Speaking of Class C Motorhomes...

As for the M/H. the more you use it the less trouble you will have with the systems. Just like an airplane, they don't like to sit. Use Trojan brand batteries for the lighting. 2 6 volts are far better than any one 12 v "rv" battery . an Isolater and a good HD auto battry for the engine. I also have a small battery for the gen. I added this, so if EVERYTHING else is dead, I can still start the gen & recharge. Snow roof coating for the roof. get special insureance, most standard companies rape you. If it gets cold where you live you need to drain & or winterize the water system. I have a small truck I can tow & it carries my dirt bike. I also have a honda 90 on a rack I can use to run errands. & bicycles. Mine 26', not so big it is unwieldy, I can get into out of the way places. but also big enough inside to streach out(unlike a camper van). some people like to drive a C . I prefer to drive an A. In this size class it is more personal choise & purchace price. I refuse to drive anything without a big block motor, you don't want to be crawling over every hill cause the engine is too small , it will not get you better milage and will kill itself trying. I have the 454 chev, hate it, wish i had a newer V-10 ford. it is supposed to be the best MH motor since the 440 dodge. I had one of those once, it is the BEST. DaveR
 
I have the 454 chev, hate it, wish i had a newer V-10 ford. it is supposed to be the best MH motor since the 440 dodge. I had one of those once, it is the BEST. DaveR

Agreed.
I'm running a 454 and it'll go up anything however it's slow going at 5+ tons. A friend of mine has a V10 Winnebago and it will fly up the mountains.
A warning about the V-10 Fords: There were a few years in the early 2000's that they got greedy cheap at the factory and cut the head thickness way down and ended up with only three threads in the head for the spark plugs. Those strip out very easily and repairing the stripped threads is very spendy. Do your homework.
 
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IMHO, don't worry too much about the battery condition during the purchase. The reasoning is that you want good batteries when camping and the only way to insure the batteries are good and dependable is to replace them with new ones. (I knocked the price of my motorhome down $500 right off since the older batteries were likely weak and I'd be replacing them myself soon. The old ones, including the supposedly newer battery didn't last 3 months. $200ish later I had three new batteries onboard)
<Big snip of great stuff>
<--- Fulltimer (Three years so far and going on winter #4 in Colorado)

Wow -- thanks for all the great information. This (and other posts) have been extremely helpful.

I know you're full-time, so storage isn't an issue, but what did you do with your RV when you WEREN'T using it? Winters here can be brutal, and we discovered that leaving our pop-up outside in the elements virtually destroyed it over a period of ten years.
 
Wow - great info on this thread - good job, POA! A ditto to http://www.rv.net/ - check out the forums over there in the Class C section, but I dare say you all have covered everything in spades here!

I just got back last night from my annual hunting trip. My Class C (1983 Tioga 29' Ford E-350 460 V8 4V carb) has become my mobile hunting cabin, and turns out the fall hunting trips are the only trip it makes for a few years now. But, it's been paid off for years, so I keep running it. Starting with a solid platform and aircraft-like maintenance (annual, and non-deferred maintenance actions) mine has been going strong for many years.

I tow my Jeep behind it, and regularly travel Forest Service Roads here in CO and WY for hunting, almost always boondocking (no services) on Forest Service/BLM lands.

I am, however, planning on selling it and replacing it with a truck camper (TC), since its biggest drawback is the 8 MPG that the 460 makes. Since I already have the truck, and lately it's been solo or 2 person trips, a TC makes much more sense to me. It will be one less motor vehicle to license, insure and maintain.

re: calculating the fiscal logic of justifying an RV, I don't believe you can. It just does not add up. However, sleeping in your own bed every night, dry and warm, with hot and cold running water, flush toilet, shower, fridge and stove is just priceless, in my experience.
 
OK but you have to get out. My potty is under my roof, are you going to take a dump in your dishpan in the tent? You really like to cook dinner hanging out the fly of your tent during a storm? I tented(never got wet either), backpacked, been there done that. LOVE my Motor home, I just have not figured out how to get an airplane to the campground. but I am working on it. DaveR

No don't really have to leave, the port a potty fits in the tent. Coleman stove works just fine inside, even keeps it a bit warmer inside to. It is a 4 room tent, so even have some privacy.

