Class C or Class A for $15000 - $20000?

[Loving Arizona]

Hi, -- especially to mechanics and other talented RV people

I have seen several used Class A (small) and Class C's for sale on RV Trader for between $15,000 to $20,000. Is this a price range where I would be signing up for a long list of repairs? Is it realistic to get a good one in that price range?  I have no mechanical skills, so I'm not the type that would enjoy working on the rig constantly. And I sure would not want to be paying bills constantly. 

It just seemed that I could get an RV for not more much than the price of a van. Realistic?

Please advise!    Thanks.

 

[rvpopeye]

Price COULD be good,,, bring a mechanic for inspection before buying.
Hopefully fairly new.

I have a friend on another forum that just bought a late 90s 38' high end diesel pusher for 20K.
(He had people all over the country looking)

I've seen lesser quality class As of that era for the 4-8K range , class C s maybe 75% of the As.

 

[Loving Arizona]

Price COULD be good,,, bring a mechanic for inspection before buying.
Hopefully fairly new.

I have a friend on another forum that just bought a late 90s 38' high end diesel pusher for 20K.
(He had people all over the country looking)

I've seen lesser quality class As of that era for the 4-8K range , class C s maybe 75% of the As.

 

[Loving Arizona]

Thanks rvpopeye.

I'm new at this and totally overwhelmed with all the choices. Sometimes I think I want a passenger van because of all the windows -- nice and bright. Sometimes I want a class c because I cook a lot and like the idea of a good stove and fridge. 

I think you have a class C.  What are the advantages of that for you?

 

[rvpopeye]

It's small , yet big !
Full bathroom and kitchen are nice too......

Oh yeah one other thing . It was given to me !!!

 

[Loving Arizona]

Well, that's the best way to get one. Makes the whole process easy.
I'm leaning toward a Class C.

 

[rvpopeye]

Oh yeah ,look for LEAKS !
In the upper cabinets , under windows (especially the front cab over area , near roof vents and AC....
If they have been there for a long time ,,,run away !

 

[ZoNiE]

You get what you pay for. Any $5K RV will end up costing you $20K. Start with a $20K unit in good shape or a crappy one for $5K and spend $15K making it your own. End up the same way.

Any early to mid 90's DP should be mechanically sound, generally, but you also graduate to bus tires, and more expensive maintenance. Class C's and Gas Class A's use more normal Consumer parts so are cheaper to fix, but not as durable. It's a tradeoff.

A motorhome costs more than a travel trailer and good tow vehicle to maintain, and if the tow vehicle needs work, your home is not in a garage.

 

[Loving Arizona]

Thanks ZoNie,

I'm a newbie. What is a DP? Yes, I like the idea of a travel trailer too. I'm all over the map with this one. 

 

[Almost There]

That depends entirely on what lifestyle you see yourself living as to whether it's realistic or not.

What kind of monthly income do you have and how much of it do you want to spend on 'housing' as opposed to 'living'.

Do you want to spend most of your time boondocking for free or do you see yourself living mostly in RV parks whether they be privately owned or state/national campgrounds.

Do you want to travel constantly, moving every few days or do you see yourself sitting in one place for any length of time.

Is there just you or do you need to make room for a partner and/or family members?

Do you really need 'more' or would you be better off with 'enough'?

What I found when I had the 35' Class A is that repair shops thought I had a wallet the size of the broadside of the RV... The bigger the vehicle, the more costly the upkeep. The more complicated the systems, the bigger chance of something going wrong.

And while I could do a lot of the maintenance myself there was always a lot of stuff that had to be done professionally.

Take oil changes for example - the RV I had had the same engine as in a lot of pick up trucks of the same age. Quick lube places wouldn't touch it, RV shops wanted over a $100 for a simple oil change using the same oil filter and 5 quarts of oil that the p/u used. I learned to do my own oil changes. Same thing went for the generator, simple things like oil changes were exorbitantly priced - so I did them myself.

When I decided I was going back on the road, I was all over the place on what I wanted to use for it. I ended up sitting down with the old 'pro and com' sheet for all the various combinations and put together my ideas in writing on each one of them. This eliminated a whole bunch until I was down to the last 2 or 3 set ups.

