Advice from experts

Hello
I'm new to the forum and new to the RV community. In fact, I have never been on a trip with RV and I know very little. I wanted to see what would you guys and galls recommend to purchase based on the following information.
We want to go on trips 2-3x per year and be on the move and not just sit at one spot. Trip would be minimum 800 miles one way all the way up to cross country.
I do not want to tow anything hence I would rather have a smaller RV so that I can park it anywhere - I was thinking up to 24ft should be OK or less.
The whole RV idea is for my kids, I have 2 small kids and the would like to spend more time with them. We go hiking in NC few times every year and they love it but the 12h trip up there in a carseat can be brutal. Yes, for me and them Kids would love to camp out in the RV and love the idea of sleeping in the bunk over the cab so that would be a huge plus to have.
Small bathroom should be ok, to take shower or wash up the kids after hiking but the bathrooms that I have seen on the Roadtrek RVs is bit to small in my option.
I would like to stay away from Ford V10, just seems like a lot of unnecessary power and wasted gas. I have seen few Freelander 21QB out there that seem to be nicely configured in Chevy V8 6.0L.
I really like the Mercedes / Dodge / Freightliner Sprinter diesel trucks. Love the ride, fuel economy and ergonomics. I have owned 08 Dodge Sprinter van for work and it did 250k miles before I sold it without any major problems. On the flip side, we have a 2011 Mercedes diesel SUV and that has been complete opposite, probably $8k in repairs over 4 years period after warranty expired.
I would be looking for something used with budget up to $40k.
Any thoughts? Other options? Recommendations?
Thank you so much

Welcome to the RV Forum czego82

Sounds like you already have some thoughts on what drive train you would prefer.

My suggestion would be to rent a Class C for a week trip and see if it has the space you may need. It will also give you a feel for driving a RV.

Welcome to the forum! I hope you find what you're looking for, I would agree with Gizmo, rent one for a weekend and it could give you a better idea of if what you think you want is actually what you want.

There are class C RVs (larger body than the class B van) that utilize the Sprinter van chassis or Ford E350 van that might suit your requirements.

I think your concern about the V10 fuel economy is misplaced, but it's your call.  Any motorhome, even a 22-25 ft model, needs a lot of power to move at highway speeds, due to the both frontal area (air resistance) and weight (north of 11,000 lbs).  I'll grant that a small diesel like the Mercedes V6 does well for that, but the difference between a 6.0L gas V8 and a 6.8L gas V10 will be small indeed.

Two to 3 times a year?  Rent.  Motor homes will need maintenance and upkeep even when parked, and using it only a few times a year seems like an awful waste of money.
Now, if you were to buy a tent trailer so something similar the cost vs use ratio would be far more acceptable.

Something else you may not have considered is how you plan to get around once you arrive at a destination you plan to visit for more than a day or so. Breaking camp just to take the RV into town for groceries, errands, or go to a trailhead, can be a real PITA.  That?s one of the benefits of having a trailer with a tow vehicle.

Patnsuzanne said:

Something else you may not have considered is how you plan to get around once you arrive at a destination you plan to visit for more than a day or so. Breaking camp just to take the RV into town for groceries, errands, or go to a trailhead, can be a real PITA.  That?s one of the benefits of having a trailer with a tow vehicle.

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I full timed for ten years without a toad. Ran all over with my RV and I never considered it a PITA. I think dragging around a car is a PITA.

donn said:

Two to 3 times a year?  Rent.  Motor homes will need maintenance and upkeep even when parked, and using it only a few times a year seems like an awful waste of money.
Now, if you were to buy a tent trailer so something similar the cost vs use ratio would be far more acceptable.

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I think renting is total waste of money. First, average rental is $150 a day and gives you around 100 miles. With that in mind, I would be paying minimum $2,000 for every time I rent one. Do that 2-3 times every year and I have RV that is paid off in 5 years. Yes maintenance and upkeep adds to it but its nowhere as much to offset the cost.

Patnsuzanne said:

Something else you may not have considered is how you plan to get around once you arrive at a destination you plan to visit for more than a day or so. Breaking camp just to take the RV into town for groceries, errands, or go to a trailhead, can be a real PITA.  That?s one of the benefits of having a trailer with a tow vehicle.

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That is why I want a small RV as said above. I do not plan on setting up a camp. Its simply to transport us from A to B and sleep in it. I do not plan on staying in it during the day. I would go crazy with kids in any size RV if I had to spend a whole day inside.  Idea is to go places, park the RV at any parking lot and go hiking or exploring. RV is my transportation. I thought about trailer but that is even bigger PITA, I don't want to be stuck at one spot whole vacation or be driving around looking for spots every day we move.

It sounds like you want the kids to be free to move about while you are driving,correct?  Car seat laws and common sense still apply.

It sounds like you want to boondock.  Where will you park at night?  Where will you dump your tanks?  How well can you ration water and electricity? Keep the fridge cold?  Run AC?  What will you do on rainy days?

Just some things to think about.

In that length your options would be a Class B, C, or even a pickup camper.  Make sure there are enough seat belts for the kids to have their own space as far apart as possible, if they are anything like my kids and now grandchildren. Especially on an 800 mile trip 

I do not plan on setting up a camp. Its simply to transport us from A to B and sleep in it. I do not plan on staying in it during the day.

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Life on the road will not be as simple as you seem to think,  that you will just be able to drive, park in any parking lot and go exploring. I posit that will not always be the case, you will need campgrounds at least for overnight, dumping tanks, fresh water, plugging in to charging the house batteries etc.
What about bad weather days??

