In this article we’re going to be talking about the top three quality used Class C RV motorhomes that I can recommend as an RV inspector.
Of course, there’s lots of reasons to buy a Class C RV. But here’s an important question. Which one should you buy? And should you buy it new or used?
Well the truth is that you can save a lot of money if you buy a Class C RV motorhome on the used market.
Because you’ll save all the initial cost of a new Class C. And you’ll save on the depreciation as well.
Also, if you buy it more than a year old, most likely by that time all the little bugs and problems that came out of the RV factory has been resolved.
So there are good reasons to buy a used Class C motorhome. And this article is about my list of what I consider to be the top three quality manufacturers and models of recent used RVs.
Watch my video about buying used Class C RVs
Now we’re only going to go back about 4-5 years in the used Class C motorhome market in this article. So let’s go ahead and get started.
And we’re going to start with the full size Class C’s first. Now the full size Class C’s are very popular. And they are the ones that most people think about when they think about Class C RVs.
So here’s a general rundown of what you can expect to see in a full size Class C. Usually it’s going to be somewhere between 24 and 32 feet in length.
And you’re usually going to see them on a Ford chassis. The most common chassis models that are used are either the E-350 or the E-450.
And because it is a Ford chassis, it’s probably going to have a Ford engine in it. And that means it could be the V-10 that’s been used for years in RVs. Or in recent times, the new V-8 engine that Ford is putting out.
A Class C RV motorhome chassis
And usually in that size of Class C RV motorhomes, you have about five to seven different floor plans that you can choose from.
Also, there’s more area in these full size Class C’s. So they will sleep anywhere from six to ten people. That means it’s a really good choice for families then.
So what recommendations do I have for buying the best used Class C RV motorhome? One that’s a full size?
Well there’s three manufacturers I’m going to cover in this article. But only two are actually putting out full-size Class C’s.
My Full-Size Class C RV Recommendations
And the first one on my recommended list is Winnebago. In fact, when people think about Winnebago, I think in their mind they see a Class C RV.
That’s because Winnebago and a Class C is almost synonymous in the minds of many people.
And there’s been a model that Winnebago has put out for many years now. It’s really solid and reliable. It’s the Minnie Winnie. And this is a model that I can highly recommend to you in the full-size Class C market.
Winnebago Minnie Winnie
Next up on my list is Entegra. Now most people probably think Entegra just makes Class A RVs. But that’s not true.
In fact, they put out some nice Class C’s as well. And my recommendation is that you consider the Entegra Odyssey. It’s a very fine full-size Class C RV that’s well made.
Entegra Odyssey
What To Expect From Smaller Class C RVs
OK, now let’s talk about the smaller classes. These are the ones that are really getting popular now.
There’s a very hot market for them these days. They look almost like vans in many ways. And they’re generally built on a Mercedes chassis.
I personally feel that these smaller RVs should be called a Class B plus. But since many people refer to them as small Class C RVs, I will include them here.
They’re usually only about 25-26 feet long. And they come with a diesel engine. That’s something a lot of people like because it gives them a little bit better fuel economy.
Now there’s usually only about four to five floor plans to choose from though. And it won’t sleep quite 10 people in most cases. But you can usually get six to sleep in the smaller Class C’s without too much issue.
So what makers, manufacturers and models do I recommend in this smaller Class C or B+ category?
My Smaller Class C Recommendations
Well, once again Winnebago is a good brand to consider. They make the Navion in this size category. And again it has a Mercedes chassis that a lot of people are looking for.
Winnebago Navion
Next up is Entegra. They also make a smaller Class C. And I’m going to recommend the Qwest in their lineup.
Entegra Qwest
Finally, I’m going to add Tiffin into this mix. And you may be thinking that Tiffin only makes Class A RVs. Well believe it or not, they also make a Class C model too.
It’s a very good small Class C that’s built on the Mercedes chassis. And it’s called the Wayfarer.
If you find a used Wayfarer Class C RV, it could very well be a good choice for you. Especially if you’re looking for a smaller used Class C RV motorhome.
Tiffin Wayfarer
Well, that’s my list of the top three brands and models of used Class C RV motorhomes. Both full-size and smaller.
