There are some things you need to know before buying motor homes.
Motor homes or motorized recreational vehicles (RVs) come in different classes. Two of those classes are usually confused with each other, those being class A and class C motor homes.
It’s essential to look at the physical appearance of the motor home in order to determine whether it is class A or class C.
Class A motor homes resemble a bus design with a flat or vertical front end and large windows while hand class C motor homes have a truck cab with an over-cab bed, in some ways resembling a camper.
Considered to be top of the line, Class A motor homes measure at about 24 feet or 7.3 meters and can be as long as 40 feet or 12 meters.
Their weight can range between 15,000 to 30,000 pounds or 6,804 to 13, 608 kg; the undercarriage may be custom or a 3 to 10-ton truck chassis.
Class A motor homes come with each of the luxury amenities you can fathom like a kitchen, a bathroom with shower and a tub, and sometimes a separate bedroom at the back depending o the floor plan of the truck.
They also have heating and air conditioning, hot and cold running water, 100-125 volt electrical system, a dinette or living room area complete with couch and recliners, closets and an entertainment center.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, some of these motor homes can be more elaborate than homes themselves.
Class A motor homes are usually utilized by famous bands especially when they are in tour.
There are also some rich families that own Class A motor homes for vacation and travel.
A Class A motor home is perfect for those who can afford its high cost.
Most Class A motor homes have all leather interior, a wet bar, big screen TVs, an advanced sound system and other high technology that may not be available to lower-income families.
Depending on the model and the floor plan a class A RV can accommodate up to 8 people.
But all of this luxury comes at a price.
New, lower-end models are sold at up to $50,000 US dollars while larger and much nicer class A RVs can even cost more than any house in many states coming in at about $300,000+.
Class A RVs are really very expensive; in fact, even used class A RV can still be sold for $30,000-$40,000.
If you prefer luxury lines, you may start saving about $325,000 up to over $1 million if you prefer the crème de la crème of all RVs.
Last but not least are Class C motorhomes.
Class C motor homes can also come in very luxurious models or more economical ones depending on your budget.
They are much lighter in weight, ranging only from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds and generally run from just under 20 to 44 feet in length.
They are constructed on cutaway chassis depending on the model. The cab is usually similar to that of the truck with a bunk above plus a rear bedroom.
Just like the class A, Class C motor homes have all the amenities of home including kitchen, bathroom, dinette, heating and air conditioning system, and an entertainment center for additional cost.
Dinettes are not always present in class C motor homes and if ever there is one included, it usually converts into a double bed.
If a dinette is not present, two captain chairs are available instead. Sometimes, the motor homes contain a couch and chairs instead of captain chairs. The couch may also be turned into a sleeper couch.
Because of the over cab bed, a Class C motor home can sleep more than a comparable Class A motor home, accommodating up to 10 people are accommodated.
The cost of class C motor homes ranges from $50,000 to $170,000.
The common features of Class A and Class C motor homes are their slide-out wherein with a simple touch of a button the wall of the living room expands outwards to extend the living space by several inches.
Another type of motor home is the Class B which is usually referred to as van conversion.
Class B motor homes look like pop-top camper vans and are self-contained but cramped compared to their big motor home counterparts.
The advantage of purchasing a Class B motor home is in terms of handling and size that is if you don’t want a spacious motor home.
They are usually promoted as a place to sleep more than what is deemed comfortable by most people. The class B motor home can also be used as a second car. Its price ranges from $38,000 to $75,000.
Motor homes are great for camping, road trips, or just simply living in style.
If you are interested in purchasing a motor home, it is definitely wise to take time to do some comparison shopping and research as these motor homes can prove to be very expensive.
If you have any other great idea please share in the commits.
I want to talk about one
of the most controversial issues regarding gas or diesel engine. When purchasing
a Motorhome either with a Class A, Class B, or Class C you want to take your
time and make the right purchase for your needs. What will best fit you needs a
gas engine or a diesel engine? Let’s look
at the advantages and disadvantages of each engine.
Having a gas engine in
your motorhome the engine is going to be up front in the coach between the
driver and passenger seats.
