Fulltime in a B or A class? (1 Viewer)

[Goose]

All the very best to you Funsters for 2010...hopeit's a great year for you all. :thumb::thumb:

I'm hoping some fulltimers (or those that have "been there, done that") can shed their pearls of wisdom on an issue I'm stuck with. Can't figure out whether to get an A Class or B Class for some fulltiming we want to do in Europe.

We're hoping the house here in Canada will sell soon and then it's off to the USA to buy a rig, tour for 6 months and then ship it to the UK for registration. After that we intend touring Europe for a couple of years (pulling a toad on an A-frame).

We'd pretty much decided on a Winnebago Vista 26P (the 27' one with 2-slides) or a Winnebago Sightseer 29R, a 30' also with two slides. Was leaning heavily toward the 26P because of it only being 27' long but standard configuration only sleeps 3 so wouldn't be able to have any visitors (maybe that's a good excuse )

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But Chris (G2EWS) and others have got me thinking about a Coachmen Concord 300TS (Triple Slide).

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One glaring difference between the Coachmen B Class and Winnie 29R is the exterior storage (41 cubic feet vs 77 cubic feet). The other obvious differences are that the Concord is 7"9" wide and 10'3" high versus the Winnie's 8'5" wide and 12'3" height.

I know Dazzer sold his Concord because he didn't like the kitchen configuration but, that aside, which vehicle do you Funsters think would better suit a couple fulltiming in Europe for a few years (and then selling it in the UK)?

 

[Larrynwin]

Hi Goose

we are not full timers but are old timers doing as much travelling as possible.We are about to change our A class for a B Class RV to gain the reduced dimensions you mention. We are hoping to get either a Winnebago Aspect 28 or a Four Winds Siesta.
We still don't know if we are doing the right thing as the A Class offers so much space and storage.
Good luck

 

[ArenqueRojo]

Hi Goose,
A trio of issues you may care to throw in the thinking pot.
The first is registering a USA width vehicle in the UK. I would check carefully about this because I have heard that the authorities here have refused the wider vehicles - even to the extent of one poor guy who had to ship back to the USA. The French are also difficult about this.
The second would be height. In many parts of Europe, campsites have sun shades over them in the Summer. This means that once you go over about 3.25 metres you will find that your pitch choices become severely restricted.
Another thought is that the resale of US vans is very poor compared to that for European ones. People are wary of the size issues. Check out the prices on second hand ones and I think you will see what I mean.
In our experience, the RV people spend much more of their time inside their vans than the Euro brigade. The latter tend to use awnings and wind breaks to get the etra space (where available.) That is another thing to consider, of course. We have spent this Winter exploring Italy - now in Sicily. The Italians are very tight about pitch sizes. Some sites are more like car parks! 7m by 5m is a good size pitch in Italy!!!
Hope you have fun and really enjoy your travels. Hope to get to have our allowed 9 months in the USA soon...
Patrick

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[Forestboy]

Hi Goose

We have travelled extensively in Europe and America in an A class an although not full timers our average journeys are 3 months duration. We have a 37ft A class in America which we tow a jeep behind and a 29ft 3 slide HR Augusta in the UK.

We changed to the Augusta last August from an A class 36ft Damon which we owned for 3 years and used to tour loads of Europe and even Morocco. We changed because the A class was too high too wide and too long to realistically use for touring in Europe believe it or not the best country to use it was the UK. We were very worried when we changed in case we found the B plus too small but so far have no regrets and are pretty much able to go wherever we want when we want without all the pre-planning needed when we had an A class. If you want to go to a site and stay for months on end then the A class is probably better but if like us you like to keep moving the C or B plus is far superior. We are keen motorbikers so take a 650 cc bike with us as well but when we change my wifes car next whatever we buy will be suitable as a tow car so we'll have the best of both worlds. The only disadvantage for a fulltimer I would think would be storage although amazingly we got everything from our A class into the B plus except two very large items which had only been used twice in 3 years. There is also the option to fit a roof box for bulky items which aren't used everyday you should also check the payload as some have very little, I was interested in a Gulfstream BT diesel but the payload was a joke.
Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking A class RV's (in fact I love em and nearly bought a Winnebago 26P but was still put off by height and width), but they are only really suited for touring America which why I've got one there. Going back shortly for another 3 months can't wait heading North East up to Maine then around Niagara then the Great Lakes meet some friends in Kentucky before going back to Florida.

Hope this helps.

Good luck hope you find what you're looking for don't be put off by the anti RV brigade its your choice.:thumb::thumb:

 

[Larrynwin]

Hi Goose

We have travelled extensively in Europe and America in an A class an although not full timers our average journeys are 3 months duration. We have a 37ft A class in America which we tow a jeep behind and a 29ft 3 slide HR Augusta in the UK.

