What’s the Difference Between Motorhomes and Towable RVs?
If you’re looking to get into the RV life you’ll soon discover there are six types of RVs and they fit into two different groups: Motorhomes and towables.
That’s why Matt’s RV Reviews has two channels. One is dedicated to motorhomes and the other is for towables. So let’s define each of these different kinds of RVs.
Which is “better”? It entirely depends on your preferences and needs. Everyone’s situation is different.
What are the Pros and Cons of Towables?
There are different sizes and price points when it comes to towables, as we’ll explore below. But in general, the advantages of a towable include lower cost, more beginner-friendly, and lower repair cost. Plus, when your towable is in for maintenance, you still have a vehicle.
The cons of a towable include needing to learn how to tow, if you don’t have a vehicle capable of towing it then you’ll need to acquire one, and it’s not as convenient to pull over the side of the road and use a towable because you don’t have propane or electric power and so you’re without heat or airconditioning.
What are the Pros and Cons of Motorhomes?
As with towables, there are many different sizes and price points for motorhomes, which we will also explore below. However, the advantages are that you can more easily pull over and use your RV, including the refrigerator, the bathroom, and in some cases the bed as well, depending on the floorplan. If you are uncomfortable towing anything then it is possible to simply drive your motorhome wherever you want to go. So there is a convenience factor for sure. And if you plan to be on the road a lot, a motorhome may be what you will prefer for convenience alone.
If you have pets, they may prefer a motorhome because it’s easier to roam around and they’re not confined to a car, SUV, or truck interior, so that’s also a consideration.
The cons of a motorhome are that they typically cost much more than a towable. And when you are camping you won’t have a vehicle to go to the store or see sights unless you also tow a separate vehicle behind the motorhome. You could Uber or use e-bikes, but that is also a consideration.
If your RV breaks down, then your whole house and means of transportation will be in the shop. You could be stranded at a friend’s or at a hotel for days, weeks, or months, depending on the issue.
And speaking of maintenance, strictly speaking, a motorhome will incur higher repair expenses than a towable if you don’t count the tow vehicle.
Even if you do consider that your car, SUV, or truck will also need repairs, typically you can go to any car dealer for your brand of vehicle and get service. With a motorhome, certain kinds will require specialized service centers that may or may not be nearby wherever you are.
It’s important to keep in mind that no RV is perfect. All of them will have pros and cons so in the end it really does come down to your preferences and needs and also budget.
You may find that it makes sense to get started with a towable and move on to a motorhome as time, budget, and experience allow.
That said, if you plan to live full time in an RV, it is generally agreed that the 5th wheel towable offers the most living space. Just be aware that many larger 5th wheels will require a heavy-duty pick-up truck to safely tow them.
The cost of both the towable and the truck needs to be considered when making that purchase decision.
The 4 Different Kinds of Motorhomes
As the name suggests, a motorhome is a recreational vehicle that combines a motorized chassis with a camper. They come as small as a van and as large as a 45-foot diesel pusher and include everything in between.
Let’s briefly look at each kind…
Class A Gas Motorhomes
The Class A motorhome comes in two basic variations. To the untrained eye, they look similar but some have gas engines, aka “gassers”.
This Fleetwood Flair is an entry-level gas-powered Class A motorhome and comes in different floorplans. This is a picture of a 34J which is 36 feet long and has full body paint.
This brand is typical of a gas engine Class A in that the engine is in the front of the vehicle and the entrance is behind the cab area.
The other kind of Class A’s are powered by diesel engines, aka “diesel pushers”.
Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhomes
This Holiday Rambler Armada 40M is a higher-end model. The diesel engine is in the rear and the entrance is right up front, just like a bus.
What are the pros and cons of gas and diesel-powered Class A RVs?
Usually, a gas engine Class A will cost significantly less than a diesel pusher. And if a Class A is built on a Ford 7.3 liter V-8 engine, it is possible that the engine and drivetrain could be serviced at most Ford dealers. In that same vein, gas engine Class A’s tend to have lower maintenance cost in terms of the engine and drivetrain.
Similarly, not every fuel station has diesel fuel. As long as you have clearance for the height of your rig, you can fill up a gas engine Class A at most stations. Currently, diesel fuel also costs a lot more than gasoline.
The disadvantages of a gas engine Class A compared to the diesel pusher are worth considering, through. Diesel pushers can be much larger due to the greater torque and horsepower that comes with the diesel engine.
Typically, a diesel engine will last longer than a gas engine without having to be rebuilt. And it is generally agreed that a diesel pusher can go up mountains where a gas engine might struggle due to lower power. And most agree that diesel pushers ride more smoothly and they tend to have far more outside storage. While the gas engine might technically be quieter than a diesel engine, in terms of where the engine is located, typically gas engine motor homes have more noise right below the cab where the driver and co-pilot ride in the front. Where a diesel engine is in the rear and that can be a quieter driving experience, especially on newer units.
Class B Motorhomes
The simplest way to define a Class B motorhome is that they are built on a van chassis. They can be gas or diesel-powered, but whether they are minimally modified or transformed entirely, the foundation is still a van.
This is a 2022 Coachmen Beyond 22C. It is built on the Ford Transit series chassis. This particular model is 22 feet long and gets between 11 and 13 mpg.
What are the Pros and Cons of Class B RVs?
The biggest advantage is that the Class B’s typically are much smaller and more maneuverable. So if you know how to drive a car, it is not much different to drive one of these vans. It stands to reason that you won’t need a tow vehicle with a Class B because it is so versatile itself. Because of their smaller physical size and weight, Class B’s get far better fuel economy than the larger Class A or Class C motorhomes. Another advantage of their smaller size is that you can just about go anywhere with a Class B, which is important if you want to boondock or visit state and national parks.
