So right now we have the TT in my sig. Our next move I think will be a 5er, but my wife is really liking the idea of a motorhome. Mainly so she can move around while on the road.
So, what/who do I look at for a bunk model motorhome?
I would really like a diesel, but not sure I can swing the cost for 6-8 years. I hate payments and need to pay cash for it so that's why it may be 2 rv's from now. Just kinda depends on what's out there.
How many children do you have? By "bunk model", do you mean the models that have bunk beds in the rear of the rig? Or are you referring to the cab-over bed as a bunk? With only 2 or 3 children, you can easily get by without dedicated bunk beds in the back and save that space for a dedicated bed for mommy & daddy.
"...but my wife is really liking the idea of a motorhome. Mainly so she can move around while on the road."
This will have to be kept to an absolute MINIMUM!!!! Yes, my wife will get up when I say it's safe to do so. Usually to either assist one of the kids to the potty or to get them a snack/drink. But the possibility for injury is VERY HIGH when unbelted. Unless you're riding in a DP with airbag suspension, there is a fair amount of tossing around inside the motorhome. So I'd suggest she realize that she will not be cooking gourmet meals while rolling down the road! LOL
All that said, in my opinion, there is NO BETTER way to travel with children than in a motorhome. With a little common sense, you have all of the comforts of home while rolling down the highway.
What's your reasoning for "wanting" a diesel? For most, the diesel option in a Class C is not justified. There are some exceptions, but now, especially with diesel fuel being substantially pricier than gasoline, there is no economic benefit to the diesel. All you really get is the "diesel experience". For most, it's probably not worth it, in my opinion. If you have particular towing requirements, then it might be worthwhile. You might also wish to consider some used Class A diesel pushers (DPs) if you need better than average towing ability. We're a family of 6 in a 36' gasser class A (2 slide, non-bunk model) and love it. And there may be more of those used, especially diesels, if that's what you really need/want.
Don't wait 2 rv's from now. With children, the biggest benefit of the motorhome will be while they're young. If you can swing it now, go for it. Don't rule out used rigs. And in my opinion, while paying "cash" is always nice, taking out a reasonable loan to make memories now is well worth it. Why? Well, as I type this, our oldest daughter is in the hospital fighting a relapse of her cancer. Had I "held off" buying our rig until I could afford to pay cash for it, well...we'd have lost four GREAT years of memories. The motorhome will allow us to travel even though she might not be fully "up to par" due to her chemo. A rare case? Yes, but in my opinion, life is too short not to live it to the fullest extent. Be fiscally responsible, but don't deny yourself pleasures. Just my opnion.
Good Luck,
~Rick
* This post was
edited 05/14/08 05:03pm by Rick Jay *
2005 Georgie Boy 3625 DS on a Workhorse W-22.
Rick, Gail, 2 girls (11 & 6), 2 boys (7 & 4), 1 plump Golden Retriever.
2001 Honda Odyssey with Demco Aluminator tow bar & tow plate, SMI Silent Partner brake controller.
We are looking at doing the same thing. Moving from our 30ft. Bunkhouse to a Nemar Ventana 3249 or Allegro 35(qpk?) Hince floorplans, multiple slides.
I see no reason NOT to buy a diesel, they tend to get better MPG's and have much higher tow ratings and SMOOTH ride.....
My Duramax at the moment is cheaper to operate, per mile, towing or not, than if I had a Gas truck.
NOW, PAYMENTS ARE SCARY FOR A NEW CLASS A....especially since we like to live as debt free as possible (we only owe on our house).
I wih you luck on your endevour, we are looking to buy in the next 12 months....
FWIW, When we were looking at motorhomes, we did come across several makes that had the bunk house option.
I remember there were a couple that had the bunkhouse and the overhead bed.
We found them while searching the local dealers websites for what we wanted.
mrjimboalaska wrote: We are looking at doing the same thing. Moving from our 30ft. Bunkhouse to a Nemar Ventana 3249 or Allegro 35(qpk?) Hince floorplans, multiple slides.
