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01-08-2020, 09:14 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Need recommendations on what length of Class A to buy.
Goal is to go cross country, west coast for up to 3 months at a time (with a toad). Would like to hit state and national parks, nicer resorts and 1-4 day boon docking. I have been out of it for awhile and not sure on what length I should buy. Have park length maximums changed in the last 15 - 20 years? I need some wisdom from you those experienced in the last few years to guide me to a good decision.
I had a 40 ft 1989 Beaver Marquis DP from 2002 - 2010 and went cross country 3 times. Recently retired and ready for another Class A. We need to get out of FL in the Summers. Our Beaver seemed too long for many camp grounds at the time, so maybe shorter this time.
From what I have seen, many gas available at 30-37, DP's at 32-34 are a bit rare with the majority being 38 - 40 which might make State & National Parks an issue(?).
Really liked the DP's but not married to them. I have heard the gas units have gotten a lot better. I want to buy used, $100K or less. I have seen many nice older 38-40 DP's available for a great value, but thinking they might be too long, which leads to gas.
I look forward to any idea's, pro's, con's and recommendations.
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 09:29 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: So Cal Mountains
Posts: 331
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We went from gas to DP for all the usual reasons (ride, noise, power, towing, etc.) and wanted to stay below 36' to fit in almost any "30 foot" sites we frequent. Ended up with our Palazzo 33.2, which is 34' 7" and is just right for all our wants and needs. You may be able to find one that fits your budget.
Best of luck to you!
__________________
2018 Thor Palazzo 33.2
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01-08-2020, 09:48 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Grasonville, MD -- Golden, CO
Posts: 6,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin-Siesta
Goal is to go cross country, west coast for up to 3 months at a time (with a toad). Would like to hit state and national parks, nicer resorts and 1-4 day boondocking. I have been out of it for awhile and not sure on what length I should buy. Have park length maximums changed in the last 15 - 20 years? I need some wisdom from you those experienced in the last few years to guide me to a good decision.
I had a 40 ft 1989 Beaver Marquis DP from 2002 - 2010 and went cross country 3 times. Recently retired and ready for another Class A. We need to get out of FL in the Summers. Our Beaver seemed too long for many campgrounds at the time, so maybe shorter this time.
From what I have seen, many gas available at 30-37, DP's at 32-34 are a bit rare with the majority being 38 - 40 which might make State & National Parks an issue(?).
Really liked the DP's but not married to them. I have heard the gas units have gotten a lot better. I want to buy used, $100K or less. I have seen many nice older 38-40 DP's available for a great value, but thinking they might be too long, which leads to gas.
I look forward to any ideas, pro's, con's and recommendations.
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If you've had a diesel don't even look at Gas unless you don't plan on driving it.
FloorPlan - FloorPlan - FloorPlan - FloorPlan - did I mention the most important thing is the FloorPlan.
For the most part the National Parks are almost impossible to get in in Season. No Matter What the SIZE. So IMHO get the FloorPlan that works.
I'd look at the Diesels at up to $150K and get them to come down and possibly you come up a bit A lot out there, some really nice, but you really need to Focus on the Floor Plan, Work on the list of wants and needs, get a list.
Look over this post for some ideas - http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/our-...ig-474376.html
Will try to follow to see how you do, Thinking you will fall into a good deal.
Best of Luck,
__________________
Busskipper
Location - Grasonville, Maryland - and/or - Superior, Colorado
2005 Travel Supreme 42DS04 - GX470 Toad
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01-08-2020, 10:47 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,951
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Many RV Parks have upgraded in recent years, including State and National Parks. There are many campgrounds that will fit a 40 foot or longer RV. The problem is that each camp ground may only have a few spaces that will fit a Big Rig. Ofter you can back into a smaller space and hang the rear over the tire stop at the back as long as there is no tree or other obstruction. 35 to 40 feet should be no problem.
__________________
2015 Itasca Ellipse 42QD
2017 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock
2011 Harley Davidson CVO Street Glide
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01-08-2020, 11:10 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Thanks for your response. Yes going to gas might be painful and could be regrettable if I went that way. I looked at your link, a lot of good info, access with slides in, is a big consideration for me and the sample layout list is great. I hope this purchase will be long term, so hopefully I will make some years out National Park reservations. I am still unsure about max lengths for a lot of the better state parks and smaller campgrounds. 34 to say 38, not sure. Thanks again for your help.
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 11:13 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Great. Thanks for the feedback.
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 11:17 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Great to know. The 38-40 ft, greatly makes for more options. Thanks
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 11:49 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Branson, MO
Posts: 286
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I weighed the same things you have and wound up buying an older 36 DP. I would do it again. I think one of the things seldom or never mentioned is a person's physical size. I am short as is my wife so the couches on the 36 are adequate in length. The halls are big enough for us as is the bath. If I were tall and large framed I would surely want a much larger coach. One with longer couches and larger bath and BR. Best of luck in your decision.
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01-08-2020, 12:05 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Thanks. After owning a 40ft unit without slides, I'm sure a 36 would be comfortable. Do you or anyone else have a guesstimate of what % of state parks would allow a 36 foot unit? Thanks in advance.
