The Best Small Diesel Pusher Motorhomes

This article is going to be talking about small diesel pusher motorhomes.

And especially those that I can recommend for you to consider for purchase.

And when people think about diesel pusher Class A Motorhomes, they usually get this image in their mind of the big boys.

You know, the 40 to 45 foot diesel pushers, maybe with tag axles and all of that.

And sure enough, those are the luxury kings of the highway in the RV world.

However, suppose you want a Class A with a diesel engine in it. But you don’t want it to be so big.

Watch my video on small diesel pusher motorhomes

Table of Contents

Why You May Want A Small Diesel Pusher

And there can be lots of reasons for that. For instance, maybe you just want something that’s a lot easier to drive.

An RV that’s more nimble, more agile, and easier to get around in.

Or maybe it’s all about camping. And you really want to be able to get into more campsites.

And fit into places that those big diesel pushers have a hard time getting into.

Or maybe you like to boondock. And of course, the big diesel pushers can do that, but it’s a lot more challenging for them.

Well, the first question is, do they even make quality small diesel pusher motorhomes these days?

I’m happy to say that the answer is, yes they do. And I’m going to cover four of the brands and models that I think you really should look at.

Diesel Pusher Brand #1

So let’s get started with number one on the list. And that is going to be Tiffin.

They are a great Class A manufacturer. And Tiffin makes the Allegro Breeze.

Small diesel pusher motorhomes - the Tiffin Allegro Breeze
Tiffin Allegro Breeze

Now the Breeze comes in only 33 feet. And that’s much smaller than those big diesel pusher class A’s.

But they’re only going to offer you one floor plan though. And by the way, that’s kind of standard among these RV manufacturers in this size. Just one floor plan.

Allegro Breeze Floor Plan
Allegro Breeze Floor Plan

But they’re going to put in a Cummins 340 horsepower engine. And then marry that to an Allison transmission, which is a great combination.

And they put this drivetrain in their Power Glide chassis. Which is the Tiffin proprietary chassis that they designed.

Now Tiffin doesn’t give you a lot of information about MSRP on their website though.

So I went to RV Trader online and I looked for new Allegro Breezes and what they typically sell for.

What I found is that generally they start around $365,000. And you can adjust from there for the actual sales price.

Small Diesel Pusher Motorhomes Brand #2

Now let’s move on to number two on our list. And that’s Fleetwood.

And once again, they are a great manufacturer that’s been around for years.

Their small diesel pusher motorhome model is the Pace Arrow. And it’s a nice older brand model that’s really recognized in the RV industry.

Small diesel pusher motorhomes - the Fleetwood Pace Arrow
Fleetwood Pace Arrow

Once again, the Pace Arrow also will come in at 33 feet. And there’s just one floor plan, like normal.

Fleetwood Pace Arrow Floor Plan
Pace Arrow Floor Plan

They’re also going to put in the Cummins 340 horsepower engine with an Allison transmission.

But this time they’re going to put it in a Freightliner chassis instead.

Now let’s comment on a couple things here. First, the 340 horsepower engine should be just fine for moving an RV of that size around.

So you really shouldn’t have any problem with power with that engine in a smaller RV.

And a Freightliner chassis is the choice of the vast majority of diesel pusher manufacturers.

So when you get the diesel 340 horsepower engine and the Allison transmission in a Freightliner chassis, that’s a great combination.

Now regarding price, Fleetwood lists their MSRP at $326,000 for the Pace Arrow.

Smaller Diesel Pusher Brand #3

All right, let’s move on to number three on the list. And you really didn’t think I was going to get through a diesel pusher list without mentioning Newmar, did you?

Because of course, they’re one of my favorite RV manufacturers for quality.

And Newmar makes the Kountry Star. And the Kountry Star can come in a length as low as 34 feet.

Small diesel pusher motorhomes - the Newmar Kountry Star
The Newmar Kountry Star

Now they’re going to offer you two floor plans here. So at least they give you a little bit of choice in this area.

