Serious ? for those who prefer Class C's

[MPH]

Originally Posted by GunnyClark

Short to the point - LUV IT!!!

Gunny, this is better than a soap opera, dontcha think?

[wblynch]

i recently saw an older Allegro motorhome that was built on the Chevy Astrovan. Thas is certainly a minivan.

The first RVs go back hundreds or maybe thousands of years. European Gypsies have been living and travelling in them forever. And don't forget America's own Conestoga Wagons...

There were minivans (and microvans?) in Japan in the 1960's.

And there were commercially made class B conversions on Econolines and Chevy Corvair Greenbriar vans by 1961. Certainly well after the first VW conversions appeared. The Greenbriar would be considered a minivan by any standard.

[ksrow]

Originally Posted by SissyBoyBob

I have been considering buying a Class A most recently and have seen some nice ones. But now I'm wondering why not look at Class C's also. I like the idea of sitting up high in a Class A and enjoying the spectacular views when driving, but am wondering why others go with Class C's instead. The insides seem rather equal in floor plans and quality, so why are you a Class C person rather than a Class A one?

Now I understand the reason when you talk about short ones, but I am referring to the longer ones say 30' or so. What are the advantages of a larger Class C over a class A. It seems like the used Class Cs can actually be more expensive than the 10 yr old A's.

So why, how, when, etc of C's over A's. Does ease of use enter into it at all, especially for older less physical people are concerned? What is your take on it all?

Thanks, any and all input would be helpful to me now. Let's take 2 examples of what I like and what has raised these questions:
1. 29' Class C
2. 30' Class A

You might also want to test a B+ we have had A's C's and Campers but our B+ is by far our favorite especially when you look at fuel cost, accessibility, drivability and visibility from within the cab while driving. Our 3/0 diesel gets 15 to 17 MPG with all of the torque you will ever need. It is also very aerodynamic so not much wind sway. Just Sayin........

[Izzyblueye]

Having owned both A & C, I vote for the C (large version). More stable on the road. "If you have the air bags". Crash protection of the front engine, (not guaranteed). Front egress for short stops etc. Make sure you get one with an island bed. The corner bed is abobnomable.

[cjscotty]

Originally Posted by ksrow

You might also want to test a B+ we have had A's C's and Campers but our B+ is by far our favorite especially when you look at fuel cost, accessibility, drivability and visibility from within the cab while driving. Our 3/0 diesel gets 15 to 17 MPG with all of the torque you will ever need. It is also very aerodynamic so not much wind sway. Just Sayin........

We had a gas Ford V10 2003 Trail-Lite 25 ft B+ and loved it, got 12-13 mpg on a V10, the same size in a C would have gotten about 8 mpg or so. Very driveable and aerodynamic. We just traded ours and were going to buy a Winnebago Navion or View B+ but ended up in the B Era. We did drive their B+ and it drove like a dream. I have to say the new 2015 Winnebago designs of their 24V and 24J with the bigger windows over the sink and slight floor plan change to the J are absolutely beautiful! They were $10 to 20K more than the Era so we decided being just 2 of us and only doing mostly long weekends and day trips with only a couple week long a yr, we'll try out a B, but a HUGE fan of the B+'s. Coachmen and Forest River Solera make a more affordable diesel version.

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by cjscotty

We had a gas Ford V10 2003 Trail-Lite 25 ft B+ and loved it, got 12-13 mpg on a V10, the same size in a C would have gotten about 8 mpg or so. Very driveable and aerodynamic. We just traded ours and were going to buy a Winnebago Navion or View B+ but ended up in the B Era. We did drive their B+ and it drove like a dream. I have to say the new 2015 Winnebago designs of their 24V and 24J with the bigger windows over the sink and slight floor plan change to the J are absolutely beautiful! They were $10 to 20K more than the Era so we decided being just 2 of us and only doing mostly long weekends and day trips with only a couple week long a yr, we'll try out a B, but a HUGE fan of the B+'s. Coachmen and Forest River Solera make a more affordable diesel version.

It is interesting to note that Winnebago refers to the View and Navion product lines as Class C motorhomes on their web site and their brochures. Someone should inform them that they have it wrong and that they are actually B+ motorhomes.

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by Izzyblueye

Having owned both A & C, I vote for the C (large version). More stable on the road. "If you have the air bags". Crash protection of the front engine, (not guaranteed). Front egress for short stops etc. Make sure you get one with an island bed. The corner bed is abobnomable.

What kind of class A have you owned that convinces you a C class is "More stable on the road." ?

[wblynch]

Good God, we must always be aware of rhe Class B+ police.

[The Shadow]

Originally Posted by wblynch

Good God, we must always be aware of rhe Class B+ police.

Especially those who don't know a B from a C. They are usually the ones who claim to know the most.

[wblynch]

Yep we gotta have the cops to keep everyone in line.

[DogNPonyshow]

Pros of the C for me in the 30' was two queen beds so if I travel w a friend to dog shows to save $$ we each have our own comfortable sleeping / relaxation space. I also like having cab doors to get in and out vs only one way.

[Izzyblueye]

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

What kind of class A have you owned that convinces you a C class is "More stable on the road." ?

I have owned 7 Class A motor homes and two Class C's. The worst A was the Pace Arrow on the P chassis. However none of the A's I have owned have handled better than the two C's I have owned. Too much sail side area, weight distribution is too critical. On Class A's you are setting ahead of your steering apparatus which just naturally is un-natural. A truck service manager explain the dynamics of that to me. Otherwise I like Class A's just fine especially for their easy access to the living area.

[cjscotty]

Originally Posted by The Shadow

It is interesting to note that Winnebago refers to the View and Navion product lines as Class C motorhomes on their web site and their brochures. Someone should inform them that they have it wrong and that they are actually B+ motorhomes.

That is because the View/Navion WITH the overhead bed ARE C's. WITHOUT the overhead bunk, they are technically a B+ which is a FORM of a C. Not sure why all the aggression about calling them a B+ (warned someone about this in another post) as there is a real difference in their driveability, gas mileage, etc. as they are more aerodynamic and do not have an over cab bunk. Another we looked at was the Coachmen Prism 2150 C and Prism 24J B+ which have the same floor plans, you will see the difference in height in the 2150, the 2150 has more outdoor storage, etc. The 24J is more streamline, no overhead bunk, slightly lower in height which is a plus for us. The gas Nexus is another brand you can compare the ones they call B+ and C's, again lower in height, more aerodynamic, etc. But they are technically a form of a C. But there are differences and knowledgeable salespeople will point this out.

[cjscotty]

Originally Posted by The Shadow

Especially those who don't know a B from a C. They are usually the ones who claim to know the most.

And for the nasty comment to an owner of a B+ (unbelievable) I just traded my B+ in and bought a B so I know the difference between. The B+ is still in my driveway as my ordered B in the color I wanted didn't come in yet. The industry called this version of a C a B+, and there are differences to a regular C as stated above. For some that are not knowledgeable, this really racks their brain as they look more like a C than B. It is important to buyers to know this. It is important to this thread, as some are differentiating their differences in driveability between an A and C, and there is a difference in driveability between a C and B+ also. Knowledge that may help consumers. ALSO, re A's, someone I know owns the newer Winnebago Via and claims to get over 20 mpg in it. It is a little shorter and lower in height and streamline in shape than many A's. We drove one and it drove nice.