Advice on a 20-footer

[vannon]

I'd like to trade up from a 2002 Great West Classic Supreme (a B with a slideout!) that I've had for three years. My new B can be brand-new or a couple of years old, but I REALLY want a 20-footer or shorter.

Almost everything I've seen has a strike against it:

--The Ontour 2.0 is pricey, has no swivel chairs, and offers door screens and solar only as (pricey) options.
--The Solis has a cassette toilet.
--I like the Lexor FL, the Travato G, the Zion, and the Nova, but they are all 21 feet.
--That leaves me with ... the Zion SRT, the likes of which I haven't been able to find within 1,000 miles of NY. (I would get the Weekender package, which adds underhood generator, solar and screen doors.)

It's just me -- a 60-something semi-retired woman -- and my dog at the moment, but I need a double bed+ cuz ... ya never know....

I love the GW, but with my age and lack of mechanical acumen, I feel it's time to get something that is safer, more reliable and worry-free. But not bigger. I really don't know from custom manufacturers or chassis, so please be kind to me.

What am I missing about my choices? I realize it's a seller's market, and I SUPPOSE I could wait until it gets colder, but what should I be looking at?

And yes, I AM reading all your posts to others looking for similar advice! Thanks in advance.

[mkguitar]

Hi and Welcome to the Forums

You have a clear idea of what you want and experience- big pluses

Some smart people will share soon.

I have an older chevy ( 21' w spare), I don;t know much about the newer stuff 'ceptin' what I read here

They keep saying the ford transit is a good option

I found a van like yours on youtube- that's nifty and I bet with a 4 seater you'll get top dollar for it when you are ready to sell.


cheers, Mike

[booster]

Originally Posted by mkguitar

Hi and Welcome to the Forums

You have a clear idea of what you want and experience- big pluses

Some smart people will share soon.

I have an older chevy ( 21' w spare), I don;t know much about the newer stuff 'ceptin' what I read here

They keep saying the ford transit is a good option

I found a van like yours on youtube- that's nifty and I bet with a 4 seater you'll get top dollar for it when you are ready to sell.


cheers, Mike

A Roadtrek 170 on the Chevy chassis would meet the length requirement. They were made until 2018 or 2019 I think.

[mtmdatlanta]

The OnTour 2.0 has NO options. Everything you mentioned is standard. The latest ones built on the 20290chassis has both seats swivel, as well as an updated dash with more passthrough room, updated safety equipment, the 10-speed transmission with stop/syart, and the option of AWD. I also expect them to switch to the newer, quieter generator, as I know they were telling me about it at a show I attended in January. I expect at sometime in the future to have other options like the Radius interior panels, but some development has been slowed by the Pandemic.

[pacificstar]

Helo,

Well, we just put a deposit on a 2021 Solis. Were a retired couple with a dog as well. We looked for 11 months (sold our cab over camper on a Tundra 10/19) and landed on the Solis. Cassete toilet yes, but a toilet and a small shower. Better than some we looked at. For us it was 19'9" doable, a head, a almost queen bed and a small but functional kitchen area. We feel the pop top has a good re-sell option. We had a VW camper van we bought new in 1971 so 50 years later we are re-visiting the Westfalia look. I wish you all the best in your search. Let us know what you decide on. If your interested there is an active Winnebago Solis Facebook group for owners and Wannabe's for more insight and discussion.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by pacificstar

Helo,

Well, we just put a deposit on a 2021 Solis. Were a retired couple with a dog as well. We looked for 11 months (sold our cab over camper on a Tundra 10/19) and landed on the Solis. Cassete toilet yes, but a toilet and a small shower. Better than some we looked at. For us it was 19'9" doable, a head, a almost queen bed and a small but functional kitchen area. We feel the pop top has a good re-sell option. We had a VW camper van we bought new in 1971 so 50 years later we are re-visiting the Westfalia look. I wish you all the best in your search. Let us know what you decide on. If your interested there is an active Winnebago Solis Facebook group for owners and Wannabe's for more insight and discussion.

In 2013 we realized that our camping life was stagnant at best and concluded that it was due to headaches with large RVs. We revisited the 1977/85 Westfalias look as well and decide to go back to the future.

Unfortunately, we didn't found any camper vans meeting our needs so we jumped into our DIY. In 2014 we were visiting friends in Bay Area and decided to go toward Sierra Nevada on the way back to Oregon, we got lucky and got a campsite in Yosemite Valley. There was a major storm and a lot of folks left. This was like déjà vu of our very frequent trips to Yosemite in the late seventies and eighties.

The Solis model has this Westfalia nostalgic look, more modern, better appliances, this would very likely be our choice today if we were on the market. Enjoy.

[Buford Wilson]

Originally Posted by vannon

I REALLY want a 20-footer or shorter.

I bought my Roadtrek Zion SRT, 19 ft 7 inch long, new in 2016. I couldn't be happier, didn't have a single problem. Although I have the AGM battery. Most of the recorded Zion problems were with the EcoTrek lithium battery. And I understand that system works fine in the newer models.

You will never go back to a conventional generator after you experience the 2nd underhood alternator (GU in Roadtrek speak).

The only modifications I made were to add a Xantrex Echo Charge so the AGM battery, charge maintained by solar, keeps the starter battery charged when the RV is in outside storage with no 110 Volt AC access through the long cold winter (-35F). And Drone Mobile remote monitor and start, in case the solar panels are covered with snow.

The ProMaster van with 3.6 V6 gas engine is outstanding.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Buford Wilson

I bought my Roadtrek Zion SRT, 19 ft 7 inch long, new in 2016. I couldn't be happier, didn't have a single problem. Although I have the AGM battery. Most of the recorded Zion problems were with the EcoTrek lithium battery. And I understand that system works fine in the newer models.

You will never go back to a conventional generator after you experience the 2nd underhood alternator (GU in Roadtrek speak).

The only modifications I made were to add a Xantrex Echo Charge so the AGM battery, charge maintained by solar, keeps the starter battery charged when the RV is in outside storage with no 110 Volt AC access through the long cold winter (-35F). And Drone Mobile remote monitor and start, in case the solar panels are covered with snow.

The ProMaster van with 3.6 V6 gas engine is outstanding.

Can't beat a satisfied owner's update.

Thanks for posting.

[elayjay]

Regarding the PW Ontour 2.0 0r 2.2 for that matter, I do not know why PW can't keep their website up to date. The OP is quoting from what is on the PW website for the swivel seats but after reading on this forum that the new Transit changed that I reached out to them and got the correct info. I bet they miss a lot of sales by people thinking the seats don't swivel. I think the 2.0 would be a great choice for you because so much is standard and the length is perfect. When I grow up I'm getting the 2.2.