Newmar Kountry Star floor plans
Newmar Kountry Star Floor Plans

And they will put a Cummins 360 horsepower engine in it. Along with an Allison transmission, in a Freightliner chassis for you at that length.

And their MSRP is going to be around $378,000. Now that makes them the most expensive choice in this group that I’m going to give you today.

But it is well worth consideration for the value that Newmar builds into their RVs.

The Fourth Small Diesel Pusher Brand

So let’s move on to the fourth and final small diesel pusher motorhome we’re going to talk about today.

And that’s the Winnebago Forza. Now the Forza can come in around 35 feet in length.

Small diesel pusher motorhomes - the Winnebago Forza
The Winnebago Forza

And that’s a little bit more than some of the others we talked about here. But not a lot more, and much less than 40 to 45 feet.

Once again, one floor plan is all they’re going to offer you. And they’re going to go back to the tried and true Cummins 340 horsepower engine.

The Winnebago Forza floor plan
The Winnebago Forza Floor Plan

Then they pair that with an Allison transmission in a Freightliner chassis.

All of that is a great combination, and their MSRP is right around $338,000.

Okay, so those are four small diesel pusher motorhomes made by great manufacturers.

And any of them would be very good place to start when you’re thinking about getting into this kind of smaller RV.

More Small Diesel Pusher Motorhomes Brands

Now here’s an interesting question. Is that all the small diesel pusher motorhomes that I can recommend for you?

And the answer is, no it’s not. I have created a guidebook for Class A motorhomes that are built with better quality than their competition.

And there’s more small diesel pusher RVs on my recommended brands list.

Now the guidebook includes everything. Which means that it includes the larger diesel pushers as well as the smaller ones.

And it also includes gas RVs too. So if you’re thinking about a smaller, more nimble RV, that might be something you want to compare to these smaller diesel pushers as well.

You can download my guidebook if you like and go through it. And it will give you all of the manufacturers and the brands that I recommend.

Class A motorhomes guidebook

That way, you have the most to choose from for small diesel pusher motorhomes.

Don’t Forget To Get The RV Inspected

Now before we go further though, let me say this. Remember to always get any new or used RV that you buy, inspected before you take ownership.

That’s because almost all RV brands these days are having some kind of quality control issues.

So you need to be able to find those problems that are coming out of the factory. And get them fixed before you take delivery of the RV.

Unfortunately, dealers are not doing the job on that score. In fact, there are a lot of dealers that are doing very poor pre-delivery inspections these days.

So get a certified inspector for your RV. And have him go through the whole RV from top to bottom, even if it’s new.

And then let him develop a list of all the issues and problems that are on that RV.

Certified RV Inspector
Certified RV Inspector

Once you have that punch list in hand, give it to the dealer or to the private seller, whichever it may be.

And let them know that you’re a serious buyer. You want this RV, but you want these things fixed before you take delivery of the RV.

Now that’s very important. If you wait till after money has changed hands, there’s nowhere near the incentive to get those things taken care of like they should be.

So make sure that you get all the issues fixed before you take delivery.

Conclusion

Now let’s review. If you get a small diesel pusher RV from the list that I gave you today of brands and models or from the ones in my guidebook.

And if you have them inspected thoroughly before purchase and get a list of all the issues.

Then if you get the issues fixed before you take ownership. Well that my friends, is the best way to make sure that you get the small diesel pusher RV of your dreams.

Have safe and happy travels my friends.

Gas Class A Motorhomes – The Top 3 Choices

This article is about the best gas Class A motorhomes. Or at least the top three anyway.

Now when people think about Class A RVs, they’re usually thinking about diesel pushers.

Watch my video on the best gas Class A motorhomes to buy

Table of Contents

Gas vs Diesel Motorhomes

But as soon as you put a diesel engine in a Class A motorhome, the cost starts rising for all sorts of things.

