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Old 05-12-2014, 06:13 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by macantic View Post
I'm Trying to figure out why it's easier to park/maneuver a "C" than an "A"? Enlighten me oh wise one!
Comparing similar sized A and C models will have similar abilities. The concept though is that As are the large truck chassis models of 40 to 45' and those are vastly harder to drive than the smaller Class Cs which might be as short as 22'.

That is what most people are thinking. Small class A units are somewhat rare though and many people are not aware of their existence.

Do you think a 45' class A is as easy to drive and maneuver as a 25' Class C?
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Old 05-12-2014, 06:26 AM   #16
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My assumption is about height for camping, the c would be easier. Also pulling up to a parking spot at a beach, parallel, the class c would be easier to find a spot. We do plan on an Entegra class A in a few years, was going to be sooner but I decided to go back to work and we will just have time for small trips.
Not just height, but length, weight, and turning circle are major considerations. Once again, this is NOT a class A,B, or C questions but a question of size and to a much lesser extent design.

Here's another concept for you. Which would you rather wash? I've got a good coating of road dirt right now and I'm waiting for rain tomorrow to wash my 25' Class C. I like it to be shiny and new looking. There aren't many places to take an RV to get it washed around here. I can't even reach the windshield from the ground when I need to clean it.

Storage cost is another consideration. Size is what matters, not class.
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Old 05-12-2014, 07:42 AM   #17
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I own a 30' Class C and I did a lot of research between both types before deciding on the rig. First off, there is no wrong choice. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. My first thought was to go for the Class A because I could find them every where on Craigslist for very reasonable prices compared to a smaller sampling of class C's but then 3 major 'discoveries' made me lean to the class C.

First, I wanted a weekend warrior as we don't full time or even do more than an occasional full week run at this point. This being my first rig I wanted something big enough to meet that requirement but nothing more. I don't pull a toad and coming from a pop up the class C we chose has been a dream. We still have more space than we fill up at this point.

Second, we don't do RV parks. We camp in state/national parks and a lot of those have limits on how long the rig can be. Truth be told I wanted something closer to a 28' or less for this reason but the deal I cut on the 30' was too good to give up. So far all the places I have gone it hasn't been an issue but there have been a few spots where the fit was tight. With one exception I haven't seen any class A's in these areas. Being in a state park I will say a lot of those roads are tight and the extra width of a class A would make it more challenging to navigate but far from impossible.

Third, and this one may start up a flame war but it was important enough to me to sway my choice, was safety. The class C takes a van chassis (in my case an E-450) that has to pass all the usual safety requirements that your standard personal use vehicle does. The class A being built on a large truck chassis have their own safety requirements but from the research I was doing don't necessarily compare to the class C which will have standard crumple zones, air bags, safety restraints, and even the seats all having to meet their year required safety criteria. The class A will have some of these features incorporated but it is more often manufacturer dependent than a requirement. Seeing a deer strike on a lower zone of a class A front "cap" forcing the owner to have the whole thing replaced was proof enough to me that, being my first rig, I wanted to start with a class C.

Does that mean I won't ever consider a class A though? No. It depends on what I will want out of a rig if/when I move to a newer one. I have looked at some of the shorter class A's and have been mightily tempted but considering I wanted my first rig "gently" used so I could learn the ins and outs I wasn't willing to pay that much at the time.

As far as maneuvering your rig goes though it is going to come down to practice. The shorter the rig the easier it is going to be to get the back end around without having to worry about obstacles but even in tight turns my 30' rig has done just fine. Those who say class A's are just as easy to maneuver are right as long as you consider the extra width as part of the equation. If you don't mind a few branches rubbing your chassis on occasion you will do just fine.

Remember, these reasons are why I chose a class C. What you need to consider is what you need out of your rig and then what you want. It will always be a personal choice. The only wrong answer is the one you let someone else talk you into. The best way to find out if you have a hard time deciding is the old "test drive".
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Old 05-12-2014, 11:39 AM   #18
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I bought a used class C because I like the looks.

Besides, my class C has stripes and all the class A's I saw had swoops.

I don't like swoops.
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Old 05-12-2014, 12:34 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by elektron View Post
Comparing similar sized A and C models will have similar abilities. The concept though is that As are the large truck chassis models of 40 to 45' and those are vastly harder to drive than the smaller Class Cs which might be as short as 22'.

That is what most people are thinking. Small class A units are somewhat rare though and many people are not aware of their existence.

Do you think a 45' class A is as easy to drive and maneuver as a 25' Class C?
I don't think small class a units are rare at all. There tons of units under 40'. Look at the tiffin breeze, 28' and 32', give or take. I think there's perception that the only class a units available are larger. Now the dealers having them in stock? That's a whole different question. :-)
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Old 05-12-2014, 03:24 PM   #20
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Each class motorhome has advantages and disadvantages. There are also design advantages and disadvantages within the same class. I chose a Class C, (35 foot Dynamax Dynaquest 34XL) for several reasons but primarily for safety: 1. Safety - In the event of a front end collision; 2. Safety for quick egress (if needed) from driver and passenger doors; 3. Ability to have motorhome serviced at any truck repair shop; 4. Greater integrity since chasis, engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, all vehicle electronics, etc are built/installed by a single manufacturer (Freightliner) and crash tested, etc; 5. Better aerodynamic design for lower wind resistance. 5. Power to climb steep inclines, accelerate quickly (if needed), handle a heavy payload or tow. I chose the Dynaquest 34XL especially for it's construction. It is built like a tank on a business class Freightliner M2 heavy chassis with a Cummins ISC 8.3 Diesel engine. The entire rig features welded construction for added strength and integrity. In my case safety an construction were paramount.
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Old 05-12-2014, 03:33 PM   #21
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I have a family of three, me, my wife, and our six year old son, do I need to go further? My boy climbed up in the overhead bunk area, turned the 32 inch flat screen on, pulled the curtain and was in his own personal heaven! He has his space, we have our space and we have our family space, works out nice.
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Old 05-12-2014, 05:14 PM   #22
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Talking

Let's not forget that a quality C is safer than a comparable A, easier to drive and park, easier/cheaper to service, offers more sleeping options, costs less to buy and operate.

