I’m interested in buying a Class B camper van - basically for solo travel in the United States. Can any of you offer advice or suggestions? I’m in no rush, just beginning my search. Thanks
There are some forums specializing in this that you might look at:
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/listings/forum/21.cfm
As with ALL RV’s - RENT FIRST!
The cost of a month’s rental is nothing compared with the expense of finding “This is getting REAL old, real fast” and deciding to ditch the lovely machine you thought you’d love forever.
Yes, I was real close a few years back…
I own a 2010 Pleasure-Way Excel TS, very similar to this. We downsized from a 27 foot class C and couldn’t be happier with it. Neither class B or C are designed for long-term living. We’ve spent a month at a time in ours without problems, but long term living will just cause too much wear and tear.
This model has a couch in the back that folds down to a king-sized bed. As it turns out, we leave it in bed mode, as it’s just a hassle to make it back to a couch each day, store the bedding, etc. Since the front seats rotate, one of us sits on the bed and the other uses the seat for meals, reading, etc. There is a TV/DVD player in the back for viewing from the bed.
The unit is fully self-contained, with bathroom/shower, water storage, generator and kitchen, and an outdoor shower for rinsing off boots. It also has a large awning and full hookup capability.
Best of all, it’s very maneuverable, which is a huge advantage when you want to go down narrow roads or park on a city street.
I think you could easily live long term in a class C RV. You can’t live long-term in something like this: 2018 Greyhawk Prestige Class C Motorhomes
That IS a class C. Or maybe you meant to say ‘can’ instead of ‘can’t’. It’s true that the larger ones have gotten so big that they have all the amenities of a class A, and could be lived in on a long term basis, but in the past a class C was just not designed to take the abuse of day-to-day living. Just the moisture alone takes a toll. But big bastards like the Jayco Seneca, which is a diesel puller and sits on a Freightliner chassis, is just a Class A that doesn’t look like a bus, and has a price tag to match.
Anyhow, back to the OP. For a single person or a couple, a Class B is a good choice for intermittent use (as opposed to being a ‘full-timer’). I looked at several makes before choosing a Pleasure-Way. In the end, the fit, finish and layout was just far better than rides like Road Trek, which is very overrated, IMO. Unfortunately, again IMO, they have stopped using the Ford chassis and gone completely to the Sprinter chassis (as has most of the RV industry), which I hate. They look nice, but that tall profile is a wind sail. They’re also very expensive, as in the $120K range, with Road Trek models reaching up to $170K. You’re paying a lot for the Mercedes doo-dad on the front grill.
I’d suggest looking around for a low mileage used rig. You can probably pick up a mid-2000s for $40K or so.
I forgot the question mark!
:smack:
And being completely ignorant of the differences in RV’s, when I googled “class C” and looked at the Jaycos and thought “Chefguy says you CAN’T live in one of these things? Why in the hell not?”
Class C motorhomes are designed for families and usually sleep between four and 10 people. That many people in a confined space places a lot of stress on the furnishings and finishes, not to mention the toilet facilities. Full time RVers almost always opt for either a Class A bus, which normally sleeps 2-4 people, max, or a very nice fifth wheel trailer, which can be like a non-motorized apartment on wheels. The two of us spent six months in our Class C after retirement, and were comfortable, but they do tend to get grungy after months on the road. It’s not that you can’t live in one, but it’s usually not recommended.
For the OP again (if he ever returns to the thread), you might look at what’s called a Class B+, which is roomier and has more storage.
I have heard it is a good idea to buy used RVs in places like Arizona.
Or Florida. A lot of people retire and think that life on the road will be fun and romantic, so they sink a bundle into a nice rig, then discover they really don’t like being that close to each other 24/7, that there is little camaraderie in giant, soulless parking lots, and that much of the country is really not all that interesting. So they end up selling that $300k depreciating asset at a huge loss to an RV dealer. You can find some very nice deals if you shop around.
Thanks, everyone. These are great leads. It’s really just me - so I don’t want the space of a large RV. I have a gym membership in what I believe is a national chain that has shower facilities, so I expect to minimize showering in the van. I particularly like the idea of looking in Arizona or Florida–flying down and driving home. My only personal experience so far was a two-week trip in a VW Westfalia 15 years ago with two young kids. We loved it.
