# Very New With Tons of Questions!!



## Candice (Sep 9, 2006)

I'm sure alot of these are probably stupid questions but we've just started looking and I'm starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with all the different info out there. So.. here goes!

1) Insurance rates. I'm wondering if anyone has an idea and/or average on insurance for class c. I realize alot of things play into that but still, just trying to get an idea.

2) Approx. mpg on class c. Again, I know alot of things play a part in that.

3) Very silly, I realize... but, with the waste that is stored, how and where do you get rid of that?  :blush: I'm assuming there's some companies that take care of it but I really have no clue! Any idea on costs for that?

4) I've read about water tanks. When the water is gone... is it a refillable thing of a buy-a-new-tank thing?

5) For class c, do you need a different drivers license or anything extra from the DMV other than a normal license?

6) With the generators, what exactly are they running off of? I mean, how do they get their power to supply power? :bleh:

7) If you're traveling during summer or anytime when it's warm, is there a way to run the AC while the RV is off? Maybe off the generator??

Okay, that's all! Everything else, I think I've pretty much found the answers to! Thanks so much to any that help.   And I apologize for any ridiculous questions I may have asked.


----------



## hertig (Sep 9, 2006)

Re: Very New With Tons of Questions!!

1) A class C is a motorized vehicle.  The insurance rate will depend on your driving record and location (liability) and the value of the motorhome and the repair cost history of that model (comprehensive/collision), as well as the deductables you are willing to accept.  If you have a year, make and model in mind you can probably get some free quotes.

2) Completely dependant on the weight of the vehicle, which engine it has and your driving style.  Probably less than 12 MPG, unless you are talking about a very small one.

3) There are usually 2 tanks in th RV, black and gray.  Black comes from the toilet.  Gray from the sinks and shower.  Each is valved into a common discharge pipe.  You can dump it at most campgrounds, a few rest stops, and many of the bigger gas stations/truck stops.  Some RV dealers have dump stations as well.  The campgrounds may charge up to $5 or more if you are not staying there, otherwise it is usually free there and the other places mentioned as well (the RV dealer if you bought the unit there).

When to do it?  Generally you don't want to dump unless both your black tank and gray tank are at least half full.  This minimizes the solids not flushing out of the blank tank, and ensures enough 'gray' water to wash out the hose.  If you wish to dump and either tank is NOT that full, it is best to add water until it reaches that mark.  This can occur right before you go someplace where you won't be able to dump when you need to, or before storing the unit.  I think in some places a truck will come to you and suck the stuff out, but I have no idea what this costs.

How to do it?  Hook a hose between the discharge port of the RV and the dump station.  Open the black valve and let it drain.  Flush as practical and needed.  Close the black valve and open the gray valve, and let it drain.  Close the gray valve, disconnect and store the hose.  If you have more detailed questions on this, don't hesitate to ask, its the most obnoxious and difficult hookup on the RV.

4) Most RVs have a 'fresh water' tank.  These are built in and filled either via an external fill port, or by switching a valve from the water input which feeds the sinks, etc directly.  The size is often the same or bigger than the gray water tank.

5) Probably not in most states, unless the state has special requirements for 1 ton vehicles.  A class C is essentially just a van. 

6) They run off of gas, diesel or propane.  Most of the times in motorhomes, they run off of the same fuel tank the motorhome does.  Hopefully the fuel input is from 1/4 of a tank or up, so the generator doesn't drain the tank completely.

7) Most motorhomes have 120v A/C in addition to a normal automotive A/C.  The latter, of course, only runs when the motor is running, and often is only effective in the very front of the motorhome.  You can run the 120v A/C from the generator, even while driving most motorhomes, if cooling the back part is worth the reduced gas mileage.  Or when stopped, you can plug the RV into an electrical outlet and run the A/C from that.


----------



## Candice (Sep 9, 2006)

Re: Very New With Tons of Questions!!

Thanks so much!! Your answers were very helpful.


----------



## Kirk (Sep 9, 2006)

Re: Very New With Tons of Questions!!

Let me add just a little to some of what has already been stated.

#1 just can't be answered from what you have told us. A class C that was used might cost as little as $10K while a new one could easily run close to $100K. Even with everything else the same, these two will cost a lot different. The cost of vehicle insurance from one state to the next can very by a factor of 200% or more. The range in price is probably from around $200 per year to more than $1000 per year.

#2 I think you would be pretty hard pressed to find a class C that gets 12 mpg. I suspect the range is more like from about 6 to 10 mpg.

#3 When parked where there is a sewer connection, most of us just leave the gray water tank valve open, but it is important to have the black tank at least 1/2 full before you dump. If need be, add plain water to the tank to get it to that level before you dump.

#4 Fresh water tanks are usually the largest of the on board tanks. They could range from 20 gallons to 80 or more.

#5 There is no state in the USA that requires any special license to drive a class C motorhome.

#6 We completely agree. But check because last I knew, there were motorhomes that did not have the 1/4 level suction for the genset. Also realize that an on-board generator is not standard equipment that is found in all motorhomes. There are many that have no generator and that is particularly true of class C motorhomes.

# Yup. That is a fact.


----------



## rlmurraysr59 (Sep 10, 2006)

Re: Very New With Tons of Questions!!

And the only "stupid" question is the one you think of but fail to ask because you think it is "stupid"!  I have ask a lot of stupid things in my life and received some equally dumb answers.  But it was fun and I learned from it.


----------



## hertig (Sep 10, 2006)

Re: Very New With Tons of Questions!!

Actually, it is hard to ask a really stupid question about RVing.

2) Yes, I suspect a majority of class C's would be in the 6 to 10 MPG range.

3) I don't know that 'most' of us leave the gray valve open, but some of us do.  The advantage is that if you use a lot of gray water, you don't have to go out and empty it often.  The disadvantages are that you have to remember to shut the valve to accumulate gray water before you can dump the black tank (to rinse out the hose), and the increased chances of getting smell or bugs in your RV from the sewer system.


----------



## AnotherRookie (Sep 12, 2006)

Re: Very New With Tons of Questions!!

To add to what Kirk and Hertig said, mileage is very dependant on driving habits.  That is even more true in a heavy vehicle.  Since we don't know your driving habits, any mileage estimates are a guess at best.  When my wife drives our 4 wheeler, she gets at least 2 mpg less than I do over the same roads.  I actually drive a little faster than she does at full speed, but she is into and out of the gas more.  In our DP, we drive very similarly and get virtually the same mileage.


----------