For our hunting trips we even bring the gas (restuart style) grill and a sometime a deep fryer. But then we usually set up a deciated dining/cooking tent. It has been a few years since we camped next the the hot spring for bathing.

Idaho has quite a few campground/airstrips. Several of them are only accessable by air.

Brian
 
I don't have one, but the Mercedes/Sprinter-based class B motor homes really appeal to me. Many years ago, I used to borrow my Dad's class A from time-to-time, and that was too big for the travelling I like to do.

At 24 feet, they seem to have enough room for travelling comfort if you just have 2 people (or 1, I suppose). Small enough to maneuver just about anywhere; even old cities with narrow streets like Boston, and they get about 22-24 MPG on diesel fuel with (expensive) oil changes only every 30,000 miles.

The Mercedes/Sprinter chassis they are based upon rack up big numbers of reliable miles in commercial vehicles like FedEx/UPS delivery trucks, so that speaks well to their reliability.

They are not cheap, but look like they might be a good way to go if you plan on owning it for a long while, driving a lot of miles, and don't want to have to tow an around-town car.
 
re: hunting ... yes, you all are invited to my house for dinner. Menu will be what ever you bring and I'll fire up the smoker, cause if we eat what I got, we're eating skunk!

We "drew" over the counter (OTC) bull tags (consolation prize, as it was our "if unsuccessful on all the above choices, send us OTC tags", which we failed to triple check, and it turns out the areas we were deer hunting were excluded from the valid areas for the bull tags. This drawing process just gets more convoluted each year. Dept. of Wildlife (DOW) said they had a few leftover tags for areas 7&8, which was not the same as our deer tags, but close, so we were able to exchange our tags. I guess close means within 100 miles, as two hours drive between the two areas. So, we humped off into the Rahwah Wilderness area, a lovely little 9 mile hike each way. They had snow 2 weeks ago, and there were plenty of elk tracks in that snow, unfortunately, none of them fresh. Looks like 1st season, or the snow, moved them off into parts unknown. We had plenty of up close and personal wildlife encounters of the Bullwinkle moose kind, however. Dang if that doesn't get your heart pumping to realize you're eyeball to eyeball with Mr. Moose at five yards thru the thick stuff. 14 moose spotted, none more than 25 yards away, and not one elk.

So, after logging 23 miles (GPS-tracked and verified) of foot slogging up and down hill and vale (like up 2000' and down 2000' and up 2000' and down ... yeah, you get it) we packed up and moved east to chase Bambi's dad. Spent 2 days there mostly driving jeep trails (yeah, my butt was dragging by then) and venturing out into the edges of clear cuts that had filled in with pines and grown up to about 10' tall and thick. We spotted 3 does, and one buck that presented no shot opportunity, so score was deer: 3, hunters: 0.

I broke my jeep - busted my rear trackbar at the axle mount on a surprise deep and nasty mudhole (no, I was crawling, not flying!) ... oh well, most of the guys on the jeep forum all say "throw the stupid thing away - it just limits suspension travel" ... on the other hand, I've never seen an auto manufacturer spend one single penny on "unnecessary" parts, so ... ? I guess I'm removing the track bar tonight and see how it rides. Other than the clunk, it doesn't seem any different broken as before.

We had to come home early, as my son-in-law has to head out to Atlanta tomorrow to work on the next episode of Buck Commander show (see http://www.buckcommander.com for details).

Maybe I will head back up for a day hunt on Saturday anyway.
 
I know you're full-time, so storage isn't an issue, but what did you do with your RV when you WEREN'T using it?

When I wasn't using it? :sosp: Now why would I do something silly like that? :loco:
Goofy comments aside, the reality is that there has never been any before when I wasn't using it. What happened was I bought it late one afternoon and was on the road living in it fulltime the next evening. That first partial day before completely moving in, I illegally parked it in a parking lot about 1/2 a mile from rathole I was existing in at the time. Unlike most people who ease into things, I just cannonballed into fulltiming at the end of October in Colorado and never looked back. If I need to park it for a trip without it, I have a few places around the country that I can park it for a month or two at a time with family or friends.

Winters here can be brutal, and we discovered that leaving our pop-up outside in the elements virtually destroyed it over a period of ten years.

