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Old 02-08-2015, 03:56 PM   #1
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Was all set on a Class B+ then saw a Class A

I was all set on a 07 BT Cruiser 5291 on a Ford chassis, had the Rv inspected and everything checked out. Spoke to the seller and they seem like great people, they bought the RV new and kept it in great shape.

Then saw a local listing for a 07 Georgetown 350 bunkhouse model on a Ford chassis, with not much going on this weekend we decided to go and look at it. Wow it was a real nice unit and having bunks would be great as we have two kids ages 11 and 9.

Now I am totally confused, both unit will cost about the same because I would need to spend on airfare and gas getting the BT home. My questions are

1. This being our first RV should we stick with a B+ or is an A ok for us.
2. Will A cost more in maintenance, I saw several post about folks having a hard time finding someone to repair their A
3. We plan to towe a car on a dolly, which is better rv is better equipped
4. I have not seen the BT Cruiser that we are buying but I have seen several used ones for sale and one thing I noticed is that the materials (sofa, tv, carpet, etc.) in the Georgetown seems to be higher grade materials.

What do you guys think, again price wise it's about the same but my wife likes the B+ because of its size and drivability, but like the A for the additional of the bunks. We didn't test drive either yet because of weather.
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Old 02-08-2015, 04:10 PM   #2
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Our 1st RV was a used travel trailer, but that lasted less than a year and we purchased a 07 Hurricane back in 2009. We took our first major trip in the Hurricane to Alaska in 2009 and had a great time. We have since moved to a Monaco diesel pusher. We have never had a problem finding someone to work on the Class A's that we have owned. In 2009 while in Fairbanks, AK we took the Hurricane to the local Ford dealer for a oil change and lube service. They got us in without a problem. in 2010 when we were in eastern Canada we took our coach in for oil change and lube service to the local Ford dealer and they got us right in. They also found a rear axle seal that was leaking and fixed it under warranty. Our local Ford dealer always serviced our Hurricane when we were home. The only service other than oil/lube that we took it to them for was the AC compressor went out on the engine, they got us in and out without a problem.


As for the car on a dolly, you need to first decide what vehicle you are going to pull then look at the specs of the coach for weight and towing. I for one do not ever intend to tow a car on a dolly, it is 4 down for me all the way! We first towed a Ford Escape and now we are towing a Ford Flex.
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Old 02-08-2015, 04:18 PM   #3
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Since both are the same year-model and about the same price, I personally would go with the Class A! What about mileage?
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Old 02-08-2015, 04:26 PM   #4
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Id be very leery of a unit I've never seen in person. And you're comparing apples and oranges between the Class B and a class A. With kids you can't beat the bunkhouse. Converting couches and dinettes to beds is much less attractive than bunks. what about storage? Do you have room at your house or wil you be putting it in a storage yard?

I'm not familiar with the 07 Georgtowns, but we were looking at some newer ones and liked them a lot. We ended up with a diesel about the same size as the Georgtown you're looking at. It's just me, my wife and 6 year old. It doesn't have a bunkhouse but there is a lost bed that drops over the drivers compartment and my daughter loves it up there.
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Old 02-08-2015, 04:31 PM   #5
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Our first MH was a class C with bunk beds. It was a great unit with a lot of room and no slides. The kids were little but with the bunks in the back and our bed over the top up front it was great. We next moved to a 34' gas on the F-53 chassis. That was also a great unit. The kids were gone but we took 10 of us from AR to ME. That's a 2,000 mile trip. That's not something you really want to do very often.

We are now retired and have a 32' WBGO and just the two of us. It's really what you and the DW want and how you are going to travel. Either a C or an A will work.

Getting someone to work on the units is always a chore. I do all of my repairs and service myself. If you are going to own your MH then you should get used to the idea that you are going to work on it. If you don't know how you will/should plan on learning how to do it.

This is a great forum for getting all kinds of help. You will travel better knowing that you have some tools and some abilities to fix some stuff. Then you will learn as you go. Mant times you will find people in CG's that will help as well. We've all been where you are at one time and most are very willing to help. Many of us are on these forums daily and can advise or recommend what you can do in a pinch.

As far as your TOAD. When you travel you'll notice that most pull 4-down. What do you do with the dolly when you get to your CG?? Some use the dolly but most don't. We found a 2002 Honda Civic for under $5,000 and that's what we tow. It is your choice just letting you know what most do.

Good luck and consider getting yourself a good book on RV repairs.

TeJay
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Old 02-08-2015, 04:55 PM   #6
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Making down the sofa and dinette can get tiresome. We did it for grandkids occasionally, but you would need to do it all the time for you kids. The B+ would be easier to drive and get better gas milage (probably) but it doesn't take long to get used to driving a class A. We don't have a problem getting our class A serviced. Most any truck service center can do it. Tire expense would also be less for the B+.
It's not an easy choice unless you have a strong preference. Maybe go smaller to start with.
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Old 02-08-2015, 06:02 PM   #7
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I think the class A


Bunk beds for kids
More room, especially with two kids
Closer to you
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Old 02-08-2015, 07:16 PM   #8
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My main reason for wanting the A is the bunks. As for size the B+ is 30' and the A is 35' so a difference of 5'. I am going to do some measuring to see if I can park a 35' on my side yard if I can't then the A is definitely a no go as I don't want to have to pay for storage.

My wife really doesn't want to drive either but will definitely help on long drives, more than likely she will drive 10-20% of the times when I need a little nap for the most part I will drive a majority if the times.

