|
|
05-07-2014, 06:05 PM
|
#15
|
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 41
|
X2 what Gary said.
You live in it all the time. You only drive it some of the time. If the floor plan doesn't meet your needs you probably will never be happy with the RV no matter how well made it is.
__________________
Steve
97 Beaver Patriot, Cat 3126, Aqua Hot
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
05-07-2014, 07:53 PM
|
#16
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Cosby, Tn
Posts: 6,587
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayAndLin
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your input! I have been enjoying imagining myself, husband, and puppies living in and driving a variety of coaches- gas and dp- on the flats as well as the mountains and have been slowly filtering out things I don't think I would like in either a short-term or full-time basis. The more I learn, the more questions I have! This last is the result of some other reading I was doing.
My brother (who full-times) would tell me to first consider "the bones, the bones" of whatever we choose with the floor plan last. His wife goes first for the floor plan... 'Tis a puzzlement...
Your list is well received- thanks for the input,
Lindsay
|
Lindsay,
It's a puzzlement because both are true. The bones are important because that particular part of the puzzle is not really changeable later. If you go for good bones then you can change many things with an intelligent remodel job. It's not really true that there are gas and diesel coaches that are essentially the same except for the drive train. This only occurs at the top of the gas market and the bottom of the diesel market. Gas coaches top out at about 40' and 26,000 pounds. Diesel coaches go up to 45' and start at 26,000 pounds and go up to over 45,000 pounds. The diesel coach should have 4,000 to 10,000 pounds of cargo capacity and perhaps a tag axle. It's true that you will find people living for extended periods in all sizes and types of RVs. The most important set of decisions you have to make is to lay out your living and traveling requirements and then find an RV that fits.
Steve Ownby
Full time since '07
__________________
Steve Ownby
Full time since 2007
2003 Monaco Signature
|
|
|
05-07-2014, 08:05 PM
|
#17
|
Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Willow Lakes RV & Golf Resort, FL
Posts: 3,163
|
Geez! What Gary and Steve said! Well posted.
__________________
Clay & Pebble
2012 Providence 42 M. Spartan Chassis, 450 ISL
Ford Edge toad, RM All Terrane, TST TPMS, SMI Air Force One, RVM95....
|
|
|
05-07-2014, 08:24 PM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,451
|
Lindsay - When you want to climb Rt 17 going up hill in North Central AZ you will want a lot of horse power and torque. I did this over the last few weeks and can tell you it is a grind. It is easy with our coach.
Mid to higher end diesel pushers are much more nicely appointed than gas coaches. At least the gas ones I have seen.
Most of the other posts have been accurate though.
If you are going to park much of the time a 5th wheel likely makes more sense. Or a nice gasser.
I really like driving our coach. I like the motor being 40' behind me. I like floating on air springs. I liked the fact that last week in 50mph + cross winds I was not terrified. IMHO most lighter coaches would have been scary last week if not dangerous.
__________________
B Bob
Currently Coachless
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
|
|
|
05-07-2014, 08:35 PM
|
#19
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: The Land Of Oz RVM17
Posts: 1,592
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by mel s
Lindsay
That's a fallacy.
IMO, and experience, it's not even a "guideline", (it's pure Bull Spit).
My diesel coach sits for months each year, (sometimes while we live in it and sometimes "in storage"), and has for the 14 years I've owned it.
I have never exersized my coach, other than when I drive it to the next town, (or across the country).
BTW, farm machinery, and construction equipment, (both gas and diesel), sit for months on end each year without being exersized.
IMO most coaches, (either gas or diesel) are great coaches to own/drive/camp/live in.
However if you hope to keep one coach for a lot of years, and log a few miles, (like I have), a diesel might be the best choice.
Good luck with your quest.
Mel
'96 Safari, 132k miles, (105 mine, since '01)
|
Mel, you are so right. Gas or diesel, setting around has no ill effects. Combine or tractor, or a motorhome, they all use the same engines. The worst thing you can do, is start a diesel and let it idle for a while. Even if you let it warm up at high idle, all you are doing is wasting fuel.
|
|
|
05-07-2014, 09:11 PM
|
#20
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Forest River Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,329
|
New spin on gasser vs diesel... Input wanted!
If your full timing or even 1/2 timing you need to ask what are you comfortable with living in first ! I've met people "full timing" in a pop up truck camper and for them it worked great.
What is your comfort level ? As stated diesel starts where gas leaves off in increased load capacity. Load capacity for tile floors . Real wood cabinets. Solid core doors. Just heavier construction walls , partitions etc. and of course load carrying capacity etc etc all those things are needed or not depending on what you want. Is that important or not?
I look at what is my budget ?
What floorplan can we enjoy?
What is the best "bones" as stated I can afford and still be able to do the things I want ..
Knowing the diesel costs more to buy , maintain etc is fine for me
I'll admit that part of my equation is I like the big bus factor, it's just what I've always wanted. I like tile etc etc but that's just me and others are perfectly happy .. Like the people on that pop up who probably wouldn't want to be in my shoes .. But we had a great conversation and enjoyed some laughs together. Find something that fits you push pull and tug a little, look closely and then pull the trigger and buy!! It would be nice to buy once and not look back but I'd bet there are very few on here whose taste haven't changed ( and rigs) with time ;-)
__________________
2023 Coachmen Encore 325SS
|
|
|
05-08-2014, 05:06 AM
|
#21
|
Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 142
|
Floor Plan. Floor Plan. and Floor Plan! It's your house and not a vehicle.
