Motorhome advice

[curayjusdad 0]

Hi all,

My wife and I are considering upgrading from a tent trailer to a used class C motorhome. We are thinking that this is a good way to get the family (2 adults + 2 kids) out to the riding areas for the weekend. (Pull trailer with bikes and have a place to sleep.) I'm sure many of you have gone through this experience and I want to get some sage advice about this move and to see if anyone has any experience with a particular motorhome that I've found on CL. (Link is here) Does it seem reasonable to expect a used class C vehicle to pull a trailer with 4 bikes + riding gear out to Ocotillo, Ridgecrest, etc. without causing too many mechanical problems (not counting the damage caused by poor off road driving skills )?

Thanks for the help.

Rob..

[bikeslut 1]

I would hope a $18,000 class c would be pretty reliable, and the V10 should have no problem pulling a smallish trailer

I know a couple of the guys have WAY cheaper rigs, and they pull just fine

I am planning on going this route within a year or two as well...

[TrophyHunter 15]

1. Ensure the vehicle you're looking at will tow the load you want. The towing capacity is sometimes misleading. It may say you can tow 10,000 lbs but if you actually work thru the Gross Vehicle Rated Weight GVRW the towing capacity may be less. My Tundra is rated to tow 7,000 lbs but after I add in fuel, passengers, etc it can really only tow 6,500. Do the math first cuz there's no reason to go beyond that if it won't haul your toys.

2. Take the motorhome to a reputable place and have a COMPLETE inspection of ALL systems. Have them itemize a list of recommended fixes so you know what needs to be done and use that to negotiate with the seller. These things are like a second house and can get expensive very quickly.

Common sense stuff but there it is.

[ADV Bum 205]

I would suggest you get a toy hauler trailer and a good vehicle to tow it. Motor homes you will pay higher insurance and have mechanical issues to deal with. They do not tow that well and get terrible gas mileage. You will also have to get it smogged on a regular basis.

[Zenosan 2]

Hi all,

My wife and I are considering upgrading from a tent trailer to a used class C motorhome. We are thinking that this is a good way to get the family (2 adults + 2 kids) out to the riding areas for the weekend. (Pull trailer with bikes and have a place to sleep.) I'm sure many of you have gone through this experience and I want to get some sage advice about this move and to see if anyone has any experience with a particular motorhome that I've found on CL. (Link is here) Does it seem reasonable to expect a used class C vehicle to pull a trailer with 4 bikes + riding gear out to Ocotillo, Ridgecrest, etc. without causing too many mechanical problems (not counting the damage caused by poor off road driving skills )?

Thanks for the help.

Rob..

I have been hauling a 16' trailer loaded with bikes quads and firewood out to OW for years with my 1987 Jamee C Class. It is on a Chev C30 1 ton chassis with a chev 350 engine. Just make sure you have the hitch reciever "A Framed" at the frame of the Chev chassis. If the reciever is only mounted on the rear frame of the coach the back part of the coach will work loose.

What you are looking at is a lot nicer and more capable than mine.

[SCHWINN 0]

I would suggest you get a toy hauler trailer and a good vehicle to tow it. Motor homes you will pay higher insurance and have mechanical issues to deal with. They do not tow that well and get terrible gas mileage. You will also have to get it smogged on a regular basis.

X2 and the truck that pulls the trailer can become a regular driver also.

[Zenosan 2]

I would suggest you get a toy hauler trailer and a good vehicle to tow it. Motor homes you will pay higher insurance and have mechanical issues to deal with. They do not tow that well and get terrible gas mileage. You will also have to get it smogged on a regular basis.

X2 and the truck that pulls the trailer can become a regular driver also.

My motorhome insurance is very cheap, about $100 a year for liability. Progressive has a special rate for motorhomes that are driven low anual mileage and only several times a year. You don't run errands in motorhomes so you really don't get the mechanical issues you would with a regular vehicle. My 1987 has 22,000 miles on it. The only mechanical issues I have are batteries from the thing sitting for long periods. I do have to get it smogged every two years. Since it gets so little use it always passes with no problem. I keep it loaded with provisions as an emergency escape for eathquakes and fires. I have used it when the house had to be tented for termites and the last big fire that came through my area. It is nice to know it is there ready to go.

[SDlineman 0]

1. Ensure the vehicle you're looking at will tow the load you want. The towing capacity is sometimes misleading. It may say you can tow 10,000 lbs but if you actually work thru the Gross Vehicle Rated Weight GVRW the towing capacity may be less. My Tundra is rated to tow 7,000 lbs but after I add in fuel, passengers, etc it can really only tow 6,500. Do the math first cuz there's no reason to go beyond that if it won't haul your toys.

2. Take the motorhome to a reputable place and have a COMPLETE inspection of ALL systems. Have them itemize a list of recommended fixes so you know what needs to be done and use that to negotiate with the seller. These things are like a second house and can get expensive very quickly.

