Brain Storming About Switching to a Class B Motor Home

[Tulecreeper]

If I were you I'd just get a used tent trailer and call it a day. No need for something pricey, as long as the appliances work and the canvas is in good shape you can find one for 8000 or thereabouts and sell it for almost same price if you hate it after one 3 month season or want to upgrade to something more luxurious if the concept itself works for you.

The bigger the vehicle, the harder it is to park it in parks etc.

I've known a few people who have tent trailers. They're a leak waiting to happen.

 

[ramffml]

I've known a few people who have tent trailers. They're a leak waiting to happen.

So is every RV. They all require regular maintenance, replacing seals, fixing things that break.

 

[nlambert182]

Class Bs are expensive and have a few drawbacks to consider:

1) If it breaks, you no longer have a house nor a vehicle to drive.
2) The engines are difficult to work on, and the engine bay is extremely tight.
3) Mercedes diesels are good when they're good, and bad when they break. Sometimes the parts take a LONG time to get when they break, so you'd need a backup plan for a vehicle AND a room until it gets out of the shop.

This is why we haven't switched over to a MH (yet). I don't really want to tow a vehicle behind me at this point in my life, and my TT is paid for. I got into mine (used, but well kept) for $18k cash money, and it's a fairly big rig. You could likely find a used one like you want cheaper than that. Stick the rest into your pocket.

Have you considered a small travel trailer? You can get quite a few "off-road" trailers now that are fairly well built and MUCH cheaper than a Class B. That said, you're really not going to be able to do a whole lot of overlanding with any Class B, trailer, etc... unless you buy a purpose built overlanding rig.

Maybe consider a small TT and adjust expectations of where you can go with it? That would be a lot cheaper and a lot less stress.

 

[nlambert182]

So is every RV. They all require regular maintenance, replacing seals, fixing things that break.

Not as much as tent trailers. I can count on one hand the things I've had to fix on all 6 of my fifth wheels/travel trailers. All were fixed quickly and very cheaply. My most expensive repair in the last decade was $70. But I agree on the maintenance. They do require you to stay on top of it religiously.

 

[ramffml]

Not as much as tent trailers. I can count on one hand the things I've had to fix on all 6 of my fifth wheels/travel trailers. All were fixed quickly and very cheaply. My most expensive repair in the last decade was $70. But I agree on the maintenance. They do require you to stay on top of it religiously.

My brother has had tent trailers for over 10 years and has no issues whatsoever, except with one particular heavy/large model that didn't have much payload and then he overloaded it (so the damage was operator error, not quality). Other than that, no problems, not even a $70 repair. His two models were purchased used and quite cheap as well.

Anecdotes are great but they're not data. Some brand new RV's are having trouble with frames bending, airstream has an issue with front end separation/delamination, guys are having issues with fridges not coming on or water leaks (pick me) etc etc; especially new stuff is built like pure junk these days.

This is why I recommended a used/cheap TT. As long as the canvas is in good shape, appliances work, and no visible sign/smells of mold, OP should be able to resell again for pretty much same price as purchased if he wants to back out of this idea in 3 months. It also gives him the most access to small spots, he wants to fish on small (and I'm assuming, somewhat secluded) streams. That combo of truck and TT will do exactly what he wants with the least amount of financial risk IMHO.

 

[nlambert182]

I don't think we disagree here. Based on my experience in the RV world, a Class B seems like a bad idea based upon what the OP is wanting to do.

 

[Tulecreeper]

So is every RV. They all require regular maintenance, replacing seals, fixing things that break.

Yeah, I lived full-time in a motorhome, then a travel trailer for 5 years. I am well versed at fixing everything.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Not as much as tent trailers. I can count on one hand the things I've had to fix on all 6 of my fifth wheels/travel trailers. All were fixed quickly and very cheaply. My most expensive repair in the last decade was $70. But I agree on the maintenance. They do require you to stay on top of it religiously.

Try living in one full-time for several years. I did for 5 years - everything will break at one point.

 

[Tulecreeper]

The OP hasn't been on here since 10/05. He's gone with the wind because we didn't tell him what he wanted to hear.

 

[Dean2]

This forum has WAY MORE one post wonders than most any other place I visit, but appears eve nsome of the longer tenured ones are doing the same. Has got to the point that I rarely respond to newbiebies until they show a pattern of participation. The idea so many of them have that they are owed help and a hand up with zero payback on their side pizzes me off so much* I just don't want to play for fear of saying something TRULY RUDE TO THOSE WANKERS.

