New Class C under 25 ft....any opinions ??

Looked at Coachmen Freelander 22QB and 23QB.....my wife liked the slide out dinette area on the 23QB

Looking at Forest River Sunseeker on line at RV Direct..no slide option on the 2300 size and also on RV Direct

the Jayco Redhawk 26 XS ....but I think this one is a little longer than 25 feet


Welcome any opinions on new Class C units in this size range....first trip for the two of us would be to Alaska from Ohio

Jim

I guess there are not any Class C people on this forum......this is my second post as a newbie and getting ZERO response.....

maybe 25 feet is just toooooo short

It's only been a few hours since you posted your question.  There are a lot of class C owners here and I'm sure some of them will be along to address your questions.

I have an old Class C... Not really looking for a new one, so I don't know what's out there with respect to a new model.


Mylo

I have a 2012 Tioga Ranger Class C, but it is 32 feet, not the shorter unit you are looking for.  It also has two long slides, one on either side.  I chose the one I did because I am full-timing and wanted a larger unit and lots of storage, even though I travel alone.  I also wanted to sleep at least 7 because I want to be able to take my son's families and grandchildren camping occasionally, so I got a bunkhouse that converts to a dinette.  (My son and three toddlers just joined me for a weekend, and we had a great time.) I also have a bad back and hate dinettes, so I replaced the one that came with it with a leather recliner.  I work online part-time, but I use my recliner as my desk--always have--so I did not need a desk, as many people do.

I did not respond because I did not know exactly what questions you had. 

Everyone has different needs and wants, and different lifestyles.  What do you want to do during the day? Will it just be you and your wife, or do you want to have room to sleep and seat more than two of you? Do you tend to sit outside or inside?  How many people do you need to sleep?  What is your budget? 

Jim,
We have a Fourwinds Chateau J23 same size, rear galley, deep slide out with king size bed that folds down into a sofa. We're overall very pleased with this size rig. We do 350 mile weekends on a tank of gas, park it easily at restaurants, supermarkets, beach, parks and tourist attractions. It is just the two of us so for the most part we leave the dinette folded down into a day bed with lots of cushions for TV watching and lounging. A slide out in this size rig is a must in my opinion. We tow a boat and back it into the water easily. We strap a small motorcycle on back and still handles great with not too much overhang weight on back.  We have been looking at newer rigs around this same size. Seems they all have the rear bed with the chopped off corner. This floor plan with the chopped off corner bed is a deal breaker for us and we wouldn't buy it. Who gets that side of the bed? There are queen bed walk-around floor plans in the 27 foot range. That might be our next rig. 
Bruce

Hi Jim,

I have a class C (or B+ as they are sometimes called) that is 27 feet but I was looking at only used units. Not really up on the new models so I cannot offer much on those.

I do have a couple of opinions to share though; assuming this is your first RV I think you should strongly consider a used one even if it is only 2 years old. That way you would still have chassis warranty at a minimum, so some piece of mind. There are very many people on this forum that will say that you most likely won't find your first purchase to be one you will like long term. Selling a new one in a year or two is likely and the depreciation hit will be huge.

There is not that much difference in cost or driving a 24 vs. a 27. Beginning with about 27 feet you can find some with a real bed in the back, one that you can walk around both sides. I ended up with one like that and I am now very glad I did. Sleeping above the cab, on a pullout sofa or on a corner bed can get old pretty quick, at least for many people.

Last is slides are very popular and for good reason. Units in the low to mid 20 feet range are tight by nature and slides make a big difference. Resale value and ease of selling will be better with a slide, you will sell it at some point.

I would say the majority of folks on this forum who are active, are owners of class A units but many once owned class C's. They may offer some good opinions on owning both types but will be less informed about the latest models currently being offered. Judy's last paragraph is very important, how to you intend to use it?

I owned 2 Class C's and totaled over 108k between them, they were Coachmen Leprechauns. I still follow them.

I would look for either of these 2 great coaches, new from  the factory, or used:

Born Free by Dodgen, under and over 26' http://www.bornfreemotorcoach.com/bornfree_class_c_motorcoaches

and

Laxydaze they have a 24' http://www.lazydaze.com/flrplans.htm My Dad and Stepmother had one in the early 70's that got me interested!

Thanks for all the replies. I learned about two other Class-C units that I had not thought about.....The Tioga Ranger and the Born Free. Also I think I see a trend toward something larger than 25 feet... as I read the forums it seems to me that units in the 31 foot range are very popular ...so this is widening my viewpoint....alas adding even more confusion.