I see no reason NOT to buy a diesel, they tend to get better MPG's and have much higher tow ratings and SMOOTH ride.....
I agree, IF he's looking at class A's, and not the "low end" models at that. Since he posted this in the "C" forum, I'm assuming that is what he is currently researching. For "common" class C's, the diesels are on the same chassis and have the same tow ratings as the gassers. Except, of course, when you get to the Freightliner/et al models.
And if he's under some $$$ constraints, then the diesel option may be out of his price range. And "diesel" doesn't automatically mean gobs of towing power even in class A's, so he needs to know his requirements.
If all he needs to tow is 5,000 lbs. or less, though, in my opinion, the diesel option isn't justified UNLESS cost is no option and you get the benefit of an air suspension, exhaust brake, diesel generator, etc.
By bunks I was meaning rear bunks, that is how our trailer is set up. You may have a good point though. Put the kids some where else and save that room for a nicer bedroom for us.
I know you can't move around a bunch while going down the road, but you can go to the fridge and get a drink or a cheese stick for the kids.
I will keep looking around and see what I can come up with.
I'm very sorry to hear about your daughters cancer, I hope all turns out well for you.
Diesel is just my preference since I own one now. Better mileage, less maintenence, and I prefer driving them. Torque is what gets you over the hills and down the roads.
Oh yeah, we have 2 kids now, but probably 3 by the time this happens.
Not only is moving around a MH unsafe, but in all the states I know of, it's illegal. If the passenger is an adult/licensed driver, they'll get the ticket. If the passenger is a child, the driver will get a ticket. Of course, as Rick Jay points out, it's really unsafe for your family too. So be aware that the "convenience" isn't as much as you and most importantly, your wife think in that regard. After all, the woman's perspective is very important here!
I also think that it makes sense to buy the MH you want now. I don't understand people who don't buy exactly what they want, then upgrade again, then again. I get it if your needs change and you want to upgrade. But if you have a clear idea of what you want, buy it now, finance some of it, if you need to, and enjoy it for all those years. Yes, you'll spend some cash in finance charges, but selling used motorhomes then buying new ones is a recipe for taking a financial bath in my estimation. Might as well get what you want the first time out. Get the extra features, the handy doo-dads, the bed that is easy to climb into now, because 10-15-20 years from now, after chasing around 3 kids, your knees aren't going to be as great, and it will be nice to be able to just fall into bed. You don't necessarily need a big screen tv with surround sound, but a shower that you actually step into (and fit into) is useful.
Just my opinion.
Dh, our 2 year old German Shepherd, 15 yr old Beagle/Spaniel and me.
Exploring every National Park (and Monument) in USA, Canada, Mexico & beyond.
3 well-used backpacking tents.
2008 Itasca Impulse, 24'
"Opening the fridge" while travelling down the road is akin to playing Russian Roullette! LOL Yes, it can be done, but if you plan on doing so, MAKE SURE everything in there is secure before you hit the road and that ALL TOPS of bottles, containers, etc., are securely fastened. We usually try to limit refrigerator opening to times when we're stopped. Wifey's getting pretty good at playing stewardess, but it makes me nervous and she knows to only move when I say it's OK and she also knows if I yell, she needs to IMMEDIATELY sit or drop to the floor.
My point with the diesels for the typical class C is that if you closely at the numbers, the gassers and diesels are pretty evenly matched power-wise for these rigs. And the diesels, being heavier, tend to eat into dearly needed cargo carrying capacity. Then you'll want a diesel generator (instead of propane), and again, more weight. So there are many things to think about. I'll not discourage anyone from getting one if that's what they want and it'll do what they need. (Heck, when I FIRST started my search on RV.net, I, too, thought I wanted am E-450 Class C with a diesel. But one can learn a lot on these forums, and we can help you determine what you think you need and what works BEST.) It's just that the majority of C's don't require them. The gas engines used in the 20,000 lb. GCWR class C's are used in Class A's rated up to 26,000 lbs. GCWR. (Which is what our A is rated at.) Overall all, I think the power is adequate for our needs.
