Class C beginner question

[Larmic]

We are stepping out of our Cedar Creek 41' 5th Wheel into a class c.  We want about a 31-32 foot with the bathroom not opening into the kitchen. I've seen lots of chat on manufacturer advise for the best bang for the buck. Comes down to personal preference and floorplan.  Does it really come down to that? We're looking at used to beat the depreciation of a new one and a better price. We plan on having it inspected by a certified inspector. What else do we need to look out for? Right now we are looking at a Forest River Forester 3051S. Some hate Forest River - others sing it's praises. I'm interested in hearing experiences of others. Thank you for your help.

[SWharton]

I would look for water intrusion as my number 1 item and make sure you check the storage areas. Second would be batteries and tires. I would also request its repair history with documentation. I would also call the mfg. with the serial number and see what they have on their records.

Is there any reason you are not considering a small Class A?

[Larmic]

THanks for the advice. Mostly considering cost and length. My wife is a little intimidated with anything over 32ish feet. 

[SWharton]

I know Winnebago make several smaller Class A(26-30'). You will have better storage. I would at least give them a look online.

[Larmic]

Great I will. 

[trailertraveler]

7 hours ago, Larmic said:

We're looking at used to beat the depreciation of a new one and a better price.

Don't know how old you are looking, but in Class C's (as a former Class C owner) I would want the 6 speed transmission not a 4 speed. I also would want a 450/4500 rather than a 350/3500 for the additional GVWR, GCWR and towing capacity. Much is always made of storage space, but in my opinion cargo carrying capacity is what is important. Space is useless if there is not sufficient weight capacity. Most RV's I have seen make poor use of the storage areas. Minor modifications like adding shelves, stackable bins, etc, can greatly improve storage. You can not easily create cargo carrying capacity. Be aware of where storage space is located. Large spaces much behind the rear axle are a bad place to put a lot of weight as they may overload the rear axle and underload the front axle resulting in handling issues.

[Larmic]

Thank you for the cargo input. I have worried about cargo placement in the Class C.  It does seem like the bigger bins are in the back. Could be a challenge to get a balance between front and rear for distribution.

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, Larmic said:

Could be a challenge to get a balance between front and rear for distribution.

That can be a problem with either a class A gas or a class C as most of the extra weight capacity is often on the front axle while the storage space tends to be over the rear axle or even behind it. Watch those axle weights and weight ratings.

 

 

[ToddF]

We bought a new Minnie Winnie 31D (2017) 2 years ago. Used ones are probably already on the market. The floorplan is ideal...opposing slides create a really nice living space. The RV is fully functional with all slides in. The bedding and couch and dinnette all very comfortable. It had adequate CCC. We like to travel with full water and fuel and LP. We come up slightly over 14,500 fully loaded. We're Flatlanders so not a big issue. Handles like a dream on the highway. I work from the RV and use the space next to the bed for all my computer equipment, keeping the table up front clear. We could easily FT in the 31D.

The Winnebago quality is VG 

[2gypsies]

On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 7:59 AM, Larmic said:

We are stepping out of our Cedar Creek 41' 5th Wheel into a class c.  We want about a 31-32 foot with the bathroom not opening into the kitchen. I've seen lots of chat on manufacturer advise for the best bang for the buck. Comes down to personal preference and floorplan.  Does it really come down to that?

I would never buy a RV just on the floorplan.  First choose your manufacturer. Some are waaaaay better than others. Then choose from the floorplans they offer.  What good is a floorplan if the RV around it falls apart?  Good luck!

[Larmic]

It is really frustrating looking through forums to see what people have to say about the manufacturers and who does the best. The responses are all over the place. Seems to be so personal directed rather than a consensus of who are the top three for instance.  We have been looking at the FR Forester 3051S.  My wife wants the bathroom toward the back and more private to the kitchen area.  Some bathrooms are nearly in the kitchen. I have looked at the Winnebago's online and they look sort of bland on the outside. I know that is giving in to the aesthetics over quality and I don't want to do that either. Then on top of all that we are not wanting to spend gobs of money on a new one. So.... 