 

[Marshall]

Fellow across the street, in Canada has a class B? C? you can buy for about 1500-2000
one ton ford chassis , 1978?? 460 auto, he used it a couple weekends this summer, averages about 5 miles/gallon. Most guys up in this country use them for winter ice shacks, cut holes in the floor , fill the fridge full of beer, and it falls through the ice, you just lose the beer, and fish .
My sister has a little bitty camper she pulls around with her Honda ridge line, with 2 dogs.
That silly little baby camper still cost here $12,000 used looked to me like a 5000 camper.

I use to pull a 24 or 25 ft 5th wheel back in the late 1970's, I paid about 10K for that , worked good. now you can spend 3/4M on one

 

[star_deceiver]

It’s a lot easier to fix things, at home, before they break, than while on the road. While you can easily get to the upper components of the 454, injectors, fuel pressure regulator, distributor cap and rotor, and spark plugs, in this case; anything radiator related is going to be a bear.


Now this oil cooler hose, which has been discontinued (parts nigh unobtanium), and has an M20x1.5 fitting because some genius at gm though it would be good to use part of the ac condenser as an oil cooler and is routed through 3 tight spaces that my hand won’t fit into, had to be cut apart and rebuilt.


I can see an rv shop billing $3k for that work. Best learn to fix and maintain things yourself.

 

[GTyankee]

I used to see a Mercedes/Dodge Van parked at Truck Stops in Arizona, New Mexico & Texas

He gave me a quick look through one time at a TA Truck Stop, i think it was in Eloy Arizona.

It looked like it was liveable, unless it broke down & would be worked on , when the parts came in

 

[nlambert182]

It’s a lot easier to fix things, at home, before they break, than while on the road. While you can easily get to the upper components of the 454, injectors, fuel pressure regulator, distributor cap and rotor, and spark plugs, in this case; anything radiator related is going to be a bear. View attachment 553336
View attachment 553337

Now this oil cooler hose, which has been discontinued (parts nigh unobtanium), and has an M20x1.5 fitting because some genius at gm though it would be good to use part of the ac condenser as an oil cooler and is routed through 3 tight spaces that my hand won’t fit into, had to be cut apart and rebuilt. View attachment 553338
View attachment 553339

I can see an rv shop billing $3k for that work. Best learn to fix and maintain things yourself.

More than that. The last radiator replacement we did in a Class A was well north of $5k. We had to partially lift the body of the RV to make enough clearance to fish the radiator out. It took 2 techs almost 3 days.

 

[2003F350]

This forum has WAY MORE one post wonders than most any other place I visit, but appears eve nsome of the longer tenured ones are doing the same. Has got to the point that I rarely respond to newbiebies until they show a pattern of participation. The idea so many of them have that they are owed help and a hand up with zero payback on their side pizzes me off so much* I just don't want to play for fear of saying something TRULY RUDE TO THOSE WANKERS.

In this case, OP isn't a one-hit wonder, but rather someone who, more often than not, I see raising invalid or unusual concerns about Ram trucks that the VAST majority will never see, or that are relatively simple to take care of should they arise. He honestly feels more like a troll.

 

[nlambert182]

I've talked in depth to the OP and can vouch that it isn't the case. They just don't know much about these trucks and reads a lot of forums. He's usually asking about things he doesn't understand.

 

[Dean2]

I've talked in depth to the OP and can vouch that it isn't the case. They just don't know much about these trucks and reads a lot of forums. He's usually asking about things he doesn't understand.

Fair enough, just seemed odd that he wouldn't at least come back and update the thread, say thanks for the input etc. Makes a guy start to wonder as there really are a ton of odd characters that show up on this particular forum. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[nlambert182]

He's really sporadic. I've noticed that. I don't think hes on here a lot.

To be honest as well... quite a lot of folks were pretty foul towards him for asking what they thought were stupid questions. He caught quite a lot of flak instead of just helping him understand. I'm surprised that he's still around honestly.

 

[runamuck]

those class B's are pretty pricey for the amount of space you get and you would take a big hickey when selling. you might be better off getting a 1 or 2 year old R-pod like small trailer that has a real bathroom and decent sitting area. they are small and cheap and can be dragged just about anywhere. enough space for one and could just sell when your through with it and not have much of a net cost.

 

[Dean2]

He's really sporadic. I've noticed that. I don't think hes on here a lot.

To be honest as well... quite a lot of folks were pretty foul towards him for asking what they thought were stupid questions. He caught quite a lot of flak instead of just helping him understand. I'm surprised that he's still around honestly.

He was on here Friday, no update. I didn't see anyone giving him much flack on this thread, maybe on others but didn't stop him form posting this new one. Don't care all that much whether this guy responds or not, it is just a very interesting pattern to me that this happens so often on this forum. None of the other forums I contribute to show this.