Diesel motor homes offer

Welcome to Adobe GoLive 6 Should I buy a Gas or a Diesel Motor Home? This question confronts most motor home buyers at some point in their RVing experience . By Len Souza (03/2004) Today’s motor homes all have many attractive features. Multiple slide-outs, large basement storage, attractive graphics on the outside with full body paint on most diesels and even some high end gas rigs. There is a wide array of models, floor plans and sizes to choose from. Whether you are a first time buyer or someone who is “upgrading” from a current unit, you will have a good old time sifting through the market place for that “Perfect Motor Home”! I would like to preface this discussion by stating that: No one NEEDs a motor home; they are a luxury--not a necessity. Most of us just want one! All motor homes share several common features, such as: roof or basement A/Cs, water heaters, furnaces, stoves, refrigerators, entertainment systems, slide-outs, etc. Indeed many of these devices are identical in either a gas or a diesel application. In recent years, motor homes have become much more sophisticated and luxurious. They kind of take everyone’s breath away! Along with this entire splendor have come higher prices, higher weights and more complexity of use and more difficulty in serviceability. Not everyone can afford a new gas powered motor home; even fewer can afford a high priced diesel pusher. To address this reality and expand the market, manufacturers have introduced a number of entry-level gas rigs and entry-level diesel rigs. (Diesel powered motor home sales are approaching 50 % per year; this is a real growth trend in the RV business.) The number one question that faces today’s motor home buyers is: Should I buy a gas motor home OR should I splurge a bit (or a lot) and buy a diesel pusher? In what follows I have tried to lend some objectivity to all of the subjectivity and emotion that surrounds this question. I will point out some of the relative strengths and weaknesses of either choice or decision. (My discussion will be limited to Class A motor homes with a length of 32 ft to 40 ft. Beyond these parameters my comments still apply but I choose not to discuss and compare the merits of $65,000 dollar rigs nor $400,000 and above luxo models.) Motor home engines: This is the one area that really distinguishes the two types of Class A motor homes . GAS---- There are two common gas engines used in motor homes. There is the Ford V 10, 6.8 L unit rated at 310 hp & 425 ft/lbs of torque and the very popular Chevy Vortec V8, 8.1 L unit rated at 340 hp & 455 ft/lbs of torque. The Chevy engine is coupled to an Allison 5 speed tranny while the Ford engine is coupled to their 4 speed R100D tranny. These gas engines can only deliver these hp ratings at relatively high RPMs-3, 600 to 4,200. The life expectancy for these engines, before major overhaul, is projected at approximately 125,000 miles. Diesel---- There are two major suppliers of diesel engines, Caterpillar and Cummins. The common diesel engines used in motor homes are of a wide variety. CAT makes the 3126E 7.2 L (recently re-designated as the C 7 series), with 330 hp and 860 ft/lbs of torque. They also make bigger engines in the C 12 to C14 series; these are large displacement engines and offer hp ratings in the 400 to 525 hp range with torque ratings of around 1,000 to 1,500 ft/lbs. Cummins offers several families of engines starting with the small block ISB 5.9 L 300 hp with 600 ft/lbs of torque. Next they have the ISC series 8.3 L with hp ratings of 330 hp with 950 ft/lbs of torque or 350 hp with 1,050 ft/lbs of torque. Then you have the ISL series 8.9 L with 350 to 400 hp and 1,200 ft/lbs of torque. Next comes the ISM 500 series, 450 to 500 hp, 11 L with 1,450 ft/lbs of torque. And finally they introduced the ISX twin cam family that has 15 L displacement, 525 hp and 1,650 ft/lbs of torque. This latter monster engine is only offered in very expensive coaches, which as I said earlier are excluded from this discussion. The typical diesel engine delivers it s peak horsepower at the relatively low (2,100 to 2,250) RPM range and their peak torque is produced in the 1,200 to 1,400 RPM range. The life expectancy of diesel engines, before major overhaul, is generally conceded as being well over 500,000 miles. Diesel engines all incorporate the use of Inter Cooled Turbo Chargers. The benefit here is that unlike gas engines that lose 3 % of their power for each 1,000 ft of elevation—diesel engines do not lose any of their power up to 7,000 ft of elevation. This makes them pull very strongly in mountain terrain where gas engines strain badly because of the loss of power and the much lower torque. The high torque ratings of diesel power plants give them the strength to maintain a steady pull at a speed, though decreased--- is very easy to live with. You are not crawling up steep grades by any means. Transmissions--- Gas rigs have typically used light truck, 4 speed trannies. In recent times the Workhorse chassis has used the Allison 5 speed tranny in combination with the 8.1 L engine. Some entry-level diesels also use a version of this tranny. Almost all diesel pushers today use the Allison 6 speed transmission—either the 3060 or 4060, which is gifted with a very “smart” adaptive control computer, that electronically shifts and locks up 6 close ratio gears. This sophisticated tranny is a rugged contender to handle the high torque and horsepower ratings of today’s diesel power plants. Chassis’---- Until recent times it was easy to find gas motor homes that were over loaded beyond their GVWR loaded weight ratings. The capacities have gone up form 17,000 lbs to 22,000 lbs and now even 24,000 lbs. Some gas rigs with 3 slide outs are still challenged with limited Combined Carrying Capacities (CCC), however. Some are limited to less than 1,000 lbs! In the case of diesel chassis’, there are several players. Freightliner, Spartan, Workhorse R Series and some proprietary chassis’ from Country Coach, Monaco and Foretravel. These chassis’ have GVWR s of 24,000 to over 40,000 lbs and they provide ample CCC ratings even though they are burdened with the added weight of 2, 3 or even 4 slide-outs. Diesel pushers are all much heavier than their gas counterparts because of the huge weight increases due to the much heavier engine and the tranny. The chassis’ also weigh a lot more because of the steel reinforcement needed to handle all of that torque and horsepower. A typical diesel engine weighs 3 times more than a gas engine, 1550 lbs vs. 500 lbs! The Hull or the House---- The bodies of all motor homes are very similar in construction materials and assembly techniques. They all are made with either steel or aluminum tubular or C channel member framing in the skeletal structure. The walls are mostly made with external fiberglass that is gel-coated and they have Luan interior walls that are used to “sandwich” Polystyrene foam insulation within them. The wall structures are generally “Vacuum Bonded” together to form a substrate. The roofs and floors incorporate similar construction, but utilize thick plywood or ribbon board in the floor underlayment and thinner plywood in the ceiling structure. These, of course are all covered with appropriate floor and ceiling coverings. Most diesels and some gas units have a continuous sheet fiberglass exterior roof covering. Most gas units have a vinyl rubber roof covering called “Tuff Brite”. All diesels, with the exception of the entry-level models, come with full body paint—that means no decals. Whereas gas units use decals for their external graphics décor. Capacities--- Diesels have fuel tank capacities in the 100 to 150 gallon range as opposed to the 75-gallon tanks found in the gas rigs. Diesels usually provide 15 to 20 % more capacity in the holding and H 2 O tanks. The diesel pusher usually has more under/bay storage than a gas unit for a given length; this is due to the fact that the typical diesel chassis was designed to provide more “pass through” storage. The Generator that all motor homes come equipped with is usually in the front of a diesel chassis between the side rail structures. This also frees up more storage bay space. It must be pointed out that the proliferation of multiple slide-outs rooms decreases some of the storage space in the bays of all motor homes. Braking Systems---- Gas motor homes use hydraulic disc brakes with ABS. Diesel motor homes offer air brakes w/ABS & with either drums or a combination of drum and discs--plus exhaust brakes or exhaust retarders. Diesels offer superior braking systems, especially when descending long steep grades. One diesel maker uses hydraulic disc brakes (no air). While another uses air over hydraulic disc brakes. Tires and Wheels---- Gas coaches used to come with 16-inch wheels (Ford), Chevy offered 19.5-inch wheels. Now everyone has 19.5-inch wheels and Workhorse introduced the 22-inch wheels, the same diameter that is standard on all diesels. Although the diesel tires have much larger profiles and much heavier weight ratings than those found on gas rigs. This is due to the much bigger GVWRs that are offered in diesels. Large wheels and large tires, combined with a decent suspension system, provide an improved ride and handling capability. Service Costs---- Diesels are more expensive to service and maintain than gas power trains. Gas rigs have 6 or 7-quart oil capacities while diesels have 24 to 28 quart capacities. On the other hand the change-interval mileage is 3,000 miles for gas; in diesels this mileage has been extended to 15,000 miles and beyond. The filters required for a diesel engine service are many and much more expensive. The diesels Air Brakes are source of high expense when they need service. The various fan belts on a diesel are much more expensive than the automotive belts used in a gas engine Cost of purchase---- Here is the area where the “boys and their toys” are separated. The wannabes and the folks with enough assets and or credit go their separate ways here. Gas coaches cost quite a bit less than a comparably equipped diesel. It’s hard to not end up here in an exercise of comparing apples to oranges. There are entry-level diesels with small 5.9 L engines and austere interiors that do come close to the price of the high-end gas models—in the $130,000 range. I would prefer the highline gas coach with the 8.1 L engine to these entry-level diesels. Now having said that, I would not buy a gas motor home that had a length of much over 36 feet. Anything over 36 feet is best powered by a diesel engine with a displacement of at least 7.2 to 8.3 L. Justification---- You have to ask yourself the question: Is a diesel pusher worth the extra money that it costs you versus the gas coach? To the many buyers who have purchased a diesel, the resounding answer is YES! It would appear that the RV ownership fantasy is never quite realized until you finally get to own a diesel! A newbie might wonder if they can travel all over the United States and Canada with a gas motor home. They might even wonder if its less fun in a gas rig than it is in a diesel. The answers are, in my opinion, yes you can travel anywhere that a diesel can take you and no, diesel owners don’t have more fun than anyone else. There are certain bragging rights that accompany diesel ownership and you will be more rested and generally have a more comfortable ride over a day’s 400-mile drive. The diesel owner may fly by you on the highway, but at the end of the day he will probably not arrive at the same RV Park more than 5 or 10 minutes before you do. Len Souza RVerAdvocate BACK MAIN MENU

