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Old 12-09-2010, 01:37 PM   #29
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At the risk of starting a war again here

We have owned Class A, Class C and currently a 5er. Hubby says that after trying it all, if you're going to sit for a while, a class A requires that you do maintenance on the engine that just sits, day after day unused. He says that the class C with a toad worked well. But for usable space in a rig, he wouldn't take anything for our fiver.
We chose a 5er for the same reasons. We plan to find a nice place and stay put for 3 - 4 months, then find another place. Plus, I already had the tow vehicle, so that saved us a bunch of money. Hitching/unhitching the 5er is a piece of cake, and towing is a dream (both compared to a TT). We found the 5er's roomier than the MHs (inside). Of course, nothing compares to the massive basement storage of a bus. I totally agree with the part about arriving in the pouring rain and not having to go outside to set up!
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Old 12-14-2010, 06:49 AM   #30
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Ok, so the original question still stands...I'm getting really good feedback and definitely learning some things I hadn't thought about yet. As I'm reading though, I thought I'd add this question. If I go for a Class A, how do I decide whether to choose a gas or a diesel (provided the price for the diesel doesn't automatically rule it out)? I'm aware of some of the pros and cons for both models, but keeping in mind that I want to remain as maintenance free as possible, is one more prone to need to go into the shop? Thoughts please!

BTW, this forum is by far the best forum I've found on the internet. Not for just RV forums, all forums. Thanks for all the input!!!
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Old 12-14-2010, 07:16 AM   #31
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Red,
Hubby who is a truck driver swears by diesel. Costs more up front, wears better in the long run. Our tow vehicle is diesel. If you're going to be in cold climates, there's some maintenance that needs to be done that others here can describe for you.

One more thing about any rig. Don't fool yourself and get one without slides. We did that with our first rig, a Class A Damon Daybreak 30'. Just the two of us and one small dog. How could we go wrong? A three week vacation in it had us realizing the difference slides can make. Our next rig, a Class C, had one slide; huge difference! And now 3 slides in our fiver.

A side note. Here at our campground, there's a couple who started out in a smallish bumper pull travel trailer with no slides, 2 labs, one Jack Russell, and 2 cats. Previously, they'd camped in it while their kids grew up. They lived in this rig fulltime for 2 months and just last week bought themselves a 39' fiver. They're in heaven
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Old 12-14-2010, 08:12 AM   #32
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Red,
If I had the budget you are working with, I would look for a late model class A gas rig, Workhorse or Ford chassis in the $60,000 range. If you decide to go diesel class A, you will be looking at much older rigs. 20K left for a toad will get you something pretty nice. I would suggest something light and more on the utility side. Many here on this forum like the Chevy HHR's.
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Old 12-14-2010, 09:22 AM   #33
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diesel or gas

When we were looking, we were told the diesel's with 85,000 miles were "broken in" and they would go forever practically. Also, they have I think a much larger storage under area than the gas. And they have a larger towing capacity. But you had to match up how much miles you were going to be putting on, lots of traveling would warrant a diesel, less a gas. For me, it was also that I know nothing about diesel's - even as to whom to call. At least I had some idea which repair places could work on a gas Class A. Not that I'm a worrywart (right!) but I have to think about where to get repairs, how far away, etc. Hope this helps.
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Old 12-14-2010, 10:07 AM   #34
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Forgot to mention how long you plan on owning the rig and how many miles you are planning on driving will also factor in. Up to 20k miles per year for 6 years or less go gas. Anything over go diesel. IMHO too many people want the best and buy diesel but don't really use them enough to justify the cost.
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Old 12-18-2010, 11:43 AM   #35
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As you can see, everyone has their own "most important" criteria. So do we.

Number 1 for us is how much stuff we can carry with us. The amount as well as the weight need to be considered. As a general rule, a class A (non FRED(Front Engine Diesel)) diesel will have a greater Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) than a similarly equipped gas Class A.

Number 2 is the floor plan. Its gotta work for you. We spent 2 years looking and saw many fantastic layouts--until you pulled in the slides. Saw several where you couldn't get to the bed, toilet, fridge or any of the other niceties. Others we found the CCC were woefully low, some under 1000 pounds--and that's not anywhere near enough to FT. The coach we ended up with we saw one day and bought it the next. We still say we would be hard pressed to do better (for us).

We tend to look at fuel as a utility rather than, well, fuel. We stay in a place for a week, or two or a month and don't worry too much about mileage--just how much a month for fuel. It works for us.

We looked at 5ers as well as MHs. Lots of good with both. Spend lots of time looking, researching and trying them out. The right one for you will probably stand out from the rest.

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Old 12-19-2010, 03:07 PM   #36
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I highly recommend a 5th wheel.

Reason being is with a MH if the engine or drive train breaks. Your homeless. with MH the value of it depending how much you drive it will drop fast.

Reasons why I prefer 5th wheel, between truck and rv used you can find probably cheaper. You don't like the truck or the rv you can get rid of one or the other. If your tow vechile has issues you can put in shop and still have a place to live.

The only thing I can think of with a 5th wheel where you will have camper issues major ones unliveable is possible a electric issue. Which can happen in a motorhome. Since your by yourself you only have to please your self so any appliance that goes out will be a pain without but Im sure you can manage.