Just take care of the thing and it'll be ok. The absolute worst thing you can do is park it and leave it sitting in a RV storage place and only using it for a couple weekends a year if that much. Neglect and poor maintenance is the leading cause of problems. A good friend of mine has been fulltiming since 2001 including triple digit summers in the south and double digit below zero and blizzards in the north and over 100K miles. It still runs like new and everything still works. Things do wear out with continous use like any other vehicle however if you take care of it, it'll last a long long time.
FWIW, two years ago I ran across a guy that has been fulltiming for the mid 90's in CO/WY/UT/KS region in an early 1990's popup. It still looked in really good condition.


You're not in that "adult RV park" I drove by, are you?

Huh? I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about. (Right now I'm in the most incredibly low profile campground you'll ever not find because you looked right past it even if you were looking straight at it. We're infreakingvisible here and like it that way)
 
I think you combined a couple of people's messages there (I didn't ask about the "adult RV park", for instance -- but I'd like to learn more about them!) but I get the gist of it.

I'm concerned about winter storage. I've got a parking lot behind our hotel that I can park it in, but I've heard the roofs on motorhomes are a "weak link" that will eventually leak. That's what ultimately destroyed our pop-up trailer -- the silicone seams eventually dried out and cracked, allowing water infiltration that ruined the roof -- and I'd really like to avoid that.

I know you're full-time, so this doesn't apply to you -- but what do the rest of you guys do for winter storage? Put an enormous tarp over the thing? Find an empty hangar? Are there in-door RV storage places that you can rent for the "off" season?
 
Put an enormous tarp over the thing?

Not a good idea - it will trap moisture between the tarp and the roof..

Are there in-door RV storage places that you can rent for the "off" season?

There should be some around your area. Around here they go for about $2.00 per foot of length per month unheated, and $5.00 per foot for heated storage.


Trapper John
 
Jay, I have parked my Tioga behind my house when not in use for the last 15 years. I inspect and reseal/recaulk the roof areas annually as part of my winterization routine.

In retrospect (as I type this) it would be better if I did this mid-summer, as the temps are much more conducive to caulking (this stuff is harder than chinese arithmetic at 30° F).

Anyway, as needed, I scrape any cracked caulking away from the roof vents (skylights, fridge and sewer vents) and recaulk. Roughly once every 2 years I paint the roof with Kool Seal (mine's aluminum - rubber roofs require different maintenance). I pulled the edge trim and sealed with Eternabond tape a few years ago. If you search RV.NET forum for eternabond, you will find it to be pretty much the universal answer to "leaks" questions.

I did have a serious leak in the cabover section that ended up with me rebuilding the whole over the cab bed area. My leak was a manufacture's design flaw, where the roof sloped right into a roof to nose cap seam, and then down onto the middle of a side window. After the rebuild, Eternabond on every seam and no more leaks for me.

There are a number of rebuild stories on RV.NET forum as well, so it's doable.

My neighbor rents indoor storage for his Class A.
 
We lost a Skamper to the same issues years ago when we lived on the ranch. Opened it up one time and the inside was effectively gone. I had a shed that would have held it, just too dumb to know it was deteriorating so quickly.

A number of after-market covers are available, but I don't know how effective they are against water damage. I keep one on my Trailmanor, that protects it from UV, but haven't tested it as the total answer for outside storage. The trailer is a hard-side fold-down that lives under a detached carport, along with the 'burb. Her Lex and my 911 get the attached garage. In this area many MH's and big TT's are stored under specially-designed "ports" that accomodate their dimensions.

I think you combined a couple of people's messages there (I didn't ask about the "adult RV park", for instance -- but I'd like to learn more about them!) but I get the gist of it.

I'm concerned about winter storage. I've got a parking lot behind our hotel that I can park it in, but I've heard the roofs on motorhomes are a "weak link" that will eventually leak. That's what ultimately destroyed our pop-up trailer -- the silicone seams eventually dried out and cracked, allowing water infiltration that ruined the roof -- and I'd really like to avoid that.

I know you're full-time, so this doesn't apply to you -- but what do the rest of you guys do for winter storage? Put an enormous tarp over the thing? Find an empty hangar? Are there in-door RV storage places that you can rent for the "off" season?
 
