RV Classifications
What RV Type is BEST For Your Lifestyle?
Shopping for the RV of your dreams can be overwhelming. Do you want to tow? Do you want a motorized RV? These are the questions you may have while selecting your RV choice. This page may help you decide by learning more about the various RV Types. There's a brief description of the RV Class. Always remember that you must confirm that your vehicle can tow your RV choice. It's important to discuss this when purchasing the RV of your dreams. Here at Little Dealer Little Prices, we have qualified Professional Sales Team Members we call RV Rangers that will walk you through your options.
Happy shopping...and happy camping!
Motorized RVs
Class A Diesel Pushers are most commonly the largest motorhome. Featuring a larger diesel engine allows you to tow a vehicle or another trailer easily if needed. Class A Diesel Motorhomes are higher in price due to it being basically a luxury home on wheels and its larger sized engine. The innovations throughout the years have the class A Diesel Pusher feeling like ones second home. With hundreds of configurations, options, and upgrades you can be sure your Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhome is customized to your exact specifications. When traveling in a Class A Diesel Pusher the driver is comfortably seated in the cockpit. This luxury allows you to share moments with your family while on the road!
Class A Gas Motor Homes are similar in size than Class A Diesel Pushers. There are few differences between the Class A Diesel Pusher and the Class A Gas Motorhome. The main difference is the engine and fuel! The Class A Diesel Pusher is slightly more powerful than the Class A Gas Motor Home. The endless features and luxurious feel make this beautiful motorhome an excellent choice. Maintenance may be slightly less with the gas engine compared to the diesel engine. The Class A Gas Motorhome also features a comfortable cockpit for the driver allowing those special moments with the family!
Class B Motor Homes are more compact allowing it to be parked anywhere. Class B Motorhomes also known as a conversion van will typically start as a caravan. There are now manufacturers building a true Class B Motorhome. The Class B is a "van on wheels" which makes parking and local travel a breeze! It features a raised roof for additional storage and a toilet area. The higher end luxury versions feature an entertainment center. With most Class B Motor Homes the bed is in the rear of the unit and can be dropped down in the evening to convert to a dining table. It includes a convenient kitchen with a stove, sink and mini fridge. The driver is seated within the unit for a more comfortable traveling experience!
Class B+ Motor Homes are an extended version of the Class B Motorhome. Throughout the years the recreational vehicle industry has introduced this version and its between Class B and Class C. Class B+ Motor Homes are more fuel efficient than the Class C Motorhomes and also feature more living and storage space. The Class B+ Motorhome is typically built on a truck chassis with an attic over the cab. The attic over the cab is most commonly used for an entertainment center or extra storage. It is not designed for sleeping. The bathroom is very similar to that in a Class C Motor Home. Class B+ Motor Homes often have slide-outs for extra living area. Most Class B+ Motorhomes are no longer than 30 feet. Its smaller size makes for easier parking in most camping spots. The driver is seated in the cockpit which is inside the motorhome.
Class C Motor Homes are most notably recognized by the extra space over the cab. It can be used as a living area or an attic. This is the perfect motorhome for large families traveling with children. The Class C Motor Home has lots of sleeping space including the attic above the cab. Many of the floor plans available feature multiple slide outs which make for an extremely comfortable and spacious living area. Some Class C Motorhomes can sleep up to 10 people! Class C Motor Homes are a common choice. It may be hard to believe but a Class C Motor Home actually has more sleeping quarters than the average Class A Gas Motor Home or Class A Diesel Motor Home. They are very popular and easy to handle. While traveling in a Class C Motorhome the driver is comfortably seated inside the unit.