One caveat, to all of that, however, would be if you spend A LOT of time in the higher elevations. In that case, the turbo on the diesel will help offset for the power loss at altitude. At higher altitudes, the gassers start getting anemic. But if you spend most of you time within a couple thousand feet of sea level, you may fine with a gasser.
As for the back bedroom, that's what we have in our A. In our original search, we were looking at C's with bunks in back. Ultimately, after reasoning it out, we felt that it was more important for mommy & daddy to have their own bed and let the kids sleep up front. First of all, kids can sleep anywhere. Not so for us adults as we start getting a few years and injuries under our belts. And it's important for the adults to be well rested, especially the driver. (And, wink wink, just between you and me (don't tell your wife), I'm been pretty pleased with the number of times we've been able to, um...well...you know, back there. Something about being together as a family, campfires and such, whatever it is, seems to certainly put her in the romantic mood MUCH MORE than I EVER thought would happen. In fact, when we were researching RV's, I NEVER thought about that. But now that we have our rig, I'm really glad we have our space. )
I guess my most important advice is not to rush. Take your time and visit as many RV shows and dealers lots as possible. Check out each floorplan carefully. Check to see how accessible everything is with the slides in as well as out. Make sure you'll have a place to set up the playpen, a place for "baby support" stuff, all of the pants/shirts/shoes a larger family will need. (No kidding, I believe we have about 40 shoes in our rig when we travel. Each of us has about 3 pairs, and there are six of us, plus a few miscellaneous things. Closet and storage space (inside and out) it important. This is a decision area wifey really needs to take an active role in deciding what is needed. Likewise counter space, bathing space (We prefer the all in out bathroom, on one side of the rig. Some prefer the "split bath" layout, but with a larger family, than can "strand" some folks on one end or the other while the facilities are being used.)
Anyway, lots of things to look for, and there are lots of solutions out there. If you search long enough, you'll find something that meets most of your needs.
Don't rush, but don't wait too long!
Have fun in the search,
~Rick
* This post was
edited 05/15/08 08:24pm by Rick Jay *
More storage is better. But intelligent storage is better than more storage. Weird little cubby spaces that the manufacturer creates just because there's room ends up being where you put stuff that you probably don't need to bring to begin with. What I did when I looked at RVs, and I looked at A LOT of MHs, is I sat in them and I looked at the cabinets and I said out loud, "That is where I'll put X. That is where I'll put Y. That is where I'll put .... " Oh dear, I don't have room for Z? Time to look at a different MH. And we're backpackers part of the time, so we travel light.
If I had kids and another on the way, I'd actually make a list of what my family brings on the average trip. I'd group the things. Jimmy's clothes, Suzie's toys. Junior's baby supplies. Try to figure out how much space each of these take. Then, as I'm looking at shiny MH with dazzling features, I'd pull my list out, make a sketch of the cabinets, and see if I can get most of my stuff to fit into the cabinets. (That should freak the salesperson out. They're showing you the pretty window shades and valances, and your wife is drawing a schematic to determine where to put the diapers! I LOVE doing stuff like that! )
Dh is a car guy, so he handled all the chassis stuff, except that I did want the upgraded engine. More power made sense to me since we were hauling around a small house. I didn't want to be lugging it going up the Grapevine or Mt Shasta in California, or any of the grades that we have here in the PNW (but especially the CA climbs, because you're expected to continue to drive 95+ mph as you climb! )
So, be sure to ask your wife what she wants even on things that you don't think she might have an opinion on. And you'll do just fine!
With regards to how much storage in the cabinets and where to put everything, when we were looking for our MH, the primary item the DW and I agreed on was cabinet space.
If we saw one that looked nice from the outside, I had hewr look at the cabinets.
If she didnt feel there was enough, we looked at the next one.
From what Iv learned, women have a tendency to get a little testy if they dont have enough cabinet space.
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