For instance, the engine itself is just going to cost you more than a gasoline engine.

So that means the initial cost of the RV itself is going to be more.

But RV manufacturers know that diesel engines push around a lot of weight too.

And as a result, they stuff all sorts of luxuries and amenities in those diesel pushers that are expensive to maintain.

Also, there are higher costs associated with maintenance and repairs of the engine itself. Especially for larger repairs on diesel engines.

Diesel engine
Repairing diesel engines can be costly

So what are we saying here? Well, I’m basically saying that gas Class A motorhomes are just more affordable overall than diesel pushers.

Gas Class A motorhomes

Now usually you’re going to find that gas powered motorhomes are built on a Ford chassis these days.

And that chassis will most often have a V-8 gasoline engine in it now.

Gas Class A Motorhomes Ford chassis
Gas Class A Ford chassis

Of course, the Ford chassis used to have a V-10 engine to power many motorhome RVs.

But they switched to the V-8 engine with 350 horsepower instead in recent years.

And the Ford chassis is very popular with RV manufacturers. The reason for that is because it’s generally proven and reliable.

It’s been in use for many years by the RV industry and so they can count on it.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s perfect. And one of the biggest complaints about the Ford chassis is its ride and handling.

Gas Class A RV Chassis Suspension

Of course, you can usually take care of that by upgrading the suspension with aftermarket products.

And one of the best ways to do that is with what’s called a Liquid Spring suspension system.

In fact, it works so well that Tiffin, one of the largest Class A manufacturers, actually offers the Liquid Spring suspension as an upgrade right at their factory.

But it’s not cheap. Especially if you buy Liquid Spring suspension on the aftermarket and have it installed.

Usually it’s going to be at least $12,000 for that kind of suspension upgrade. And obviously, that keeps a lot of people from buying it.

Ford Chassis Affordable Suspension Upgrades

Now what you could do that’s less expensive, is upgrade many of the chassis suspension components.

For instance, you could install Koni shocks all around. Or you could put a steering stabilizer bar on the coach.

Koni shocks
Koni shocks

Steering stabilizers are very popular. And that’s what we have on our Class A diesel pusher. It works very well.

But beyond that, many gas Class A motorhome owners also install Sumo Springs. And these beefy springs help prevent sway and rocking.

Sumo Springs
Sumo Springs

Now by making these adjustments, very often you hear owners say that they’re very happy with the results that they’ve gotten from making these suspension upgrades.

Gas Class A Interiors

But there’s another thing that a lot of people kind of complain about with gas Class A RVs. And that is the motorhome’s interior.

They say that they’re drab when compared to diesel pushers. And when you look back over the years. they do have a point there.

But the newer Class A RV interiors are much nicer in recent years. And I invite you to take a look at them to see if you feel the same way.

Alright, having said all of that let’s get to my list of the top three gas Class A motorhomes that I can recommend as being a quality choice.

Top Rated Gas Class A #1

And number one on the list is one of my favorite manufacturers. That’s Newmar. And they make the Bay Star.

Newmar Bay Star Gas Class A Motorhomes
Newmar Bay Star

Now the Bay Star comes with 11 different floor plans to choose from. So most likely, you’re going to find a floor plan in there somewhere that you like.

But they also give you a wide variety of lengths to choose from too. All the way from 30 feet up to 38 feet.

And you know, there’s a lot of RVers that really want a shorter Class A. That’s because they want to go boondocking.

Or they want to get into national parks and forests where the sites are smaller. And the same thing applies with state parks too.

Or maybe they just like being able to drive around a smaller RV in general.

Well, a 30-footer is a very good choice then. And Newmar can fulfill that easily with the Bay Star.

Also, the MSRP for the Bay Star is right around $229,000. And you can discount from there for the actual sale price.

Top Rated Gas Class A #2

Number two on the list is the Tiffin Open Road. And the Open Road has been in use for years and years.

