Advice on a motorhome please

   / Advice on a motorhome please #1  

daugen

Super Star Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
19,050
Location
New Hope PA
Tractor
in between now
finally got a go ahead from the wife on buying a motorhome, which has been on our bucket list for some time.
Due to her poor health, conventional travel is difficult but a motorhome is a little home on wheels and very accommodating.
We already know we like the life as we lived aboard a 46 Bertram in North Miami for three years. Sold the boat, and now five years
later, are ready for a land yacht.

We've been aboard the big class A pushers. My wife of course likes the room, she'd have a 45 footer if I agreed to drive it, which I sure don't.
Besides we have about a 125K max budget so it's come down to two styles. And I'm wondering if any of our members have any experience with the new
MB Sprinter chassis models. 14-16mpg, or almost double the big guys, and way easier to drive/park, etc. But until recently none of the variations I saw had
a real queen bed in it. Now they do. When you got into the trailer park and went aboard the next guy's Newell (just kidding) did your wife go green?

I've never camped out, am all about comfort, and run the a/c 24/7 due to allergies. Just wonder how loud that gen is in the MB variations

Or, a four to six year old pristine used Class A with 20,000 miles on. The frame is pure commercial so that's sure not much wear on it, the Cummins or Cat diesels will long outlast me, and
the onboard componentry is almost exactly like a larger boat so I'm familiar with all the systems, pumps, etc.

Do I go big or stay smaller? I can drive the big stuff, drove a semi during college one summer and all the station's fire trucks for two years. and a big boat, so let's say my positional awareness is pretty good. Or used to be...I'm in my sixties. Most importantly, I know how to use mirrors...

I know this is a non specific request, there are a million variations, but assuming I can outfit the smaller unit almost as well as the large, is it the smart move?
I'm only going to do this once. Really. No two footitis like in boats.

I've got my gps with the trucker info in it, my Woodall disc in the pc, and finally, finally.... an emotional ok from the wife. I think she wants to get out of the house too more now so this has her interest.

One of my silly problems with the big motorhomes is the loud graphics. I'm a very no bling person so I'm not trying to satisfy any ego needs here whatever I buy. I just want it to be a good decision, and since I've never bought one before and I've already owned a serious hole in the water, I know I need to do my homework.

Have been on rvtrader.com for years. Finally can go messing around in there with some real purpose.
If I went diesel pusher, my max is 36-38. Would pull a car and I don't want to drive what feels like an Australian road train...

Those of you who have owned these, and moved up or down, I'd sure like to hear your stories. Many thanks. Drew
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please #2  
Drew...
I've never owned a motor home personally...
However, I camped with my dad for over 25 years with my tags and fifth wheel...
He owned in his lifetime 6 motor homes so I do have some experience with them...
He started out with gas class A units and eventually finished up with 3 diesel pusher class A's...
The last one was a 2005 American Eagle 42' quad slide with a 500 Cummings...
With that said...
It comes down to what you feel comfortable driving...
IMHO, you are gonna get more coach with a 5 year old class A diesel pusher and air suspension...
American Coach uses Spartan Chassis and I am partial to them but Monaco uses their RoadMaster Chassis which others claim is better...
I drove my dad's 05 and 01 Eagles and I can tell you that those units drove like a dream...
The 42' had a tag axle and it was more stable than the 40' single rear axle...
If you go with the 36' to 38' make sure you drive it on the interstate at speed to see how it handles...
Good luck in you purchase...
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please #3  
As a Class A gasser owner I'm not able to help much in the field of diesel but I can tell you that if you like being on the road and having the comforts of home, then your gonna love it!
Do make sure that you get the same size bed that you're used to at home because a good sleep is a must.
Are you planning on towing a 4wheeler?