Recreation Vehicle Insurance

Resources for Buying and Selling RVs, Campers and Trailers - RVTraderOnline.com Contents Home Search Browse Place An Ad · modify your ad · renew your ad Find a Dealer Buyer's Guide Subscribe Help My RV Trader RV Insider Resources Financial Services NADA RV Values Insurance Products for the RV Lifestyle RV Transport Warranties RV Donation Generators RV Lots and Properties for Sale Campgrounds/Resorts RV Rentals Loan Calculator RV Links Escrow Dealers Sign Up Now! Demo Login Password Forgot your password? Click here . Resources for Buying & Selling RVs, Campers & Trailers Welcome to RVTraderOnline.com's tips for buying, selling and owning an recreational vehicle. Here you will find information and links on such topics as: escrow , financing , insurance , warranties and parts & accessories . Look at tips on selling your recreational vehicle . financing Click to use our financing Links. Buying an RV should be approached with the same care and thought you would use in buying a new home. Banks and other financing houses offer a vast array of options for getting you on the road. With a few simple tips, finding the best one and making the deal will go a lot easier. But, first things first. When you pick your RV, new or used, it is time to pick the right price for it. View information about our financing links. [ back to the top ] insurance Click to use our insurance Links. Nothing will kill a good vacation faster than an unexpected bill. Consider, in your price negotiations, extended warranty options available for all new RVs. With used vehicles, find out what warranties transfer and what don't. In both cases, good insurance is a must. Several companies specialize in RV policies and those that do not may still be able to offer adequate coverage. Know what towing charges are covered. RVs are small houses and insurance policies will need to reflect that. Shop policies carefully and check with other RV owners to get a handle on what is best for the vehicle you are considering and the type of traveling you will be doing. View information about our insurance links. [ back to the top ] finding the right price and rV Use our search engine to do a little comparison shopping to ensure the figure quoted by the dealer or private seller is in the right ballpark. Note, however, that RV prices vary greatly by region and major features, such as engine type and size and their floor-plan. Have a competent mechanic, familiar with trucks of this size, review suspension, breaks the engine and transmission. This is no less important with towable RVs, where the hitch and related gear should be carefully examined as well. As a special note with trailerable RVs, an honest assessment of the vehicle you intend to use to tow the RV is needed. Check the weight of the RV and, consulting your vehicle owner's manual or dealer, make sure that you have enough truck to safely handle the trailer. Special hitch equipment, shocks, and cooling equipment may have to be added to your truck and should be considered in determining what you can afford. The structural integrity of the house portion of your RV and its component appliances is also important when deciding price. Inspect carefully in the interior for signs of leaks. The water damage you see could be less important than the structural damage you don't see. Test the appliances, including heating and AC and hookups to ensure that they are functioning properly. As with any type of recreation vehicle, such as boats or airplanes, RV owners in general are a very approachable community. Don't be afraid to seek out owners and talk to them about models that you are considering purchasing. [ back to the top ] emergency road service The huge popularity of RVs in this country has spawned a growth industry of support services you should consider. Clubs for motorists and those especially for RVs offer group insurance, discounts at campgrounds, and special offers on parts and emergency roadside services. In addition, there are groups that sell memberships to networks of private campgrounds around the country and in Canada and Mexico. In both cases, expect an initiation fee and annual dues payments. Depending on the RVing lifestyle you choose, the upfront cost could save you large amounts of money in the long-run. Research the benefits of each, talk to RV owners, and pick the one that best suits your need. You may want to do this as part of your investigation of insurance coverage to make sure you aren't paying for overlapping coverage if you go with a club and a separate insurance carrier. [ back to the top ] discount clubs Emergency roadside service isn't the only benefit of club memberships. Most offer discount insurance, group rates on parts and discounts at stores, restaurants and campgrounds around the country. There are also clubs specific to the types of activities you like to do. Golf organizations offer greensfees discounts and opportunities to find social activities or a competitive game even when you are far from home. Clubs also provide invaluable trip planning and reservation services. Being on the road can make it difficult to complete arrangements with campgrounds at the next destination and the clubs can help you track down phone numbers, directions and even make the reservations for you in many cases. Finally, the clubs keep on top of state laws affecting RVs and campgrounds and actively pursue issues important to you and keep you informed of news you need to know about. [ back to the top ] warranties Click to use our warranties Links. Most used RVs will be sold in as-is condition from private sellers. With dealers and some individual sellers a warranty on the engine and other major components can be negotiated or purchased. View information about our warranties links. [ back to the top ] parts & accessories Click to use our parts & accessories Links. A great deal of expense and engineering goes into the quality of the ride in your RV but, let's face it, RVing really begins when you reach the campground. Outfitting your vehicle or trailer with the right parts and accessories makes the real difference in creating a relaxing camping experience. View information about our parts & accessories links. [ back to the top ] Escrow Services Click to use our Escrow Services Links. Buying online may also be an option to be negotiated with the seller. Escrow services can bring peace of mind to both sides of the talks in these situations. The services hold the buyer's cash payment, ensuring to the seller that the funds are available and allowing the buyer to make sure he or she is getting what they paid for. View information about our escrow services links. [ back to the top ] Pick Up an RV Trader Magazine Today! | Search | Place an Ad | Find a Dealer | Resources | Site Map | | Contact Us | About Us | Help | Privacy Policy | Fraud Prevention Tips | Visitor Agreement | Security Center | 2006, Trader Publishing Company All Rights Reserved. This document is strictly for informational, non-commercial purposes. Aero | ATV | Auto | Auto | -- Boats | Collector Car | Cycle | Equipment | Merchandise | RV | Truck | TraderOnline || Apartments | Homes | Jobs | Lodging | Parenthood | Vacation Rentals AutoExtra.com | AutoMart.com BoatTraderOnline.com | Boats.com | YachtWorld.com | Soundings | Nor'easter | PassageMaker HarmonHomes.com | Homes.com | NUMBER1EXPERT.com | DistinctHomes.com