Tiffin Open Road
Tiffin Open Road

There are lots of fans out there for that particular model. But Tiffin only offers you five floor plans for the Open Road at this point.

And they also cut down the choice of motorhome length as well. In fact, the range goes from 34 to 38 feet.

Now 34 feet is still much shorter than many Class A motorhomes out there. So it still could be a good choice for you if you want a smaller RV.

Now from what I can tell on RV Trader, it looks like most Tiffin Open Road RVs in 2023 are being offered for around $230,000.

At least that appears to be the average for brand new. And then you can discount from there for the actual sale price.

Top Rated Gas Class A #3

Number three on the list is the Entegra Emblem. And Entegra builds a great Class A RV.

Entegra Emblem Gas Class A Motorhomes
Entegra Emblem

Unfortunately, the Emblem only comes in three floor plans. So they’re not giving you a lot of choice there.

And they eliminate the choice of length because all three floor plans are 38 feet in length. But what a great RV though!

And I’m sure you would like it if you like the floor plans they offer at that length.

Now the Entegra Emblem’s MSRP will be right around $229,000 also. And then you can discount from there for the actual sale price.

So as you can see, all three of these choices are right around the same cost.

Also, all three are very good quality brands that I can recommend for you.

More Great Brands To Consider

Now does that mean these are all of the gas Class A brands that I can recommend? Or is that all that’s on my list of better brands?

Not even by a long shot! There are plenty more gas Class A RVs that I can recommend for you to consider.

In fact, I created a guidebook that lists the best Class A RV brands to choose from.

Gas Class A Motorhomes Guidebook

And right in that guidebook is the section on gas Class A RVs. So I recommend that you download the guidebook and go through it.

Because it will give you all of the brands that I can recommend for consideration.

You know, the ones I mentioned here in this article are a very good place to start.

But the guidebook’s list will give you lots more to choose from. So consider getting that guidebook for an even more complete listing of quality brands.

Now there is another thing that I want to mention to you at this point though.

What You Must Do Before You Buy

And that is that if you buy a new gas Class A motorhome these days, make sure that you get it inspected before you take delivery of that RV.

Now does that include the manufacturers that I talked about today in this article? Yes it does.

And does it include the ones that’s on my full quality list too? Yes it does.

And that’s because every brand out there pretty much has some kind of quality control issues going on these days. Even some of the best quality brands to some extent!

And on top of that, dealers are many times not performing anywhere near a quality pre-delivery inspection when they get new RVs from the manufacturers.

So I highly recommend that you protect yourself in the buying process. And you can do that by hiring a certified NRVIA inspector.

NRVIA Certified RV Technician Badge
Get an inspector that is certified by the NRVIA

They will go through that new RV right out of the factory and find the majority of issues that are in it.

And then he will give you the list of problems that he found in his inspection.

How To Get RV Problems Fixed

You can then hand that to the dealer as a punch list of problems that needs fixing.

And tell him “I love this RV and I’m ready to buy it. Just as soon as you fix all of these items to my satisfaction.”

Now if you do that before you take delivery of the RV, you’ll find that you’ll get very good service as a result of that.

Conclusion

Now let’s take a quick review of the best way to buy a new motorhome.

The first step is to buy an RV from my list of the best Class A gas motorhomes. Then get it inspected before you buy it.

And finally, get any problems and issues fixed before you take delivery.

And if you follow that advice, you can expect to get the RV that you paid for from the very first day of ownership.

Have safe and happy travels my friends!

Is An Airstream RV Worth The Money?

This article is all about whether an Airstream RV is really worth it. In other words, is the price you typically pay for an Airstream travel trailer justified?

You know, Airstream has been in business for almost 90 years now. What an incredible achievement that is in this day and age!

And unlike most RVs they’ve hardly changed the appearance of their product during all of that time either. And it’s a very unique look.

