I have been researching DPs and have come to the realization the my BH isn't going to full time however; I travel quite a bit anyway and will use it in my business staying for months at a time. So....being by myself most of the time in a 45' motorhome.....Is having a slide/s a big difference? There is a big difference in cost. I see many of you in motorhomes don't have slides, do you want them after being out there for a while? I am buying used but want to buy my third motorhome first.
Thoughts?
TRAILERKING said
10:08 AM Jan 19, 2014
My 12' slide only comes out about 18" and it makes a HUGE difference for room. Most all newer units will have slides............especially the 45' variety.
bigredoes said
10:09 AM Jan 19, 2014
Currently have 4.....wishing they figured out a way to make it 5
Lucky Mike said
10:12 AM Jan 19, 2014
I have had it both ways......at the present I have no slide with a wide body coach....2 to 3 feet doesnt seem like much in judging a rig in length because all your doing is cutting down storage space...but 2 to 3 feet in width starts cutting down on actual living space.
as a boondocker I thought not having slides would be the way to go because I would be less noticeable during layovers in parking lots or while playing "Hide and go Seek" in a wooded area and it does have its advantages but I found it cut down on the over day to day living arrangement and the walls seemed to get closer without having to push a button!!!
Most slides are in high traffic areas....in the main salon its almost a must once you been in one for a while....in the bedroom not so much , the 8 hours you spend in there your on the bed and the slide only comes in handy while making the bed.
Im moving back up to a slide again this year............Nikki thinks this one is Smaller than her dog house!!
TRAILERKING said
10:19 AM Jan 19, 2014
Usually when we just lay-over for the night we don't even pop the slide out. On ours the interior is totally functional with the slide in too.
WestWardHo said
10:44 AM Jan 19, 2014
Our full time friends in an older MH with no slides are continually amazed at our "space" when they visit. We have three and we wish we had a fourth in the bedroom. No biggie but that's the one place we can't pass each other if both in the same room.
Sherry
bjoyce said
11:00 AM Jan 19, 2014
I know this is not your question, but why 45' for one person? 40 foot limits us enough in campgrounds, I don't want to go longer. We have friends who have moved up to 42 and 43' DPs and they have found their campsite choices more limited, some have gone back to smaller and the others are living with it since they like the extra room.
On slides, both of our motorhomes had two, one in back and one in front. We like having the room.
You can get some great deals on older DPs with no slides, since most people want slides and the no-slide ones sell cheaper. Around 2000 or so almost all DPs came with slides, the manufacturers found little demand for no-slide models.
RVRon said
12:15 PM Jan 19, 2014
I'd agree with what Mike and Bill have said. A 45' MH with no slides would be like living in an extended hallway. It wouldn't be as bad for one person since there isn't anyone to pass by walking back and forth but I think it would still feel mighty cramped after while. Bill is right on with the advice to go shorter. We have a 34' Class A with 3 slides and have absolutely no complaints... we have lots of space inside and rarely have any trouble finding a campsite we can fit on. I think I'd find a way to trade in the 45' rig and maybe get something in the 30-35' range with 1-2 slides. Lots more quality of life inside and broader horizons for parking spots.
manycats said
05:55 PM Jan 19, 2014
Of course, I have to chime in. My DH worked at a dealership when there were no slides, only "tip-outs" and they caused what southerners call a heap o'trouble. Slides give you an open space feeling but no more storage and can also cause that same heap o'trouble.
As long as the weather is agreeable we spend most of our time outside, if it's rainy or nasty and we're inside, there's only two of us so we don't mind the "togetherness". Actually, we're more polite and nice to each other so we don't step on each other's toes! In our S&B we have to walk to different rooms to talk or I have to yell "Dinner's ready, come and get it". I don't mind slides but I won't go out of my way for them either.
kb0zke said
08:22 PM Jan 19, 2014
This is one topic that is sure to generate a lot of discussion, and most of it will be opinion (including mine).
First of all, no matter how you figure it, slides add weight, maintenance, and living space. They cost money and storage capacity. Only you can decide which trade-off is best for you.
We had a small slide on our small mpg TT, and it was quite helpful on that small rig. We travel with a cat, though, so before we could let her out of her travel kennel we had to block all access to under the slide that she might try to find. That was one of the reasons why we deliberately looked for a non-slide coach. A bigger reason was that we really couldn't afford one.
