supercub wrote: I'm just curious, why you chose a Class A over a travel trailer or 5th wheel.
Don't have to go outside to pee or go to bed. And the bed is warm in the winter and cool in the summer because the class A is always heated or cooled when in use.
We don't need to go outside to go to the bathroom or go to bed.
We have a indoor bath and a bed..so we can just stay inside.
We also run our gen and when we went to Naples Fl, it was nice to stop and go inside with full air condition, nice and cool and watch TV.
Britt
Hi Britt,
Can you do all that while rolling down the road. Legally...?
I started with a travel trailer, then a 5er, then a MH, and
finally a Bus.
I don't know about today's class A's but bus conversions have the
kahoonies to run full speed up the steepest grades, stop on a dime
from 80mph even comming down the grapevine, and do so quieter and
smoother then a Cadaliac. Brake linings that last 250,000 miles,
unitized stainless steel construction that is engineered to last
2 million miles, and a drive line that was designed to be able
to service everything without removing any other component.
Good Luck
Nick-
MCI 102C3 40' 2006' Bus Conversion by Atlantic Custom Coach
Detroit 475hp 8V92t w/Allison Ht750 auto
Master Mason, Cannon Lodge #104 S. Seaville N.J.
FMCA# F-27317-S
Just completed a 4,000 mile vacation in our Class A. Summary, a fantastic experience.
Talked with two 5er owners who previously our a Class A and all they did was complain about the poor ride in the "truck".
For us, convince, and the view out the big window is the reason for a Class A.
How many 5ers have a generator and power leveling jacks. Yes they may have more room but to us it's the quality of adventure and consciences that make the difference.
Both definitely have some advantages and disadvantages. A lot depends on your use and what you prefer. Every post has had good points, so they are obviously happy with what they own.
I went the other way; from a Class A to a fifth wheel.
The rig I have was about a $100,000 investment new. I would have paid a lot more for a diesel Class A. I have a lot more room in the fifth wheel (when the slides are open). I need a second vehicle and want a pickup truck, so I just buy a heavier duty truck for a tow vehicle. My maintenance costs are less than a motorhome. When I had the Class A, I found I did more maintenance on it than any other vehicle I owned and drove it less.
There are a lot of things I miss about the Class A. I miss the onboard generator and automatic levelers. I hate having to stop everytime someone has to use the bathroom (unless it's me!). I miss having my DW fix me a sandwich without stopping.
Now that we have grandchildren that are starting to camp with us (3 and 4 year olds), I'm thinking seriously about going back to a Class A. It kind of contradicts the statement in my signature!
05 Ford F-350 Lariat CC 4X4 PSD DRW Line X Retrax
02 Montana Big Sky 3295 RK (2) Honda EU2000is
When my grown kids were inspecting our new fifth wheel, one asked why we bought a trailer that sleeps 4. My reply was that we couldn't find one that sleeps 2!
I prefer a motorhome over a travel trailer which I have had. I also prefer the motorhome over the fifth wheel type trailer.
As far as fuel goes the chevy truck that I used to pull my travel trailer with had a 454 and it got 9 mpg whether it was pulling a trailer or just by itself.
The two motorhomes that I have had, the gasoline coach got an average of 8-9 mpg, while the diesel pusher gets about the same.
The only thing is that diesel is more expensive then gasoline right now. I just filled mine up yesterday and I paid $4.91 per gallon at Flying J.
Motor home with towed around 8mpg
Comparable honking big pickup with 5th wheel, about 8mpg
Towed w/o motor home 20-30 mpg
Big honking pick up 12-15
That's the math
Now the 'Side effects'
Fuel pump failure in motor home.. Call coach net
Fuel pump failure at night in towed.. Call AAA tow home, (Repair places closed) next morning back class A up to towed, hook up and tow to repair place.. Wait in Class A enjoying tv and such while they fix car, hook up and tow home.
Yup, did that.. Can't do that with a 5er no matter how hard you try
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
wa8yxm wrote: Motor home with towed around 8mpg
Comparable honking big pickup with 5th wheel, about 8mpg
Towed w/o motor home 20-30 mpg
Big honking pick up 12-15
That's the math
Now the 'Side effects'
Fuel pump failure in motor home.. Call coach net
Fuel pump failure at night in towed.. Call AAA tow home, (Repair places closed) next morning back class A up to towed, hook up and tow to repair place.. Wait in Class A enjoying tv and such while they fix car, hook up and tow home.
Yup, did that.. Can't do that with a 5er no matter how hard you try
No, that's your math.
Mine is 1 wife and 2 14 year old daughters which gives me 3 potty stops per hour without the MH.
In our case the wife is in a wheelchair so makes more sense for us to have a class A. Fifths were out because bedroom and bath is on a diff level. C's were out because a lot of them had step down to cab. TT was considered but we found a A for a good price. Brother in law and myself put in a lift that we bought and made a rear door. Works really well for what we need. Karen can transfer to the pass seat using a trapeze bar and me lifting. If we went with a fifth or TT both would have to have lifts. We do have a ford e150 raised roof with lift but don't think it would pull a 30 foot TT.
We have a Kountry Air 5er and pull it with an 08 F-450. I get about 7 mpg and have a 100 gal transfer flo tank, the last fueling was 4.30 diesel, my bill was 433.00. With the cost of the truck and 5er I am 80% of what a 05 or 06 500 hp DP cost with less than 10k miles. So that's why for us we are selling our outfit and buying a 45' bus.
The cost will be a little more, the mpg may be better. And all the reasons everyone else has mentioned is why we want a DP.
But isn't it great to live in a country where we can have what we want!! To each his own!
I think alot depends on how you are going to use the RV. Several people I met last winter while playing snowbird in Phoenix were fulltimers. But, these were people who were still working, moving wherever the job took them. Contract nurses, construction industry, etc. Most preferred a 5th wheel over a class A due to more livability in the same space. A few had class A's. But, most agreed that if they were simply traveling to see the country rather than be in one place for a period of months, that they would prefer a class A. Many of these people buy a small car when they first set up in a new city, use it as primary transportation while there, then sell it when the time comes to move on. Makes sense to me. OTOH, ever tried parking a MDT or a HDT in a tight parking lot?
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