Now you see lots of Airstreams on the road today. And in fact, they’re probably more popular now than they have even been in the past.

But that still leads us back to our original question. And that is, “is Airstream worth the money you pay for them”?

Watch my video on whether Airstreams Are Worth It Or Not

Table of Contents

Airstream RV Pro #1

Well, let’s cover the pros and the cons of buying an Airstream first. And the number one pro to start with is the quality workmanship and materials.

For instance, Airstream uses a steel frame with an aluminum shell that’s riveted onto it.

Airstream RV with steel frame and aluminum shell
Airstream RV steel frame with aluminum shell

Now does that remind you of anything? Well it should. Because in the World War II era, that’s how they built airplanes for the war.

Yes, they made them very light and very strong as a result of using those materials.

So Airstream has chosen to use that method of construction for their travel trailers now. And does it work?

Well generally speaking, I would say yes. That’s because Airstream says that almost 70 percent of all the Airstreams ever made are still in use today!

Airstream Travel Trailer Pro #2

And that brings us to our second pro to consider. And that is that they just last longer than most other travel trailers.

In fact, there are some Airstream travel trailers from the 1930s when the company first began, that are still in use today.

Many older Airstreams are still in use today
Many older Airstreams are still in use today

Now how many travel trailer manufacturers do you know of today that can say that?

Yes, how many are projecting that in 90 years their products are still going to be happily traveling down the highway? The answer is, not many!

Airstream RV #3

And that brings us to our next pro. Which is, there’s extremely high customer satisfaction with the Airstream products they buy.

And also with the company itself. There are plenty of online reviews about Airstreams that indicate overall satisfaction with their RV.

Now of course, they do mention certain things that they’d like to see done better. And that’s to be expected.

But when they’re asked if they’re pleased with the product and the service they’ve received, they overwhelmingly say “yes”.

And that really is something that most RV manufacturers should aspire to, but many don’t duplicate.

So there’s an incredibly high customer satisfaction with Airstream RVs.

Airstream Pro #4

Next on the list of Airstream pros is that they’re very aerodynamic going down the road. And they have a low profile. Now what does that mean?

Airstream travel trailers are very aerodynamic
Airstream travel trailers are very aerodynamic

Well good aerodynamics means great fuel mileage for those that are towing Airstream travel trailers. And that’s a big pro due to the fuel savings at the pump.

Airstream Travel Trailer Pro #5

Then the next pro is incredibly high resale values for many Airstream RVs.

It’s really amazing how often you read about people that own Airstreams talking about their resale value.

In fact, many tell their story of how they bought their Airstream years ago, maybe decades ago.

And then they turned around and sold it for more than they originally bought it for.

Of course, that doesn’t always happen. But it is an established fact that Airstream travel trailers have an incredibly high resale value.

And that’s a big pro for those who don’t like to see their RV’s value decline swiftly.

Final Airstream Pro

Now here’s the final pro we’re going to talk about in this article. And that is that there is a unique tight-knit and social community of Airstream owners.

So if you want to be part of a community. And if you want to feel like you’re in with a group that provides a lot of help and support.

Then you can enjoy all of that and regular social activities when you get an Airstream.

And that’s because there’s a real collection of communities that work together among Airstream owners.

OK now, that brings us to the cons of Airstream RVs. Because nothing is perfect, right?

Airstream RV Con #1

So the number one con without question is the high cost of Airstream travel trailers.

And remember we’re trying to answer the question “is Airstream worth the money”?

Well they are far more expensive than most travel trailers you find on the market.

Especially Airstreams where you normally have two people living fairly comfortably in them.

Well then, you’re starting in the $80,000 to $90,000 range, and it goes up from there.

In fact, it’s really not uncommon to spend $150,000 for an Airstream travel trailer these days. And that’s way more than most other travel trailer brands.

So the cost of Airstreams can be considered a con. Because not a lot of people can afford that kind of money for a travel trailer.