More Recommended Used Class C’s
Now is that all the quality recently used Class C’s that are out there? Oh no! In fact, Winnebago and Entegra build more models than just the ones I covered here.
And any of those models would be a very good choice too. Because those companies build a good quality product when compared with their competition.
Now Tiffin only builds the one Class C RV at this point. But Winnebago covers a wide range of Class C RVs. And any one of them would be a good choice too.
Best Used Class C RV Motorhome Guidebook
But there are also other fine RV manufacturers in the used Class C market too. In fact, I have made a thorough list of all of the recently used Class C RV motorhomes that I recommend.
This list is useful for buying a used Class C RV from the past 4 years or so.
There’s no way to actually test any of this. It’s just opinions that people have. And this list is just my opinion as an RV inspector.
You may not agree with it at all. And you know what? I’m not going to be offended by that either. Because everybody can have their own opinion on this subject.
But let me just explain where my opinions come from. Because there’s a few things that my opinions are mainly based on.
First of all, I’ve gone through a ton of RVs in my time. And so, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve observed a lot about the RVs I have seen too.
Secondly, I’ve done a lot of research on RVs online as well. And it’s amazing how much research you actually have to do for a website and a YouTube channel.
Also, I do lots of research for being an RV inspector too. In fact, before you go inspect a particular RV, you need to know a lot about about it. And that calls for research.
In addition, I also get to talk to a lot of people who are RV owners in my travels.
And they give you invaluable opinions and ideas about their RV. They will often tell you experiences they have had with their dealer and manufacturer, and so on.
So my opinions have kind of been formed on all of these particular points of information.
Important Things To Know About The List
Now having said that, let’s talk about the list that I’m going to provide about Class C motorhome manufacturers.
And that way you’ll understand what I’m really trying to accomplish with this list.
And the first thing is that I just don’t believe you can fairly compare a manufacturer or a brand that is targeting higher cost customers with those that are targeting entry-level buyers.
You just can’t compare those two products. And the reason for that is pretty simple. We all know you kind of get what you pay for.
So if you’re paying more money, you should expect to be getting better quality materials.
You should expect better fit and finish. Better customer service, and so on.
And what that means simply is this. If you pay about 50,000 for a Class C RV, do not feel that you can fairly compare that with one that usually costs twice that amount. It’s just not a fair comparison.
So with that in mind, I felt that the better way to do this comparison of Class C motorhome manufacturers is to compare them according to the target population that they’re trying to sell to.
And so, we’re going to have a higher cost group of manufacturers that I feel are quality brands.
Then, we’ll have a mid-range comparison. And then we’ll have a lower cost or entry level comparison.
That way, it’s a little more fair in making this list up. And we’re not just going to do this just for you new RV buyers either.
The Best Class C RVs – Both New And Used
Yes, we’re going to try to help you used Class C RV buyers out too. Because you need a little bit of guidance as well.
Especially on the Class C RV brands that seem to put out the best quality.
So we’re going to compare new Class C motorhomes today with 10 years ago.
I mean, we could do it year by year. But that would be a really long article if we did.
But instead, we’ll give you an overview between now and 10 years ago.
And that should give you pretty good guidance on how brands have changed in that time.
Finally in this list, we’re also going to include Super C’s along with regular C’s. It’s kind of important to do that.
And you’ll see as I go along why we need to include them in this article.
The Best Class C RVs – 10 Years Ago
All right, with all that said, it’s time to get into the list. And so if we were looking at a used Class C RV motorhome from 10 years ago, what were the best manufacturers then?
Well, if you’re going to buy a higher end Class C RV motorhome, the first one on my list would be Dynamax.
Dynamax is a great Class C RV manufacturer. And they make some very unique products too. They have for some time now. So we have to put them on the list.
Another one that I can include on the higher end is a Canadian company called Triple E. They’ve been building RVs for a long time, and are very strong in Class C’s and B’s.
So suppose you could find a 10 year old Triple E Class C and it’s in really good shape? Well then, it may be a very good unit for you to consider.
But we cannot even begin to have a Class C RV motorhome discussion without including Winnebago. I mean, when most people think “Winnebago”, I think the picture comes up of a Class C.
Winnebago Minnie Winnie
That’s because we’ve seen so many Class C Winnebagos over the years out there on the road. So yes, they are a great manufacturer. And they’re known for producing quality products across the years.