Motorhome Club of Australia

About the Avalook motorhome Our motor home - SOLD! Here are some photos of our motorhome. (Click them to see a larger version.) We wish we could say that it looks like a modern, attractive, streamlined Winnebago, but it doesn't. It looks like someone had cut some windows in a container and stuck it, complete with an awning on one side, on top of the chassis of a large, tall 4-wheel-drive Toyota Hino truck. Although it sleeps 4, it really only seats 2 when driving - though you could adda seat in the cab for a small child. You definitely wouldn't want anyone riding inthe back, and there is no way to get directly from the cab into the back. The truck has been fitted with over 500 litres of long range fuel tanks, giving it a nearly 2000 kilometre range. It has 600 litres of water tanks, for desert driving. It has a hand winch for lowering the heavy spare tyres from on top, and a built in ladder for reaching the top. On top are storage racks, two new spare tyres, and four 64 watt shade tolerant Unisolar solar cells. Numerous doors low on the body hide lots of storage space. There is a 2.3 kVA Onan generator, gas bottles for the stove, and space for spare jerrycans of generator fuel. As well as the two truck batteries for the 24 volt system, there are four deep discharge home power batteries, an auxiliary charging regulator, and a 350 watt sine wave inverter. The Heron reverse cycle air conditioner in the living area really would be better run off mains power. Another ladder, extending from under the body, is for entering the living quarters ... and you need the ladder to reach the screen door. Inside, closest to the cab are two bunks with reading lights, privacy curtains, and book racks, while at the back is a double bed, next to the Morflo hot water system shower and toilet. The stove is a four burner gas SMEV marine version, while the 150 litre fridge and freezer run off the solar cells. The most impressive sight is the absolute dedication to making use of all possible space for storage. In our long search for a suitable vehicle, we had visited lots of motor homes at different Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia rallies, but I had never seen a motorhome with storage space as organised as in this purpose built model. Nor is the space just "space". Almost all of it is done as drawers, with good quality glide supports, and all the doors latch closed with recessed marine safety catches. The kitchen area even has pull-out pantry shelves, with the shelves spaced to match common foodstuff boxes. We had to get our drivers' licenses upgraded to a truck class. We were surprised how easy it was to learn to drive the truck, once we got over the shock of being in such a large vehicle (our other car is rather small). Now that we've taken it on some trips, we've decided it's just a bit big for the two of us (it was originally built for a couple with two children), but it will probably turn out to be ideal for our planned around-Australia jaunt in 2002. Motorhome equipment location and instructions for use Home | Newsletter | Places | The Shop | Transport | Topics | About us | Index | Search Brought to you by: Eric Lindsay and Jean Weber P.O. Box 640, Airlie Beach, Qld 4802, Australia Contact us info@avalook.com.au ABN 96 350 124 090 Page last updated 21 October 2002

