crasster
Dallas
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Joined: 07/06/2007
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I just need advice about class A RV's and if what I THINK I know about them is correct.
We have a NICE pop up camper now with a cassette toilet and a shower.
We are planning on selling it and buying a class A (perhaps)
My family consists of Me, My wife and 5 kids.
We enjoy camping OK, but really we want a traveling hotel so we can see all kinds of places and funky hole in the wall diners.
My complaints on the pop up are:
1) No toilet on the road. 5 kids aged 9 and under. Can you imagine?
2) Feeling of less security. Small dingy lock on the camper door.
3) No wallydocking. We can't popup our camper at Wal-Mart for a few hours of rest.
4) No vehicle redundancy, if the tow vehicle fails 1,000 miles from home, we are in a desperate jam. 5 kids and a wife all looking at daddy!!! Yikes.
5) Crankity crankity crankity crank. Build build build.
6) With our cassette toilet, it holds about 2.5 gallons of black water waste. That means with my family, I can't use it because it would over fill on a 2 day trip. (unless I drag it to the dump station which I'd rather use the clean out at home).
7) Fridge is a tiny box. No freezer. Again, my family is 7 people! The Fridge is JAMMED when we go out and is never big enough.
What I like about the popup
1) GREAT gas mileage in tow. (20 MPG in our Toyota Sienna!!!!!!!!!)
2) again good gas mileage
3) Does have a toilet/shower so it's more than a glorified tent.
4) Not a tent.
What I THINK I know about class A's
1) Kids can go potty on I45 at 60mph
2) black water tank MUCH bigger
3) I can tow our Toyota Sienna either by trailer or on its own tires. This will give us vehicle redundancy if our RV breaks down, we can get into our van and to a hotel and work from there.
4) More safe. Door locks are A LOT more rugged than the popup screen doors. Hard walls without canvas sides in case we end up a truck stop.
5) Gas mileage is rough. I've HEARD that in smaller class A's you can get 15 or so MPG, but large ones are way worse.
6) Fridges are usually MUCH bigger with a freezer.
So much of it revolves around the potty, safety and redundancy for me.
Is this info pretty much correct about class A's?
Thanks.
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Don Don
Pleasant Grove, AL {Suburb of Birmingham}
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Joined: 05/21/2005
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You ansered you own question. The positives outweight the negitives.
Go for it, you'll love it!
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granite
ohio
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Joined: 02/10/2008
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Just an idea, but if it were me I might consider a small B or B+, pulling a lighter toyhauler trailer so you can have some of both worlds, and fairly decent gas mileage when not towing. Create your own toy hauler configeration for children's sleeping accommadations, and use same space for the myriad of bikes, toys, etc., that might make your touring with kids more fun.
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sch911
Rochester Hills, MI
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Joined: 04/13/2003
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What I THINK I know about class A's
1) Kids can go potty on I45 at 60mph
Yes, absolutely!
2) black water tank MUCH bigger
Yes for sure....
3) I can tow our Toyota Sienna either by trailer or on its own tires. This will give us vehicle redundancy if our RV breaks down, we can get into our van and to a hotel and work from there.
The Toyota Siena can be towed on a tow dolly, a full car trailer, but not with all 4 wheels on the ground (not without an external oil pump installation).
4) More safe. Door locks are A LOT more rugged than the popup screen doors. Hard walls without canvas sides in case we end up a truck stop.
Agree...
5) Gas mileage is rough. I've HEARD that in smaller class A's you can get 15 or so MPG, but large ones are way worse.
For us it's 6.5 MPG While towing a Chrysler T&C Minivan and 8 MPG without towing.
6) Fridges are usually MUCH bigger with a freezer.
Yes...
Be sure to look into bunk house Class A rigs with 5 kids.....
2003 Damon Challenger 348 Class A - Triton V10
Posted by Macintosh
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Beaker
Brevard, NC
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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Don't know the answer to your question but
" 1) Kids can go potty on I45 at 60mph
Yes, absolutely! "
But buckle them in good in your Toyota??????????????
2008 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
1998 23' Jayco lite
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thgoodman
Emery, SD
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cresster - Don't know about the Sienna specifically. Some Toys can be towed 4-down, some can not. Take a look at Motorhome Magazine for a comprehensive list of vehicles that can be towed 4-down. Other than that, you're looking at expensive vehicle modifications or a trailer/tow dolly.
