For the record, I am not a wealthy person. I can't afford a diesel pusher. Unless I purchased one 4 or 5 years old. I just a quote from RVDirect on a 2010 Georgetown 337 with a 8.1 L gas engine. for $85,000. If I buy this and tow a 3800# Saturn Vue will I hate it. I would rather hear from people that actually own a newer gas rig. I know what the diesel people will say. If I was to compare his engine to say a 300HP diesel am I going to go up a hill at 40 MPH rather than 50? I'm not new to Rving or diesels. I full timed for 18 months towing a 34' 5th wheel with 6.0L Ford diesel. In that time period I had to replace the filters 3 times due to bad fuel at $120 a whack and last month at 84,000 miles I had to replace 3 injectors for $2000. I'm afraid that buying a used diesel could be my worst nightmare.
Soo.. Just how horrible IS it to own a gas motorhome ???
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maddog348
Well-known member
A 2010 Geoorgetown 337 for $85K ?? Another site(googled) shows that vehicle with MSRP of $120K+. Sounds like a deal. No problem with our gasser - but then he is a little guy. JMO YMMV
We've been driving a 2004 28-foot Winnebago gasser for almost 5 years. We've put over 40,000 miles on it, half of it with a toad. We go slower up hills and over mountains but we're never in a hurry....and we've gone over a lot of mountains and hills. One reason we went with a gasser is because we want to stay below 30 feet and I don't think there are any diesels that short.
Wendy
FMCA Rally, Farmington New Mexico
Wendy
FMCA Rally, Farmington New Mexico
jerryarlyne
Well-known member
I now have a 36' gas rig and also tow an 06 Vue with no problems. On really long hills some Diesels will pull away from me but as a rule if the hill is less then a mile long I can usually keep up and in some cases go around them if I needed to. I average about 7.5 mpg with a chevy 8.1L engine pulling 21,625 lbs total gcw. I have driven diesel busses for 25 years but for the same reasons you listed I have not owned a diesel motor home.
ArdraF
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TooPoor,
We've had three (older) gas class Cs and two (newer) diesel pushers. I'm not sure why you think you would hate a gas rig. Ours have all been good. Yes, if you go over Colorado's Eisenhower Pass on I-70 you will slow down, but so does everyone else, including the diesels and even "regular" automobiles. Any vehicle is affected by lack of oxygen at over 11,000 feet elevation so that isn't the most important factor to my way of thinking. Granted, you will want something that handles reasonably well, but that also is true of any RV. I think the general floorplan and livability are probably more important than an occasional slow ascent over a mountain. Also, the fact of the matter is that a number of states now have slower speed limits for trucks and it usually includes RVs. This means you're not driving up to the speeds you could drive if you're in one of those states. California is one of them and I can tell you that we seldom get up to the ideal RPMs recommended by Cummins because we're forced into a lower speed (55 MPH) by their laws. So, to answer the title of this thread directly, owning a gas motorhome isn't horrible at all. If that's what you can afford, you'll have just as much fun using it as you would something else. The important thing is to find an engine that can handle the load. One that is built right up to the weight limits is going to have less "omph" than one that isn't as heavy and it won't perform as well on the highway because it's trying to do too much with too little horsepower. Look at all the weight tags and they will clue you in as to which category the RV falls into (e.g. overloaded or not).
ArdraF
We've had three (older) gas class Cs and two (newer) diesel pushers. I'm not sure why you think you would hate a gas rig. Ours have all been good. Yes, if you go over Colorado's Eisenhower Pass on I-70 you will slow down, but so does everyone else, including the diesels and even "regular" automobiles. Any vehicle is affected by lack of oxygen at over 11,000 feet elevation so that isn't the most important factor to my way of thinking. Granted, you will want something that handles reasonably well, but that also is true of any RV. I think the general floorplan and livability are probably more important than an occasional slow ascent over a mountain. Also, the fact of the matter is that a number of states now have slower speed limits for trucks and it usually includes RVs. This means you're not driving up to the speeds you could drive if you're in one of those states. California is one of them and I can tell you that we seldom get up to the ideal RPMs recommended by Cummins because we're forced into a lower speed (55 MPH) by their laws. So, to answer the title of this thread directly, owning a gas motorhome isn't horrible at all. If that's what you can afford, you'll have just as much fun using it as you would something else. The important thing is to find an engine that can handle the load. One that is built right up to the weight limits is going to have less "omph" than one that isn't as heavy and it won't perform as well on the highway because it's trying to do too much with too little horsepower. Look at all the weight tags and they will clue you in as to which category the RV falls into (e.g. overloaded or not).
ArdraF
JerArdra
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It is not horrible at all. We had and loved three gas MHs that we used for 14 years. They were very GOOD and fun MHs. Don't let the thought of a diesel MH keep you from the wonderful life style of MHing. From our experience with 3 gas and 2 diesel MHs I can sum it up this way. With a diesel you can go uphill faster (so what), you can control your downhill speed better (this is nice), and you'll pay more upfront for the coach and any maintenance is more costly.
JerryF
JerryF
sheltie
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It isn't in the least.
Don't consider it horrible at all, just the opposite, consider us to be quite fortunate to own one! Never met a hill that we couldn't climb, did I feel stupid when the corvette passed us going up the hill, well no, it's a corvette ;D!
I have a 2009 gasser and have never had a problem with the engine or wanted for more power (we'll ok a little bit, but that's a guy thing right?). Anyway, my point being, in all but the most extreme situations (high altitude, extreme grades) the gas motor will perform just fine and get you where you need to go at or above the speed limit if you so choose.
