So my wife and I have discussed the possibility of getting an RV(bus). Of course there are unlimited options and budgets to browse. We’ve both camped some previously but it’s been several years ago and now we have a 3 year old son. My thought is a Class A bus without slide outs as opposed to a 5th wheel since people could move around a bit because long trips in a car seat suck at best for everyone involved and there is a restroom on board. I think the buses are more durable though they may not offer as much space but there are several used models for sale with >600,000 miles so I would feel comfortable with a used model with under 150,000 miles which would meet our budget.
My wife is concerned that we wouldn’t have room for family. Naturally this depends a lot on the floor plan of whatever unit we choose if we decide to pull the trigger. My thoughts on family are unique I guess in that if we take my parents on a trip or take her parents that would be about it. I don’t anticipate more than 2 extra guests regardless. I also look at this as a place to sleep at night and transport to and from the campsite and be out and about the remainder of the time. We would definitely take a tow vehicle as well for local travel. We tend to prefer beaches that are low key with some decent restaurants around. We don’t need or want a bunch of tourist activities as we typically like to play on the beach etc.
I guess my questions are first of all is this reasonable? Any particular models I should avoid? Currently I’ve looked at used Prevost. I’m sure there are details that I’ve overlooked so please feel free to point them out. Thanks in advance and Happy Memorial Day! I’m thankful for those that gave all so we can enjoy our freedoms in this great nation today!

We are on our third diesel pusher coach. The first, a 1998 Monaco Dynasty had no slides and it was fine for back then and short (<1 week) trips.

Our second coach (2011 Allegro Bus) had 4 slides and it was a great coach. Plenty of room for gkids.

Our present 2019 Allegro Bus is a wonderful coach, very livable, washer/dryer, 1.5 baths, 4 slides and we use it a lot. My wife and I take long (4-8 week) trips in it. The Aqua Hot system runs off diesel and provides ample hot water.

Coaches without slides get very cramped quickly, even more so with guests.

Older Prevost buses are very expensive to maintain and repairs are expensive (think $2k-$5k/year). I believe in 1998 Prevost went with the Independent Front Suspension, coaches made before then are harder to get parts for.

Good luck with the lifestyle, we love it. We can take all the clothes we want, have our own food in the fridge and sleep in our own (clean) bed.

I would strongly recommend that you rent first to see if your idea is practical for YOU. Look at it as an investment in personal education. We rented first and after looking at various setups for about four years we made a decision. For us and our needs we ended up with an Airstream trailer. This decision came after looking at class A's, C's, and various other trailers.

You will be towing in any case so that doesn't really play into the decision. The size of your rig and where you typically go will probably have more weight as to your choice. If you will be boondocking consider what kind of surfaces you will be driving on.

I live in Utah and giant busses and fifth wheels are quite common here. They appear in the most remote parts of the woods with some regularity. I chose to tow with a 4x4 truck because that suits my particular plans. You just need to figure out what you will really be doing so you can buy your last rig first. You'll save a lot of money that way.

You are digging a big hole. I hope you have plenty of money to fill it with!

I agree with Zoltar. You may really enjoy it. But renting a house or motel room on the beach will be much more convenient and quite a bit less expensive. It is not the "RV experience" however and that is what you are buying.

It may be necessary to sort out seat belt logistics. Wandering about the cabin while moving isn't really the point of motorhomes. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

As others have suggested, rent and research. What seems like a great idea might have unforseen drawbacks due to novelty blinders. Financing for these isn't always as easy because they are considered luxury rather than necessity.

One thing to consider is maintenance. Most automotive dealers cant support motorhomes and most rv dealers aren't really auto mechanics. Even with trailers often times repairs drag on for weeks or months because RV dealers focus on sales no matter how much they portray their service department to be top notch. I share this based on dealing with multiple dealers in multiple states. I am sure somewhere someone has a bang up shop that does well with repairs, I simply haven't found one yet. Learning simple maintenance isn't that hard similar to being a homeowner.

I full timed in a fifth wheel for about 5 years and a bumper pull for at least as many. Being full time in a vessel designed to be used a few times a month for a few months a year definitely stresses the system and shows the weak points. If one never approaches that sort of useage, one might always have positive experiences.