Plus sides of MH you don't have to live rig while traveling for safety reasons. You can have pets that can go around. MH can be harder to get into tight areas. MH would be great in ways. But I think a toy hauler 5th wheel or regular 5th wheel is best in case of serious issues to toy vechile/camper.
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Old 12-20-2010, 04:02 PM   #37
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We started with tents, tent trailer, camper, TT, 5th, and now MH. We lived fulltime in a TT when our kids were teenagers. I was amazed as what we had stuffed in there. We traded it in on a 5th wheel and hated it. It was a Challenger - poorly made, had 3 slides and my hb could not park it. He could put the TT anywhere but never could figure out the 5th wheel. A few times when he would listen to me and slowly back up, it went well. Most of the time he went faster and took forever - makes great park entertainment. We have talked with others and they agree - some will park it easily, others will never get it.

We traded the 5th in for a MH and have never regretted it. It has many advantages that have all been mentioned. I love the storage and riding so high. I do not like when the wind hits you broadside cause there have been times I thought we might go over. My husband has short term memory loss so most of the things needing to be done I have to do. I am learning them and can become overwhelming (inside and outside check list) at first. I am getting use to it and it just takes more time to be ready to leave. We tow a car on a car dolly which takes a little more time than when we pulled one all 4 down, but it is the only way to tow a Prius.

When we were workamping in NH in 2005 there was a single woman working with us that had a 20 ft TT which she pulled with an old Ford Bronco. She also traveled with 4 chihuahuas. You have larger dogs so traveling in a pickup would be cramped for them. MH they could move around, play, sit in the seat and watch where they are going. I would never get an Rv to live in, especially with larger dogs without at least a slide in the living area.

When you find something you may like:

Sit in it, picture yourself living in it;

Try the kitchen area out. many RVs do not come with an oven anymore
opting for convection/micro combo; we gave up a couple drawers
because I wanted an oven and I use it all the time.

Is there place out of the way to put the dog bowls;

Try the shower - can you move around to wash;

Sit on the toilet - is there room there; we like a toilet that drops directly into the black water tank since sensors rarely work and if it clogs you can often clear it through the hole;

As mentioned previously check the walk thur space with slide in - our 5th wheel you could not walk thru it the kitchen/living area when the slides were in.

Do you want a generator? Either make sure it has one or room for one.

Remember - whether old or new, there are bound to be problems. I would go with gas for now until you find out what works for you. You can always go for a diesel later.

Right now is a good time to buy- it is a buyers market for the most part. In this economy our MH dropped $20,000 in value. With spring coming the sales should be on - both at dealers and private.

Let us know what you decide.

Oh, it is true that if the MH breaks down, you are without a home, at least during the daytime. Many repair places will allow you to stay in it at night depending on what needs to be done. A class C engine is easier to work on than a Class A since the engine on an A is inside the coach.
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Old 03-22-2011, 10:27 AM   #38
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Hello all!
We are in much the same state... Trying to decide on our rig. It's down to the 5er or class A. If we go the class A route, we are going to get a car hauler trailer for the toad with a bit of extra space for storage in the front. We really like the aspect of the MH that would allow one to relax on the sofa rather than being stuck in the passenger seat when not driving. But the thoughts of being forced into a hotel for a serious breakdown are intensely unappealing. I guess there is no golden answer.

One question for all you MHers... Do you find your choices limited in "out of the way" campgrounds size wise? We have been to many places where the trees scraped our TT quite hard. I would hate to be pulling in and see a branch hungry for a taste of roof blocking the road.
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Old 03-22-2011, 05:24 PM   #39
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Hello all!
We are in much the same state... Trying to decide on our rig. It's down to the 5er or class A. If we go the class A route, we are going to get a car hauler trailer for the toad with a bit of extra space for storage in the front. We really like the aspect of the MH that would allow one to relax on the sofa rather than being stuck in the passenger seat when not driving. But the thoughts of being forced into a hotel for a serious breakdown are intensely unappealing. I guess there is no golden answer.

One question for all you MHers... Do you find your choices limited in "out of the way" campgrounds size wise? We have been to many places where the trees scraped our TT quite hard. I would hate to be pulling in and see a branch hungry for a taste of roof blocking the road.
Dan & Karen,

A lot depends on how you plan to use your rig, and that may change as you develop your full time style. We started with a 5th wheel 13 years ago and 7 years later went to a MH. We tow a Jeep Liberty and find the hooking and unhooking not a lot of problem. Backing (even when solo) is best helped by remembering GOAL, which stands for "Get Out And Look". I am sure you already know that........so I'll just say that we find the MH convenient and ideal for our cat, and the way we travel. We are careful about where we stay, and have only had one "scrape" in 13 years, and that was my own fault for not walking an unknown approach in a campground before I proceeded.

Have fun!!..............Jim
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Old 03-22-2011, 07:32 PM   #40
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One question for all you MHers... Do you find your choices limited in "out of the way" campgrounds size wise? We have been to many places where the trees scraped our TT quite hard. I would hate to be pulling in and see a branch hungry for a taste of roof blocking the road.
Depends on where you camp. A smaller size will always give you more options, but you can still get out there in a bigger rig. You just need to plan ahead. We're a 40 footer and camp mostly in public spots (State Parks, National Forest etc.). It does take some extra planning and, depending on your size, there will be some spots you can't fit but it can be done.

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