RV Motor Home

C28 - RV Motorhome Hire Holidays in USA America 28ft Motor Home (C28) The C28 motorhome is a terrific motorhome that sleeps three adults and three children. Early Booking Offer! £100 per adult discount !! Applicable to all departures from April 01st 2006 Applicable to all bookings made by January 31st 2006 . Subject to limited special offer availability and not applicable to child prices. Book early to avoid disappointment ! Call us at 0115 9504 555 for more details. The Class C motorhome is typically smaller than the Class A. El Monte RV carries a full line of Class C motorhomes, ranging in size from 22 to 31 feet. The biggest advantage of Class C motorhomes is sleeping space. Class C motorhomes have cabover beds which provide extra sleeping quarters. Click here for an interactive layout explanation (in Flash) Click here for a larger image view (non-Flash) 360° tour You may view a 360° tour of the interior of a similar class of Motorhome using the link below. An 'IPIX plug-in' is software is required to give your web browser the capability to view IPIX 360° images. If not already installed on your cmputer, it will be automatically installed. Click here for more instructions. Once the pop-up movie loads, you can right-click for movie menu options. Click here to View the 360° Tour Click here to view a Gallery of RV Motorhome images SPECIFICATIONS ITEM SIZE Feet : 27' - 29' (Meters) : 8.1 - 8.7 SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS Number of People AUTOMOTIVE Chassis Ford/Chevy Gasoline Engine Fuel-Injection (liters) 7.5 4spd Overdrive Transmission YES Automatic Transmission YES Factory Cruise Control YES Power Steering & Brakes YES Factory Cab Air YES Factory Roof Air-Ducted YES ELECTRICAL Generator YES Auxiliary Battery YES AM/FM Radio with Cassette YES 12V Interior Lighting YES INTERIOR in. cm. Height 83 207 Width 90 225 KITCHEN AND BATHROOM FEATURES Wash Basin YES Shower YES Toilet YES Water Heater YES Heater & Thermostat YES Kitchen Sink YES Range (Stove) YES Microwave YES Refrigerator YES TANK CAPACITIES gal. ltr. Water Heater 6 23 Fresh Water 35 133 Sewage Tanks 55 209 Propane Tank 14 53 Gasoline Tanks 36 137 BED SIZES CAB-OVER BED in. cm. Length 76 190 Width 58 145 Clearance 27 67 DINETTE in. cm. Length 74 185 Width 40 100 PERMANENT DOUBLE in. cm. Length 74 185 Width 53 132 Prices Prices quoted are per person. Orlando & Miami Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 13 December 2005 1479 969 809 719 349 72 14 December - 31 December 2005 1969 1389 1199 1099 569 84 01 January - 30 March 2006 1619 1039 849 749 349 84 01 April - 16 April 2006 1789 1209 1019 929 459 83 17 April - 30 April 2006 1589 1009 819 729 339 83 01 May - 21 June 2006 1709 1129 949 849 339 83 22 June - 30 June 2006 1809 1219 989 889 339 96 01 July - 10 July 2006 1989 1319 1099 989 439 96 11 July - 21 August 2006 2069 1399 1179 1069 539 96 22 August - 31 August 2006 1819 1229 1049 949 439 83 01 September - 31 October 2006 1709 1129 949 849 339 83 01 November - 13 December 2006 1589 1009 819 729 339 83 14 December - 31 December 2006 1989 1319 1099 989 439 96 01 January - 28 March 2007 1749 1099 879 759 339 96 Special note - No complimentary transfers offered in Miami Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' Denver Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 16 December 2005 1509 999 819 739 329 72 17 December - 30 December 2005 1849 1339 1159 1079 529 72 31 December 2005 - 30 March 2006 1589 1079 899 819 379 72 01 April - 11 April 2006 1819 1229 1049 949 459 83 12 April - 30 April 2006 1739 1159 979 879 419 83 01 May - 17 May 2006 1819 1229 1049 949 459 83 18 May - 21 June 2006 1989 1379 1099 989 459 96 22 June - 30 June 2006 2269 1549 1189 1059 459 118 01 July - 10 July 2006 2469 1709 1389 1259 579 118 11 July - 21 August 2006 2499 1749 1419 1289 599 118 22 August - 31 August 2006 2289 1609 1329 1219 579 104 01 September - 30 September 2006 2099 1419 1139 1019 459 104 01 October - 31 October 2006 1819 1229 1049 949 459 83 01 November - 16 December 2006 1659 1109 899 799 369 83 17 December - 24 December 2006 2009 1459 1239 1149 579 83 31 December 2006 - 28 March 2007 1739 1189 979 879 419 83 Special note - No complimentary transfers offered in Denver Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' Dallas Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 16 December 2005 1499 989 809 729 319 72 17 December - 30 December 2005 1839 1329 1149 1069 519 72 31 December 2005 - 30 