First off, overall a great video. However, the comparison boils down to Class C vs. less expensive gas-powered Class A (like your Southwind) since it wouldn't be fair to compare a Class C with a much more expensive diesel pusher. Here are some counterpoints in case any future viewers of your video find this useful: 1. While a gas-powered Class A will almost certainly have more exterior storage space, there is a massive caveat to this. A gas Class A and a larger E-350/E-450 chassis Class C will be powered by the same engine (the older ones with your Triton V-10, the newer ones with the "Godzilla" Ford 7.3L V-8). However, because the rest of the vehicle is so much heavier, the OCCC (payload) will suffer badly in the Class A. The new Fleetwood Flaire 29M, for example, has a capacity of only 1335 pounds or so. A very comparable Class C like the Entegra 29V (virtually identical floorplan) isn't that much better but it is still at least 400 pounds more. 1335 pounds isn't much when you substract the weight of the occupants and the weight of a full water tank unless someone plans to stuff all those amazing exterior storage bays with pillows. Most larger Class Cs really do have more than enough exterior storage for most people but buyers do need to have a good idea what they want to bring with them before they buy. For some, to your point, a Class A like yours will make more sense based on this issue alone. 2. Re: holding tanks, when you compare apples to apples, there is often not much difference in holding tank size. Again, comparing the Entegra 29V to the Fleetwood Flaire 29M, the Entegra is a little smaller for fresh water and black water, but also has a much larger gray water tank and a larger propane tank as well. Also, nicer Class Cs do often have the option for heat blanket wraps on holding tanks as well to mitigate the freezing issue. You are correct about freezing being more of an issue with Class C in general, however. 3. You two are just a couple and a dog. The lack of additional passengers obviously gives you more freedom than larger families when it comes to floorplans. However, the baked in bed over the cabin in almost all Class Cs is a godsend for many who are +1/+2 kids (or a couple prone to having overnight guests) since it is an "always there" large additional bed that doesn't otherwise detract from the floorplan. Also, the bed does not need to be lowered meaning that you retain access to the cab even if the bed is in use and it also can be used for additional storage when the cab is in use also. Of course, the cab itself is typically more useful as living space in a Class A since the cab is on level with the rest of the RV vs. a typical Class C. Even if a Class C has front seats that swivel, they will still be lower down than the main floor so they have a tendency to become seating of last resort. 4. Your experiences with gas mileage aside, a comparable Class C is likely to get better gas mileage than a Class A just owing to vehicle weight alone. Getting them worked on is also quite a bit easier as well. The good news is the prices of smaller gas Class As and larger Class Cs (30-35 footers) have become fairly comparable so buyers really do have the ability to weigh pros and cons without having to worry as much about price differences.
One thing I noticed you didn't mention is that class C's only come with 30amp power while class A comes with 50amp power . 30 amp equals only 3,000 watts of power while 50amp equals 12,000 watts of power !!! Also the Class C only has 1 ac unit to cool the whole coach which will burn you up in the summer you can't even sleep at night in the bedroom it's so hot But with the Class A you have two ac units that keep you good and cool on them hot days and plus keep you good and cool at night in your bedroom while you sleep! A class C will flat out burn you up ! They are miserable in the summer months !!!!
@@davenstorm7271 that’s not entirely accurate from what I’ve been finding. The newer gas Class As on the 7.3 godzilla chassis, many are also only 30 amp. On both the Class C or class A gas, there are options for one or two ac units, not entirely sure how that can be true when advertised with 30 amp power unless its also lower btu ac or includes an upgraded package with unadvertised 50amp power. 🤷♂️
@@benmoore2301 Some people ad them but they gotta run one off of sure power and one off of generator .. Now you can purchase the huge expensive class Cs now with 50amp and two AC units but going to cost you around $120,000 just starting out !
Great food for thought as we are looking into getting an RV. Just wondering what your thoughts are on Fleetwood. I have read mixed reviews on them. The dealership i like sells them; is it better to go with a good dealership or a better quality RV? The main thing I want is reliability. Also if other viewers can comment I am sure that will be helpful to others as well. Thanks for putting this together!
@@David-im1fp Nope. A LOT less regulations for Class A RV's than for Class C's. If you look at pictures of both from a front end collision you'll see the difference.
We are currently debating a class C over a class A. It is the wife ,myself and our dog. We want to travel in the winter since we are retired and I don’t like winter. Just haven’t found anything there are pros and cons to both the issue I have with the class A is there aren’t many places that will work on them. Dealerships don’t want to work on them either . I previously owned a class A and loved it until it needed mechanical work done.
