dancingypsyspirit
Bay St Lawrence NS Canada
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samven1 wrote:I have been looking for a used C or B+ for about a year now. I dont have any experience with MH but have put more than a few miles on a travel trailer. The trailer was fine as long as there were 2 of us but now that I am alone I worry about the times we got into tight spaces with 45 ft of hinged vehicle and 1 person would not have been able to get it out. So that gets me to my point and question, I am interested in a smaller unit like the 23A or similar and am wondering if the big three will let you rent the unit you are interested in and give you a credit if you buy that unit. It seems like it would be a good way to check out weather I could handle it and learn about any problems with the MH at the same time.
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dancingypsyspirit
Bay St Lawrence NS Canada
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Hi
in April I rented a 19ft Class C from Cruise Am and knew I wanted to be a full time RVer the first night I slept in it.
If you buy one from them, they will credit you for any rentals from them.
So I too have been looking at used Class B+ or Class C units.
I found 19ft too small for living in full time, particularly as I had to climb up to the overcab bed (might be OK now but not when I'm 80!)
I'm looking at about 22-25ft long units that have bed on main level and feel spacious but I don't want slideouts.
I like the style of the class B+ but they are considerably more expensive and it's difficult to find used ones.
My biggest question is for any Canadians. Have you bought an RV in the US? If so, how costly is it to bring across the border? Given the low $Can, it may not save any money to buy one in US.
I was thinking of getting one in Alberta as they have no federal sales tax and Calgary is RV heaven for those looking for one.
After reading several messages, I'm looking at post rentals from Canadream which seems like a very good company.
Also appreciate any advice re paying more for a newer one or less for an older one. The decision seems rather daunting. I hope to have one by the end of Sept.
RV living, here I come!
Maria
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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Joined: 02/23/2010
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samven1 wrote:The carrier weights 80 lbs and the bike is 302 lbs wet so a total of 382 lbs. It is what they call a dual sport which looks like a dirt bike with all the lights and plated for road. I originally bought it for exploring gravel and country roads that I did not want to take the pickup truck down because I can pickup the back end and turn it in its own footprint. I always liked having a backup vehicle when I went into areas were there was poor cell service or looked deserted. As long as I can put a class 3 or 4 hitch on SAFELY I can just add airbags to the rear suspension to take care of sag. I just need to be sure that I dont get too close to GVWR. I always like to leave a good margin of safety and most salespeople will tell you what ever it takes to make the sale.
Not a good idea, to be honest. There is a lot of weight in the back of a 23A. The 23A has a rated towing capacity of 2500# and a 200# maximum tongue weight. You are contemplating almost 400# off the tongue which will make your steer wheels VERY light. I personally would not recommend it.
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samven1
Hedgesville, WV usa
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Mocoondo,
Thank-you, I was not aware of that limitation. I guess I was assuming that it would have a higher tow capacity. I knew some C's had a 3500 lb limit and some could go to 5000 lbs and that was one of the reasons I was looking at smaller units without as much rear overhang. I guess I will have to take the 23a off my possible list.
So the search goes on, if anyone knows of a rental model that has a higher tongue weight and still under 26' please let me know.
Sam
03 Dodge Ram 1500 QC LB Hemi
2015 Four Winds 22E Chevy
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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samven1 wrote:Mocoondo,
Thank-you, I was not aware of that limitation. I guess I was assuming that it would have a higher tow capacity. I knew some C's had a 3500 lb limit and some could go to 5000 lbs
Class C's generally do not have a great deal of towing capacity. As a rule, coaches are heavy to begin with so there is not much excess left once loaded in a normal configuration for traveling. In fact, most people are downright shocked when they have their "loaded for camping" rig weighed. Those who are towing heavier loads with them are likely running outside of manufacturer recommended limitations. This puts a great deal of added wear and tear on the mechanicals and also, subjects the operator to a great deal of liability should an accident occur while operating in excess of manufacturer safe recommendations.
In your case, it is not towing capacity that is the issue, but rather, tongue weight. Hanging something off the tongue that does not touch the ground is 100% tongue weight. Too much tongue weight makes your steer wheels very light. Add a little bit of rain into the equation to slicken the road up and you have the recipe for a potential serious accident.
If you want to safely tow your cycle with a Class C, get a trailer that meets your maximum towing capacity and keeps tongue weight to 10% of your towing capacity and you will be fine.
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Capt.Storm
Brockport NY.
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You can sometimes buy hitches for the front of a rv. Not sure if you could carry 400 lbs up there either. Maybe something to look into though.
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adlereins
Tri-Cities of Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville
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samven1:
You might check this out. I don't know what your budget is but this one looks like it would be a good fit for you.
http://www.elmontervsales.com/class-c/?model=JAMBOREE+SPORT+25G
Take Care,
Al
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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adlereins wrote:samven1:
You might check this out. I don't know what your budget is but this one looks like it would be a good fit for you.
http://www.elmontervsales.com/class-c/?model=JAMBOREE+SPORT+25G
Take Care,
Al
Those might be a better fit for the kind of towing he is considering. Cruise puts their 23A on the E350/V8 chassis whereas it appears El Monte uses the E450/V10 for a similarly situated unit.
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IAMICHABOD
Sunny So Cal
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Joined: 12/12/2011
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Mocoondo wrote:adlereins wrote:samven1:
You might check this out. I don't know what your budget is but this one looks like it would be a good fit for you.
http://www.elmontervsales.com/class-c/?model=JAMBOREE+SPORT+25G
Take Care,
Al
Those might be a better fit for the kind of towing he is considering. Cruise puts their 23A on the E350/V8 chassis whereas it appears El Monte uses the E450/V10 for a similarly situated unit.
This may make it a little easier to see ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
Click Here
2006 TIOGA 26Q CHEVY 6.0 WORKHORSE VORTEC
Former El Monte RV Rental
Retired Teamster Local 692
Buying A Rental Class C
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IAMICHABOD
Sunny So Cal
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adlereins wrote:I'm back. I got my Tioga back from El Monte RV and here is what they did. Removed, balanced and re-installed complete drive shaft (little over $400), removed and repaired frame on jack knife sofa (was bent), repaired kitchen faucet leak, replaced water pump with new one, installed new rubber grommets on stove grate, replaced reefer shelf and filled gas tank!!
That's it for now and any questions about El Monte RV or a high mileage rental purchase, just let me know.
Take Care,
Al
That is good to hear Al it looks like that they took care of you just as they said they would.
I found another person that had good luck with El Monte RV and their Warranty, they seem to come thru. Click Here for that Thread
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