[sandsys]

19 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

I would never buy a RV just on the floorplan.  First choose your manufacturer. Some are waaaaay better than others. Then choose from the floorplans they offer.  What good is a floorplan if the RV around it falls apart?  Good luck!

I also check tank sizes. Some are just not big enough for my style of RVing. That, of course, also means checking CCC to be sure I can bring my stuff.

Linda Sand

[ToddF]

Winnebago is in the top 3. Get full body paint if you want an upscale look. Just look around a big RV park, you'll see 20 year old Minnie Winnie's still in use.

[sandsys]

3 minutes ago, Larmic said:

I have looked at the Winnebago's online and they look sort of bland on the outside. 

Um. How much time do you plan to spend outside looking at your rig? You're more likely to spend time looking at your neighbors' rigs and there are a lot of Winnebagos out there.

Linda

[Larmic]

I don't disagree...I said it was vain of me/us.  I do want full body paint. I know that from our previous rigs.  

[SWharton]

I think full body paint is an option.

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, SWharton said:

I think full body paint is an option.

If not from the factory there is a woman in Elkhart, IN, who does an excellent job according to Nick Russell. I can't remember her name right now; getting old, you know.

Linda

[SWharton]

When we were looking at a dealer it appeared to us that every Winnebago had been ordered with full body paint so I would think that should be easy to find used.

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, Larmic said:

It is really frustrating looking through forums to see what people have to say about the manufacturers and who does the best. The responses are all over the place. Seems to be so personal directed rather than a consensus of who are the top three for instance. 

There is good reason for this. I have been on these and other RV forums for a long time and long ago learned not to give a negative opinion about any RV brand or manufacturer because to do so will offend those who own them. Eventually, I realized that this is because such remarks tend to reflect on those who own the make or model as having had poor judgment in what they chose to buy. There are no RV manufacturers who are so bad that they have no satisfied customers and none are so good that they have no unhappy customers. Since a reader has no way of knowing how expert the author of a post is, that author can claim to be the world's foremost expert on any subject they wish and who can dispute it? I am sure that we have at least a few who claim expertise far beyond reality, but who can say for sure? 

There are a few things that I have no hesitation to state here about judging quality of an RV. The first is that while a high price does not prove high quality, a very low price is a pretty accurate way to tell which ones are not. You just can not build an RV that is of the best quality for the lowest price. Another thing is that in most cases the higher quality RVs will weigh significantly more than the low budget ones of the same type and size.   There are some fairly easy hints that an amateur can detect also like plastic/plywood drawers, solid wood or particle board looking at the inside of cabinets, and a long list of other things of that type. 

[ToddF]

We bought new anticpating that there would be bugs to work out. We weren't disappointed. Winnebago resolved everything to our satisfaction. We have had no problem with the slides. The overall quality is very good. The shower stall is flimsy. The accordian  door between bedroom and hall is not sound proofing but does keep the light down. You can open the bathroom door and use it as a solid door between the bedroom and living area. Our unit has air bags, HWH leveling system, and ducted air. It works for us..we don't camp in extreme heat or cold.

[TLRam1]

What does Full Body paint mean as opposed to partial body paint?

[ToddF]

A typical Class C has a plain white exterior with decals applied to jazz up the appearance and "brand" the unit. Full body paint costs a lot ($8,000) and involves painting the exterior in various colors to create a fancier appearance.

White is cooler...one benefit of not having a dark exterior.

 

[Kirk W]

6 hours ago, TLRam1 said:

What does Full Body paint mean as opposed to partial body paint?

There have been and may still be RVs that have paint on some areas but not the entire body. Full body is painted totally, with the exception of the roof if it has EDPM or TPO. An example of less then full body painted would be the class A which we owned had automotive paint on the lower 3' or so of the fiberglass body all of the way around with the upper part white but with deals for trim. There have also been RVs that only the strips and decorations were painted.

[TLRam1]

Okay so if the upper part is white, is that not paint also? I understand the decals can be stick-on or painted.

[ToddF]

The exterior is not painted. It is easy to keep clean and like I said, cooler. I love my Minnie Winnie. The folks in Forest City are really nice. I walked in without an appointment after our transfer switch failed, a serious problem. They took us in immediately and replaced it at no charge.