1/19 Why I Like My Motorhome

Many people buy the wrong motorhome the first time, end up selling it, and buying another one within a couple of years.  I was lucky in that I bought one  the first time that I liked then and still like.  So, what is so good about the one I bought?

First, it fits me very well.  When I started out shopping for a motorhome, I looked at models that were smaller—22-24' long.  When I realized they were too cramped, I moved up to looking at 28’ models, but those had corner bedrooms.  This meant that the bathroom was on one side of the rear of the RV, and the bed was on the other side, in the corner.  The problem was that you had to enter the bed from the foot and a small amount of the side.  It also meant that most of two sides of the bed were walls and parts of the other two sides were also walls, leaving only one small area open.  To get into bed, you would have to crawl on hands and knees, which also made making the bed very difficult.  Not good with my bad knees and one fragile kneecap that I am not supposed to kneel on! 

At this point I realized I needed a bed where you could walk around it to make it.  I also needed more storage room and wanted more sleeping room for grandkids, so I went "whole hog" with a 32’ Class C bunkhouse! 

I also fell in love with the space that at least two slides gave you.  Slides expand a motorhome when it is parked, making it at least a couple of feet wider.  Two feet may not seem like much, but it means having more space to walk around and between things.  Two big slides make my motorhome seem roomy.  I had the very uncomfortable front dinette removed and replaced it with my old leather recliner from home.  It’s perfect, and faces my TV, so I can use it as I always did in my condo, as my office, dining room, and place of relaxation!   

Now, there are some things about my motorhome that would not fit someone else.  My shower floor is raised, making the inside height about 8” less than the ceiling height in the rest of the RV, which means a tall person will have to duck to get under the top railing of the shower door, plus he or she will hit their head on the ceiling once inside. Ouch.  But it fits me fine! 

I also have what is advertised as a queen-sized bed. It is one of the most comfortable beds I have ever owned, especially since I put a 3” thick memory foam topper on it!  However, it is really what is called a “short queen,” meaning that instead of being 80” long, it is only 68” long. That means even my feet hang over the end, so I cannot imagine anyone taller than me enjoying sleeping in it! 

Second, I really like the E-450 Ford Super Duty chassis my Class-C motorhome is built on. While I do need a booster cushion to sit on while I drive, I like being surrounded by what is basically a truck cab.  Most of my life I have not really cared about cars or engines, but this one has impressed me.  My first long trip was in 95-100° days where I was climbing on very long grades through Iowa, Nebraska, and finally Wyoming.  I was convinced that the temperature gauge was broken because it never budged from right in the middle! 

I admit that the engine is horribly noisy when it downshifts to climb hills, but it enables me to pass trucks and even accelerate on long steep grades. In 73,000 miles under all sorts of hot and cold conditions, and up and down steep mountain roads, it has never caused me any concerns.  

Third, and this is the best part of life in an RV, is that it is so easy to clean.  Can you clean your entire bathroom floor with one paper towel and spritz of cleaner??  Vacuuming my entire floor takes about 20 minutes, but that includes getting the vacuum out of the underneath storage bin and putting it away again. 

Fourth, forget the storage in those tiny houses!  My motorhome is packed with storage.  I have eight bins underneath that are each about 2’ high by 2’ wide, and by 30-36” long.  Two pairs of those storage bins are connected by “pass-thrus” that are about 8” high and 36” wide.  I put my folding chairs, ladders for bunks, and a lot of small plastic boxes in those pass-thrus.  The bins contain a suitcase, air compressor, vacuum cleaner, small carpet cleaner, bike bags and equipment, extra clothing and winter coat, plus other assorted things I need but don’t need to access every day.  I also use one storage bin for extra paper towel, water, pop, and other non-perishable groceries.

One storage area also contains my sewer hookups, so it stores my dirty things like the sewer hose and connections, plus my 30 amp electrical cord.  Another “clean” bin holds my water hoses and extra things needed for hooking up, plus a bucket and cleaning supplies.  I also have a storage bin where I keep camping and outdoor cooking supplies, plus extra tools and spare parts for various RV systems. 

I have a third pass-thru over my built-in propane tank where I store my stepstool for cleaning windows, outdoor carpeting, rubber door mats, and various mops, brooms, and other long-handled things.

It takes a lot of stuff to travel full time like I do and maintain yourself and your vehicle that is also your home!  And this storage does not even count all the cupboards and drawers I have inside my motorhome!  I am glad I got a larger motorhome because I have really appreciated the extra storage a larger RV provides.   

One of these days, I will write about the things I DON’T like about my motorhome!  There are several, including having to stick my head in the “dirty” hookup bin in order to reach and attach my sewer hose!