March 2006 1499 989 809 729 319 72 01 April - 11 April 2006 1809 1229 1049 949 459 83 12 April - 30 April 2006 1649 1069 889 789 359 83 01 May - 17 May 2006 1809 1229 1049 949 459 83 18 May - 21 June 2006 1989 1329 1099 999 459 96 22 June - 30 June 2006 2099 1379 1149 1029 459 104 01 July - 10 July 2006 2279 1559 1329 1219 569 104 11 July - 21 August 2006 2329 1609 1379 1279 609 104 22 August - 31 August 2006 2279 1559 1329 1219 569 104 01 September - 30 September 2006 2099 1379 1149 1029 459 104 01 October - 31 October 2006 1809 1229 1049 949 459 83 01 November - 16 December 2006 1649 1069 889 789 359 83 17 December - 24 December 2006 1999 1419 1229 1129 569 83 25 December 2006 - 28 March 2007 1649 1069 889 789 359 83 Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room Transfers to the rental depot and back to the airport after your rental finishes 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' New York Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 16 December 2005 1519 969 789 699 289 72 17 December - 30 December 2005 1809 1249 1079 979 459 72 31 December 2005 - 30 March 2006 1519 969 789 699 289 72 01 April - 11 April 2006 1739 1159 979 879 419 83 12 April - 30 April 2006 1589 1009 819 729 329 83 01 May - 17 May 2006 1739 1159 979 879 419 83 18 May - 21 June 2006 1919 1239 1019 919 419 96 22 June - 30 June 2006 2199 1389 1119 989 419 118 01 July - 10 July 2006 2339 1539 1269 1139 499 118 11 July - 21 August 2006 2359 1559 1289 1159 519 118 21 August - 31 August 2006 2189 1449 1219 1099 499 104 01 September - 30 September 2006 2039 1299 1079 949 419 104 01 October - 31 October 2006 1739 1159 979 879 419 83 01 November - 16 December 2006 1589 999 819 729 329 83 17 December - 24 December 2006 1889 1009 1129 1029 499 83 25 December 2006 - 28 March 2007 1589 999 819 729 329 83 Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room Transfers to the rental depot and back to the airport after your rental finishes 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' Vancouver Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 16 December 2005 1669 1139 969 879 429 72 17 December - 30 December 2005 2009 1469 1299 1219 659 72 31 December 2005 - 30 March 2006 1669 1139 969 879 429 72 01 April - 11 April 2006 1869 1279 1099 999 519 83 12 April - 30 April 2006 1749 1169 989 889 439 83 01 May - 17 May 2006 1869 1279 1099 999 519 83 18 May - 21 June 2006 2039 1379 1149 1039 519 96 22 June - 30 June 2006 2319 1509 1249 1119 519 118 01 July - 20 August 2006 2549 1739 1469 1339 669 118 21 August - 31 August 2006 2369 1649 1419 1299 669 104 01 September - 30 September 2006 2139 1439 1199 1079 519 104 01 October - 31 October 2006 1869 1279 1099 999 519 83 01 November - 16 December 2006 1749 1169 989 889 439 83 17 December - 24 December 2006 2089 1509 1329 1229 669 83 25 December 2006 - 28 March 2007 1749 1169 989 889 439 83 Special note - No complimentary transfers offered in Vancouver Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' Las Vegas, Albuquerque & Salt Lake City Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 16 December 2005 1599 1059 879 789 349 72 17 December - 24 December 2005 1909 1369 1229 1099 529 72 25 December 2005 - 31 March 2006 1599 1059 879 789 349 72 01 April - 11 April 2006 2039 1369 1139 1039 489 96 12 April - 30 April 2006 1869 1199 969 869 389 96 01 May - 22 May 2006 2039 1369 1139 1039 489 96 23 May - 19 June 2006 2139 1419 1189 1079 489 104 20 June - 30 June 2006 2319 1509 1239 1099 489 118 01 July - 10 July 2006 2479 1669 1399 1269 589 118 11 July - 21 August 2006 2509 1699 1429 1299 609 118 22 August - 31 August 2006 2479 1669 1399 1249 589 118 01 September - 12 September 2006 2319 1499 1239 1109 489 118 13 September - 30 September 2006 2139 1419 1189 1079 489 104 01 October - 31 October 2006 1859 1279 1099 1009 489 83 01 November - 16 December 2006 1689 1109 929 829 389 83 17 December - 24 December 2006 2019 1439 1259 1159 589 83 25 December 2006 - 28 March 2007 1689 1109 929 829 389 83 Special note - No complimentary transfers offered in Albuquerque or Salt Lake City Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room Transfers to the rental depot and back to the airport after your rental finishes 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' Los Angeles & San Francisco Dates 1 Adult 2 Adults 3 Adults 4 Adults Child 2-11 Extra days 01 November - 16 December 2005 1569 1029 849 759 329 72 17 December - 24 December 2005 1889 1349 1179 1079 519 72 25 