What is up with RV engines in the last 10 years? I'm more or less talking about A and C class stuff. There are a lot of Gas engines out there, especially Ford V10s. I would think at some point, diesel engines would have become more of a standard.
I imagine this question has been asked numerous times on here, but it's like diesels never existed or people are hiding them from existence. 
Honestly because your average new rv buyer doesn't or hasn't cared about mileage. The margin for the manufacturer of the rv is probably slim and their 10k increase cost for the chassis would turn into 20-25k increase to the consumer which would be a hard sell.
I guess that would make sense. If you're gonna spend $50K for an RV, you have enough to pay for the gas bill.
I've really never seen many RVs of sizes that gas engines can haul around with any real large amount of diesel market penetration.
Wow, $5800 for a 2000 37 foot Winnebago with a slide out. This is the cheapest one I've seen so far on the Chicago CL.
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/rvd/3306749493.html
Honestly if an RV was in the cards, I would go look at this one. I found the original brochure online and it looks damn impressive if its as good as the seller is saying.
http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/previous-models/2001/pdfs/winnebago/01-Adventurer-bro.pdf
I'm pretty sure there is a "1" missing from the front of that price. 
Yeah... that does seem a little too cheap...
I suppose the reasons nocones posted are why there are few diesel RV options other than bus-based pushers. A few old ones from the 80's (Mini Winnie's, I think) had the BMW/VW inline 6 engine as an option. The one more common nowadays are the Sprinter-based class B's and C's. Plus, you have the relatively rare (custom ordered) Class B Ford vans.
I've wondered the same thing, even if the owners have so much money that they don't care about the gas-guzzlage, it seems downright masochistic. A diesel is just better in that kind of vehicle.
Also, throughout a lot of the USofA, diesel is more expensive than gas. In Canada, diesel is cheaper, so you see a lot more diesel powered RV's, which has the benefit of more power and better mpg 
In reply to GameboyRMH:
My thought is, that yes, 12 years ago, a gas engine wouldn't have been a big deal, gas was still relatively cheap. But I'm surprised to see mid 2000s RVs still with big liter gas engines when Gasoline was at it's highest.
As a person who is most likely going to buy a 2nd hand RV, I want a diesel.
In my internet travels last night, I came across slide in truck bed campers. Ones that were built in the last few years are really nice and have slide outs to make more room inside. If I bought a truck like I have wanted to, I could be interested in these.
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: In my internet travels last night, I came across slide in truck bed campers. Ones that were built in the last few years are really nice and have slide outs to make more room inside. If I bought a truck like I have wanted to, I could be interested in these.
I've been researching these over the past few months since my truck is equiped for one already.
First - They ain't cheap. Even when you find a used one. I've yet to find one with the features I want (shower, a/c, generator) I'd actually consider buying (not a leaking, basket-case-project) for under $5K.
Second - they ain't light. Most require at least a 3/4t pick-up and some of the really nice ones with slide-outs weigh over 2-tons require a 1ton dually, which can severely cut into towing (tough-weight) capacity.
Why gas over diesel? Money. Gas-powered motorhomes are still significantly cheaper than diesel ones, to the extent that the average RVer would probably not recoup the cost differential in fuel savings. (Anyone priced diesel lately? Sure, the mileage is better, but there comes a tradeoff in maintenance costs and higher prices at the pump.) In addition, about 10 years ago the motorhome makers started offering somewhat hybridized chassis, where their gas-powered vehicles still offered the better brakes and beefier components that previously had only been found on diesels.
Those Ford Triton V10s, for example, are paired with a chassis that is a vast improvement over what gas-buying RVers had to choose from previously. Think a 30+ footer that is not only able to pull itself UP the hill, but then actually gets back down to the bottom without the rotors bursting into flames. That was in no way a given with gas monsters "back in the day."
Margie
Marjorie Suddard wrote: Why gas over diesel? Money. Gas-powered motorhomes are still significantly cheaper than diesel ones, to the extent that the average RVer would probably not recoup the cost differential in fuel savings. (Anyone priced diesel lately? Sure, the mileage is better, but there comes a tradeoff in maintenance costs and higher prices at the pump.) In addition, about 10 years ago the motorhome makers started offering somewhat hybridized chassis, where their gas-powered vehicles still offered the better brakes and beefier components that previously had only been found on diesels.
Especially given the driving pattern of the average RV owner. Diesel engines pay for themselves a lot more quickly when you drive them every day.
Ian F wrote:SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: In my internet travels last night, I came across slide in truck bed campers. Ones that were built in the last few years are really nice and have slide outs to make more room inside. If I bought a truck like I have wanted to, I could be interested in these.I've been researching these over the past few months since my truck is equiped for one already. First - They ain't cheap. Even when you find a used one. I've yet to find one with the features I want (shower, a/c, generator) I'd actually consider buying (not a leaking, basket-case-project) for under $5K. Second - they ain't light. Most require at least a 3/4t pick-up and some of the really nice ones with slide-outs weigh over 2-tons require a 1ton dually, which can severely cut into towing (tough-weight) capacity.
I saw that looking at various specs. Some of them I looked at would easily work with a Long Bed 2500 HD GM truck. Also with the help air springs, it should work out pretty well. There are some that do require a Dualle, they're pretty heavy.
For the price, yeah, I could get a nice 19' hybrid travel trailer for the same cost.
I'm just playing with ideas. An RV is still out of reach.
In reply to Marjorie Suddard:
Yeah, that makes sense. I guess you're not really saving much in fuel costs when you go from upper single digits with a gas engine to lower double digits with a Diesel engine.
Either way, you're going to be paying around $300 to fill a tank.
I definitely think I would stick with a pull behind. It just seems to be an all around better ordeal.
The cheap ones are all rotten. The trade name is "stick and staple" RV's
Of course I can be condescending because I have a bus now
But heres an even cheaper one, and made of steel.....
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/rvs/3298685662.html
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