Why is the resale value of Class A's so low compared to Class C's?

rvwandering · Oct 4, 2012

The mpg information for Class As is ,unfortunately, correct. Class C do not get much better ,around 8-10 mpg. You can beat this some by getting a Class B but they are expensive ,used ones are rare plus they are a little cramped. Another option is to get a super light weight trailer that you can tow with a small truck or car.  Even with poor gas mileage you can still live pretty comfortably and cheaply if you take advantage of the senior camping discounts. A lot of seniors spend the winter in the corp of engineer parks in the south east- Mississippi , Alabama and Georgia. Take a look - <a href="http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/ms/enid/index.php?l=camping">http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/ms/enid/index.php?l=camping</a> And you get it for half of that!  Stays are limited to two weeks so you have to move around a bit although we have gone over the limit. It depends on how busy it is at the campground.

Guest · Oct 5, 2012

It also depends where you are looking. Central Florida is excellent in that regard. If you are willing to make a trip, you can find all kinds of deals. Most of the older people get down here and just give 'em up. Decent Class Bs for 3-8k, same for Class Cs.

Salida Scarlett · Oct 5, 2012

Great minds think alike I guess Dillo...I was just thinking the same thing. When there's a bargain advertised, better be ready to move fast, cause the early bird gets the worm,(providing the early bird has cash in hand). I'm gonna keep asking, digging, thinking until the right solution comes up. I watched a few YouTube videos of older ladies, a couple of em in Class C's, who were happy campers and highly mobile. That really appeals to my happy feet somehow. I've sat in one place about as long as I want to. I do think it will taking some adjustment to keep from feeling adrift at first, but my strong desire to do this I think will overcome it. I've lived for awhile on a barrier island in Florida and loved it. I'll be sure and check out some ads from down that way, as well as other retirement areas. One of my more recent options is making do in my van where I think the best place for buying a good RV would be and sort of camping out until the right deal comes along, kind of like you said. I could do this after I dispose of my house.  There seems to be a lot of good RV's on the market. I'll bet this winter will be a good time to buy!

offroad · Oct 5, 2012

howardsells2000 said:
I wish it was in Maryland. I would go look at it.

7 MPG and 3000 miles and $4 per gallon is $1700 in gas. Plus the one way airplane ticket.

So bet you could get it to Maryland for $2000

makes sense to buy one in a high use area, and drive it back. But pay a mechanic to inspect it with a engine pressure test to see if it is good. and inspect the cam shaft too. Why spend $5000 on an engine that might need to be replaced. That are a lot of people trying to sell detroyed engines too.

blars · Oct 6, 2012

One thing I found is that low milage on a motorhome is frequently a bad sign -- things tend to rot/fall apart and the owner may not have noticed.  A well maintained one that got used at least a few thousand miles a year is better.  Tires should be less than 5-7 years old, or add the cost of replacing them immediatly.  My '96 Rexhall 28' Class A gets about 8mpg, and has a steal (rather than wood) frame and fiberglass roof.  End of January-March is when to find bargains on motorhomes in Quartzsite, AZ.

Guest · Oct 6, 2012

And don't be cheap when you replace those tires. You need the higher weight rating that truck tires give. I've seen a few running around with passenger car tires instead, and that's a recipe for a bad time.

Salida Scarlett · Oct 6, 2012

My old Chevy van is starting to look better all the time. At least I KNOW what issues it has. However, there is NO WAY I would spend a lot of time and money trying to convert this to a maxed out version with all the bells and whistles. I don't have that capability in the first place. Second, I'm pretty sure there is a perfect RV out there and my guardian angel is going to help me pick one out when the time is right. Til then I keep asking questions and finding out all kinds of interesting and RELEVANT info from you guys. This is getting way off topic but that's the way conversations in real time do. Wouldn't it be dumb to start talking to a friend and then outline the conversation format ahead of time like saying this subject is what we're gonna be talking about and any deviation will not be tolerated, lol?! But I understand, this is a forum and not the kitchen table. Wish it was and I'd be having Saturday coffee with y'all. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /> Scarlett