I will say that most who RV are kind and willing to watch out for and help other fellow RVers.

Don't rush you choice and make the most informed decision possible. You'll want an AC unit that cycles the fan off when the condenser isn't running unless you like the fan constantly going at levels that make normal TV volume seem like 3.

Edited to add:
Don't take this as a post to push you away. My goal was quite simply to remove the rose colored glasses so many tend to wear when dipping into this venture. Look at the used market and you'll find deals to be had from those who's glasses were removed after the sale. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like here. I will help with the ones I can.

Another thing to consider is that in theory, the RV is a place to Sleep/S/Shower and most time would likely be spent out doors unless raining. you covered this in your post

Great comments so far.

One thing you didn’t tell us is your ballpark budget and what kind of RV experience you’re trying to get into.

Are you someone who likes to park their rig at an RV resort with all the bells and whistles or are you at the other end of the spectrum who likes to Boondock as far away from the masses as possible?

You mentioned possibly taking your parents as well as your son. I would suggest a rig that could sleep 6. Very soon your son will want to bring a friend or 3 so keep that in mind.

Whatever unit you decide to get(trailer or drivable bus), I would highly recommend one with a slide out, even just the dining area. It makes a huge difference. Our first RV is 18ft travel trailer, NO slideout. We used it 2 summers. One time, 3 adults and 3 kids. Really tight space. We sold it and bought 32ft Class C with 2 slide outs. Much more area to move around.

I had one in my shop years ago that started out new. It went to events and was rented to out to customers on occasion. When not in use, it was stored indoors.
The bus chassis part on a Prevost with the mileage you mention is the easiest part. There are dealers for that chassis that can do that part and the basic mechanical aspects are durable and not all that expensive. They are designed for commercial use and much more mileage than you are likely to put on yours.
The highest maintenance part is the interior "house" parts. They are constantly shaken around from road use plus the normal wear and use as living quarters. Many of the parts can be purchased but some are custom. The good news is that if you're used to doing repairs in your home and basic mechanical stuff, you can handle many yourself if time allows.
As others mentioned, don't think of ownership as a money saving feature. Like with a boat, if renting seems expensive, ownership will make that seem cheap and hassle free by comparison.

Not an RV owner, but I looked into it seriously once.

For the cost of an RV/maintenance/fuel/transit time etc, you can most likely just buy a plane ticket or rent an SUV to the destination you’d like, sleep in a fantastic hotel or B&B, and have much less stress.

Just a thought. Of course, RVing makes a lot of sense for those who are retired, snowbirds, etc, but for the average Joe with a job and limited vacation time... not so much.

Thank you for all the information so far. We have one unit lined up to try out that is more of a motor home with slide outs and less of a bus. I guess I’m probably basing some bias against slide outs as potential weak links for leaks and mechanical failure based on very old information/experience. I don’t think we are going for a lifestyle per se. Just something for a long weekend each month and maybe a few 7-10 day trips per year. We are aware of some of the cost involved and are planning for some unexpected costs as well.
I definitely looked into the seatbelt situation and we fully intend to utilize them at all times. It’s easier to pull over for the every 1.5 hour pee break rather than get off the highway, park and find the facility etc. Definitely a valid point though and I value everyone’s insight. I’ve seen some of what you mean regarding maintenance on equipment here on the farm. I’m definitely not a mechanic but I do quite a bit of my own repair work as time allows.
In terms of budget I think we would like to stay under 80k. Obviously less is better but we don’t want to buy someone else’s pending disaster. In terms of destinations we would go along the southeast coast including the middle Keys primarily. I don’t anticipate any real rough terrain other than the roads of WV.
It makes sense that these things can be like gun safes and we would need more space than we currently expect. This isn’t something we will be rushing into right away. We have one unit to try out from a friend and will definitely try a couple more. Again, thank you all for the comments. I really appreciate everyone’s input and please keep it coming.

The most fun I have in my RV (I'm a full-timer by the way) is lying to other campers about my gas mileage. I like to baseline it at about 16.8 MPG just to see the looks on their faces. Good times...

On a side note, I highly recommend looking for a slightly used 5th wheel/3500 hd/dually combo. They are readily available from them that bought before they realized it wasn't their cup-o-tea.