I'm stuck - Class B or Class C?

[Jayson]

I've just retired with the lifelong goal of being on the road full time in a new RV.  I've camped multiple times but always with someone else's unit.  I'm torn between purchasing a Class B or C.  The B is very pricey for the space vs the C seems inconvenient in cities, at ballparks etc.  Said a different way - the B seems more convenient to park almost anywhere but the price is really high; and the C is very affordable but seems restricted to campgrounds.  Help?

[Jayson]

Thanks, so helpful.  rjb

[sandsys]

My Class B was 24' long. So was our Class C. Neither one of them fit into a single parking space unless the space was one where the back of the RV could hang over a loading zone or grass or something. In downtown Chicago we found two metered spots along a curb and plugged both meters. When we traveled Historic Route 66 we found that most museums had spots along an edge where we could back up to the curb and let the back end hang over. At Walmart, etc. we had no trouble finding two spaces front to back. So, for us, the primary differences were the inside height and the tank capacities.

Linda Sand

[Kirk W]

It is impossible for us to tell you how much space you will need to live comfortably in, but I will say that I can't see myself living full time in any class B that I know of. Of course, your physical characteristics play an important part in the best answer as we did live quite comfortably in a36', no so slide, class A for nearly 12 years but we are also physically small people. If you of large proportion either vertically or horizontally, you need to take that into consideration. Some people can live quite comfortably in a class B, but very few people stay in one for long as their only home. You also need to consider how much storage space you will need if you are to carry all of your earthly possessions with you as many of us do. Because this will be a lifetime and not just a vacation, you will need to be able to carry your hobbies along as there will be down days and bad weather to deal with. Everything that you deal with in life will travel with you. What will you do if you are not feeling well or are very tired when you experience several days in a row with rainy weather? I will assume that you plan to travel alone, while my experience is as a couple, but even so you may sometimes wish to have a visitor or family member visit or even travel with you for a short time. Do you have grandchildren to visit? Be very careful in your selection as living comfort is far more important than ease of parking.

[Kirk W]

10 hours ago, rm.w/aview said:

Here are people that have the same viewpoint as you Jayson regarding the cost of a Class B and made their own. There are full timers in these rigs, along with some other types, that have been doing so for years, and in some cases decades

As I said above, there are those who do so but as a percentage of the total RV community, I would bet they are pretty small. Are you living in one? Have you ever traveled in one? There are those who fulltime in pretty much every type of RV available, even the popup.

[Kirk W]

8 hours ago, rm.w/aview said:

I'm just trying to be helpful friend.

No problem! I to travel in an RV that most would reject as too small. It is interesting to visit a place like an Escapade and get a view of the range of RVs people live and travel in. Of course, not nearly everyone is fulltime but most are traveling more than just a vacation. In my job here, I get to see every campsite and even after many of them I still find it fascinating and sometimes get surprised by the amount of time owners spend in some of the rigs. I might add that just yesterday I was in a new B from Winnebago that is not only much larger than they used to be but also better designed and that owner does live in his fulltime. Not all of the Class B rigs are as tight and cramped as I used to believe. Like so much in the RV world, RVs do keep changing. Those wanting a class B clearly have some much-improved RV choices and I suspect there will be more of them in the extended travel and fulltime RV community in the future.

I am still wondering if any forum members happen to live in a class B?  Prior to yesterday, I had not been inside of one in a long time. 

[TheDuke]

Having lived with a spouse in a 25 foot class C for 5 months at a time, it is very doable for one person for that length of time. And we never had a car with us. 

When you are considering 25 foot or less, it comes down to inconvenience. Very little counter space so everything is put away when not in use. Most things we had served double duty. Our GForeman grill also toasted bread, grill sandwiches, and grill veggies, meat, etc. 

one differance between a B and a C is visibility. A B is more like a car while a C is. more like an enclosed pickup. I know that there were many times I needed the second set of eyes at stop signs or changing lanes. 

As far as being cooped up in a tight space, it  was never a consideration. Footloose, fancy free, and carefree are the words of every day.

do not listen to those that say it can't be done. 

 

[sandsys]

18 hours ago, Kirk Wood said:

As I said above, there are those who do so but as a percentage of the total RV community, I would bet they are pretty small.

For those who are interested in seeing what a van dwelling version of Escapade looks like: https://www.cheaprvliving.com/gatherings/

They started in 2010 with 45 attendees. That gathering has now become so large you can't possibly meet everyone there. I'm glad I got to go before it got that big.

Linda Sand

 

[sandsys]

9 hours ago, Kirk Wood said:

I am still wondering if any forum members happen to live in a class B?  Prior to yesterday, I had not been inside of one in a long time. 

Dave and I lived in a Leisure Travel Class B for 4 months before Dave said there wasn't enough head room for him. After he was done traveling, I lived in one as a solo for 6 months of the year--Minnesota winters had no appeal to me and they last that long. I had all the comforts of home in mine including a 6' long kitchen counter and a separate desk with an office chair. It's my opinion that a solo can easily live in a Class B full time if they pick the right one.