peacetara · Oct 6, 2012

I went looking at a bunch of RV's and all I saw where repair dollar signs, for anything used. It looked like all I'd ever do is try to keep the thing working.  Seems like a serious waste of time to me.  I want to go DO things, take a walk, read a book, chat with friends, watch the sunrise/sunset.  Not fiddle with the house trying to keep it from falling apart!  Everyone I've talked to that has experience with RV's all said the same thing, they were either always working on something to keep the RV happy, or were saving money to pay someone to fix it. That's why I decided on a van instead of an RV.  I don't have the dollars to pay someone, and I don't have the desire to fix it all myself. Plus, I had a few people let me drive their RV's around the block and Yikes, they are SCARY!  You feel the entire thing shift around and move, it's just frightening! I overbought with the van, I have a giant E-350 super heavy duty van.  It doesn't roll, sway or do anything.  The van doesn't even notice all the stuff I have in it, it drives exactly the same as when it was empty.  I like that! It's just coasting along the ride.  The engine is some big V8 or something I dunno, but it doesn't seem to care about hills at all, just runs right up them like they weren't there. I don't think anyone could convince me to buy an RV anymore.  Plus, all the people I have met with RV's seem to be unable to go anywhere in them, they can pull off the road and boondock 15 feet from the road, or live in RV parks.  Neither of which seem very fun to me.  Plus <10mpg just scares me, I can't afford the gas at my current 17mpg!

Guest · Oct 6, 2012

Now, to be fair, we have been stressing the downsides a bit.  The work isn't constant. The problem is right in the title of the site. Cheap. You want a camper that isn't going to fall apart? Get in deep and buy a bus. Them things are tough. Still got maintenance, but not as bad. Same other campers. Each one has their own heavy duty variant, that with some up front dough, will last this side of forever. Now I'm not saying cheap is bad. If It was, I wouldn't be here. But with a full on RV, there are going to be compromises somewhere, and sometimes in the long run it might be cheaper the other way. I looked up some numbers earlier, and you figure ~3500 per year, for upkeep, minimum, on a Pace Arrow, or Bounder from the late 90s, early millennium. That's every year you need to do some kind of work, around that much. Roof, seals, various repairs or replacements.  Even van campers have a cost associated with it, sometimes higher, sometimes lower. Another issue that my family ran into with a Coleman popup, was that they're simply not build in most cases for what full timers put them through, so the cost gets a little exaggerated.  Both of our last two campers simply started falling apart (a coleman bayside, first year of slideouts in popups, and a dutchman lite) after using them consistantly for about 4-5 months out of the year. It's important to consider exactly what you want, versus what will work, and what you can afford. A short converted skoolie might work...

romani10 · Oct 8, 2012

Everything is a compromise in this lifestyle, Scarlett...we are on a fixed income also, and have been boondocking for over 2 years. My wife is disabled, which adds to the difficulties encountered. We are also on our third RV. The first 2 were conversion bus, and a conversion box truck, which I converted myself. The bus blew it's engine and so did the box truck.      Now we live in a class C, 1987, that we bought with 98,000 miles on it. Of course there were issues right away...new tires were required immediately, also a brake job, to be safe.    But the lifestyle has a way of getting into your blood, especially with the chaos and bedlam happening in general society.    You make adjustments...you don't travel fast, you meander your way around, sticking when there's little money for gas or repairs, and traveling to new destinations to camp when there is...

