Tell me why you love your C Class

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by GrayHawk51

Ok, everyone is talking about how great our Class C's are. What has not been talked about is that when you get to your destination, you need a "TOAD" to visit the different locations that you went there to see! If you don't tow a vehicle behind the Class C or A, then we can assume that you're not going anywhere or you're going to rent a vehicle.

That being said, if you want to have a "TOAD" you have other decisions to make as to "manual" transmission or "auto" trans that can be towed. You now need to setup that vehicle with the proper towing equipment. The cost can be anywhere from $1000 on up.

Ok, so that's my 2 cents worth. Take care.....

Ok ...but if you tow a 5th wheel or large bumper pull you need a big honking truck so I think my Class C towing my Jeep wins!

Big pulling little vs little pulling big...guess which one wins the easiest test?

[Trainman1]

For a counter point. I purchased a class C and drove it for 2 years pulling my Jeep behind it. I had TT for the previous 35 years before the class C purchase.. All of the good things mentioned are true. There is a serious down side in my experience. When you live 60-70 miles from a metro area, there is NO one who will service your vehicle. The local Ford dealer does not work on Class Cs, nor does the Ford dealer in an adjoining town. Finding someone to align the front end means long trips to the city and long waits once there. Dealer service, at least in my area is almost non-existent. You are not able to change a flat tire on a class C. Many Class Cs have no spare tire and even if they carry one, the average person doesn't have the right tools nor the physical strength to change an inside back tire. On a TT, changing a tire is doable. Finding service for a broken tow vehicle is easier. I traded my Class C back for a new TT. I can handle tire changes and there are local people who can repair my tow vehicle.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by Trainman1

For a counter point. I purchased a class C and drove it for 2 years pulling my Jeep behind it. I had TT for the previous 35 years before the class C purchase.. All of the good things mentioned are true. There is a serious down side in my experience. When you live 60-70 miles from a metro area, there is NO one who will service your vehicle. The local Ford dealer does not work on Class Cs, nor does the Ford dealer in an adjoining town. Finding someone to align the front end means long trips to the city and long waits once there. Dealer service, at least in my area is almost non-existent. You are not able to change a flat tire on a class C. Many Class Cs have no spare tire and even if they carry one, the average person doesn't have the right tools nor the physical strength to change an inside back tire. On a TT, changing a tire is doable. Finding service for a broken tow vehicle is easier. I traded my Class C back for a new TT. I can handle tire changes and there are local people who can repair my tow vehicle.

You have valid points but...your worried about what if's. I have been motorhoming all over the US for years now in big, small, gas, diesel, you name it motorhomes. Ever breakdown? Sure...but tow truck came, we unhooked the toad and followed him to closest service. Bad fuel pump once, bad alternator once...back on the road and continued trip. Same as you in your truck or trailer except what would you do with your trailer? Leave it on the side of the road?

As far as tires are concerned...big rig guys don't change flats. Neither do I. I don't care what size or type I don't and won't. Call CoachNet or GoodSams or AAA whoever and let them. Again same as I would have to do with a big pickup truck tire or large trailer tire.

Service has never been a issue...if you don't have a dealer close by there are always plenty of independent shops around that can and will.

My point is your trading one set of worries for another...I would need a large travel trailer and truck to get the comfort and space we have in our Class C. I just don't want to drive a big pickup and mess with all that hitch stuff anymore.

Bumper pulls you have all the weight distribution sway stuff. 5th wheels you have that heavy honking hitch in the bed of your truck all the time.

There are just too many pluses to our Class C that I will never go back to a travel trailer and truck.

Oh, forgot to mention when we had a breakdown in a previous motorhome years ago we just fired up the power plant and turned on the a/c and waited on the tow guys. Another perk!

We only had two breakdowns in all our motorhome days. One was a fuel pump and one was a alternator. Both we had fixed and back on the road no problems. Never once thought of giving up motorhomes because of this.

[Trainman1]

Not arguing, just saying.

[Jeepyj93]

After spending a month in China earlier this year the clean washroom is high on my list.
Clean washroom and no bedbugs and no garanage food are the reason we bought the trailer but the convenience of a Class C is what we are after.
Thankyou all so much for sharing your stories and ideas.

[Griswald One]

My Bride and I would agree to almost all of the positives listed above but in the end the biggest factor for us was Dollars and Cents. Many find my math hard to believe but it was significantly cheaper for me to own the Motorhome over pulling our travel trailer.

My numbers are Canadian so they may look a little lopsided. Our 34ft Travel Trailer was $40,000 and after towing it for a year we were convinced that our Half Ton truck was not up to the job. So we were looking at having to buy a new 3/4 ton, adverage cost $70,000. So a total investment of $110,000.

Keep in mind that truck was also my commuter vehicle and I was putting on 400km a week commuting into the city in a giant gas guzzler. As it was my commuter vehicle, I would have to replace it at least once in the life of the trailer so another $70,000 bringing the total to $180,000 over the life of the trailer.

My Class C was $110,000. My Toad is a Chevy Sonic for $24,000. Assuming I will replace it my total cost is $158,000 over the life of the motorhome. Also add in that the Sonic has 0% financing, not normally available for trucks and my MH is locked in at 4% on a 20 year Amortization much better then I could get on a TT or the Truck to tow it.

Now take into account I am driving and fueling the Sonic 400km a week instead of a 3/4 Ton truck. In the end we reduced our monthly expense by $400, and that was when gas was about $1.00 per litre, today it was $1.27 increasing my per month savings. I did give some of that back when I increased my Bi-weekly payment on the MH to reduce the amortization and interest paid.

[Jeepyj93]

All I want to know is where your getting fuel for $1.29 we haven’t seen that in months we are $1.49. I did get it at Costco in Calgary yesterday for $1.20 I wanted to drive around and burn it up so I could go back and buy cheap fuel. LOL

[Jeepyj93]

You make very good points we tow with a F350 diesel and that things is parked 9 months of the year.

[Camper_bob]

I LOVED my truck though. Yeah, it was thirsty. Yeah, it wasn't the smoothest riding vehicle. It was BIG, so parking was a PITA sometimes. But it was mine, and I loved what it could do. It was MY big nasty truck! My commute is short, so that wasn't a big deal for us (that's one of the reasons we didn't go diesel when I bought it). But we did end up in DW's Acadia more often than not because she didn't like my truck. Ironically enough, for all the reasons listed above that I loved about it! LOL!!

Now, don't get me wrong, I really like the Grand Cherokee that I traded the truck for, but it's just not the same. I'm a truck guy at heart. Always have been.

At the end of the day, we use the tools that are best for the job at hand. For us, that meant getting rid of my truck. I'm just glad I was able to get into something I could tolerate. The MH just simply suits our needs better than the truck/TT did for the kind of travel we want to do. Some day that might change, or it might not. And everyone's needs are different so there's no one right answer or "bright line" decision maker. Again, just trying to use the best tools for the job in our particular situation...

[Dgibbster]

We love it after owning our class c for 1-1/2 months and have spent 15 nights camping and breaking in so far. It makes life so much easier for us not to have to hook up a trailer and some places we camp it is easier to pull into campsites where you do not have that option with a trailer. Also easy to just load clothes and food pretty much and go! Everything we need we keep stored in motorhome wuth the exception of bicycle, lattern and grill with fuel. Plus gives the wife and both of our dogs room to move around and be comfortable while traveling, and when we need to make a quick stop overnight on a long trip just pull up and go back to fully ready rig with full access to everything. Absolutely love it up to this point after owning two toy hauler pull along travel trailers for past 15 years.