Other than that.... (Mrs Lincoln, how did you like the play?)
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Old 05-12-2014, 07:16 PM   #23
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Thank you! That is what I was looking for, actual thought processes
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Old 05-12-2014, 09:06 PM   #24
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I have owned a 2008 National Dolphin 34LX Class A with 22.5 inch tires.
I now have a 26Q Itasca Class C with 16 in tires.

The class A was tougher to drive because it had leaf springs in the front with a straight axle. It was much taller and seemed to rock more when going out of drive way. It was noisier inside the coach when driving because of the slide windows in the cab and the engine location. Another thing you are sitting right on top of the suspension vs behind like a truck or van.

My new class C 26Q is much easier to drive and feel much more like a van. I understand it is 8 feel shorter and that also makes it easier to make u turns or just parking.
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Old 05-14-2014, 08:05 AM   #25
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+1 on the 26Q

We had a B and wanted something with a little more room for camping and trips. We looked at both C's and A's. I wanted as little mechanical problems as I could find and since we are campers, we did not want anything over 30'.

A's we looked at all had slides, motorized steps, were taller to get in and out of, had no front doors like a C cab, no airbags, and would really not fit where we like to camp. The A's in our price range were to say the least poorly constructed inside. After test driving a short A which my wife did not like driving at all we decided a C was more to our liking. We found a C under 27' that was easy to park, had a lot of storage, no slides, and no motorized steps or awning. Perfect for us. If we were living in an RV full time and only staying in RV parks then an A might be more suited to us but for our camping use and price range the C we found is perfect.
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Old 05-14-2014, 06:46 PM   #26
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Just out of curiosity, How many of you have actually driven a class A? A good quality A? I often see these arguments, but I don't know how many have actually driven anything else. It does take a couple trips to get comfortable with a bigger rig. I really do get the closer to the ground thing when it comes to entering/exiting the coach that is a definite plus.

We full-timed in large fifth wheels pulled by a Freightliner MDT for 9 years. When we got off the road, we bought a 37' Allegro Bay (Tiffin) class A. We hated it. After the stability of a fiver, driving the class A was a white knuckle experience and that was with an added aftermarket steering stabilizer. We could barely manage 300 miles a day without being totally exhausted.

As someone else mentioned, the fact that there was nothing in front of that big windshield was a big negative for me. So much that I hated driving it and was very reluctant to spell the other driver.

After a little over a year, we sold it and hung up the keys.

A few years later we were missing RVing so we bought a 23' class C, entry-level unit. It's a 2011 Coachmen Freelander 21QB on a Chevy chassis and we love it! Easy to manouver, good on gas and enough room for two of us and a Toy Poodle to travel. We don't park in one place for more than a day or two, unless we are at an RV club rally, so we don't need a huge interior. The underneath storage compartment is huge and there is plenty of inside storage as well for our needs. Our longest trip is about a month in the summer.

The first year we had it, we didn't even tow a car, but my DH wanted one so we bought a little Chevy Spark that we tow. It's less than half of the listed towing capacity of the motorhome and does not effect mileage.

We have had fifth wheels and a class A and we are really enjoying our class C. We both hare the driving and we are quite pleased with the stability of the Chevy chassis. Yes, we hold on when a big truck passes or the wind is very high, but it's nowhere near as difficult as the big class A was.

Now you know someone who went from a class A to a class C and is extremely happy with the choice.
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Old 05-15-2014, 11:49 AM   #27
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Thanks guys. The main reason I cant pick a MH is the towing capacity. WE found the super C thor and have read all the negatives but this one my DH actually likes a lot. We now need to see if the local dealership has one with the upgraded gen and then see if we like it in person
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Old 05-15-2014, 12:38 PM   #28
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Thanks guys. The main reason I cant pick a MH is the towing capacity. WE found the super C thor and have read all the negatives but this one my DH actually likes a lot. We now need to see if the local dealership has one with the upgraded gen and then see if we like it in person

It boils down to what floats your boat. Remember it is all about going and having a good time and it only matters what makes you feel the most comfortable driving and being in.
We have a 25' Coachman Prism Class C and we came from "B's". We didn't want to have to pull a toad. If I want to go to a restaurant as long as I can back in to a spot I can park in any normal parking spot. Our RV is on a Mercedes sprinter Chassis and no matter how windy it is she tracks like a trooper and we have never had any sway issues and I have been in some gusty weather. I am the wife and I do most of the driving and my DH is my super navigator. He doesn't mind that I drive and actually insists ... he said I might as well because I can drive from any seat ... hummm .
Everyone's taste is different and their needs are different. I like the ease of its maneuverability and being able to access just about any spot any car can.
Winnebago makes a 25' Class "A" VIA that I fell in love with, it was on the same Sprinter Chassis our Coachman was on. I spoke to a man that had one who had traveled all over the United States and did not pull a toad and he said he had no problem parking anywhere with and it handled well and he said his mileage was great for the size (17-18). We did not have the height to fit that in our storage area so we went with the Coachman and can just barely squeak it in. Keeping it inside was a must for us.
There is some good stuff out there that come in all shapes and sizes.
Good Luck
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