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gigguy

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I am currently in the market for a Class A GAS Motorhome. I am not interested in a Diesel coach. That said, I would like to find a high end/luxury model. Any advice on models, brands, ect? I want something 38-40ft. I currently like the: GEORGETOWN 7 SERIES 36K & Entegra Coach Vision XL 36A
GO! :)
 
Our first coach was 2010 Fleetwood Pace Arrow. She was 38’ and clocked in around 22,000 lbs. And that is about the max of any gasser that I’m aware of.
Manufacturers generally don’t design gassers as ‘high end’ or luxury’. Others may have different opinions or offer better suggestions, but I believe our Pace was considered a high end gas coach in its day. But, as nicely appointed goes, it didn’t hold a candle to the diesel we have now.
Some names that enjoy a reputation as high end (deserved or not) that make class A gassers are Entegra and Newmar.
 
Hard to top a Tiffin…

That being said, both my fiancé and I absolutely love our 2017 Georgetown GT5.
It has been trouble-free, it has plenty of room, and it’s very, very nice inside and out.
 
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Being a long time boater getting into RVing I didn't know much about RVs, just that I wanted a quality gas Class A.

I googled best production made Class A RV and two manufacturers kept coming up, Newmar and Tiffin, I looked exclusively at these. In the final analysis the nod went to Newmar.
 
Being a long time boater getting into RVing I didn't know much about RVs, just that I wanted a quality gas Class A.

I googled best production made Class A RV and two manufacturers kept coming up, Newmar and Tiffin, I looked exclusively at these. In the final analysis the nod went to Newmar.
These two make gassers?
 
I am currently in the market for a Class A GAS Motorhome. I am not interested in a Diesel coach. That said, I would like to find a high end/luxury model. Any advice on models, brands, ect? I want something 38-40ft. I currently like the: GEORGETOWN 7 SERIES 36K & Entegra Coach Vision XL 36A
GO! :)
To each their own, I suppose, but IMHO, a big motorhome will beat a gas engine to death. Since you are looking at a high end motorhome, I am assuming you can afford a diesel. Why not consider it? Just curious.
 
To each their own, I suppose, but IMHO, a big motorhome will beat a gas engine to death. Since you are looking at a high end motorhome, I am assuming you can afford a diesel. Why not consider it? Just curious.
Well, I can afford around the 200's, But nice diesels that I have looked at run 3 or 400 on the low side. And the maintenance cost are just something I cannot afford. Maybe someday, but for now I can go 200's.
 
Problem being too, GCVWR. Ordinarily for example a 26-27' and a 38' gasser have identical powertrains. In many cases a 38' gasser will have a lower tow capacity, 4k vs 5k in the smaller coach. I'm 32' and seems to me my 362HP V10 is doing about all it can. Granted if you buy new, you'll get another ~70HP in the 7.3L V-8.
I'm not fulltiming and barely part timing, if I were planning to be doing a lot of traveling and had a budget in the neighborhood of 200k, I'd hands down be looking for a nice used DP or a Super C.
 
Well, I can afford around the 200's, But nice diesels that I have looked at run 3 or 400 on the low side. And the maintenance cost are just something I cannot afford. Maybe someday, but for now I can go 200's.
A lot depends on what you are looking at. Try a 2016 Newmar Ventana 3709 (38 ft diesel pusher). I noticed recently that they are going around $180-220K, as one example. And it's as nice as, probably nicer than most gassers you'll find. But ignore the Ventana LE, as it has weight problems.

There undoubtedly are others. Normal maintenance is only a little more than gassers (oil, filter, etc. for rig and for generator), and the same size tires (22.5") as most recent class A gassers. You just have to go a little older for a diesel, but you get so much more, including capacity, air ride, and more.

I only mention the Ventana because I looked it up the other day -- there are others in a similar vein -- and we really enjoy ours.
 
Unless you are insisting on a brand new one, you can get some lovely DP's for $200k. Truly high end luxury stuff.

Gas-chassis coaches max out around 38 ft and 24,000 lb GVWR. Not that they couldn't be engineered larger, but diesel power and existing diesel chassis are so much superior for large motorhomes that nobody is investing in making gas super-sized gassers. That leaves the high end as DP territory, so the that's also where you find the luxury models. Along with the diesel power, you get air suspension and brakes and a chassis built to comfortably carry 35k-60k lbs.

I want to assure you that the $200k price difference between a new 40 ft DP and a new 40 ft gasser is going to be a lot more than just an engine and more GVWR. Look more closely at the cabinetry and flooring & upholstery, peer behind & under things to view the workmanship, and simply listen as you drive.

That said, "luxury" is in the eye of the shopper and if a Georgetown 7-series suits your desires, that's fine (it is indeed a snazzy coach!).
 
Unless you are insisting on a brand new one, you can get some lovely DP's for $200k. Truly high end luxury stuff.

Gas-chassis coaches max out around 38 ft and 24,000 lb GVWR. Not that they couldn't be engineered larger, but diesel power and existing diesel chassis are so much superior for large motorhomes that nobody is investing in making gas super-sized gassers. That leaves the high end as DP territory, so the that's also where you find the luxury models. Along with the diesel power, you get air suspension and brakes and a chassis built to comfortably carry 35k-60k lbs.

I want to assure you that the $200k price difference between a new 40 ft DP and a new 40 ft gasser is going to be a lot more than just an engine and more GVWR. Look more closely at the cabinetry and flooring & upholstery, peer behind & under things to view the workmanship, and simply listen as you drive.

