Class C rv or travel trailer

[tlh0726]

Shan-man is correct, base your decision on your family and their needs. What works for others may or may not work for you. (sorta like the use of strollers and age of kids on another thread )
It is a hard decision. And once you make it, you will question yourself if it was the right decision.

I do not regret getting the older motorhome, it was a great learning experience for us. We looked at newer motorhomes at the time but could not bring ourselves to spending the $$$$ and then finding out it was not something we wanted to do . It helped us realize what we actually wanted/needed in a motorhome . So spending the 8K over 2 years was well worth it, plus we made a lot of memories along the way.

If you go with an older unit, spend the money to have someone with knowledge go over the unit to look for any potential problems and test the appliances. It does not guarantee how long anything will last but it will guarantee that things were working at purchase.
Good luck.

Almost forgot,make sure you check the tires, from the reports I have read those are a major budget buster items.

 

[musicmama]

That's what we have - an older 29' Class C that was in terrific condition and a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, DD is now 16 and the loft is too short for her liking, and it's not really convenient to stow the table at night. Plus, the need to drive an extra car or rent a car to play tourist has gotten 'old'. But it was (and still is) the best way we could have gotten into camping!

We had hoped to move up to a TT and tow vehicle late last year or early this year (got lots of great advice from the folks here) but DH totaled his car and a tow vehicle is out of the question for a few more years. We looked at hybrids and smaller TTs, thinking that we could go the van route as a tow, but because we camp at Thanksgiving, we need a camper that can handle the cold and that we didn't feel cramped in. The hybrids just didn't seem to be that "warm". (I could be wrong, but that's what it felt like to us.)

Our Class C made it to the Fort just fine, although the gas mileage was a lot less than I'd planned. Like another poster said, mohomes do take upkeep. In the 5 years we've owned it, we've replaced 6 tires, several belts, the battery and now we've got to replace the hot water tank. Luckily, the cost has been minimal because the guys we camp with just love to work on stuff and are happy with cases of beer as payment!

What we'd get for the Class C would cover most of the TTs we like, but the cost of a tow vehicle is what's keeping us in what we have.

 

[kokomos]

Ok , Im listening to all you diser's Im trading my van in this week on an Expedition. Then I will be looking for a very good price on a travel trailer. I will learn to back a trailer!!!!!!
Anyone have pictures of the insides all decorated with Disney stuff?
I need some ideas

 

[tlh0726]

Best place to learn is a big empty parking lot BY YOURSELF


When we first got our 22 foot pontoon boat back in 2003, I hitched it up to the truck and went over to the local hardware store after hours on a Sunday (still daylight) and practiced backing it into parking spaces and even backing around the the curbed landscaped dividers between parking areas and entry/exit aisles (sorry not sure what you would actually call them)

Keeping Pulling forward and backing up. Pull forward and pick a spot a few spaces to either side, back the entire length of the lot, etc.
Having to stop, sit there, and figure it out when the trailer was not going the direction I wanted really helped me. I did not have to worry about hitting anything. If I got stuck at a weird angle, there was plenty of room to just swing wide, straighten out and try again. It is a real confidence booster.

by the end of the summer, I could back that thing down the ramp in one try. (whoever designed the way that ramp was angled from the road and the steepness- you would totally lose sight of the paved area it was like you were backing off a cliff) Really made me feel good the day when I got to the bottom , jumped out to winch the boat up and one of the 2 guys sitting in a boat waiting their turn said to the other, Why can't you do that!!!

One more thing - Looking over your shoulder while backing and using your mirrors are totally opposite as to which way you turn the wheel.
To this day, I either have to do one or the other from start to finish or come to a total stop when switching from one to the another. (including backing our 4 wheeler and pull behind brush mower into the shed - I got that thing jack knifed so many times - so it is true what they say - the longer the trailer the easier it is to back it)

 

[Kagoguen]

Best place to learn is a big empty parking lot BY YOURSELF


When we first got our 22 foot pontoon boat back in 2003, I hitched it up to the truck and went over to the local hardware store after hours on a Sunday (still daylight) and practiced backing it into parking spaces and even backing around the the curbed landscaped dividers between parking areas and entry/exit aisles (sorry not sure what you would actually call them)

Keeping Pulling forward and backing up. Pull forward and pick a spot a few spaces to either side, back the entire length of the lot, etc.
Having to stop, sit there, and figure it out when the trailer was not going the direction I wanted really helped me. I did not have to worry about hitting anything. If I got stuck at a weird angle, there was plenty of room to just swing wide, straighten out and try again. It is a real confidence booster.

by the end of the summer, I could back that thing down the ramp in one try. (whoever designed the way that ramp was angled from the road and the steepness- you would totally lose sight of the paved area it was like you were backing off a cliff) Really made me feel good the day when I got to the bottom , jumped out to winch the boat up and one of the 2 guys sitting in a boat waiting their turn said to the other, Why can't you do that!!!

One more thing - Looking over your shoulder while backing and using your mirrors are totally opposite as to which way you turn the wheel.
To this day, I either have to do one or the other from start to finish or come to a total stop when switching from one to the another. (including backing our 4 wheeler and pull behind brush mower into the shed - I got that thing jack knifed so many times - so it is true what they say - the longer the trailer the easier it is to back it)

Excellent advise, when we bought our TT that's exactly what the dealership told us to do to get practice