Size matters; 23' or 28'... what's the difference?

[Bells]

I'm FINALLY getting my bus (woot woot!), and while I *do* have a plan and the means to carry it out, now that things are getting real, I find myself questioning some things I took for granted while designing. Namely, the length of the bus.

I had planned to buy a 26' bus... but thought I might be open to fudging a couple feet either way. Now I'm looking at two buses for sale, and they're both really solid, and good deals to boot. I did a test drive of the 28' and while intimidating, I think I can handle it, but I question how much I would "lose" by not buying the 23' bus. The use of the bus is supposed to be as a portable office/camping space for getting my sound equipment to festivals and camping, with some full time living potential because... covid and financial... covid complications.

I live on the West Coast and primarily see myself traveling up and down it multiple times a year. So navigating mountains like the cascades on I-5 is a concern, but also some of the tighter twisty spots on the coastal 101 are also a huge factor.

Also, I plan to be boondocking 80% of the time, and wonder how many more spots to stay I can get with a 23' bus vs. a 28.' I realize 23' is still a honking big bus and not my minivan, but I can see where the extra 5' would make a difference in getting into and having room to turn around in a campsite.

At the same time, I can see where I'd want as much room inside the bus as possible in the likely event I move into it full time.

What are your thoughts?

[Biscuitsjam]

Most regular cars, SUVs, and minivans are around 15-18 feet long. A big pickup truck, like an F350, can be up to 22 feet long, almost the same length as your short bus.

-The longer vehicle will be much harder to park or make sharp turns in a major city. Every foot of difference is a big deal there - there's a reason people buy scooters, smart cars, and all that other stuff in congested urban areas.

-On most suburban and rural roads and towns, the difference is fairly marginal. The shorter bus will be slightly easier to navigate and you'll fit in a regular parking space instead of sticking out.

-There is not really any difference at campgrounds. If a campground has RV (or tent) camping spots available, either should fit.

-If you want to go boondocking, the biggest consideration is your off-road mobility, not the vehicle length.

Keep in mind that most buses have about 5 feet less useable interior space than the total length, after you factor in the engine, driver seat, etc. So, the difference in useable space is a little bigger than it appears. Whether either is enough for you depends on how you want to use it.

[banman]

Everything Biscuitsjam said and:

You didn't say what the two buses were so I have to ask to ensure you're comparing apples to apples...

Are both buses conventional front engine "dog nose" ?

Comparing a Van cut-away to a medium duty truck chassis is apples to oranges for example...

Do you always need / want your sound system equip with you?
Is it a studio in the bus or stage equip only used outside the bus?
If the latter, maybe a shorter bus and a quality cargo trailer would keep the valuables more secure?

The big differences in how a 23' vs 28' bus drive will really depend more on the wheel base difference of the two vehicles.

Ride quality -- Suspension can be fine tuned after you learn the bus and what changes you want to make ($$$)