Quote:
Originally Posted by revrick3
Thanks to all of you for help, We wont fall into the big money pockets as we have a budget to live on now and after retirement. I am pretty mechanical minded yet I know I wont be able to do engine and trans. work myself nor alot of other things so maintenance and repair are a big concern. I did gas engine repair for years but know nothing about diesel. If I tow a car instead of golfcart, does that move me into the area of needing a diesel? If I go to a 38 or 40 ft. and tow do i need the diesel. If I go with a gas which engine and trans. should I be looking at to tow vehicle. Also which generator is going to be the quietest and most economical, gas, diesal or propane? Thanks for all the help.
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I think you are getting your priorities a bit out of line. It's really not that hard to put all the pieces together once you get out and start looking at MHs that fit within your budget.
We spent last summer educating ourselves, started looking in Sept (thinking we wanted a 40'+ 5er) and ordered our new coach in Dec., taking delivery in March. It is our first RV, 6 trips, 5000 miles so far including a 30 day trip from early July- early Aug. 2 more trips over about 2 months still to come this year. We are planning a 3 month trip west next summer, with month long trips in the spring and fall as well.
We are Extremely happy with our choice, and yes, we spent more than we had planned but got exactly what we wanted. I had no desire to have anything more than a couple years old, nor was I interested in a 40'er (MH) at any price once we got started looking seriously.
Just about any Class A MH will pull 4000#s and not exceed any weight limits.
I still don't get the golf cart thing at campgrounds, it's beyond me. You can't take them on the road to go sightseeing or run errands either (unless you get the big gas powered street legal ones, and in most cases they are not suitable / safe for trips over a few miles locally).
The idea that a diesel MH rides better is genrealy irrelevant too vs. newer higher end gas MHs when you look at time / miles driven vs. the time you are actually using it. (Look at all the big DPs out there that are driven less than 5000 miles / year...... Let's see, drove it for 100 hours a year (50 hour trip south, sit 6 months, 50 how trip north and sit for 6 months). For some reason it keeps coming up, proably because if you look at older units it was more relevant.
Generator fuel should be about 352nd on the list of things to concern yourself with.
Just start looking, and it will all come togeter quickly, including new vs. used, gas vs. diesel (pretty much anything over 38' is going to be diesel, most under 35' gas), and look at units slightly outside your price comfort level too because you may come to the conclusin spending a bit more now you'll get something you really like to begin with and be happy with a lot longer which is going to save you a LOT of money in the long run vs. trading in time and time again, just because you bought something cheap that you really didn't like to begin with.
For budgeting, think 20% off the sticker on a new unit as a starting point. Add in $5000+ of stuff you will want / need; tow set up and outfitting th MH with all the household items you'll want to just keep on the coach.
Good luck!