Class C versus class A gas

priestlake · 12-30-2018, 06:34 PM

Considering purchasing a class c, have a 2013 sightseer 33c 35ft. Is the driveability better on a C class? Side roll etc.? What are the pro and cons. Thank you.

akeagle · 12-31-2018, 01:07 AM

One of the big positives for a Class C, speaking for myself and a few others in this forum, is that there are many comfort and safety features already built into the chassis. Air bags is one of the biggies. Arguably maintenance is easier. Some factory and after market are available. Two "normal" entry doors in addition to the coach door. Drivetrain and other chassis work can be done at shops other than the coach dealer which at times are overwhelmed with work. There may be more but that's what I could think of off the top of my head.

AJMike · 12-31-2018, 07:44 AM

I have had both Class C and Class A motorhomes and while I miss the feeling of open space in the A I have to say that my C is much more drivable. In fact my new Fuse drives so well and so easily that I find it less tiring to drive than my car.

I agree with everything @akeagle mentioned, but I would add that the Cs are more economical to drive as they get much better fuel economy since they are lighter and offer far less wind resistance. I got about 8-9 with my Class A gasser, about 12-13 with my Class C gasser and about 17-18 with my Class C diesel. I don't want to get into the "more economical - less economical" argument about gassers vs diesels but even a Class C gasser generally gets noticeably better mileage than a Class A gasser.

I can also get my chassis maintenance done at my local Ford dealer considerably faster and less expensively than at my RV dealer.

SLOweather · 12-31-2018, 08:06 AM

One consideration for us is the living space you lose in a C. Essentially, the front seats are not very usable when parked.

We had a 31' Suncruiser for 28 years, and gave it away last December to a homeless vet and family. In April we rented a 30' Cruise America for 10 days, and in September purchased a 31' SunStar.

2 other things about Cs vs As. For me at 6'4" and 220 lbs, the driving position was very uncomfortable since the seat would not slide back far enough. Too close to the wheel, and too upright. My wife said that I looked like I was driving a go-kart. And I had to take off my shoes to fit my feet in to work the pedals.

The extra width behind the cab was also a concern, although I guess we rather got use to it by the end of the trip.

**creativepart** · 12-31-2018, 08:30 AM

Unlike the other posters, we had a C and went to a Class A. While we liked our C at the time, we love the A and feel it’s much better to drive and to live in while on the road.

The front cab and overhead sections took up all the front of the RV and were unusable except for driving.

To each their own, but we’d not go back to a C.

WinnieView · 12-31-2018, 08:49 AM

We started years ago with a class A 36' gas, moved up to a 40' DP, scaled down to a 35' class C diesel, and just recently to a 24'.
On each one we added all the available aftermarket chassis upgrades and that in itself gave us more of a large SUV feel when it comes to driving and handling.

P.S. We have also doubled our fuel mileage with our recent purchase.

AJMike · 12-31-2018, 08:52 AM

I guess it depends upon how you plan to use the RV. I love our small Class C, but we use it for relatively short trips of less than 2 weeks. If we were snowbirds and planned to stay someplace for several months I would much prefer a Class A.

The space in even short Class As would be more than enough to make up for the extra cost of driving if I were going to be someplace for a long time.