Towable RVs
Folding Campers also known as a Pop-Up Camper or simply Pop-Ups are a portable and exciting way to enjoy camping. Pop up campers feature many of the comforts of home and are a fun and lightweight way to experience camping! Folding campers are also a very affordable. Its an elaborate tent on wheels. It folds down when not in use and typically is constructed of canvas and a hard surface, usually fiberglass. Pop Ups are a great way to upgrade your camping experience. You'll have some of the conveniences of home, but you still get that camping feel. They come with a two or three burner stove, a small ice box, and a sink with cold water only. Some of the higher end models now come with air conditioning, heat, refrigerator and even hot water! Some feature a small holding tank and shower / toilet facilities. To extend the camping experience they are now available with slide-outs! Tent and A Frame Campers are very affordable and can be towed by a car. With the ability to fold down, making it compact, they are great on gas while traveling and easily stored when not in use. Perfect for HOAs. You'll be surprised that some models can sleep up to ten people. There is no access to the unit while traveling as it requires a tow vehicle.
Hybrid Trailers feature the highest level of economy and have all the features of a Pop Up or Folding Camper. They offer hard sides for more durability. With the features of a Pop-Up and a hard sided trailer, a Hybrid Trailer demands economy. They are mostly constructed with a hard shell and built using light weight materials. Having a reduced dry weight allows for maximum fuel efficiency. The driving experience is extremely stable due to the Hybrid Trailer being lowered making pulling more simple! Hybrid Trailers require a tow vehicle so there is no access to the unit while traveling. Because of it's light weight your towing vehicle options are broader and Hybrid Trailers have become quite popular among avid campers.
Travel Trailers are lighter in weight than motorhomes and are a popular choice in the RV Industry. Travel Trailers are frequently used by those on extended vacations and weekend outings. They are significantly lighter in weight than most Fifth Wheel RV's. With various floor plans, you'll always have plenty of living area with multiple slide-outs. Travel Trailers are not motorized and you cannot access the unit while in motion. Travel Trailers feature several different towing options. Different from the 5th Wheel which can be only towed over the bed of a pickup truck, a Trailer Trailer can be towed with a SUV, pickup truck, or if it's a newer compact Travel Trailer it can even be towed with a car based on the vehicle's towing capacity. Making sure that your vehicle is the right fit for your Travel Trailer important! Typically Travel Trailers range from 14' to 36' and some are being built even smaller now. The typical Travel Trailer sleeps up to 10 people and features easy setup for campers. There is no access to the trailer while driving as this unit requires a tow vehicle.
Fifth Wheels feature large floor plans. They are easy to tow and favored by many "full timers" in the RV Industry. They hook up in the center of a pickup truck making the tow much easier and stable. Many 5th Wheels feature multiple slides creating larger living area for families. They range from 21' to 40' but the most common size is the 32 footer. 5th Wheels sleep up to 8 people depending on the floor plan. Some may even offer more living space! Fifth Wheels feature a raised front section. They have several different floor plans and depending on the size it may require a certain vehicle to support the towing capacity. Larger 5th Wheels will require a heavy duty pickup truck and some of the smaller floor plans can be towed with a medium duty vehicle. It is important to confirm that your vehicle is the right fit for the Fifth Wheel you are interested in before purchasing. When traveling in the 5th Wheel RV the driver is seated in their truck. Because Fifth Wheels are towed, while in motion there is no access to the unit.
Toy Haulers are commonly Travel Trailers and Fifth Wheels. RV Manufacturers have recently introduced motorized Toy Haulers. Toy Haulers often feature a space to haul your toys in the rear of the unit. The demand has changed and you are very likely to find a Toy Hauler in any RV type, even motorized! The Toy Hauler features a garage in the rear. The back door folds down creating an easy access ramp. They are designed to haul all of your fun toys like ATV's, Bikes, Golf Carts, Motorcycles, and some can even haul compact vehicles. There is no access to the unit when traveling as it requires a tow vehicle. Toy Haulers are available with many different floor plans and are a popular choice with the active RV'er.