December 2005 - 31 March 2006 1569 1029 849 759 329 72 01 April - 11 April 2006 1989 1319 1099 989 459 96 12 April - 30 April 2006 1839 1169 959 839 369 96 01 May - 22 May 2006 1989 1319 1099 989 459 96 23 May - 19 June 2006 2089 1369 1149 1029 459 104 20 June - 30 June 2006 2269 1459 1199 1069 459 118 01 July - 10 July 2006 2449 1629 1369 1239 569 118 11 July - 21 August 2006 2509 1699 1439 1299 609 118 22 August - 31 August 2006 2449 1629 1369 1239 569 118 01 September - 12 September 2006 2269 1459 1199 1029 459 118 13 September - 30 September 2006 2089 1369 1149 1029 459 104 01 October - 31 October 2006 1809 1229 1049 959 459 83 01 November - 16 December 2006 1659 1079 899 809 369 83 17 December - 24 December 2006 1989 1409 1229 1139 569 83 25 December 2006 - 28 March 2007 1659 1079 899 809 369 83 Price includes Roundtrip scheduled flights & airport tax 1 night hotel accommodation on arrival - 1 room Transfers to the rental depot and back to the airport after your rental finishes 13 days fully inclusive RV rental as per our ' C.N.A. Inclusive Package Page ' Note: Floorplans may vary. Not all vehicles in all locations. The drawing and floorplan are examples only. Sleeping capacities do not mean like number of adults or full sized teenagers can be accommodated comfortably. The features, bed sizes, and amenities listed are representative and may be changed, added, or deleted without notice. The numerical vehicle lengths are approximate. Specific floorplans or models will vary and cannot be reserved or guaranteed. Pictures and illustrations are examples only and may not be the exact model offered. Make an Enquiry » One-Way Rentals One way rentals between the stations listed above are permitted. Please refer to the One-Way Rentals section on the General R.V. Rental Information page for additional one-way rental charges. Click here to view these now . General R.V. Rental Information For general information on renting a RV, please go here . FAQs To view the list of Frequent Asked Questions about hiring a renting a RV, go here . « Back to main RV Motorhomes page For more information, call 0115 950 4555 Complete North America, 4 Hollowstone, Nottingham, England, NG1 1JH. © Complete North America 2005 - Site by redrhino Site Map - Fly Drives - USA Motorhome Holidays

mobile homes increased significantly

NOAA News Online (Story 1105) NOAA Magazine || NOAA Home Page Commerce Dept. MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES DEADLY IN TORNADOES March 5, 2003 — Now that spring is here—meteorologically speaking—NOAA reminds Americans to be prepared for tornadoes . Tornadoes occur most often in March through early July, but they can and do occur throughout the year. The number of tornado deaths in mobile homes increased significantly in 2002, totaling more than half of all tornado deaths in the United States, according NOAA. (Click NOAA image for larger view of tornado south of Dimmitt, Texas, taken June 2, 1995. Please credit “NOAA.”) In 2002, a total of 55 people died in tornadoes, 37 of whom were in mobile homes, 12 in permanent homes, four in cars and two outside. In 2001, 40 fatalities were recorded, 11 of those in mobile homes, 18 in permanent homes, six in vehicles, three outside and two in buildings. In 2000, 29 of the 40 tornado deaths, or nearly 78 percent, were in mobile homes, four were in permanent homes, four in vehicles, one was outside and two were in buildings. One reason for the growing rate of mobile home deaths is the increased population in such homes in the past 30 years, according to Harold Brooks, research meteorologist with the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory . The number of mobile homes per capita has grown the most in the Southeast, from Arkansas eastward, except for Florida, which has seen slower growth in mobile homes because of new higher building standards in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. Mobile homes are not safe during tornadoes. The NOAA National Weather Service recommends leaving a mobile home and going to the lowest floor of a sturdy nearby building or storm shelter. “Tornadoes are extremely violent and other than underground there is no good place in a tornado,” said Dan McCarthy, warning coordination meteorologist with the NOAA Storm Prediction Center . “If you can’t get underground, the best place is in the center of a permanent structure.” The NOAA National Weather Service’s aim, he said, is to make sure no one finds themselves in