Does length matter? (Get your mind out of the gutter.)

[steveblonde]

Its really all relative, its what your comfortable driving, spending, and living in.
Best advise i can give you, get out and look,touch,feel,drive sit in and on. And never never give the salesperson the right contact number until your comfortable.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Get a job as an Amazon delivery person. Once you master driving the Sprinter/Transit/Promaster they give you to drive, you will be prepared for anything.

Charles

 

[56safari]

My wife had never driven anything bigger than a mid sized pickup truck and had no trouble moving to a 32 ft class A. A little practice in a parking lot and a few hours behind the wheel and she was fine. Pay attention to the wheel base compared to overall length as you're shopping. You want something where the wheel base is more than 50% of the overall length and the higher the percentage the better. It will make the vehicle more stable in the wind and reduce the tail swing issues.

There are a lot of Youtube videos on driving RVs. Be sure to watch the ones on right turns and setting up the mirrors. As Ex-Calif said, You got this.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Pay attention to the wheel base compared to overall length as you're shopping. You want something where the wheel base is more than 50% of the overall length and the higher the percentage the better. It will make the vehicle more stable in the wind and reduce the tail swing issues.

This is an oft-quoted "rule of thumb" and well-intended, but in practice the range is maybe 50%-54%. 1% on a 32 foot coach is only 3.5" of wheelbase, so we aren't talking a big difference here. More is better, but don't expect night & day difference in handling.

To evaluate this, get the overall coach length in inches and the chassis wheelbase (distance between the axles, center of front wheels to center or rear wheels). Divide wheelbase by overall length. It should exceed 0.50.

This advice pertains primarily to front-engine chassis, since rear engine "pushers" necessarily have a short rear overhang anyway.