There are likely 1000's of class C owners who full time. Most also tow a vehicle to make the full-timing lifestyle even more simple. There are class C options from very small to very large (bigger than most class A models). Your needs and budget will determine what might or might not be right for you.

I would start by going through the blogs and journals of RVers and find the ones with Class C's, http://www.hitchitch.com/links.html . Most are out enjoying the RV lifestyle and not on forums, or not on forums often.

 

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 4th of December 2011 07:54:09 AM

You will also have to balance small with your ability to tow the vehicle your DH will require. A van or SUV can mean a lot of weight so be sure that the RV you choose is capable of towing the van/SUV that you need.

We had a Jamboree class C and it would not work for us for full-timing. Very little storage space, both inside and out. If you need to carry everything you own it would be near impossible with a class C vehicle. My other concern would be towing capacity for a toad.

Check out the "Geeks on Tour" website.  They traveled and ran a business for years out of a small Class C, then last year upsized to a Super C.

Best Regards!

Plenty of people full-time in class C's. It's a personal choice, many couples full-time in things much smaller, there is a couple here who full-time in a 17ft Trailer.....

Cheryl, I wouldn't be too quick to discount a Class A. I don't know what your budget is, or how old you are willing to go, but there are quite a few quality diesel pushers available for under $50,000, and most of them would be able to tow the van or suv you mention.

Our budget is $50,000 for the coach, toad, and a reserve, and there are several combinations that fit those numbers. PM me if you'd like to know what I've found so far in my research.

I do not post or reply anymore - but I do check out the site as there are some folks who have a lot to pass on and have some pretty cool ideas. I thouhgt I could add to this posting. We looked at used Class A's at PPL and decided on a new 2012 - 31 foot one 10' slide out NEXUS Class C RV. It is being built now. We like the idea of NEW. We are minimalists in that several years ago we purged a lot of STUFF as we found our selves saying "why did we buy that - & that & that??? We have a saying "all you have is all you need." If we find ourselves needing something we first ask "what do we have that would work just as well?" Every RV has a total weight limit and I guess for us it boiled down to what do we really need. The more carrying capacity - the more STUFF YOU CAN BRING - sort of defeats the concept of getting rid of stuff. The NEXUS 31' has a large pass thru storage area under as well as several small storage areas. There is easy access storage under the bed - under the dinette benches - 2 pantries in the kitchen - also nice clothes storage in the bedroom and storage in the bathroom, storage over the cab in the full width entertainment center. We wil be towing a 2012 Honda Fit - 2,800 LBS +/- with a 5,000 Lb hitch. If needed possible rubbermaid storage containers here as the back seats fold down flat.
Will there be enough storage - we think so and as I say we are minimalists. 2 coffee cups - one for DH and one for DW.
We will be dressed neatly, looking GOOD - very striking couple!!!! So if you come knocking - bring your own coffee cup - there will be lots of good coffee and perhaps a treat of two.

We feel confident that storage will not be a problem for our life style and overloading will not be a problem for our Class C. Tis we own Ting. Class C fulltime - Yes for us it works as minimalists - but certainly not for everyone. We sold our S/B and won't be bringing it with us.

RVPainter, glad to see your post... I know you did a ton of research before pulling the trigger on the Class C Nexus.

RVRON - I don't think I've ever researched anything so completely. I've altered our saying somewhat to be "All you have is all you are going to get!" Some folks laugh and think we are crazy and others just plain don't believe us - but that's their issue. We pickup our 31' NEXUS on April 4 and that starts our F/T Journey. Thanks for all the help and assistance you've given me - it is greatly appreciated.

You are right in thinking that length often determines where you can camp.  Anything over 35' is out in a lot of national parks.   And even those that have spaces for bigger RVs have limited numbers of them which often means the dreaded "reservations".   If you have a 25' or a 30' you are good to go in nearly any place.   But few couples live in something as small as a 25' although many singles do.   And such a rig would not be able to pull a van or SUV for sure.   BUT you could drive it separately if you wanted.

