Is Bigger always Better? Price Transparency? Force HD/DX3 Options?

[MrLbs]

Originally Posted by halla

In your example bigger is better, you have 4 less people to feed and four less people using the bathroom.

Originally Posted by bubbles

That's one perspective but another might be that it takes several trips to Disney World for all the grandkids to go there and each individual trip costs the same as it would for a single trip with all the grandkids on board.

I think that's one of the main reasons dad had a motorhome. We couldn't afford to fly everywhere and couldn't depend on whomever we might visit to have enough bed space for us all (or for there to be a hotel nearby). In an RV the cost of gas was the same whether there were 2 or 7 people onboard. And we didn't eat out unless we had to.

I was trying to remember how we handled 7 people with one bathroom. We made it work, but I honestly can't remember how. I do remember visiting a lot of gas station bathrooms though. Perhaps the dismal fuel economy had a side benefit.

[MrLbs]

Originally Posted by joet19711

Would give everyone the ability to trade up and stay with Dynamax.

Maybe I should start a poll? LOL.

How do I do that on here?

I'd sure be curious what the results would be! Has anyone else found a Super C 1.5 Bath, Bunkhouse model with the cab-over bed?

Brian -- are you able to discuss what percentage of your Force/Force HD sales are the bunkhouse model? How about the DX3? How does the manufacturer accurately gauge purchasing interest in something like that? A dealer poll of some sort?

[MrLbs]

Originally Posted by The_Rhino

IMO you guys need to AGREE on your max budget, then choose a floor plan that accommodates your family of 6+, toad size, etc. Remember, you will need a toad that has seat belts for 6+, so your choices start becoming restricted...

We're working on that budget now. Having a Super-C with larger tanks wouldn't require as frequent stops at RV Parks to empty/fill. But, that's only a small part of the overall calculation. And Toad size would definitely be limited with a smaller rig.

Have you considered a Class A like a used $50K Georgetown 350DS, etc. that has bunks/sleeping for 8 & can flat tow a 5,000 lb. SUV like the Grand Cherokee?

I've thought about it. The safety concerns of "driving in the crumple zone" are also part of the consideration. In my searching I did find Class A's where the rear bedroom was converted to a "bunk room". However, a LOT of web searching revealed some regular Class C's offered at one time or another with a quad-bunk option as well. But, they go for a premium due to the rarity.

Only 1/4 of our camping budget goes towards RV payments yet we're still spending over $225 per day of actual camping/vacationing... We know friends who have a $700/mo. MH payment but can only camp 21 days per year... That's nearly $700 per day of actual camping & the rest of the time it sits in the driveway...

That's the stark reality of owning any seasonal toy, I suppose. The "cost per day" of using a boat, snowmobile, ATV/UTV etc is a little sobering. But, I haven't seen someone lay out the actual math like you have and I appreciate that.

Both of my folks were teachers & had summers off -- but we also farmed - so we traveled a little between hay-cuttings. I think we used the RV about 20-25 days per year at most. But, what was saved in the purchase price was somewhat made up for in time fixing it. We spent a week parked under a hay barn belonging to a wonderful Amish Mennonite family in PA troubleshooting brake issues (thought it was the brake booster, ended up being the master cylinder instead). Great memories, though.

We do need to hammer out what we can afford vs. what we want to spend.

[DouglasReid]

I have a suggestion to help you and DW to decide on a C or Super C.

Rent one first. Go for a weekend in a smaller unit like she wants. With 4 kids it will be cramped and I believe she will quickly see the need for more space.

[letsgorving]

She will hate a smaller C in 5 minutes. Go to the RV show in hershey PA, or any show u can make. Have her get a feel for the size differences and yes, rent a smaller one for a weekend. Also ,I am the wife who was too terrified to drive our class A. I can and do drive our DX3. Just on the highways for now, but it gives my husband a break on long trips. I actually backed it into the site last trip! Oh, and don't think u won't be repairing things here and there. It goes with RVing unfortunately.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by letsgorving

She will hate a smaller C in 5 minutes. Go to the RV show in hershey PA, or any show u can make. Have her get a feel for the size differences and yes, rent a smaller one for a weekend. Also ,I am the wife who was too terrified to drive our class A. I can and do drive our DX3. Just on the highways for now, but it gives my husband a break on long trips. I actually backed it into the site last trip! Oh, and don't think u won't be repairing things here and there. It goes with RVing unfortunately.