The holding tanks in a small RV are. . .well. . .small as well. Showering will fill your grey water tank pretty quickly. We use campground showers instead. Also, I would recommend NOT using the toilet for solid waste, as it can cake up and cause false readings on your tank indicator, not to mention eventually causing you to have the tank replaced. Make sure you dump your black and gray tanks each morning before departing a campground, or at most every other day. Keep a box of latex gloves and some disinfectant spray handy, as you will have to handle the drain hose and you’ll want to spray the bottoms of your shoes so as not to track any nasties inside your vehicle. If you’re buying a used RV, have somebody check the black water tank for you, along with the water lines and gas lines.
We tend not to drink water that comes from the fresh water holding tank, but rather haul gallon jugs of water for drinking. Tank water is fine for washing dishes and such, but if you haven’t disinfected the tank with bleach prior to filling, there could be algae growth, etc. We lean toward the less risk the better.
I don’t know where you live, but if you’re in a place where winters are long and cold, you will have to winterize your rig or find a local service that can do it for you. Here in Oregon, I just leave the fresh water tank full all winter and dump some RV antifreeze into the drains, but that won’t do for places where you get extended sub freezing temps. I also disconnect the ground cable from the vehicle and coach batteries. Each spring, clean the battery terminals before reconnecting.
Most campgrounds have power and water hookups. Sometimes the water pressure is too high for RV systems. You can buy a pressure reducing fitting from any RV supply and just leave it on your water hose to avoid any problems.
The31G i guess i could live in, by my self.
No idea at all how well these things will hold up long term?
Visually, unless you spend mega bucks, they all look the same as the ones from the 7’s and 80’s that are all rotted by now?
The Winnebago Minnnie Winnie is (or was) very well made. At a tour of the plant, they invite you to chin yourself on the installed cabinets; solid as a rock. Try that on a Four Winds and you’ll pull it down on your head. Better yet were Bigfoot (which I had and who no longer make motor homes) and Bornfree, which were always at the top of the rankings. Pleasure Way (only makes Class B), Lazy Daze and Winnebago consistently rank near the top.
As for durability, you have to treat it like you would a second home. They require attention and maintenance, as they take a lot of vibration. Cheaper models will tend to come apart more quickly. Maintenance includes checking that all screws are tight, that all roof and window seals are intact, etc.
On the other hand at some point or another you will need maintenance. If the vehicle you buy comes with a warranty there may be a value in buying locally from a firm with strong repair facility.
Good point.
If you buy a used vehicle, try to buy from somewhere that ‘certifies’ that the vehicle’s systems are all functional. Some RV dealers are just glorified used car lots. Part of the deal should be that they demonstrate ALL of the RV’s systems, including AC, heat, water pump, generator, exhaust fan(s), entertainment equipment, water heater and refrigerator.
Try to get a look at the seal between the roof and coach body, if one exists. Check for any bulges in the fiberglass siding, which would indicate delamination due to water intrusion. No matter what a salesman tells you, do NOT buy a coach that has that sort of issue.
Make sure all cabinet doors close securely. I can tell you from experience that a worn latch can cause all sorts of merry messes (in our case, a jar of salsa) when you turn a corner and a door flies open.
Try to find out if the vehicle has had a change of tires. A salesman will tell you “Well, it only has 15,000 miles on it.” That’s pretty meaningless for an RV, as time is the big factor. Most RVs spend a lot of time just sitting in your driveway. Additionally, regardless of what year the coach is, the chassis is very likely two years older. Manufacturers buy chassis components in fleet bulk and they can sit in a lot for a couple of years before the coach is mounted. Stagnation is the enemy of steel belted tires. Five years is about the limit for RV tires before replacement, or you run the risk of broken belts (happened to me).
Also for tires: the pressure noted on the tires is somewhat meaningless. Typically, the front tires on an RV are inflated less than that. Look at the plate on the driver’s door jamb. It will tell you the correct inflation. Ignore the low pressure light on your dash, if it has one, and just use a tire pressure gauge.
Have the dealer pull the anode out of the water heater. If it’s all nasty and deteriorated, ask them to replace it. You should do that yourself every year or two, and will likely need to buy a socket just for that purpose.