Just some info that may help you in your decesion on an RV size.

Dave and I and our two dogs (a 120 lb Lab and a 30 lb mixed breed) have been living in a 1983 23/24ft. Coachmen Class C for almost 6 months now. We converted the over- cab bunk into storage and use as a shelf area for our 19" flat screen TV/DVD combo. The original couch/table convert had already been replaced when we purchased it so there is now a -removable- table and two swivel captains chairs. Double cabinet space above this plus a window shelf (where original cushions rested for the "couch") give me lots of storage for books/office supplies and general needs. My laptop and small printer are stored on the shelf unless we are driving and I then rest those under the table on the floor.

The foot area over the bed in back already had two large/wide wire shelving units that I use for clothing/towels and we put two more smaller ones on the opposite wall -above head-bang- that holds sheets/pillow cases. The original double closet area in the "hallway" with wire shelves in the bottom give us lots of clothing storage along with 4 small drawers in the bottom.

The kitchen area across from the table has cabinets above and below plus double shelf storage above the 'fridge and bottom storage area below.

The bathroom has very minimal storage so I keep most of the things there in a "carry-all" that rests in the shower and can be set out on the commode when in the shower. There is a small area under the sink I use for extra toilet tissue storage/wash cloths and I put in some small shelves in there to hold make up, brushes, combs etc- when we are stationary. These items rest on a towel in the sink when we are traveling. There IS a wall width? narrow depth medicine cabinet that holds jsut that- medications/first aid kit etc.

We have also utilized some plastic storage units we picked up at Wal- Mart that fit here and there- one under the table that has four small drawers and holds extra electrical, computer hook up needs, batteries etc. along with trash bags. Makes a good foot rest for me-  Another tall thin plastic unit I found at a garage sale with narrow deep pull out drawers we mounted along side the sink area coming in the doorway. Perfect for cleaning supplies. There are four pull out storage drawers under the double sinks and cabinet area beside this for pots/pans. The electric stove top is beside the sink and a combo microwave/convection oven is beneath this.

Plastic tubs (the smaller ones from Dollar General- with lids) fit perfectly in the converted bunk space over the driver area that hold extra bedding/pillows and seasonal clothing. We use three of these there and then utilize the space between these to put things that fit (extra paper towels and dog food to name a few).

Dave keeps two narrow tool boxes behind the drivers seat along with the outside "basement" storage. The RV also has a luggage rack on top that holds our extra tent and other lightweight items in a plastic tub along with his tools-of-trade: ropes and saws wrapped in two tarps.

We are in search of a small vehicle to tow and to use as extra transportation. We wanted to see how our Coachmen would work as to living and gas milage before we decided on a tow vehicle or motorcycle.

After living in several houses and apartments with lots of closet space full of things we never used and with rooms we seldom stepped into- downsizing into the RV was not hard.

Do I sometimes wish for a bit more room? Sure- especially when its rainy and I am stuck inside with the two dogs and Dave glued to the TV- but I just think of the amount of rooms I use to have to clean and dust and I stop wishing-

We move around alot. In six months we have traveled from the East Coast to Texas twice with many stops in between. We visit family for a few days and then head out for a new -chosen- destination. I like to stay where its warm so I guess we have become (gasp) SNOWBIRDS!

thanks for that heads up.  At the rate our house is selling (not), we'll be lucky if we can buy by 2020!!!

Today, while making breakfast, I was thinking about how much more living space, especially counter and cooking space is in the big rigs.

Cheryl,

Its right about what ever you prefer, but we have been full timing for over a year now and we are very very comfortable, in our 38ft Carri-Lite fiver. We have more than enough room in our U shaped kitchen and plenty of room in the living area. We do have 5 slides so that helps. As far as hooking and unhooking, it takes us about 15 to 20 minutes. I do the outside and the wife does the inside. There are some really nice fivers out there now adays. We haven't had any trouble getting into any parks either, so like I said, its just whatever you would like to have. I would look at all the rigs.
Just my opinion.