There is nothing like the voice of experience!

[MrLbs]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

I have a suggestion to help you and DW to decide on a C or Super C.

Rent one first. Go for a weekend in a smaller unit like she wants. With 4 kids it will be cramped and I believe she will quickly see the need for more space.

Originally Posted by letsgorving

She will hate a smaller C in 5 minutes. Go to the RV show in hershey PA, or any show u can make. Have her get a feel for the size differences and yes, rent a smaller one for a weekend. Also ,I am the wife who was too terrified to drive our class A. I can and do drive our DX3. Just on the highways for now, but it gives my husband a break on long trips. I actually backed it into the site last trip! Oh, and don't think u won't be repairing things here and there. It goes with RVing unfortunately.

DouglasReid - A rental is good advice!! There's a new rental place that just set up shop near Boise so I'll have to check them out -- they sub-rent out privately owned RV's. I know someone who rented an older (Chevy Chassis) Jayco Seneca bunkhouse for 9 days and it cost them $6,000 though. She took all of the grandkids to Disneyworld. We've strolled local dealer lots but can't compare the units we're looking at side-by-side locally.

letsgorving - Interesting to have a wife's point of view! Glad to know there might be hope, for anything other than a repair-less experience.

[sseaner]

Originally Posted by rskeans

On size bigger was not a personal issue. But keeping it under 40 feet was. In CA at 40' you have to have a Class B license which is another pain, plus the physical. My DX3 is good with a standard Class C license. DW can drive it if necessary, but probably won't.
Our CA dealer was $9K higher than we paid in TX. Shop around. As RVers what is a little 1300 mile drive for $9K?

As

Originally Posted by plasma800

I can certainly add this much....

How much ever you think you can spend on an RV, consider holding 10% - 20% of that back for use after you buy the rv. (unless you're spending 600k, then the math is different)

There's always a strong chance you're going to need to additional cash to fix, repair, change, or deal with issues.

ON item number 2, I spend a LOT of time on Rv trader.com looking at nationwide prices, and what I find is there is always a dealer or two who sort of "reveals" the lower end of the pricing spectrum for any particular unit... ya know.. 5 dealers will have a unit listed for 99,990 or something, and then 2 dealers will list the same unit for 64,000... that tells you *something*... it's a best guess, but worth the effort in time.

of course, they might not be apples to apples.. [strike]sometimes[/strike] most of the time dealers cheat you by ordering units "without" certain features. From the outside, they look the same, you buy it, only later to realize it only has one air conditioner instead of 3 or some junk like that.

Sometimes I use couches rv nation to look at options sheets, and of course a call to the manufacturer might net a list of the available options in the form of a build sheet, and certainly dealers will when you say you want to custom build one. This can let you then compare the build sheet to details online, which I think are purposefully made confusing and riddled with omissions in information. The less the consumer really knows, the better for the dealer.

To what RSKEANS said, I agree. I'll drive to pick up an RV no problem!

[sseaner]

Originally Posted by MrLbs

My DW & 4 kids under age 10 (maybe more as time goes on) are looking to get into the motorhome game. My 4 siblings & I grew up with a quad-bunk 1970's Executive Class A with a Dodge 440/3 speed & glorious 4 mpg. We made a lot of great memories as a family in that unreliable beast, including a very memorable 4-week-long trip across the US. I've been silently stalking this forum for some time, appreciate the collective advice of the forum members, and am encouraged by the manufacturer's interest/support in the forum. With that in mind, I have a list of questions.