Alfa38User said:

Life on the road will not be as simple as you seem to think,  that you will just be able to drive, park in any parking lot and go exploring. I posit that will not always be the case, you will need campgrounds at least for overnight, dumping tanks, fresh water, plugging in to charging the house batteries etc.
What about bad weather days??

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I see you are a snowbird in my backyard  Yes that is definitely something to consider. However I'm trying to keep those issues at minimum. Like I said, I know very little about RVs. First idea was to get conversion van but that is not really good for kids to sleep nor it has a shower. I'm sure I can dump the lav and pump up the water at a truck stop. Aren't there any other options for overnight besides campgrounds?

It's obvious that you need a WHOLE LOT MORE STUDYING ON THE SUBJECT then you have...The learning curve can be expensive
for those who rush in with little knowledge.>>>Dan  ( Go to a local national park and get out and talk to a few RVers,,,notice I did not say campers,, it's a lot more than camping.)

The whole purpose of RVing is so you can get out away from town and enjoy the great outdoors.  Most folks go park, setup camp and go play.  Fishing, hiking, swimming, off road toys are popular activities. Most come and go during the day, maybe stopping for lunch, gather for dinner and an evening around a camp fire with friends.

I'm sure I can dump the lav and pump up the water at a truck stop.

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Don't bet on it. And don't count on there being truck stops everywhere you go, either, especially when off of the Interstate highways.

Aren't there any other options for overnight besides campgrounds?

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Sure there are, though it certainly depends on where you are at the moment.  If you do a web search for "rv overnight stops" (without the quotes) you'll find a number of reference sites, but there are limitations on that (for instance local ordinances often prohibit staying in store parking lots, etc., and Interstate rest areas often prohibit overnight, but many of those that don't may not be safe. And note that what works fine for one, maybe two nights is totally unsuitable for more extended use. And I suspect that you, like most people, will soon lose your tolerance for the cramped spaces and limited facilities that your stated plan involves.

You really need to take off the rose-colored glasses and discover what this whole RV thing really entails, how things work in real life.

Well, this is strange - I can't connect to modify my previous post, though I can do most everything else, including make a new post. So, I said above:

Don't bet on it. And don't count on there being truck stops everywhere you go, either, especially when off of the Interstate highways.

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and forgot to make the point that those truck stops which DO have dumps, etc., usually charge a fee. And with several kids and not staying in a campground, and with a small rig (small tanks), you'll be dumping daily, if not more often.

Hmmm... I can modify THIS post, but not the one above.

Renting seems like a bad option until you start to  think about  maintenance. the roof needs looking after. A roof leak undetected for a couple of weeks can cost thousands to repair. Even if it sits it still needs oil changes every so often.

RENT ONCE OR Twice see if your family likes it.
Owning an RV will NOT save you money in the long run.
Yo might find yourself better off with a larger vehicle and a motel room.  Even a pop up might be good for your needs.

As somebody new to rv?s you were wise to come here to learn from those that have been there, and are doing that.  I would suggest that you rent a unit as close to what you have in mind as possible, and take the family out for a long weekend, or even a week. If you are lucky, everything will go exactly as you have imagined. In that case, congratulations!  You can now proceed with your search secure in the knowledge that you know precisely what you are looking for.  If, on the other hand, this trip points out some issues you hadn?t anticipated, the bathroom is too small, the tanks need to be emptied too often, truck stops don?t offer make the best place to spend the night with the family, or whatever; congratulations again!  You have identified these issues before you dropped thousands of dollars on an rv that doesn?t fit the needs of your family and/or how you plan to use it. Maybe rent a couple of different rigs for different trips until you find just the right combination of floor plan, size, economy and comfort. That way when it comes time to spend your hard earned cash, you?ll have some real world experience and will have a much better idea of what will work for you.

Patnsuzanne said:

Maybe rent a couple of different rigs for different trips until you find just the right combination of floor plan, size, economy and comfort.

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From what you posted, I'd have to agree that renting an RV for one or two of your trips will put you well along the learning curve.  You mentioned that the cost is $150 per day, but that's what you'd pay for a motel room in the area you plan on recreating in.  Spending that $$$ is for a trip full of new stuff and excitement-- not just renting an RV.  It's not really wasted money. 

I'd also mention that you won't be able to park a 24 foot anything just about anywhere.  Quite the opposite.  You're too big for normal parking spaces, and will always need to be in the "outer" areas in shopping centers etc. and you need room to turn and maneuver.  As for truck stops, don't count on dumps or water fills.  While most of my experience is West of the Mississippi, they just don't offer those services all that often.  And as for overnighting in truck stops, again, doable some of the time, but is generally discouraged as more and more RVs are on the road these days.  And be aware that trucks don't turn off their engines while parked - it's noisy and very smelly.  You probably won't enjoy that.  If you plan to simply park in "parking lots", don't because you'll get a knock on your door overnight from the local constabulary.

You're still going to need public or private campgrounds it seems from what you posted.  Almost ALL of these will have bathrooms and most will have (pay) showers and water fills.  Again by renting and planning out a trip or two of several+ days, you may find you can get by without those amenities in what RV you choose.  Tent camping for the kids may also be an option, but I don't know what times of the year you plan on traveling. 

The point is, there are dozens of options out there - from teardrop pull campers, to truck campers, to Class Bs and Cs.  Road-tripping for recreational opportunities is a blast, but . .  there are chores also and it sounds as if you'd like to minimize the time and hassle of these.  Renting - for at least a 4-5 day trip - will provide you the best experience for learning what's needed.

As others have said, congrats on your research and for posting your question.

LInda