Class A -vs- Class C Gasoline

I'm looking to buy a used motor home, my first. Not something I'll be using all the time since I'm 20+ years from retired life. Maybe two week long trips a year and some weekend trips.
It will be me and my wife, maybe my adult son sometimes, and our two small dogs.

Can't afford a diesel so it will have to be gas. Don't really want a really long motor home either. Just long enough to be comfortable...at least a queen bed, bathroom, table, generator.

So what do you guys like and dislike about both class A and class C?

I don't think it is particularly important what WE think.  You have to look at what your needs are.  In general, a Class C will be smaller than and Class A.  Don't rule out a diesel.  Get the best you can for your budget.  Are you planning on towing?  What about a travel trailer or 5th wheel?  Do you have a vehicle that can tow?

My first recommendation would be to see what floor plans work for your needs.  For instance do you have to make the table into a bed for that extra person or is there a pull-out couch?

Even if you are only using it a few weekends a year a lousy floor plan will make your weekends (and your wife) miserable.

Go to as may dealers as you can and go into every model.  List the pros and cons of each.  You will find the one that fits your lifestyle and budget.

JMOWIWWYPFI  (Just My Opinion Which Is Worth What You Paid For It)

It would be wise to rent one for a weekend trip before you buy one.

Then buy an nice affordable class C and get started with that,    after a while you will have a better idea of what the perfect rig would be.

the biggest difference between a class A and a class C is .. class A's have more storage bins, leveling jacks and generators,  many class C's don't.
  the downside of a Class A is they are a bigger unit to drive.

We owned a Class C for many years primarily because it had more room for our kids and their friends to sleep and we were not pulling any tow dinghy or excessive weight.  It served our need well but lacked many of the amenities of Class A RVs like autolevelers and other more comprehensive system electronics.  Often Class C RVs have GVWR constraints that people forget about and with slideouts can potentially violate making these unstable. 

Mostly go look at floor plans and decide what meets your families needs.  Many will tell you to leave your checkbook and credit cards at home when you do this.  You can always trade up in 10 years like we did, but hopefully you can be happy with what you buy until then.

For the cost to own and the depreciation, don't forget the maintenance, storage repairs to what breaks you can rent.  The rental cost for 2 weeks, and a few weekends a year will probably be less.   

What are your needs?  What kind of floor plan you would like?  What is your budget?  Do you own a truck? All these things will make a difference.  Usually Class C are cheaper and smaller.

I disagree a bit with that last one, in my shopping last year I found that on average while C's may tend to cost less new, they tend to depreciate slower than most class A's  leading to a situation where at the 10-15 year age points your money seems to go farther with buying a used class A.

Personally, I would buy the one that sleeps the least amount of people.  That way you have the perfect excuse for not having to ever take those relatives, kids, in-laws, or others you are tired of being around.  I see RVing as a retreat in search of nature, peace, and solitude, leaving the insanity and rat race of the world behind.

My mechanic strongly encouraged me to get a class C as he said they are much easier to work on.  I don't regret it.  However, I can also see the size advantages of the A where the chairs rotate and become part of the living space.  Also, I don't think I would buy a unit without levelers again. 

Class c's are frequently pushed to their limit as to what the chassis will carry leaving you overweight if you pack much and tow a car.  Worth checking out.

For a few times a year you may want to add up the effort and expense of owning this unit and compare to flying and staying at a really nice hotel with a rental car.  Keep in mind they deteriorate and lose value even when they just sit there.  I have 5 weeks of vacation and the week between Christmas and New Years off but vacations aren't always used to travel.  Could you look on the web for a local person to rent from?  If you develop a relationship with them where they trust you your money may go much farther.

As an example of maintence we are taking our first big trip this year in a few weeks.  Pulled the RV out and the rear brakes where sticking (RV has 16,400 miles on it so it is from sitting). Had to cancel a local trip and take it too my mechanic.  $344 dollars later we are good to go.  Genset was surging (hardly any hours so that was from sitting). Fortunately letting it run about an hour and it worked itself out.  We decided to trial run the dolly after it sat all winter.  Brakes where rusty but that fixed itself after a few miles.  Tail light was out - easy fix but took over an hour to mess with and run to the local auto parts store and buy one.