I think you combined a couple of people's messages there (I didn't ask about the "adult RV park", for instance -- but I'd like to learn more about them!) ...

That was me - I drove by one a couple weeks ago down by Pagosa Springs, and was asking tongue-in-cheek if that's where Frank was.

I know you're full-time, so this doesn't apply to you -- but what do the rest of you guys do for winter storage? Put an enormous tarp over the thing? Find an empty hangar? Are there in-door RV storage places that you can rent for the "off" season?

What kind of space do you have available? I ask because there are some fairly cheap ways to make your own indoor storage.

If that kind of space isn't available, there are RV covers (easier than using a great big tarp) that will do adequately in places that are relatively temperate. We used those for a long time, and never had any significant problems.
 
In retrospect (as I type this) it would be better if I did this mid-summer, as the temps are much more conducive to caulking (this stuff is harder than chinese arithmetic at 30° F).

Is an Abacus that hard to use? :)
 
I'm concerned about winter storage. I've got a parking lot behind our hotel that I can park it in, but I've heard the roofs on motorhomes are a "weak link" that will eventually leak. That's what ultimately destroyed our pop-up trailer -- the silicone seams eventually dried out and cracked, allowing water infiltration that ruined the roof -- and I'd really like to avoid that.

Left on it's own, any roof on anything will leak eventually. That's where preventative maintenance comes in. Get up on the roof at least twice a year and inspect for cracking silicone, cracked/broken covers, etc. The same goes for checking the sides, front, rear, around the windows and roof vents, doors and any other surface seams. When something cracks or shows signs of not being bonded to the surface properly, don't ignore it. Do something about it right then, not years later. My 1985 motorhome has been outside in the Colorado weather since day one without a cover according to the previous owner who bought it straight from the factory. If I really look, I can find signs of minor leaks that were fixed over the years however there is nothing significant. As far as I can tell, all the exterior seams have been pulled and replaced several times.

Put an enormous tarp over the thing? Find an empty hangar? Are there in-door RV storage places that you can rent for the "off" season?

Indoors out of the weather would be best however that can be spendy if someone else owns the place. If you've got the space, an oversized car port with sides would do nicely and be inexpensive. A few poles in the ground, a roof and possibly sides. The possibilities are endless.

Keep in mind that tarps and covers rub on things when the wind blows it around resulting in damaged paint and such. If you're going with a cover, make sure it's breathable (leaky mesh type material) so it doesn't trap moisture inside or on the top. Waterproof tarps will catch water on top and pin it against the roof and trap moisture between the tarp and roof for days or weeks or months on end which isn't good for anything and will cause more long term damage than no cover at all.

Tire covers are a good idea to protect the rubber from UV damage. $50 or so (or $15 and a little sewing) for tire covers will get you about an extra year out of the life of the tires depending on the environment. You still have to be concerned with tire age that can't be protected against.
 
Actually, I can see where a camper or RV would be a good thing. You wake up in the rain in a tent, and you may be dry, but you have few options. At least you have a bit of space in the camper to fix up breakfast or something.
What, you forgot the tent that Leslie and I had set up at Oshkosh? We had the table, the full kitchen, and all of Oshkosh available to us!:smile:
 
I've done quite a bit of tent camping, and I'm sure that quite a few folks here have too. I'll agree that a high dollar tent is better to weather a storm, than a low ball tent. I'm headed for the Burning Man next summer, and I'm pulling a travel trailer. I'm not going to spend a lot of time looking for a place to pitch a tent, I'm not going to spend a lot of time setting up a camp stove, rolling out a sleeping bag, and I'm not going to get up early in the morning and pack a wet tent before I take off. Tent camping is fun, but I'm going to drive as long as I can, park as close to the interstate as I can, get up in the morning, take a dump in my bathroom, and take off again. That is hard to do with a tent. Now someone is going to say, "no it isn't, my tent just jumps up dry every morning and packs itself, it is so easy a caveman could do it," but I've done enough tent camping to know that what I want to do is not going to work with a tent.
 
I know you're full-time, so this doesn't apply to you -- but what do the rest of you guys do for winter storage? Put an enormous tarp over the thing? Find an empty hangar? Are there in-door RV storage places that you can rent for the "off" season?