Common sense stuff but there it is.

+1 on What he said. I would guess you would be fine to pull a flatbed or small enclosed trailer though. There are a lot of people with similar rigs out there. I have heard the V-10s have enough power to pass everything except a gas station, but don't have any first-hand experience with them.

[kellymac530 0]

motorhomes are one of those weird things...you either love them or hate them...

we had a 5th wheel for years and i loved it...i would tow doubles...the 5th wheel and a 10' aztec box trailer behind that....best set up i ever had

i sold the 5th wheel when i bought my boat, thinking that the boat was too heavy to tow behind the 5th wheel. i bought a class A MH instead...biggest TOY mistake i have ever made...

personally i hated my MH...drove horrible, an extra expense to service-smog-insure-register-maintain-repair, and it said it had a 10k tow rating...but would barely pull my boat up grades and it got hot towing....there was nothing wrong with it, just didnt have enough huevos...

i miss my 5th wheel...now i have nothing...what do you want for your tent trailer?

[tlking6 0]

I havent shopped MH's for several years but that seems awful pricey. I would think you could get something nicer and newer from a dealer for a lot less then that with a warrenty. I'd shop around.

With that said, I have an 88 class C Fleetwood Jamboree that I paid 8k for 7 years ago that has dragged a trailer out to the desert no problem. Wife and I drove cross country with it a few years back with 5 teenagers. Had a blast.

Pros and Cons of the MH verses Hauler are pretty obvious. You just have to decide what serves you better. I like the freedom of jumping in the MH and heading out to the beach or mountians and not having to worry about dealing with a trailer. Buddy has a hauler that serves him well because he doesnt have anywhere to store his toys at his house but he has a place to park the trailer and so it does dual purpose for him and it is sweet to have a truck in camp

[baldbeemer 0]

The Mistress and I had 3 trailers at one point (BP toybox, GN horse trailer, BP flatbed) and only needed one truck for the 3. We are fairly unique considering our varied interests, but I believe a toybox trailer is far more versatile and less maintenance/hassle than a motorhome. You also have the ability to un-hook and have a less bulky vehicle to run errands, etc while camping. Toybox trailers also are going for pennies on the dollar as so many desert people are having to give up their toys (Case in point, the Gearbox FS on this site).

[KIP 0]

I have had a few: Shells, Cabovers, trailers, Class-Cs,& class-As. My favorite was my 27' 91 Class C, 460. I had it in 2000 (9 years old) with 30k miles. It had split twins in the back for the kids. Mom and dad stayed in the overhead bunk. It pulled a 98 Jeep just fine and was perfect for beach trips, Yosemite and other state parks (I told them it was 25'! to get it in). With young kids traveling there was no comparison to my cabovers or trailers that proceeded it. Yes the wife could feed the kids, and me, use the restroom, and put the kids to bed all while traveling. It was the best size, I like the sleeping capabilities of a class c, but I always worried about the weight capacity of the 16" tires. Never had trouble with good tires.

Anyway stay away from most rear bath units - having a little longer coach with the center bath and rear bedroom works well for sharing the coach with kids or guest. But don't bother with a 31' Class C (too big for a c-coach) V-10s have mixed reviews - some seem to last forever, others don't. Basement model class cs are great - but rare. Look into the coach construction - metal- frame vs wood, chassis type E350, E450, Jhon Deere, Workhorse, etc. Coachman is on the low end of Fleetwood from what I remember but the Fleetwood coaches became better thru the years. Tioga's are higher end - or Holiday ramblers. Stay away from older non-fuel injected engines - unless the coach is super cheap (and thats what you want). Try to buy a coach that has never been used for towing and was taken care of. Hacked up motorhomes are a pain - wait all motorhomes can be a pain.

I bought my C for 25k used and sold it for 18k 3 years later - it was worth it. Better then the 39' Class A diesel pusher that I had for 2 years and sold for way less than I paid. Currently I have a 1978 33' Class A Vogue - it is a wilderbeast. I would prefer a 27-28' fuel injected Class C. And BTW the only coachs that I sold for what I paid were Cheap cabovers, & travel trailers.

I never wanted a toybox since I never had luck sleeping where I hauled my off-road vehicles. My campershells and enclosed trailer always smelled like gas when I got to the campsite. And I have used both as campers.

[Zenosan 2]

One more comment about motorhomes. Most boat and motorhome people have a tendency to continually want to "move up" to bigger and better. There are times when a palatial class A is really nice and there are times when my 19' Class C Jamee is the way to go. I have three boats a 23' cuddy cabin which I used for ocean fishing, a 19' runabout for just getting around Lake Powell, and a 24' pontoon boat for entertaining people, dogs etc. on Lake Powell. They each have their niche they fill. It really isn't any different than motorcycles. You get the bike for what you want to do. Be really honest with yourself about your needs and what you want to do with it. Then get the rig for your purposes. For what I do my small 19' Jamee is just right for myself, wife and two dogs. Two kids would require something bigger. But bigger is not always better.

