By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Here’s a question that some new-to-RVing wonder about: “I’ve never had an RV before, and I’ll be traveling alone with my dog. I’m intimidated by big vehicles, and I want fuel efficiency but comfort, too. What do you think about a Class B motorhome?” Here are a few things to think about.
Depending on your circumstances, a van-conversion RV may be just the ticket to getting into the RV lifestyle. It’s small enough you can park it in your garage but still has the comforts of a kitchen and bathroom. It looks so much like a large van, why, it couldn’t be all that difficult to drive, could it?
All these things are true. It may be that a Class B is, as Goldilocks said, “Just right.” But before you plunk down your money, explore a few areas such as that concern about being “intimidated by large vehicles.” Experienced motorhome drivers say there’s not a lot of difference between driving a car and driving a motorhome. It’s largely a matter of practice: They don’t drive a whole lot differently, there’s just a couple of things to catch onto. You’ll soon get the hang of it.
Driving a smaller Class C motorhome (a van chassis with a motorhome built onto it) is a breeze. But what about fuel economy? Class B motorhomes aren’t really much better on fuel economy than a Class C. That’s because you’ve still got plenty of weight tied up in the conversion stuff. Add the “bumped up” roof and aerodynamics aren’t all that great. Still, you may like that part of parking your rig in the garage.
Where the real differences between a Class B and a Class C come into play are in the living space. Class B rigs are, by necessity, very compact. You probably won’t have the luxury of sticking your legs out and relaxing while “sitting on the throne.” When it’s time to fix a meal, you’d best keep it REAL simple. The typical amount of counter space is a bit like a postage stamp. Storage space is at a premium, so don’t expect to bring much “stuff” with you. Holding tanks, too, are much smaller. You can count on more frequent trips to the waste dump station.
If you’re into quick weekend trips where you’ll be out and about, away from the RV, that’s one thing. Do your plans take you into longer trips and you’ll be spending time in the RV? The tightness of the space could begin to wear on you. If claustrophobia is an issue, be sure to step into the shower space of any Class B you’re looking at buying. It could be a real eye-opener.
Here’s what may be the best suggestion: Rent a Class B unit and take it out on a trip. Do your cooking, showering and sleeping. Then rent a Class C unit and do the same. It’s a whole lot less expensive than picking one or the other and buying it, only to find you’ve made the wrong choice.
Make sure you read our weekly RV reviews to take a look at the latest Class C and B models. There are hundreds!
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Stay under 30 feet in total length. Many State and older campgrounds have length considerations. Long Class B’s have compromised carry and tow capacities.
Another consideration is cost. Most of the class b units I’ve looked at cost over 100 thousand dollars. Some of the smaller class c units are way less than that. As stated a class b can be parked almost anywhere. My wife and I had a poor man’s class b that had 4 captains chairs, a couch that made into a bed, and a porta potty. It was a daily driver and a camper on weekends. I would have enjoyed a class c but it was way out of our budget.
Thank you for the excellent advice to rent before buying, Russ and Tina! We did so twice and traveled with family in a fifth wheel several times as well. The better informed a decision is, the more likely it is right. Have a great day and safe travels!
JMO, but the extra width of a Class C makes a lot of difference. The difference could be having a couch or a recliner and a roomier bath. Renting both is a good suggestion and hopefully a rainy day is experienced during the rental period.
I hated to spend money on renting RVs when I knew I was going to buy one, but it was money I’m very glad I spent. I was sure a Sportsmobile was what I wanted for my travels in the West, but renting one for a long weekend was all it took to convince my wife and I to look at other options. We gave up the amazing ground clearance for interior space we could enjoy being in on long rainy days. Several rentals, and borrowing from friends, later of various solutions (small and large towed, Class A/B/C), we found our sweet spot in a 4×4 Bengal. The experiences with multiple solutions also helped with getting the Bengal customized to best match our usage.
Thank you Russ and Tiña De Maris for giving good advice to future owners!