Purchasing the right motor home for you depends largely on how you will be using it. Your purchase consideration will change dramatically if you are going to RV part time and not go very far, compared to living in it full time and travelling the country. We are in the later category, so the major considerations for us include: the quality of the construction, the amount of living and storage space available, how well the coach is insulated, and how reliable the mechanical systems are. We don’t want to be living in a service bay waiting for parts. Or stranded at a site because the slides won’t retract. It’s already happened! (see the link test drive) Of course I realize things are going to break. Driving a motor home around the country is the equivalent of taking your house and shaking it as though it was in an earthquake.
When we started our search, we thought we would buy a gas motor home. Most are powered by a Ford V-10 and there are Ford dealers everywhere. Gas engines also cost less to repair and parts are readily available. The cost to purchase a gas powered RV is substantially less than a comparable diesel. And the price of gas is less per gallon than diesel fuel.
But, the more questions I asked, the more we realized we should be looking for a diesel pusher. One reason is the amount of storage in the “basement.” The coach is built above the chassis, not down on it. That gives this space to storage and the mechanical systems onboard. Also, a diesel can product more horsepower which will come in handy pulling a small car and visiting places like Colorado. The major consideration for us and should be for anyone considering a purchase is the choice of a floor plan. We absolutely want a bath and a half. Our Next priority is having enough kitchen storage and work space for my live in chef. Well, to be honest, Kathryn is not a chef but is extraordinary in the kitchen. This requires carrying a certain amount of ingredients and a collection of necessary equipment on board. Life does have priorities and I like to eat! (and I eat very well thank you) We want real wood cabinetry, not particle board or laminates, as this is going to be our home. And lastly, but certainly not the least important, is the reputation of the manufacturer. Do they stand behind their product? What is their reputation? This is where talking with experienced RV’rs is critically important.
Given all these factors, we have narrowed our search decision down to two manufacturers and four floor plans for our new home.
RVTourUSA 