Motor Home??? for Full Timers

[UP Travelers]

I would like to ask what Folks would say is the most popular Type (as in A, B, B+ or C) and size of motorhome for Full Timers? And maybe some reasons why.

Jim

[scottydl]

I'll move this to Fulltiming for those folks to chime in, but I think you'll find that Diesel Pusher (DP) Class A motorhomes are the most commonly owned motorhomes for those who never leave the RV.  In general, Class A DP's are the largest rigs with the most features, and diesel chassis are the most robust with the capability to travel cross county and tow large loads for years and years with the least wear & tear on the vehicle.

[Becks]

Tag axle diesel pusher if budget allows.

[SeilerBird]

Full timers typically spend 95% of their time living in their RV and 5% of their time driving it. So therefore it is logical to worry more about living space than being able to park it easily. You are buying a house and you are going to live in it. Space is extremely important. You want the RV as big as possible. I am full timing solo in a 32 footer and it is too small for me.

[RogerE]

As big as you can afford.  Our coach is almost 44 feet.  We have been full timing since the first of this year and are feeling quite comfortable with the space.  The size of our coach gives us many conveniences - a stacked washer and dryer, bath and one half, lots of storage.  The trade off with a larger coach is that you are more limited in where you can park and get fuel.  We have been from Florida to Idaho and back this year and have never had a problem finding a place to stay.  You can always find a truck stop for fueling.  Unless we are traveling from Point A to Point B we usually stay at least a week when we stop.

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Unquestionably the Class A type of motorhome and most people end up in the 40-45 foot range, though there definitely are those comfortable at 34 feet and up. While there are a few people who do live fulltime in a B, it's not what most people would consider for more than a weekend.

A 40 footer with slides still provides only about 350 sq ft of living space, and much of that is taken up with cabinets and furnishings, so it's not really big. Fulltimers also need storage, because they carry everything with them. Clothing for all seasons, hobby & sports gear, tools, yard furniture, your financial files, etc. No Class B or even a large C can provide that sort of space.

The only way to answer your question in a meaningful way is for you to visit many RVs and imagine yourself spending a day inside. Step into the shower, sit on the commode, pretend you are stowing your clothing, dishes, etc. away inside, and so on.  It helps if beforehand you make up a rough list of things you would take with you, e.g. how much clothing, kitchen gear, etc. RVs that look cute and roomy often fail miserably when you start looking for a place to put a crock pot and electric fry pan, or you want to stow away your gold clubs or fishing rods. Even finding a spot for dirty laundry can be a challenge.

[Oscar Mike]

Even finding a spot for dirty laundry can be a challenge.

That is absolutely true. We have a 32' Class C and it totally lacks in storage space. My new motto is "less is more". I have a 1,940# CCC of which my wife and I take up a significant portion of my available CCC. So with all of my gear, clothes, food, and so forth I have my cargo down to 1,500#. Not a lot of gear, certainly not four seasons worth.

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Newbies find it hard to imagine carrying even 1000# of stuff, but old hands have [mostly] learned  that weight adds up quickly. By your third or fourth trip stuff has accumulated to a startling degree. Some of us automatically "clean house" once a year to eliminate stuff that seemed important at some time but is no longer used, but something else always replaces it before too long.

[Kim58]

Ahhh But if you are a single minimalist, then a 28 ft. class C is more than  ample space! 

[louiskathy]

I would like to ask what Folks would say is the most popular Type (as in A, B, B+ or C) and size of motorhome for Full Timers? And maybe some reasons why.

Jim

We have fulltimed since 2005.
We have a Class A.  37 ft  and I think that's the best size.  (anything longer and getting into some National Parks will be tight)
Engine is gas, Triton V-10 with Banks and it gets us up the hill but if you can afford a DP... I'd suggest you go for more power than we got.
We have one living room slide and kinda wish we had a 2nd bedroom slide so we could get around the bed easier.
Our's has a full closet across the back. (and with basement a/c eating up our bay storage area, I'm glad we've got that bigger closet.)
A tub/shower
A stacked Washer/Dryer (I would never want a combo).
We have a gas oven but very very seldom use it. I do use the stove top now and then. Get a 3 burner stove top.
Microwave/Convection oven - and I use that all the time... along with electric skillet, electric griddle, ...
We have a dinette table that expands to seat three chairs around the end... and I like the storage in the benches.

[SeilerBird]

Ahhh But if you are a single minimalist, then a 28 ft. class C is more than  ample space! 

Well I am a single minimalist living full time in a 32 footer and it is way too small.

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Ahhh But if you are a single minimalist, then a 28 ft. class C is more than  ample space!

Perhaps, but I would still recommend a 28 ft Class A vs the C, for more usable space, better storage and better carrying capacity.

And if that minimalist still likes a comfortable lounge chair, or a convenient computer desk, or a shower big enough to turn around in, he may appreciate something a bit larger.

