Introduce Yourself

[Applegater]

Hi, wife(retired teachet) and I(retired Fed) toured with MB cruiser for 6 years(75,000 mi) then crossed over to the dark side with a LTV Serenity. Just sold the Serenity, flying to Willoughby, Ohio to view and discuss building an Advanced RV unit. Currently splitting time between home in southern Oregon and apartment in Seattle( Mariner season tickets).

[Begreen]

Originally Posted by wiljennie

1) I'm interested in designing what I'll call an "airdry" toilet. The "Compost toilet" is not likely to become accepted by RV'ers - confuses people who might think that you have to be a vegetarian or live in Seattle to use one.

[Maxacceleration]

Hello all,
We are about ready to get into Roadtrek ownership. Hopefully.
Looking to carry a motorcycle on the rear if the Merc will do it.
Thats the deal maker or breaker.
Hope to learn some here.
Thank you.

[wiljennie]

Originally Posted by mass59k

Have 90 lb mountain dog. Just traded down from WB View to WB Travato 59k. ..heading up to Nova Scotia soon. Be safe out there. ..
Wayne from Mass

Haha! we have a small dog and have been a little worried about traveling with him - you give me courage with your Travato and mountain dog. We looked at the View & Travato - interested in hearing how the change is going for you. My dad lives in Halifax - so we'll be wending our way to Nova Scotia soon too.

Regards Jennie

[wiljennie]

Originally Posted by Begreen

didnt mean to make you mad/confused with my remark about acceptance of the compost toilet. We'll probably just do a simple home made compost toilet that separates - let me know what you think.

Yours Jennie

[mass59k]

Family has farm in Bridgwater. .go there almost yearly. Change from View is going ok..miss performance of Mercedes turbo...Travato is great back road vehicle..Wife added memory foam to beds..really soft now,
Wayne in Mass 59k

[wiljennie]

Originally Posted by mass59k

Travato is great back road vehicle..Wife added memory foam to beds..really soft now,
Wayne in Mass 59k

Does your Travato have those Euro plastic appearing mattress springs underneath? I noticed this when watching Fit RV video on the Travato

- now that I've gone back to it - its the "Froli Star Mobil"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya1GjCHXGjg

If you - or anyone! - has used that system - I believe the newer Travatos seem to have them - I'm interested in how they feel and how they stand up over time.
Supposedly they act as springs and also allow air passage in the typically moist environment of the RV?

Thanks

[BobB]

My wife and I just retired last year (she - interior designer; me- landscape architect). We have a '99 VW Eurovan Camper which we bought used in August 2013 with 103k miles, mostly renovated, new auto transmission, etc. We are starting to think about a move up in size to Class B, possibly based on a ProMaster build (Travato, Zion, Lexor or similar). Joined this forum to listen, ask questions, contribute. Planning on going to Hershey RV show in September for more research.

[wiljennie]

Originally Posted by BobB

Planning on going to Hershey RV show in September for more research.

Thanks for reminding me - I've never been to an RV show - they say that on the final day you get the deals. (I took landscape architecture @ Nova Scotia College of Art & Design in the 70's - then changed to fine art) Great place to get ideas

[wiljennie]

Originally Posted by mass59k

Family has farm in Bridgwater. .go there almost yearly. Change from View is going ok..miss performance of Mercedes turbo...Travato is great back road vehicle..Wife added memory foam to beds..really soft now,
Wayne in Mass 59k

Does your Travato mattress have the plastic springs - Froli springs - underneath?

[mass59k]

Yes we have them..they also come with stffeners if wanted..very comfortable but we also added memory foam

[Groovy2]

Hi my name is Jay and live in Austin- I have Zero van experience but I want to try it - I have a wide skill set and have worked as a motorcycle mechanic -tig welder - custom car painter - High tech machine assembler - Movie /TV industry -- machine shop - I am retired now and want to travel - Never really been a car guy as far as working on them but I can usually fix them if I have to - the Best car I have owned is a Subaru Outback -
Its just going to be just me traveling and a Class B looks like what I want -
I am glad to find your Forum and will be asking many questions -
Thanks-Jay-

[Exechobo]

First "camper" a '57 Ford station wagon, where I slept across the fron seat, my brothers on top in a cartop carrier, and my parent in the back with the seat folded down. Been on the road ever since. My mate has a similarly colorful history in France, and we are looking for a B van to add nimbleness to our trips.

[GBUSMCR]

New to the RVing experience. Done a lot of tent time for hunting. Love a good canvas wall tent. We purchased a 2014 Winnebago Era 70A with the intent of driving to Alaska and back. Our departure is July 20th. I have a 6 week sabbatical so our return is August 30th. My wife resisted the RV so will see how she likes the experience. LOL I did tell her this was a "me" decision and not a "us" decision.

[Davydd]

Perfect time for the Alaska trip. You will only wish you had more time.

[BobB]

"My wife resisted the RV so will see how she likes the experience."

The Era 70A looks pretty comfortable, better than a canvas wall tent

[feady]

Hi Everyone, first of all many thanks to those who take the time to post helpful tips and other information. This is invaluable to fairly new RVers such as ourselves.

We are from Kanata, Ontario and bought a 2003 Roadtrek Popular 190 (Chev) with low mileage last year to use on our winter trips to the Oaxaca, Mexico area where we volunteer at a children's home for 3 months each winter. This enables us to take our ageing cat with us. Cat thinks the RV is his! We find the size of our RV is good for the couple of weeks travel time down and back and at the home they have full RV hookups so we use it as a bedroom and do a little cooking etc.

We are amused at people we meet who have larger RV's that tell us we will grow into a larger unit. The class B size suits us really well and given the distance we travel the fuel economy is also important.

We are looking forward to doing a couple of "tourist" trips later this summer before heading to Mexico again in early January.

So far the class B has been a very good decision!

[BobB]

"We are amused at people we meet who have larger RV's that tell us we will grow into a larger unit. The class B size suits us really well and given the distance we travel the fuel economy is also important."

My wife and I are amused by the number of people who used to have a large Class A or C RV and downsized to a Class B.

[Davydd]

There are just as many Class B owners that have moved up to Class C, Class A and trailers if not more than those who have moved down. It is an evolutionary process and eventually most give up RVing all together. Everyone develops their own personal concepts about how they would like to RV. Most of the people I have associated with that changed RVs had moved on. Some have moved up and back down and some up and down and up. I think most bought their one B and will drive it until they give it up entirely. There is no pat answer to what drives anyone, but statistics belie the B as a favorite RV type. Enjoy being a rare breed but don't be too smug about it.

[BobB]

David, you're right. We're a small segment (not even sure if my little VW EVC qualifies as a "Class B").

Not smug. When we are camping we just always enjoy people's stories of how they got started RVing, what they drove in the past, what they have now, what they like/dislike, mods they made. Always interesting stories.

Yes, not many Class B's out there. From RVIA study of wholesale units shipped 2007-2014, RVIA's numbers indicate only 3000 in 2014. RV Business reported in April 2015 that Winnebago had a bit more than 30% of the RV market. So that's about 900 units per year for Winnebago and that is made of 2 Class B lines, ERA with 3 floor plans, Travato with 2. Not big numbers to get the volume to keep prices down.

Of all the Motorized RVs and Towables, Class B is at the bottom, even behind Truck Campers. Trailers lead the way with over 200,000 units shipped in 2014.