This summer we took a trip from SW Missouri to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a family reunion. The original plan was that it would be just Jo Ann, the cat, and me. About a week before the trip my sister decided to go with us. After we got to the reunion we decided not to use the shelter we had planned on, and the 10 of us did all of our visiting in our 40' non-slide MH. We did eat outside, though.
With others, I wonder why you need such a large coach for only one person. You did mention some business use, though, so maybe the additional space is needed for that. If not, I would think that you might find a 36' coach to be plenty big for you. I don't know where you are in the country, but if you could get down to Texas you could check PPL or Motorhomesoftexas and see examples of different coaches. PPL has hundreds of coaches to look at, while MOT has only a dozen or so. The big advantage of MOT is that you can easily go from a 36' Foretravel to a 40' Foretravel in only a few steps, so the comparison is easier to make.
I always repeat the advice we were given: buy the highest quality coach you can find.
Airplane Guy said
09:28 PM Jan 23, 2014
Thanks David, I'm looking at Newell, Foretravel was my second pick. You all provide so much great insight, thank you. Yes I will be using it for business so I do need the room, you are right on when you mentioned the additional weight slides add.
Bob
Technomadia said
10:16 PM Jan 23, 2014
We've been slide-free for nearly 8 years... and have no regrets. We love the simplicity of our setup, and having less to worry about going wrong - and our space feels abundant. We currently full time in a 35' narrow body bus conversion (only 96" wide) and it feels very spacious to us. We also both work out of our RV - it really all comes down to layout as to what will work for you.
Now, that's not to say that sometimes we have entertainment envy when we visit friends with slides and they have room to host a dance party, or lots of people over for happy hour! But overall, nope - don't feel slides are necessary for our current style.
- Cherie
The Bear II said
07:55 AM Jan 24, 2014
One of the advantages with slides when there are two or more people is the wider space to get by each other when walking through the coach. In our no slide RV there was a bottle neck at the kitchen and dinette area. One person would have to step aside to let the other by to get to the bathroom.
With one person in the coach majority of the time, I don't think slides would be that important.
Airplane Guy said
07:07 AM Feb 5, 2014
Thanks to all of you for your feedback.....much appreciated. Decided on a Newell, go to finalize the deal on Friday, no slides and it will be just me 90% of the time. I will be using it for work for the next couple of years, or less.
TRAILERKING said
10:30 PM Feb 8, 2014
Airplane Guy wrote:
Thanks to all of you for your feedback.....much appreciated. Decided on a Newell, go to finalize the deal on Friday, no slides and it will be just me 90% of the time. I will be using it for work for the next couple of years, or less.
UPDATE.......Did you close the deal??
VanMar said
06:33 AM Feb 9, 2014
TRAILERKING wrote:
UPDATE.......Did you close the deal??
PICS.....or it didn't happen!
Airplane Guy said
08:10 PM Feb 10, 2014
I went to do the pre buy on the coach Friday.... It was as represented and everything I expected. The owner was very transparent and disclosed everything. I sent off the oil samples from the main diesel and the generator and will have the results back this week. After I get the results and all is well, I will wire transfer the money and go get it this Saturday.
TRAILERKING said
09:02 PM Feb 10, 2014
Cool to hear..........Post some pic's when you get it.
Airplane Guy said
07:36 PM Feb 17, 2014
Picked up the coach today! Only made it half way home due to the ice storm! Oh well, dry and warm in Walmart's parking lot Just west of Lexington KY. May make it home tomorrow.
Airplane Guy said
09:45 PM Feb 18, 2014
Made it home with no problems!
mpierce said
10:00 AM Feb 27, 2014
Pics? Or, as they say, didn't happen! LOL
We currently have two slides on our toy hauler. After looking at the BB that Ed and Lessie had at the Boondocking Rally, we are considering going that route. Can get an older, top notch coach, without slides, for a reasonable price, because most demand slides.
Airplane Guy said
06:49 AM Feb 28, 2014
I have been full-time now for 4 days!....I will post a few pics when I figure out how to do it.
I have been researching DPs and have come to the realization the my BH isn't going to full time however; I travel quite a bit anyway and will use it in my business staying for months at a time. So....being by myself most of the time in a 45' motorhome.....Is having a slide/s a big difference? There is a big difference in cost. I see many of you in motorhomes don't have slides, do you want them after being out there for a while? I am buying used but want to buy my third motorhome first.
Thoughts?
My 12' slide only comes out about 18" and it makes a HUGE difference for room. Most all newer units will have slides............especially the 45' variety.
as a boondocker I thought not having slides would be the way to go because I would be less noticeable during layovers in parking lots or while playing "Hide and go Seek" in a wooded area and it does have its advantages but I found it cut down on the over day to day living arrangement and the walls seemed to get closer without having to push a button!!!
