Community Forums

Crasher · 03-16-2018, 10:30 AM

Why not take an extended trip in your current Class A. After several months, you will have a better idea of what you want/need to make the experience more enjoyable. Take your title with you and research along the way for what's available in your price range. Be patient and hold out for that perfect coach just waiting for you to take it home. It might not be a DP

Quincy · 03-16-2018, 12:21 PM

The answer is easy. Most people trade up when they get in to RVing. Which is what you are considering doing now. Buy the biggest most appointed coach your budget will allow. If you are stretching to get into a pusher a gas coach will do fine and be cheaper to operate. If you are healthy enough financially to not worry about care and feeding of the beast then get the pusher and have at it. There will always be something you will wish you had bought so try to get it with the first bite.

Good luck and keep us posted.

vito.a · 03-16-2018, 12:26 PM

Some of the things that are important to us:
Easy to drive and doesn't go wild when passing or being passed by a semi truck.
Side radiator, air ride chassis.
10k trailer capable.
Dependable drive train.
Must not be under powered for the weight. 400hp-1250 ft lbs diesel min, 500hp-1500 ft lbs is better!
Good AC units for southwest US. Two units min, three 15k btu is better!
Dependable refrigerator. (If it has a Norcold, I'll swap it out for a residential.)
Must have Aqua Hot! (unlimited hot water, also heats coach and will warm engine (uses electric, diesel or engine heat).
Nice big windshield for good view.
Comfortable bed. Can swap out original.
Does not have a mini plastic toilet!
At least 2 slide outs for extra space.
Able to walk front to back with slideouts in.
Onan diesel generator.
Inverter.
Hope this helps!

Ivylog · 03-16-2018, 01:39 PM

As a Canadian you will probably spend winters is the south. All I can say is "Buy more MH than you think you need" one more time...NOT LIKE ME. 18 years ago used 36'...16 years ago used single slide 40'... 14 years ago used 04 Dynasty 42'...one week ago 08 HR Navigator 45' and we are only half timers and YES we boondock often in the summer.

X2 on the above post.

Eez Moose · 03-16-2018, 02:39 PM

Thank you all for your input. We are presently looking at a couple of 42 footers and hope we find the ideal one for us soon. We are mulling over everything and we are so super appreciative of everyone's input.

Being we like being in remote places how much solar do you think we'll need for our rambles. Our present unit is close to 1000 watts and we hope to do more on the newer rig.

saddlesore · 03-16-2018, 02:41 PM

We ordered our coach with just one slide (mfg argued that we must have at least 3 to be happy..)NOPE! I did not want a slide in the bedroom or opposing slides in the living room/galley areas..We do most of our camping where one cannot extend the slides.So the main consideration is/was livability without extending any slides (on our coach with the slide retracted the only item blocked is a china hutch)
And I want to always have the bed "ready to go" ...

Barbaraok · 03-16-2018, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy Swede

New or used? Budget?

It would be advantageous to get:

1. Side radiator
2. Jake Bake (engine compression) vs Exhaust Brake.
3. King-size bed if you have a furry friend who likes to sleep with you.
4. Dining table and two chairs + two folding chairs vs a room-hogging dinette booth.
5. Access to refrig, toilet, and bed when driving (slides in).

Unless you see yourselves boondocking a lot, there really is no need for a washer & dryer. Yes, they are handy if you run out of clean undies, but that is about the most you will get in one in a single load. Most campgrounds have laundries with commercial machines. Even small towns usually have a laundromat.

You listed what I’d consider musts, except I would include w/d. I HATE schlepping to laundromats. We are 37 feet long and a good size for us.

Eez Moose · 03-16-2018, 07:25 PM

Another reason to get outta Dodge, or just plain dodge my way out; we had a sewage pump seize this morning in the S & B habitat and I spent just about the whole day hauling the old one out from the effluent tank, cleaning all the joints up and then replacing the submersible pump unit. Talk about a small but potent stinky slinky. Glad I'll never have to do that again. One of the drawbacks of living so far from a town.

