Buying a new Chateau 23U class C

[jabrabu]

Hi, my name is Brad and I'm new to the forum. After much agonizing we are planning to buy a new Chateau 23U this week. Here is the long saga:

My wife really wants to do a big month-long cross-country RV trip. We checked out RV rental places and found that it was pretty expensive, and the rental units were heavily used and didn't have many options/amenities. So I was thinking that maybe I could buy a decent used RV, use it for awhile, and then sell it for close to what I paid and it would cost less than a rental, plus be a nicer unit.

We went to some big RV shows and visited some dealers and did lots of online shopping. I wanted something fairly compact to be easier to maneuver and park. I also heard that some national parks have a limit of 24 ft. for their roads & camping areas. We are a family of 3 (me, wife, 9 year old son). We wanted the over-cab bunk plus a bed in the back, and I preferred to not have a slide out to use the bed. We liked the 23U floor plan because of the barrel chair behind the cab, which most motorhomes around 24' don't have.

After lots of online shopping we found a new 2017 Chateau 23U with a lot of options that I like -- HD Max exterior, second house battery, heated holding tanks, upgraded A/C, vent fan in bedroom, leatherette seats and dinette, 3 rearview cameras, spare tire, outside shower, convenience package. The price was good but it was halfway across the country.

After more searching we found a new 2016 Four Winds 23U locally. It had the U-shaped dinette, which we prefer over the new booth dinette, but the price was higher, it didn't have any options, and it was build on the E-350 instead of the newer E-450 platform. I have some frequent flyer miles and can fly for free, so I decided it's worth it to fly to get the one with options I want and drive it back home.

So, after all that, I'm planning to fly from MD to TX on Friday, buy a 2017 Chateau 23U, and drive it back home.

If there are any others with the 23U floorplan, let me know how it works for you. Is interior storage manageable? Is it a pain to make the bed? Can 3 people comfortably sit and watch the TV? Is there room for dogs?

Thanks.

[KNMIB]

We have a Four Winds 23U bought it with 1600 miles on it. It now has 19000 and we have had it 2 years. We love it and it works great for the wife and I. Has huge outside storage and enough inside storage for us for 6 weeks at a time. Make sure you ask the dealer a lot of questions and make notes, take your time and really look it over because the RV industries quality control is zero. We had no problems but the dealer we bought it from really makes an effort to make sure it works before picked up by the customer. The only thing we have added is a Saf-T-Plus stabilizer for better control, otherwise besides stocking it up with all the RV essentials we've added very little. Happy Travels

[Coffee-Girl]

I’m ready to get a 23U. I am just curious to get your feedback on your RV.

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you found what you were looking for!
Welcome to our corner of the playgound!

[jabrabu]

I had my 23U for about a year, and my wife decided she wanted to upsize, so we traded up to a 31E. It's a tradeoff between the 24' and the 32' RVs. The smaller one was a lot more maneuverable around town -- I could make U-turns on city boulevards. The 31E has a huge turning radius and is very cumbersome around town, and you really have to choose gas stations carefully. The extra weight of the 31E is also noticeable, especially going up hills.



The advantage of the 31E is obviously living space. With a full slide you get a lot of room inside, a sofa where family members can sit and watch a movie in comfort, and a private bedroom. It also has some other nice amenities like automatic leveling jacks and a power drivers seat.


I actually prefer the standard sliding windows on the 23U over the frameless windows. The sliding windows provide more airflow through the coach.


The 23U is my favorite floor plan for that size RV.

[Coffee-Girl]

Thanks jabrabu- I’d would like all the positives that come with a larger RV but I recognize my limitations. I am glad to hear your experience was positive with the 23U.
I am still looking but am really close to getting the 23U. I am all over this forum reading up to make sure I keep my expectations real.

I am enjoying all the positive feedback from this forum.

[Bob Denman]

I can tell you that we tried out a Compass; it drove like a really cool van!

But we needed room for our Toad, so we went "gunning for Outlaws"!
At almost 31 feet long: it's pretty darn easy to drive also!
I just don't think that I'd want to go any larger!

[Coffee-Girl]

I saw a 30ft one that caught my eye but I just think it may be too much for me ��

[Mustang46555]

We originally were looking at a 23H floor plan but decided against a crawl in bed. 29 and 31's had more tail swing than I wanted so we looked at the RS26. For us it's a nice compromise better bed and more room but is still pretty easy to drive in traffic.

[geno929]

We love our 23U, The Bettye! It's just big enough for us and maybe another couple. It is easy to drive and very maneuverable. We do have automatic leveling jacks, and they really make a big difference. Set up is a breeze.
The V10 motor is easy to change the oil myself and I can do most simple maintenance. We also have 2 solar panels and an extra house battery.
The lack of slides is a benefit. No, or at least little rooms restrictions.
Ask the dealer for a thorough walk through. Try EVERY system. Have them go through the electronics and stereo too.
Best of luck! See you on the road!