We had a Prowler my parents towed with a 3/4 ton ratmotor Suburban. There was a limestone mine that made extra cash storing campers/boats/cars in older unused rooms in the mine. They had very good sealed doors on those rooms, and the camper came out in the spring looking just about as good as when you put it away. Usually just a light coating of dust.
 
We had a Prowler my parents towed with a 3/4 ton ratmotor Suburban. There was a limestone mine that made extra cash storing campers/boats/cars in older unused rooms in the mine. They had very good sealed doors on those rooms, and the camper came out in the spring looking just about as good as when you put it away. Usually just a light coating of dust.

Sounds like a good use for a mine!

Get this: The owner of the RV dealership has agreed to let us test the RV next Wednesday (our next day off) overnight, FOR FREE.

Think they're getting desperate for a sale? :smile:

We're gonna fly over there (it's 50 miles North of Des Moines), take it to a nearby campground and spend the night. We'll see how it goes...
 
Sounds like a good use for a mine!

Get this: The owner of the RV dealership has agreed to let us test the RV next Wednesday (our next day off) overnight, FOR FREE.

Think they're getting desperate for a sale? :smile:

We're gonna fly over there (it's 50 miles North of Des Moines), take it to a nearby campground and spend the night. We'll see how it goes...

Are you going to Story City or Webster City? If you are flying into Ames, I think that 13/31 is closed. Of course, you are probably used to closed runways.:smile:
 
Are you going to Story City or Webster City? If you are flying into Ames, I think that 13/31 is closed. Of course, you are probably used to closed runways.:smile:

Webster City.

With all the rocket scientists that have been "working" on our airport all summer (Rwy 25 closed since August 1; the entire airport closed for the entire month of August), I'm willing to land on just about any open, flat area. :yikes:

Also, with the way the weather has been in Iowa, I fully expect to be driving over. It seems like the odds against getting two flyable days in a row are mighty slim this fall.
 
for an overnight trial, make sure you get a full "how to" on how EVERYTHING works; fridge, water heater, water pump, waste water dumps, etc.

The biggest thing I would stress, however, is to use wingwalkers before taxiing - especially when backing! Seriously, the typical Class C is hugely blind to the rear - have a spotter and brief your backing procedures. There's no shame in hopping out (numerous times) to make sure you're clear to the rear, when backing.

Also keep a sharp eye out for rear end swing on turns, and know that the overcab section is big, forward and high!
 
for an overnight trial, make sure you get a full "how to" on how EVERYTHING works; fridge, water heater, water pump, waste water dumps, etc.

The biggest thing I would stress, however, is to use wingwalkers before taxiing - especially when backing! Seriously, the typical Class C is hugely blind to the rear - have a spotter and brief your backing procedures. There's no shame in hopping out (numerous times) to make sure you're clear to the rear, when backing.

Also keep a sharp eye out for rear end swing on turns, and know that the overcab section is big, forward and high!

Please forgive me for mentioning this...but mind the height too. I didn't note what part of the country it is being driven in, but some places have low bridges, low gas station roofs, etc. Some of the New York Parkway system doesn't allow trucks, partly due to the bridge clearance...every once in awhile a trucker ignores the signs and gets stuck.
 
for an overnight trial, make sure you get a full "how to" on how EVERYTHING works; fridge, water heater, water pump, waste water dumps, etc.

The biggest thing I would stress, however, is to use wingwalkers before taxiing - especially when backing! Seriously, the typical Class C is hugely blind to the rear - have a spotter and brief your backing procedures. There's no shame in hopping out (numerous times) to make sure you're clear to the rear, when backing.

Also keep a sharp eye out for rear end swing on turns, and know that the overcab section is big, forward and high!

Agreed.

Always look up while maneuvering. Just because the back end isn't going to hit anything doesn't mean the top back end is going to miss an overhanging tree or obstacle. (I had someone try to back me into an overhang once because the bumper cleared the lower obstacle) If your wing walker isn't experienced in RV's, YOU should get out and double check their calls. (The only shame points is if you hit something. I've moved my wagon about 1000 times in the last 3 years and can maneuver within about 1 inch of where I want to be yet I'm still notorious at getting out and checking multiple times even with someone helping. FWIW, there's exactly one person on the entire planet I will let back me up without double checking them)

Oh yea, before they hand you the keys for the overnight trip, they'll have a piece of paper to sign saying you'll bring it back in one piece. Read every word on it before signing. I heard of one case after the economy tanked recently where a guy doing a free overnight test inadvertently signed a prepurchase agreement with a spendy overnight use fee if he didn't agree to purchase hidden in the fine print. Desperate times lead to underhanded methods so just be careful with the pen and keys.
 