Personally, I went for a combination of comfort, simplicity and gas mileage as well as the ability to get as far back out off the main roads as I am comfortable going. The only thing I'm missing is a built in shower and between the solar shower and a gym membership, I'm good!!

 

[highdesertranger]

DP = diesel pusher. highdesertranger

 

[arctic cat]

I understand that you,re not mechanically incline, and that is ok. As with anything mechanical breakdown are bound to happen, most often if you DON'T MAINTAIN your vehicle. You may buy a vehicle for lesser money and spend the money to fix it your way or you buy the vehicle the way you want. But if you get that dream vehicle and you don't perform PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE it will eventually end up been a money pit that you're avoiding getting. So if I was you I would make it point to learn more about your vehicle. The same you have to cut the grass, replaced roof, fix leaky pipes and ect in house. You have to change oil, replace filters, tires and fix worn out part in a vehicle. Yu either fix some of those things yourself, or you pay a mechanic $100 an hour to do it, the decision is your.

Also take in consideration that any used vehicle you get, is only as good as the PREVIOUS owner maintain it

 

[DesertDweller]

There are so many variables, and it's truly a daunting task, to say the least! You didn't say how many people will be living in it, one or two? I've been doing the research for several months, too, so I know where you're coming from. How do you plan to use the rig? Is a van enough space for you, or would a Class C work for your needs? I do know that the Class C's are cheaper to fix mechanically, and that the Class A's must be taken to an RV repair, which can be very expensive. Having a good mechanic go over the vehicle is a must before purchasing.

Will you be staying in any particular place for extended periods of time, or do you prefer the road warrior/travel the country style of living? If you plan on mostly being in RV parks, you may want the Class A, with a separate tow vehicle to run around in. If you really want the comforts of a kitchen, bathroom, shower and running water, you'd probably want at least the Class C. 

I've come across some very nice rigs in your 15-20K price range, in both classes. Every person is going to have unique needs on what type of vehicle to get. Tell us more about your needs, and I'm sure others will chime in with some well thought out answers for you.

 

[Loving Arizona]

That depends entirely on what lifestyle you see yourself living as to whether it's realistic or not.

What kind of monthly income do you have and how much of it do you want to spend on 'housing' as opposed to 'living'.

Do you want to spend most of your time boondocking for free or do you see yourself living mostly in RV parks whether they be privately owned or state/national campgrounds.

Do you want to travel constantly, moving every few days or do you see yourself sitting in one place for any length of time.

Is there just you or do you need to make room for a partner and/or family members?

Do you really need 'more' or would you be better off with 'enough'?

What I found when I had the 35' Class A is that repair shops thought I had a wallet the size of the broadside of the RV... The bigger the vehicle, the more costly the upkeep. The more complicated the systems, the bigger chance of something going wrong.

And while I could do a lot of the maintenance myself there was always a lot of stuff that had to be done professionally.

Take oil changes for example - the RV I had had the same engine as in a lot of pick up trucks of the same age. Quick lube places wouldn't touch it, RV shops wanted over a $100 for a simple oil change using the same oil filter and 5 quarts of oil that the p/u used. I learned to do my own oil changes. Same thing went for the generator, simple things like oil changes were exorbitantly priced - so I did them myself.

When I decided I was going back on the road, I was all over the place on what I wanted to use for it. I ended up sitting down with the old 'pro and com' sheet for all the various combinations and put together my ideas in writing on each one of them. This eliminated a whole bunch until I was down to the last 2 or 3 set ups.

Personally, I went for a combination of comfort, simplicity and gas mileage as well as the ability to get as far back out off the main roads as I am comfortable going. The only thing I'm missing is a built in shower and between the solar shower and a gym membership, I'm good!!

 

[Loving Arizona]

Almost There,

Thanks so much. That was very helpful. It helps to get clear about what I want to use the van for, and I certainly can't afford big oil change bills and repair bills. And I want to boondock. I'm by myself, and I want to travel to fairly remote places, so perhaps I should look at vans. I want low cost; good cooking facilities; comfort and the ability to get up and go quickly. Sounds more like a van.

You sound very experienced with boondocking life . What do you drive?