Good luck as well. :fishing:

Check out pplmotorhomes.com for lots of choices.
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Turbys, great advice, thanks. In a single rear axle unit, is there really any perceivable difference between 350 to 450hp?
Seems they all have the same Cat or Cummins engines, not sure if the difference is dial a boost, but does hp matter here?
I've read a big block gas is about as fast accelerating as a normal diesel, but then loses it on the hills. I'm definitely into diesel here, particularly
considering high gen usage.
Used Fleetwood Discovery for sale in Hatfield PA | 2008 Fleetwood Discovery 40-X Diesel Pusher For Sale from Media Camping Center in Hatfield Pennsylvania - RV Inventory: Media Camping Center: Hatfield Pennsylvania RV Dealer
so far this one is local and within the realm

I showed my wife the pics of the Winny Itasca Reyo, the MB variant, and the rear bed is more like a boat bed, not a real queen mattress. She was not impressed.

I am likely to put ten to twenty thousand miles on this, do what I wanted to do, and then sell it, like most folk.
That also might include using it as a home base while I clear some vacant land and build a retirement home.
so that makes me think larger might be smarter.
Buying new is way too expensive for me, the depreciation is crazy. Need to get that clean loaded unit that someone else treated like their baby and
put all kinds of nice upgrades in.
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Are you planning on towing a 4wheeler?


yeah pixguy, have to tow something, these big units are not for exploring the back country.
so yes, a toad is likely, maybe a Honda Fit or something light to pull.
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please #6  
yeah pixguy, have to tow something, these big units are not for exploring the back country.
so yes, a toad is likely, maybe a Honda Fit or something light to pull.

Of course there are many choices in toads but if your driving a DP toad weight is not usually an issue. I personally tow a CRV but Jeeps, GM products, some Fords and of course Hondas. Check out Motorhome Magazine for their Dinghy guide.
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please #8  
The 01 Eagle had 350 HP and the 05 had the 500 HP...
Both ran like the wind on the interstate...
My father towed a Cadillac behind both and neither struggled...
Just as an aside, he utilized a tow dolly...
Worked pretty well and did not have to worry about disengaging the tranny on the towed vehicle...
He wanted to keep his current car and not purchase an additional small vehicle to tow behind the coach...
Fuel mileage on the 05 was 6.5 mpg whether he was in the wind or putting around...
I think that the GVWR on that unit was over 40K...
You should do around 8 to 10 MPG on a shorter unit with a 350 diesel...
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please
  • Thread Starter
#9  
The 01 Eagle had 350 HP and the 05 had the 500 HP...
Both ran like the wind on the interstate...
My father towed a Cadillac behind both and neither struggled...
Just as an aside, he utilized a tow dolly...
Worked pretty well and did not have to worry about disengaging the tranny on the towed vehicle...
He wanted to keep his current car and not purchase an additional small vehicle to tow behind the coach...
Fuel mileage on the 05 was 6.5 mpg whether he was in the wind or putting around...
I think that the GVWR on that unit was over 40K...
You should do around 8 to 10 MPG on a shorter unit with a 350 diesel...

thanks. I bet many are just shaking their heads at these numbers.
But then my 50K weight boat got .5 mpg, as in 2 gallons to the mile.
Wasn't bad when I bought the boat and diesel was seventy cents a gallon.
But now diesel is four bucks and I sure couldn't afford that.
But taking my big trip of my retirement out West, up and down and all over,
coming to visit many of you and making an utter pest of myself, well... maybe I shouldn't worry
about fuel costs. I bring this up because fuel costs drove me out of boating, a hundred fifty dollars an hour
just to run the engines was absurd. Well, for me anyway.

Now I've got a heavy foot at times, so I'm going to use the 8mpg number for planning.
1250 gallons to go ten thousand miles. $5K in fuel. Doesn't seem like a crazy number compared to a regular vacation.
Maybe the fuel really isn't the issue...replacing six
22.5 Michelins might be.
 
   / Advice on a motorhome please #10  
Couple of good places to gather information on motor homes.
RV.NET
iRV2
I own a 35' Super C. Good handling, diesel power, enough room to spend 4 to 5 months a year in it.
You will find me on both forums.
 
 
Top