Class C recommendation for family of 4 that can tow a 4 door Wrangler

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victorgator

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Apr 28, 2019
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Hello --  I would like to purchase a gently used Class C to visit state parks with my family this summer.  We are a family of 4, with young ones still in grade school.  I'd like to be able to tow my 4-door 2009 Jeep Wrangler (curb weight 4,250 lbs) behind it, preferably just on its own wheels (whatever this is called).

My budget is flexible $15-$30K.

I would appreciate any recommendations on motorhomes and anything additional necessary for towing the Jeep. Thanks in advance!

Victor

 
A class C would probably not work for you. Class Cs have very limited CCC (cargo carrying capacity) and with four people and all their stuff, towing a Jeep would put you way over the limit. A $15k RV is not worth  much because they usually need at least another $10k in repairs to be made useful. You should be looking at class As around $25k at least.
 
That's a bit tricky I think...

I'm not up to speed on the used market pricing really but I can comment with a few hopefully helpful points...
A Super C is what I wish I could have gotten... I didn't have the budget.  Thor makes some on an F-550 chassis and they help with the weight capacity and towing capacity limitations. Others make some on even larger chassis....But most likely even teh F-550 version would be out of that budget.  Otherwise, that would be the way to go!

My class c has a hitch rating of 5,000#.  based on my research, the 4-door jeeps all pretty much tip the scale at that point or more
I've found that most or all of the newer class c rigs though, have a greater hitch capacity...which is good.
The bad though, is that the bigger c's like mine ...in the 30ish feet long or more range... are pretty much at capacity or over weight on the rear axle
so
I suggest focusing on class C's in the under 30ft range.  More cramped inside, but I'm guessing the capacity would be a bit more forgiving.
and the newer rigs seem to have more towing capacity

and you'll find a lot of folks pointing to class a's...with good reason....but watch out because some of the "entry level" smaller class a rigs don't really solve the problems.... and with them you loose the nice advantages of a C.  If you can get a bigger class A though, you may find more options that offer higher capacity, bigger tanks, etc... in older rigs that will fall into your budget
 
One of my traveling companions has a Winnebago View and flat tows a Jeep.  I can't vouch for her set up -- whether it's in the correct weight range, etc.  My comment on the View is a family of 4 might find it confining even with 2 slide-outs, one for the bed and the other for the sofa.

Two adults are a tight fit in my Winnebago Trend, so I can't imagine adding 2 grade school kids!
 
Many thousands of people across the country are doing exactly what the OP asked about and are creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Even more are traveling in - horrors - a popup. Hit the road, have fun, make those memories before your kids get older and start to hate you!
 
HappyWanderer said:
Many thousands of people across the country are doing exactly what the OP asked about and are creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Even more are traveling in - horrors - a popup. Hit the road, have fun, make those memories before your kids get older and start to hate you!
  How true!! When our children were little (they?re in their sixties now) we travelled in a pickup, pickup camper, AND pulled a pop up. The children loved it. It still comes up now and then. Mom was even small enough then to climb through the back window into the camper while going down the road. I don?t think we would have had nearly as much fun had it not been so cramped and close.
  Of course, after the children grew up, we could afford a fifth wheel and later a class A. Needed the room for the dogs and such.
 
and I concur about the "just make it happen now" camp
...do it now before the kids get older...which is happening all too fast.  My oldest is now 13...and while he still seems to always have fun once we get on with it...he always seems to find a reason to not want to go these days....."why are we always going places in the rv?" 
I know it won't be too much longer before he'll be staying home when we go...and that will be a sad sad day for me.

To the OP...you mentioned the curb weight.  Do you happen to know the actual weight as it sits... with your typical stuff in it (tools or whatever) and whatever options are installed (winches, aftermarket wheels, lift kits)?

That would be a really great starting point to find out.  Load up the thing like you might if it were being towed to a state park....full of gas?  bikes on a rack?  kayaks on the roof? extra stuff stowed inside?
If it's 5,000# or less (allowing for the weight of the tow bar), I could tow it with my rig so pretty much any would work most likely.
 
I agree, we had a 23' Class C as the 2 kids grew up through grade school.  Had a BLAST in it. Never used the shower, headed to the campground showers.  Most the time you are out hiking and enjoying the outdoors.  Frequently, with local camping (under 200 miles), wife would just drive the car in addition to me driving RV.  That way we could hang a bike rack on the RV, and take all our toys.  And I also think your budget is well within finding a fun RV. 
 
My first MH was a new 1997 class C Jayco 31???, with 1 slide. My two daughters were 3 and 8 at the time. They STILL would rather go with my wife/their mom and me than to stay at home. They have ALWAYS loved being with us and for that I am truly grateful. We always towed a car on a car caddy.
 
As mentioned already cargo carrying capacity (weight) will likely be your big issue, also double check the actual weight of that Jeep, that curb weight sounds awfully low (maybe that was for the base model).  You can get it weighed to within 100 pounds at any truck stop CAT scale for about $10, tow bar, braking system, baseplate, etc. will likely add another 100 pounds or so.

Now can a family of 4 travel in a typical class C while pulling a jeep without being over loaded, the answer is yes, but you will need to pack light.  The weight for BBQ grills, outdoor canopies, pots, pans, tool box, bikes, ... plus 4 people, their clothes, food, etc. adds up quick, keep in mind many class C's have less than 1,000 pounds of cargo carrying capacity with full fuel and fresh water tank.
 
I don't think a Class C is out of the question as some have suggested. Find a smaller E450 based unit and you'll be just fine. I have a 2018 Jayco 25R, on the small side, but plenty of room for our family of 5. I plan on flat towing our 2016 JKU as well, plenty of cargo capacity to manage this. Stay away from the 30' and up units, they're overall size eats in to the CCC.
Have fun and good luck!
 
As others have mentioned, 2 adults and 2 children with all your gear poses a problem with overloading a Class C. 

The suggestion to look for a smaller rig on a Ford E450 chassis is spot on.  If you can find a 24' or 26' on the E450 that would be your best option. 

Here is a calculator to help you determine if your rig will be overloaded:  http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-adjust-gvw.shtml

For a good sized sample of prices for Class C's take a look at what PPL Motorhomes in Texas has:  https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/used-rvs-for-sale/mini-motorhome?sortBy=price+asc

Keep in mind, anything you find in the $15K to $25K will probably need a fair amount of money to fix up.  The first thing you will need is a set of 6 tires.  Most likely around $2000 installed. 
 
For your budget, be sure to add in the cost of the tow bar, base plate for the jeep and braking system for your jeep.  Total in the $3K to $4K range for all three, plus installation. 

You MUST have the braking system for the jeep.  It is the law in most states, but just towing 5000 pounds, you won't be able to stop the MH in a hurry w/o a brake in the jeep.

Here is a link to RoadMaster towing accessories:  https://roadmasterinc.com/
 

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