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 12:23 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,637
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In our 16 years of full-timing we stayed in public parks or boondocked almost exclusively. Our 40' motorhome and Jeep fits in the same sites that our 33' 5th wheel and truck did. I would recommend getting what you would be comfortable living in for a long period of time.
Keep in mind that the site length given in the majority of descriptions isn't correct. We often fit in a 35' site with our 40'. We volunteered at Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park and we assigned spots for the incoming reservations. We noticed in walking that there were many more long sites than were on our chart for assigning. We asked if we could go out & measure the sites and include obstacles like rocks or trees in our final recommendation of RV size for the particular sites. We complete the project and the rangers were amazed at how many more additional long sites we found.
We've stayed - without reservations - in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Zion, Bryce, Big Bend, Canyon de Chelly, Canyonlands, Craters of the Moon, Denali's Riley Creek & Teklanika campgrounds, Grand Canyon, etc., etc.
We have also stayed in hundreds of state parks, national forest campgrounds, Corp of Engineers, county and city parks.
No.... you won't fit in every site in every park but you will fit in a lot.
Even a 30' won't fit in every site and in every campground.
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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01-08-2020, 12:31 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Thanks twogypsies, You have traveled and stayed in some great places. I'm jealous. Your experience and thoughts on this matter are great feedback.
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 12:50 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 414
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Need recommendations on what length of Class A to buy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin-Siesta
Goal is to go cross country, west coast for up to 3 months at a time (with a toad). Would like to hit state and national parks, nicer resorts and 1-4 day boon docking. I have been out of it for awhile and not sure on what length I should buy. Have park length maximums changed in the last 15 - 20 years? I need some wisdom from you those experienced in the last few years to guide me to a good decision.
I had a 40 ft 1989 Beaver Marquis DP from 2002 - 2010 and went cross country 3 times. Recently retired and ready for another Class A. We need to get out of FL in the Summers. Our Beaver seemed too long for many camp grounds at the time, so maybe shorter this time.
From what I have seen, many gas available at 30-37, DP's at 32-34 are a bit rare with the majority being 38 - 40 which might make State & National Parks an issue(?).
Really liked the DP's but not married to them. I have heard the gas units have gotten a lot better. I want to buy used, $100K or less. I have seen many nice older 38-40 DP's available for a great value, but thinking they might be too long, which leads to gas.
I look forward to any idea's, pro's, con's and recommendations.
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I have had 3 diesel pusher and last year I bought a 2019 Tiffin Allegro 32SA with the V10 Ford engine. I will not go back to a diesel because this engine has all the power anyone would need. I've was out west in the mountains and it dose not have quite the pull as the diesel but looking at the cost difference in the price of the diesel , cost of fuel, I'm in no hurry to get anywhere, it does just fine. I use to look at the trade in that the diesel has as far as miles on my unit. No more, most people don't put enough miles on their unit to hurt anything. My Opinion
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01-08-2020, 06:03 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 181
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Hi Dennis, Thanks so much for your response.
"I'm in no hurry to get anywhere, it does just fine. I use to look at the trade in that the diesel has as far as miles on my unit."
Can you expand on the last part of that.
Thanks
__________________
1989 Beaver Marquis - Hi-Tech - 40ft - Gillig Chassis
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire - Spartan IFS Chassis - ISL 400
2018 Lincoln MKX - Blue OX - Air Force One
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01-08-2020, 07:41 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: SW Louisiana
Posts: 8,824
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This is just my personal take on things, since buying our current coach in 2016 we have been stayed at all sorts of national, state and municipal park campgrounds, commercial campgrounds, and even a bit of boondocking. Site size has been a real mix, even at just under 30 feet (29' 5" bumper to bumper) we have found ourselves shoehorning into sites, particularly at older campgrounds, particularly in national parks out west. This includes 30 ft sites at Yellowstone in Grant, Canyon and Fishing Bridge campgrounds, all 3 of which were tight to get into, with no extra length due to saplings growing up at the back edge of the pavement. Maybe 1 of the 3 could have fit a coach 1 or 2 feet longer, but I am not sure if such a coach could have made the backing turn to get into the site.
By contrast when we visited the Grand Canyon in October we stayed at a site at Mather Campground which was listed as 27 ft max length, I had scouted out the site on a 360 youtube drive through and was confident we could fit, which we did with plenty of length left over. This pull out loop was a good 75 ft or more long, and would have been great if we had a TOAD along, the issue was making the turn to get into the site, which required backing and cutting once to make the sharp turn. The issue here is out of the sites at Mather campground (which has 31 ft max RV length rule), only a handful could even handle a coach our sizes, many probably would not fit a 24 ft, and some might be a challenge in a 22 ft class C. Of course at the Grand Canyon there is also Trailer Village just 1/2 mile away which has spaces for large RV's.
This story repeats at other places we have been, a national forest campground in southern Wyoming where I have stayed twice comes to mind, about 25 RV sites, of these perhaps 10-11 where my coach would fit, and perhaps 3-4 where a 36-38 ft coach would fit.
__________________
2002 Safari Trek 2830 on P32 Chassis with 8.1L w/ 400 watts solar 420Ah LiFePo4
2017 Jeep Cherokee Overland & 2007 Toyota Yaris TOADs with Even Brake,
Demco Commander tow bar and Blue Ox / Roadmaster base plates
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