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The things that should be considered when deciding which type of RV would fit you
Class B RV's
At this point we knew we wanted an RV but we had some conflicts about what Class RV we should be looking at. To compound the decision we knew we had to decide whether we wanted to continue overseas travel or not and do we want to enhance our travel within the United States by virtue of staying longer in one place than we have in the past and do this in our own RV?
We decided that a combination of the two was required and set off looking for a Class B van.
We traveled to Springfield, Missouri (Reliable RV), Covington, Louisiana (Berryland RV) and to Ramsey, Minnesota (Lake Region RVs) to specifically see the best in Class B's and hopefully find a used one we could afford.
As we looked we became convinced us that the van wouldn't provide enough space for each of us to have some private space and that the Class B's in general were enormously expensive per square foot. As we mulled our possibilities and our budget we came to the conclusion that if we were going to consider $125,000 for a Class B Van then we should consider an older RV of some type and gain some space and amenities while saving some money.
Now that we eliminated the Class B's entirely, what RV will fit the bill?
Going from knowing exactly what we wanted to what the hell do we want (again) set us back in the uncomfortable but necessary position of comparing the advantages and disadvantages of towing or driving our next home. We are methodical people so we decided to compare the advantages and disadvantages of each type of RV that we would consider. Below you will see our Pros and Con's list.
In order to figure out which trailer, fifth wheel or motor home we should consider we had to look hard at our budget and ultimately settled on a not to exceed $40,000 target. This took into consideration our budget at that time. It presupposed that with our payments at the time that we would be able to purchased the RV and still pay all of our bills.
As you read this you will see that some of these considerations are purely personal due to our finances.
Our comparison list
Fifth Wheel Trailers
Pros
Better and more choices on interior layout
Good weight distribution
Slide outs
Trailer brakes
King Beds
Better separation of living and bedroom space
Larger Baths
No toad necessary (towed vehicle)
Leave the rig parked when you leave
Basement storage is large
Con's
Have to purchase an expensive tow vehicle
We have to trade both vehicles in to afford the tow vehicle
The entire rig length and weight would dictate a diesel vehicle
Specialized hitch required
We have to trade both vehicles in to afford the tow vehicle
3 season rigs, meaning winter use at below freezing would be iffy
Most do not have generators
Two loans - trailer and truck
Selling or trading Chucks care (upside down) will require a small personal loan
Total costs will likely exceed $95-$100K
Pull Behind Trailer
Pros
Better and more choices on interior layout
Good weight distribution
Slide outs
Trailer brakes
King Beds
Better separation of living and bedroom space
Larger Baths
No toad necessary (towed vehicle)
Leave the rig parked when you leave
Basement storage is adequate
Con's
Have to purchase an expensive tow vehicle
We have to trade both vehicles in to afford the tow vehicle
The entire rig length and weight would dictate a diesel vehicle
Specialized hitch required
3 season rigs, meaning winter use at below freezing would be iffy
Most do not have generators
Water, black water and grey water tanks are smaller
Two loans - Trailer and truck
Selling or trading Chucks care (upside down) will require a small personal loan
Total costs will likely exceed $75-$85K
Class A Diesel Motorhome
Pros
Leave the rig parked when you leave (with toad)
Good interior floor plan layouts
Bus chassis often with air ride
Large basement storage
Often only queen beds are available
Good separation between living and bedroom
Medium to large baths, often split baths
Keep our Kia Rio (paid for)
Large diesel engines with more torque for mountains and towing.
Most have heated basements allowing for four season use
Generators
Water, black water and grey water tanks are larger
Con's
Large diesel engines suck more fuel (8-10mpg)
To afford one we have to be in the 2003-2005 range with 150K+ miles and $35K-$40K price range
Because tanks are larger you are hauling more weight.
Two Loans - RV and Car Hauler
Selling or trading Chucks care (upside down) will require a small personal loan
Total costs will likely exceed $55-65K
As you may be able to see, the Class A wins for a full time endeavor. Especially given our finances and that we ultimately need the space and amenities that Class A provides for personal comfort. After all, this will be home.
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