Judy asks about how we  plan to use it....here is what I think we want to do with it

First trip, the one that has us considering it, is a trip to Alaska this summer from Ohio....I see this trip lasting 5 or 6 weeks and driving at least 10,000 miles probably more like 12,000. We love visiting National Parks, especially those in the west, and we have been to many but always traveling by car. We want to be outdoors when possible. We are both adventurous. I see us taking at least one big trip each year an several shorter one....we are retired and have the time and  (I hope) enough money to do it.

Good advice about looking for used...any suggestions about the best sources?

Thanks and please keep the advice coming,

Jim

Google any make/model that tickles your fancy and you will likely come up with quite a few. Bear in mind that some may be quite far away but you will learn with each exploration. Find out whether Cab-Over layouts are a good or bad idea (especially in older ones)...

Buying sight unseen is probably a no-no but there are ways to have the units inspected by an independent party to see if the vehicle is in good enough shape to pursue further and warrant a trip for a further personal inspection/purchase.

Buying new does not insure a perfect machine. Far from it, in many cases YOU become the Quality Control guy for the manufacturer. No matter which route you choose, be sure to get and use any unit several months in advance of that BIG trip as the time will be needed to work out any bugs. This is NOT a "jump in and drive" situation as it might be with your car.

Jim, I found mine 3 miles up the road from my house. We had been looking for months and drove by this Class C 2007 Itasca Cambria 29H and knew upon entering it was the one. This measures out to be around 30 feet. Last year was our first year with it. It is our first MH. We love it. I don't think I would like anything smaller. Its got 2 slides.  You'll know when you find the right one. I'm already looking at Class A's. Buying used is the smart thing to do. Good luck !

    I've had 5 RV's in about 16 years as a full time RVer. One was a 29' Tioga Class C. I bought it for all of the reasons someone buys a Class C vs. an A -- mostly the myth that they are easier to drive. Perhaps when one first sits in the cockpit of either one - but once on the road and after turning a few corners, the A is just as easy and much more comfortable. The openness of the cockpit plus the usability of the cockpit once parked were all factors in my finally settling into a Class A 34' MH.

The Class C's in your range 22-25' are the mos popular rentals - because of the number of people it will sleep  if the cab over bed is a twin, it is easy to drive, and can be parked most anywhere. The downside for a trip as long as you suggest would be lack of storage and generally the lack of inside room to walk around and live. Also, you have a rear corner bed in most - and that can become a problem for more than one person getting in and out plus just making up the bed. A number of small Class C buyers can't wait to move up to a unit that has a queen size bed that they can walk around. They also like the larger bathroom vs. the one in the opposite corner from the rear bed.

I would never have another RV that two people cannot pass without touching each other-- unless they wanted to. So at least a living room slide became a must for me. I want to live in a room vs. an aisle.

My Class C was 29' long - and was top heavy on turns. I finally concluded that if I ever wanted another Class C it would be because I was downsizing for whatever reason, not traveling that often, and liked the idea of parking on parking lots. IMO now, if over 26' feet or so, it makes much more sense to buy a Class A MH.

Finally, if you are not experienced on driving a MH -- suggest you rent one of the type you are considering and take a long weekend. That way you would see how it will work for you vs. buying one and then discovering the downsides of such a rig. Some RV dealers rent MH's, then apply the rental charge to the purchase if that person decides to buy - either the rig rented or another off their new or used lot.

One of the reasons a longer unit is popular is many or most have a separate rear bedroom that does not require "building" your bed every night.  5 or 6 weeks of folding out a sofa or knocking down a dinette to make the bed can get pretty tiresome.

More good advice which I appreciate!

I have almost concluded already that 24 feet may be too short. We have decided that we must have a queen bed that you can at least slide around sideways (if not really walk around) ...the corner Queen seems OK but still one person has to climb over the other which will get old.....and the slide in the living area has become a must. To get those two "musts" in a Coachmen Freelander you have to go to the 29QB model in a new one which is 31 feet......Hmmmm "top heavy on turns" too

So, if I go to a 31 foot Class C, as Bob B says, does it make more sense to go to a Class A....I guess I will expand my thinking again....it seems that many Class C owners eventually migrate to Class A..

If any Class A owners or want to be owners have some thoughts on Class A please let me hear from you......trade offs from say a 31 foot Class C?
Minimum size Class A to consider? Should it be a DP if we go Class A?

Thanks again for your opinions,

Jim

I have been a full timer for the last ten years. During that time I have lived in three different class As, two class Bs and one class C. There is no way to compare an A to a B or a C. The A wins hands down in every category. The biggest advantage of an A over a C is the C wastes the first 8 feet of space with the engine compartment. Go to a dealer and walk through an A and a C that are the same length. The C will feel 8 feet shorter.

Class As also have a lot more storage room, much larger holding tanks, larger showers, larger everything. An RV can get pretty small after a few weeks.