Mel

2008 Carri-Lite Emerald
2011 F350 Ford Diesel

I'd like to go back to Mr. Toad's comment about the Nexus being built on the Transit chassis kit in the future.  From what I've seen of the Transits, they appear to be smaller than Ford's E-series vans.  If that is true, future Nexus units, or any others going to the Transit, will likely be smaller than what is currently available.

Now, that said, I would suggest a trip to an RV show so you can see the differences between Class C's, small Class A's, and various trailers.  If you see the need for a "sizeable" kitchen counter area, then you may need to go with the Class A's or the fifth wheels.  (Most travel trailers that I have seen were limited with counter space.)

As for traveling, I know of a number of folks that hook-up to their fifth wheels every few days and move on.  Some even unhook the truck everytime they stop, whether it is for a "one night stay" or not.

As for staying in relative's driveways, you would more likely be limited by the availability of electricity for your unit.  Few folks would have even 30 amp service at their homes.  While you can get adapters that allow one to plug a 30 amp cable into a regular 120V outlet, there won't be much in the RV that you can use at one time before you tripped the breaker in the house where you were visiting.

However, it looks like you have a year or two to do your research, and that is a good thing.  Don't rush into anything without literally sitting down in the various units and imaginine yourselve living within that space.

Good luck with it all.

Terry

Well, I must now correct myself.  I guess this comes with not being a "car-guy" and keeping up with automotive news.  Apparently there is a larger Transit van that will be coming to the U.S. market, thus Mr. Toad's comment could be very true with regards to Nexus using this model.

Here is a link to an article from the October Car and Driver:

Full Size Ford Transit

Terry

Cheryl,
We took along vacation this past summer and we hooked and unhooked about every 2 to 3 days and moved on to the next campground. Didn't have any trouble finding a campground big enough for our rig. Fivers are not hard to backup into a site if you need to backup instead of pull thru. Hope that helps some.

Mel

2008 Carri-Lite Emerald
2011 F350 Ford Diesel

MrToad wrote:

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RVPAINTER wrote:

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"Ford plans are developing, but peoples need for RVing continues daily. Dont wait to fulfill your plans of Rving. If the new product is that hot, trade your 2 year old Nexus Rv in for a new one. Because you bought factory direct from us, you have already save lots of money.

Claude Donati
President
Nexus RV"

 

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Not too surprising a response from Nexus  - they are obviously worried that customers might delay purchasing a RV from them until 2013 in favor of the newer Ford chassis.  And as if everyone can afford to trade in their RV after 2 years for a newer model.  What gets me is their suggestion that because you have saved money in buying from them, customers need not worry about the depreciation (which will likely be substantial given that it is built on the E Series chassis) on their 2012 model when they come to trade it in.

So I am sorry Cherylbrv that you are finding it difficult to sell your home, but the delay might be a mixed blessing.  Check out www.tributemotorhomes.co.uk for an idea of what the T Series motorhomes might look like.  I am sure that slide outs will be incorporated in the US models (similar to the Navion Sprinter models) so there will be more interior space.

 

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 After looking at the Tribute Motorhomes site I think I'd agree with what Mr. Donati of Nexus had to say about the new Ford chassis.  With a GVWR rating of around 11,000 lbs it isn't really suited for anything but small, short motorhomes.  Tribute's longest model is 6.95 meters in length, that's only 22.8 feet. None of them have slides and their GVWR (what they call Maximum Authorised Weight) is a skimpy 7716 lbs.  Not what I would call suitable for full time living but I'm sure there are spartan folks out there that are making things like this work for them.

It's obvious that Ford is bringing this chassis to the USA to compete with the Dodge Sprinter platform.  They currently don't have anything that is on that same level.  Is it "better" than the current E-series chassis?  I'd have to say it depends on what you're looking for.  If you're in the market for a short, maneuverable RV that you can take anywhere and park in most parking lots it would be just the ticket.  If you're looking at making it your fulltime home and packing in it everything you own, not so much.