I wonder if a small 'stinky slinky' would qualify as something your motor-home don't got but you don't miss?

RVPioneer · 03-16-2018, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eez Moose

Thank you all for your input. We are presently looking at a couple of 42 footers and hope we find the ideal one for us soon. We are mulling over everything and we are so super appreciative of everyone's input.

Being we like being in remote places how much solar do you think we'll need for our rambles. Our present unit is close to 1000 watts and we hope to do more on the newer rig.

We would have to know your energy requirements to offer an answer.

Residential refrigerator or propane?
All electric coach?
Tv’s on all the time?
Microwave useage?
LED’s or incandescents?
Capacity and type of house batteries?
Type and size of inverter/charger?
Park in the sun or in trees?
Pacific NW in the spring or Tucson in the summer?

There are many variables and quite a few people even ones with large solar setups still run the generator for an hour or two every day.

twogypsies · 03-16-2018, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy Swede

New or used? Budget?

It would be advantageous to get:

1. Side radiator
2. Jake Bake (engine compression) vs Exhaust Brake.
3. King-size bed if you have a furry friend who likes to sleep with you.
4. Dining table and two chairs + two folding chairs vs a room-hogging dinette booth.
5. Access to refrig, toilet, and bed when driving (slides in).

Unless you see yourselves boondocking a lot, there really is no need for a washer & dryer. Yes, they are handy if you run out of clean undies, but that is about the most you will get in one in a single load. Most campgrounds have laundries with commercial machines. Even small towns usually have a laundromat.

Totally agree on the above. We never missed a washer/dryer and found it so much easier and faster to get it all done in 1-1/2 hr. every 2 weeks. Besides, we rarely had a sewer hookup.

Another poster mentioned opposing slides can cause issues if you plan to do any forest service campgrounds. That's why we ordered with only two slides and both had to be on the same side.

You asked about solar and said you have 1000w now. Wow! We only had 300w and boondocked/dry camped the majority of our 16 years in the western states though - with more sun.

What it really boils down to is what your needs are and how you plan to stay - RV parks or public parks/boondocking.

TechWriter · 03-16-2018, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

We never missed a washer/dryer and found it so much easier and faster to get it all done in 1-1/2 hr. every 2 weeks.

Who did the laundry?

twogypsies · 03-16-2018, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TechWriter

Who did the laundry?

???

We both normally went into town and did errands while we were there.

guardrail53 · 03-17-2018, 01:03 AM

We did the same thing, ^^^^^^^^^^^ and did not find it too bad! We had to go to town for groceries anyway! I like getting it all done at once, and not having to worry about it? Why we pull a toad, and even before, I did not have too much trouble getting the MH in and out! If we have a W/D, I would have a apt. size stack, and have the room for one in Mona! If I was full time, I would put one in, I think! Rail!

And TechWriter, notice the "We" And if the CG has a laundry, we use it!

Eez Moose · 03-17-2018, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVPioneer

We would have to know your energy requirements to offer an answer.

Residential refrigerator or propane?
All electric coach?
Tv’s on all the time?
Microwave useage?
LED’s or incandescents?
Capacity and type of house batteries?
Type and size of inverter/charger?
Park in the sun or in trees?
Pacific NW in the spring or Tucson in the summer?

There are many variables and quite a few people even ones with large solar setups still run the generator for an hour or two every day.

Residential refrigerator or propane? Propane
All electric coach? Aiming at total 12 volt when ever where ever possible
Tv’s on all the time? TVs Seldom On
Microwave useage? Little Use
LED’s or incandescents? All will be converted to LEDs
Capacity and type of house batteries? Unknown at the moment
Type and size of inverter/charger? Whatever comes in the new machine
Park in the sun or in trees? Usually park where there’s sunshine
Pacific NW in the spring or Tucson in the summer? Will be following proper weather

There are many variables and quite a few people even ones with large solar setups still run the generator for an hour or two every day

We travel in our present unit and can spend over a month boondocking without running the generator while doing the boondock. The only fuel powered time on the batteries was the drive into the nearest town to dump and refill the potable water.