Gas Engines
The two most widely used gas engines in a motorhome are the Ford Triton V-10 with 6.7 L and the GM V-8 with 8.1 L. The powerful Ford 6.8L, 3-Valve Triton® V10 gas engine delivers 320 horsepower and 460 lbs.-ft. of torque. The GM Vortec 8100 V-8 16-valve pushrod engine is rated 330 hp at 4,200 rpm and 450 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm.
With the Ford engine still most properly used
today that you will find in the majority of the RVs today. I don’t think the 8.1
l is still being built.
Diesel Engines
The two diesel engines
that are used in the diesel pushers are the Cummins and the Volvo. Cummins
offers many engines rated from 275 hp to more than 600 hp,
Cummins offers power and reliability for every type of motorhome on the market.
Volvo D13 offers twelve power ratings from 375 to 500 hp.
Then with the smaller coaches pretty much all class C’s that have diesel will have the diesel engine up front just like in the truck. But a large majority probably over 90% of motorhomes will have a diesel engine in the back of the coach it’s what’s called a rear engine coach or a DP diesel pusher.
Looking at the difference
here the diesel is going to have more power and a lower RPM than the gas
engine. This will put less stress on the diesel engine which will last longer.
Engine Noise
It is call that because
with the engine in the back and is like it’s pushing the coach. The really nice
thing about having the engine
in the rear is that when you are driving it’s very quiet. You really could
barely hear the engine at all.
Now when you have your
engine up front in the coaches then it is going to be very noisy and driving,
you’re going be constantly hearing that engine. Even louder when you are
pulling up a hill. Because the gas engine is going to be struggling to go up
the hill as to the diesel engine.
Here with the diesel engine is placed in the back it is going to be quieter to be able to hold a conversation. Yes, I have heard some people that has a gas engine and they say it is not that bad.
Fuel Mileage
Let look at the difference
between the two on fuel mileage. This is
going to be hard to put a hard number on because the are going to be many
variables.
How much does your coach
weigh? Are you towing a vehicle behind your coach? What part of the country are
you traveling in. Is it flat in the plains or small rolling hills or are you
going thru the Rocky out west? As you can see that it can have a very wide
range. So, your gas engines can be anywhere between 6 to 10 MPG. You will be able to see a higher MPG in the smaller
RVS like the class Bs.
What about the diesel MPG?
The average MPG for a diesel engine is
going to range between 8 to 14 MPG. Like in the gas engine depending on where
you are traveling will determine your MPG.
Here again you are going
to get a better fuel mileage with a diesel engine.
Fuel Prices
Now what is the different going
to be in the fuel price? This is going
to change all the time depending on the economy. But when is am writing this article
the national average for gas is $2.37 per gallon of gas. Saying this it is going
to be higher out west and the north east. And will have lower prices in the
south and Midwest.
Now let look at diesel prices.
The national average for diesel is going to be in the $2.92 per gallon price
range. And again, will fluctuate depending what part of the country you are in.
Ok, here we are going to
see that the gas prices is going to be cheaper than the diesel price.
Let look at some other different
between a Gas coach and a Diesel coach. Like where the generator is going to
be.
Generator
With the diesel engine being
in the rear the manufacture has used the area in the front to put the generator.
But with the gas engine in the front
they have put the generator in the rear of the coach. You may say what make the difference about
that? Well when you are not in a RV park and don’t have full hook ups you may
need to run the generator at night to run the AC to stay cool. So with the
generator in the rear where most beds are it will be noisy for you to sleep.
But with the generator up front it will be a lot quieter.
Frames
What are the differences
in the frame of the coaches?
If you have a Ford V 10 engine in your coach, you are going to have a frame that is built by Ford. Most likely it is going to be the same frame that was built for a F550 or larger Ford. That is going to mean that it is going to be light duty compared to a frame built for a diesel. This means you are not going to be able to care as must stuff as a diesel coach.
Having the engine in the rear and the engine being heavier you need to beef up the frame. Freightliner and Spartan build a lot of frames for the smaller diesel coaches and for the larger coaches they are built by their own manufactures. With the frames built heavier that means you will have more storage compartments and are able to have a larger payload capacity.
Also, with having a diesel
engine you will have engine brakes.