We can't store it at our house so add $35 a month onto the cost of ownership.  We are figuring using about $1300 in fuel to get from Pennsylvania to South Dakota plus anywhere from $30-70 dollars a night for a hook up.  $30 doesn't generally get you a full hook up - only electric.  In the past year I have also replaced the water check valve and water pump, recaulked a whole bunch and fixed a tear in the roof from a tree branch in Georgia.  Also, my tires are 5 years old with tons of tread but will need to be replaced at 7 years again with lots of tread but from dry rot chance.  My insurance on the RV is about $350 with a $2000 deductible but my umbrella policy went up to because of the RV.

And add in fixing small items like drawer pulls (the plastic ages and breaks so the drawer opens as you drive down the road) and you have some addditional costs.

Now to the fun - my kids love it and we take it places we would never go without it.  We would never book a trip to South Dakota unless we had this unit.  We have laughed and fought in the RV and gotten closer as a family.  Priceless.  We went on 8 trips last year using the weekends to stretch vacation time.  Most rv'ers are very friendly so we have met some neat people.  We have went on a trip instead of sitting around the house - much better for my kid's development.

All things to consider.

KandT said:

My mechanic strongly encouraged me to get a class C as he said they are much easier to work on. 

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You are only going to be spending a very small amount of time working on your RV and you will be spending a lot of time living in your RV. It makes sense to optimize the RV for living in it and not working on it.

Usually Class C are cheaper and smaller.

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I don't think they are any cheaper if the equipment & size is the same. C's, however, tend to have less stuff and that can make a substantial difference in the sticker price. Rare is the Class A without leveling jacks, for example, and that's a $4000 difference vs  the typical C that does not have that feature (it's optional).

So, yes, you can get into a C for less total dollars if you choose to, but a well-equipped 30 ft C is going to be about the same price as a 30 ft A.

You will most likely get all kinds of opinions, here's mine. I've owned 4 or 5 class Cs and on my 4th class A. I wouldn't own a coach if I had to go back to a C, or if it didn't have levelers, they don't need to be automatic, but I wouldn't have one with out them. A 30 ft class A is the minimum size I would consider, a 30 ft A will park in the same spot a 30 ft C will, and the A will handle so much better. You can see down the road much better in a class A, that makes them easier to drive. This is my first coach with slides, and I love it, don't know how I was so stubborn not to have them before. My late wife wanted at least a living room slide but I didn't want to have one because of all the trouble I've read about with slides. Now, after having one, I have changed my mind.

YOU need to go drive several different kinds of coachs and see what YOU really like, BEFORE you plop YOUR money down on one. Imagine having a C or an A without levelers and it's raining when you are setting up. You're out there piling boards to get some what level, getting soaked, NO FUN. I personally like a manual leveling  system, but automatic is nice too.  Remember that MOST RV refrigerators require that the coach must be close to level or damage to the fridge will happen.  Remember they ALL require some TLC, some more than others. 

I'm with Charlie on the levelers. My C doesn't have them, and it's a lot more work to level a C than a travel trailers. My BIL suggested a poor man's hydraulic system, 4 bottle jacks ;D

SeilerBird said:

You are only going to be spending a very small amount of time working on your RV and you will be spending a lot of time living in your RV. It makes sense to optimize the RV for living in it and not working on it.

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SeilerBird - if it was a 110 degrees and 99% humidity and someone said it was hot out you would argue with them!  ??. But please keep being yourself, it makes the forum interesting! 

The OP said he was going to use it maybe two weeks a year and some weekends therefore maintence may be pertinent to HIM.  I know you are a full timer which is a different game altogether.  He says he is 20 years or more from retirement.  He won't be using this motor home in retirement.

Now - tell me why this is wrong?????

I have also pondered the A versus C question.  Although we haven't pulled the trigger yet, several issues are the same as with a Trailer.  Floor plan and size matter--the rig has to meet your needs.  To be blunt, you are going to spend a lot per mile on gas/fuel so go for your comfort and vision.

I have an aversion to the Class A's lack of entry/exit doors in the cockpit area but would like the extra storage of the A.  In the end, I have to choose which compromises to make, just like I did with my trailer.

KandT said:

SeilerBird - if it was a 110 degrees and 99% humidity and someone said it was hot out you would argue with them!  ??. But please keep being yourself, it makes the forum interesting! 

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I read lots of opposing opinions on this board and do not bother to respond. I could get into dozens of arguments every day but I don't bother because arguing on the Internet is pointless. So am I wrong? Should you optimize your RV for driving instead of living in it?

But I do love the desert and 110 degree heat does not bother me nor does 99% humidity. I live in Florida and I have been to Death Valley many times because I love it there so much.