As far as fuel mileage, you should be looking at more like 8 - 9 mpg for a diesel and 7-8 mpg for a gasser.
Bottom line, unless you are really on a tight budget (very possible with 5 kids) you may want to look at this lass as an economic decision and more of a quality of life decision.
Tom & Jan
Fulltimers since April '06 with 3 fur kids (George - mini Aussie, Archie - mini Poodle, Kitty - 20 yo blind cat)
2006 Beaver Patriot Thunder towing 2006 Subaru (4 down)
Started workamping Sept '07 - This isn't too bad. Think we'll do it some more.
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GACampnGirl
Georgia
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Joined: 08/25/2003
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We get about 10 mpg in our 25' class C depending on tanks and roads - not towing a car behind. You might want to also look at larger class Cs or super Cs (BIG Chassis) for the cabover sleeping area - watching the weight for toads, passengers, etc of course.
We love having the good things you mention (potty breaks at 60mph, etc). If you want to do WalMart - be careful where your slide is and what it blocks access to if closed. Some WalMarts are not good places to put slides out overnight. (Have heard that some truck stops dont have enough room between rvs for slides to come out)
Also, access while traveling is important if you want lunch on the road before the potty break  I only mention this because I have seen slides block some kitchen cupboards.
On the good note for you, I have seen some A's that have bunk areas! That would sure be a plus with 7 people.
Happy hunting...
BTW - if you are not really into camping, maybe the B or B+ idea and a hotel and good insurance with car rental if car in shop would be an option?
 Spread the word about Campground Etiquette!
CAMPING ETIQUETTE CHECKLIST
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pfunk
Shelby Township, MI
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We decided on the A because of the tank capacity and deisel power (ever service a deisel in a van) All were for your exact reasons. I was on the road for a nice 5th wheel, but with 2 and 3 year olds in the truck, id would be bad (I like to put on the miles) we stayed over laborday weekend and took quicky showers (even the kids), but washed dishes inside we used about 1/2 the capacity at the end of it. Id be scared with a class c on capacities (at least the years we were looking at). One huge bad thing,,, sleeping we have a queen in the back, but only one jackknife sofa. We have a J lounge (sorry, but its useless unless we were retired) which is getting ripped out and another Jackknife in its place. we were going to do the folding dinette, but I really like the seperate chairs for company and room 5 kids, Id be looking into a bunk model with foldout dinette also and a couple of jackknifes
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor
300 Cat 6spd Ally
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Flyteof4
Alberta
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Joined: 03/24/2008
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yup, you got it right. we tented for a few years and then moved to a class C and now a 32' Class A. we are a family of 4 and can carry enough electric power and water on board to dry camp for a week...about 3 days if all of us shower every day which we usually do. yes, the kids can use the toilet while doing 60 down the interstate and most importantly of all, they can make a sandwich and bring daddy a cold drink while underway. Add to that the ability of the kids to watch a movie or lay down on the couch and read or sit at the table and draw a picture....the list goes on. we wouldn't go back. we tow a chevrolet tracker behind and just knowing that I have that redundancy behind me when I'm going through the desert at 110 degrees is enough for me. Ok, the mileage is a little tough to take at first but consider what you have at your fingertips and make sure you plan the cost of fuel into your vacation and accept the fact that's it's gonna cost money to build memories with your family. we get about 9 mpg (imperial...probably around 7.5 us) uphill or down, towing or not. oh, one last thing; I pull into a site about 1/2 hour after my buddy pulls in with his pop up trailer and I'm sitting around the fire enjoying a cold drink before he's finished cranking and cussing. about 2 minutes of pressing a button to level the entire coach with the hydraulic jacks and putting the awning out.
I hope I answered a few of your questions.
cam
Cam & Nicole
2000 Fleetwood Southwind F53 w/Banks
99 Tracker
Demco Excalibar
Microsoft Streets and Trips
Garmin GPSMAP 60cx
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crasster
Dallas
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Great answers so far. I really like the idea of telling the kids they can go "lay down" Naps sound nice. I'm pretty sure we are getting a class a now.
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