Most slides are in high traffic areas....in the main salon its almost a must once you been in one for a while....in the bedroom not so much , the 8 hours you spend in there your on the bed and the slide only comes in handy while making the bed.
Im moving back up to a slide again this year............Nikki thinks this one is Smaller than her dog house!!
Sherry
On slides, both of our motorhomes had two, one in back and one in front. We like having the room.
You can get some great deals on older DPs with no slides, since most people want slides and the no-slide ones sell cheaper. Around 2000 or so almost all DPs came with slides, the manufacturers found little demand for no-slide models.
I'd agree with what Mike and Bill have said. A 45' MH with no slides would be like living in an extended hallway. It wouldn't be as bad for one person since there isn't anyone to pass by walking back and forth but I think it would still feel mighty cramped after while. Bill is right on with the advice to go shorter. We have a 34' Class A with 3 slides and have absolutely no complaints... we have lots of space inside and rarely have any trouble finding a campsite we can fit on. I think I'd find a way to trade in the 45' rig and maybe get something in the 30-35' range with 1-2 slides. Lots more quality of life inside and broader horizons for parking spots.
As long as the weather is agreeable we spend most of our time outside, if it's rainy or nasty and we're inside, there's only two of us so we don't mind the "togetherness". Actually, we're more polite and nice to each other so we don't step on each other's toes! In our S&B we have to walk to different rooms to talk or I have to yell "Dinner's ready, come and get it". I don't mind slides but I won't go out of my way for them either.
First of all, no matter how you figure it, slides add weight, maintenance, and living space. They cost money and storage capacity. Only you can decide which trade-off is best for you.
We had a small slide on our small mpg TT, and it was quite helpful on that small rig. We travel with a cat, though, so before we could let her out of her travel kennel we had to block all access to under the slide that she might try to find. That was one of the reasons why we deliberately looked for a non-slide coach. A bigger reason was that we really couldn't afford one.
This summer we took a trip from SW Missouri to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a family reunion. The original plan was that it would be just Jo Ann, the cat, and me. About a week before the trip my sister decided to go with us. After we got to the reunion we decided not to use the shelter we had planned on, and the 10 of us did all of our visiting in our 40' non-slide MH. We did eat outside, though.
With others, I wonder why you need such a large coach for only one person. You did mention some business use, though, so maybe the additional space is needed for that. If not, I would think that you might find a 36' coach to be plenty big for you. I don't know where you are in the country, but if you could get down to Texas you could check PPL or Motorhomesoftexas and see examples of different coaches. PPL has hundreds of coaches to look at, while MOT has only a dozen or so. The big advantage of MOT is that you can easily go from a 36' Foretravel to a 40' Foretravel in only a few steps, so the comparison is easier to make.
I always repeat the advice we were given: buy the highest quality coach you can find.
Thanks David, I'm looking at Newell, Foretravel was my second pick. You all provide so much great insight, thank you. Yes I will be using it for business so I do need the room, you are right on when you mentioned the additional weight slides add.
Bob
Now, that's not to say that sometimes we have entertainment envy when we visit friends with slides and they have room to host a dance party, or lots of people over for happy hour! But overall, nope - don't feel slides are necessary for our current style.
- Cherie
With one person in the coach majority of the time, I don't think slides would be that important.
Thanks to all of you for your feedback.....much appreciated. Decided on a Newell, go to finalize the deal on Friday, no slides and it will be just me 90% of the time. I will be using it for work for the next couple of years, or less.
UPDATE.......Did you close the deal??
UPDATE.......Did you close the deal??
PICS.....or it didn't happen!
I went to do the pre buy on the coach Friday.... It was as represented and everything I expected. The owner was very transparent and disclosed everything. I sent off the oil samples from the main diesel and the generator and will have the results back this week. After I get the results and all is well, I will wire transfer the money and go get it this Saturday.
Picked up the coach today! Only made it half way home due to the ice storm! Oh well, dry and warm in Walmart's parking lot Just west of Lexington KY. May make it home tomorrow.
Made it home with no problems!
We currently have two slides on our toy hauler. After looking at the BB that Ed and Lessie had at the Boondocking Rally, we are considering going that route. Can get an older, top notch coach, without slides, for a reasonable price, because most demand slides.
I have been full-time now for 4 days!....I will post a few pics when I figure out how to do it.
Bon