Other than swapping the location of the desk and sofa bed here's what my floor plan looked like: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/2012/05/new-rv-floor-plan/ If you click on the drawing it will enlarge.

Linda 

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

We (2 adults + 2 dogs) have had a 19' Class B high top for some time and have worked on it 10 years with the idea of taking it on a one-year RVing adventure.  I love it.  I can make a U-turn at a 4-way stop.  It gets 15mph which is not great but better than the 11.9 our Silverado is getting.  We lived in it for 1 month when changing states but that was with 1 dog.  When we decided to change from 1 year to a 2 year adventure we decided we needed something bigger and are doing the truck and trailer.

I would say this, it is perfect for 1 person.  It sleeps 3 and if 2 get along well it's good trips.  Ours has tons of storage so that was helpful.  I'm 5'2 and hubby 5'11 so consider that as well.

Hope this helps.

[Solo18]

I am an older, single woman, who has been full-timing for six years in a 32' Class C. I started out looking at smaller Cs, but decided I needed a real bed that I did not have to crawl on to get into bed.  I wanted at least a little room on the side of the bed to more easily make it, so I went bigger and have been very happy with my choice.  I have no towed vehicle, so I have to take my rig to the grocery store, to the hardware, sightseeing, and wherever else my electric bike will not take me. 

I try to do most of my errand-running when I am driving between campgrounds, so I can sit and relax without going out every day.  I really have NOT had any problems getting into grocery store parking lots or into shopping centers and big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot.  If I want to go out to a museum or for a drive to see something, it is seldom a problem.  Nearly every tourist attraction and museum will have a place to park a big RV, although it may be in a slightly farther parking lot.  ON the rare occasion I want to visit a city which is not conducive to big vehicles, like San Francisco, I rent a car for the day.  (Enterprise picks me up.)

Two big advantages of a larger RV are larger water and waste tanks, and more underneath storage for things like a suitcase or an air compressor and extra clothing.  A Class B has VERY little storage room for full-timing and also very tiny water tanks.  I can take a shower and do dishes once a day and still go up to four days without dumping my tanks, which is very helpful. In addition, my shower has a glass door and is separate from the room with the toilet, meaning I do not have to dry everything each time I take a shower.  I also do not have to change my bed into a couch and vice versa every time I want to take a nap.

[MrsSquid]

On our last camping trip, we met a camphost who is fulltiming in a B+. It was a Phoenix Cruiser without slides. She has been fulltiming for four years. 

[Carolaow]

Guilty as charged.  Hi MrsSquid!

I agree with everything Solo18 has to say about full timing in a C, although mine is a B+ as some call them--the difference being that instead of a bed over cab, that is where my TV and a couple of storage cabinets are (makes things more streamlined).  Mine is 25 feet long (model 2351) with no slide, a decision I made in the interest of simplicity.  That also makes for larger storage cabinets in the area where you do not have a slide.  Like Solo18, I do not tow a car, a decision I have only momentarily regretted a couple of times in four years.

All the posters here have legitimate points.  Only you know what will work best with your travel goals and budget.  Good luck with your decision, and keep us posted!

[MrsSquid]

1 hour ago, Carolaow said:

Guilty as charged.  Hi MrsSquid!

 

Hi! Thanks for letting us see your rig and offering some insights on fulltiming. That was the first time I had been inside a B+. Your rig was a nice fit for you. With my husband's size, we can hardly consider anything other than a Class A or 5er for full-timing purposes.

I see in your signature line that you have a blog. Now I've got some more reading to do. That will give me something to do on this muggy day - besides the laundry that I'm still trying to get done!

So Jayson, Class B or B+ is possible for some. It's not even a consideration for us though. I too think the regular B's are pricey for the space when you could get a Class C or the same price or less and have more space. I'm thinking of just moving around open space too, not only storage and tank sizes. Maybe you could rent one for a week or so and try it out?

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

We never used the tanks in the B but brought portable tanks along.

Why?

Because this southern California girl didn't know nothing about tanks freezing in Colorado winter and that thing called winterizing.

[khantroll]

A lot of it comes down to lifestyle. My fiance and I split our time doing activities and  then being inside, so a B would be too small for us. We are also stout people. My roughly 25ft Class A RV works fairly well for us because during the day, we can get out and work or sight see or what have you, come home and make dinner (it helps that we tend to do one pot meals or skillet and pot meals), and then go to bed. But if we need to stay in it's big enough for that.

 

If you are the sort of people who are on the go 24/7 and just need a place to sleep, the Class B is awesome. Or if you are the sort of person who likes smaller spaces, it'd be great. My personal advise would be to strike a balance and look for a B+ or Class C in the 20-25ft range.