Please Help Me Understand

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
A

asim

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Posts
7
Hello All,

I am doing research on buying an RV for family of 5 (parents and 3 kids). We have narrowed it down to 2 that fit our needs.
1). Coachmen 2017 Freelander 26RS
2). Coachmen 2017 Freelander 27QB.
From what I can tell, the 27QB is a better model, since it is bigger and has no slide out (less mechanical issues down the road). However, the basic model for 26RS is about $8,000-$10,000 more than 27QB. Am I missing something? I would assume 27QB would be more. Can someone shed some light on this. I would really appreciate it.

PS. I am using MHSRV.com as one of the resources for my research.

Thank you in advance.

Regards

Asim
 
asim said:
I am doing research on buying an RV for family of 5 (parents and 3 kids). We have narrowed it down to 2 that fit our needs.
Click to expand...

Buy a used one, don't buy new.

Do not get an RV without one slide minimum.

Buy larger than you think. This is why you see a large percent of campers for sale, people underbought.

Get one with all the bells and whistles. So you can avoid RV NV.!

 
The 27QB isn't necessarily "better." It's a couple of feet longer on the outside, probably a foot longer on the inside, but it doesn't have the slideout, it has only a 40 gallon fresh water tank, vs 50 on the 26, and there likely are other differences in equipage that make up the price difference, such as an outside grilling station. Certainly the slide affects price quite a bit. Adding to your research should be the Coachmen web site: http://www.coachmenrv.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=52#tab5

I'd also suggest that before you make a decision you go see these in person, probably with the family if you can, and spend some time in each, imagining how you'll cook, shower, do evening leisure activities, what you'll do if you're stuck indoors for several rainy days in a row, etc.
 
Five people in a 27 footer is insanity. I lived solo in a 27 footer without a slide out and sold it and bought a 32 footer. Not only is it too small, it will have very small holding tanks and very little storage space. I too recommend buying used because if you buy new you will lose a lot of money when you go to trade it in next year. You need at least a 35 footer.
 
Remember,the kids will grow while the rv will not.  And everybody will be happier with some breathing room.

I worry about slide out issues too but the difference in space is amazing.
 
I wouldn't presume to tell you what will and won't work for you. I would suggest that you look at lots of campers before making a decision. Visit all the dealers in your area, but leave your checkbook at home. Every salesman will have a hot deal that you shouldn't miss!

Envision how you will use the space available in every floorplan: where will the kids sleep, where will clothes and toys get stored, what if it rains for a week? At some point, you'll find that perfect rig.

We grew up with six kids in a pop-up. My neice has a pop-up for her family of five, and they're having a ball. Enjoy your search, don't rush into anything.  And don't rule out that slide!
 
Another vote to seriously consider a slide. Whether or not you think you need one (and I agree with others that you do, probably two) nothing is forever and the time will come, for whatever reason, to sell. It will be much more difficult to sell a unit that doesn't have a slide.

Also agree used vs. new. As an example, I have a neighbor upgrading from tent camping and ready for creature comforts, starting her research to buy a trailer in about a year. She had initially set her sights on a Casita 17' trailer, which I believe is a fairly well regarded trailer - but small. I showed her a 5 year old Lance in RV Trader that looks brand new, nice slideout, much larger tanks, 2 Trojan 6V batteries and 200W of solar, all set to go for $4000 less than the new Casita.
 
Sun2Retire said:
Another vote to seriously consider a slide. Whether or not you think you need one (and I agree with others that you do, probably two) nothing is forever and the time will come, for whatever reason, to sell. It will be much more difficult to sell a unit that doesn't have a slide.

Also agree used vs. new. As an example, I have a neighbor upgrading from tent camping and ready for creature comforts, starting her research to buy a trailer in about a year. She had initially set her sights on a Casita 17' trailer, which I believe is a fairly well regarded trailer - but small. I showed her a 5 year old Lance in RV Trader that looks brand new, nice slideout, much larger tanks, 2 Trojan 6V batteries and 200W of solar, all set to go for $4000 less than the new Casita.
Click to expand...

Right. My feeling is that a large percent of campers for sale are due to one of the spouses or both "not liking to camp" the other percentage is human nature and people have RV NV.!
 
Triple Slide Jayco said:
the other percentage is human nature and people have RV NV.!
Click to expand...

The title of this post serves two purposes. Solving the OP's issue and I have to ask, what is RV NV?
 
From our experience, a family of four, we went from a Coleman Bayport PuP (I think about 25 ft when opened and beds out, 12 ft long closed) to a 25 ft fifth wheel. This seems like a luxury for us.  :) As much as we enjoyed camping, the Pup was a lot of set up and tear down. We also prefer to be able to stop/rest and utilize the kitchen and beds to save money on eating out and hotels while traveling to and from destinations. But back to point, as much as a new camper would sound nice to us right now (we are at the tail end of a long renovation) I would also chime in with others to buy used, maybe a year or two old. That way you hopefully won't take a big hit in depreciation if you realize that what you bought isn't exactly what you want. We weren't so much about size or floor plan as much as we were about finding something with all our needs, such as cost, light weight for our truck, etc. We personally did not want slide outs due to less maintenance. We went with the basic necessities. We wanted bunks, but it wasn't a necessity, so ended up without. Every family's situation is different though. Our budget was a big factor. If we didn't have one, I can't say we wouldn't have chosen something with more bells and whistles and newer. Someday we can do that, but right now what we picked ended up fitting our needs. Well....aside from the unexpected renovation... ;)
 
I would not worry about slides breaking.  They only very occasionally do.

I have lived full time in a 32' motorhome with two huge slides for five years with no towed vehicle.  (I bought new--25% off MSRP.) This means I put my slides in and out every couple of days because I use my vehicle for sightseeing.  That is a total of about 900 times without any problems.  (Everything else seems to have broken at one time or another, but not the slides.)

With five people, you will need the indoor space.  Yes, you will spend a lot of time outdoors, but consider what you will do inside when you have three days of rain in a row.  Without the extra width slides give you, you will be constantly moving around to let the person in the back go up to the front and vice versa. 
 
Slides get more than their share of bad press. Look at all the complaints here about water heaters, fridges, furnaces and a/c units - anybody want to do without them too?  Sure, any additional component can break, but slides aren't particularly trouble prone. And even a small one, say 1.5 x 8 ft, adds an incredible amount of additional usable space inside.
 
My brother has a 25 ft camper for sale. Its a 2005 in mint shape. Everyone who calls about it asks if it has a slide. Once he says no, they say thanks but looking for one for a slide. Agree on buying a bigger used one with several slides. At least get a fairly large one in the living room area. It makes indoor life much more tolerable. Nothing worse than trying to cook something and having to keep moving out of the way for people going past. Get the slide.
 
Buy larger than you think.
Click to expand...

This is so true. Im still surprised how big my living area looks when I first put out the slide. Then out comes the waste can, dog food bowls and storage container, the DHs oxygen concentrator,,, well you get the picture. It really changes your perspective. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 980 (members: 25, guests: 955)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,973
Posts
1,388,459
Members
137,722
Latest member
RoyL57
Back
Top Bottom