the middle of nowhere with a tornado bearing down on them. However, in that situation, the NOAA National Weather Service recommends abandoning vehicles when a tornado is approaching, and not take cover underneath overpasses. “Vehicles may not be appropriate shelter. We can provide numerous documented cases of vehicles being carried aloft and dropped by tornadoes, and vehicles impaled by flying debris such as 2x4s,” McCarthy said. “We realize when lying in a ditch you are also vulnerable to flying debris, but it may be better to get out of and away from the vehicle and taking cover by placing your hands over your head.” Then NOAA National Weather Service’s safety recommendations were made following a thorough study conducted by Centers for Disease Control epidemiologists in 1979 following the deadly Wichita Falls, Texas, tornado. They found that people in vehicles trying to escape tornadoes became stuck in traffic jams and on dead-end streets. Others were killed when the tornado curved back over them after they thought they had driven to a safe place. The CDC recommended at that time people in motor vehicles should seek shelter immediately upon hearing a tornado warning and should not attempt to drive from the tornado’s path. “Ultimately, it’s up to each person to decide what to do based on their circumstances,” McCarthy said. “Each situation is different, so making an informed decision provides the best chance for survival.” An average of 1,200 tornadoes cause more than $400 million in damage to homes and businesses, schools and churches annually. Considered nature’s most violent storms, peak tornado activity occurs during the months of March through early July. The NOAA National Weather Service, Red Cross, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommend the following actions if a tornado warning is issued. In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement or interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and away from windows. In a mobile home, even if tied down, seek shelter in a sturdy building. As a last resort, and if no sturdy building is available leave the mobile home and seek shelter in a nearby ditch. Do not stay in the mobile home. If caught outside or in a vehicle, and where no sturdy building is available lie flat in a nearby ditch away from overpasses and vehicles. NOAA measures spring from March 1 through May 31. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce . Relevant Web Sites NOAA Storm Prediction Center—The Basics about Tornadoes NOAA Tornadoes Page NOAA Storm Watch NOAA's Monthly Tornado Statistics NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Media Contact: Keli Tarp , NOAA Weather Partners , (405) 366-0451

Used RV Search for

Used RV for Sale - Buy or sell your motor home or recreational vehicle. RV Buyers Home Page RVs For Sale All RV Listings Class A RV Class B RV Class C RV Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer Folding Camper Truck Camper Van Conversion Bus Conversion Park Model Search RVs Featured RV's Dealer Finder Contact Us Our Other Websites: Boat-Mart Motorbike-Mart Puppy-Breeders Kitten-Breeders JAD Travel Welcome to RV-Mart.com 1/24/2006 Buy a Used RV Search for and find the used RV that meets your requirements. Do you want a Class A motor home, Class C motorhome, fifth wheel or maybe a travel trailer? Diesel or Gas? Buy the used RV you have always wanted using our RV Classifieds. Featured Used RV for Sale 1996 Southwind 36' Class A Motor Home - $36,995 Other Featured RVs for Sale Active Users: 13 Sell Used RV Would you like to list your used RV for sale on RV-Mart.com photo classifieds? Sell your Class A motor home, Class B van, folding camper, truck camper or any other type of recreational vehicle.List your used RV for sale here where it will befound by potential buyers and not buried among thousands of RV dealer listingslike some other web sites. Your Listing will include: Six (6) months listing. Up to three (3) photos. Full details of your used RV Owners contact information. Simple "Edit Ad" Capability Main Photo on Search Pages. Your ad will appear on our site immediately on completion of listing process. All for Only $10 Featured Listing just $5 extra. See what others are saying aboutselling their RV on RV-Mart.com Our Latest Featured RVs. 2005 Pleasure-Way Excel TS 20' Class B, traveled20000 miles, located inMissouri, listed on1/24/2006. $55000 1996 R-Vision Sandcastle M-27RKS-High 27' Fifth Wheel, traveled0 miles, located inTexas, listed on1/22/2006. $8995 2000 Damon Intruder 36' Class A, traveled21000 miles, located inFlorida, listed on1/22/2006. $74900 2004 Winnebago 31C 31.5' Class C, traveled3100 miles, located inPennsylvania, listed on1/18/2006. $57000 2001 Prowler 26A 26' Travel Trailer, traveled0 miles, located inNorth Carolina, listed on1/16/2006. $11500 View all Featured listings RV Sellers Home Page Place RV Ad Alter Your Ad List Dealer Contact Us Message Board Main General Parts Financing Lemon Report Road Stories