The disadvantages are closely tied to the size of Class B’s as well. Due to space limitations, your choices for a bed, bathroom, kitchen, and living area are strictly limited by size. This can impact how you sleep, eat, shower, and hang out. In Class B’s, every inch of space counts. That’s why the hashtag “#vanlife” conveys a minimalist mindset where you leave your junk behind and only take what you need with you on the road. That may be an attractive lifestyle, just be aware that if you are traveling with someone else, you also need to factor in their space requirements as well. Being confined in such a small area for extended periods can test the strength of a relationship like perhaps nothing else.
What if you want something in between a Class A and a Class B van?
That’s when you consider the Class C motorhome…
Class C Motorhomes
The Class C motorhome is also built on a van chassis, but they are generally larger than the Class B size vans. And the Class C motorhomes have a living area built on top of the van chassis. There are crossover motorhomes like the B+ and certain Class C’s that look like Class A’s, like the Thor Axis. But for simplicity’s sake, we’ll stick with the most typical Class C models.
This is a classic Class C motorhome. It has a bunk over the cab and a sizeable living area built on top of the Ford E-450 Series chassis.
What if you have decided that you prefer to have a towable?
Let’s take a look at the two different categories of towable RVs.
2 Kinds of Towable RVs
Towables come in a ton of shapes and sizes. You’ll find everything from pop-up campers and teardrops all the way up to big travel trailers and giant 5th wheels.
As with motorhomes, there are category benders like travel trailers that are as long as 5th wheels and 5th wheels that are as light as a travel trailer. But the key difference between the 5th wheel and all the trailers is how they are towed. What makes the 5th wheel unique is that it is attached to a hitch in the bed of a pickup truck. All the other trailers are attached at the bumper of the vehicle, which could be a car, a van, an SUV, or a pickup truck.
Let’s look at the 5th wheel and compare them to big travel trailers.
The 5th Wheel RVs
Like all RVs, 5th wheels come in many sizes and floorplans. Different variations prioritize living space whereas others, called toy haulers, have a garage area in the rear that can store bikes, motorcycles, ATVs, or golf carts.
This is an Alliance Paradigm 385FL, which is a popular and innovative brand with many attractive features.
What are the Pros and Cons of 5th Wheels?
The advantages of the 5th wheel are that they offer the most usable living space. That means a larger kitchen, living rooms, bedrooms, space for a washer and dryer, and a whole lot of storage space as well. If you want to truly feel like you have a home on wheels, the 5th wheel is often going to be the best choice.
If you have a family with kids or need a lot of space, a 5th wheel is the king of that category. The available floorplans are diverse, including units with multiple bedrooms, an office, and massive living areas and kitchens. With this in mind, manufacturers do make 5th wheels that are designed to be used in all four seasons.
And if you need to haul around a motorcycle, golf cart, or even ATVs, then a toy hauler 5th wheel is another excellent choice. Just be prepared to have a tow vehicle that can handle the weight of the 5th wheel you get.
The cons of 5th wheels include the downside to having all that space and weight. The larger the unit, the more heavy-duty the tow vehicle must be. So if you already own a half-ton pickup truck, there is a hard limit on how big a 5th wheel you can pull behind. Really, it’s more the weight than the length of the 5th wheel that you have to watch out for. And that includes the pin weight, which is how much weight can be in the bed of the truck. The weight also includes the total weight of the 5th wheel itself and the gross weight of the truck combined with the 5th wheel’s weight.
Keep in mind that heavy-duty truck costs have been going up dramatically in recent years. So you must consider the 5th wheel and the truck as a combined package and make sure that they work together.
Another consideration is that you may need to carry items in your truck bed so a 5th wheel may not work in your situation since that’s where the hitch needs to go.
If that’s the case, then you may want to consider a big travel trailer instead.
The Travel Trailer RVs
Like the other categories, there are many kinds of travel trailers. You might see a tractor-trailer “big rig” towing an RV or you could see a passenger car pulling a teardrop or pop-up camper.
For now, let’s just look at large travel trailers that are comparable to the 5th wheel in terms of intended use.
This is a Keystone Outback, a popular travel trailer that can be close to 5th wheels in length and features, though smaller floorplans are also available.
Travel trailers attach to the bumper of the tow vehicle. If your trailer is big enough, you may also need a heavy-duty 1-ton truck, as mentioned in the 5th wheel section.
The pros of the travel trailer include the fact mentioned above. Your truck bed is free to hold other items or a truck cap if that’s what you need. Travel trailers tend to be less expensive than a 5th wheel. That makes them more affordable to own and potentially easier to sell or trade-in. With a travel trailer, you don’t need to modify your truck or install a hitch or gooseneck to tow it. That can be a substantial cost and weight savings.
Another benefit is that trailers are typically smaller. That makes them attractive for certain campgrounds and may make them easier to store. That said, you can also choose a destination trailer and skip towing it or pay someone else to relocate it for you.
However, there are also cons associated with travel trailers. The sheer physics of towing them from the bumper can make them more challenging to pull under certain conditions.
However, the ever-present issue is unchanged, you need to have the right tow vehicle for a trailer or a 5th wheel. So it comes right back to where we started: which one is better depends on what you need and your preferences and budget.
Now you know why we have two whole YouTube channels devoted to both motorhomes and towables.
You can browse both channels and find out which unit, which floor plan, which model, is likely better for you specifically.
You can dive into all the models in this post and so many more. And we didn’t even touch on Super C’s and B+ models and Class A’s that are really Class B’s.
There’s so much to explore and so much fun and adventure ahead.
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