__________________
Chuck n Terri
2017 Heartland Bighorn 3875FB
2016 Chevy 3500 Duramax
|
|
|
05-08-2014, 08:02 AM
|
#22
|
Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 728
|
1. Size of the house. Are you happy with a 36'-38' or 40'-44' Larger requires a diesel.
2. Miles traveled per year. 5,000 or 10,000 plus. More miles go diesel.
3. Years kept. Trade in 5 years or keep 10 plus. Longer get the diesel.
Most important! She likes it!!!!!!!
|
|
|
05-08-2014, 12:49 PM
|
#23
|
Senior Member
Forest River Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Livingston, TX
Posts: 1,088
|
As a DP owner I can give my opinion on a few points - I owned a gasser and after a trip through CO, WY and MT dealing with some pretty challenging grades I got tired really fast of an engine ROARING in my ears and cresting the mountain grade at 20 MPH with my foot through the floorboard....
I quickly realized I needed the power and TORQUE of a DP.... Now I own a DP with 1100 lbs of torque and I can pull most grades at 50 MPH pulling a toad....
In addition, I love having the engine 40' behind me and the air ride is the best.....
Sure, it might cost a little more to maintain a DP but changing the oil every 12-15K miles isn't that bad in the total scheme of things....
Another strong plus for a DP is it's carrying capacity.... Not many gassers can match them....
This is our first DP and we will NEVER go back to a gasser.... This is my honest but correct opinion - lol...
|
|
|
05-08-2014, 06:06 PM
|
#24
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 149
|
Met a diesel engineer from a major truck engine manufacturer he ask me if I had a diesel pusher or gasser I told him gasser, his answer was short and sweet HE SAID GOOD!! I DROVE DIESEL, S ALL MY LIFE FUEL AND MAINTENANCE MUCH MORE.just my 2 cents worth.
|
|
|
05-08-2014, 09:05 PM
|
#25
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 284
|
As soon as they start using gas engines in large commercial vehicles, I will compare operating costs. I agree with some in the fact most people trade in or sell their coaches with less than 80k miles on them cause the rest of the rig is worn out, so the longevity of a diesel is not really taken advantage of. But most gas coaches are not on air ride suspension, or have engine braking.
2013 Palazzo 33.3
|
|
|
05-09-2014, 07:09 AM
|
#26
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 294
|
You are going to full time in it but not travel much. Why overthink the chassis in that situation. Start with the gassers. Can't find a floor plan and fit and finish that you love? Move on to the DPs.
__________________
1998 Bounder 36s V10 F53
|
|
|
05-09-2014, 07:20 AM
|
#27
|
Senior Member
Official iRV2 Sponsor
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,305
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ernest917
As a DP owner I can give my opinion on a few points - I owned a gasser and after a trip through CO, WY and MT dealing with some pretty challenging grades I got tired really fast of an engine ROARING in my ears and cresting the mountain grade at 20 MPH with my foot through the floorboard....
I quickly realized I needed the power and TORQUE of a DP.... Now I own a DP with 1100 lbs of torque and I can pull most grades at 50 MPH pulling a toad....
|
I agree, but it might be worth noting that a lot of today's MH's use the Cummins 6.7L ISB engine which only develops ~800 ft lbs of torque. That engine can develop ~375 HP but it has to rev up to do it.
Presumably due to cost concerns, you have to buy a pretty expensive MH these days to get one with >1100 ft lbs of torque. And you really have to spend a lot to get one with a compression brake rather than just an exhaust brake.
For us that was the real trade-off, less bling in the older MH but more engine.
__________________
Joel (AKA docj)--
RV Technology Specialist
|
|
|
05-09-2014, 08:26 AM
|
#28
|
Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner Carolina Campers
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Wilmington, NC
Posts: 858
|
The answer is obvious; there is no answer
I see this tossed around a lot, many of the assumptions are mostly old wives tales related to things in the past. So many advances have been made in both diesel and gas engine and fuel technology (ethanol aside) that many of the issues are no longer important. You remember the days, maybe, every few thousand miles, points, condensor, plugs, timing adjustment, carburetor cleaning, adjusting idle speed, fuel mixture, new distributor cap, etc..all have gone the way of the 8 track I had in my car back then!
The decision is purely based on facts and circumstances. Me for example, shopping for first motorhome, not full timing, mostly east coast 300 to 600 mile trips, little if any mountains, 2-4 people usually traveling, and since still working maybe 5-10 uses per year. I could not justify the cost of going to a DP, will never get the benefit of the features it would offer in terms of space, hauling capacity, durability (miles), etc.. Also, as first time buyer wanted to keep down overhead, i.e. 6 tires (not 8 or 10), low entry cost and minimal maintenance costs... for me equaled 32-36 gasser, used, then looked for build quality and most features for the money.
Now if I was going to hit the road full time, cross country, Canada, Alaska, etc..THIS WOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT BE THE COACH!
__________________
Tom and Patty
The "Rode Crew"
2012 Itasca Navion J - Sprinter Chassis.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|