Hubby wants a gasser.

[Zhanna]

Hello all.

Ken (hubby) has decided a class A gasser is what he wants. He wants one that can haul a trailer with a car and motorcycle on the trailer. He also wants one that will last forever.

I want one with decent counter space in the kitchen.

Which direction do recommend we go in?

We have zero experience with a MH, so we're doing lotsa research. Thanks for your input!

[donanddona]

Lots of research is the answer. Follow your heart I say. You'll feel better later. GVWR works the same with motorhomes as it does with TV's. If we could afford it we would go with the diesels. But then again were full timers. Our cousins have gasers and flat-pull and they love theirs. So follow your heart...

[ernest917]

What's your price range??? Having had a gasser myself and then moving to a diesel, I'd STRONGLY recommend you consider looking for a nice used diesel... Personally, I'd never go back to a gasser after experiencing the strong points of a diesel... The ride, towing capacity, engine power and dependability far out-weigh what a gasser can provide... Up-keep is really a wash in my opinion because it might cost more to change the oil and filters in a diesel but you only do it every 12-15K miles not 4-5K like a gasser.....

A gasser is soo much louder than a gasser.... Most gasses are front engine rigs which means the motor is right there between the two of you and I speak from experience when I say they roar when you are climbing plus they simply don't have the torque that a diesel will give you... That lack of torque will have your speed down to 20 mph when climbing or possibly lower if pulling a trailer... My diesel never dropped below 45-50 climbing those grades... Another plus for a diesel is the engine brake.... Trust me - when you start down a 6-7 % grade towing something, you are going to fall in love with that engine brake - again, I speak from experience...

Fuel for a diesel might be a little more in cost but the mpg will totally off-set that. I average 10-11mpg in my rig and at times have done even better... And that's towing a toad four down...

Storage capacity, total carrying capacity and towing capacity is far superior in a diesel... Now this is purely my opinion and I'm sure there are gasser owners that will take offense to what I've said and that's ok..... I'm only speaking as someone that has owned both...

Trust me on this - there are fantastic diesel coaches out there for prices that will really surprise you - case in point - I have a 2008 40' Forest River Berkshire with a Mercedes turbo Diesel engine that I purchased in 2011 for $89K.... It only had 16K miles on it and it's been nothing short of FANTASTIC.....

Sorry for such a loooong response and I too want to wish you the very best luck in you search...


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[Brother Les]

The diesel will cost more upfront, but if you want it to 'last forever', get the diesel and take care of it. The 'power' difference will be night and day. 'Gas' is 'cheaper' at the pump, but the fuel mileage will offset that quickly. (example: my F-150 gasser pulling a 27 foot camper... 6 mpg, F-250 diesel, same camper....16mpg)

[rattleNsmoke]

Long haul truckers all run diesel.

[billb800si]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

. 'Gas' is 'cheaper' at the pump, but the fuel mileage will offset that quickly. (example: my F-150 gasser pulling a 27 foot camper... 6 mpg, F-250 diesel, same camper....16mpg)

=====================

Don't ever sell your F-250. I never ever got more that 10.5 MPG with my Cummins diesels (5.9 litre in my 2005 and 6.7 litre in 2007 Ram).

And only one year was it cheaper to run diesel that gas. After that diesel was always 80¢ to $1.20 a gallon more than gas.

Happy trails,

[mogman]

You're probably not going to find a Class A gasser that will tow more than 5000lb so look for a diesel pusher. Don't know what your trailer weight is, but Gross combination weight is VERY important for safety- not just for you but for other FROGS on the road with you.

[Zhanna]

Thank you all! I REALLY appreciate all your input!!!

[richard rv]

Zannha.i own a gasser and love it. I would recommend that you go to some rv lots and test drive both styles. I see by your join date (2010) you have been active in the camping world. Mabel some of the other rv'er will show you there's and tell you there story.

[AlexG]

We started out looking at $12K travel trailer and after 2 years researching it ended up with 360HP Berkshire this December.

There were 2 main points swang us towards Berk. We needed something that we can use during our ski trips in the winter, so well insulated unit was a priority and we wanted to effortlessly tow the car in the mountains.

We don't have a need for a heavy duty truck that we would need to buy for a winter-ready trailer, so we settled with DP.

[davel1971]

gassers have a hard enough time pulling themselves, let alone a trailer. Used diesels can be bought for decent prices, as some 10-15 year old models still have much life left in them.

[richard rv]

In response to the previous poster, I own a : gasser/w a 460 cin ford engine . It has the Banks power package/w Trans module. I pull a 2009 ford expedition as a toad. I currently have 96000 miles on her with no problems. Been to Alaska and Florida and can keep up with the diesel pushers.just fine. Ps I paid for mine cash.because they are cheaper.to purchase and make an excellent. "Starter coach". I also drove for a major freight. Carrier. I have all the experience I need to make this call.