Travel Trailer to Class A

nachtmsk · 07-30-2018, 11:49 AM

Hi,

We are considering upgrading to a Class A motorhome from the current Travel Trailer we have.

The biggest reason is we want to take longer trips and not have everyone (myself, wife, 2 kids and a dog) crammed into the cab of my pickup.

I know there are many options out there; I am just beginning my search.

But there are some general questions I have first.

1. Gas or Diesel? I currently have a gas pickup, but I'm thinking Diesel is best for power. We live in NC btw - not very cold. I hear Diesel is difficult in cold weather.

2. I've gotten used to hauling the 30' TT behind me and backing it up. How is the Class A different in driving since the front wheels are directly under me and not out front?

3. From my own unit and from reading this forum, I know that the Quality Control on many Travel Trailers is not up to a high standard. Though I have personally been very lucky for the most part.

Is the QC on these much more expensive Class A rigs better?

Thanks!
Mike

**Lloyd** · 07-30-2018, 03:09 PM

1. A diesel pusher is nice, but depending on what you get, they can be very expensive. I wouldn't worry to much about the cold with these new diesels. Besides, you're not suppose to be going into the cold if you own one of those. You're suppose to be heading for the warm climates.

2. Don't think you would have to much of a problem getting use to driving one. When/if you start looking at them the dealers have always allowed me to take the rig I was looking at out on the highway. What was always a pain in the butt for me was we always at a vehicle in tow. You have to be careful and not get yourself into a situation where you have to back up. That toad doesn't steer good backing up.

3. NO!! It's just like all of the other RV's, it's hit and miss. Just because you're shelling out more money, doesn't guarantee better QC.

Papa-T · 07-30-2018, 05:07 PM

One thing to remember when purchasing a Motor Home whether it’s a Class A or C is insurance and taxes. At least in NC the insurance and taxes were significantly higher when we owned our Class C, because it has the word Home. Which is considered a second home. Just FYI.

**Lloyd** · 07-30-2018, 06:36 PM

I forgot one thing.
If they haven't changed since we had motor homes, You can expect to be serenaded by the sounds of pot,pans, dishes, etc. as you drive down the road.

Least ways the three we owned were very vocal inside when traveling.
At least with a tow behind you don't have to listen to all that racket.

seabee · 07-30-2018, 06:50 PM

we went from a 5th wheel to a class A [see below my name] and we really enjoy it.
motor homes do not bend in the middle, when entering a fuel stop, etc.
dishes do not rattle all that much.
I was told by a dealer that a diesel is good for cross country driving, but for short trips a gasser is better. diesel engines are very expensive to repair, I am told.

We have had some issues, but the dealer took care of them. In my humble opinion, no Rv will be made perfect.

Talk to those who own a class A for their opinion.

we were "sold" on Winnebago.

Papa-T · 07-31-2018, 04:18 AM

Also the other thing is you have to tow a vehicle, unless you want to pack everything up if you need to go somewhere while camping. And you’ll need to go somewhere. Just saying. Good luck with your decision.

**dagst1** · 07-31-2018, 06:00 AM

I do not nor never have owned a class A or C. But my sister and brother in law have a class C. The main thing I see to have is the levelers. There's do not have them and should. The next thing is the car they tow behind. You have to watch where you go as you can not back it up. Maybe a short distance and straight but you are limited. As for gas vs diesel I would. go with diesel on a large class A. But that is just my opinion. There are pluses and minuses to every camper just weigh them against what you want and make your choice. Either way enjoy the trip!!!

nachtmsk · 07-31-2018, 06:18 AM

Thanks for the comments and good points. LLoyd -- you mentioned you owned three. How was your resale value on those? I'm assuming these are like cars and rapidly depreciate in value.

Mike

nachtmsk · 07-31-2018, 06:23 AM

The tow vehicle is a good consideration. The backing up part hadn't occurred to me.

Has anyone here bought a second hand RV and had good luck with them? Any class.

Looks like I can save a lot of money on second hand Class A homes.

**Lloyd** · 07-31-2018, 06:28 AM

Mike I feel I was fortunate. The first one was a used class C. I sold that out right for more then we paid for it. Then we bought a new class A Winnebago.
We had that about 5 years and traded it for a new class C. I figured the trade in was fair. The class C we sold out right again and I felt we got all of what it as worth.
You lose money on anything that you buy new. Depreciation is a given.
It doesn't seem to make any difference whether it's a RV, car, truck, etc. You can only figure it will be worth less the minute you drive off the lot.

OhioMark · 08-02-2018, 12:08 PM

We have a trailer and considered a Class A last year. What really was a negative for us was other than the driver and passenger up front, we noticed the seating looked really uncomfortable for traveling. We talked a to a few folks at campgrounds and they said absolutely, unless you're in one of the captains chairs, the ride isn't as nice. Just go out to your trailer and sit on the couch at the kitchenette and imagine 8-10 ride. The killer was the upfront cost and immediate depreciation. At least with a trailer or 5th your TV is not depreciating at the same rate.

Just something to keep in mind if you do have folks going with you.

As an aside, we were always told to ideally buy used but less than a year old, especially on diesel pushers which can run 2x of their sparky counterparts. The first two years of depreciation are considerable. Case and point, we camped next to a retired couple a few weeks back and he shared that his rig new is over $500K. That's not retail, that's what he was going to pay new. He ended up losing out on that deal and ended buying the same trailer brand and model 1.5 years old and paid $265K. It looked brand new inside and out.

BrianL · 08-06-2018, 06:02 AM

We went from a used Class A Newmar Dutchstar to a 26 ft pull behind trailer. Yes, a class A is a much better experience for everybody on the trip except for the driver. People can take a nap, have some lunch, go to the bathroom, etc. Repairs are another issue . A class A is a large truck frame and is difficult to work on, which means expensive. We gave up on our Class A when the roof failed ( 20 years old) . The estimate we got was $12,000. Sold it for $4,000 disclosing the roof issue. Class A depreciate like throwing a rock off a cliff. Look at. 2 or 3 year old used motor homes and compare to the cost of a new one. And you still have to tow a car. The only time we didn’t tow a car was when we went to Disney World and stayed at Fort Wilderness. That trip was awesome, though. Four adults 3 kids and two dogs. Much more pleasant than being jammed in a truck.

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