Passenger entry vs Side entry

[bpaikman]

I’m trying to understand why some motorhomes have a side entry apart from the passenger area. It seems like a terribly inefficient use of space, especially in the shorter motorhomes. Does anyone know why they are built this way?

 

[Neemer]

I don’t know how valid this is, but my thought would be that gas motorhomes have that “dog house” engine shroud that would make entry from the passenger area tricky. Diesels don’t have that.

 

[bpaikman]

I don’t know how valid this is, but my thought would be that gas motorhomes have that “dog house” engine shroud that would make entry from the passenger area tricky. Diesels don’t have that.

No, this is on diesels - For example: Winnebago Forza 34, Fleetwood Excursion 33...... I noticed that the same model numbers in longer lengths will have the passenger entry. It’s only the shortie that has the odd entry.

 

[J&JD]

We have known several people that have or have had mid door coaches. They especially liked not having steps or worrying about step covers in front of the passenger seat. They also said the coaches were quieter because of door wind/rattle issues with the front door. They didn’t seem to mind the loss of space that occurs with the mid door. We, on the other hand, never considered a mid door because of the look and loss of living space. To each his/her own.

 

[bpaikman]

Thank you for those insights. That makes sense but I’m with you ...it’s not worth the loss of space.
One thing I would miss is the loss of the passenger seat and the dashboard when I’m unloading groceries. We carry groceries partway up the steps and then put them on the dashboard or in the passenger seat and then we can climb the stairs without groceries in our hands.

 

[RKins]

We like our mid door coach. The entry comes up just in front of kitchen counter.

 

[BGMAC]

Looking around the web I listened to a couple of YouTube videos and they were mentioning the installation of a wider/larger door as well.

 

[bpaikman]

ok

 

[DKRITTER]

I spoke to a gentleman at a RV Park recently who had a mid-door Newell. He had, had several luxury coaches, this was his first mid-door and most likely his last.

In his opinion the benefit of it wasn’t worth what he gave up. It was convenient with loading everything from clothes and kitchen items since you were already in the middle of the coach. The down side was the loss of space, you lost a basement drawer and a few feet of interior space because of the door.

It seemed better to him to have the door up front.

 

[bpaikman]

I spoke to a gentleman at a RV Park recently who had a mid-door Newell. He had, had several luxury coaches, this was his first mid-door and most likely his last.

In his opinion the benefit of it wasn’t worth what he gave up. It was convenient with loading everything from clothes and kitchen items since you were already in the middle of the coach. The down side was the loss of space, you lost a basement drawer and a few feet of interior space because of the door.

It seemed better to him to have the door up front.

I didn’t even think about the loss in the basement. Agree. I consider the passenger area dead space when you’re not moving..And in a 35 foot RV I would think space would be at a premium.
But all that said, I just wonder why they make the shortest coaches mid-entry? The same model in longer sizes is often not mid-entry: will be only the shortest one that is. It makes no sense.