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2 Comments on “what is the best motorhome for a large family?”

1. 
   1 Dew said at 5:42 pm on December 11th, 2011:

   we have a Hurricane.it is made by four winds.it sleeps up to 8 and has a dinning-living room slide out.It is very roomy has one TV between the seats up front and a hook up for one in the main Bedroom.It has a bathroom and is roomy,Kitchen microwave,the works in this thing.It has lots of cabinets and storage on the outside.Go to google and type in four winds or hurricane and you will find a dealership close to where you live.we love our we are going to the smokey mountains in 2 weeks with it!

2. 
   2 Arthur R said at 6:02 pm on December 11th, 2011:

   You must go to an RV show and see what you like. Do much research prior to your purchase. I see so many people buying a RV only to find they have made the largest financal mistake of their lives.

   Visit every RV dealer in your area, look around, pick up a brochure for every motorhome they have. Look for features you like, look at the weight carrying capacity. Numbers to pay attention to: GVWR this is the maximum your motorhome can weigh, legally. CCC is the cargo carrying capacity. I have seen motorhomes with this number as low as 200 Lbs. You’ve purchased a $100,000 motorhome and you can’t carry enough food and supplies to last a week. Diesel motorhomes trend to have a higher weight carring capacity.

   For every passenger taveling in a motorhome there must be a seat belt. Ask your insurance company or highway patrolman, not your salesman. Many low cost motorhomes are overweight before they leave the sale lot. If you try to fit a family of eight into a motorhome designed for four you are asking for trouble.

   We live fulltime in a 36′ diesel pusher that “Parties 6, Feeds 4 and Sleeps 2.” Our motorhome is designed for four people, so says the data plate. There are seat belts for six people, including the driver and co-pilot. The seats where the seat belts are located have a decal on the wall stating, “Seat not to be occupied while vehicle is in motion”. Not to worry, my wife & I travel alone. I removed the seat belts to save weight.

   Look at the floor plan on those brochures you picked up and decide where everyone will be while it rains all day tomorrow. A 40′ motorhome, with a couple of slide-outs is at the most 400 square feet. This isn’t much larger than a living/dining room in your home.

   Before purchasing a motorhome, see if you can rent a similar one first. Take it out for a few days and see if your family will fit into it. Cruise America is one motorhome rental outlet. El Monte is another that has many large Class A’s.

   If you can afford it, I would suggest a Bounder 39′ Diesel Pusher. Make sure you have at least a 350 HP engine. This is a good enrty level motorhome. Holiday Rambler markets a couple of 40′ motorhomes that could handle a family of 6. Their price is about 25% higher than a Bounder.

   Finally, there is about a 40% mark-up on RV’s. How low you can go is up to you. A motorhome with a list price of $150,000 can be had for $100,000. Fuel prices are up and dealer lots are filling up. Don’t forget to join the Family Motor Coach Association after your purchase.

   Additional details:

   I’m sorry I seem to have writen a book, but there is a lot to be said on this question. To many people the purchase of a motorhome is the largest purchase of their life. I just hate to see someone go into this unprepared.

   Where we spend our winters, we help put on a motorhome rally that attracts as many as 2,500 motorhomes in early February. We see all types and many overused motorhomes. I just can’t imagine eight people sleeping in a motorhome. I do know that our 36 footer would be pushed to sleep four. You would have to fold down the dinette and then that would be for children, two, or one small adult.

   If you decide to go with a diesel, try to find a 2006 model as 2007′s have severly changed the emissions systems and maintenance could be costly.

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