We changed to the Augusta last August from an A class 36ft Damon which we owned for 3 years and used to tour loads of Europe and even Morocco. We changed because the A class was too high too wide and too long to realistically use for touring in Europe believe it or not the best country to use it was the UK. We were very worried when we changed in case we found the B plus too small but so far have no regrets and are pretty much able to go wherever we want when we want without all the pre-planning needed when we had an A class. If you want to go to a site and stay for months on end then the A class is probably better but if like us you like to keep moving the C or B plus is far superior. We are keen motorbikers so take a 650 cc bike with us as well but when we change my wifes car next whatever we buy will be suitable as a tow car so we'll have the best of both worlds. The only disadvantage for a fulltimer I would think would be storage although amazingly we got everything from our A class into the B plus except two very large items which had only been used twice in 3 years. There is also the option to fit a roof box for bulky items which aren't used everyday you should also check the payload as some have very little, I was interested in a Gulfstream BT diesel but the payload was a joke.
Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking A class RV's (in fact I love em and nearly bought a Winnebago 26P but was still put off by height and width), but they are only really suited for touring America which why I've got one there. Going back shortly for another 3 months can't wait heading North East up to Maine then around Niagara then the Great Lakes meet some friends in Kentucky before going back to Florida.

Hope this helps.

Good luck hope you find what you're looking for don't be put off by the anti RV brigade its your choice.:thumb::thumb:

Rory
your post has re-enforced our decision to change to B Class

Thanks Larry

 

[paulharrison]

Hi Goose swapped my 30ft Concord for a 30ft Winne Brave last June both great RV,s but found with long breaks the Concord lacked storage space the size is not a problem the comfort of the brave makes a lot of difference, in France l park on Aires costing only a few eoro a night or on the side of the Med, if you google the French Aires they are in nice villages or vineyards ect,the french love RVs, make sure you get a Diesel as petrol is more expensive in Europe l have heard its cheaper to bring a RV from the states to Spain, Paul

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[Goose]

The first is registering a USA width vehicle in the UK.

Thanks Patrick. The widths of most American RVs now fall within UK parameters and the legth restriction is very relaxed (something like 40'). John and Sandy White have covered the importation and registration issues comprehensively with their excellent posting elsewhere on the forum.

I agree that height could be a concern...or should I say, personal preference. At 2 feet shorter, the Concord does have its attractions.

Your comment on resale values of American RVs surprises me though. Apart from the obvious benefit of the extra room those slide-outs provide, one of our main reasons for bringing an RV would in the hope that we might be able to sell it a few year later for near what we paid for it. I've seen that Dudleys offers a Winnebago 26P for £89,000 which can be picked up here for around $70,000. I understand that Dudley's is dealer price but then so is the $70,000 in the US.

We changed because the A class was too high too wide and too long to realistically use for touring in Europe...If you want to go to a site and stay for months on end then the A class is probably better but if like us you like to keep moving the C or B plus is far superior.

Thanks Forestboy (Rory). As with Larry, that probably is the decision-maker for us. Although it's interesting that Paul has switched to a Winnie Brave A Class because of the storage issues. Just wish there was more exterior storage in the Concord as Paul has commented on. Our intention is to see as much of Europe as we can over a few years, which means moving around a lot. Thanks for all your quick replies lads.

Rory, I had a look at the website for your Holiday Rambler 29PBT 29'3" but it doesn't mention exterior storage. Do you know what yours is?

And do you know what the exterior storage capacity is on your Brave, Paul?

 

[Forestboy]

Rory, I had a look at the website for your Holiday Rambler 29PBT 29'3" but it doesn't mention exterior storage. Do you know what yours is?

No I'm sorry but I have no idea but when I was looking for a unit the Concorde certainly has more storage. The reason I did'nt get a Concorde was two fold
1 It was over 30ft long and I was adamant it had to be less than 30ft
2 My wife didn't like the cooker next to the sofa

 

[Larrynwin]

When we were looking at B class we looked at Gulf Stream BT Cruiser, the dealer at Barnsley was prepared to arrange to add an extra belly locker by obtaining parts from US . The B class we have looked at generally have less belly lockers but have blank areas where these could be fitted ( subject to weight and support ).

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[wbd2000uk]

Why not have a look at the newmar baystars, I have seen a few on the links below. They seem a more spacious floorplan but short in length.

http://www.motorhomes.mobi/Motorhom...2/Motorhome/Newmar-Bay-Star-2702/Default.aspx

http://www.motorhomes.mobi/Motorhom...81/Motorhome/Newmar-Baystar-2901/Default.aspx

 

[JohnM]

Larry.bit of a novice. is a b class similar to or coach built veicles?.
thnk you.






































































larry. bit of a novice regarding rvs. what is a b class.is it similar to our c class.?

 

[Larrynwin]

Larry.bit of a novice. is a b class similar to or coach built veicles?.
thnk you.






































































larry. bit of a novice regarding rvs. what is a b class.is it similar to our c class.?

Hi John
The B class is generally the equivalent of our coach built with no overcab bed, although some RV manufacturers still refer to this design as C class. To confuse even further on Four Winds website a B class looks the same as our van conversion,

Confused ?

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