Best Class B for a Woman Travelling with Her Dog

My husband recently passed away, and our 36' Class A is too much for me to handle on my own.  Since I love travelling and I wouldn't dream of leaving my dog behind, I was thinking about purchasing a Class B.  I'm just starting to look and am seeking suggestions on makes, models, gas vs. diesel, etc.  Also, tips on any good informational websites as well as 'must have' vs. 'you don't really need this' options will be appreciated.  I'm OK with new or used and would like to keep the cost in the neighborhood of $100K. 

Thanks,
DBD of DBDJEB

That a nice budget for a class b.  I like the new style made from the Mercedes sprinter vans .    very easy to drive. And grate fule econemey with their little diesel motors only draw back.  Is the bath rooms are very tight compared to a class a.  Try looking at some of the super b units.  Bigger than a class b. Smaller then a class c

Just curious: Why do you think a Class B would be easier to drive than a Class A? I can see the desire to buy something shorter, but what else...?

Many of us women in the RV Forum drive 40-ft + motorhomes with cars towing along behind.  Are you sure you can't drive that 36-footer???  I'd much rather have an A than a B, especially with a dog.  And don't forget Cs which also have more room for you and the dog.  If you are an FMCA member why not attend a rally and go to their seminar for women who want to learn to drive their motorhomes?  You didn't mention what kind of motorhome the 36-footer is, but some of the manufacturers also have rallies where women can learn to drive their products.

Did you and your husband ever join FMCA?  They have a nice magazine (Family Motor Coaching) with reviews of new motorhomes in all price and size ranges.  Another magazine is Motorhome which also has reviews.

ArdraF

Oops. I had my As, Bs and Cs mixed up.

A B would be easier. I think you'd miss the room, though.

The main things to remember driving an A is to go a little wide on corners and readjust your perspective to keep your body (and thus eyes) closer to the center line of the road so you don't run off the right edge.

We used to have a Class A motorhome and, although we enjoyed it, I personally found it a bit too much trouble. I had to tow a vehicle so the effective length was even longer than the RV, the gas mileage ate me alive and my wife and I found that we never really spent much time outside since the RV was so comfortable and spacious with it's slides.

We downgraded to a (used) Class B motorhome and I find it much easier to use. We don't tow anything since we can use the RV as a car, I get much better gas mileage, I find it easier to drive and no longer worry about the overhead space as much as I used to with the Class A. Some suggestions:

1) Look for something with a regular bathroom. Many of the Class Bs have a very strange toilet configuration with little privacy,

2) If you plan to do any dry camping make sure you get a generator. If you are traveling with a dog you may need to make sure the interior is cool when you are out of the RV hiking or walking. We travel with cats and the generator makes it easy for us to make sure the interior is air-conditioned when we are away.

3) I found the "wide body" Class B motorhomes to be much easier to move around in than the straight side Class Bs,

4) Some of the Class B motorhomes have front seats that swing around to face the back. When my wife and I were looking for something to get I thought that was a useless option but I have found that turning the seats to face the back when camping gives the feeling of a much larger interior and now is something I do even for one night stops.

5) This is probably obvious but you will have to cut down on what you take with you. While our Class B has a lot of storage (one inside closet which we put shelves into, quite a few inside cabinets and 2 relatively large outdoor storage spaces) it cannot hold a candle to the storage space in a 35' Class A motorhome. You will have to be very careful about what you decide to take with you. You can increase the storage by buying an inexpensive hitch cargo carrier but you will still be quite limited.

Good luck. I think you will enjoy a smaller RV. And be safe when traveling.

We downsized from a 32' class C to a Mercedes chassis class B (Winnebago ERA) and have never looked back.  We love our B.  We go most anywhere we want and park most anywhere we need to.  However, we "travel".  We don't "camp".  So, if you plan to just hit the road and tour, a class B will probably fit the bill.  But, if your definition of "travel" is more like just camping, you might miss the space.

About a year and a half ago, we bought a new Winnebago 28' Access (class C). We looked long and hard at the class B's on the Mercedes chassis, but two things kept us away - the driver and passenger seats were TERRIBLE and they were WAY more expensive. It just did not make sense for us.

Bill