The Georgetown I looked at was pretty nice inside. I really didn't think of a bunk model because of the price as most A with bunks are in the $50k range and this was the only unit I saw in my price range and it was only an hour away

I would need to fly out and buy the BT but bases on inspections I had done by a local RV dealer they said the unit was in great condition. I don't mind traveling as I'm in the Northeast and prefer buying outside my region.

I'm looking to get into either unit for about $40k, is that in the ballpark or am I paying too much. Both unit have very low miles and low generator hours.
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Old 02-09-2015, 07:21 AM   #9
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agc23.

This stuff is all common sense but perhaps it should be mentioned. I've read many horror stories from people who didn't understand the common sense problems with RV's

Any unit you get will come with it's own issues. Even NEW RV's ranging from 100-K 900-K and up will have problems. The only difference in new and used it the so called warranty. That is also filled with problems as well. Lets say you buy your dream unit but the dealer is 200-1,000 miles away. So after 4 months of use you take it to the dealer with your list. That's great until they have to order parts and then you wait weeks or months. So you decide to have it repaired at a shop closer to you and authorized by the manufacturer. That comes with it's own issues. Sometimes other dealers don't like to work on units that you bought elsewhere. That has been reported here on the forums.

There's no unit that you'll get that won't need fixing. For myself I fix the simple and some of the complicated stuff because I can. That's often easier than going to the dealer.

You have not mentioned your current mechanical abilities. In my post #5 I alluded to you needing to start your RV learning and understanding process. The learning curve is fairly steep but it can be filled with a lot of fun and funny stuff.

I'm 70 years old and a retired automotive instructor with lots and lots of experience. I've worked on WWII airplanes, cars, trucks, motorcycles, built our home and that includes all the block, concrete work, plumbing and wiring. I've build cabinets, furniture, boats, rebuilt engines, car front ends, shortwave radio's and transmitters, ground radar during my AF years. I can work a metal lathe, and weld etc, etc. There's almost nothing that I have not worked on, fixed, studies, etc, etc.

Was I intimidated by the MH?? No!! Are there things on the MH that I don't yet understand, Yes!! Can I find a book and learn it?? Yes!!

I'm not telling you this to impress you. I want you to understand that it is a journey. Get the unit that will fill the needs that you believe you've set up in your mind. Seldom will people want to downsize MH's. Most often they trade to get something bigger. Driving the longer (5') is really no big deal once you settle in and begin the driving. My big rig driving experience was driving a school bus for 25 years. My DW never drives the MH. She has never been comfortable doing that so I do all the driving. She does all the navigating.

Consider it a learning experience. Your kids can also begin the journey. They can each have chores to do and one might be to help Dad get the tools to fix something. Storage in the 35' unit would help with that.

We started with tents, then pop-ups, then a MH. It was great so enjoy.
Both our kids remember all our excursions and they enjoy the camping experience. They each have their own two kids and at this point they all do the camping either with the boy or girl scouts.

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Old 02-09-2015, 07:58 AM   #10
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I currently own both a B+ and a class A. Doesn't everyone need a spare MH?

If you have kids, you should definitely spring for the class A. We started with a 30' Class C in 1998 when the kids were small and by 2003 we were buying a 35' class A as we outgrew the C.

Now that the kids are in their 20's, they use the B+ for their trips as our current class A is a 40' DP that they're still not comfortable driving. Two of my sons have driven that B+ from NJ to CA and back. Great for some young guys heading out on the road but it would be crowded for a family.

If you're wife is 'unwilling' to drive either one, go with the Class A as there is a pretty good chance you will be the solo driver.
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Old 02-09-2015, 09:51 AM   #11
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Just finished measuring the area where I'm going to park the MH and long story short a 35' unit should fit.

If we do go with an A it definitely has to have bunks and this unit is the cheapest one I've seen. I stopped looking when I found the B+ but I just kept an eye out just in case something popped up and when I saw that I could potentially get into an A with bunks for the same money I figured why not take a look at it especially since it was only an hour away.

The B+ is a nice size unit and should fit us fine but having the bunk is definitely nicer.

Since the B+ was not local to use we had an RV dealer inspect the coach and a truck repair center inspected the engine, transmission and chassis, everything checked out great.

With the B+ I would need to add cost of flight and gas to get it home where the A is local to me (an hour away), so from a $ perspective I think the A will cost me $2-3k more....depending on how much the seller is willing to come down on price.
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Old 02-09-2015, 10:12 AM   #12
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FWIW on an 07 you are due for new tires. Plan on it either way unless the current owner changed them.

FWIW2 with two kids I would not even consider a B+. It would be C or A. The extra 5 ft in the A gets you the bunks, a better bathroom, probably a better kitchen and better casual seating with the front seats spun around, or not. ;-) I would also be very concerned about closet space. With decent closets one can hang clothes and put a container in the bottom for underwear if there is no drawer space. With a skimpy "shirt closet" style closets one cannot even hang a shirt. Then there are groceries... ;-)
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Old 02-09-2015, 11:05 AM   #13
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Agree about the storage space and how much we can carry in the B+ as it's 30' with three slides. The B+ has newer tires (2012) and the A definitely need tires (I'm thinking $2k'ish).

So the price difference is really the cost of new tires for the A.
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Old 02-09-2015, 11:26 AM   #14
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Size really does not matter as much as floor plan. We looked at a lot of units this weekend and found that for OUR use that we were happier with a smaller unit than we thought we would need only because the floor plan was more user friendly for us. But then this is what everyone here has told us, first floor plan, then fill in the rest.
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