Avoid dark?

[dshinnick]

We're in the market for a class A. I've been shying away from dark-colored coaches in the belief that they would tend to run hotter. This is especially a concern because the coach I'm most interested in is light-colored but has only one A/C, and it seems to struggle when it's hot outside.

So, for you owners of dark-colored coaches...what's the verdict? Would you buy dark again, or are you ready to come over to the "light side"?

Thanks-

dave

[road_glide]

We like our silver, grey and black stripes. Lots of brown back when we purchased.
Our previous class A gas coach Holiday Rambler Vacationer was white on top and light green bottom.

[MetalGator]

Here is a picture of our rig. It's mostly dark and we have two AC units and live in Florida. We don't have any issues with keeping it cool during the summer. We did order it with dual pane windows.



We also have two Jeeps. My wife's Jeep is black and mine is blue. I tested the temps in both Jeeps during one hot day. The black Jeep was 2 degrees hotter inside than the blue one.

Burch

[Yellowboat_]

There is a bigger difference between RVs with one air conditioner versus two than a light colored RV versus dark.

We had a 29 foot class A with mostly white exterior and one air conditioner. We now have a 34 foot mostly dark coach with two air conditioners. Our dark coach with two air conditioners is much cooler.

[2gypsies1]

John&Joey wrote:
I think a bigger question to ask is how fast do they fade. It's amazing on 5'vers how quickly they start to lose their new gloss when left in the sun down south.

You have to keep them waxed or like us, we washed and then applied a product called 'The Solution'. After 8 years it looked new when sold.

[John_Joey]

I think a bigger question to ask is how fast do they fade. It's amazing on 5'vers how quickly they start to lose their new gloss when left in the sun down south.

[dubdub07]

Mine is mostly black but has 3 A/Cs. 40ft of motorhome is hard to cool no matter what the color. My dad has a light colored one with 2 A/Cs and no where near as cool as my black one with 3. The front window is hotter than the paint most days.....huge window with sun. OMG.

I don't mind the dark but it must be hotter IMO. It looks good and I do not have issues with cooling so I am happy.

WW

[mike_brez]

Mine is pretty light in color and i have no issues keeping it cool.
One slide and awnings on all dual pane windows my help

[Mile_High]

2gypsies wrote:
All RV roofs are white. Insulation is the issue; not the sidewall paint. Also get double pane windows. Side window awnings help a lot. Parking orientation also helps. Keep the front window out of the mid-day sun. Use window coverings. Many things to keep the RV cooler.

We never found it an issue with our motorhome. We were still able to boondock comfortably in the 80's. When it gets to the 90's we move to cooler places.

The roof is white, but the sloped forehead is paint on many of the newer models including the new Dutch Star (some even have a sunroof). If black or a dark color, that color extends back as far as 6 ft before it hits white roof. That combined with the windshield can add a lot of heat to the cab. Your 2004 is "boxier" than the new ones.

[jplante4]

FIRE UP wrote:

jplante4 wrote:
Just don't get a paper bag bus like everyone else.

What, may I ask, is a “paper bag bus”?
Scott

One that is the same color as a paper bag.

[2gypsies1]

All RV roofs are white. Insulation is the issue; not the sidewall paint. Also get double pane windows. Side window awnings help a lot. Parking orientation also helps. Keep the front window out of the mid-day sun. Use window coverings. Many things to keep the RV cooler.

We never found it an issue with our motorhome. We were still able to boondock comfortably in the 80's. When it gets to the 90's we move to cooler places.

[Gjac]

To me the ideal color scheme for heat would be a white roof white sidewalls and an earth tone basement door area. I never understood the purpose of all the brown black swirls on the sidewalls.

[wa8yxm]

My Wife picked the dark color scheme for my Rig.. I'd never have done that

37' interior, 38 exterior. with one A/C it runs right now about 10 degrees ABOVE outdoor on a sunny day.. I'M MELTING IN HERE.. If I ever decide to get a full body repaint I'll flip the scheme so the Dark colors are the highlights and the primary is the sand color.

[zigzagrv]

I've only had light colored coaches (and would not get a dark one), so I can't compare. However, the mh in my sig only has one A/C, which concerned me when I bought it. It is prewired for a second A/C, so thought I could add it later if needed.

I spent two months, July and August, in Branson, MO a few years back with temps over 100 every day during July and mid to upper 90's in August. My single 13,500 btu A/C worked just fine! Since then I have been in the South (Alabama, Georgia, N. Carolina, etc several times during the summer and have had no problems keeping the coach cool.

[chuckftboy]

Dark colored coaches are defiantly harder to cool, I know because I live in Florida and have owned both. My current rig is lighter colors but personally, I think dark paint has a more classy look.


I agree that light colors don't show dirt as muck as dark colors.