Why are you looking at new RVs? For your first RV you should consider an inexpensive used RV, like around $10k to $20k. RVs depreciate like a rock and almost everyone gets it wrong the first time. It is really impossible to know what you actually want in an RV until you have used one for at least a year. Buying used first will save you from loosing tens of thousands of dollars to depreciation when you upgrade in a year.

Jim-

If I were in your shoes and planned to take at least one long trip each year and several shorter trips, with many of the trips cross-country to see national parks, putting on several thousand miles each year, I would be looking at a used DP in the 34-36 foot range.  (Perhaps I'm just biased because that's what I purchased for my first RV.  As they say, if the only tool you have is a hammer, all your problems look like nails.)  I'm assuming if you were looking at new class Cs, you have a budget somewhere in the $60-80K range.  You can find a very nice shorter 10-12 yr old DP for that price.

I have driven Class Cs and gas Class As and find my 36' DP so much more enjoyable to drive.  The ride is nice, it is relatively quiet because the engine is in the back, and there is a ton of usable space.  I recommend you visit some dealers and spend some time just hanging out in coaches of various sizes and shapes to see what you like.  Then take a few out for test drives.  Have fun and enjoy the journey!

Now that your almost talking about used. I might have an opinion.

I have only owned 2 rv's in my life. the first was a 22 foot 1974 Dodge class C. We bought it 2008/2009. It had major water damage. should have been junked but with the help of a friend we brought it back from the dead. drove it almost 3000 miles (return) on it maiden voyage. It only over heated once. and we punctured the fuel tank when a branch came off a trailer in front of us on the Highway.
The second Is a 1977 GMC 26 foot Class A. The "new" one has the bed in back and 2  barrel chairs instead of the dinette. sleeps 4 this works well for us at this time. no slides and because the dinette is gone less storage then the 22 footer. we just take less stuff with us now. We only use it a week at a time or a weekend here and there. so don't see the need for basement storage (and the needed steps to get into the rig) we believe we are camping, not living in the rig so don't need the cap-o-chino machine and 54 inch big screen TV.
Your use maybe different then ours. we feel 26 feet is large enough. can no longer park in a single parking spot but still small enough to go get the weekly groceries (we do that from time to time just to turn the wheel on the rig.) I sometimes run in auto slalom events and we tow a 1976 Austin mini on a trailer. we would use this also if we planned on site seeing if staying somewhere for a week.
so to answer your last question the bigger you get the less places you can go. the difference of driving a class a or class c was imperceptible. In fact the 26 footer is easier. Both the wife and I are getting less and less mobile (she has arthritis and I have a pulmonary disease) so getting anything into or out of the overhead in the class c is getting near impossible. also our reason for looking for a MH with a low floor.
The larger you get the bigger and more expensive the tires get. can't say anything about a DP. never owned one. have heard maintenance might be more expensive then gas but that they will out live the gas engine.
After our first trip in the 1974 we spent over a year looking for something better. we looked at a lot of different floor plans and we came to the conclusion that the most important thing for us was a good view out the front windshield and easy access to the camper.

Where in Ohio do you live?

I would suggest taking multiple rv's for a test drive.  There really is a HUGE difference between how the different type of rv's behave on trips.  Huge gap between a class c and a gas rv withi the gap between class a gas vs diesel still pretty large but I think that gap has been narrowed.

Not only is there a lot more room in a class a vs c but they drive and ride completely different.  Like stated I hightly suggest stopping by a rv dealership and taking a few different rv's for a spin so you can see and feel the difference. 

If you do plan on putting 10k miles or more every year on the rv like stated a dp should be considered.  They do cost more to maintain and can be more difficult/expensive to fix but they work better on long hilly trips or when gas stations are few and far between.  Blus ride handling etc is superior..... I do not put enough miles to warrant a dp - it was either several years old dp on new bounder 38p which is what we ended up with. 

Do you plan on towing a vehicle or is the rv your only transportation?

Jim, Looks like you are giving good consideration to the advice being given, that should save you some money and frustration.

This link http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/classc/class-c-motorhomes.php is for a big RV consignment business in Houston. You may never go there but there website is good for comparing different models and types. Each one includes a diagram of the units floorplan which can be invaluable in narrowing down the choices.

Another benefit is the prices are usually pretty reasonable and in line with NADA values. Speaking of that here is a link to the NADA site http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/Motorhomes The consensus around here is to try to purchase at or near the low retail figures without adding in optional equipment. This can be challenging to do but is good to use as a target.

Good Luck.

I have a 24 ft class C.  Like everything except the size of the bed.  An above post for a Fourwinds Chateau J23 with a king size bed has me interested.  Also, the Thor ACE 27.1 is the smallest class A with a king size bed.