Length Consideration

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by MandG-Fun

The one that hopefully prevents you from buying a big mistake because you were blinded by the bright and shiny new toy that some sales guy is telling you won't be here tomorrow if you don't fork over your cash right now.

The cooling off laws there are only cover a salesman coming to you home and you sign the contract there. The dealer might offer that but it's not a law.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

I still say ya need rope lights.

To the OP, do you have rope lights?

RV Mutant 1 to RV Mutant 2:

I was waiting for you to crawl out of your hiding place in your wet bay.

No rope lights. Just ropes. Keeps the snakes away.

Back to the OP: sorry for the off-thread part. I suggest looking at and driving everything even close to what you want. Keep in mind that lots of tall A's get into small spaces. Have a spotter and look in you mirrors. Look UP for stuff.

Check them out with slides out and in. Walk around. Nuff room?

Dave

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by NWLanding

....... One downside that concerns me is the seemingly limited basement storage.

When looking at units - hunt around in the cabinets and closets for the weights - not the one by the drivers seat, but the one that has the cargo carrying capacity on it. Usually you won't find it in a brochure or website (sometimes) but look for it. If ya can't find it, ask if they have it on file in the paperwork. There are units being sold with very little capacity. Fine for a weekend or week or two but not so much for full timing.

Manufacturers don't have a different chassis for every length. The same chassis can be used for a 29 footer to 34 or 35 feet (for example). Then another chassis or two for the DPs. The longer you go on the same chassis the less weight you can carry generally. Even though you say you won't carry much it pays to know what you can carry.

In our case we have 5,500 lbs carrying and 5k towing with 10k total gross (31k + 10k = 41k). Others have more but this worked for us and allows us to travel on the light end vs near capacity or overloaded. I don't have the numbers in front of me but someone once said allow 1,500 lbs per person full time. That may be high or low depending on preference but we will always have lots of extra capacity and room for rope lights. They keep the desert pack rats out of your engine and generator compartments and make margarita time more enjoyable.

So when you think length - think weight. You and Dave will be both be glad I was able to bring along 15 bottles of single malt, and a Vitamix for margaritas when we circle the wagons one day.

Steve and Annie

[NWLanding]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

You and Dave will be both be glad I was able to bring along 15 bottles of single malt, and a Vitamix for margaritas when we circle the wagons one day.

Steve and Annie

You say fifteen bottles of single malt scotch, I say my best new friend. We toured a few distilleries in Scotland and I still smile when I think about the few drams of peaty/smokey/sea salt Port Ellen from the Isle of Isla that passed over our tongues!!

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by NWLanding

You say fifteen bottles of single malt scotch, I say my best new friend. We toured a few distilleries in Scotland and I still smile when I think about the few drams of peaty/smokey/sea salt Port Ellen from the Isle of Isla that passed over our tongues!!

Since it's your thread.... I did a partial inventory (opened bottles) at Christmas. Since then the has been little change as I sip rarely these days but know what I like and want to be there when the desire hits me. It looked then and pretty much now like this.


Can't sell it a garage sale or give to charity so it's going with us when we go full time. I will be charitable on the road.

[bdickson]

Originally Posted by NWLanding

One thing I've noticed is that there seems to be a point at which the most obvious addition to increased length is additional seating and sleeping opportunities. And since it will only be the two of us, and we're limited to only occupying one seat at a time, I think the ~33ft size seems about right (for the moment).

We full timed for over a year in a 29 foot Thor ACE and finally agreed it was too small. Like you, we found that as the coach length goes up, so does the seating/sleeping capacity which, with just two of us, we did not need. We finally found the Thor Challenger 37GT. An inch under 38 feet, but sleeping for only 4 and two of them are on a fold out air mattress type couch. This coach seems to have been designed for two people full timing. Very spacious and comfortable inside, and a massive amount of basement storage. I'd strongly recommend you to take a look at the Challenger line.

[ChileRick]

After three weeks in the 30 foot Winnie, we are ready to find more space. We'd need more square footage to stay out longer.

[bdickson]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

When looking at units - hunt around in the cabinets and closets for the weights - not the one by the drivers seat, but the one that has the cargo carrying capacity on it. Usually you won't find it in a brochure or website (sometimes) but look for it. If ya can't find it, ask if they have it on file in the paperwork. There are units being sold with very little capacity. Fine for a weekend or week or two but not so much for full timing.Steve and Annie

Thor puts the CCC on a yellow sticker on the inside surface of the screen door. CCC cannot be quoted in brochures since it is individual to the particular coach because it is dependent on what options are installed. A washer/dryer for instance would reduce CCC by several hundred pounds.

fwiw I have heard quotes that for two people full timing, 3,000 pounds is a minimum CCC.

[flaggship1]

I have seen the capacity listed for some Class As and others in the annual RV buyers guide - admittedly it's the as sold capacity. Options would certainly reduce capacity - just as having people weighing more or less than the standard - what is it again 154 lbs / person varries in practice. You're on point with the manufactures stated reason for not posting it but I don't buy it for a second. You can do the math and get in the ballpark otherwise there would be no way to post it after options are added. What was their starting place to deduct from? They could post it if they wanted to with an asterisk. I think it's more a matter of rolling units off the line with miserably low capacity, suitable for a weekend at best and overloaded for anything longer. People make the mistake of buying them and complain about the handeling - not realizing they're overloaded. They figure it out when it's too late and either move up or are soured by the exoerience and give up. JMHO

I do agree on the 1,500 lbs per person fulltiming as a baseline. The tools I have and things we carry now in prep for full-time are heavy!
Steve

[ARTWERKE]

We had a 28' Class A for 8 yrs, Bought a 30' it seemed so much larger. This yr. we opted to get a used DP to retire with. 38-40 ft. was just about all we could find. Bought a 38' we just love it. my 1st apt. wasn't this big, or as nice. What ever you choose, enjoy it.

[NWLanding]

Originally Posted by bdickson

...the Thor Challenger 37GT. An inch under 38 feet, but sleeping for only 4 and two of them are on a fold out air mattress type couch. This coach seems to have been designed for two people full timing. Very spacious and comfortable inside, and a massive amount of basement storage. I'd strongly recommend you to take a look at the Challenger line.

I just checked this out. Very unique floor plan, I think we'd really like the galley.
With the slides in, how's the passage back to the bath, and how much of the kitchen is accessible?

Thanks

[NWLanding]

Originally Posted by ARTWERKE

We had a 28' Class A for 8 yrs, Bought a 30' it seemed so much larger. This yr. we opted to get a used DP to retire with. 38-40 ft. was just about all we could find. Bought a 38' we just love it. my 1st apt. wasn't this big, or as nice. What ever you choose, enjoy it.

This is good to hear. In total, everyone's posts on this thread are helping us develop a better perspective.

Thanks

[jimmyjnr]

Pretty sure the winnebago 33 is actually 35ft , so maybe consider other models listed as 36 ft for comparison

[Bobog]

Another floor plan thing to consider: can you live for a day or two in a prospective rig when the slides are in? You may find yourselves in a narrow site where the slide(s) on one or both sides must stay in. Can you still get to the bathroom? Or open the fridge?

We have had 31' and 35' non-slide class A rigs and now have a 35' with 2 slides. Our current rig feels twice as large as our previous 35' non-slide rig. I think the shorter your rig, the more you'll appreciate big slides.

After 35 years of RVing, I find we tend to take about 1,000 lbs of stuff each. Of course this includes beer . . .