Con #2 For Airstream Travel Trailers

Now, number two on the con list is that Airstreams do not come with slide-out rooms.

Of course, there was a time that Airstream actually built some that had slides in them.

But they stopped that. And they haven’t made RVs with slides for a while now.

Airstream travel trailers do not usually have slide out rooms
Airstream travel trailers do not usually have slide out rooms

So what does that mean? Well, it means less living area than you’re going to find in most other travel trailers.

In fact, if you’re going to buy an Airstream, expect to be living in less than 200 square feet.

And that kind of small living space is a con for many buyers.

Airstream Con #3

Now the third con we’re going to talk about here is that beautiful aluminum skin.

Of course, it’s very unique and it looks so nice. But as many Airstream owners will tell you, it’s easily damaged.

In fact, it can be very easily scratched and dented too. And if you want to fix that, it’s not going to be cheap.

So the outer shell can be very expensive to repair. And that could be considered a con for many buyers.

Airstream RV Con #4

Now the next con is there’s very limited outside storage space in most Airstreams.

You know how most travel trailers have that little storage area up front on the bottom? Well not Airstream.

Instead, they generally only have one storage space. And it’s most often in the back of the RV, and it fills up very fast.

So keep that in mind if you’re considering an Airstream travel trailer. You will need some other way to carry many items for storage along with you.

Con #5 For Airstreams

Now the next con for Airstream RVs is that the kitchens are usually very small.

So if you like to cook a lot, and you like to have plenty of space to work in, Airstream is not going to be a great choice for that.

An Airstream RV usually has a very small kitchen
An Airstream RV usually has a very small kitchen

And that’s because there’s super limited counter space in most Airstreams.

Also, the refrigerator is often very small too. So this is another area where there’s going to be a lot of adjustment for most people in an Airstream kitchen.

Final Airstream Con

Now the final con we’re going to cover here is the Airstream’s low ground clearance.

Remember how I mentioned that Airstreams are aerodynamic and low profile?

Well, to achieve that, they sort of sit down fairly low to the ground. And what that means is if you want to take them off-road, you better be careful.

Because they do sit very low to the ground. So many owners who use them that way often install lift kits, and then they’re fine for boondocking.

Well, those are the pros and the cons of buying an Airstream RV.

Now that doesn’t mean we have covered all the Airstream pros. And it doesn’t mean we covered all of the cons either.

But these are the ones that I felt might impact most RV buyers the most.

Is Buying An Airstream RV Worth It?

So we get back to the question then, “Is Airstream worth the money you spend for them”?

And my answer is this it depends on what you want from a travel trailer. And what kind of RVer you tend to be.

Suppose you’re a weekend RVer or you just like to vacation in an RV every now and then.

Well, the cost of RVing trips is really going to be high for you if you buy an Airstream in that case.

And it’s kind of hard to financially justify that unless you have plenty of available cash to spend.

But for most people, it’s just going to be too much money to spend for each RV trip.

Especially if they’re not going to be using their RV on a really regular basis.

However, that changes if you are a part-time RVer, a snowbird, or a full-time RVer instead.

In that case, an Airstream’s quality construction can really be important to consider. It’s going to make that travel trailer last so much longer than, and better than, most others on the market.

And that’s a huge attractive point in favor of buying an Airstream RV.

In fact, that point alone can really make Airstreams worth the money that you spend on them.

Conclusion

But let me say this. If you’re going to buy an Airstream, whether it’s new or used, let me remind you to get it inspected before you buy it.

Yes, even quality manufacturers like Airstream are still having some quality control issues these days.

So a certified RV inspector can help you find those problems. And you can get them fixed before you take delivery of the RV.

Then you’ll have the Airstream that you want from the very first day of ownership.

So my final thought is this. If you decide to buy an Airstream, you can be sure that it really is a quality product.

In fact, it may even last you a lifetime of your RV travels and adventures.

Have safe and happy travels my friends!

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