Class C RVs are very easy to drive, as they feel more like a large van. That's part of the reason a class C was our first RV we purchased. Sometimes it was too easy & we forgot we were driving an RV!
Thanks. What about fuel mpg? Did you buy Gas or Diesel ? What year is yours? I am looking at older ones 1999 2000 with 30 to 50k miles. I am liking the prices much more than newer but not sure about it. Thanks for the video and help with these questions.
Hi Jim - thanks for watching and for the comment! Our Class A is a 2008, whereas our Class C was a 2007. Our Class A is gas, not diesel. We were surprised to find that our Class A gets about the same MPG as our Class C did. Although, we found our Class C to be disappointing regarding gas mileage. We get around 6-7 miles per gallon. If we are towing our Jeep, it stays around 6. In the grand scheme of things, we realize that RV's are gas guzzlers. I wish it weren't the case! Hope this helps!
How do maintenance costs and availability differ? I'd imagine labor costs are higher with the different placement of the engine. I also wonder if you boondock much if there's a difference between getting a class C or class A getting back into the boonies.
Yes we can go to National Parks for the most part. Although, every national park has different rules and situations. Some National Parks have tight rules, for example - we couldn't drive our RV into Bryce Canyon park, but they had a parking lot outside and a shuttle. It's TRUE that some National Parks have small campgrounds that don't accommodate super large RV's. That's why we got a 32 foot -- so really, it can fit most places. Although there might be a few tight squeezes. Hope this helps!
You get hit head on you will change your mind. Go check out the video they did in England on crash test of a class A. Even with air bags you will still be shocked at how bad the damage was to the people in the front seat. It drove the whole dash up through their heads.
@@David-im1fp Now our Class A is a 2008 Fleetwood - Southwind Floorplan: 32VS. Here's a link to view the floorplan online. www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2008-fleetwood-southwind-class-a-floorplan-32vs-tr1337 Hope this helps! Happy travels to you!
We chose class C for safety! We have three emergency egress doors. We also like the large sun visor the class C offers with its overhead bunk. Storage capacity between class C's and smaller class A's is negligible.
Had 2 Class A’s a 30 foot and a 36 foot with opposing slides..now have a Class C !!!Jayco 33 foot 29 MV ….wouldn’t trade it for the world 100% functional with the slides in and a dream to drive! Something for everyone…..
The issue I have with Class A is really how they are designed. Nearly all Class C seem to be designed for elderly retired Snowbirds. Its a hell of a time finding a Class A with Bunk Houses vs a Class C there are plenty. For someone like myself with a Fam of 3 and a few cats. There is just no way a class A would work. Also price wise even the select few bunk house class A I have found are around 500k CAD vs around 150CAD for 2020 - 2022 Models. Would be nice to see more Class A with bunk houses as it seems they forget families exist in this range.
We did same thing after buying a class c we traded it in for class a lost money on the trade in but if you don’t have some one to guide you then you’ll learn the hard way ....I dont like that water bay has the electric hook up inside with it that could be dangerous
thanks for watching! Sadly, RV's are depreciating assets...that go down in value rapidly!!! Most people lose money on an RV, that's just how it goes. Happy travels to you!
Thanks for watching and the comment. Good point, there is definitely a difference in drivability although it wasn't a major concern for us. The rigs were the same size, so not a huge difference overall. But the Class A you are sitting basically over your tires, so there are some adjustments to turning a bit. And we are sitting up a lot higher with a bigger window - we love the visibility and being high enough to look over the cars in front of us to see what's coming. The Class C overall was a bit easier to drive because it felt more like a van. I will say that we have to pay a bit more attention to drive the class A. But overall, we don't find there to be a huge difference. Either way, we had to be careful with our turns, etc. Hope this helps!
Glad your happy with class A. But hopefully you don’t get into an accident with your body taking the impact while the motor stays safe. You can get cold weather options with heated tanks on class C. And hopefully you don’t get a rock chip which turns into a major crack on that very expensive class A windshield. Happy trails.
On the Class As that are actually price comparable with Class Cs (like hers), the engine is the same gas engine as a large Class C and it is up front. Only in much more expensive diesel rigs is the engine located aft. That said, I have no idea if that makes her Class A any more or less dangerous in a front end collision. My gut says that I would rather have the big hood of an E-450 in between me and whatever just smashed the front of my RV, but who knows?