While sitting in line at a Sonic in west Texas last summer. I amused myself counting all the dents and dings in the overhead parts, trying to conjure up the circumstances by which they met their cruel fate. The location had been recently updated with new facade treatment that had not fared well against moving objects. RV's were my prime suspects.

for an overnight trial, make sure you get a full "how to" on how EVERYTHING works; fridge, water heater, water pump, waste water dumps, etc.

The biggest thing I would stress, however, is to use wingwalkers before taxiing - especially when backing! Seriously, the typical Class C is hugely blind to the rear - have a spotter and brief your backing procedures. There's no shame in hopping out (numerous times) to make sure you're clear to the rear, when backing.

Also keep a sharp eye out for rear end swing on turns, and know that the overcab section is big, forward and high!
 
While sitting in line at a Sonic in west Texas last summer. I amused myself counting all the dents and dings in the overhead parts, trying to conjure up the circumstances by which they met their cruel fate. The location had been recently updated with new facade treatment that had not fared well against moving objects. RV's were my prime suspects.

LOL

Got a buddy with one of the few paint booths in the area that is big enough for the big RV's. Gets a LOT of work from people after their first trip in one...

But, as someone who hit a tree with a sailboat, I guess I shouldn't laugh too loud.
 
Interesting analogy. I try to use similar speeds for both when in operating in close quarters. Sloooooow and easy.

LOL

Got a buddy with one of the few paint booths in the area that is big enough for the big RV's. Gets a LOT of work from people after their first trip in one...

But, as someone who hit a tree with a sailboat, I guess I shouldn't laugh too loud.
 
for an overnight trial, make sure you get a full "how to" on how EVERYTHING works; fridge, water heater, water pump, waste water dumps, etc.

The biggest thing I would stress, however, is to use wingwalkers before taxiing - especially when backing! Seriously, the typical Class C is hugely blind to the rear - have a spotter and brief your backing procedures. There's no shame in hopping out (numerous times) to make sure you're clear to the rear, when backing.

Also keep a sharp eye out for rear end swing on turns, and know that the overcab section is big, forward and high!

We stayed in the motorhome last night. It was a good test -- it was in the 40s, and rained all night long. Torrentially. It was like being inside a car wash for 10 hours straight. Everything remained dry.

Before sending us off on our own, the salesman spent fully 3 HOURS showing us everything. He then drove with us to a nearby campground, and helped us set up. Terrific service -- and absolutely, 100% FREE. They charged us nothing for the rental.

We treated it just like buying an airplane, complete with a squawk list. There wasn't much to write about -- mostly cosmetic trifles. Everything worked, from the furnace to the hot water heater. The shower and bath tub were better than I've experienced at some chain motels, and the fridge, stove, and oven were all cosmetically and functionally perfect. It drove well (it's got the Ford 460 cubic inch V8 -- adequate but not overpowered, by any stretch), with the only squawk being the cruise control didn't work.

This morning we dickered back and forth for a bit, and settled on a very fair price. (Want a good deal on a motorhome? Buy it in late fall, in the middle of a terrible recession.) They're going to fix everything we outlined, including the cruise control, and we'll pick it up next week.

Once we get it back to Iowa City, we'll be putting it "on the line" at the hotel, renting it out by the weekend. It's already rented for "Parent's Weekend" next month -- one of the biggest home football game weekends!

:smile:

Thanks to all who wrote with advice. It was VERY helpful.
 
Hope you enjoy it! It will be full of good memories - ours certainly was. :)
 
Congrats! :)

Thanks. I think it's gonna be great fun.

As for putting it out for lease, I wonder if anyone will fly in to the hotel and rent the RV? There are some great campgrounds nearby.

Maybe we could do some special combo deals, too. How bout rent the RV for the weekend, and get a free night in the hotel?

Or perhaps two nights in the hotel, and a free night in the RV?

The possibilities are endless....!

:cheerswine:
 
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