[JudyJB]

Before anyone can give you advice, you need to tell us what kind of full-timing you plan to do. Seilerbird said full-timers "typically" spend 95% of their time in one place and 5% traveling.  I respectfully completely disagree.  And you do not want a "typical" motorhome: you want one that is appropriate for you! 

I spend 2-5 days in one place, usually a state park, and then move on.  I am in a travel mode and have been for over two years.  I might slow down to a couple of weeks in one place in a year or so, but I don't see myself in a resort-type campground.  I also do not have a towed vehicle, which is what most people who stay in one place have. (I use an electric bike instead.) I occasionally have kids and grandkids with me and can sleep 4-5 guests comfortably, which is why I chose a Class C bunkhouse.  So my 32' Class C with two big slides is plenty big for me, especially since I travel alone.  I must be a minimalist because I have more storage space than I use.

Here are some things to ask yourself:

• How much am I going to travel and how much am I going to sit in one place?
• How many people will I be traveling with?  Class Cs tend to sleep more people because of the over-cab bunk.  (Usable space does not always mean sleeping space.)
• What kind of "camping" am I going to do? Do I want to stay in commercial parks with pools or amenities or will I prefer to be out in the woods with more privacy but possibly no sewer?
• Do I want or need to tow a vehicle?
• How much stuff do I need to live comfortably?

Hope this helps, but full-timers really have a lot of different living and traveling styles so there is really nothing "typical."

[cnh23]

We have just spent our first few weeks fulltiming in a 24' Class C. Space isn't an issue at all, but we did remodel to afford a nice large bathroom and big shower. Also, even though I removed over half the previous cabinetry, I have made way better use of the space for new storage that fits our stuff perfectly. We are currently in a park and are surrounded by the 40 ft beauties, with only a couple smaller ones. We are minimalists for sure, and love the ease of parking and driving this thing just about anywhere. It's all about how cramped you may feel, especially if there are a few days in a row of rain. Lucky for me I enjoy cozying up to my DH and in our little baby it pretty much happens all the time. Use of space I think is most important. Everything is stowed away in its spot, nothing just sits anywhere out in the way which is extremely helpful in keeping the place looking more spacious than it is

[Ernie n Tara]

We do nicely in 35 feet (Class A), but we have two deep slides on the passenger side and a full body slide on the drivers side. This makes for a nice layout and easily enough space for two friendly married people. Storage is adequate,  but not overly generous. We previously owned a 22 ft. Class A (too small), and a 32 ft. Class A that was adequate.  All in all, I'd have to say we have the minimum rig for us to comfortably full time. Many will need/want more room and a very few settle for less IMHO.

Ernie

[UP Travelers]

Thanks to all who replyed to my "most popular motorhome for full-timers" question. A lot of good comments and points to consider. As far what kind of full-timeing we will be doing. I don't think I could say, entirely, until we get started. Although I can say for sure that we will on a budget.
Back when the idea of doing this first struck us we thought we would be looking for a Winne Rialta. That was almost a year ago and it didn't take long to realize that that wouldn't work. After a lot of reading, looking and advise from others, here and elsewhere, we zeroed in on "Class A's" in the 28'-32' range. We are now dealing on 32' model and hope it will be ours within a couple weeks.

Thanks again to all, Jim

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Best of luck with it! Let us know what you get.

[Chet18013]

We started full time in a 45' tag coach with 4 slides a year and one half ago. At first, we had every bay, cabinet, closet filled. We are now weeding out what we haven't needed and becoming quite comfortable. Don't think we could live in anything smaller.

[UP Travelers]

It's done. We have taken possession of an '08 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32BA.
Thanks again to all who shared their thought and considerations.
We think we made the right choice. It's a lot bigger than what we started looking at and it's has all of our "musts" and most of our "wants". Although we are inexperienced at living full-time in an RV, we do have know what it's like to spend extended time in a 30' sailboat. The living space of a 30' sailboat is probably equivalent to an 18' motorhome.
What I was really looking for was a motorhome that's 21' on the outside and 40' on the inside. Never found one.
So no more questions about what MH to buy. But I will surely want to lean on those wiser that myself about living in our "home-on-wheels".
The plan is to blast off into the "full-timer" universe next fall.

Thanks again.

Jim

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Congrats on the new-to-you Open Road! Hope it works well for you!

[curlew]

We fulltime in a 32 ft Gulfstrem Independence Class A. We have made a few improvements in it to make up for lack of storage space in the original design. At first, we thought we would be doing a lot of traveling, so we opted for the smaller side. Actually, we do more setting up for a month or two and exploring in the toad. Given the way we actually live in it, I would have opted for a 36 or a 38 if I was choosing today. Yes, it's a travel machine, but most of the time it is parked while we live in it. We are large, active people who need room for bikes and hobbies. We like to cook and would like more counter space.

You will do fine in your Tiffin. It's a good rig. But don't be surprised if, after you have slowed down a bit, you want a little bigger rig. It all seems to have to do with how long you spend parked.