Yes, yes she does. She is living the dream of traveling all over the country exploring state parks, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. She loves adventures! Happy travels to you!
Not to be a Debbie downer but I think you bought the wrong Class C to begin with and a Class A motor home is more dangerous if you get into an accident, The Class A has a bigger gas tank because it sucks more gas... Have a great day :)
Thanks for watching Emilio! Oh we loved our Class C, it was perfect for us at the time. Actually, we get almost exactly the same gas mileage with our Class A as we did with our Class C - but with the bigger tank we can go a lot further before having to stop and fill it up. Which is great for long travel days because we don't have to make as many stops. There are pros and cons to all different types of RVs and vehicles, but for us, the Class A has been better suited to our long-term travel needs. Happy travels to you!
Check out more on which RV is best for you - www.peanutsorpretzels.com/class-c-vs-class-a-motorhome/
First off, overall a great video. However, the comparison boils down to Class C vs. less expensive gas-powered Class A (like your Southwind) since it wouldn't be fair to compare a Class C with a much more expensive diesel pusher. Here are some counterpoints in case any future viewers of your video find this useful:
1. While a gas-powered Class A will almost certainly have more exterior storage space, there is a massive caveat to this. A gas Class A and a larger E-350/E-450 chassis Class C will be powered by the same engine (the older ones with your Triton V-10, the newer ones with the "Godzilla" Ford 7.3L V-8). However, because the rest of the vehicle is so much heavier, the OCCC (payload) will suffer badly in the Class A. The new Fleetwood Flaire 29M, for example, has a capacity of only 1335 pounds or so. A very comparable Class C like the Entegra 29V (virtually identical floorplan) isn't that much better but it is still at least 400 pounds more. 1335 pounds isn't much when you substract the weight of the occupants and the weight of a full water tank unless someone plans to stuff all those amazing exterior storage bays with pillows. Most larger Class Cs really do have more than enough exterior storage for most people but buyers do need to have a good idea what they want to bring with them before they buy. For some, to your point, a Class A like yours will make more sense based on this issue alone.
2. Re: holding tanks, when you compare apples to apples, there is often not much difference in holding tank size. Again, comparing the Entegra 29V to the Fleetwood Flaire 29M, the Entegra is a little smaller for fresh water and black water, but also has a much larger gray water tank and a larger propane tank as well. Also, nicer Class Cs do often have the option for heat blanket wraps on holding tanks as well to mitigate the freezing issue. You are correct about freezing being more of an issue with Class C in general, however.
3. You two are just a couple and a dog. The lack of additional passengers obviously gives you more freedom than larger families when it comes to floorplans. However, the baked in bed over the cabin in almost all Class Cs is a godsend for many who are +1/+2 kids (or a couple prone to having overnight guests) since it is an "always there" large additional bed that doesn't otherwise detract from the floorplan. Also, the bed does not need to be lowered meaning that you retain access to the cab even if the bed is in use and it also can be used for additional storage when the cab is in use also. Of course, the cab itself is typically more useful as living space in a Class A since the cab is on level with the rest of the RV vs. a typical Class C. Even if a Class C has front seats that swivel, they will still be lower down than the main floor so they have a tendency to become seating of last resort.
4. Your experiences with gas mileage aside, a comparable Class C is likely to get better gas mileage than a Class A just owing to vehicle weight alone. Getting them worked on is also quite a bit easier as well.
The good news is the prices of smaller gas Class As and larger Class Cs (30-35 footers) have become fairly comparable so buyers really do have the ability to weigh pros and cons without having to worry as much about price differences.
One thing I noticed you didn't mention is that class C's only come with 30amp power while class A comes with 50amp power . 30 amp equals only 3,000 watts of power while 50amp equals 12,000 watts of power !!! Also the Class C only has 1 ac unit to cool the whole coach which will burn you up in the summer you can't even sleep at night in the bedroom it's so hot But with the Class A you have two ac units that keep you good and cool on them hot days and plus keep you good and cool at night in your bedroom while you sleep! A class C will flat out burn you up ! They are miserable in the summer months !!!!
@@davenstorm7271 that’s not entirely accurate from what I’ve been finding. The newer gas Class As on the 7.3 godzilla chassis, many are also only 30 amp. On both the Class C or class A gas, there are options for one or two ac units, not entirely sure how that can be true when advertised with 30 amp power unless its also lower btu ac or includes an upgraded package with unadvertised 50amp power. 🤷♂️
@@benmoore2301 Some people ad them but they gotta run one off of sure power and one off of generator .. Now you can purchase the huge expensive class Cs now with 50amp and two AC units but going to cost you around $120,000 just starting out !
