Class C compared to Travel Trailer ??


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Dave1956

New Member
Greetings All,

My wife and I are new to the RV Talk Forum, but have been long time members of a similar forum for Sunnybrook Travel Trailers, one of which we have owned for many years. We are currently struggling with the decission to upgrade our TT or purchase our first ever motor home.

We are beggining to believe that we would spend more weekends out with the MH and perhaps even use it for day trips at local parks. My wife and I are active bird watchers and cyclists. We live in Houston Texas near the Gulf Coast and are about 3 years away from full retirement.

We are very interested in your sincere opinions of the "qualitative" benefits of MHs compared to TTs, especially from folks who have had both. Do you find that you use a MH for a weekender or a day trip more readily than you would have a TT? Further, on our extended trips (3-4 weeks) we often dry camp for 3-4 days at a time and do see the MH and it's generator as a plus there, do you agree? Do you find that MHs create a different traveling/life-style in themselves as opposed to TTs?

Currently we travel with a 2004 Dodge Diesel pulling a 26 foot Mobil Scout TT. We are not prone to stay in a location more than 4 nights so I suppose that is a check in the MH column, but we would have to consider the tag-along issue. We look forward to your advice and thank you in advance for your answers.

Best Regards,

Dave
 
DL Rupper

DL Rupper

Senior Member
RE: Class C compared to Travel Trailer ??

Hey Dave1956, welcome to the forum. Sounds like all your pros are for the MH. I think you know what you really want. It sounds like the MH would suit you best. When you retire do you have plans for extended RV trips? That might swing the scale back towards a trailer or 5th Wheel..
 
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hertig

Senior Member
Re: Class C compared to Travel Trailer ??

Well, I have had both a fifth wheel and a motorhome. The fifth wheel was cheap to buy, easy and cheap to maintain and cheap to insure, and I didn't much mind if something spilled on the carpet. As long as we had not removed the hitch from the truck, we could take off with less than an hour's notice.

Driving was familiar (use the truck for daily usage as well), but uncomfortable on long hauls due to the cramped nature of the truck cab. I never did get good at backing it, but that is just a matter of practice. While travelling, it was a lot like driving just
the truck; not particularly easy to go to the bathroom or have a meal; we often used rest stops and resturants instead. Dry camping was a chore due to no built in generator; I had an external one but it was a pain to set it up.

Once we got to a stop, it was annoying to set up. Everything hooks to the outside, so all the hook ups had to be assembled each time (and dissassembled to get ready to take off). But the real hassle was leveling it. Front to back was OK with the power front legs, although screwing the scissors jacks down in the back (and up) was a pain. The real annoyance was levelling side to side. I used the plastic interlocking blocks, so they were accurate, light, clean and easy to use, but still not welcome at the end of a long day driving.

Once it was set up and hooked to at least electric, it was perfectly fine to live. And by unhooking the truck, we could drive around the area.

The motorhome was much more expensive to buy (although much better quality construction), and insure, and much more difficult and expensive to maintain. I wouldn't say it was any quicker to take off with, since there are a lot of things to check which can be assumed to be ok on your tow vehicle if it is also your daily driver.

Driving it was different since the driver is in front of the front wheels, but that is a Class A and should not be factor in a Class C. Due to much more room, it is more comfortable for long drives (probably not true in a class C), plus can be easily used for bathroom breaks and meals. With the generator, it dry camps well. Setting up is much easier, with automatic levelling, and all the hookups in bays. I can have everything assembled and merely pull out the end and attach it to the service.

Once parked and hooked up, it was just as livable as the trailer. The only real drawback was that we could not drive around the area. That is why many motorhomes pull a 'toad' (small vehicle) behind them.

In short, the motorhome (class A of course and to some degree the class C) is better for travelling and short stays. The fifth wheel is better for long stays, although the motorhome will do just fine for that if you keep it maintained adequately.
 
TexasClodhopper

TexasClodhopper

Senior Member
Re: Class C compared to Travel Trailer ??



John said: "Due to much more room, it is more comfortable for long drives (probably not true in a class C), plus can be easily used for bathroom breaks and meals."

The only thing I would add is that our Class C is very comfortable driving, too. The bathroom breaks and meals part was very important to Sallyberetta and I. There have been several occations where we kept moving for 800 miles by having our meal up front.

As for the bathroom break, why I jess put it on AUTOPILOT and take that break, too! (Be sure and git you one with that option factory installed!)
 
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hertig

Senior Member
Re: Class C compared to Travel Trailer ??

Texas, I'll bet you're a tad shorter than my 6'6". If I were 'normal sized', I bet my truck would be a lot more comfortable on those long drives. And I might even be able to fit into a van cab (which is what most class C's have).

It probably also depends on which company made the chassis. One of them (I forget which) has much less foot room than the others. My dad had a Dodge van which wasn't too bad, around town at least.
 
TexasClodhopper

TexasClodhopper

Senior Member
Re: Class C compared to Travel Trailer ??

Well, I am from Texas, of course I'm tall! :laugh:

I just remember getting into some of those Class A's when we were lookin'. The one that was comfortable; we couldn't afford! :eek:

I guess the point is that there is plenty of room in the cab of a Class C. They are designed a lot better than the cockpit of SOME of the Class A's that we have visited. (Now, that doesn't mean ALL of the Class A's.)

There's been many times that I wish we were in a truck pulling a 5er, so we could have that truck to drive around in while we're camping.
 
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