pnicols,
We live just an hour from Crystal Mountain and plan on dry camping up there this winter. Any limitations that Crystal Mountain has on dry camping in the parking lot? Do you use chains going up there, and if so, just chains on the outer most wheels or Triple duals? I have a ton more questions but I'll PM you later. Regards,
Thanks everyone for all that input.
The gist of which appears to be: Bigfoot, Bigfoot and more Bigfoot and one Triple E.
I can't figure out if Triple E makes Class C's anymore looking over their website.
With respect to Bigfoot, it is perhaps a wonderful vehicle and at least the exterior is made to look like the innards are more stout than others and in fact, I hope they are. Principally because the cost of this vehicle is more than double any other for the same vintage and appears to be lacking slideouts from what I've seen.
They also don't appear to be too common in searches of ebay, craigslist and simply google. Rendering resale prices higher than similar vintages and equipment.
I forget whom on this list made the point that the improvement in winter performance, though measurable, isn't THAT great of a concern for most.
My concerns surrounded the poor insulation of my Sunseeker (Arctic Package), which at worst, after putting up the cellophane 3M stuff over all windows, still is heatable to hanging around in long sleeves down to 0 degrees F. So, the improvements would necessarily be in LP tank life (2.5 days at 10-20 degrees). And, I'm just not so certain that the little 'hot pad' on the grey and black tanks will do a thing to keep stuff liquid and simply be a drain on house batteries. Consequently, I've never even tried using the plumbing in winter as it might be a long, putrifacting wait until spring.
So, given that I've paid low $20k for a 2003 30' Sunseeker and it would require $50-70k to replace it with the same vintage Bigfoot, for the extra 30-50k money, I think I can have the full and frozen grey and black tanks simply replaced completely after winter camping (a dozen or so times), rather than drained, and still be fiscally ahead. Or better yet, take that money and build a heated garage large enough for an RV.
Unless I'm missing something important that hasn't yet been brought out on this thread. The Bigfoot appears to be a wonderful vehicle for those with money to burn and no better place to put it. The extra money buys you something but I can't fully appreciate the ROI (return on investment) on the extra investment beyond typical lower 48 built RVs. Maybe I'd think differently if I actually owned one.
That said, while I was looking around, I noticed class A diesels have dropped in price about 10-20% since last year. And most of these are winterable. There are now bunk models of these dating back to 2006 that might be useable for our family as an alternative to the class C sleeping capacity. For now, sleeping capacity is the starting point for my search.
Thank you all so much for your thoughtful input.
Dan
"The Bigfoot appears to be a wonderful vehicle for those with money to burn and no better place to put it."
I have a Bigfoot, and with my experience I will re-write that sentence.
"The Bigfoot appears to be a wonderful vehicle for those who camp in freezing cold and can afford to own something that was designed from the ground up to perform at that task."
Real cold doesn't seem to be on your menu, so I understand your reluctance to pay extra for something that is made for that sort of thing.
Good Morning..I also have a Bigfoot and will be trying it this winter in Northern Canada and will be glad to give you a report. I just came back from a 12,000 mile trip to Alaska which included a tour of the Bigfoot factory.. I saw the one piece walls and roof being made with the insulation being put in to wall as well as inside the aluminum framing..They accomplished R12 and R16. I was very impressed with the detail each department went to accomplish the great features they offer. I bought this unit for its cold weather use and got a pleasant surprise in the southern U.S. last month when the temperatures were close to 100, we had no trouble keeping it at about 75...It works both ways..Last winter coming home we met a Bigfoot in London, Ontario. It was -6F and he was carrying full water. He was coming home from Atlanta, Georgia. Said he did this offen while visiting his daughter..He used a macerator system when he got home and dumped there...We went out shortly after and bought one.
Dave
We started looking for a Bigfoot, and it would probably have been our choice, until the real cost(s)were known. All that good stuff costs money and weighs more that I was comfortable with on that frame.
It's interesting that all of our camping friends here in the PNW have Canadian RV's: 1 Bigfoot, 1 Triple E, 3 Northern Lite.
dtbdc;
You stated in your last post that you own a Sunseeker.
Comparing that to Bigfoot, is like comparing getto housing to the Hearst Mansion. (apologies to anyone in getto housing.)
Your statement: (( The Bigfoot appears to be a wonderful vehicle for those with money to burn and no better place to put it.))bothers me somewhat.
I own a Bigfoot; I don't have money to burn; and I can think of better uses for it; but I did my research before I bought it. Quality costs. I got what I paid for.
You can get from point A to point B, in a Honda Civic, or a Lexus.
I prefer the latter, but you'll find it parked at the Motel 6; not the Ritz.
I don't throw my money away.
Alaskamatt wrote: Anyone have any idea what a buyer could expect to pay for a new Bigfoot?
We paid $85k for our fully equipped diesel Bigfoot 29G in 2005, about 25% off of list price. No entertainment center but virtually all other options. Ours is the 29G garage model.
flaps wrote: And, there is also a hose from the engine that uses engine water heat to keep the water warm. (No, it dosn't flow inside the water heater.)
Actually, the Motoraid option provides engine heat 1) to the hot water heater, providing nicely heated water on arrival, and 2) to the black duct outlets inside the coach and the dump compartment.
"I've dry camped in my 324V Minnie in the 20's with no issues, except getting the windshield defrosted (it just took a while)."
That's just about what I thought the situation would be with our rigs, John.
Do you know where we can go to find out the R ratings that Winnebago designs for in their 324Vs? When I remove my A/C's interior grill and look up, it appears that our roof sandwich space is about three inches thick and full of foam. Maybe at least R12?
I'd like to know what R values my walls and floor carry.
Have you every been able to see your tank heaters in action? If so, do they draw a steady 7-8 amps per pad .... or do they have a duty-cycle and thus draw down your batteries something less than 7-8 amps per hour?
I think for cold weather boondocking I prefer 12V heating pads on grey/black tanks that are "out in the open" over a heated "basement area" that contains the grey/black tanks ... because heating a basement area requires additional furnace propane. Out in the boondocks I find it easier (...and maybe less expensive overall) to replenish 12V energy than propane energy.
I wonder if a heated grey/black tank area is what makes that step between the cab floor and coach floor so high in the Bigfoot Class C's? When I was shopping, the 24 foot Bigfoot Class C had a very tall step here - higher than any other Class C. I really preferred the Tioga step - hardly any at all ... maybe 1 inch maximum, but the Tioga's at the time had very little outside storage. As you know our step height is not too bad, but that's probably because our basement area is for storage only, and as such does not contain the grey or black tanks.
pnichols;
I have an 05 Bigfoot 24'
The thing that raises the step so high is the basement storage area.
You look at some of the class A's, and you see all those flip-up doors on their storage area. Same thing with Bigfoot. I've looked at almost all the class C's, and there is Nothing that comes close to the storage in a Bigfoot. I really liked the Triple E units; on a par with Bigfoot.......(in my opinion); but like all the other C's.....no storage.
2 of my compartments go almost the full width of the unit. 4 ft. wide. In one; I have 2 lounge chairs, 4 lawn chairs, a table, propane bottle for my BBQ, 2 gallons of water, and any beer the wife won't let me put in the fridge. The 3rd one; the smallest, holds a 5 foot ladder amongst many other things. But.....were off the topic of seasonal use.
Leaving on Mon. morning for Yellowstone Park and THe Black Hills. I expect Yellowstone, at this time of year, may provide some cool weather usage.
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