Slide outs vs No slide outs models

[Veik]

As I am looking around, I toured a few used Class C that have slide outs. 30+ft class C's I have seen could have up to 3.

My question is - are these a real hassle the maintain, fix and keep going? Rubber seal drying up, water getting inside, etc.

I know that they open up and create a ton of room while camping.

Share your views, please.

[RobertRyan]

ron.dittmer wrote:

tpi wrote:
Slides are not for me. I don't want any potential problems. Or drafts, heat loss, etc. The 15K BTU AC is already working hard on my 24'.

In Dec. in Death Valley my friends and I were helping out a guy with new class C with slide stuck out. If we hadn't got it going, I was going to drive him back to Furnace Creek to make a phone call. Typical RV quality isn't that great. Anything left off is one more potential problem left off.

Now don't get me started on my list of reasons to avoid a slide out. 🙂

Very much similar arguements in Australia, why you have slides and why not. Off Road Caravans do not have them due to structural strength issues, others do because they use theirs on paved roads and some dirt roads. A lot of Class C motor homes have them, Expedition Vehicles, none with one exception

[ron_dittmer]

tpi wrote:
Slides are not for me. I don't want any potential problems. Or drafts, heat loss, etc. The 15K BTU AC is already working hard on my 24'.

In Dec. in Death Valley my friends and I were helping out a guy with new class C with slide stuck out. If we hadn't got it going, I was going to drive him back to Furnace Creek to make a phone call. Typical RV quality isn't that great. Anything left off is one more potential problem left off.

Now don't get me started on my list of reasons to avoid a slide out. 🙂

[tpi]

Slides are not for me. I don't want any potential problems. Or drafts, heat loss, etc. The 15K BTU AC is already working hard on my 24'.

In Dec. in Death Valley my friends and I were helping out a guy with new class C with slide stuck out. If we hadn't got it going, I was going to drive him back to Furnace Creek to make a phone call. Typical RV quality isn't that great. Anything left off is one more potential problem left off.

But to each their own. Some people need the space, the slides do really open up the floor plan. I would expect they're a plus in the resale dept. Sometimes they're part of otherwise compelling product.

[winnietrey]

ron.dittmer wrote:
When it comes to slide outs, they work great until they get old. How old? The earliest ones were big trouble, but they have come a long way over the years. Still, I think most advocates of slide outs are people who sell their rigs before any trouble begins.

If buying a used rig, I would value input from slide out owners of rigs between 15 and 25 years old. If you are buying a rig with a slide out that is a model year 2000 and plan to keep it 10 years, then you will be one of those people.

Our rig has no slide out for many reasons we considered. One being because we plan to own our rig until I can not safely drive any longer. That would place our rig around 35 years old.

RV daytrader wrote:
I really dont get why folks like slides so much. Do you guys need more floor space to dance or something?? Cause extra floor space is really all you get!

And I agree with you. Open floor space and couch bed conversions are the only reasons to get a slide out. But my list to avoid slide outs is so much longer.

I am sure by posting this, I will put a hex on the slide, and it will shortly blowup. But at present 14 years old, no problems.

And I agree, all it does is add floor space, But all I can say is I really, really like that extra bit of floor space. Just seems it makes it so much roomier on the inside. But to each his own

[wbwood]

ron.dittmer wrote:
When it comes to slide outs, they work great until they get old. How old? The earliest ones were big trouble, but they have come a long way over the years. Still, I think most advocates of slide outs are people who sell their rigs before any trouble begins.

If buying a used rig, I would value input from slide out owners of rigs between 15 and 25 years old. If you are buying a rig with a slide out that is a model year 2000 and plan to keep it 10 years, then you will be one of those people.

This is true. We are one of those that will not keep a rig a real long time. And we are also one of those that usually won't buy used. And if we did, it would only a couple years old at the most. The only exception was the pop up we bought a couple years ago. But it was a second camper for us. We still had the TT we bought new. The pop up also didn't have hardly extra components on it. Just the basic fridge, stovetop and sink. No features that we really needed for the type of camping we would be doing with it anyway.

