Shorter Class C with walk-around queen? (Shorter than 29')

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Cat Chick

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Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Posts
8
Location
SoCal
Hi all!  I'd really appreciate help identifying specific models of Class C RVs that come with a walk-around/island queen bed?
We only camp for weekends and one week in the summer with our two grade school age kids, but we really like sleeping with an island queen bed. 
Our other requests: a couch up front and sleeping space up top over the cabin (not all cabinets).  We can put both kids up top for now, but one will need to move down to the couch eventually, and we know we like a dinette that is NOT needed for sleeping, so our crack-o-dawn riser can hang out without waking us all up.  We don't watch TV while camping.
We're looking for something used, like between 2000-2016, for budget reasons.  I found a 27' Minnie Winnie on Craigslist last fall, but someone beat me to it by a couple hours.  So.... other than that rare Minnie Winnie, are there other walk-around queen Class Cs you can recommend?  I'd really like to keep it shorter than 29, which doesn't fit behind the house well (we have strict parking regulations in our city).
We don't mind the weird side-ways queen island beds--just not the usual "corner" layout that is up against the bathroom wall.  We do want a real bed for the grownups, nothing that folds down or makes up from several pieces (been there, getting too old for that!)
Thanks for any leads!
 
You might want to also consider a small class A such as a Forrest River FR3 28DS, though bumper to bumper it is a few inches longer than your 29 ft cut off.  The heavier chassis and big slides likely give it more living space than a similar size class C, also it probably has more cargo carrying capacity than many class C's in this size range.
 
Thanks, I wouldn't be totally against a Class A that had one of the flip-down beds at the very front, so that it functioned like a Class C, but what I love about Class C's is that the stewpot of the kids' bedding stays all up and out of the way.  I don't like RV layouts where the bed becomes something else during the day, and you're making up and taking down beds.  (Well, I'd happily put up with it if we could afford that new four-bed Roadtrek, which is so drivable as to make it worth it.) 

So if I ever find a Minnie Winnie RQ in the shorter edition, I'll jump on it.  There's a Gulfstream Cavalier for sale near us (Socal), but from these forums it sounds like people have had different luck with the quality of those?  I was wondering if there are any other specific models to search for?  Even in the Class A you mention, but preferably shorter than 29 to fit it behind the house.
 
I am really halfway serious about this, but can you widen your house a couple of feet?  (Like adding a shed or something so the extra 2' is hidden?) There are a lot more 31' Class Cs with walk around beds than ones under 29'.  Or are you parking wall to wall?
 
We're pretty serious about keeping the length down--it makes a huge difference visually in our yard.  Plus, I *hate* driving the longer length in L.A. traffic, which is what we cross every time to get to the beach.   
We've owned a 21' class C and a 29' class C already.  (Plus we owned a trailer, but we cannot get a trailer to make the curve required to get behind our gate.  We tried!)
I was hoping people would know of other Class C models that I could set an alert for on Craigslist and RVTrader (and where else should I be looking?)
 
My current 2000 27' Itasca has a rear walk around queen bed.

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2199/2749607/24795974/413732880.jpg
 
Here's one that was listed two weeks ago here in Norcal.

https://modesto.craigslist.org/rvs/d/2005-class-sunseeker-forest/6451193172.html
 
Thank you!  That's exactly what I'm looking for.  So now I know three models to search.  I find that people use all different key words for the walk-around queen, so I can't just search by that.  (It also kills me that Craigslist has all these picky filters, but none for length on RV searches). Both the Itasca Spirit and the Forest River are perfect. 
 
CC, I too was looking for a "shorty" with rear queen walk around bed so my search was, "24', 25', 26', 27' and 28' ".  It took a while and finally found my current class C.  PO wouldn't budge on his price because when he was looking,  he too wanted a "shorty" with rear queen walk around.  Best of luck.
 
If you would otherwise be considering a trailer, then have you considered a motorized trailer dolly for getting it and out of the parking space.  A trailer plus a powered tow dolly would be a lot cheaper than a motorhome.

Something like https://parkit360.ca/
 
Our new house has crazy RV parking--on a grassy spot with a slight slope!  And to access it, you have to back across the front yard--it's terrifying.  (It's a really stupid layout, because the other side of the house with the garage doesn't have the width for parking an RV, where all the other houses have their gate.) . We're not against using some pavers on the RV parking itself, but we can't go the trailer route unless we re-did the whole gate, and re-landscaped.  Not against it long term, but it would cost quite a bit.  And the city is really, really strict about keeping RVs behind gates.  Also, having owned drivables and a trailer (how do you put those taglines on your profile?), I do appreciate how fast it is to pull into a camping spot with a motorhome, instead of threading in a trailer in the state campgrounds. 
 
Thanks for all the help!  I'm willing to keep looking for a few months (though if that one in Modesto were close by. .  .) 
 
You should be wiling to travel to get the right coach, I shopped for about 5 months for my current coach before buying it in Florida 1100 miles away from home.
 
1100 miles!  That makes Modesto look close!  We drove all the way up to Fresno to buy our Rockwood trailer, because it had the fabulous triple bunk layout in the back.  When we went to sell that thing, we had 8 buyers lined up for the first Saturday it was listed, but the first one grabbed it.
I"m trying to set some automatic searches, that will email me when what I want gets listed.  So far I'm checking RVTrader and Craigslist.
 
Both good options, though one has to watch out for all the scams on craigslist.  Lots of people will tell you craigslist is not worth the effort, however I found my coach listed on it.
 
I believe a Thor Chateau might also meet your requirements.  There's a  28 foot model with a jack-knife sofa and dinette up front, and a walk-around queen in the back (sideways - in a slide).  Thor also has a Class A with the same layout (I think it's the ACE).  We were strongly considering one of these (really liked the layout) until we decided that we think we want to go the travel trailer route.  Good luck with your search!
 
Thanks!  Glad to add the Thor Chateau to the list.  And good catch on the Modesto one--I was looking at it as though it was a bunk in front of those cupboards. 
 
Cat Chick said:
Thanks!  Glad to add the Thor Chateau to the list.  And good catch on the Modesto one--I was looking at it as though it was a bunk in front of those cupboards.
Click to expand...

I believe the chateau mentioned above is their 26B model.  Just so happens that is the model we purchased last summer.  Our family had a blast in it last summer and can't wait to de-winterize it this spring.  The back bed it tight, but you can get around both sides.

dave
 
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