bones

Here is another solution although it is a bit expensive. We pulled the ethanol ravaged genset and replace it with Onan's propane fueled unit. This was in my buddy's class c and he couldn't be happier. Like to believe this was a great idea on my part but that really wouldn't be true. I'd owned a BornFree Built for Two with a diesel engine and a propane powered genset. It was a great unit and would become an even greater unit when the EPA/farmer's ethanol plague hit us. Kind of wish I still had it since I wasn't able to convince LazyDaze to allow me to special order one from them. I think it is a great option if you can get by with this smaller genset.

One thing to keep in mind when reading a review of a new unit is where / how did did the author gain his insight. If the unit was given freely by the mfg for the review, how objective is it going to be? If the review is notably negative, it might be the last unit that author will be provided. I like Consumer Reports' approach where they buy the items being reviewed. That way they can be objective and beholden to no one. The expense of motor homes pretty much precludes a C.R. approach. Even talking to owners won't always get you a candid response. They might be concerned about their own service should the factory learn they'd been running the company down. My own experience leads me to believe there are a few companies who really care about the quality of the product bearing their name. Lazy Daze comes to mind. Unfortunately, we lost a number of very conscientious builders due to economic conditions of late. There is an obvious cost in turning out an above average product making it hard to compete in a down market. Far more are only concerned about the bottom line and how they can get to market boasting the lowest prices. Many have gotten quite good with the gingerbread but woe what is behind the walls and other areas not readily visible. No different than buying a home except homes are subject to govt inspections during the build. I think TBUTLER says it well by advising "give them all a good look, read and ask questions". My only suggestion, he should have said it in CAPS and REPEATED it a few times.

I heard that Beaver tried shortening their 36' Monterey to 32' or 33' while using the same engine. However, the new enhanced power to weight ratio had unintended consequences. Many of these units had handling problems due to a front end that was now too light. One of the attempts to fix the problem was moving the GenSet to the nose of the coach. If that wasn't enough, steel weight was tacked on. This problem was well explained by wolfe10 and halfmoa earlier. So, can a 30' Class A diesel pusher be engineered to handle / ride correctly? Some of the other testimony would certainly indicate so. However, I would do my homework before purchasing one of these shorter units.