You can push a button in the cab that will engage the engine brakes that is
used to help slow the coach down your coach when you’re going downhill or coming
up to a full stop. Which this will save your brakes, so you don’t have to ride
the brakes.
Maintenance
What is the maintenance
cost going to look like between the two?
The gas is going to be
less expensive because it has less filter to change. It is going to be more
like servicing a truck.
Now for a diesel, the cost is going to be higher. You will have a fuel filters to change that a gas engine will not. Yes, you will be able to go more mile between services with a diesel but is going to cost anywhere from 50 to 100 dollars more to service. Also, with a diesel engine now days with the emissions you will have a added fluid that you will have to buy. It is call Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) for short. This is used to help your exhaust to burn cleaner.
The good thing about the DEF tank you will only need to fill it about every 5th tank of fuel.
Conclusion
I have given you a lot of
information here between the different of the two coaches. And there are a lot more
stuff that is have not talked about here.
What are you planning to
use your RV for? Are you just going to use it to go camping a few times a year?
Or maybe you are planning to live and travel full time in your RV.
Being said I know of
people that travel full time in their gas engine coaches and like it. But owning
a Gas engine coach it is going to be built lighter and you are not going to be
able to have as much cargo as a diesel. It is going to be louder to drive. This will be something you will need to figure
out.
But looking at diesel coach it will cost more to own. The diesel engine is going to give you more power to climb the mountains and hills. You will be able to tow more and have a larger cargo capacity. A diesel coach is going to be quieter to drive.
What I would say is if you
are going to be living full time and traveling in your coach even though it
will cost you $50000 or more dollars to own. I think you would like the diesel engine
coach more. And the diesel engine will hold it resale valve longer than a gas
coach.
Hope this has helped you on
your decision on what you would like to buy.
If you have any tips or
commits that can help others, please put them in the commits section.
If you know someone this
will help make sure to share it with them.
Are you looking into traveling across the country in a motorhome?
Well, you are not alone this is coming more and more popular every day and are not just reserved for the retired. It would be great to be able to travel around in style see the country.
This sounds so great, but I don’t have a motorhome to make this dream come alive.
Going out and buying a motorhome would be great but buying a motorhome is not in the budget.
Well, I have good news, buying a motorhome is not today is not your only option.
Traveling by RV is a great way to reduce travel expenses, as well as spend quality time with close friends and family members.
For that reason, there is a good chance that you may be interested in planning an extended RV trip.
Although traveling by RV is a great way to travel, there are many individuals who did not know that it was even possible for you to rent a motor home.
This common misconception typically involves those who do not own motorhomes.
Although there are a number of benefits to owning your own motor home, it is important to know that owning is not your only option.
In fact, many individuals, especially beginners and those who only take limited RV trips, often find the best success when dealing with rentals.
One of the many reasons why motor home rentals are so popular is because they are affordable.
Instead of buying your own motor home, you are just renting one from someone else for the time being. This is great if you are taking your first cross country trip or if you are going on your first motor home camping adventure.
Buying a motor home can be expensive, especially if you unsure as to whether or not a motor home is really what you want. That is why a large number of individuals make the decision to rent a motor home first.
Many who were satisfied with their experiences later buy their own motorhomes and you can do the same as well.
Now that you know that it is something that is doable, you
may be wondering exactly how you can go about finding a motor home to rent.
There is good news There are a number of different ways that you can go about
finding motor home rentals.
If this is your first time trying to find and reserve a motor home rental, you may be unsure as to how you should proceed. Instead of heading on down to your local motor home rental company, you may want to take the time to examine motor home rentals, namely what you should look for in one.
One of the easiest ways for you to make your decision is to examine the pros and cons of both buying your own motor home or renting one.
By taking the time
to examine your wants, as well as your needs, you will likely find yourself
traveling or camping in a motor home that is perfect for you and the rest of
your group.
If and when you decide to rent an RV, you will find that you have a number of different options.
To get the best deal, as well as the motor home that is best for you and your needs, it is important to take the time to familiarize yourself with these options.
For starters, you may find that you have a number of different RV rental companies to choose from. You can easily familiarize yourself with local RV rental companies by performing a standard internet search, using a online business directories, or by examining your local phone book.
