Gas and diesel motorhomes come in a variety of styles and
sizes. What to choose depends on how
much you plan to travel, your budget, how many people you need to sleep, what
you plan to tow and personal preference.
Class A, class B and class C motorhomes are available in both diesel and
gas models.
The Winnebago View pictured above is a diesel class C
motorhome. Diesel class C motorhomes like
this are generally on a Sprinter chassis with a Mercedes Benz 6 cylinder turbo
diesel engine. They are 24 to 25 feet
long, feature European inspired styling and can tow a small car. They are more fuel efficient than gasoline
class C motorhomes and their engines last longer, but they require a larger
initial investment. Gas class C
motorhomescome in a greater variety of sizes, usually 22 to 31 feet and offer
more choices in floorplans. They are on
a Chevrolet or Ford van chassis with a cabover bed and most have a V8 or V10
engine. They have more torque and
pulling power than the diesel models.
All class C motorhomes have automotive like driving features making them
easy to drive and maneuver. Maintenance
is less expensive on gas models than on diesel models.
Class B motorhomes (or class B+ like the Thor Siesta
Sprinter) are similar to class C motorhomes, but instead of the cabover bed,
they have a TV or storage compartment above the cab. Diesel models (like the Era by Winnebago)
often get 17 miles per gallon, which is better than any other motorhome.
The 2012 Tiffin Allegro pictured above is an example of a
gasoline Class A motorhome. All class A
motorhomes are on a truck, bus or custom chassis. Gasoline class A motorhomes are less
expensive than diesel models and they’re less expensive to maintain. In fact, some owners may be able to perform
routine maintenance themselves. Diesel
models must be maintained by a service facility with experienced diesel
mechanics. To choose between buying a
gas class A or a diesel class A, consider your budget, how long you plan to
keep the motorhome, how much you plan to travel, how much storage space you’ll
need and what (if anything) you plan to tow.
If you want a very large (38 to 43 foot) motorhome, you will
need a diesel class A. It provides more
carrying capacity, more storage, greater weight stabilization, a smoother ride
(air ride suspension) better steering, better brakes (air brakes) and more
towing capacity. For example, if you
need to tow a race car in a trailer, you’ll need a diesel class A. The diesel engine, while being more expensive
to maintain, will last longer than a gas engine. Most people travel less than
5,000 miles a year in their motorhomes, however, and they trade them in without having
accumulated a lot of mileage. If you plan to spend a lot of time traveling,
diesel is a good choice.
It isn’t necessary to spend the extra money on a diesel
model if you don’t want to. You can get
a beautiful class A motorhome with slide-outs and whatever floorplan and
features suit you in a gasoline model.
Besides costing less than diesel, the cost of maintenance and repairs is
lower. Some people believe that diesel
class A models are more fuel efficient than gas class A models, but there is
hardly any difference.
We hope this answers your questions about the differences in
diesel and gas motorhomes. If you need
more information, please click below and let us know.