Used RV

Search the Calling all Cars Used RV Classifieds by Make Home Search for Used RVs Search For RVs Sorted By: Length Make Model Price Year Type: Class A Diesel Class A Gas Bus Conversions Class B Motorhomes Class C Motorhomes Fifth Wheels Travel Trailers Tow Vehicles Other Make: Any Adventurer Airstream Allegro Allegro Bay Allegro Bus Apollo Barth Beaver Bounder Brave Coachmen Cobra Country Coach Cruise Air Damon Dolphin Dutch Star Dynamax Expedition Firan Motor Coach Flair Fleetwood FMC Forest River Foretravel Four Winds Georgetown Georgie Boy GMC Gulfstream Hawkins Holiday Rambler Hurricane International Itasca Jayco Kountry Aire Kountry Star Monaco Mountain Aire National RV Newmar Pace Arrow Prevost R Vision Rexair Rexhall Roadtrek Rockwood Safari Scottsdale Sea Breeze Seaview Southwind Sportscoach Storm Surf Side Thor Tioga Triple E Tropical Vogue Winnebago State: Any Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Canada Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Distance from US zip code: Any 10 miles 25 miles 50 miles 75 miles 100 miles 200 miles 300 miles Zip: Year: Min: Any 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 Max: Any 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 Price ($1000's): Min: Any 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 Max: Any 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 Vehicle Length: Min: Any 10 20 30 40 50 60 Max: Any 10 20 30 40 50 60 Featured RV of the Day Featured RV Description: 45 feet, Prevost XL45 Angola, 1997, 85,000 miles, Interior: Earth Tones, Exterior: Champagne w/Accent, $275,000 or Select an RV Type Below Class A Gas RVs and Motorhomes Class A Diesel RVs and Motorhomes Class B RVs and Motorhomes Fifth Wheels Travel Trailers Tow Vehicles Bus Conversions Other Partner Sites: Boats for Sale , RVs for Sale , Heavy Equipment for Sale , Discount Hotels & Vacation Rentals © 2006 Echo Services, Inc.* disclaimer * All Rights Reserved * Comments? email service@cacars.com

Motor Home RV Rental

Motor Home Rentals, RV Rental Chicago Illinois Motor Home RV Rental in the Chicago Illinois area! Within this site, you will be able to get information on a Motor Home RV Rental to fill almost any need or desire. The possibilities are endless, but here are some suggestions: Business applications: Great for client entertainment and site visits, conduct meetings, spiff your sales staffs motor home rv rental Sporting Events: Auto and horse racing, football, baseball, soccer games - motor home rv rental Family vacations - motor home rv rental "Weekend get-away" - ask about our off-season low mileage discounts - motor home rv rental Political events and campaign headquarters - motor home rv rental Unexpected guests - motor home rv rental Weddings - motor home rv rental Hunting or fishing trips - motor home rv rental Background: Abel RV Rental Company is the premier motor home rental dealer in the Chicago Illinois area. A motor home or RV trip has become a very popular recreational activity and a motor home on the road is now a common part of the landscape. We at Abel are committed to providing our customers with a quality RV rental experience in a late model motor home. This web site is designed to be easy to use and convey as much useful info about an rv rental as possible. In addition to prices, terms, pictures, etc., there are links to campgrounds, dumpsites and general interest rv and camping sites. So, for the latest rv rental news and info, visit this site and the rv rental links we have found on the web. Please click on the button above to enter the site and let us know if we can make your motor home rv rental experience even better. If you would rather buy an RV, go to our parent site - http://www.abelrv.com If you are looking for a higher end motor home rv rental - go to our sister site: http://www.executivecoachrental.com