[carguy 1]

I would suggest you get a toy hauler trailer and a good vehicle to tow it. Motor homes you will pay higher insurance and have mechanical issues to deal with. They do not tow that well and get terrible gas mileage. You will also have to get it smogged on a regular basis.

X2 and the truck that pulls the trailer can become a regular driver also.

Dido on a strong truck and toy trailer, I love mine and when you have too many guest it doubles as an extra room with all the stuff.

[kellymac530 0]

curajous...if you have a truck or full size suv...you might consider looking at Josephine dirts toy box...seem like a decent deal...toy boxes are nice...

i guess i am the opposite of zenzosans observations...i started with a shell, got a cabover camper, trailer, 5th wheel, motorhome, nothing....

i guess i am like Zens observations until lately when i have decided to simplify....then getting hurt forced me to continue my simplifying

[TrophyHunter 15]

While I like the flexibility of having a vehicle available to run errands (or loan to light sleepers who don't like snoring) I can see the benefits of traveling in a MH. Kids get fidgity sitting in the truck and I would have used a MH for running to the beach for the day where that wasn't happening with the toyhauler. A MH is most likely gonna be nicer inside unless you get a nice toybox with a separate garage for the machines (if ya do, there's usually bunks out there for the kids).

That being said, I'd buy Jo D's hauler in a second if I thought my family would use it. I could only get my wife to agree to one overnight so it became a huge chore for that. I'll give her credit for even trying it but one night is not enough for the work involved IMHO.

[ADV Bum 205]

Just like laws have changed for bikes, laws have changed for traveling in a MH. I dont know the exact year it changed, but you cannot travel around freely in a MH like you used to. Older MH will be grandfathered. If the seat has a seat belt, you must be sitting and belted. MH can only carry as many people as seats with seat belts. Sideways facing seats are no longer allowed to be used as a traveling seat. Again if it has seat belts, then it will be older and grandfathered. How do I know this? I have a sportsmobile with two sideways bench seats with belts. I went to the CHP to discuss legality of driving a load of kids in the van. Legally I can carry 10.

[curayjusdad 0]

All,

Thanks for the great replies. I have struggled with this decision for some time now and ya'll have gone right to the core of my indecision. We have a 2000 4x4 4Runner that just barely pulls the tent trailer, it would be a no-go with a ToyHauler. I like the idea of dropping a trailer and having a vehicle to run errands, go 4-wheelin', etc. We just got back from Rock Creek Lake/Mammoth, doing just that. Warning hijack/side track.....

Tent Trailer and Campsite....

One happy family hiking in the wilderness.

Getting a fullsize truck/suv to pull a trailer adds additional costs to consider that we are having trouble stomaching (however, I drool on most Tundra 4 door 4x4s I see). My wife is a gamer for camping in an RV, tent trailer on up and really likes the idea of an MH (she grew up with one in her family). Ya'll have provided some good advice for me to consider in shopping around. Just have to make a decision and realize that if things don't work, it's not irreversible. Thanks again and yes, the tent trailer will be for sale cheap.

Rob...

[dsfox 0]

I have a 1985 28' class A southwind motorhome.......454 chevy engine...70k on it..(almost 50k less miles than my 2004 Tacoma....)......pulls the 6 x 12 trailer that holds lots of bikes, and gear just fine.....sure, it's old, and my kids are embarrased to be seen in it, but mechanically it's been great, gets about 10-12 mpg even towing....and makes a NICE home in the desert..can't beat having a microwave, lights, bathroom, running water, relatively quiet sleeping quarters (compared to tenting out there).......Very Nice to Have......and I've used it for more than 10 years, and paid less than $7k for it.......so it's done right by me, and I've gotten my money out of it, and insurance is only about $250 a year for full coverage.....

I try to remember to start it once a month, but even when i don't , It fires right up.....Great engine...you have to like to tinker a bit with the little stuff, but that's true with anything that old...

Norms RV in Poway is a great place that rents, does repairs, and knows their stuff...they's be happy to talk to you probably....858-679-2250..

Now would I LOVE to have a Nice Big Sexy Lifted Truck and a toybox?.....for sure !....but the cost just to obtain each of those is prohibitive for me.......WAY HIGH....not to mention the cost of insuring the big truck....Also WAY HIGH....and the cost for driving the big truck around......SOOO for now, I have the "red-neck, old motor home rig"....but it's got character. .....Sure the Truck and hauler are awesome , and give you a garage to park your bikes in too.... Just depends on what you want to spend...

You can certainly get a pretty good set up for the family for way less than $18k I would think....it's a buyers market for sure....Good Luck with whatever you choose....it will be a blast either way......