Very helpful. Thank You!
Awesome - so glad you found it helpful! Happy travels to you!
Great information!
Thanks - glad you found it helpful. Happy travels to you!
So good! Hope you get blessed by the good ol UA-cam algorithm soon
Thanks for watching - appreciate the comment. All the best!
Great video. Thank you
I really like your positive attitude!!! Really fun video. Thanks
Great food for thought as we are looking into getting an RV. Just wondering what your thoughts are on Fleetwood. I have read mixed reviews on them. The dealership i like sells them; is it better to go with a good dealership or a better quality RV? The main thing I want is reliability. Also if other viewers can comment I am sure that will be helpful to others as well. Thanks for putting this together!
I wouldn't say Class A are safer. Class C have air bags and the front end has crumple zones lake a truck or car.
Does not class A have air bags for safety?
@@David-im1fp Nope. A LOT less regulations for Class A RV's than for Class C's. If you look at pictures of both from a front end collision you'll see the difference.
awesome video! Thank you for the info!!!!
Thanks for watching, glad you liked it :)
I am glad I found your channel! you guys RV the way we dream to!
Hi Darisan -- thanks so much for watching! So glad you enjoy it. Hope to see you out there RV'ing sometime :)
We are currently debating a class C over a class A. It is the wife ,myself and our dog. We want to travel in the winter since we are retired and I don’t like winter. Just haven’t found anything there are pros and cons to both the issue I have with the class A is there aren’t many places that will work on them. Dealerships don’t want to work on them either . I previously owned a class A and loved it until it needed mechanical work done.
For new RV drivers, would you recommend A or C?
C for sure
Class C RVs are very easy to drive, as they feel more like a large van. That's part of the reason a class C was our first RV we purchased. Sometimes it was too easy & we forgot we were driving an RV!
You had me at that friggin desk!!! If the driver shuts up ooo the work I could get done!
Have you seen the Newmar Supreme aire
Yes, we love Newmar. That will probably be our next RV in the future :)
Thanks. What about fuel mpg? Did you buy Gas or Diesel ? What year is yours? I am looking at older ones 1999 2000 with 30 to 50k miles. I am liking the prices much more than newer but not sure about it. Thanks for the video and help with these questions.
Hi Jim - thanks for watching and for the comment! Our Class A is a 2008, whereas our Class C was a 2007. Our Class A is gas, not diesel. We were surprised to find that our Class A gets about the same MPG as our Class C did. Although, we found our Class C to be disappointing regarding gas mileage. We get around 6-7 miles per gallon. If we are towing our Jeep, it stays around 6. In the grand scheme of things, we realize that RV's are gas guzzlers. I wish it weren't the case! Hope this helps!
Thank you
Cant wait. Switching from a small toy hauler to a Class A...today!!
That's awesome! You'll love it, I'm sure. Thanks for watching and happy travels to you!
How do maintenance costs and availability differ? I'd imagine labor costs are higher with the different placement of the engine. I also wonder if you boondock much if there's a difference between getting a class C or class A getting back into the boonies.
Her voice sounds sooooo young…at first I thought as a joke that she dubbed her daughter’s voice over her own!
Nice. Can you go to national parks with your motorhome A? Thanks
Yes we can go to National Parks for the most part. Although, every national park has different rules and situations. Some National Parks have tight rules, for example - we couldn't drive our RV into Bryce Canyon park, but they had a parking lot outside and a shuttle. It's TRUE that some National Parks have small campgrounds that don't accommodate super large RV's. That's why we got a 32 foot -- so really, it can fit most places. Although there might be a few tight squeezes. Hope this helps!
You get hit head on you will change your mind. Go check out the video they did in England on crash test of a class A. Even with air bags you will still be shocked at how bad the damage was to the people in the front seat. It drove the whole dash up through their heads.
Would probably be a benefit to talk about which Class C you had for comparisons sake.
We had a 2007 Thor Four Winds Chateau, hope that helps!
@@Peanutsorpretzels what is the floorplan e.g. 28A?
@@David-im1fp Now our Class A is a 2008 Fleetwood - Southwind
Floorplan: 32VS. Here's a link to view the floorplan online. www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2008-fleetwood-southwind-class-a-floorplan-32vs-tr1337
Hope this helps! Happy travels to you!
