Looking For Reliable Used Class C- What Make- What engine?? Need Expert Input.

[diamond G Ranch]

I have always been a travel trailer person so not new to living in an rv....but I am thinking about selling the house, downsizing, simplifying and living on the road for a few months in an RV until I decide where I want to be- so if I decide to move forward with this, I want to make sure that I make the very best choice when buying my newer used Class C- my first priority is RELIABILITY....I want something that is well built and has an engine that is known for it's dependability(I have always driven Ford's, so I am partial)....I am looking for something that has good power for mountain driving and since I tend to be a boon docker, I want something that can be taken off the pavement safely- of course decent mileage is a concern, but not at the expense of adequate power....I am a single woman and have two medium sized dogs- although I am not looking for anything too big, I want to be sure that the rig gives us enough room....I was thinking about 23' or so....whether it has a slide or not, I am still undecided...

Would appreciate some input on what everyone thinks about the best built rig with the most dependable engine- Thanks to all!!

 

[shorts]

We had a Winnebago Minnie Class C for 12 years that was excellent. Never gave us any problems at all and seemed to be very well built. And I think Winnebago is still a pretty reliable manufacturer as far as the major manufacturers go.
Vicki

 

[diamond G Ranch]

Hey, thanks Vicki!!

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Your idea of "reliability" in the context of an RV is a bit misplaced. The engines aren't the issue, they tend to work pretty reliably irrespective of manufacturer. It's the rest of the running gear - brakes, driveline, suspension, fuel system, electrical plus all the issues of the crappy house built on it that will cumulatively affect "reliability". So what you're looking for is a "reliable" class C as a unit which is a bit of a unicorn, because none are inherently reliable due to their complexity and design. Folks that have reliable RV's are likely more due to the owners that preemptively service and repair the omnipresent problems and failures more so than the make and model, much less the specific engine it may have. If it were as simple as selecting a particular unit and enjoying reliable service there is no doubt it would be the one everyone would own. When buying used, how the unit was used and cared for along with age and miles will drive "reliability" more than the decal on the side.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[LarsMac]

Winnebago and Itasca both are good, well built vehicles, and worth your time while shopping for used RVs.
And the E450 Chassis with Ford V-10 motor are quite reliable.

And, What Mark said.
Look for vehicles with well documented maintenance records. That indicates that the owners cared for them.

 

[darsben]

There is no expert on motor homes. They ALL have had their problems some with the house part some with the chassis..
Over time most of the problems are resolved but not right away. For example years ago the V10 used to pop out the spark plugs. The P30 had problems with the Parking brake mechanism. None of these was evident right away.
But realize you are probably buying at the top of the market so if you want out after 6 months or so you will probably take it in the shorts

 

[decaturbob]

the bigger issue with motorhomes would be the "RV" part with slide outs, gaskets, roof, storage tanks, tires, generators. Chassis and engines are typically bullet proof.

 

[Larry N.]

.I am looking for something that has good power for mountain driving and since I tend to be a boon docker, I want something that can be taken off the pavement safely- of course decent mileage is a concern, but not at the expense of adequate power

You won't find a motorhome that just scoots up steep hills like a car -- they don't exist (well, maybe a van conversion, that is a class B). All of them slow considerably on long, steep grades, even the diesel rigs. What you mean by "off the pavement safely" will determine whether such a thing exists. The Earthroamer* is a possibility but it's FAR from cheap, and you might find a (rare) 4WD class C unit out there that will do what you want, but keep in mind that off-road shakes up the vehicle a lot, and over the course of a very few trips can shake half of the house loose, so your off-road needs might be better served with a class C that can pull a Jeep Wrangler or other small off-road vehicle, such as a Suzuki Samurai.

As to mileage, most class C rigs (other than the Sprinter-based units) will get 7-9 mpg overall, sometimes a little less, or a bit more with a tailwind.

So don't get your hopes too high about off-road, beyond a dirt or gravel parking lot or road (might cause damage).

---

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[TheBar]

Larry is right. An ordinary RV is just a house on wheels. Driving your RV off road is like an 7.0 earthquake. Its amazing they last so long just driving down an Interstate.

I would expect a Class B with a mostly metal body would tolerate a little more abuse. If you are looking at a really short Class C then a Class B might be a better choice.

 

[Isaac-1]

All Class C's are built with light weight components to keep within the GVWR of the chassis, (12,500 for modern E350 chassis and 14,500 for modern E450) as a result they tend to not be built particularly well, though some have slightly better materials and workmanship than others. Though a lot comes down to how they have been maintained. For example in general a TPO roof will be better than an EPDM roof, but only if it has not been abused, as TPO (along with various other newer roof materials) require less care and last longer than EPDM roofs. The same goes to the rest of the RV, drive a relative well built class C across washboard dirt roads and things are going to come apart at a greater rate than with a less well built coach does when kept on smooth pavement, though here it does depend a bit on construction. The vast majority of used Class C's you find on the market built in the last 20+ years will have nearly the same 6.8L Ford V10 engine in them, so power train is fairly moot, the alternative engine options are generally good engines too, but my guess is well over 90% of the coaches you are likely to consider will have the Ford 6.8L.

As to the rest it comes down to inspect, inspect, inspect. And while I feel some like the Minnie Winnie or Jayco might generally be built better than say a Thor, condition is more important than initial build quality.

 

[beaverfever]

i would suggest you rent one first to give yourself a base line on what you like or not in a c .

