Gas, diesel or propane: which is the best motorhome for you?
Blogger Ed Boothman describes the pros and cons of three different motorcoaches he has owned.
Over the years I have owned several motorhomes, including propane-powered, gas and diesel. With this article I want to share some of my lessons and experiences.
Propane power
About 10 years ago we were not even considering buying another motorhome, but found ourselves at a garage sale where we saw an older but nice-looking class A 30-foot unit for sale. It was only $7000 and it was propane powered. I had never owned a propane-powered vehicle and at the time propane was about half the cost of gas. It had a large propane tank mounted on an extended rear bumper. I expected this would take us many miles between fills and soon I was driving it home.
We used it for several camping trips that year, with some surprises. For example, I was towing a boat and if I was bucking a wind I could not get the rig over 50 mph. I would later learn that if you are going for a propane-powered motorhome, you are better off if you have the ability to switch to gas when you need the power. I am sure there was really not much cost savings for me, as the gas pedal was on the floor for most of my highway travel. We kept it for a few years and were able to sell it for almost what we paid for it.
Gas power
I have owned three large gas-powered class A motorhomes over the years and find them to be the most cost-effective way to travel in a motorhome. They are all built on a truck chassis. This gives you dealer service departments and chassis parts in almost every town in North America. However, it should be noted that most class A manufacturers went broke several years ago and some parts for your coach may no longer be available. So if you are shopping for a used motorhome, make sure the manufacturer is still in business. If you are handy you can do much of the maintenance yourself, including oil changes.
The only thing you really need to watch are the tires. Lots of tread means nothing: motorhomes spend most of their time parked. I am told this accelerates deterioration and any tires over five years old should be replaced. If you read some of my earlier articles you will understand why this is important.
Diesel pusher
I have always admired the beauty and prestige of the large diesel pusher. They are built on a bus chassis and are loaded with luxury features. So when it came time to replace my unit, I decided to shop for a diesel. I first needed to get my air brake license endorsement. This was a one-day course with an exam. I had not done something like that in years, so I was not looking forward to it. I got through it okay and then it was time to start shopping.
Bargain buyer beware
One more thing you should be aware of if you are shopping for a motorhome: some RV parks will not accept a coach that is over 10 years old. Oh well, there is always the park a little further down the road.