After buying your used vehicle, the first place to take it is a front end specialist to check alignment. Improper alignment is the primary cause of vehicle ‘wandering’ on the road, which is not only dangerous, but exhausting for the driver to deal with. It also exacerbates buffeting from wind and passing semis.
Second thing to do when you get it home is to sanitize the fresh water tank. There are guidelines on the web that will tell you how much bleach to add to the tank, drive around to slosh it, etc. Then drain it, flush it, refill and you’re ready to go.
Try not to overload the vehicle. This is a mistake that a lot of people make. There will be a plate somewhere in the vehicle that tells you what max loading is. If you need to haul a bunch of stuff, buy a small trailer to tow. Class B RVs are notoriously low on storage space, so if you need to stow extra gear a rear cargo carrier works pretty well.
I highly recommend having both a ‘touchdown’ and ‘wheels up’ checklist to make sure you don’t forget to do something when arriving and leaving a campground. This is especially true if you are using a tow bar for hauling a car behind you. You really don’t want to pull out with your power cord still attached.
Still want to buy an RV? 
I bike/drive past an RV place and once in awhile look up models/prices, but I am no danger of buying one.
I find it interesting that the Minnie Winnie is significantly cheaper than Winnebago’s class B offerings (or any other class C model)
Brian
who worked at winnebago.com (we got the domain before the RV maker…)
I think I love this thread.
We’re thinking of joining the RV world during the summer and possibly weekends. Husband works remotely and when the kids aren’t in school, why not.
A few things I am noting:
-Class A sounds better for heavy use? There are 4 of us. 2 adults. 2 kids (12, 13). I’m thinking a bunkhouse configuration would be best. My husband thinks we can just “build something” (I love him but I must now roll my eyes).
-Trailers (not fifth wheel) - how do they stand up? My DH is really interested in a trailer. I have mixed emotions.
Goals for this:
-Travel to the coast and other Oregon/Washington/Northern CA local camping for short trips
-Visit most National Parks in Western US and Canada (I did the same with my parents as a child)
-My husband is also interested in renting out the vehicle to vacationers when we are not using it.
Any tips, thoughts, suggestions, concerns?
I am planning on renting an RV with the family this summer so we can test this. I can tell you I did similar trips every year with my parents for my entire childhood, except we camped. We did this for 3-6 weeks every summer. I officially loathe camping (says the unpaid labor) but I really value the experiences I had. I’m hoping the RV will make it easier.
Like most RV makers, Winnebago has gone to the Sprinter chassis for most of their RV lines, which ups the price. They have four lines that have the Ford chassis, but the Minnie Winnie and Spirit lines are clearly bottom shelf among those four. The amenities and finishes of the other two are easily far above the more affordable models.
Class A motor homes are generally designed for two or three people. They usually have one bedroom that sleeps two and a sleeper sofa. To my knowledge, there are no Class A RVs that have a bunkhouse configuration, but it’s been some years since I sold them. They can also be ruinously expensive.
For kids, you’re better off with a Class C, which have all manner of configurations, including bunkhouse. The big problem with a Class A or Class C in Oregon/WA is that many of the beach areas are posted “No RVs”, as parking is limited, roads are narrow, and there is no place to turn a large rig around. If you’re planning to tow a car, then that may work for you. We’ve stayed in a lot of the Oregon state campgrounds, and there is no problem of that nature with them.
The advantage to a trailer is that you can just park it and drive around in your tow vehicle. You’ll need to do your homework on trailers, as some look nice but are complete shite. Based on my experience, I would avoid Keystone models in particular. Airstream has models that will sleep four, but you’re going to pay top dollar for them. The main thing to consider with trailers is the towing capacity of your truck. Dealers have a book that tells them what your tow capacity is for your specific vehicle/engine. Some trailer makers make ultra-lights with aluminum frames, etc. You most definitely do NOT want to exceed the capacity of your tow vehicle, and a reputable dealer will not sell you something that you shouldn’t be towing.
Trailers require a special set of handling skills to park, of course. Don’t go cheap on the towing package. Have someone who does it for a living install it for you.
I would discourage building your own, as you will tend to use much heavier materials and probably not build something that is stable on the road.
Some people buy a smaller RV/trailer and put their kids in a tent, which is a cheaper option.