Vacation Vehicle

-- "Alamo Rent A Car is one of the largest value oriented rental car companies offering lowest rate guarantee for leisure vacation car rental deals, business rentals and discounted weekly specials in over 1000 locations including Orlando, Miami, Florida, Las Vegas, Maui, Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, California, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Colorado, Houston, Kansas City, Maine, New Jersey, Washington DC. Virginia, Seattle, Chicago, Phoenix, Arizona, Salt Lake City, Boston, and more! " COMPANY FACTS COMPANY FACTS History Facts Press Releases ALAMO RENT-A-CAR, LLC. A subsidiary of Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc. CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS: Alamo Rent A Car 6929 North Lakewood Avenue, Suite 100 Tulsa, OK 74117-1808 INTERNET ADDRESSES: Travel agents and consumers can review vehicle types and availability, make reservations, and receive virtually instantaneous confirmation and reservation numbers for travel to locations worldwide. alamo.com - consumer Internet address ta.alamo.com - travel agent Internet address TOLL-FREE RESERVATIONS: 24-Hour reservations in United States: 1-800-GO ALAMO Corporate reservations only: 1-800-732-3232 Travel Agents only: 1-800-4 AGENTS DESCRIPTION: Alamo Rent A Car is one of the nation's largest rental car companies that services the most popular domestic and international travel destinations by providing quality vehicles and service to leisure, business, and local customers. LOCATIONS: Alamo Rent A Car operates in over 1000 locations throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asian-Pacific, Africa and Australia. SALES: Alamo is sold internationally, as well as in the United States and Canada, and maintains sales offices in the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Latin America, the Caribbean, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. CARS: The company operates over 150,000 quality vehicles that serve 15 million travelers annually. CORPORATE PROGRAM: Introduced in 1983, Alamo's Corporate Program offers business travelers guaranteed and competitive nationwide daily rates. home | about alamo | travel agents | contact us | affiliate program | site map | privacy policy | user agreement © Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc. pdwap03.vanguardcar.com

Diesel Motor Home

BUYING A NEW DIESEL COACH IF I WERE BUYING A NEW DIESEL COACH By: Frank R. Gummersall My dear bride Sylvia and I have just purchased our second diesel coach and fourth motor home and went through a lot of sole searching making all the choices involved. How much should we spend? How big should it be? How long are we going to live this lifestyle? Where will we keep it? How many days are we going to spend in the coach per year? Where will we camp most of the time? How much should it weigh? How much are we going to tow? What should the floor plan be? Do we want two couches? Do we want a dinette? Do we want a slide out or two? How are we going to entertain? These are just a few of the questions that we answered to decide to buy our new coach. The "Life Style" that we have grown to enjoy very much is the reason that we motor home. "What" motor home does not really change the opportunity to enjoy the freedom, friendship, challenge, enjoyment, scenery, people, food, and all the other things that are part of the life. When we think of our first motor home which was a 19' Cortez, or the 25' Winnebago, or the 34' Georgie Boy, or our current 36' Monaco we come to the same conclusion: We love the "Life Style". We want to continue to enjoy it until we are not able to do it safely. The safety of motor homing is a subject that has many facets. Driveability is important and in general the more expensive the unit is, the better it drives. Gas motor homes tend to be overloaded and under braked. They also tend to be more effected by winds, passing trucks, ruts