Travel Trailer vs Motorcoach

[NewbytoRving]

As a senior single woman I am looking to start out Rving lifestyle and I'm not certain if this will be full time as of yet. I am concerned about the length of the motorcoach as I am looking to purchase a diesel used and a little older for the sake of a budget. Is 34/36 length the norm? I was interested in something a little smaller such as 30 ft. because it seems like it would be a little easier to maneuver.

Being used of course maintenance is a concern especially when it come to being on the road. Sorry guys but for a woman sometimes this isn't a easy thing to deal with. 

Any input of course is appreciated, but would certain love to hear from women with the same experiences. Hope not to offend on my first post. lol

[whj469]

If you can handle a 30 footer you can handle a 36 footer. You will have to tow an auto. Good Luck

 

[gjhunter01]

I would advise going as small as you can, say a 24' gas class C. This will keep your expense down and you wouldn't need a toad. Check out RV dealers and even rent one for a week to really try it out. We full time in a 34' fifth wheel and with 2 people it is plenty big enough. If I had to go it alone, I would way down size, but that's a personal choice.

Greg

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums. we are here to help so feel free to participate as often as you wish in any of the forums here. 

How familiar with the RV choices are you? I would suggest that you visit an RV show and spend time looking at all of the available choices before you buy anything. There is no one choice that is best for everyone. Have you considered the prices of the various choices? The diesel pushers are at or near the top of the price range so if your budget is limited it may mean an older one with the potential of more problems. It isn't just the chassis that will be older but it is also the RV and those appliances have a lifespan as well and an older RV often means replacing appliances from time to time. Unless you know a lot about one the potential of buying one that will need major repairs is more real the older that RV is. In buying used, it is possible to get an extended warranty contract to protect you but those are very difficult to find for an RV that is more than 10 years old the cost increases with the increased age of the RV.

I am neither single nor female, but I do have a long history of RV ownership and maintenance. Older RVs can serve well for those who are willing to spend time and effort in their care and repair but just as we people need more maintenance and repair as we age, that same thing is true for an RV. 

[Barbaraok]

Most diesel pushers (Class A) will be 36' or longer, especially older ones.  Why do you think you must have a DP?  There are also Class C and Class Bs that run on diesel engines.   As for driving - I drive ours about 1/3 to 1/2 of the time.  We had a Class C (29') before we started fulltiming and I must stay that I like driving the DP better - better vision, I have a backup camera for the road, always feel solid on the road and the exhaust brake is wonderful for coming down mountain passes.  

Have you done much RVing?   If not, go rent a Class C for a week and drive to a park 30-60 miles from where you live and see how you do for the week.

Barb

[kb0zke]

Welcome to the forum! Your thread title indicates that you are also considering a travel trailer. I'd suggest that you not focus too much on the type of RV yet, and focus a bit more on how you will use it. Anything with a drivetrain in it, whether a tiny car or a 45' MH needs to be driven regularly. Kirk's suggestion to visit RV shows is good. If there isn't one convenient to you, you can do almost as well (or maybe better) by going to various RV dealerships and looking at everything on their lot. Don't worry about price or condition - you are looking at floor plans. Eventually you will know what will work for you and what won't.

While you are doing that think about what you want to do while on the road. Are you going to be a snowbird, going from Maine in the summer to Arizona in the winter? If so, you will need to plan to drive your motor home 50 miles or so once a month (that's all at once, not just a few times around the park once a week). That will keep all sorts of expensive parts happy. A towable, on the other hand, can be parked for long periods, and when it is time to go, all you have to do is add air (maybe) to the tires.

Yet used to the idea that something will be towing something else unless you really go small (Class B). Packing up everything to go to the store gets old really quickly, and packing up each day to go sight-seeing will REALLY get old. A MH can tow a small, fuel-efficient car for the running around, while most towables will require at least an F250-class pickup. Some of the really nice fifth wheels, designed for full-timers, will need up to an F550-class truck. Several full-timers here use a semi as the tow vehicle, often with a Smart parked on the back.

FWIW, we started with a small travel trailer as our learner rig. That convinced us that we liked the idea and that we wouldn't kill each other within a few days of hitting the road. We did a few years of research, and bought our current coach because it was the best fit for us at that time. Since then our needs have changed, and we're wanting to sell the Foretravel and Jeep in order to get a (used) F350 and 34' Airstream.

