I think the biggest change is with the toad. You no longer have a tow vehicle so have to decide whether to drag a 2nd vehicle along with you. While many Class C rigs can tow a small vehicle, you will be maxing them out. The larger the C, the worse this problem gets.
This is also the biggest positive IMHO. I really enjoy having use of the "house" while traveling down the road. And when you get to the CG. Pull in, place in park, and your done. Hook-ups, leveling, awning, stabilizers, etc. are all things that can be done at your convenience. Set-up is much more a casual ordeal.
87 Mallard Sprinter 24' Class C Ford E350 w/460 gas "The Runny Duck"
Shiny side up, Rubber side down.
We went from a hybrid to a C and them back to a TT. A 30ft class C will be pretty long, the back overhang from the back tire to back bumper may restrict you on sloped surfaces. We found that out trying to back up my in-laws driveway. Also, you will notice that it will be noisy going down the road, no need for CDs! We had a Ford 450 chassis,top-heavy, plenty of power-about 6 mpg! One other thing, when you get to where you're going- no wheels, you'll have to get a rental unless you brought a Toad. And you'll have the expense and maintenance of another motorized vehicle.
Pros: Easy to maneuver
Have access to all of the amenities while going down the road
Easy to park and set up
Can park it on the street if I wish and use it as a 3rd vehicle when necessary
Fits into practically any campground
No worries in the snow
Fully self contained (most trailers don't have a built in generator)
Cons: Have to set up a car to tow depending on your needs
Higher registration (possibly insurance also)
Extra powertrain to maintain
Front cab is not insulated and must be isolated in weather extremes
Can't back up much with car in tow
As far as handling I upgraded the sway bars and shocks for a much improved drive. windy conditions and truck wash could be, well, interesting. Not any more.
We drug our Airstream around for near 20 years. Now have a C. Love it. But just the two of us so have a smaller one. We do not tow but just use it to run around or rent a car if needed.
Takes about 10 min to hook and unhook so not a problem for us. However we lived on sail boats for 10 years and never got to go any place with out untieing and raising sail so just more of the same old stuff for us.
Our class C handles very nice at any freeway speeds we drive it, but we are not out in the fast lane with the 85+ mph cars. Having every thing any time is extra nice. Want to stop any place and cook, microwave, run AC or what ever just push a couple buttons. Down side is my wife seldom lets me drive.
Snowdance
We spent most of our money traveling... Just wasted the rest..
I'd have to suggest careful test driving of the actual vehicle you're considering purchasing. The majority of C's are on the Ford E-series chassis, with a minority on Chevy and a few on MB Sprinter. There are a not-insignificant number of driveability & cab comfort complaints posted here about the Fords. A few have spent $$thousands on getting them right, tho' most aren't that bad.
Jim, "Help wanted: Telepath. You know where to apply."
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison (aka 'Loafer's Glory') www.tigervehicles.com
We have a 27 ft Class C on 2005 Ford E-450 chassis; 6.8L V-10 and 5-spd automatic. No slides. Rig is now 6 years old and has been driven 94K miles; all towing a Jeep Cherokee. Have added better sway bars, shocks and steering stabilizer. On interstates I "run with the trucks"; 65 mph or so. Gets about 8.5 mpg.
Pros: Wife can get lunch and go to bathroom without my having to stop. Interior space is more than adequate for 2 people and enough to entertain friends. Can run genset while in motion and use coach air conditioner if there are friends along. Easier to get into campground sites when the sites are small, wooded, etc. like at many BLM & NFS camps and state parks.
Cons: Cannot backup with a the Jeep on a tow bar. Must be careful where you go. Without slides, interior space is less than a TT or fiver of similar length. We must service, license and insure two vehicles. However, the Jeep is my daily driver.
We travel with friends that have a 30 ft fiver towed by a 2005 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins diesl engine. I can get into and out of many service stations much easier and I don't have to look for stations that have "diesel on the car islands." Even though my friend gets better mileage, our fuel costs per mile are equal.
I would only consider a TT or fiver if we were people that stayed in one place for some period of time. Typically we never stay in one place more than a week.
Pros and cons have been addressed pretty well, but I thought I would address your specific question -- Some C's handle well on the highway, but not all of them. One member here stated that he spent over $3k on his Ford, but he is now quite happy with it. The smaller Fords we tested, along with the View we purchased, all seemed to handle just fine.
I would agree that if you tend to stay in one place for a while,then you might stay with what you already have. OTOH, we have found that we move around a lot, and found that a C works better. We have a 20' trailer too, but we only use it when we stay in one place for a while. This is now rare for us.
Also, since our RV'ing is more touring than staying in one place, we don't have a toad. We see what we want to see during the day, and in the evening we go to a campground and enjoy it for the rest of the day. We leave the next morning, off to enjoy the next day's adventure. Therefore, no need for a toad, or the things that come with them. If you end up with a C, try it without a toad a few times. You might find that you don't need one either.
* This post was
edited 10/08/11 07:20pm by PhilR. *
The smaller Fords we tested, along with the View we purchased, all seemed to handle just fine.
I would agree that if you tend to stay in one place for a while,then you might stay with what you already have. OTOH, we have found that we move around a lot, and found that a C works better. We have a 20' trailer too, but we only use it when we stay in one place for a while. This is now rare for us.
Folks,
I really appreciated all of the input that my post has received from everyone !
PhilR,
It sure sounds as though you folks are doing exactly what we are planning to do, keep a trailer for the "stay in one place a long time" trips and then use a B or C for touring and some other overnight camping.
I also believe that a toad isn't necessary for our type camping plans.
We might change our mind later, but, hey, that's OK.
Congrats on having a View
I don't know yet which B OR C models we should be seriously considering but We do love that View C
A small View just the 2 of us old folks and our trailer would complete that "perfect camping gear" picture that's been floating around in my mind.
Ous is a B+ on a 2006 Chevy. I chose the B+ over a C because there are only 2 of us, we wanted the driveability of the narrower 8' coach and better aerodynamics and vision without the larger overhang. We get 10-11.5 MPG keeping up with auto traffic at 65-70.
Before our purchase, I noted a few posters were trying to get their Fords to ride and handle acceptably and to insulate the engine cover. I did not see these issues re the Chevy. This led me to drive 2 identical 29' coaches, first on a Ford, then a Chevy. The Chevy identified itself as the clear winner within the first 50 yards! I own a Mustang and a Ranger, so I am not a diehard Chevy guy, except in this case. Ride, footroom, handling, cool-to-the-touch engine cover, V8 engine sound, and MPG are much better in this chassis.
Some express concern about Chevy's carrying capacity, but in my experience with our 31' coach without a tow, this is not an issue. Just returned from a 7,200 mile, 6 week crosscountry trip and averaged 10.1 MPG on every kind of road you can imagine ...in considerable comfort. 18 wheelers affect much us less than they did in our class A.
OK ....enough! I wanted simply to suggest you drive both chassis and then decide.
Bill
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