If possible, first research the reputation of local rental companies online. Rating and reviews can give you good insight into the company you are about to do business with.
When looking for a motor home rental company to do business with, it is also important to examine average prices. To quickly compare prices, choose a specific type of RV, such as one that sleeps six.
When comparing the rental rates of multiple companies, be sure to stay with that same example. This will give more accurate rental rates to compare.
The internet is also a great way to find information on RV rental companies. In fact, when using the internet, you may be pleased with all of your options. One easy way to familiarize yourself with RV rental companies online is by using a business directory.
Business directories allow you to search for a particular business, like a motor home rental company, and in a specific area, like your city and state. If the company in question has an online website, you may be provided with a link to that website. If not, the proper contact information will be listed in its place.
In addition to seeking out businesses that specialize in the renting of motor homes, you may also want to think about contacting some of your local motor home dealers. As the popularity of motor homes continue to increase in popularity, many motor home dealers are realizing how profitable it can be to rent out some of their motor homes.
That is why many motor home dealerships have started their own motor home rental programs. As with finding a motor home rental company or station, you should be able to get the contact information for motor home dealers by using your local phone book.
What you will want to do is contact the motor home dealer and ask if they have a rental program.
When looking to rent an RV, you will also find a number of options with rental dates. It is not uncommon for a rental company to have rules and restrictions concerning rental lengths.
With that being said, you should be able to find at least one RV rental company that would be willing to accommodate you and your needs.
For example, some rental companies will let you rent a motor home for a few as a couple of days, but as long as a month or even longer!
You also have options in term of the RV that you choose to rent. Always remember that motor homes, literally, come in all different sizes and styles.
For extended trips, many find the best success with luxury and modern RVs. The first step in choosing the perfect motor home involves examining your traveling party.
Make sure that your rental is large enough to comfortably fit everyone you will be traveling with, like your family. What will the sleeping arrangements be like?
In keeping with motor home options, be sure to examine features. As previously stated, luxury and modern RV rentals are often the most sought after.
This is due in part to the features provided. For example, a twenty-year-old motor home is less likely to come equipped with a television and movie player, when compared to newer models.
In addition to television and movie players, other features, such as showers and full dining room tables, should also be examined.
When performing a standard internet search, tailor your search to your area. For example, search with a phrase such as “New York RV rentals.”
This should bring you to the online websites of rental companies that operate in New York State.
Examine all websites that you find to see what is available, get an idea of average rental rates, as well as get a phone number to make additional contact.
Another great way that you can go about finding motor home rentals is by asking those that you know for information, as well as those that you don’t personally know.
As for those that you do know on a personal level, you will want to see if your friends, family members, co-workers, or neighbors have rented a motor home in the past or if they know of someone else who as.
If they do, you will want to ask to get the name and the contact information for the company in question. As for those that you don’t know on a personal level, you may want to think about stopping by or calling some of your local campground parks.
Many times, you will find that the staff of a campground park is familiarized with camping gear rental companies, including companies that rent out motorhomes.
As for the choosing of a motor home rental, you will want to make sure that the motorhome you rent is the right size for you and all of those who thanl be joining you on your next adventure.
Of course, you will want to find a motor home rental that is cheap and easy to drive, but you also need to take the number of people that you will be traveling with or camping with into consideration.
Motorhomes are nice ways to travel and to camp, but there is nothing worse that being stuck in an overcrowded motor home.
Before agreeing to rent a motor home, you should examine the features of the motor home in question.
You will want to make sure that the motorhome you want to rent can provide you with everything that you need, as well as everything that you want.
For instance, if you are looking to travel across the country, you may want to make sure that your motor home has a working bathroom, particularly one that includes a shower.
Other features that you may want to look for in a motor home rental include a kitchen, spacious sleeping areas, an eating area, as well as a small entertainment center.
The above-mentioned points are just a few of the many points that you may want to take into consideration when looking to find a motor home rental.
As a reminder, it is important that you remember that renting a motor home isn’t your only option.
If you would like to do so, you may want to look into buying your own motor home.
With a large selection of new and used motorhomes to choose from, you may very well find yourself getting a great deal on a motor home that you can call your own.
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