Replace a minivan with a Class B - Am I crazy?

[SiennaGuy]

I'd forgotten about the Coachmen Galleria (time to clear some of those mental cobwebs). The Galleria is another one that has the galley on what I see as the wrong side.

I was also disappointed with the Coachmen website. I wanted a lot more information than what they offered. I don't know if they had anything to hide, but it just seemed like they could have put more effort into it. It's not just them, but I think it's just the old RV industry mentality:

1. Everybody always goes to RV shows. We really don't need to put much energy into marketing besides these shows.

2. Everybody always camps at RV parks.

3. Everybody loves loud, 6-color swoopy-doopy paint jobs on the outside of their RVs.

4. Last but not least, we want new customers but we don't want to change much of anything to get them. Customers have to change, not us. We've been doing it this way for years.

Because of this thinking, they (and several others) don't put much energy into a website, create products that soon become helpless if they don't have full hookups and paint their products (besides their Class Bs) in hideous paint schemes. After all, they've been doing it this way for years.

[Moose1790]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

The one thing that stood out when I was in a Galleria at a local RV show was how narrow the aisle is, seemed much less width than our Roadtrek RS Adventurous, but it only takes a few inches there to make a big difference.

I have heard from a few folks that the Galleria has the most shoulder room in any B lavatory. I think we just identified how they pulled that off. I guess it comes down to whether you want that space in the bathroom or the aisle... also probably depends on whether you choose the floorplan with a large driver side pantry which cuts into shoulder space in the aisle too.

The Galleria is an interesting conundrum... It really does look like a nicely built rig that I'm for sure gonna check out, but many of Coachmen's choices are just strange. Perhaps folks are right, it's the case of a traditional RV company applying traditional thinking.

1. Smallish tanks. I'm not sure what tradeoffs they were making where they couldn't squeeze in slightly bigger tanks. Winnie has bigger tanks on the ERA.

2. Electrical system. It's nice that the 100 watt solar is standard, but they do not include an inverter. I guess that's not that uncommon, but Coachman decided to go with 12 TV and bluray. They chose to install a compressor fridge (dual AC/12v) but they went with an induction cooktop... presumably only works on AC. Yet they have a fairly decent (for a B) size LP tank that really only supplies the generator and Truma. I have to assume that there was some logic applied here, but they ended up designing a system that pretty much requires you to have all three power sources to be optimally running (AC/12V/LP). Plus if my kids want to play xbox while on the road we will need to either install an inverter or run the genset. I imagine the owner of a Galleria spending lots of time filling up on LP to run the generator and at the dump station.

3. AGM batteries? I actually can't find out if they offer these. James from the FitRV said that they weren't fitted on the rig he inspected in his video but I've heard other people say that they have them. Not a hard retrofit, but why can't I find the answer to this? Which brings me to...

4. Information asymmetry. Coachmen seems to be living in a pre-internet world. People like to research the details before talking to salespeople. I frankly have leaned that I typically know more about the product than the sales team by the time I walk in the door. The days of the average joe accepting half-accurate info is rapidly disappearing. Now, I'm not necessarily shilling for Winnebago, but their website and information on their products is excellent. Their manuals and online support information is really great.

I am not going to rule out the Galleria. Like I said the fit and finish look great & you can add some of that other stuff (like more solar and an inverter). I think someone on this forum did just that but I haven't heard any updates. The price point of a new Galleria is what makes it interesting. It basically competes with the Era. You're not going to find a new Roadtrek for that... perhaps a 2 year old Roadtrek.

Lastly, WRT floorplan, I still haven't found many other options if you want the front lounge captains chairs. I get that many (most) people don't want that, but if that's what your wife says you need to get or no new toy for you, then your hands are tied. The only rigs I've seen with a front lounge that don't have a driver side galley and small low fridge are the LTV Free Spirit TE (an impossible to find unicorn that will still probably cost more used than a new Era or Galleria) and one model from Great West Vans (equally if not more elusive to find in the wild). I suppose you can throw in Safari Condo but that means dealing with their Canadian to US sales process.

So I continue to be open to ideas. Great input and thanks to all the folks contributing!!

[fwdanielson]

A 24 foot Sprinter RV is a big vehicle, especially if you are going to use it as an around town vehicle. Try taking a look at the Roadtrek Versatile. They only offer new ones in 17 foot versions but those do seat 6 and sleep 4. If you are willing to consider a used unit a Versatile 190 may be the ticket. From the outside they look much more like a conversion van than any Sprinter based model and should check all of your boxes. The Chevy based vans do not get as good fuel mileage as a diesel Sprinter but cost much less to maintain and can be serviced anywhere.