.