in the roads, and other conditions that we all experience. The more miles you drive, the more important driveability becomes. We took delivery of our new coach in September 1998 and have enjoyed over 16,000 miles of safe travel in just these first four months. We are planning a trip to Georgia in March; Montana, British Columbia, and Oregon in June; Iowa in July and a few side trips in between. It would be hard to think about all these miles in anything but a long wheelbase, stable, heavy motor home. For me, Safety is the paramount issue in the purchase of a new motor home of any class. There are some motor homes in any class that I would not drive under any circumstances because they are not stable at highway speeds and cannot stop safely. This group of motor homes is characterized by overloading, bad balance of weight, short wheelbase, and inadequate brakes. An underpowered rig is not unsafe except in two conditions. (1) Getting on a busy Interstate and (2) staying away from slow 18 wheelers on long mountain passes. Thousands of underpowered 18 wheelers drive safely millions of miles, but one thing they have to do is stop well under emergency conditions. So hundreds of underpowered motor homes can drive thousands of miles safely, but it isn't much fun. I like at least 1.1 horse powere per 100 lbs. of GCW. It is also difficult to resell and underpowered coach. Tom asked me to think about writing an article that takes the reader through all the choices necessary to make an informed purchase of a diesel pusher and I thought "No Way". How could I write a non-biased article not mentioning brand names and being totally objective? Well I decided that I could not do that, but I could take each major part of a motor home and describe the considerations that should be made in deciding which coach to buy. This article will concentrate only on new Class A coaches and contains my opinions and feelings on this subject. You need to remember that previously owned and loved coaches offer a significant value but purchasing one can be very scary. I will leave that to another article. This article will touch on some living and traveling considerations but will not represent any comprehensive discussion on the exact requirements that will be true for each and every purchaser. How much to spend? There are generally four or five price levels for Class A motor homes including Gas Coaches. Many of us have a budget that will stand no more than $100, 000 and that means a Gas Coach. The new Ford Chassis makes this choice a very viable option that offers living space and carrying capacity that is enough to support most of us, even full timing. So why spend more? That is a question that can only be answered by understanding why at least 10,000 of us guys talk our spouses into spending extra for a diesel coach every year. Why is that? A lot has to do with the purchasing power of us retired people. We have been lucking enough to save a little and make a little in real estate or invest in a Microsoft at $17 in 1980. Us guys like all the engines, transmissions, suspensions, brakes, and stuff that has grease on it. Our spouses like the floor plans, wall paper design, fabrics on the furniture, bathroom design, window dressings and all other factors concerning the living space Many of these camping places limit RV sizes so that is one specification that you must place on your list of requirements. How long should it be? Many campgrounds limit lengths, especially National, State, and County Parks. Many driveways of friends and relatives can not accommodate a 42' coach, so how long should the coach be? Where are you going to store the motor home when not in use? What about the floor plan? Since most of us travel as a couple, dinettes are as popular as a dining table and two chairs with a leaf to expand and accommodate two people on folding chairs. A potty that has a door, seems to be very popular choice. A shower that can handle a man of a mature size is also important. Two facing couches seem important to some people. A Queen walk around bed seems to be a very minimum requirement. Slide outs are currently delivered in over 90% of the coaches manufactured, but should you get one? I have written a subsequent article on this subject. I have decided as I write this article that I should concentrate on two classes of diesel pushers or this article will never end. The two classes are under $150,000 and over $150,000. I will not spend time on coaches that