Looking for advice for a motorhome purchase. - RV-Dreams Community Forum

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Looking for advice for a motorhome purchase.

Rickl · RV-Dreams Family Member

You might want to look at Show Hauler. They are located in Middlebury, IN. They probably will custom build exactly what you are looking for. Trailer too. If cost is no object one can get whatever they seek, within reason of course. Good luck on your research.

-- Edited by Rickl on Tuesday 24th of April 2018 08:46:11 PM

Acheron2010 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Given your wish list, I immediately thought 5th wheel toy hauler. Secure motorcycle storage, adequate sleeping, washer/dryer, built-in generator, and a transport vehicle.
Class A, B, or C seem to be more of a hassle given your requirements.

www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2019/toy-hauler/momentum

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Moved from a 5th wheel to a Super C last year. We also looked at Nexus and Dynamax but chose something else. My only suggestion would be to really think about space. The Super C has much less than class A and pulling a trailer (while aleviating the storage shortfall in a Super C) can be a real hassle in rv parks (finding a site long enough, hitching and unhitching if you need to store the trailer off your site.). If you went with a class A you have room for tools etc and could tow a pickup with the cycle in the bed. Everyone had different needs and anything will work, I’m just giving you something to consider.

LarryW21 · RV-Dreams Family Member

“hopefully some solar power to not have to run the generator every day.”

Change your thoughts on solar! Without a residential fridge or a need for air conditioning there shouldn’t be any requirement for a generator most days. A sufficient solar system will recharge the batteries. For me 45 days of camping and counting....no generator use. I do exercise it weekly under load however.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

arcaguy wrote:
OK everyone, here's the story. I'm new here. I'm going to retire in a couple of years and my wife and I are going to full time in an RV for the next ten years or so, or until I can't drive it any more. The question I have is, what should we buy? As I have a motorcycle I don't intend to give up and we need a toad I will be pulling a trailer that will hold both. I will get the smallest 4 wheel drive vehicle I can find (think older jeep CJ5/7) and have it, the bike, and my tools in the trailer. This relatively large trailer (10,000 to 12,000 lbs.) has led me to think I need a diesel with at least 800 ft. lbs of torque. My research to date has been to tour the Thor and Tiffin plants. Frankly I wasn't impressed in a good sort of way. Their class A's don't have any significant structure above the frame (think steel here) and if they were to get upside down I'm pretty sure the results would be fatal for my wife and me. This has led me to look at super C coaches as they have commercial truck cabs. I also think that service would be easier to find for a super C as they are just trucks with the box replaced by a coach. The only models I can find are the Dyanmax and Nexus. Right now the Nexus Ghost is looking like the winner due to the right combination of power and coach features, but who knows what the next couple of years will bring.
Our needs will be sleeping quarters for my wife and me and maybe a couple extra beds for our grand children and kids on occasion, but very occasionally. The next requirement is at least a 2 way refrigerator so we can boondock for relatively short periods of time, hopefully some solar power to not have to run the generator every day. Other than the above, most coaches, frankly, have way too much stuff for our tastes, but it comes with the coach so I guess we'll have to take it. My wife is also fairly insistent on a washer and dryer. I'm thinking discreet units but I'd like to hear what others have to say.
What I would also like to know are:
1. Any experiences with Dynamax or Nexus RVs (I've read the Nexus thread on this board and will take that into consideration).
2. Any other Super C motorhomes built on a medium truck chassis? (think diesel power and 22.5 in. tires)
3. Any Class A motorhomes that have something more than fiberglass in the ****pit area?
4. Any suggestions/ideas on what to absolutely have/not have in a coach.
5. Any suggestions regarding the pros and cons of a propane oven for baking?
6. Since I can't find a Super C with an outside kitchen. Does anyone make one? How hard are they to build (I'm really, really handy)? The Nexus Ghost does have a fold down table in the rear.
7. Any other things I need/don't need that I've forgotten.
Thanks in advance for all of your help.

-- Edited by arcaguy on Tuesday 24th of April 2018 07:01:13 PM

-- Edited by arcaguy on Tuesday 24th of April 2018 07:20:41 PM

This is but one of the many reasons why we went 5th wheel ... but a super C based on a Volvo class 8 truck would offer superior crash protection for the occupants. Most Class A's don't even have airbags, and for sure you'll be the first to arrive at any sort of front end collision. It's a very touchy subject and don't be surprised if you get "flamed' for stating the obvious.

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Igotjam - you said you went with something else - care to share what?

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

arcaguy wrote:
Igotjam - you said you went with something else - care to share what?

Dave,

You might click on Igotjam's username to look at his profile. He lists his past and present RV's there.

Terry

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yep, I figured that out just after I posted the above. I now have 3 super Cs to consider.

Gettingalong · RV-Dreams Community Member

We are considering a Nexus Viper25v would anyone give opinion?

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gettingalong wrote:
We are considering a Nexus Viper25v would anyone give opinion?

Nancy,

I think that unit is a little small for 2 people simply from a mental health perspective for full-time or snowbird use. For vacations it would be great.

For one person it might be adequate if:

1. It has sufficient carrying capacity. I recommend at least 3,000 lbs for 2 people - more if you like to boondock a lot, carry lots of water, add solar, batteries, etc., which we find ourselves doing nearly 75-80% of the time.

2. If you do plan to boondock or stay in dry forest service or COE parks and not stay exclusively in FHU RV parks the tank capacities are marginal at best. Both of us generally go through 100+ gallons of water in 2 weeks (the limit for BLM and most forest service land). So in addition to our 90 gallon fresh tank we carry another 10 gallons of water in our toad. This will completely fill both 50 gallon waste tanks.

Chip

Gettingalong · RV-Dreams Community Member

Chip, thank you for the information. There is certainly quiet a lot of learning we need to do before a purchase. Thank you again

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

Nancy, it sounds like you are where we were eight years ago. (WOW, has it been that long?!) We started talking about full-timing, decided we liked the idea and started asking more questions. Nothing told us no, so we went on to the next step: what sort of RV? Again, we talked to lots of people about why they chose that TYPE of RV - not why they chose that brand. Once we got used to the idea that something would tow something else it was a little easier. Then we started focusing on brands, and I joined several brand-specific forums. We finally had a short list of coaches that would suit us as far as floor plans, brands, and price. We decided to look at the one closest to us (only 300 miles away) and we liked it. Made an offer, and a few weeks later drove it home. That was March, 2013. We're still driving it.

I'm sure that people got tired of all of my questions, but I kept telling myself that I'd rather ask a thousand questions before writing a large check than asking one question a thousand times after writing that large check.