Does size matter?

[C5c5]

I am also solo and definitely could have been happy in anything 30 foot +. I ended up with a 38 foot Class A because of my furry family that goes with me.

If you have pets or plan on it, I believe the largest one you can get for your budget is best.

And if you regret or do not care for the bigger RV, you can always downsize.

[NXR]

I have not heard gas or diesel mentioned in the context of length. Our 38' gas is actually 32' inside from the rear wall to the back of the engine doghouse. So we lose about 6' due to the front engine. I've been in a few 38' diesels at shows and they felt a lot longer inside but I never measured one.

Another consideration is that the storage space underneath in a diesel is far larger but that may not be a consideration for you. For example, we could carry our bikes underneath if we had a diesel.

FWIW,

Ray

[Mtn. Lion]

Originally Posted by saddlesore

We had a smaller 34' non slide gas class A..meh..didn't give enough room for a couple of features we needed..And the quality/design/4 season abilities/storage sucked in so many ways...

So went to our single slide 40' tag rig.. have ample room for one or two people and has the much larger tanks, solid fiberglass roof, enough storage inside and out, big shower, open toilet area (ADA compliant) 12.5 Diesel generator and AquaHot, dual pane windows, and a washer + dryer.. (Even being solo.. the W/D will be handy)

Next is just my 1.5 cents worth of observations based on past experience..take it for what you paid for it..


You Do Not Know......What You Do Not Know..

Your 1st coach is simply a learning tool..
When You tour/view "In Person" any perspective coach..
View it First with all slides retracted, then shuck your shoes and do a dry run in the shower, sit on the throne, lay on the bed,study the galley(enough counter room/pantry space/pots& pans storage?)Do You have access to all these with slide retracted???
If the coach is fully usable without the slides extended, then give it a second look.
(Think wally-docking,rest areas,truckstops...any where that you cannot/do not have room for the slides to be extended) In Your case ..possibly dry camping in the back lot of your employer's building??

BUY USED! & buy one with everything you "think" you want and will need..
IF the perspective coach seems a bit small but still "DO-Able" .......REMEMBER!!!
What seemed small... becomes unbearably TINY after being Coop'd up" for a week or more due to weather...
(AKA.....Cabin Fever)
And.... You WILL make mistakes and have booboo's We all have.....(sometimes more than twice..)
Within a year or less, you will discover..about the RV

What you love about the RV...
What you can kinda-sorta tolerate with the RV..
And what you absolutely hate about that !@#$%^%$#@! RV.
Then you can go get what you should have gotten in the first place..
Happy Hunting

I've never owned a coach so I'm wondering, why is there resistance opening the slides to take a shower, nap, use the head, etc?

[Doug427]

We sort of backed into a 43' DP. I wanted diesel. After much study and learning, I decided I wanted a tag axle. I wanted a 2000-2007 build for what I believe is the best quality builds available at reasonable cost. I wanted a top quality brand (Newmar, Tiffen, Monoco, etc). I had a budget set. That kind of narrows things down to a 42'-43', which was the size available in those years that checked all the boxes. I ended up with what I believe to be a nice, well built and comfortable 2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 43' DP. It's just my wife and I, but we have no desire at all for "roughing it". We want to see beautiful places comfortable and safely. This rig checks all the boxes.

[paul65k]

36' Alpine Coach.................... Nuff said

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by Mtn. Lion

I've never owned a coach so I'm wondering, why is there resistance opening the slides to take a shower, nap, use the head, etc?

We "camp" in a few fishing holes that trees/brush prevent the extending the slides, also I feel it is not appropriate to extend slides while spending a nite or two in a truckstop, rest area or a Walmart parking lot..

Also the DW sometimes when we are traveling needs to lay down for an hour or two..and having the full use of the coach while underway She can go use the bedroom without having to crawl over anything, go potty or grab a RC Cola & a Moon Pie out of the fridge.
It is handy without having to find a spot to pull over/park and extend the slides.
The only thing blocked by the slide when it is retracted is the China Hutch.
Interior Pic's of coach with the slide retracted.

