Help & advise B+ or Winnebago view

[Amsoilman]

I presently tow a 25’ trailer with a crew cab pickup
I’m thinking it would be simpler if I drove a MH instead. Would not want to tow a car, if I’m towing something I’ll stick with a trailer.
Looking for something easy to drive and maneuver. Using to shop and go out to eat & go to the beach.
2 people for 3 months at a time in FL.

Is a small class c too much of a hassle to leave a campground 3 to 4 times week?

I’m Still sharp at 72 but looking for simpler options.

[crah]

Originally Posted by Amsoilman

I presently tow a 25’ trailer with a crew cab pickup
I’m thinking it would be simpler if I drove a MH instead. Would not want to tow a car, if I’m towing something I’ll stick with a trailer.
Looking for something easy to drive and maneuver. Using to shop and go out to eat & go to the beach.
2 people for 3 months at a time in FL.

Is a small class c too much of a hassle to leave a campground 3 to 4 times week?

I’m Still sharp at 72 but looking for simpler options.

If you want to use it to drive around a lot, a Class B might be a better fit, but most have wet baths. With the View,, having a slide out is a pain to take in and out and the floor plan is not ideal with the slide in. If I was in your shoes, I would entertain a Winnebago Ekko or Leisure Travel Van Wonder without the slide out. My 2 cents.

[jhedges]

I also would take a serious look at the Leisure Travel Van.

And I'm thinking the other way, I have a Class A, and looking at a truck and trailer "again".

[rprochnow]

We purchased a View last summer, and now have over 16K miles on it. We don't bring a tow vehicle.

Setup and tear down at the RV site only takes 3-5 minutes to run the auto-leveling jacks, let out the slide, and hook up the 30A power. That's a short enough time, that it's really no big deal to disconnect and drive. A class B would likely take the same amount of time - and longer if it needs to hook up to water or sewer, due to smaller tank sizes.

The View is too long for most normal parking spaces, though we have found parking lots with enough space to park in a normal spot - especially if we back in with an open area immediately behind the vehicle.

So far, the only time we've had any problems finding parking has been when we went to LA late last year - and decided it was easier to store the RV at a Public Storage lot for a week rather than trying to do urban driving & parking (parking the RV and staying with family was much cheaper than staying at an RV park for the week).

A Class B will fit in normal parking spots - but overall we haven't found the extra few feet from the View to limit our travel (except when we were in LA).

The View has some advantages over a Class B, because it is taller and longer.

Compared to a B, our 2021 View 24D has more sleeping (murphy bed, dinette, overcab bunk), more storage (4 outside compartments, overcab storage, under dinette storage, ...), more sitting areas (sofa, u-shaped dinette, rotated cab seats), larger kitchen area, and a lot more floor space (with the slide-out extended). Plus Class B may not come with a generator - our 24D came with a diesel generator, which was very useful during the recent Texas winter storm without any shore power in sub-freezing temperatures!

After using our View, we're glad went with the 25' Class C than with the smaller Class B's.

We seriously considered getting an LTV Unity or Wonder - they have some nice features. But, most of the floor plans have significantly less living space than our 24D. Plus they don't provide the overcab bunk/storage - which we use on every trip.

[Amsoilman]

Thanks for the reply. My crew cab is most likely 21’ overall.

[Elkman]

The living space is very limiting with a Class B motorhome and they cost roughly the same as a larger Class C as the equipment is much the same. In terms of living space a 5th wheel trailer provides the most area and storage followed by a travel trailer followed by a Class C motorhome followed by a slide-in camper, and dead last is a Class B van. The Class B is really a converted van and not at all like a motorhome with the possible exception of the RoadTrek models.

With the vans there is far less space for working inside and the dinette is tiny and the bed is not easily made available during the day. Even with our medium size slide-in camper we had the space in the passenger area of the crew cab pickup and the queen bed area in the cabover section to put gear and clothing, etc., while leaving the galley area free for cooking and the dinetter available to eat or work with a laptop or whatever.

With a Class C there is the option of towing a vehicle or putting a couple of e-bikes on the rear hitch. Some of the e-bikes are designed to either carry a passenger or to have a strong rack for gear or groceries.

[Amsoilman]

We have decided to stay with the trailer for another year. Your insight was very helpful, thanks!

[creativepart]

One important thing to consider, setting up a Class C or B is much less taxing then setting up a Travel Trailer. You’re 72, and it may surprise you, but next year you will be even older. I know, I’m 71.

We have a 37’ motorhome towing a Lincoln SUV and even that is easier to setup and break down then when we had travel trailers.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by crah

I would entertain a Winnebago Ekko or Leisure Travel Van Wonder without the slide out. My 2 cents.

I agree, but wanted to point out that the wait time for an LTV is now about 15-18 months and unless the OP is not in much of a hurry that is probably not the best choice. The Ekko, on the other hand, might be perfect for his needs.

[Elkman]

I flew up to Calgary and planned to rent a Class B van for a 3 week trip. Fortunately the rental company had double booked the van and offered us a slide-in camper on a 1-ton 4WD crew cab pickup which we took. It was immediately apparent how much more space we have for our photo gear and how stuff could be on the bed during the day and then put either into the cab or on the dinette table and seats at night.

Many private parties are renting their RV's by the day and this is the best way to learn what works for your needs and what does not. How people travel also changes over time and we have friends who went from using a 5th wheel trailer and others with a Class A motor home and toad to using Class C motorhomes when their needs changed. One thing with the 5th wheel and the slide-in camper is more steps to deal with and as hips get older this can present more and more of a problem.

The Class B vans work if there is sunny weather where the outdoor area can be used for cooking and eating and working with a laptop or doing other tasks without having to change the inside of the van. With winter snow or several days of heavy rain the slide-in camper or the the Class C motorhome will be easier to manage.

The EKKO seams to have the disadvantes of a Class B van without the advantages of significantly shorter length or a better turning radius than a Class C motorhome. Part of the problem may be with the choice of the Ford Transit as the base platform. The Ford E-450 provides far greater payload and a much larger fuel tank and I would suspect that it has a better turning radius. At least with the F-450 pickup the front wheels provide a better turning radius of 50 feet versus 56 feet for the F-350 pickup.