1. My DW & I are in disagreement over "How big is too big". Well....specific to the RV arena. I have a CDL and she doesn't. She wants something small & "cheap" (used Jayco Redhawk 31XL or Greyhawk 31FS) she could feel more confident driving down the road and I'm looking at the Super C's because of capacities, liveability, CCC, & durability. I'm looking at Dynamax for quality (i.e. I don't want to spend the weekends I should be enjoying with my family fighting my motorhome). I was previously looking at the Jayco 37FS because of a trusted local dealer.
a. Has having a Super C limited where you might be able to go or stay?
b. Does bringing a dinghy partially solve that problem?
c. What's the downside to going bigger (other than cost)?
d. Or more powerful (Force vs HD)?
e. Have your spouses/SO's adapted to driving a larger vehicle?

2. I could be mistaken, but unlike many forums there isn't a "prices paid and where purchased" section for Dynamax. I realize the prices can vary wildly based on floor plans & options. But, also absent is a "configurator" option on the Dynamax website which even would give a base MSRP. For example, what is the difference in MSRP between the Force & Force HD? Is it "reasonable" to select your options and then shop a half-dozen dealers nationally to save an assumed $50,000 or more? Other than combing forums, how would we know what the cost of doing 2Wd vs 4x4 would be, or halla's shoe bin? I just don't want to waste a dealer's time until I know what I want.

3. My favorite floor plan ever is the Gulf Stream 6400 "Grand Hotel" with bunk beds & 1.5 bath floorplan. Can a Dynamax rig be customized to that extent? For many reasons, I don't want an older Gulf Stream or their Chassis/Motor. But, I can't find anyone else with that floor plan. Brian, do you feel you couldn't sell enough units with that floor plan to justify the cost? Could the 37RB somehow be outfitted with 2-3 bunks?

4. Ever thought of a Crew Cab M2 to put under the Dynamax line? Similar to Four Winds Fun Mover F650 Crew Cab products of the past? I bet you could put a King bed above it!

5. Does the structural support exist for an observation deck of some kind to be mounted to the top of the unit? I realize I might be barking up the Renegade/Showhauler/Haulmark tree here.

6. Why has the propane oven been dropped in most modern RV's & reduced to just a Microwave?

7. What is the long-term reliability of the Aquahot system like? Can a propane tank still be included for an exterior grill?

8. Is it normal to cook meals on the stove top while going down the road? Always wondered about that one but that's the way my folks did it....

9. Any factory options for combined heated/cooled/air ride seats like halla's?

10. Is there any wisdom in what percentage of my annual income I should be spending for an RV (i.e. 50% - 200%)? My house is nearly paid off. Now it's time to have fun while my kids are still young. :-)

Note about me: I HATE buyer's remorse and typically buy quality items/vehicles/household goods that I keep until they're worn out, which is ideally a good many years/miles. I keep my vehicles for 250,000+ miles.

I know this is a lot of the questions -- but it appears as though this is the best place to ask.

Thanks!

Qq

[sseaner]

Originally Posted by MrLbs

My DW & 4 kids under age 10 (maybe more as time goes on) are looking to get into the motorhome game. My 4 siblings & I grew up with a quad-bunk 1970's Executive Class A with a Dodge 440/3 speed & glorious 4 mpg. We made a lot of great memories as a family in that unreliable beast, including a very memorable 4-week-long trip across the US. I've been silently stalking this forum for some time, appreciate the collective advice of the forum members, and am encouraged by the manufacturer's interest/support in the forum. With that in mind, I have a list of questions.

1. My DW & I are in disagreement over "How big is too big". Well....specific to the RV arena. I have a CDL and she doesn't. She wants something small & "cheap" (used Jayco Redhawk 31XL or Greyhawk 31FS) she could feel more confident driving down the road and I'm looking at the Super C's because of capacities, liveability, CCC, & durability. I'm looking at Dynamax for quality (i.e. I don't want to spend the weekends I should be enjoying with my family fighting my motorhome). I was previously looking at the Jayco 37FS because of a trusted local dealer.
a. Has having a Super C limited where you might be able to go or stay?
b. Does bringing a dinghy partially solve that problem?
c. What's the downside to going bigger (other than cost)?
d. Or more powerful (Force vs HD)?
e. Have your spouses/SO's adapted to driving a larger vehicle?

