Got a $200,000 budget. What would you buy?

[plasma800]

Speaking of the "the wild" I think it's VERY INTERESTING what you actually see on the road vs in storage. You might literally want to grab a tent and head out to some campgrounds and just look at peoples units parked. And just about any of them will talk to you about their bus and show you around it i would bet.

[wnytaxman]

One that seems to have been missed is the Forest River Berkshire. The bunk house is a 40 foot rig that comfortably sleeps six and fits within your price range for new after discount. We've had ours for four years and it has been a great unit and we have gotten excellent support from the manufacturer. You may want to check out that one along with some of your other choices.

I know there is a whole group that just loves to push buying a high end antique, but old is still old no matter which way you cut it and things wear out and rot with age, so buyer beware. Sometimes buying old can be substantially more expensive than buying new.

[Kevin-B]

I would buy a top of the line Airstream along with an F250 or F350 (diesel of course).

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by wnytaxman

One that seems to have been missed is the Forest River Berkshire. The bunk house is a 40 foot rig that comfortably sleeps six and fits within your price range for new after discount. We've had ours for four years and it has been a great unit and we have gotten excellent support from the manufacturer. You may want to check out that one along with some of your other choices.

I know there is a whole group that just loves to push buying a high end antique, but old is still old no matter which way you cut it and things wear out and rot with age, so buyer beware. Sometimes buying old can be substantially more expensive than buying new.

Ya know what, you're totally right. Ernest LOVES his Berkshire. I just don't know much about them. But I do see a lot of them!

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by BlakeEatmon

Expanding on uses: Not full time. We have 2 young kids 8 and 4. Football games, Nascar races, Disney, Grand Canyon, Florida Keys etc.

I've been watching this thread and want to step back away from suggestions based on brand. We all have our preferences/prejudices.

Let's go back to basics.

1. Sleeping 6 as a requirement seems to be over kill. Certainly you might have a few times for a couple other kids to tag along but air mattresses work very well for that purpose.

2. How many miles do you plan to drive and how long will you take to cover those? Without knowing your base of operations it looks like you think you will put in lots of miles but many gassers and FREDs can do that well. These models can save significant cash. Certainly DPs of any kind will handle better, drive quieter, be more comfortable than non-DPs but why pay too much for something that will be parked/stored long periods of time?

3. Non-DPs can be gotten in shorter versions that might be beneficial in getting into smaller CGs.

4. DP vs non-DPs do require some investigation. Keep a very close eye on ACTUAL wheel weights. Gassers/FREDs can be challenged in rear axle weight limitations if fully loaded with fuel and water. A family of 4 should be able to find these models with sufficient CCC to meet their needs for trips up to 2 weeks or so. DPs are generally more forgiving with CCC not being normally a problem. Given what I have read, I don't think a DP over 40' or with a tag is needed if you go the DP route. While Newmar makes a 40' MH with a tag, I might look at that carefully because of storage in the basement being compromised with the tag configuration. Keep in mind that many COUPLES successfully live FT in 39-40' units. A family of 4 could probably do well in the same units with some careful planning and proper loading of the storage areas.

5. Concentrate on features that meet YOUR needs. Let's face it, MHs are not all created equal. Consider miles to be driven and time spent in the coach. Lots of miles might give weight to DPs as well as time in the coach for comfort. If you plan to be out and about most of the day and only need sleeping and shower facilities then that might be factored into features.

6. Finally, while there is a saying of buying your last RV first...it seldom really works that way. We started with a gasser thinking it was a long term purchase but in a year we learned much about what we really needed. BUT...our target was FT use and we didn't know what we didn't know. However, that purchase and using it for a year taught us a great deal and helped us pick our current unit. Given your relatively young family, you are certain to find changes in your needs in the future.

If money is no option then go whole hog but for less than $100K you can find some non-DPs that will be a great option for the kind of use I *THINK* you are looking at.

OH...one last thought on CCC and gasser/FREDs. Be very careful with assuming the unit's CCC is fully usable. As an example, my previous Winnebago had over 1800# of published CCC with full water and fuel. The problem was that as we loaded stuff into storage nearly 75% of the weight went to the rear axle. In the end we maxed out the rear axle and still had 500# of GVWR left. So, we really only had 1300# of useful CCC.

[Hogbus]

Motorhome Specialists just listed a 2012 Discovery 40x 7k miles 169K Looks like a good deal

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by Hogbus

Motorhome Specialists just listed a 2012 Discovery 40x 7k miles 169K Looks like a good deal

THAT won't last long. I bet it's gone inside two weeks.

