New guy in town

[dslagel]

Just a beginner in this RV game. Still don't own one. globs of literature on what to buy but can't make up my mind. I do know that we want a class C and really leaning towards a diesel on the sprinter frame. Beyond that a giant cry for help. Open to all comments about your brand and why it is the best?

[paddykernahan]

Rent first to assure that you will like living in an RV.

Pick the layout you want.

Go to lots of RV shows and dealers and spend time in each type simulating everything you do including bathroom and shower.

As other have said, try and decide which type of camper you are and match the RV to that style.

We moved up from a pop-up to a class C.
Only two of us so we didn't need the cab over bed.
Did not want to tow a car so opted for a short 22 foot RV.
Wanted simplicity so opted for no slide outs.
No slide out makes breaking down camp much easier. We just unplug electric if we have it and drive away.
Originally wanted a class B but opted for a small class C for higher ground clearance, bigger bathroom, larger tanks and overall roomier feeling.

Found the interior that fit our needs.
Fold down Murphy bed that deploys in one minute.
Large comfortable couch and bright roomy interior.
Only fits two people so I can't take any relatives. 🙂

Take your time and decide what is best for you and your style of camping.

Two one month vacations and never needed a tow vehicle.

[garmp]

Again you have to decide if you are a "tourer" or "destination camper". If you want to plop for a week or so with an occasional trip to a restaurant or scenic site, then a toad is probably the best. As my DW & I are tourers. Two, maybe three days at one spot is the max. We are forever adjusting out route because of an interesting sign or suggestion from another camper. Too many turn arounds to unhitch a toad at each missed turn.
We have a 22" Phoenix Cruiser 2100 and it fits our vagabond still perfectly. But that's our style.

[Mr_Mark1]

Mr. Don (dslagl),

When 'I' got bit by the 'rving' bug (I had a lot of selling to do to the co-pilot), we decided to rent to see what might be the best RV for us and whether or not buying one was in the cards. We ended up renting for about a week each year for three years in a row.

I found a company in California that rented new units. The owner traded them in every year for a new batch so we always got a fresh unit. First, we rented a 31 ft. class C Fleetwood Tioga V-10 with one slide-out, the next year a 38 ft. Fleetwood Expedition diesel with 3 slides then a 38 ft. Fleetwood Expedition diesel with 4 slides.

The next year (January 2007), we ordered a new 2008 42 ft. Monaco Dynasty 4 slide. I felt that the 3 previous rentals gave me a clear perspective on what we needed for the type of camping we wanted to do. We kept the Dynasty for 7.5 yrs. and just shy of 70,000 miles.

In 2014, we ordered the coach in my signature.

Everyone's situation is different. As mentioned by several posters above, think seriously on what type of camping that you want to do and where you want to go. If the unit that you decide on is small enough, you may not have to tow a vehicle. But having a 'dingy' is nice to have for sightseeing, grocery runs or an emergency vehicle if the RV breaks down.

Good luck,
MM.

[Blazing_Zippers]

It sounds like you have a few candles on your cake, and might be ready to head out on adventure. GOOD!
A class C will be easy to drive in the crowded Eastern side of the U.S. They are easy to heat and cool, usually don't need lots of planning to maneuver, as good on gas as a tow vehicle and trailer, and when you arrive, you don't need to spend time outside the rig much. Our buddies have a 30 foot Winnie and it is rally nice.
The insurance will be a bit more then a pick up truck and trailer.
Come on out West and experience places that you can't see another person or building.

[theoldwizard1]

dslagel wrote:
Just a beginner in this RV game. Still don't own one. globs of literature on what to buy but can't make up my mind. I do know that we want a class C and really leaning towards a diesel on the sprinter frame. Beyond that a giant cry for help. Open to all comments about your brand and why it is the best?

I always tell newcomers, start small and start used. Even a "small" Class C is pretty large. When I say used, I mean not more than abiut 5 years old. That is still a huge amount of money for a Class C that you may decide you don't like in a couple of years.

A small travel trailer of hybrid would be good to get your feet wet without going broke.

DownTheAvenue wrote:
Since you are brand new to RVing, I would suggest you rent one first to make sure the life style is what you expect. Cruise America and El Monte RV both rent RVs.

Excellent suggestion !

3-5 day non-holiday weekend not more than 2-4 hours from home.

[DouglasC]

I'll add my 2 cents here. We have been RVing for 32 years and have owned 7 motorhomes. Started with a 19' Winnebago LeSharo in 1986 and eventually got up to a 39' diesel pusher when we were full timing. Then downsized to a 34' Class A and now have had a 28' Class C for over 12 years.

The reason that the RV industry makes so many different sizes and configurations is that it's "different strokes for different folks". That being said, it does make it very difficult for new RVers to decide what's "best" for them. In our case, our needs changed over the years (from weekend RVers to full time and back to short time travlers) and we bought different sizes and types of RV to match our needs at the time.

We have had out current 28' Class C motorhome for so long because we just can't find anything else that we like any better. Strangely enough, the RV industry seems to have forgotten the "mid size" Class C. From what we have seen in the past few years, the choices seem to be the smaller 24'/25' Sprinter models or the longer 30'/32' models built on the Ford E450 chassis.

We think that a 27/28" Class C is a good compromise. We wanted a walk around queen bed in the rear and looked for the shortest Class C that we could find that had that configuration. The difference in having a 3' to 4' shorter CLass C means a shorter wheelbase and much tighter turning radius - - we can make a 180 degree turn at a 4 way intersection on a country road - - something that the longer wheelbase Class Cs cannot do - - and we have done that several times!

We have lived in our 28' Class C for up to 6 months at a time and know that we could full time in it if necessary - - but some folks would certainly find a motorhome that small to be too small for full timing.