2. I could be mistaken, but unlike many forums there isn't a "prices paid and where purchased" section for Dynamax. I realize the prices can vary wildly based on floor plans & options. But, also absent is a "configurator" option on the Dynamax website which even would give a base MSRP. For example, what is the difference in MSRP between the Force & Force HD? Is it "reasonable" to select your options and then shop a half-dozen dealers nationally to save an assumed $50,000 or more? Other than combing forums, how would we know what the cost of doing 2Wd vs 4x4 would be, or halla's shoe bin? I just don't want to waste a dealer's time until I know what I want.

3. My favorite floor plan ever is the Gulf Stream 6400 "Grand Hotel" with bunk beds & 1.5 bath floorplan. Can a Dynamax rig be customized to that extent? For many reasons, I don't want an older Gulf Stream or their Chassis/Motor. But, I can't find anyone else with that floor plan. Brian, do you feel you couldn't sell enough units with that floor plan to justify the cost? Could the 37RB somehow be outfitted with 2-3 bunks?

4. Ever thought of a Crew Cab M2 to put under the Dynamax line? Similar to Four Winds Fun Mover F650 Crew Cab products of the past? I bet you could put a King bed above it!

5. Does the structural support exist for an observation deck of some kind to be mounted to the top of the unit? I realize I might be barking up the Renegade/Showhauler/Haulmark tree here.

6. Why has the propane oven been dropped in most modern RV's & reduced to just a Microwave?

7. What is the long-term reliability of the Aquahot system like? Can a propane tank still be included for an exterior grill?

8. Is it normal to cook meals on the stove top while going down the road? Always wondered about that one but that's the way my folks did it....

9. Any factory options for combined heated/cooled/air ride seats like halla's?

10. Is there any wisdom in what percentage of my annual income I should be spending for an RV (i.e. 50% - 200%)? My house is nearly paid off. Now it's time to have fun while my kids are still young. :-)

Note about me: I HATE buyer's remorse and typically buy quality items/vehicles/household goods that I keep until they're worn out, which is ideally a good many years/miles. I keep my vehicles for 250,000+ miles.

I know this is a lot of the questions -- but it appears as though this is the best place to ask.

Thanks!

Qqqqqq[emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1]

[sseaner]

[IMG][/IMG] the wife

[Kenny kustom]

Sseaner.. are you drunk?? Lol

[halla]

I was a little lost with all the q's. i thought he was speaking Canadian, but Kenny didnt understand him either.

[sseaner]

Dam temporary phone doing its own thing

[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by halla

I was a little lost with all the q's. i thought he was speaking Canadian, but Kenny didnt understand him either.

[emoji12][emoji12]🤷🏼*♂️

[sseaner]

Funny stuff!😀

[steverkemp]

I am deciding between DX 3 or force HD. Also with four kids we're making some pretty big decisions right now. I just canceled my order for a Jayco Seneca. I currently have a Forrester 3171 class c. I hate driving it, I'm not gonna lie. when I test drove a Seneca I was in heaven. I love the handling and how tight it was on the road. It felt 10 times easier to drive than the ford e450. Then, my order date got pushed back by Jayco and I looked closer at renegade and Dynamax. Ultimately, I drove a DX three and saw it in person and I was astounded at the difference in quality and attention to detail. It's like floating on a cloud. Next summer I'm planning to take a month off of work and tour the US. We are opting to go with the 37 TS floor plan. We love the openness of the plan with plenty of seating. We're probably going to remove the dinette and add a second sofa. If you PM me I will send you all the info about pricing and options.

[Kenny kustom]

4 kids and not getting a bunkhouse?

[steverkemp]

Will sacrifice the two beds to get the 3rd slide and more sqft. Our class c is a bunkhouse and there's an argument at the beginning of every trip about who has to sleep on the bunks. The split bath will give us more space and the cabover option is also a must. Yes, will have to make up a pullout sofa every night but oh well. [emoji6]

[zcarczar]

Steverkemp what Renegade did you look at? I've been looking at the classics and comparing them to the DX3 but man the price difference is hard to swallow.