Park Models also known as Destination Trailers are classified as a recreational vehicle but they are mostly stationary. Once they're parked on their destination, more than likely the owner will not move it for a long while. Typically they are "permanently" hooked up to the necessary utilities to keep the home going. These are fun vacation homes and have become quite popular replacing the "summer home or cottage". Park Model and Destination Trailers have all the luxuries of home with the ability to "just pick up and go". Because they are most often stationary, some owners will purchase land and set them on it for long term living.
Truck Campers, Shells, & Covers
Truck campers, sometimes referred to as pickup campers or slide-on campers, consist of a camper body loaded onto the bed of a standard pickup truck. Usually the tailgate of the pickup is removed and the camper unit is clamped to the truck. Because truck campers can be loaded and unloaded with relative ease, they are popular among weekend RVers. Truck campers usually provide cooking facilities, a refrigerator or an ice box, heating, air conditioning, a self-contained toilet, a fresh water tank, a waste water tank, a faucet, a sink, a LP (propane) gas supply, and a separate 100-125 volt electrical system. They can sleep from two to six people depending on the model. Prices range from $5,000 to $50,000.
Truck shells (also canopy, and sometimes topper, cap, or box cap) is a small housing or rigid canopy used as a pickup truck accessory. The housing is usually made of fiberglass or aluminum, but sometimes wood, and is mounted atop the pickup truck's rear bed. It usually covers the entire bed of the pickup truck, and is large enough to be used for camping purposes. Even though use for camping may have been its initial purpose, it now seems most often to be used for utility and storage purposes. Some camper shells are so large that they can overlap the top of the truck's cab, and some called soft-tops are made of canvas like convertibles.
Truck tonneau covers are used by owners of utility vehicles and trucks to cover and secure their pickup bed and come in a variety of styles. The most common style is the roll up tonneau made from cloth or vinyl which uses a rib-like structure to support the fabric and keep it taut. A snap-based system is also used, but has become less common due to truck owners not wanting to install the snaps on their vehicle as they typically require drilling or permanent adhesive. Roll up Tonneaus are opened by rolling the cover up toward the cab of the truck.
Another style of truck bed tonneau cover is a retractable unit, which is mounted at the front and sides of the bed and rolls up or retracts from the tailgate towards the cab. The retractable tonneau is typically made of vinyl, plastic or aluminum. Retractable tonneaus have the benefit of being more convenient than vinyl roll up styles as they don't involve time consuming assembly or disassembly. Retractable tonneau styles are usually lockable.
Fiberglass or hard plastic tonneau covers are also common. Some may be painted to match the truck, are solid in construction, and can be locked. These covers are usually heavy and require gas struts to assist in opening and closing. They operate much like a vehicle's hood, typically opening from the tailgate end of the bed (back to front). Some are available with multiple compartments that will open front to back, back to front, side to side, or even rise vertically. Fiberglass or hard plastic tonneau covers are sometimes installed as a factory option on new vehicles. The word is sometimes spelled incorrectly as "tonno."
Cargo And Utility Trailers
Cargo trailers are generally enclosed unpowered trailer pulled or towed by a powered vehicle. Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for transport of goods and materials.
Cargo trailer types available include auto, motorcycle, snowmobile, concession, storage, office, specialty, racing, multi-purpose, landscape and gooseneck. Enclosed cargo trailers can be towed by commonly accessible pickup truck, suv or van which generally requires no special permit beyond a regular drivers license. Cargo trailers come in single and multiple axle varieties, to allow for varying sizes of tow vehicles.
Utility trailers are generally open unpowered trailer pulled or towed by a powered vehicle. Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for transport of goods and materials.
Utility trailer types available include auto, motorcycle, snowmobile, concession, storage, office, specialty, racing, multi-purpose, landscape and gooseneck. Open utility trailers can be towed by commonly accessible pickup truck, suv or van which generally requires no special permit beyond a regular drivers license. Utility trailers come in single and multiple axle varieties, to allow for varying sizes of tow vehicles.