[wnytaxman]

If the OP is curious about the Berkshires, they can go to the Forest River Owners Group forum and see what the owners have to say about their experiences with the unit. Overall I would have to say the satisfaction level has been exceptional.

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

I've been watching this thread and want to step back away from suggestions based on brand. We all have our preferences/prejudices.

Let's go back to basics.

1. Sleeping 6 as a requirement seems to be over kill. Certainly you might have a few times for a couple other kids to tag along but air mattresses work very well for that purpose.

2. How many miles do you plan to drive and how long will you take to cover those? Without knowing your base of operations it looks like you think you will put in lots of miles but many gassers and FREDs can do that well. These models can save significant cash. Certainly DPs of any kind will handle better, drive quieter, be more comfortable than non-DPs but why pay too much for something that will be parked/stored long periods of time?

3. Non-DPs can be gotten in shorter versions that might be beneficial in getting into smaller CGs.

4. DP vs non-DPs do require some investigation. Keep a very close eye on ACTUAL wheel weights. Gassers/FREDs can be challenged in rear axle weight limitations if fully loaded with fuel and water. A family of 4 should be able to find these models with sufficient CCC to meet their needs for trips up to 2 weeks or so. DPs are generally more forgiving with CCC not being normally a problem. Given what I have read, I don't think a DP over 40' or with a tag is needed if you go the DP route. While Newmar makes a 40' MH with a tag, I might look at that carefully because of storage in the basement being compromised with the tag configuration. Keep in mind that many COUPLES successfully live FT in 39-40' units. A family of 4 could probably do well in the same units with some careful planning and proper loading of the storage areas.

5. Concentrate on features that meet YOUR needs. Let's face it, MHs are not all created equal. Consider miles to be driven and time spent in the coach. Lots of miles might give weight to DPs as well as time in the coach for comfort. If you plan to be out and about most of the day and only need sleeping and shower facilities then that might be factored into features.

6. Finally, while there is a saying of buying your last RV first...it seldom really works that way. We started with a gasser thinking it was a long term purchase but in a year we learned much about what we really needed. BUT...our target was FT use and we didn't know what we didn't know. However, that purchase and using it for a year taught us a great deal and helped us pick our current unit. Given your relatively young family, you are certain to find changes in your needs in the future.

If money is no option then go whole hog but for less than $100K you can find some non-DPs that will be a great option for the kind of use I *THINK* you are looking at.

OH...one last thought on CCC and gasser/FREDs. Be very careful with assuming the unit's CCC is fully usable. As an example, my previous Winnebago had over 1800# of published CCC with full water and fuel. The problem was that as we loaded stuff into storage nearly 75% of the weight went to the rear axle. In the end we maxed out the rear axle and still had 500# of GVWR left. So, we really only had 1300# of useful CCC.

I hadn't quite touched on the sleeping arrangements just yet - figured the OP would eventually run across the 4 for dinner comment. Andrea and I pretty committed to the fact that we travel better by ourselves. But i've seen all sorts of arrangements for kids ranging from tents under the dinette to tents outdoors.

You tube is full of families in RV's and how they made arrangements for it to all work out well for everyone.

[BlakeEatmon]

Out of all the forums I've ever been a part of in any arena, this is by far the best with the most information and people's willingness to share their thoughts/experiences. Thanks guys for all of the great feedback!
The sleeping 6 comfortably most of the time is a must. The following will be traveling together:
My mother, my father (60's), Myself and my wife (40's) ,and our 2 children 8 and 4 years old. This is the very most important part to me.
For a new coach, the Newmar Ventana 4037 is the front runner as it stands now, but it is still over my $200,000.00 budget. It just meets the need perfectly from a floorplan prospective and its a really solid brand. Thanks again to all who opened up my eyes to considering a Tag. I'm still very open and continue to search for a used coach as well. Please keep the feedback and information coming. Can't say enough about how much I appreciate it!

[Hogbus]

Originally Posted by plasma800

THAT won't last long. I bet it's gone inside two weeks.

It did not last the day!!

[isellem]

What about a Thor Palazzo 36.1? has quite a bit of sleeping room.

[isellem]

2015 Palazzo Motorhomes: Class A Diesel RV by Thor Motor Coach info on the Thor

[plasma800]

Originally Posted by isellem

what about a thor palazzo 36.1? Has quite a bit of sleeping room.

nonnonononononno