[Solo18]

If you plan to stay in one place for a long time, like several weeks and months, a travel trailer is probably better for you.  However, if like me, you like to keep moving every week or even every few days, a motorhome is better, at least in my opinion.  I have been full-timing for 5 years in a 32' Class C and do not own a toad.  In spite of what some advice, a towed vehicle (toad) is not absolutely necessary. 

There is also some added security for a single woman with a motorhome in that you can stop at a rest area, use your bathroom and fix a snack or take a nap without going outside. 

I do a lot of my errand running between campgrounds, but don't hesitate if I want to take my rig out sightseeing for a day.  I don't leave a lot of stuff outside all the time anyway, and don't bother to pack stuff up when I go out.  Being single means I don't have to dump my tanks more than every 3-5 days, so I usually have only an electric plug to unplug and put away, and a water hose to unhook.  (I just leave it laying by my campsite.)  I do put up a sign that shows my site is occupied and I will be right back so people don't think I have abandoned everything.  Takes me only 5 minutes to put my slides in and unhook.  Yesterday, for example, I had to dump my tanks, so after I did that in this Corps of Engineers campground, I ran out to the post office to mail a package and stopped for some gas.  On Tuesday, I am planning to go out to get an oil change and do some grocery shopping.  Wednesday, I head about 200 miles away to another campsite where I will stay for three days before going to another place for 10 days. 

So, the BIG questions is, "What kind of an RVer do you intend to be?"  Are you a traveler like me, or a "setter" who wants to spend an entire winter in a single campground? 

[Kirk W]

Also, consider where you want to take the RV. Would you be comfortable driving a 35'+ motorhome in city traffic, if you wish to see the sights of the major population areas in your travels? Or would you be happier traveling with one of the smallest types of RV because of this? Will you be traveling mostly out west where highways are usually wide and maneuverable, even away from the interstate system or will you be staying on the backroads of Virginia or perhaps New England where most roads are narrow, crooked, and usually hilly? Do you want to stay in the nicer RV resorts with many amenities and activities, or will you be happy parked out on some remote camping area on the deserts and national forests?  

What will you need to carry with you? Do you have hobbies that require things like sewing machines, artist supplies, tools, or bulky craft materials and such or is your favorite thing to hike in the woods with a digital camera? What will you do to occupy your time when the weather is bad and you must stay indoors for 1, 2, or even 3 days in a row due to inclement weather or perhaps due to illness? This isn't like taking a vacation but when you choose full-time RV living you will have to deal with all of the things you deal with now but in an RV.

All of these are things that one must consider when choosing an RV that will be your only home for many years. 

[Barbaraok]

19 hours ago, kb0zke said:

While you are doing that think about what you want to do while on the road. Are you going to be a snowbird, going from Maine in the summer to Arizona in the winter? If so, you will need to plan to drive your motor home 50 miles or so once a month (that's all at once, not just a few times around the park once a week). That will keep all sorts of expensive parts happy. A towable, on the other hand, can be parked for long periods, and when it is time to go, all you have to do is add air (maybe) to the tires.

No, you don't need to start and run it every month.  Fill the tank with fuel before stopping, then put her to sleep until you are ready to do some serious traveling (ie at least 20-30 minutes of varying speeds including moderate freeway speeds) or move to a new park.   Ours sites 2-3 months at a time with no problem.  

[Pat & Pete]

3 minutes ago, Barbaraok said:

No, you don't need to start and run it every month.  Fill the tank with fuel before stopping, then put her to sleep until you are ready to do some serious traveling (ie at least 20-30 minutes of varying speeds including moderate freeway speeds) or move to a new park.   Ours sites 2-3 months at a time with no problem.  

We have regularly sat for as long as 6 months at a time . Check the tires for condition and pressure . Turn the key and away we go . 

[gjhunter01]

We usually sit for 1-2 months and leave the Chevy pickup cleaned and covered (local trips done by motorcycle). Starting any motor after sitting 24 hours or longer can be the equivalent of a 100 mile drive in terms of engine wear (oil has drained into oil pan and it takes 2-3 seconds to build oil pressure). Now if the motor is going to sit for 6 months or longer you may want to consider other measures like removing battery, fogging cylinders, fuel treatment, etc.

Greg

[NewbytoRving]

Thanks to all of you for your responses. This has clearly given me a lot to consider and I really appreciate it. Looking forward to getting to know you guys and even running across you in my travels as well. 

For now..a shopping I will go or should I say kicking a few tires. lol