Guest · Oct 11, 2012

Scarlett - Not all rv MH get horrible fuel milage: In 2002 we (Mom & I) bought a 1987 Corsair Supreme Class C had a 350 FI V8 3spd auto  with 43km {27k miles}& still got 16mpg avg in Ontario in the winter! It was even designed for full Canadian winter use - sadly in 2004  at only 88km {55k mile} it had an encounter with the side / back bumper of a large delivery truck that was just manuvering into a loading zone at a shopping mall & ripped the whole right side open <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />  Then we went to a 1994 pickup 7.3L IDI Turbo Diesel F250 towing a 7K LB 26ft Carrilite 5W (it was built with fulltiming RVers in mind including Canada in winter  it was -45 with wind chill outside & 90 inside - had to open vents <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />) The pickup got really good mpg - 21 city /28 hwy not towing & 21mpg towing flatlands & 17mpg towing through the Rockies on a 6000 mile xcountry jaunt to Oregon (cost $1200 cdn round trip in Sept 2005) Then we (Mom & I) got a 1993 31ft Class A MH with 114km {71k miles} 6.5 yrs ago now 220km {137.5k miles}  7.4L TBI V8  it was getting 11mpg hwy but as of July 2012 its been getting 5mpg hwy - $480 for 500 miles hwy  gas here has been $4.94/ US gallon<img src="/images/boards/smilies/bawl.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />  Now downsizing to a 2000 astrovan with only 63km {39k miles} & 23mpg avg. but with the option of towing a trailer if I want extra space <img src="/images/boards/smilies/idea.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />  (found the 31ft MH was too big for just me - Mom passed away in 2009 @ 82yrs,  & i have been solo FT Rving ever since but our favorite type of "camp" - boondocking!<img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />) Hope this info helps with your search for a "Residence Vechicle"

Salida Scarlett · Oct 12, 2012

I'm sorry about your difficulties Romani. I hope your sweet wife gets better. I know for a fact that most everything in life is a compromise, especially when money is thin. I'm no stranger to that since I've been alone for years and thru some pretty tough ones I wouldn't want to repeat, that's for sure. So, yes, I feel like I have to be doubly careful about not getting myself into a mess, or.....an RV getting me into one, and not being able to buy my way out of it. But I know the traveling lifestyle can get in your blood because it has mine for years, even when I couldn't travel I was wanting to. So, I know I have the "call" on me, I'm just working my way through the potential issues before I make the jump.  I can hardly wait tho! Chaos and bedlam in society? You can say that again. But you know what? I've seen more sense of "family", neighborliness, and you might even say old fashioned goodness, on this forum than I've seen in my own physical neighborhood. This tells me RV'ers are going to be my kind of people. Thanks Romani <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /> GBU and your wife, Scarlett

Salida Scarlett · Oct 12, 2012

Allergicrver, it took me awhile to figure out your nickname, <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />. Yes, I am in need of a better climate myself as I've had allergy issues also. That's one reason I would not want to have a brand new RV or brand new anything....too many allergens in new things. Thank you for the info on mpg's on various RV's. Question...why did the RV start getting less mpg do you think? Did it need a tune up? Just curious because that's quite a loss of efficiency. I would love to have a 31 ft class A, like home, so I would have enough room to really dig in and cook, bake, and have still have room to do some oil painting and keep some supplies. However, I'm starting to realize I couldn't afford the gas or upkeep.  But actually, I would be just as happy in a 21 ft Class C, as long as it would get me on the road and RV'ing. I have a bad case of happy feet right now! I'm sorry to hear about your loss. That must be hard to take after such a wonderful journey with a dear partner. I sure miss my loved ones that have moved on. I hope all will be well with you. Scarlett

Bucket Boy · Oct 12, 2012

These motor homes are NUTS! I get 28-30 MPG out of my Sprinter. But I move around a lot too. Easy to drive, even go's off-road or gravel. And still 6' tall inside! 

Guest · Oct 12, 2012

You also need blue pee for the sprinter too.

Bucket Boy · Oct 12, 2012

Nope. You only need special stuff on the new ones. 2007-current. And they are full of problems! Only buy the first ones 2002-2006. They are simple and even run on tractor diesel. =)

Guest · Oct 12, 2012

Learn a new thing every day. That Urea is expensive, working out to about 80 bucks per 5000 miles.

Bucket Boy · Oct 12, 2012

For an 07-current sprinter it costs about $20 every 10K miles. (5gal at truck stops are $20-$26) The mixture (DEF Fluid) is 32.5% synthetic UREA and 67.5% deionized water.

Salida Scarlett · Oct 12, 2012

I'm not familiar with "Sprinter". Is it lighter weight that gives the mpg advantage? What amenities, would...or could come with one of these? And possibly affect the mpg? Gas is $3.49 here right now, but we know gas prices are going to gravitate up, not down. Got any pictures Bucket Boy? Thanks, Scarlett