Community Forums

M72561 · 10-31-2012, 07:37 AM

My wife and I are ready to start traveling up to 4 months a years and have started looking at RV's. I am looking for opinions on Rv's under 30'. We have looked at the Thor ACE 27.1 floor plan and have been in their 29.1. We really liked the sprinter based smaller Rv's for their gas mileage and cab safety,but think the floor plan may be a little small for day to day living 2 months at a time. We also want to make sure we will not be restricted because of length getting into national parks. If we go with a Class A we will not tow a car but rent one once we are at our destination,we know this may not be cheaper but we don't want to tow all over the country. Any and all input would be appreciated

thanks

wildtoad · 10-31-2012, 07:57 AM

You should have no problems with a 30-33 footer in most state/federal parks. Keep in mind that most federal parks don't have hookups so waste tank sizes might be important to you. Also take a good look at outside storage capacities. The 29.1 you are looking at seems to have the most storage and is only a foot longer than the 27 due to a longer wheel base.

On longer trips we also rent if needed when we get there. Yes it is more expensive but so far it has worked for us. However, you may need to do some real planning as some places we've been to didn't have a car rental place! On more local trips we just the wife just drives her car.

M72561 · 10-31-2012, 07:00 PM

Tom

Thanks for the info

Mark

macnut · 10-31-2012, 09:04 PM

M72561, we purchased the 2013 Itasca Sunstar 26HE in June and have been thrilled with it, taking it out at least monthly, and on one long trip from San Francisco to Portland along the coast. We love the size, as it allowed us to get into Big Basin State Park and we loved camping in the redwoods. The size allows us newbies to feel more comfortable maneuvering in towns and curvy roads. It also has plenty of power and can carry 2,750 pounds of cargo. The storage is amazing with a huge compartment in the back. It comes with extras like automatic hydraulic levelers, 4K generator, 19 foot electric awning, MCD solo shades, powers mirrors, etc. for an amazing price...we paid $69,998! We looked at the Thor ACE, but the furniture was undersized for me (6' 1"), and I wanted a fiberglass roof. I liked the floor plan, however. The only thing I don't like about the sunstar is the mileage....I get about 8 mpg on a tank, going up and down the hills along the coast and the sierra's....would love the mileage of the sprinter, but I also thought it was too small inside. Best wishes on your purchase, and may you be blessed with whatever you choose!

M72561 · 11-01-2012, 08:24 AM

Macnut

Thanks for the great info ,I had checked out Winnebago before and was a fan of the quality and the fiberglass roof. The one concern I have About the A Class is how big the windshield is and how it affects the heating and cooling when temperatures are hot and cold

thanks again

Bubwheat · 11-01-2012, 09:17 AM

...which you may not like, is to buy a nice 5th wheel. Much more livable space for the given footage, and you won't have to worry about Toads or rentals!

macnut · 11-01-2012, 11:13 PM

Yes, it's a very large window up front. We love the panoramic view and have had no problems cooling with the dash air while driving or the roof AC when stopped, but we live in CA and mainly drive along the coast, though we have driven in 90+ degree temperature a few times....

Hermosa · 11-02-2012, 07:44 AM

We like our new Thor A.C.E. 29.2, works well for us. We were looking for used, but everything we saw was just so beat up, faded and not taken care of. I didnt want to buy something I had to work on weekly to get it to a state where I was happy with it. So much junk out there.Just amazed at how people let their stuff go.

As far as the Thor goes, I liked the 29.2 layout, we didn't like the 29.1, so look at the 29.2 if you get a chance. Would have loved to go bigger, but with this one under 30', I think we have more options on where we go and where we can fit. There are some nice class C units out there also.

pumper9x9 · 11-16-2012, 07:39 AM

You will soon have a number of folks singing the praises of various coaches for various reasons. What you have to do is arm yourself with knowledge about coaches and what will fit your need not those of us who give you the advice on what to buy.
Here's a great starting place to arm yourself. rv.org pay what they're asking, it will be the best money you spend on your coach. Read all the material then look at their ratings for various coaches (I have found it to be right on the money) Decided what coaches will work for you. Then go to oodle.com, it searches all over the web, plug in what you want. It will even email you daily updates if you check that box. Beware of deals that sound too good to be true, they are not. Plan on doing some traveling to look at coaches, and take your time to buy one that is right for you.
Good Luck, happy hunting, and have fun

WeatherTodd · 11-16-2012, 09:02 AM

If youre going to be frequently traveling... the bigger the better. 35' will be much more livable than <30'.
One suggestion would be to make the rear bed into a "murphy" style so you can gain some floor space when its not in use. Especially useful when you want a "dressing or changing" room.

Not a Clue · 11-16-2012, 10:32 AM

We have a 2009 Fleetwood Fiesta 29' and we tow a Vue. It is on the Ford F53 Chassis and a V10 engine. We find it works very well for us. The only things that could be better is the Kitchen is very small. There is no inverter, but that can be added if we choose to do so
It has lots of storage, two A/C units, central heating, 85 gallons fresh water tank, not stock.
We plan on full timing in it in a few years.

cj5 jeeper · 11-16-2012, 10:54 AM

Look at Rexhall, they have a 28 with two full side slides. We have owned two Rexhalls, and they are very well built. The company is small enough to work with you to build it with changes to fit you.

Full.Monte · 11-18-2012, 06:16 AM

My wife and I bought a 27.5 ft. class A Tiffin used. The main reason was the basement storage you get in a class A. We came from a truck camper and it was a definite step up. When we looked at dealers, we found a lot of class B and C RV's that had a lot of nice features, but were too small to live in comfortably for 2 months. I was also amazed at how pricey they were compared to the class A we bought from a private party.

George Schweikle · 11-18-2012, 10:41 AM

There are two views to the "size" question, and I am on the side that bigger is not always better. We have traveled 374,000 miles since 1977; with a 24 ft class C, then 27, 27 and 29 ft class A motorhomes, and never really felt the need for something longer.

We traveled to sports car autocross events with a good friend who always had the longest Pace Arrow and a big trailer. Sometimes, after I maneuvered our rig & trailer in a tight place, my wife would say "Chuck could never have done that".

Quote:

Originally Posted by WeatherTodd

If youre going to be frequently traveling... the bigger the better. 35' will be much more livable than <30'.
One suggestion would be to make the rear bed into a "murphy" style so you can gain some floor space when its not in use. Especially useful when you want a "dressing or changing" room.