Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
(You realize that you have asked essentially the same question in two places? So expect answers in two places.)
We had a gas motorhome for a while and it worked fine. Now we have a diesel pusher and it is better, but more expensive with a retail price about double the gas. It does take the hills better, but our gas would pass older diesels going up hill. It has better insulation, but that is because it is higher end. The ride is better because of air bags, but the gas ride was good. Our gas rode better than many other gas ones since we spent about $3K on suspension upgrades, way less than a diesel upgrade. We have friends who are driving old gas motorhomes, including GMC ones from the 1970s, and they are still running.
There are junk diesels, there are junk gas motorhomes, ones that will look tired in 5 years and worn out in 10. Don't overspend on your RV if the money is important to you. Think how you will use it and decide if the $50K minimum price increase for new diesel is worth it to you. $50K is probably low. Check carrying capacity, you need 2,000 to 3,000 lbs as a fulltime couple for your stuff, after the water, fuel and your bodies are included. There are gas and diesel motorhomes that a full refrigerator will overload.
35' and below most diesels have too much rear overhang, you will need suspension upgrades to have a decent ride. Unless you buy a used 32' Country Coach, they did the upgrades and the ride was good. 37' or longer I would go with diesel, the chassis weight will eat up your carrying capacity since most gas motorhomes are 22,000lb chassis, though some go to 25,500.
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Bill Joyce, 40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Journal at http://www.sacnoth.com Full-timing since July 2003
When we were researching I looked at gas and diesel offerings from the same manufacturers (well used, per our budget) at PPL. There wasn't much difference in price, and it could well be that the difference was explained more by condition than anything else. For that reason, and the reasons Bill mentioned above, we chose to stick to the DP coaches. After a few months and one trip I'm still a happy camper.