 

[Loving Arizona]

I understand that you,re not mechanically incline, and that is ok.   As with anything mechanical  breakdown are bound to happen, most often if you DON'T MAINTAIN your vehicle.  You may buy a vehicle for lesser money and spend the money to fix it your way or you buy the vehicle the way you want.   But if you get that dream vehicle and you don't perform PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE it will eventually end up been a money pit that you're avoiding getting. So if  I was you I would make it point to learn more about your vehicle.   The same you have to cut the grass, replaced roof, fix leaky pipes and ect in house.   You have to change oil, replace filters, tires and fix worn out part in a vehicle.  Yu either fix some of those things yourself, or you pay a mechanic $100 an hour to do it, the decision is your.  

Also take in consideration that any used vehicle you get, is only as good as the PREVIOUS owner maintain it

Thanks arctic cat.  I am told that a good mechanic can just open the hood and look at an engine and tell if it has been well maintained. When I find a vehicle I like, it seems that the next step would be to have a good mechanic look at it. My mechanic in Tucson is wonderful, but I doubt that he'd travel out of Tucson to look at a van. I guess I would just use the Yellow Pages to find a good mechanic wherever I find the van and have him check it out. Thanks again.

 

[Loving Arizona]

There are so many variables, and it's truly a daunting task, to say the least! You didn't say how many people will be living in it, one or two? I've been doing the research for several months, too, so I know where you're coming from. How do you plan to use the rig? Is a van enough space for you, or would a Class C work for your needs? I do know that the Class C's are cheaper to fix mechanically, and that the Class A's must be taken to an RV repair, which can be very expensive. Having a good mechanic go over the vehicle is a must before purchasing.

Will you be staying in any particular place for extended periods of time, or do you prefer the road warrior/travel the country style of living? If you plan on mostly being in RV parks, you may want the Class A, with a separate tow vehicle to run around in. If you really want the comforts of a kitchen, bathroom, shower and running water, you'd probably want at least the Class C. 

I've come across some very nice rigs in your 15-20K price range, in both classes. Every person is going to have unique needs on what type of vehicle to get. Tell us more about your needs, and I'm sure others will chime in with some well thought out answers for you.

Desert Dweller,
Thanks so much. As far as my needs go, I'm single so I don't need a lot of space -- I just like an open feeling (Don't fence me in!). That is why I was thinking of a passenger van with lots of windows. With all the windows, it feels bigger. But a Class C is probably more space and price than I need. I've already bought a shower tent because I'll be taking off in my Camry sometime in August. I'll have to look at vans as I travel. I think a shower tent and a gym membership would work well. I need good wifi because I'm still working 1/3 -time online. Someone suggested mifi -- hot spot for that. Then I just need a comfortable bed and chair and cooking space. I have an idea for the bed that I could do myself without any help. I'll need a good cooler or fridge, but I'll probably start out with a cooler because I don't know anything about generators and electricity. Cooking is very important because I want to eat healthy, non-processed food. I'm thinking of springing for a Yeti cooler. I'm also looking at gosun solar for cooking, but since it takes so long to cook and the cooking times are so variable, I might just end up with a propane stove. The other cost problem that I see with a cargo van is that I'd have to insulate it, put down a floor and fix walls. I'd have to pay someone to do that -- would depend on price, if I could afford that. As well as the passenger van having bright light, the walls don't need to be worked on. ?? So those are my thoughts and needs. Thank for asking.

 

[Loving Arizona]

DP = diesel pusher.  highdesertranger

Thanks, high desert stranger.

 

[ldmccain]

Class c pros and cons
Big - can carry lots of stuff
Big - can walk around inside
Big - will wear you out driving
Big - cannot get very far off the paved road
Big - can stay in many campgrounds
Big - can have lots of solar and batteries
Big - hard to park when shopping
Big - hard to heat and cool

..
Yes I like mine but will be looking hard for a regular 1 ton van or truck shortly.

Wandering Larry

 

[blars]

My class A gasser was about that, and I spent almost a year shopping. I'd avoid rubber roofs -- they need replaced after 10-15 years, and most you find in that price range will be due or overdue. You might want to look on my blog at the rv-shopping stuff.