[Jeff_M]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I'm 99.9% sure I'm going with a DP. I'll have to walk through a few floorplans to see what I like and don't like. And that will give me an idea of size that best fits what I need. Since I'll be working for a few years as I travel, I'll need some space to set up laptops and such. And having too much space is better than not enough. 40ft seems to work with the amount of storage and all. Someone mentioned do I need the extra 1/2 bath. I don't, but if one is in there, I could see using it if I have any company over. Same with an extra bed if I run into any friends that want to tag along for a while.

I plan on doing a lot of photography as time goes by and have a fairly decent telescope for nighttime nebula pictures. So having extra basement space will help with some of the storage. Still not sure about a tag axle, but that will be decided for me when I find the coach I want. I'll be looking used in the $200k range so it gives me options.

Again, thanks for all the replies. All of you are wonderful!

[Urban Hermit]

Originally Posted by danes-on-tour

Of course size matters. Who wants a small glass of wine ??


Sorry. Couldn't help my self there.


Some campgrounds and State Parks will not allow you in if you are over 40ft. In Arizona (Meza area), if you plan to stay in some of these very nice places, again, above 40ft will limit your choice of spot to chose from.


In my opinion, the best choice is a 40ft MH without a tag axel, because this will get you in almost anywhere, and the tag axel MH is only relevant if your are carrying lots of weight (like the Harley I never got to own ) on the rear end.


That's my 2 Cents, and there will without a doubt be more opinions on this subject.


Stay safe


Pardon my manors: Welcome to the IRV2 forum - the best you could ever ask for.

Or a half-dozen raw oysters. . . I'm hoping a tag axle isn't needed to haul a Harley. I just bought a 36- without, had a major motorcycle carrier mounted, and plan to haul Indian's biggest. So far the extremely knowledgeable installer and the folks at Empire Truck Sales service facility, Freightliner people, have assured me I won't have a problem. (Haven't loaded the bike yet -- went straight into the shop for service; I get it out today.)

[Urban Hermit]

When we started looking for an upgrade from our 1999 gas-powered 34', we noticed that the biggest difference between 30 to 34 and 34 to 38 or so was galley size and whether or not there was a cabinet for a washer/dryer. We wanted the galley space, didn't care about a washer/dryer cabinet but got one anyway in the 36 we chose.


It is my understanding that in some states a commercial driver's license is required for the really big coaches. Somebody knowledgeable chime in on this?

[George Schweikle]

The first criteria to be established !. Everything else is secondary...

Originally Posted by saddlesore

IMPORTANT! KNOW Your Budget!
Find the coach of your dreams, then go back in years until you hit your budget.

[Wrapped]

FLOORPLAN if the layout doesn't work nothing else will matter .

[JohnBoyToo]

Originally Posted by Wrapped

FLOORPLAN if the layout doesn't work nothing else will matter .

Only truer words are
"Buy your third coach first!"
(by then you really know what you want!)

As stated, you don't know what you want yet... you may have an idea, but until you live in one, your ideas COULD change...

we haven't noticed any parking issues with our 43'+ coach, the rear overhangs lets us get into <40' sites.. and the space is great !
oh, there is one issue - it's the one everyone gravitates to when drinks are served !

[rodekyll]

Originally Posted by Urban Hermit

Or a half-dozen raw oysters. . . I'm hoping a tag axle isn't needed to haul a Harley. I just bought a 36- without, had a major motorcycle carrier mounted, and plan to haul Indian's biggest. So far the extremely knowledgeable installer and the folks at Empire Truck Sales service facility, Freightliner people, have assured me I won't have a problem. (Haven't loaded the bike yet -- went straight into the shop for service; I get it out today.)

The math is pretty cut-and-dried for what you can haul with your rig. Did the installation shop show you the numbers, or just the cost?

[RELHUB]

It depends on who you are asking.
A family of 6 will not be happy with a 22 foot MH.
We are a family of 4 and think our 37 foot is OK.
Our friends no children have 21 foot and say perfect for them.