[ron_dittmer]

When it comes to slide outs, they work great until they get old. How old? The earliest ones were big trouble, but they have come a long way over the years. Still, I think most advocates of slide outs are people who sell their rigs before any trouble begins.

If buying a used rig, I would value input from slide out owners of rigs between 15 and 25 years old. If you are buying a rig with a slide out that is a model year 2000 and plan to keep it 10 years, then you will be one of those people.

Our rig has no slide out for many reasons we considered. One being because we plan to own our rig until I can not safely drive any longer. That would place our rig around 35 years old.

RV daytrader wrote:
I really dont get why folks like slides so much. Do you guys need more floor space to dance or something?? Cause extra floor space is really all you get!

And I agree with you. Open floor space and couch bed conversions are the only reasons to get a slide out. But my list to avoid slide outs is so much longer.

[wbwood]

RV daytrader wrote:
I really dont get why folks like slides so much. Do you guys need more floor space to dance or something?? Cause extra floor space is really all you get!

That's like saying does one really need a 30' camper? Because a 15' camper would do. Or does one really need a motorhome, TT, or 5th wheel? Because a pop up will do as well...

To each their own. We like our slides and they do give more room in the RV when parked.

[camper19709]

If you find a floor plan you like don't worry about slides or no slides. I have had both and had no problems with slides. I feel slide toppers are a must!!!!!! Do watch your weight carrying capacity.

[pnichols]

We take our Class C off-pavement, so we need maximum coach body strength.

No engineering degree is needed - just common sense - to figure out that a slide basically puts a big hole in a wall that has got to weaken it. What a slide does to a wall is reduce it's shear area. Shear strength is watched very carefully - and building codes ensure it - in walls during construction of buildings. We especially went overboard in shear strength on our residence because of earthquake considerations here in CA. We made it through a big one in the late 1980's only 3-4 miles from it's epicenter with no structure damage, due partially to double plywood walls for extra shear strength.

I figure that a motorhome is at times being subjected to earthquakes ... at least when off-pavement (and on Interstates here in CA) ... so we went with no slides for extra margin. :E

[johnnyrv]

to me slides ruin the appearance of an rv. looks like something rube goldberg slapped on the side. and they compromise vehicle strength. the insides look like bowling alleys on full wall slides. never had a problem with room and no slides.

[mgirardo]

I wouldn't want another RV without slides. We have 2, a large one on the curb side with two bunks and the wardrobe and other drawers for the back bedroom. We have had zero issues with this slide other than a minor problem with the carpeting that a few staples fixed.

The other slide is smaller with the stove/oven and couch. This slide will pop a 30A fuse every so often, but haven't been able to figure out why. It is very sporadic and may not happen for months and then it may happen every time we try to move the slide. Only happened once this year.

The added floor space the slide offers for our family of 4 is very nice. We can use everything in our camper with both slides in except the back bedroom's wardrobe and 3 drawers.

The two slides do add a lot of weight, so we run pretty much at GVWR when fully loaded, which translates to an average of 7.5 mpg at 70 mph and about 8.0 at 65 mph.

We camp sometimes up to 4 months at a time (in one campground). Having the extra space is worth the trade off. If we were weekend warriors or only used it a few times a year, it might not be so important.

-Michael

[the_trippers]

Had a class A with a leaky slide, only when out and of course raining. Dealer couldn't find leak. And a class C with slide motor failure, 3 times. But the space is nice.

[AAFD]

You need to ask your self some questions, do I need the extra room? Were are we camping at (some campgrounds can be very tight). Are we going to drive to a campground and stay for a time or drive around every couple of days. While asking that are we going to drag or drive another car/truck/suv?

Slide have been around a long time for sure, and there is must have maintenance that must be done for sure. Other comments have listed some positive and negative for each. But it comes down to what do you need!!!!

Wife and are are looking at class C/B+ units with slide and no slides we plan on driving around from place to place not taking another car/truck/suv in tow. I am more looking at NO slides!!

KC

[2oldman]

RV daytrader wrote:
Cause extra floor space is really all you get!

Yeah, who needs more floor space? If the GF and I pass in the hallway, all she has to do is duck into the bathroom.