As for DP vs. gas, I have come to believe the biggest differentiator is not the motor, its the suspension. A gasser will have a leaf metal spring chassis, whereas all but the newer FREDs will have an air ride suspension. There is a major difference in the ride quality between an adapted leaf sprung truck chassis, and a purpose built air sprung RV chassis, and that fact alone would be enough for me to consider a DP for my next purchase (which is many years out BTW). Overall I am happy with our gasser, however, as a stickler for "quiet" when I drive, a leaf sprung coach is a rather loud rattle and squeak prone beast.
As for DP vs. gas, I have come to believe the biggest differentiator is not the motor, its the suspension. A gasser will have a leaf metal spring chassis, whereas all but the newer FREDs will have an air ride suspension. There is a major difference in the ride quality between an adapted leaf sprung truck chassis, and a purpose built air sprung RV chassis, and that fact alone would be enough for me to consider a DP for my next purchase (which is many years out BTW). Overall I am happy with our gasser, however, as a stickler for "quiet" when I drive, a leaf sprung coach is a rather loud rattle and squeak prone beast.
jerryarlyne
Well-known member
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
We bought a new 36 foot gas rig in 2002 and drove it five years. Served us very well, even though the first year was a bit rough with quality problems that required a trip to the factory to fix. I think gas coaches are excellent for many, if not most, purposes. We now have a diesel - one of those 5 year old ones you mentioned - and yes we like it better, but it was also 2x the price of the gasser and certainly ought to be a lot nicer.
Yes, you are probably going to climb hills slower than a big diesel, especially if you are unwilling to rev that gas engine up to the point where it produces its peak horsepower. So what?
Yes, you are probably going to climb hills slower than a big diesel, especially if you are unwilling to rev that gas engine up to the point where it produces its peak horsepower. So what?
taoshum
Well-known member
Plus, I remember, about a year ago or so, diesel fuel was about $5/gallon and gasoline was about $4/gallon. It could happen again and then a gas engine will be better friends with your wallet than my diesel is with my wallet. Plus there are many more gas engine mechanics than there are diesel mechanics... that is changing but still true, I think. Another big plus is that you can get parts at Pep Boys or Wally World or Napa or whereever.
I'd focus on the layout and design of the living space and less on the powerplant. Even thou you drive, maybe some everyday, you eat, sleep and live most of the time, IMHO, FWIW.
I'd focus on the layout and design of the living space and less on the powerplant. Even thou you drive, maybe some everyday, you eat, sleep and live most of the time, IMHO, FWIW.
DonTom
Well-known member
TooPoor said:
IMO, that 8.1L is going to give you quite close to the performance of a diesel. In fact, I would prefer it to diesel just because gas engines seem to be less picky about things such as not being driven much, and mine doesn't get a lot of use. You're not going to find a better or more powerful gas engine than an 8.1L. And gas engines are significantly cheaper to maintain.
BTW, I am impressed with the performance of my 7.4 L in the mountains, even at the highest elevation. And get an average of 9.5 MPG (but I do not tow with it). The only engine I would prefer is an 8.1L, just because I like big engines in heavy vehicles.
My guess is that you will love that 8.1L. Go for it!
-Don- SSF, CA
joester
Well-known member
I also am quite happy with my old (1991) class C with a ford 460 gasser.
There has been a lot of discussion here about the merits of a DP vs a gasser - one of which I remember being the LONG-TERM advantages. for instance, an oil change may cost more for a diesel than a gas, but the changes are less frequent, stuff like that (which is REALLY simplifying it). Seems that if you were to travel a lot of miles, and keep your rv a long time, the DP ends up being as good a buy and affordable (possibly) as a gasser, but if you don't travel that often, or that far, you may be better off with a gasser - as the initial costs and maintenance costs are less. one of you folks with more experiance with both may want to chime in here.
just my 2 pesos.
There has been a lot of discussion here about the merits of a DP vs a gasser - one of which I remember being the LONG-TERM advantages. for instance, an oil change may cost more for a diesel than a gas, but the changes are less frequent, stuff like that (which is REALLY simplifying it). Seems that if you were to travel a lot of miles, and keep your rv a long time, the DP ends up being as good a buy and affordable (possibly) as a gasser, but if you don't travel that often, or that far, you may be better off with a gasser - as the initial costs and maintenance costs are less. one of you folks with more experiance with both may want to chime in here.
just my 2 pesos.
yolo
Well-known member
We rented a Camping World class A 32 ft unit with a Ford V10 gas engine and drove it from Los Angles to Florida, 4250 miles total. The gas engine performed well. It sometimes ran at 4500 to 5000 rpm in second gear climbing a mountain, but we kept up 50 to 55 mph goingup the hills. My only problem with the gas unit was getting fuel. Most gas stations are not well equipped for a large rv to gas up easily. We bought a diesel RV, but the gas unit would have served us well.
workingtorv
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- Feb 7, 2006
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- 508
My inlaws own a 378TS Georgetown and it is really nice, I can't believe the extra things they have in it, I believe theirs is the LX model or something like that and that gave them coran counters, stainless appliances and it is very nice, they paid less for their 2008 than we paid for our 2004 with allot less than the Georgetown as far as nice things, it even has a fireplace..They also tow a 2008 Saturn Vue have gone from Ontario to Florida to the Southern part of Texas for two winters now and have had no problems whatsoever. We have the V10 Ford in our 2004 Georgie Boy and really are liking it too. Yes, the diesel is always in the mind but for the many reasons of owning a dp vs a gas comes into play and we don't have time to go on big trips yet but in 10 years when we do have the time and are retired than maybe a diesel will come into play (that's if I continue to win the battle because DH looks for a diesel steady but because we don't have many dealers around we are limited to actually seeing them and driving them and no local dealers have anything to make it worth the BIG plunge)..So in the meantime we will stick to the gas and maybe even buy a new Georgetown with the fireplace...it's all about decor and floorplan for the women..at least this one..