cost more than $250,000. There are many choices from almost all manufacturers in the under $150,000 class. This class can be generalized by the 32-38', 275hp engine, Freightliner or Spartan Chassis, Air Brakes, propane generator, manufactured wood cabinets with print grain, 1000 watt inverter/charger, two group 57 coach batteries and 5,000 lb. tow capacity. Typical examples of this class are Fleetwood Destiny, Winnebago Chieftan, National Tradewind, Holiday Rambler Endeavor, Allegro Bay, Rexhall Rose, Monaco Diplomat, Coachmen Sportscoach and others. We put 80,000 miles on a 1993 model example of this kind of coach and had a great time. We experienced the average amount of maintenance and repair costs, but we starting to have failures in the components like the steering box, which were starting to wear out. My conclusion is that some components used in this class coach are not true heavy-duty truck parts. In my experience, this class of coach is great for many people, because they will never put that many miles on the coach and they will spend most nights in Campgrounds hooked up to shore power. The generator will have less than 300 hours on it and the tires will weather check before they wear out. There will be many happy campers in this class of coach who will experience all the "Life Style" benefits of motor homing. However there are some coaches in this class that are only marginally safe when it comes to highway stability, balance, power, and braking. They are the ones that overload the chassis, leave little net payload capacity, have too small of brake size for safe stopping, and are not stable in high winds. The $150,000-$225,000 category is characterized by 36'-40', 330+hp, Custom Chassis, Air Suspension, Air Brakes, Diesel Generator, real wood cabinets, 2000 watt inverter charger, four golf cart batteries, 10,000 lb. towing capacity, and higher quality finish. Examples of this class are Monaco Windsor, Fleetwood American, Winnebago Ultimate, Holiday Rambler Imperial, Coachman SportsCoach, Allegro Bus, Country Coach Allure, Western RV Apline Coach and others. These coaches are serious rving machines. Large holding tanks, large fuel tanks, 500 amp hour capacity battery bank, large tires, weight ratings that allow huge carrying and towing capacity, high quality audio and video equipment, and other luxury features makes this class of motor home a true "High Line". Custom paint jobs including matched paint jobs on the towed cars. Is this price justified? The buyers can only answer that question. This class of coach is typically used by full timers or near full timers and usually covers 15,000 to 20,000 miles per year. That means usage patterns that require heavy duty truck parts used in the chassis. Customers demand whisper quiet road noise level, over the road video capability, luxury materials and finish used inside, and many other options. These coaches are typically built on custom chassis that are build for the exact length and floor plan of the coach. This integrated design of house and vehicle facilitates proper weight distribution, optimum placement of components like the generator. Several attempts have been made to use diesel engines in less expensive coaches but all have failed to garner any market share. An Isuzu Chassis was used but found to have too few horses. Chevrolet tried collaboration with Spartan to produce a very low-end diesel pusher using their pickup sized diesel engine in a frame rail chassis. It did not work. The demands we make on manufacturers for more and more features, functions, and conveniences will no doubt cause and always bigger is better mentality. We will continue to push design limits of components that are economically available for use in motor homes. Currently Spartan offers a chassis with a Cummins 210 hp/ Allison 542 that is in my opinion going to wind up failing to gain market share because it has too little ump and too little braking. Diesel pushers are here to stay in a big way with over 10,000 being built every year. I doubt that costs will come down. So why should you spend the additional $40,000 to get a diesel? Or why should you spend an additional $100,000 or more to buy a luxury diesel? Each individual purchaser can only state the parameters of this decision making. The "Life Style" we share does not demand it, because you can experience the great scenery, friendships, and freedom in a used motor home costing less than $10,000. © 1999, RVers Online BACK MAIN MENU