Vintage48
White Pine TN. 37860
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Joined: 10/03/2004
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great article, wish we had the info when we bought last june. first timers and going full time in feb. 05
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tx_maniac
Allen, TX
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Joined: 09/10/2003
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I really enjoyed your post. My wife and I have been looking at RVs in preparation for retiring in a couple of years. I have been plagued with the decision: diesel or gas. I have a diesel truck and tractor and had always thought I would prefer a diesel coach. However, at a recent RV show, a salesman told me that he didn't think diesels were cost-effective for a less than full-time traveler. We intend to take long trips returning to base. What's your opinion?
thanks
Mike and Joanne
Mike and Joanne Patrick
2011 Thor Tuscany 40LX DP
2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
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audreyh1
Kerrville, TX
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Joined: 10/04/2004
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Hi JohnnyT!
We are first time motorhome buyers, and I found your article very good and worthwhile reading (yes, the whole thing - don't know why a buyer would "lose interest" considering how much money they are about to send down the drain.....). Your work is very much appreciated by us - thanks for the contribution.
We have read several articles including the RV Consumer Group excellent how to RV buying guide as well as the great rversonline.com articles, so consider yourself up there with the best of them!
We are trying to buy our final motorhome the first time around. We are determined to skip the expensive "intermediate" steps - don't want to "trade up". Since we are going from a house plus RVing part-time in a tiny trailer to a fulltime (selling the house!) motorhome, this is a big leap for us, but we are becoming increasingly confident we can do it.
Reviewing HOW you are going to use the vehicle has indeed turned out to be the key issue for us, and you touch on that point very clearly. For example, we finally realized that workspace in the living area is extremely important (we do a lot of work with two computers plus a printer for art prints) and many motorhome models don't address this at all.
Another thing is my husband is 6'3" in bare feet. Beds shorter than 78 inches, and interior height shorter than 6'7" are simply not livable for us - no matter how good the quality of the coach.
Of course fulltiming issues like needing sufficient storage and cargo carrying capacity, thermal windows, really good insulation, even heated storage bays have been major considerations. The fact that we usually camp without sewer hookup and sometimes no hookups at all also puts tank capacities and functioning well without shore power high on our list.
The first thing we tried to decide was length. What length had the CCC and storage for fulltiming yet small enough to still fit in some public campgrounds? Originally we had thought 32-34ft maybe. At that size it seemed like gas might be the way to go, but CCC seemed pretty limited in the gas models. Plus realizing that we might be driving a lot we decided we had better consider a diesel pusher. We find ourself now at 36ft primarily due to drivability issues. We know a lot more now about drivability of motorhomes than when we started, and it has risen to near the top of our most important criteria.
Of course it ultimately comes down to budget. If you can't afford it new, you have to try to find what you want used. But whichever way you gotta find the right coach for you.
Well, we are just now at the point where we will start inspecting our "candidate coaches" first hand in greater detail (have already done some preliminary walkthroughs at an RV show), do some test driving, scrutinize the dealers, then factories. So we still have a ways to go!!!
Thanks again for your effort.
Audrey
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2006 Alpine Coach 36ft DP
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metalmangler
WV, U.S.A.
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Joined: 06/19/2004
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JohnnyT, you've put together something outstanding here.
Annie43,Quote:"...Because it has no slides, we expect it would not be easy to sell in future and we would plan to keep it for a long time..."
Slides fail. Old slides are more likely to fail than new ones. There are plenty of people out there who don't want any slides and will not buy a MH that has any. Don't let anyone talk-down the value of your MH because it has no slides--except to your back as you WALK AWAY from that so-&-so.
tx_maniac, methinks that salesman has a gasser he wants to sell--badly. You're already experienced with Diesel. That's quite a leg-up on aspiring MH-owners who only know what they've heard or read. Periodically, Nanny Fedgov runs out of fingerpaints and modeling-clay for Thaa-CHIL-drun© in GovtSchool, and lets them entertain themselves designing new "Clean-Air®" additives for gasoline. The results are often quite unpleasant unless you're in the business of repairing major fuel-system subassemblies. For obvious reasons this does not happen to Diesel nearly as often. Go with Diesel if you can swing it. I plan to, as soon as I can; I know what I've read about them.
I'm metalmangler and I approved this message ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
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PKay
Metairie, LA, USA
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Joined: 10/07/2004
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Thanks for some very worthwhile information. We are currently looking for our first Class A motorhome (diesel pusher). I owned a 24' Mallard 5th wheel for 7 years and was very comfortable--pulled it by myself with a Chevy 1500 and an 8-year old, now 21!
My husband's disability requires that we purchase something with a smooth ride and the ability to stretch out--hence, a Class A. We borrowed his brother's Monaco but found it extremely bumpy; once he was actually bounced out of the bed on our fabulous Interstate highways from New Orleans to the Chicago area. We recently test drove a Winnebago Journey and Itasca Meridian & found both quite smooth and comfortable, with the appearance of quality construction.
Our research leaves us in between the Cummins 330 or CAT 350 on a 36' Winnebago w/Freightliner Chassis. Of course, he prefers the 39' Vectra, but you have to draw the budget and length line somewhere.
I will be the principal driver, and any thoughts that any of you have about the Winnebago Journey or Itasca Meridian would be helpful, esp. your experience with the differences in power and Winnebago as a manufacturer.
I am quite a newbie and just joined the forum. We enjoy showing dogs and watching our dogs perform in field trials. Thanks for all your help!
Paula (& Bill)
First Time Buyers
& Brittany Lovers
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Snap-on
Las Cruces, NM
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Joined: 10/12/2004
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Try the RV Consumers Guide, It will cost you about $130 but well worth it. They are at www.rv.org.
Phil Farwell
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Don & Connie
East Granby, Connecticut
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Joined: 10/15/2004
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This is a great article for us as new to the motorhome experience. We would like to ask the folks on this forum for their comments as to the size of the motorhome one should purchase. There have been a number of different comments made that anything greater than 35 feet would limit the available camp sites and also limit access to most national parks. Then a comment was made by a sale person that this is a myth. Where is reality in the two sides of this discussion? If your willing to spend the kind of dollars that a motorhome represents the difference in price between a 36 and a 40 foot is not that drastic. Our search so far has steered us towards either a Winnebago Vectra or a Itasca Horizon. Any comments would be most appreciated.
Thanks
Don
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simonw
Walnut Creek, CA
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Joined: 09/27/2004
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PKay
We just traded up from an 03 Itasca 31T to an 04 Winnebago Journey 39K and so far it has been great.
The floorplan is great and the difference between gas and diesel is worlds apart, as is having the engine 36ft behind you instead of 2ft in front.
Unfortunately our Norcold fridge decided to fail after one weekend's use and resetting it did not work. From researching on this forum it seems that this is a common fault and Winnebago/Norcold not fixing this in a recall astounds me.
Simon
2004 Winnebago Journey 39K
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Wantabee
Manchester,New Jersey/Naples,Florida
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Joined: 10/21/2004
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Great information, but I'm not sure if RVing is for me. I've been checking out motor coachs now for 2 years, I love to drive and travel the USA, but how do I go about knowing is this for me before spending big $$$. I read this forum and I think I'd like to do the thing people talk about here. Any input would greatly be appreciated.
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Wantabee
Manchester,New Jersey/Naples,Florida
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Joined: 10/21/2004
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Hoilday Rambler Endeavor has 81" of inside heigth.
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