That said, "luxury" is in the eye of the shopper and if a Georgetown 7-series suits your desires, that's fine (it is indeed a snazzy coach!).
Yes I am insisting on a new WHATEVER I get! :) HA! I just have a thing about used. Just me. Once when I was at an Onan Dealer they were doing an oil change on a DP and he said it cost's $1000.00 just or an oil change!! I went into shock thinking my gas oil change doing it myself is less than $100. And possible Repairs!? I guess maybe I am in shock and fear of DP's.
 
As others have suggested, there is good reason virtually all of your nicer, larger motorhomes are diesel. They may cost a little more to maintain but again, there are very valid reasons why most of the motorhomes in the arena you seem to be considering are diesel. Don't be afraid of used, especially a used diesel. Find something you are seriously interested in and hire an inspector.
 
If you buy new just be prepared for it to spend most of the first year in the shop addressing warranty issues due to lack of quality control in the build process
 
Once when I was at an Onan Dealer they were doing an oil change on a DP and he said it cost's $1000.00 just or an oil change!! I went into shock thinking my gas oil change doing it myself is less than $100.
That's pretty steep. I've not checked this year, but my last oil, filter, lube at my local Transwest was $250-300 (I think it was the 'A' service) and the other one ('B' service) was closer to $550, but it include many other things that need periodic service including fuel and air filters and some other odds and ends. And the bonus is that you only need to do the oil change about every 15,000 miles, not every 3,000 or 5,000, so at most I do it once a year.

Oil and filter on the generator (it, too, is diesel) is in the $200-$300 range too, every x hours (I forget if it's 50 or 100 hours) and gassers need this too.

The above is with the dealer doing the work. Doing it yourself will be a lot less and, while there are a few things you'll need to learn, you certainly can buy the 20-30 quarts of oil and the needed filters and do it yourself, saving a bundle, just as you would on a gasser.

Yes I am insisting on a new WHATEVER I get! :) HA! I just have a thing about used. Just me.
I do understand that, but a gently used 3-5 year old model can last you a long time with minimal problems, and be MUCH more comfortable on the road, as well as much more resistant to crosswinds* than the gassers (design difference), much quieter up front (not silent, just a lot quieter) and is generally much better made than most gassers.

Also note Isaac's note above- it's not certain that you'll have problems as he describes, but it's a rather common experience.


* The long rear overhang on a gasser plus the fact that it sits much higher, and is generally lighter, means that crosswinds and passing semis affect it a lot more than most DPs. My first class A was a Bounder, gas, on the F-53 chassis, and one day I left Trinidad, CO northbound on I-25 headed for Denver and about 20-30 miles north of Trinidad I hit very, very strong crosswinds (frequent enough that they have warning signs) and actually had to slow to 30 mph or so, for fear of being blown over. We stopped at the Walsenburg motel for the night. That set me on the search for a DP.

Since getting a DP I've encountered winds just as strong (maybe stronger) in the same area, as well as several other places, and was able to maintain normal highway speed (65 mph) without much strain. There's that much difference when it's windy. It's not that you don't feel it in the DP, just that it's not a particular problem, compared to the gasser I had.
 
On this topic of new vs used, let me ask, do you buy used houses, or do you insist on buying only new? As motorhomes are more a house that just happens to move around, than it is a vehicle that happens to have a house on it.
 
Can't help you with brand, but look at the fit and finish of brands and models. For example, many motorhomes advertise wood cabinets, but that may be only cabinet doors. The cabinets themselves and RV walls may be wallboard that looks like wood, but is actually just a sort of wallpaper covering particleboard. (It can be washed, but grease and oils will be absorbed and cannot be washed off.) Check to see that wallboard is screwed in place, not just stapled in place, as mine is.

Check out the latches on cabinets and drawers as well. Mine are plastic and I have had to replace one about every four months, and they keep breaking. Does the side door fit??? (Mine has been "adjusted" several times, but still can be pulled open, so when I drive, I tie is shut from the inside with velcro tape.)

In other words, ignore the appearance and inspect stuff to determine if it is washable and cleanable and will last a few years.
 
Well, I can afford around the 200's, But nice diesels that I have looked at run 3 or 400 on the low side. And the maintenance cost are just something I cannot afford. Maybe someday, but for now I can go 200's.
Be advised too, after your first trip in the typical gas coach you’ll realize the need for some relatively costly suspension improvements. I don’t care what the dealer tells you, if it’s on an f53 chassis and doesn’t have a rear trac bar, front safe steer, and spring upgrades, it will ride like an overland stagecoach and handling will be white knuckle. The Liquid Springs upgrade, alone can run in the neighborhood of 25k. As for cabinetry and upholstery, there are DP’s which suck in that regard as well, don’t assume more money automatically translates to better quality.
 
Be advised too, after your first trip in the typical gas coach you’ll realize the need for some relatively costly suspension improvements. I don’t care what the dealer tells you, if it’s on an f53 chassis and doesn’t have a rear trac bar, front safe steer, and spring upgrades, it will ride like an overland stagecoach and handling will be white knuckle.
I think you make the F53 seem quite a bit worse than it really is.
Did you expect a GMC Denali type ride from your F53? If so, then I’m sure that you were sorely disappointed.
However, if you expected a school bus ride and handling, you got exactly what you expected.
My 2017 rides exactly like a school bus, since it’s on a school bus chassis and I have not upgraded anything, yet seem to enjoy driving it to our various destinations. These rigs need to be driven, you can’t se the cruise and then have the karaoke contest with little thought to the road.
 

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