Sure, it's obvious that Mr. Donati is in the business of selling motorhomes but his advice to buy sooner than later in this circumstance is spot on.  I see nothing in looking at the new chassis that would make me wait to buy unless I was in the market for a part time weekend/vacation rig.

FWIW I found that " just trade in after 2 year comment a bit Odd....no matter what you spend "or save" trading in always costs money......

While there are RV's with less attractive features here in the United States, even if one could import a foreign RV here it would have to be configured and built for the U.S. market.  For instance, the electric in Europe is 50 cycle instead of 60 cycle.

That said, the reference that "all look like sleazy motels" is probably a bit of a stretch of a statement, unless one can document what brands/models were looked at and specify what made them look sleazy.

I have looked at a lot of RV's at dealerships and RV shows and I would have to disagree with that statement.  That said, I have not looked at all Class C brands/models, so some may be bad.  Also, everyone's opinion is generally subjective and not objective, so a blanket comparison is also somewhat misleading.

Terry

The two nicest units available in the states are Coachhouse (FLORIDA) and Liesure Travel (Canada) in general like it or not when it comes to Autos and RV's the USA lags behind Europe and Asia as it pertains to Style.....I was encouraged by what I saw at the Hershey Show. Many of the large companies are beginning to think about styling, streamlining surfaces, and getting on board that the market does care about Style. The USA eventually gets there, we just take our design Q's from Europe.

No matter what RV you choose I'd concentrate on storage capacity and cargo carrying (weight) capacity.  In general I think you'll find a bit more capacity in a small Class A simply because the chassis has a higher GVWR. 

Also take a look at the rear overhang of some of the longer Class C RVs.  The wheel base is still short but the overhang at the rear is huge.  It becomes a problem making tight turns because of the wide swing of that huge overhang.  Any heavy loading at the rear will have a leveraged effect on the steering too, effectively making the front lighter.

A plus of a shorter rig is maneuverability and a wider choice of campsites.  We've found if you stay under 35 ft. there are a LOT more sites available.  Under 30 ft. even more so.

If you haven't done so, check out the Serrano Class A models by Thor.  Great storage capacity and diesel.  Friends have one and just love it.  Avg. 11 mpg.

cherylbrv wrote:

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Ok, again I appreciate everyone's good advice and suggestions!

To change the question a little -- assuming we're willing to give up luxury amenities (such as the fireplace and extra 10' of length) and go with a MH (we'll know more after visiting the next 2 RV shows and "living" in them). But for argument sake - let's say we're happy to settle with a length of 29-32'. What are the pros and cons of a larger Class C versus a smaller class A?

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The main difference as far as I am concerned which is very important is service. A class C is built on a standard truck chassis. There are thousands of parts and service centers happy to work on them for a fair price. The same can not be said for a class A....

I suspect that, in general, most RVers start our there travels with way more stuff than they need. We try to do a review once per year (sometimes we skip a year) and if we have not use something during that time period we get rid of it. We have never accumulated the vast assortment of stuff (junk) that we did in our house but it's really surprising how much stuff just seems to creep up on you. Inside, we keep all table tops clear other than possibly a lighting fixture or one ornamental object (no exceptions here). The dinner table is just that and not a place to store dry goods or the like. The bedroom is just that. Again, not a storage place but a wonderful, clean, relaxing, sexy, cozy place for the 2 of us to enjoy each others company and get a good nights sleep. While our cats do not always have the same thought about what the bedroom should be, the bedroom remains a luxurious sanctuary for us and not a pile of junk. The storage bays outside is where I encounter my biggest challenge. If it fits and I don't need to fit anything new in there, why do I really need to get rid of all that sandpaper or the gear puller I bought some many years ago to use only once? Some stuff needs to be there, I get that, but not ALL of that stuff needs to be taking up space and weighing down my RV for years and years.