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Old 03-30-2017, 09:30 PM   #21
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2017 26' Flying Cloud
Granbury , Texas
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In our past we had a 40' Country Coach Motorhome with all the goodies. 400hp Cat with 1250 ft lbs or power.

I have to say there is nothing like traveling in a Motorhome. I really enjoyed driving that beast...looking out that big windshield sitting up high there was nothing like it. I never got tired of driving that thing.

We loved it but came to realize that unless you are retired and travel a lot the cost of insurance, maintenance, payments, and storage adds up fast.

Motorhomes need to be driven and used and we just couldn't go that much back then. Airstreams are different but we enjoy them...only trailer I would own. Much more user friendly and simple. My dad taught me the KISS solution to life...keep it simple stupid! My KISS soulution to RV's was buying my first Airstream...Now were on number 5 and all still smiling!
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Old 03-31-2017, 03:24 AM   #22
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2016 30' Classic
Little River , South Carolina
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I agree with everything Scott 59 posted above. I have owned 5 motorhomes over my camping career. The last 2 being 45' Prevost bus conversions. These things are a beast to maintain and the later models are nothing but computers on wheels. You have to take them to Florida to get fixed every time some little thing happens. It completely takes the fun out using them fearing something will go wrong when you do use it. Having said that I sold it a couple months ago and bought a 2016 30' Classic and a Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel and I promise I will never look back. I so look forward to enjoying it without worrying about something breaking all the time.
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Old 03-31-2017, 07:24 AM   #23
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2009 27' FB International
Murfreesboro , Tennessee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilbur McLamb View Post
I agree with everything Scott 59 posted above. I have owned 5 motorhomes over my camping career. The last 2 being 45' Prevost bus conversions. These things are a beast to maintain and the later models are nothing but computers on wheels. You have to take them to Florida to get fixed every time some little thing happens. It completely takes the fun out using them fearing something will go wrong when you do use it. Having said that I sold it a couple months ago and bought a 2016 30' Classic and a Ram 2500 with a Cummins diesel and I promise I will never look back. I so look forward to enjoying it without worrying about something breaking all the time.

My guess exactly. There's no fun in thinking you don't want to get too far, or put too many miles out of fear of racking up miles and nearing the next service issue.
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Old 03-31-2017, 07:53 AM   #24
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2010 25' FB International
2016 26' Flying Cloud
Albuquerque , New Mexico
Join Date: Sep 2016
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After we sold our 2010 International 25FB, we were committed to buying either a short Class A, or a Mercedes Sprinter based Class C/B+. The set up and take down of our AS was putting a lot of wear and tear on my shoulder (old work related injuries) and we were looking to mitigate that.

We looked at 50 or more options over a few weeks that might fit our needs. Some were amazing, some were pathetic, and most had more shades of brown in the decor than exist in nature......

In the end, I told my wife about the new 26U floor plan. It checked off most of our livability gripes, allowed us to keep our truck, and we got to stay with a style, product, and most important, a community.

As to the set up and take down? Rather than moving every 5-7 days like we used to, we generally stay 2 weeks or more at locales now. We even did a month down on the Gulf of Mexico. I thought I'd be bored staying that long. Not....

So I'll leave with this-- do what's right for you and your family lifestyle. You may get a family friendly Class A for now. AS will always be there, whispering for you to come home.
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Old 03-31-2017, 09:22 AM   #25
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2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa , Florida
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I must say, in defense of the DP, that mine was well built, I never had trouble with the slides, or suspension, electric step, or jacks.
I got 8.25 mpg towing a trailer.
Little things kill you. I always had service done at the local mega dealer. They ALWAYS tried to upsell me. "You need your roof resealed."
I once wanted new wiper blades and they quoted me $54 each! I went to my local auto supply and found the exact rubber blades for $10. Half an hour of swapping blades an I was done.
Driving it was a dream, great balance and steering was one finger.
You did have to get used to crowding the center line because it was wide. Driving through construction zones with Jersey barriers was scary sometimes, although I never scraped anything.
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Old 03-31-2017, 12:07 PM   #26
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1995 34' Excella
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Nope. Not at all. I considered it when I bought my first Airstream Trailer about 15 years ago. My neighbor and my brother had a class A. Fuel economy towing an Airstream is bad enough at 13 mpg but a class A is about half of that. Then when you look at depreciation, maintenance and the experience of driving one, no thanks. I decided on a towable Airstream and have never looked back. There is also the issue of reliability. Trailers are incredibly simple and there really is not that much difference between an Airstream made 50 years ago and a new one.

There is also the difference of camping style. We spend most of our time outside except for food preparation, bathroom usage and sleeping. The inside space afforded by a class A would be wasted on us. Just different strokes for different folks.

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Old 04-01-2017, 06:48 PM   #27
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Every RV has a use, and you aren't going to be happy if you are using the wrong one. Figure out how you will use your coach, then find one that best fits your needs. We love our Foretravel MH, but I listed it for sale last night. Why? When we bought it we figured that we would rarely stay in one spot for more than a month, and most of the time we would be moving every week or two. The reality is that we've spent 3-5 months at a time in one spot - several times. A DP needs to be driven, so the Foretravel is for sale and an Airstream in in our future.

Our Foretravel is completely self-contained in that it has a generator, 105 gallons of fresh water, 80 gallons (yes, gallons) of propane, etc. The ride is great, as is the view going down the road. Fuel economy, though, is not a strong point. With the Jeep in tow, we're about 57' long, which is what I expect we will be with a pickup and 34' Airstream.

That great view going down the road comes with a bit of a price, though. Several steps stand between the ground and the driver's seat. When Jo Ann was having her foot problems several years ago she had troubles getting into an Airstream, and this would have been impossible. Fortunately, surgery took care of the problem, if it it hadn't we couldn't have had this coach.

An Airstream has quite a few advantages, such as not being as tall as most other recreational vehicles, and a rounded, more streamlined shape. Those advantages are offset by a great lack of exterior storage space. Everything that is in the basement of our MH will have to ride in the bed of the pickup.

As I said at the start, don't start out deciding that you want a particular coach, or even a particular type of coach. Figure out your needs, and then buy accordingly.
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