[kellymac530 0]

post your TT here when you get ready to sell it...i wouldnt mind something like that again...may be interested if the price were right

btw, if you do go with the MH an advantage is you can get a 10-16ft enclosed trailer used pretty cheap these days and it is a great set up because you have a built in separate garage...just roll the bikes in at night, close and lock the door and no worries...you can also load up the day before you leave and leave it connected so you can just pull out in the morning for a quick easy early morning departure...

bum is right about the seatbelt thing....but in a pinch if someone is not feeling well or needs to lay down for a bit..it CAN be done....maybe not legally....but i doubt anyone here abides by ALL the laws ALL the time...

[KIP 0]

I have a sportsmobile

sweet - bragger! Yes I am jealous: but my wilderbeast looks kinda like this http://www.funrapid.net/pixhost/rvsite/images/90900308895000002_1.jpg

only uglier!

[KIP 0]

....maybe not legally....but i doubt anyone here abides by ALL the laws ALL the time...

I do - I live life as if the following people were following me all the time: a LEO, park Ranger, CHP, IRS Agent, Homeland Security Officer (or BP agent), My Boss at work, My boss at home (wife), My boss when related to the kids (ex-wife), my 15 year-old daughter (she will snitch me out), the city's code enforcement officer, Fellow adv riders / sdar folks, the community service officer, the RSVP cop in the white car, etc...

Anyway just keep in mind price points - RVs are easy to buy and hard to sell. How much can you lose on a 2k RV like mine?

If you are into payments, that can work - Like I did on my 27'-C. Or you could be flush with cash and buy a diesel pusher. Maybe renting one would be a good option to try it out. Don't be afraid to offer way under the asking price on the rig you are looking at - the worst they could say is no.

Buy towing insurance no matter what rig you get

[kellymac530 0]

i TRY to live within the law as well....but i dont know anyone who has never -texted, talked on the phone while driving, driven over the speed limit, rolled a stop, raised or lowered vehichle, altered a vehichle, not noticed there was a "no right turn on red" sign until after they turned, changed lanes without signaling, driven while at .08+ bac {of course when younger and dumber}, tinted front door glass, ridden a bicycle on the wrong side of the road, crossed the street in the middle of a block, tailgated, parked a vehichle on the street too long, driven with a blown out light bulb, smoked when they shouldn't {vile discusting habit} poured coffee out of a cup into the street, spit gum out on the road, leaked oil out of their car onto a hiway/road/parking lot/field..., ridden a motorcycle thru private land that is not posted, buried a dead pet in the back yard, cursed in public, put their hands on someome or ANYTHING else that is against the law.....

NO ONE is perfect....the last perfect man died 1977 years ago....

yes towing insurance also

[RogerTOWM 0]

There are lots of opinions and stories here so I will add mine. I have a ford diesel 1 ton truck that I paired up with a 5th wheel 36 ‘ toybox. I carried my jeep in it for several years and went to many of my jeep club events. Sometimes we just went to superstition, other times we went to MOAB or Colorado for a week or two. The toybox worked just fine, it pulled well and I had the truck to drive around town afterwards.

But there were drawbacks as well. On multiday trips I would not use the stove because I was concerned about the gas from the jeep catching fire. The interior of the toybox smelled of Jeep, oil and gas afterwards. The toybox got very dirty from the jeep and had to be swept out as soon as I got the jeep out.

While on the road, I had to get out of the truck and walk outside to the trailer to use the toilet. Many times it would be raining, snowing or blowing cold wind. It would have been nice to just pull over and walk to the back without going outside. With the wife and daughter it seemed we had to pull over every 50 miles with the trailer.

When ever we were done for the weekend it seemed my friends would be able to break down camp and get on the road much faster. They would roll up their awnings, lower the stabilizing jacks, throw the jeeps on the flat bed trailers and roll down the road. I would still be trying to hook up the 5th wheel to the truck and load my jeep up as they drove off. I also had to make sure the Jeep would not shift position and hit something inside the trailer.

I now have a Motorhome. While I no longer have a wife the daughter and granddaughters can walk back to use the toilet whenever they want. I can run the generator and the grandkids can watch movies while their Mom pops popcorn in the microwave. They can play cards at the table or eat lunch while I drive down the road. When I get tired I can pull into a rest stop and take a nap without worrying about someone breaking into the truck.

Both toyboxes and motorhomes have their strong and weak points. When buying a used trailer or motorhome check everything to insure that it works. Most motorhomes are low mileage for their age. Make sure that the rubber is not rotted, that includes tires, hoses and belts. The rubber gets rotten on motorhomes because it sits for long periods without being used. Make sure the tanks work and that they can be drained. Get underneath and check the wiring. Check for rotted floors.

Get whatever works best for your family and enjoy. Ride early and often!