Community Forums

Piros1 · 10-29-2020, 07:52 AM

Nothing wrong with a gasoline coach but they to have their issues and there has been a lot said about it in this post. The biggest issues for me is a gas coach is very limited in what you can tow. I don’t flat tow, I haul my Jeep on a trailer along with my prospecting equipment among a few other items that there is nit enough room in the basement of the coach. I like my DP and will deal with the restraints that come with it. For me going back to a gas rig would make me not go at all. A gas rig would be to limited on what I can take with me and without tools and toys to enjoy my trip there might as well not be a trip.

radar · 10-29-2020, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by permitwriter

Gas? Diesel? Heck no! How about electric? 1000 HP, 11,500 ft. lb. of torque, 0-60 in 3 seconds.

https://www.gmc.com/electric-truck/hummer-ev Scroll down to the 2nd video for the full story then imagine that powertrain in your next MH (and plenty of charging stations).

Even 4 wheel steering for those tight campgrounds.

If the chassis is made in such a way that you can lift the body off I can see integrators being interested in making something like a 22 foot class B from these or Cybertrucks. These are brutes.

mike625 · 10-29-2020, 07:55 PM

With all the other points that have been made. The one thing that will always keep me in a diesel is that I feel the brakes in a gas RV are overloaded. When we had the gasser, can I get this thing stopped was always on my mind.

no one right answer just have to make the best choice for you.

As for the OP worry about being left on the side of the road with either. The only way to never have that - is to never leave home or roll the dice because RVing is an adventure. Things will always break at the worst times.

wannaclassc · 10-29-2020, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soarak

Here is what is important. I recently went to the Mercedes dealer and I wanted to buy a new SUV, also diesel powered, to my surprise they told me, they no longer bring them to the USA because the EPA forces them to bolt so much extra equipment to achieve proper emission standards that their diesel engines lost their reliability as a result of issues with the extra equipment. I was fairly disappointed to hear that to say the least.

Mercedes never made an RV. Ever. They sold the chassis. The new one includes lane change warning, radar based cruise ,etc.

soarak · 10-30-2020, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannaclassc

Mercedes never made an RV. Ever. They sold the chassis. The new one includes lane change warning, radar based cruise ,etc.

I suggest you read more than once, before you reply. I never said they were. It is the SUV I am talking about.

Johnynorthla · 10-30-2020, 05:56 AM

I had one of each engine, (gas and diesel), now we’re back to a gasser. They all have their plus and minuses, and issues. As i travel up and down the East Coast, I think about this a lot. There are so many new freightliner truckers on the road, as well as other brands, The new diesels with DEF can’t be all that bad. I think the biggest choice for me would be usage. If you’re a weekender and don’t pile on the mileage, gas may be the direction you should go in. But if you plan on putting serious mileage on it, I think a diesel is the way to go. But you need to do just that, use the heck out of it!

RM Art · 10-30-2020, 06:23 AM

There's nothing wrong with big powerful diesel engine that a big wallet can't handle.

There's nothing wrong with a big powerful gas engine that either a big or for most parts even a rather small wallet can't handle.

However: There are many, many other differences... and, those engine differences... are what every RV, truck, boat, SUV, car and other type of vehicle purchaser needs to discern for ownership positions and use-needs.

I recommend thinking it through carefully before purchasing any vehicle with any type of power source [including NG and electric].

rmilewsk · 11-01-2020, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike625

With all the other points that have been made. The one thing that will always keep me in a diesel is that I feel the brakes in a gas RV are overloaded. When we had the gasser, can I get this thing stopped was always on my mind.

no one right answer just have to make the best choice for you.

As for the OP worry about being left on the side of the road with either. The only way to never have that - is to never leave home or roll the dice because RVing is an adventure. Things will always break at the worst times.

Having owned both, I have always been more worried with the diesel. Yes you have an exhaust brake, but the gassers have trailer tow button and trans gears which work the same. I worried about the diesel going down hill because the weight is so much greater. Lot's of momentum to stop. Now uphill, no question that I love the torque of a diesel better.

Goodspike · 11-01-2020, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmilewsk

Yes you have an exhaust brake, but the gassers have trailer tow button and trans gears which work the same.

Not really the same. Similar effect, but I think it's safe to say an exhaust brake will typically have more impact--but not always.

WhippetTaxi · 11-01-2020, 09:53 AM

Now that we recently decided to part with our DP and have ordered a gas powered Tiffin 32 SA, I agree with the OP's conclusions but for slightly different reasons. I love the torque and the quiet ride in the DP, but our issues have been related to the suspension (air bags), leveling system, slide-outs and other things affected by the weight of the unit, not the drivetrain itself. I am hoping the lighter, improved F53 with the 24K chassis and the new 7.3L V8 will work well for most of our travel requirements.

Laserchrome · 11-01-2020, 01:37 PM

This has been a very interesting thread. Never having owned an RV, my wife and I started by looking at info on the internet and thought that a Thor Axis might be what we wanted. After seeing and driving one it just was not right for us.
Over about a year we looked at various units and kept coming back to Tiffin and the 32SA, a really great RV. A few friends encourage me to try a DP. We went to a dealer that had a 32SA and a RED 33AA and drove them back to back. The difference between the units in driveability, noise and comfort was significant for me and I felt more comfortable driving the RED.
Yes, it was a very personal decision and I would have been happy with either but in end spent the extra money and went with the RED 37BA. Looking forward to a lot of fun years, will have it for Christmas!

Mr.Mark · 11-01-2020, 06:58 PM

You will love the RED. My brother has had two.... a 2014 and now a 2020. In between the '14 and '20, he had a '15 Allegro Bus that he bought used in '16, the others bought new.

Unfortunately, the Allegro Bus didn't fit in his RV garage (which he knew) and renting a space just didn't make sense. So, he sold it and went back to a RED and is very happy.

Tiffin is a good company.

Mark

Calson · 11-02-2020, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpstakun

Because the business school bean counters with no technical experience are the ones who make the decisions on vehicle purchases.

Actually the decisions are made based on dollars and sense and not emotion. Many fleet operators are looking forward to all electric rigs as the downtime will be a small fraction of what it is for diesel rigs and when the trucks are in the shop for maintenance they are not making money for the company.

There is also a nationwide shortage of diesel mechanics and this has been the case for many years. With the loss of the unions we lost the apprenticeship programs for the trades.

A couple months ago I sold a heavy duty diesel pickup and the emission controls were not reliable and the problem was the incompetence of the software engineers at General Motors. Logic routines would hit a dead end and then error messages would appear and the engine would go into limp mode with a top speed of 55 mph. It would often take visits to 5 different GM dealers to get a problem fixed.

I hoped to get one of the new Class C motorhomes with the new Dodge Penstar V-6 gas engine but with the pandemic shutdown the available inventory is practically zero. Leisure Vans kind of screwed their customers with the 2020 Wonder that had a Ford diesel engine that Ford had stopped making in 2019. In 2021 they went to a gas engine but there will be no production until 2022.

I bought one of 3 new Winnebago Navion RV's available west of the Rockies and will be flying to pick it up in another state. The day after I bought the Navion the other two I had been considering sold the same day.