We have had many different RV’s over the years to include bumper pulls, slide ins, Class A’s, Super C’s, and fifth wheels. Each has its purpose depending on our needs. The THOR ACE 29.3 is perfect for family trips up to a week and longer if you have full hookups. The floor plan layout is gre...
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We have had many different RV’s over the years to include bumper pulls, slide ins, Class A’s, Super C’s, and fifth wheels. Each has its purpose depending on our needs. The THOR ACE 29.3 is perfect for family trips up to a week and longer if you have full hookups. The floor plan layout is great for us and the various sleeping accommodations make the THOR a great coach that is short enough to maneuver in and around towns and smaller camp sites, big enough to give you room to be comfortable in camp sites or in truck stops at night while on the road. The “pet” window on the passenger side is perfect for our furry family members to also get a great view while driving and includes the built in pet dishes in the bathroom. The V10 is an outstanding power train and pulls our built up Rubicon JLUR easily, even through the mountains in Tennessee and Pennsylvania. It is a comfortable ride and easier to drive than several other rigs I have had. The ability to press a button to auto level, use the slide outs, and run the quiet generator makes this a perfect option for our travel which saves us money from hotels and allows us to stay in many different locations while on travel. The storage is not as large as a bigger diesel pusher, but is easier on the budget to purchase than many other class A or C vehicles, especially for those of us still on a working persons budget. When I retire I may move into a 40 foot diesel, but definitely need to adjust it into my budget as these are not cheap whereas our THOR is affordable now and allows us the ability to quickly jump in the rig and take-off for weekend getaways, visit our children and grandchildren, or just go see the sites for holiday weekends.
I would recommend the THOR ACE for those looking for convenience on a budget while also being quite comfortable in a rig that looks and performs like the higher dollar models. The psychological approach to a class A vs a class C is minimal. Most feel the class C is easier to drive than the class A, but can attest I have had both and notice no difference between the two. That said, dealers use that psychology to price the class C well outside of a normal budget when the actual “normal” price of the rig would be comparable to the class A in any normal market. I have recently seen 10 year old class C rigs higher priced than the cost of the rig when originally sold. This is great for the owner looking to sell, but not good for the buyer thinking they can get into an older class C rig at a more affordable price. A savvy buyer can get into an older class A “gas” rig today at a great price and have as much if not more convenience for their family than what you would get in a current class C price. This does not mean I feel class C rigs are less than class A rigs, but do consider cost to price. In that logic, is the cost of settling for a higher priced class C with less options worth the price under the current market than getting a higher option class A for less money, also under the current market.
COVID really shifted the RV market on its head as the layoffs and manufacturing shut downs reduced the availability of new rigs, which increase the cost of used rigs. Many people were put into a position they never thought necessary in the past when their jobs and income were impacted by COVID thus sold their homes and moved into RV’s to save cost. This rapidly reduced the used RV market and also shifted the way banks loaned money for rigs as they were losing money in home sales and when families moved into RVs, they started losing visibility on the RV they loaned money for and harder for them to repossess if payments were not made. That made the loan options for both new and used rigs almost non-existent and people needed to cash out their 401K to purchase a rig with cash. This also impacted the actual cost/value of the rig because of cash sales, which was great for a dealer, but reduced the options significantly for the working class family looking to purchase an RV but could not get the loan they needed regardless of the credit rating.
Overall, a class A is a great option in the mid size range between 28 to 35 foot. I find this is the best overall length for families who do not plan to live in their rigs, but have a great platform to get away when needed. The same philosophy goes for class C’s, but currently they are priced well outside the cost/value range I would be comfortable with, especially when the economy gets back to normal and the price ranges of all rigs also goes back to normal. This is what caused the housing market crash in California during 2008-09 when homes were priced well over the normal price and when the market went back to normal, people had home loans well above the normal market and would never recoup that loss, thus started “walking away” from the loan.
Common sense should always play a role in your RV purchase.
Livability
Overall quality
Floorplan
Driving/towing
Factory warranty/support
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