Purchasing choice between a 43' Allegro Bus and a 40 Phaeton

[Too Tall and Doc]

Hi everyone, we are new to this forum.  We are deciding to upgrade from our Bighorn 43' fifth wheel to either a 43' Allegro Bus or a 40' Phaeton.  Of course their is a price difference, but is it worth it.  I was wondering if anyone has experience between the two.  The Allegro bus has a 450 while the Phaeton has a 380.  I did learn that the Allegro gets 8 MPH which is comparable to the Phaeton.  We plan to RV winters for the next 10 years.  We want to buy a used coach between 5-10 years older, we are looking at miles and condition as a guide.  TooTall feels that 43' is to long and would be difficult to get in to RV spaces.  Yet we are not with out experience, getting a 43' fifth wheel in to tight spaces is no easy trick.  That said, we want to pull our jeep and have some fun before we become too old to enjoy it.  So my question is: 

1.  Does anyone have trouble finding RV spaces and navigating into them with 43" bus?

2. We really love the 43' bus because it has a bath and 1/2 which is awesome with 5 granddaughters when they are with us. But we have concerns with it's size.  Are there any regrets for purchasing one this size?   Yes the Bus is a little more money but we are buying a used one which has already greatly depreciated so I feel that it is a fair value.  Oh the Phaeton is a 2014 and the Allegro Bus is a 2011 both have around the same miles (50k).  I would value your opinions 

[kb0zke]

The nominal difference is 3' and the actual difference may be more or less that that. The 43' coach has a tag axle, so that's another two tires and air bags vs a 40' without a tag.

We have a 40' MH and tow a Lincoln MKT, so we're about 65' overall length. We generally prefer back-in sites, especially if we are staying several days. We've not had a problem finding sites that suit us. We rarely just show up somewhere and try to get a site. If we don't have planned reservations we'll call ahead and ask.

How often do you have all five granddaughters with you, and how old are they? If this is a most-of-the-summer thing, and they are getting to the teen years, yes, the 43' is the way to go. If it is only two or three of them at a time, for a weekend, you could go either way. Since you already have an RV you know about "doing" all the daily activities to see how the floor plan works for you.

It sounds like both coaches have been used, which is a good thing. The Phaeton may need tires, while the Allegro Bus may not - yet.

[Ray,IN]

As to backing in sites, we went from a 40' 5er to a 40' MH(no tag). The MH is IMO much easier to back into a site than the 5er was with my CC, LB Chevy dually.

If you plan to stay in state parks, the extra 3' will not make much difference IMO. If they have a site for a 40' unit it should also accept 43', BUT the reservation system might not  accept your application if you say you have a 43' unit. Unless you are familiar with the park, or the reservation system has pictures, it's kind of a crap shoot.

If commercial RV parks are your forte, the 43' unit will be fine, especially if you request a pull-through.

[2gypsies]

You'll have more room at a site with the 43' motorhome and Jeep  than you did with the 43' 5th wheel and truck.

[Twotoes]

I went from a 43 foot fifth wheel to a 43 foot Class A and find the Class A a lot easier to back into a space. 43 feet is not that much longer than a 40 footer for camp sites. The bus with a tag axel will be a little better ride. The bus I believe has independent front wheel suspension and the Phaeton does not. Factor in the cost of new tires and batteries on both at 6 and 9 years old, with 2 more tires on the bus. The final analysis is which floor plan do you like better.