In any case, as others have suggested, by all means rent an RV before buying and when buying consider a used unit for your 1st RV. Once you've decided what size and configuration works best for you, you can move up to a new RV.

[dslagel]

Thx to all who answered my very first post. I guess that I should have included more info to consider. I am looking for a class C. There is just two of us and after nearly 50 years together we really have spent alot of time together. The info that all you freely gave was helpful to say the least, especially about the gas/diesel debate. More to come, again thanks to all.

[zcookiemonstar]

There are a lot of people on this site that can give you some great info on all kinds of RV'S. The more info you can give the better info you will get back. What are you looking to spend? How many people? Animals? Do you need to tow with it? Where do you want to go? Do you have a vehicle you could tow a rental camper with? Diesel is nice but if you don't travel long distance or in the mountains it may not be worth the extra money. A lot of people make the mistake of going out and buying a expensive RV only to find out they don't really like it and it just ends up sitting or sold for a big loss. Best advice given go rent some units and see what you do and don't like. Some campgrounds even have trailers on site you could rent so all you have to do is pull up and bring in your clothes and food. There is also a lot of people at the campgrounds who are more then willing to show you what they have and what they like and don't like about it.

[IAMICHABOD]

There are many ways to look for a used RV,don't be in a hurry do a lot of research, Kick some tires,decide which floor plan you can live with.

I have to agree with the others here that renting first to get a real feel and the experience of RVing,that way you will know if you will enjoy the RV Lifestyle.


One of the many avenues to look at is the Former Rental Market

There you will get a good value for your money and a RV that has had proper maintenance.There are 100 owners on that thread and all are happy with their choice.

Enjoy your quest for that perfect RV that will suit your needs and budget.

[kerrlakeRoo]

One more to suggest the rental, but will add a couple things. If 16063 is your home zip and you are not looking at long distance extended travel, you may want to reconsider the other C's.
Being in the NorthEast, Boondocking sites are minimal, most camping is in established facilities. Those locations will usually be laid out for easy access for larger units, yeah the little sprinter will be easy, but in bad weather they can get cramped.
The sprinters are great if you can really minimize and are looking at very frequent travel. The diesels save fuel, but the sizes are somewhat limited. Mostly to 24' models and less.
Most will not have dedicated queen or larger beds, and generally wont have the large cabover bed. For a single or a close couple they can be great economical units but you will be close.
A Small C on a E-350 or 450 such as a BT Cruiser may be a better option. Sizes are a little bigger than the sprinters, most folks with them seem to feel they drive and handle better than the standard C's, and with the slides give good space.

Rent a unit or two, hopefully one as a sprinter, and one as a 25-27' conventional C and get a feel for what may fit for you.

[DownTheAvenue]

Since you are brand new to RVing, I would suggest you rent one first to make sure the life style is what you expect. Cruise America and El Monte RV both rent RVs. Also, another good way to get into RVing is to buy one of their units. Since you are considering a Class C, this strategy would work well for you.

[DrewE]

I'm going to disagree with the assertion that a motorhome requires one to tow something to get around. That depends entirely on how you intend to use the motorhome, and to some extent on how willing you are to drive the motorhome itself around when needed (which is a less inconvenient for smaller motorhomes than larger ones, all other things being equal). I do not tow anything behind my 32' class C motorhome, and have only on quite rare occasions thought it would be useful for me.

If you're going on short trips or will be fairly frequently moving between campsites and so can shop etc. on the way, and don't care to go into town to enjoy the nightlife or whatever every night, then it can be easily practical to use just a motorhome. If you're staying in one spot for an extended period of time, another vehicle is a whole lot more convenient. Many people end up someplace in the middle.

For a beginner, I have a few general suggestions. First off, seriously consider renting a motorhome somewhat similar to what you're thinking of for a week or a couple weekends. It's not cheap, I know, but some actual use will give you a lot of ideas about what you may want to look for, about what sorts of features are handy to you and what to avoid, and generally about what it's like to RV. You may find that it's not your cup of tea after all, in which case you've saved a considerable sum of money over buying something outright.

Second, I would suggest looking at used units as the initial depreciation on a motorhome is rather steep and you may find your initial figuring on what will work for you wasn't quite right. For used motorhomes, by and large, the brand is less important than how well it has been maintained.

Of the main class C chassis, there are some advantages and disadvantages to all of them. Sprinters are reportedly nice to drive, and get relatively decent fuel mileage, but from what I gather can be a bit temperamental and are more costly to repair than the Fords. The E series has been around nearly forever and is solid and easy to get serviced, has a little more capacity than the Sprinter, but is rather less refined overall and a little thirsty for fuel. The transits are more limited in capacity, and the ProMaster very limited in capacity.

In terms of brands, offhand the ones I see consistently rated as the best are Phoenix Cruiser, Coach House, and Lazy Days. I have a twenty year old Coachmen, and at least in that timeframe they built a decent but not extraordinary unit. The fit and finish and interior materials etc. are not always top of the line, but the basic structure and design are sound and decently thought through, and the mechanical systems, electrical, and plumbing constructed and installed in a sensible and workmanlike manner. I can't say whether they're better or worse or much the same now; a good bit can change in a couple of decades.

[gbopp]

donn0128 gave you good advice. Look at everything before you decide. They all have pros and cons. Only you can decide what is the best type RV for your application.
Will you be traveling often or, will you go somewhere and stay a week or longer?
Is it just you or, a spouse and kids? Pets? Think about how it will be used, does the floor plan work for you?
Take your time and do not be in a hurry to buy. And, ask lots of questions before you buy something.
Have fun with your search, use it as a learning experience.

[Lwiddis]

Start the other way. Where do you want to camp? Private parks with full hookups or dry/boondocking in the National forests? Combination? Then you can pick an RV.