@@David-im1fp Oh and for the Class C, it was a 2007 Thor Four Winds Chateau 31 F (with large hallway and huge bathroom). We did love this floorplan!
We chose class C for safety! We have three emergency egress doors. We also like the large sun visor the class C offers with its overhead bunk. Storage capacity between class C's and smaller class A's is negligible.
Had 2 Class A’s a 30 foot and a 36 foot with opposing slides..now have a Class C !!!Jayco 33 foot 29 MV ….wouldn’t trade it for the world 100% functional with the slides in and a dream to drive! Something for everyone…..
With a Class A you are definitely the first one on the scene…. Just saying
The issue I have with Class A is really how they are designed.
Nearly all Class C seem to be designed for elderly retired Snowbirds.
Its a hell of a time finding a Class A with Bunk Houses vs a Class C there are plenty.
For someone like myself with a Fam of 3 and a few cats. There is just no way a class A would work.
Also price wise even the select few bunk house class A I have found are around 500k CAD vs around 150CAD for 2020 - 2022 Models.
Would be nice to see more Class A with bunk houses as it seems they forget families exist in this range.
Super c is way safer and has all the benefits you say you love
I like to know what is the floorplan of your motorhome A? Thanks
We just upgraded from a C to an A as well! We also did it for the dogs to have floor space 😂
Hahaha -- yeah!!! Don't we really just do everything for the dogs?!?! Love it!!!
We did same thing after buying a class c we traded it in for class a lost money on the trade in but if you don’t have some one to guide you then you’ll learn the hard way ....I dont like that water bay has the electric hook up inside with it that could be dangerous
thanks for watching! Sadly, RV's are depreciating assets...that go down in value rapidly!!! Most people lose money on an RV, that's just how it goes. Happy travels to you!
Wish you had talked about the difference in drivability. I'm familiar with Class C's but not Class A's. Nice video though.
Thanks for watching and the comment. Good point, there is definitely a difference in drivability although it wasn't a major concern for us. The rigs were the same size, so not a huge difference overall. But the Class A you are sitting basically over your tires, so there are some adjustments to turning a bit. And we are sitting up a lot higher with a bigger window - we love the visibility and being high enough to look over the cars in front of us to see what's coming. The Class C overall was a bit easier to drive because it felt more like a van. I will say that we have to pay a bit more attention to drive the class A. But overall, we don't find there to be a huge difference. Either way, we had to be careful with our turns, etc. Hope this helps!
Glad your happy with class A. But hopefully you don’t get into an accident with your body taking the impact while the motor stays safe. You can get cold weather options with heated tanks on class C. And hopefully you don’t get a rock chip which turns into a major crack on that very expensive class A windshield. Happy trails.
On the Class As that are actually price comparable with Class Cs (like hers), the engine is the same gas engine as a large Class C and it is up front. Only in much more expensive diesel rigs is the engine located aft. That said, I have no idea if that makes her Class A any more or less dangerous in a front end collision. My gut says that I would rather have the big hood of an E-450 in between me and whatever just smashed the front of my RV, but who knows?
@@j.foobar1764 in a class c the engine is in front of you taking most of the impact and with a class a its under you
That dog thinks its a person!
Yes, yes she does. She is living the dream of traveling all over the country exploring state parks, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. She loves adventures! Happy travels to you!
Turned it off after "class c's are on van chasis," and class A's are "...buses"
More Pros and Cons of Class C RV Travel: ua-cam.com/video/mqbtxRWbr5g/v-deo.html
More Pros and Cons of Class C: ua-cam.com/video/mqbtxRWbr5g/v-deo.html
I'm " staying in my lane " LITERALLY...$$$$$$$$$.......Class C ALL day
Not to be a Debbie downer but I think you bought the wrong Class C to begin with and a Class A motor home is more dangerous if you get into an accident, The Class A has a bigger gas tank because it sucks more gas...
Have a great day :)
Thanks for watching Emilio! Oh we loved our Class C, it was perfect for us at the time. Actually, we get almost exactly the same gas mileage with our Class A as we did with our Class C - but with the bigger tank we can go a lot further before having to stop and fill it up. Which is great for long travel days because we don't have to make as many stops. There are pros and cons to all different types of RVs and vehicles, but for us, the Class A has been better suited to our long-term travel needs. Happy travels to you!