 

[diamond G Ranch]

Thank you everyone....for all the great input!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I agree with the previous replies but will repeat with a few thoughts of my own

• A class C is built on a van chassis, usually the Ford E450 but sometimes a Chevy or Dodge or Mercedes (Sprinter) van instead. They are all reasonably "reliable" as far as vehicle function is concerned. If buying pre-owned, condition & maintenance is the key to "reliability", not van brand or engine
• Fuel economy in an RV is an oxymoron. 7-10 mpg is the usual range, though the Sprinter diesel can see maybe 16 mpg in optimum conditions.
• I wouldn't call 23 ft roomy for a lady and two dogs, unless maybe the dogs are pocket sized. The limitation is more the single narrow aisle than the total square ft.
• Off-road and RVs don't go together well, but you can usually drive onto dirt roads or grassy fields ok as long as the surface is firm and has no boulders or ditches. There are a few specialty 4WD RVs made for rugged going, but they are pricey. Think "Saudi Prince" bracket.
• They all have sufficient power to climb hills and drive interstates, but none of them will be anywhere near the performance of even an economy sedan.

 

[diamond G Ranch]

I agree with the previous replies but will repeat with a few thoughts of my own

• A class C is built on a van chassis, usually the Ford E450 but sometimes a Chevy or Dodge or Mercedes (Sprinter) van instead. They are all reasonably "reliable" as far as vehicle function is concerned. If buying pre-owned, condition & maintenance is the key to "reliability", not van brand or engine
• Fuel economy in an RV is an oxymoron. 7-10 mpg is the usual range, though the Sprinter diesel can see maybe 16 mpg in optimum conditions.
• I wouldn't call 23 ft roomy for a lady and two dogs, unless maybe the dogs are pocket sized. The limitation is more the single narrow aisle than the total square ft.
• Off-road and RVs don't go together well, but you can usually drive onto dirt roads or grassy fields ok as long as the surface is firm and has no boulders or ditches. There are a few specialty 4WD RVs made for rugged going, but they are pricey. Think "Saudi Prince" bracket.
• They all have sufficient power to climb hills and drive interstates, but none of them will be anywhere near the performance of even an economy sedan.

I appreciate all the input- while some of this I realize, I just wanted to get other peoples perspective who actually own Rv's....as mentioned, I have a 22' travel trailer(pulled with 02 ford 7.3 diesel) that has had many upgrades including a suspension lift so I can go off the pavement, but when I say that, I do not mean 4x4 off roading....but I do boondock in the state forests and on BLM land- always some sort of maintained dirt road, sometimes it can be a bit bumpy but I drive super slow and with care....just feeling things out- a class C would add a bit of convienence to my travels, but of course, there are drawbacks I realize....thanks again for all the feedback!

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Short of the quarter million dollar custom built "off road" rigs built on military chassis I've seen on TV, the most rough and tumble RV I've seen was an oil field service truck (common out here) with a truck camper in the utility bed. That thing looked like it could go anywhere (and likely did) and while it may not have the accommodations of a class C something like that could be made quite comfortable. If there was anything to be taken out in the boonies it would be something like that.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[JudyJB]

Agree with previous comments--the engine and transmission will NOT be a problem. It is the other stuff that falls apart, and there are no Class Cs, unless the really, really expensive ones built like tanks, that will not fall apart. For example, I once had the trim around my slide fall off on a bumpy road. Right now, I have a loose wall panel in the rear. And even driving on a nice, paved road will cause stuff inside my cupboards to rearrange themselves after even a short trip. Things will bump around and become loose. This include fittings and other stuff you cannot see.

My Ford v10 engine and transmission does an excellent job of taking me up and down mountain passes, and I can even often accelerate on hills, but this 15,000 lb vehicle does NOT climb hills like a car can, so you just can't expect that to happen.

Conclusion: Put aside some funds and plan on fixing things, especially if you plan to go off-road with your C.

 

[Isaac-1]

The biggest problem going "off road" with any motorhome is the weight and ground clearance, a 14,000 pound motorhome will sink into the ground where a 5,500 pound pick up truck with the same ground clearance can go with no problems, and it just gets worse the larger the motorhome gets, in a place a mid size class C may just leave indentions in the ground a 45,000 pound diesel pusher may sink up to its axles.

 

[Skookum]

I appreciate all the input- while some of this I realize, I just wanted to get other peoples perspective who actually own Rv's....as mentioned, I have a 22' travel trailer(pulled with 02 ford 7.3 diesel) that has had many upgrades including a suspension lift so I can go off the pavement, but when I say that, I do not mean 4x4 off roading....but I do boondock in the state forests and on BLM land- always some sort of maintained dirt road, sometimes it can be a bit bumpy but I drive super slow and with care....just feeling things out- a class C would add a bit of convienence to my travels, but of course, there are drawbacks I realize....thanks again for all the feedback!

You might be a good candidate for a Super-C. They are built on medium-duty truck frames versus the old van stuff that most Class C's use. Big payload capacity. Big towing capacity. Good-sized diesels (Duramax, Powerstroke, Cummins). Depending on length, they fare a little better off-road because they have more ground clearance, and some of the older ones (Chevy Kodiak/C5500 can be retrofit with 4-wheel drive).

Nexus is currently building on the new-generation GM medium duty platform and a 6.6 Duramax and 4x4 is included from the factory, Allison transmission, all heavy duty. They are actually using the International branded version of the chassis which is really obscure, and kind of neat. You're looking around $200k for one of those, though, and compared to other builders, the interiors are a little spartan. You're definitely paying for the hardware.