Mid-range Class C RV brands – 10 years ago
Then, in the mid-range category 10 years ago, we don’t want to forget a company called Lazy Daze.
Now Lazy Daze is very unique. They’re a smaller company and they don’t even want to build in big volume.
Their viewpoint is that we’re going to build only the number of coaches we feel we can build with good quality. And that’s what they do.
So they’re a little bit harder to come by. But if you do find one, it could be something worth looking into closely.
And finally, on the low end from 10 years ago, we’re going to give a nod toward Jayco and Georgie Boy.
Jayco Greyhawk
So those are all good considerations for used Class C RV motorhomes from 10 years ago.
The Best Class C RV Brands – Today
Now let’s bring it all forward to today. And things have changed a lot in the Class C RV motorhome market.
You know, the big change is Super C’s. And Super C’s are bigger. They’ve also got more room and more power than regular Class C RV motorhomes.
Now finally I want to mention something here when we’re talking about new RVs.
You know, I gave you the list of new RV manufacturers that I feel do well in the Class C RV motorhome category.
But let me say that there is a real quality control issue in the RV industry these days.
And what that means is that manufacturers are just turning out RVs like crazy now.
But they’re often not instituting quality control practices that make sure that those units go out in really good shape.
What These Quality Issues Mean For You
So here’s what happens. The dealer receives a Class C RV from the manufacturer.
But they’re often not really spending lots of time going through every one that comes in.
So they’ll wait till they sell it you. And then you’ll take the RV out on your first camping trip.
And you’re so excited on your first trip out there. But then you find that the RV has all these problems that need to be addressed.
So when you come back from your first trip, you bring it back to the dealer. And you tell them about all the problems that you have found.
Then the dealer says “Don’t worry about it. It’s no problem. We’ll fix it under warranty. All you have to do is leave it with us for about two to four weeks. That’s because we’ve got a lot of repair work and tons of other warranty work we’ve got to do and so on.”
So now you can’t just take that new RV back out again. Instead, you have to wait till it’s fixed and you get it back. Then you can finally go back out and enjoy another trip.
But on the following trip you find some other issues that were missed the first time. So you go back and you go through the same process again with the dealer.
And this repeats itself very often with many buyers in the new RV market. Especially over the course of the first year of ownership.
When Do You Get The RV You Paid For?
Now sure enough, Class C RV manufacturers usually stand behind all these quality control issues.
But you don’t get the RV you paid for until about a year down the line.
And that’s not good! This is not a great statement about the way things are being done right now in the RV industry.
By many manufacturers and RV dealers. Not just Class C RV manufacturers
Of course, it’s not all of them. But the reason I’m bringing this up is this. Suppose you buy an RV from the list of brands that I gave you.
And then you realize that you’re going through this situation I just described. Well unfortunately, you’re not alone!
This is happening in many of the brands. And I wish it was different. But it isn’t.
Now it doesn’t mean they’re not building quality units. Or it doesn’t mean you’re not going to get the quality RV that you want.
It just means quality control at the factory is not what it should be. So many buyers are turning to actually hiring RV inspectors for new RV purchases.
The Best New Class C RV – Use An Inspector
The RV inspector can go through the new RV before the buyer takes possession of it.
In fact, I get requests for that kind of inspection all the time. Now the advantage of having an RV inspector is because we find all those issues for you. And we find them all at once before you take delivery of the RV.
So then we give you the list of issues on the RV. And then you can give the list to the dealer for repair.
So then he fixes it under warranty right then. And you get the RV that you want from day one.
So that’s what seems to be what’s working well in the buying process these days.
But here’s the point I’m trying to make. Suppose you’re going to buy a new Class C motorhome from a quality brand from this list.
If you do, don’t be surprised that you still have to go through this process that I just described.
But hopefully the list that I gave you in this article has been helpful anyway.
And hopefully the things we’ve talked about will help you buy that next RV if it’s a Class C.
At least, I hope that what I’ve shared with you has given you something to think about. Something to consider and to add in with all the things that you’re learning about RVs.
And that way you can make a very good buying decision for your Class C RV motorhome.
Well that’s it for now. Have safe and happy travels!
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