New member

[HappyCamper1]

....the wife and I, after tent camping for 40 years have finally "upgraded" to a Roadtrek Simplicity. It's a 2015 so are there any tips and tricks about this motorhome I could use before we embark on our first road trip..Thanks....by the way, we haven't picked it up yet but is there a screen for the side door?...just wondering

[mkguitar]

Hello and Welcome


I don't have your model, but some other forum members do


top tip: practice camp in your driveway to familiarize your self with the systems and operation where you have easy access to your tools and the internet and manuals








you now those "as seen on tv" screen kits?


I adapted one of those for my side and rear door openings using "hook" velcro strips on the edges of the door "frame"



the screen material acts as if it were loop velcro and is held in place, the center opening of the screen has magnets to reclose it after you move through it


mike

[rowiebowie]

Welcome to the forum!

As mike suggests, driveway camp or stay someplace close-by to get to know your van and test all systems before venturing far afield.

There will be issues. Only minor ones if you're lucky. Some things may be actual problems, while some may be operator error. But your learning curve will sort things out in short order and my intent is to prepare you, not scare you.

After I got my first class b, I used to say "I learned something new every day". Then it went to "every week", then "every month". After 3-1/2 years I'm still learning.

Post back with any questions or comments and let us know how things go.

Safe travels!

[HappyCamper1]

...Thanks...we are going to Texas in another month, but I'm not worried. I'm pretty mechanically inclined. we have searched and read/viewed countless infos on various vans in the past 4 years. Power train should be solid with only 42,000 miles on this 2015. Everything else will be a learning curve, but we're excited to go somewhere where we don't have to worry about wet clothes, sleeping bags and spending a day at the pay laundry mat.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by HappyCamper1

...Thanks...we are going to Texas in another month, but I'm not worried.

Umm, you should be worried about coming to Texas in July/August. The temps can be pretty brutal, but at least that's not all the time.

Last Summer we planned a trip to a couple of central Texas State parks. Predictions were for temps of 105 degrees. No problem I thought. After all, I'm from Texas so I'm used to it right? Plus, I've got a big honking ac, and mid 90's is common, so what's another 10 degrees.

Well, that extra 10 degrees was everything. When we got to camp our van was heat-soaked from driving 4 hours on 140 degree asphalt, then parking on 140 degree asphalt. We have a very small class b with an oversized 15K btu ac which has always cooled down quickly even in full sun on our driveway.

But high 90 degree temps at home with a van sitting above it own fairly cool shadow on ampient temperature concrete was not nearly the same as above. I learned that it took a full 3 hours to cool our van comfortably and another full hour before it reached the full set temperature on the thermostat. Our poor old dog was dying for the first few hours as the van floor was staying pretty hot.

If you stay near the coast (where I live) temps basically never hit 100 due to the cooling effect of breezes off the Gulf of Mexico. But still, try and find a shady spot to park (scarce in many of our state parks) and make sure the ac is in tip-top condition.

Come on down, but be warned.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by HappyCamper1

...by the way, we haven't picked it up yet but is there a screen for the side door?...just wondering

The front and rear screens are an option, so you may or may not have them. There are many screen hacks discussed over on the Facebook page for Zion and Simplicity Owners... if you can tolerate Facebook.

I would also join the Promaster forum. The 2015 was the first year that Roadtrek converted this model... since this Fiat van was first imported in 2014.

It will definitely beat sleeping on the ground. lol

[RossWilliams]

We got a class b for the same reasons. We did winter camping vacations and found ouselves wimping out because of the weather. Arizona is warmer than Minnesota, but it still gets below zero at the Grand Canyon.

We used garage sales to fully equip the RV do we don't have to load and unload it every trip. It also means you have stuff appropriate to the RV.

For instance, dishes that will fit in the sink. If you can put the lid down you can clear off the counter without washing dishes immediately. But it also makes the washing rinsing and drying a lot easier.

Buy local food. Don't look for New York bagels in New Mexico. And think about the prep and cleanup. Keep some basic condiments in the RV, again so you don't have to buy them or take them from home. Have some quick meals planned, including breakfasts.

Cook outside whenever possible. That means packing a camp stove to cook on. Cooking inside is often a lot like camping anyway unless you use the microwave.

Stop at rest stops. It will limit your tank use and they are much more pleasant than truck stops. Most have picnic tables for lunch.

We have a 2015 roadtrek etrek with solar panels, an underhood generator and lots of batteries. I am not sure what the Simplicity has but I have been surprised at the value the solar panels bring. They will basically keep the refrigerator running indefinitely. And having a refrigerator has turned out to be a big advantage over camping in tents.

Get a fitted insulated window screen for the front window. The built-in screens work for the sides, but having a good deal around that large front window can make a real difference.

Read the winterization instructions and do a practice run. We have been surprised by cold weather where we didn't expect it so we always carry RV antifreeze fall through spring. Even when winterized you can use antifreeze to flush the toilet for liquids. Just make sure you use enough so it doesn't get too diluted. And put a little in the toilet bowl so you don't get a frozen gasket. The extreme cold in Minnesota will freeze even the antifreeze, but it won't expand and burst the pipes. That doesn't mean your tank will drain or the macerator will work.

Remember that you are going to be living out of your RV, not in it. If you going to spend a lot of time sitting around inside, you probably should have gotten a larger unit.

[markoch]

We have the Simplicity. Add solar. Get a second battery if you don't plug in at night. Join the FB group. Enjoy.

[HappyCamper1]

Thanks...speaking of solar panels, I have two on the roof..the dealer never said anything about them, and I don't see anything inside the van, gauge or control-wise that would indicate that they even work or are hooked up to anything??