4x4 Winnebago ERA 70A - in the flesh

[ClassB4Me]

The 2016 ERA 4x4s are arriving at the dealerships...



Sticker

[wincrasher]

Tempting, very tempting.

Notice this one does not have the Truma. Suppose that is an "in-line" change and some 2016'a won't have it.

[eric1514]

If you need 4x4 to get to where you want to camp, that RV will twist and shake itself in to a pile of expensive s**t. I've seen jeeps come apart, let alone vans with cabinets and plumbing.

Eric

[ClassB4Me]

I think it is 4x4 for the added benefits of traction. Also it is selectable to keep fuel economy in check.

https://youtu.be/WgN5az6UWu0

https://youtu.be/j3gCiXdqutM

https://youtu.be/Z7sUN_NFZnk

[wincrasher]

I'm of the mind that this is for snowy roads. If you take your van to ski country, it might be handy to have.

Muddy roads on BLM land as well.

Nobody is going to be bounding over rocks and dunes like in the advertisements.

[Jostalli]

If you go off road you don't want a dually. Super singles are preferred.

[B Eventually]

Winnebago updated Era's specs. They're claiming the 4x4 option only raises the total height by 1", but Wincrasher observed a 4" increase in ground clearance. What am I missing? Typo?

[Davydd]

The 4x4 Sprinter is raised approximately 3.5 inches in the back and 4 inches in the front. I've seen and measured the difference at Advanced RV. That is a Mercedes Benz change. If Winnebago claims 1 inch it is either a miracle or ignorance.

[wincrasher]

People just love to throw out these ignorant statements about Winnebago for some reason, to imply that they are clueless or something. I don't get why we want to bash someone who continues hold the line of prices and still provide value.

But anyways - here's the spec page :Era | Specifications | Winnebago RVs

All they are claiming is 2" higher height on the 70A, and 1" higher height on the 70X. They are making no claims on the ground clearance.

So either it's just a straight up typo (which I doubt), or they have made some changes to the rooftop mounted protrusions. So why is the first assumption out of your mouths that they are clueless? Why isn't the question what did they change up top?

[Davydd]

You tell me. They had already changed to a lower profile air conditioner which would be the highest point. No way they could get 3" lower without saying something new on top.

[gregmchugh]

Let me get this straight, when people make negative statements about Roadtrek it is clever and when people make negative statements about Winnebago it is bashing. People who are Roadtrek fans drink the Kool-Aid and people who are Winnebago fans are not drinking the Kool-Aid. I think I now understand the Class B forum mentality, Roadtrek sucks and Winnebago is perfect...

I happen to own a Roadtrek but I try to recognize that every manufacturer has positives and negatives...

[Jostalli]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Let me get this straight, when people make negative statements about Roadtrek it is clever and when people make negative statements about Winnebago it is bashing. People who are Roadtrek fans drink the Kool-Aid and people who are Winnebago fans are not drinking the Kool-Aid. I think I now understand the Class B forum mentality, Roadtrek sucks and Winnebago is perfect...

I happen to own a Roadtrek but I try to recognize that every manufacturer has positives and negatives...

I call it like it is. I don't own a Winnebago or a Roadtrek but I have evaluated several models from each manufacturer extensively. In fact I am currently sitting at the dinette of a new (rented) Winnebago Brave 27B. I have a list of build issues about 10 bullet points long from the Zion I evaluated. I have a list almost as long from the Travato.

[Davydd]

Roadtrekkers that get on their Facebook group, gush, manage to heap praise on their geniuses, don't get blocked by Campskunk and manage not to get kicked out drink the Kool-Aid. Winnebago owners just drink Bud Light and like it.

[markopolo]

Hope you stick around and participate more here Greg. I've read and learned from your posts on other groups.

I think the kool aid topic was a reaction to control, censorship & banning members on the roadtreking group: http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...else-3682.html

I know it is hard to distinguish between the Roadtrek and Roadtreking.

You have the freedom to express your opinion here. Members will jump in and correct miss-truths.

Brand rivalry will always surface. I recall some rivalry between a few Roadtrek and Pleasure-Way owners a decade ago.

A good thing to remember is not to post anything you wouldn't say to someone in a face to face conversation.

[gregmchugh]

No question that too many people on Roadtreking have consumed the Kool-Aid and with 5000 members there are plenty of rude and obnoxious popular kids that are not dealt with the same way as the outcasts from the flock. There are also plenty of people who are not part of the in crowd and censor their comments enough to not get kicked out. I have pissed off Jim on occasion by being too much an engineer and I am sure Mike thinks I am a pain in the ass and will kick me out at some point. Many people have left voluntarily and gone to the Roadtrek Owners group and many of those who were kicked out are there, I enjoy that group more because I can be myself. I choose to stay because I enjoy helping people and enjoy interacting with some of the people but I think the dictatorship is silly but completely understandable when you understand the vested interests of the few in power. I have no problem at all with Jim, he is just doing his job and I think he does it pretty well most of the time. By the way, I haven't had any Kool-Aid in 60 years and I don't drink beer so I am not sure where I fit, just a geek engineer who enjoys discussing technical issues to keep my brain active

And if you read my comments on The Roadtrek Owners group you will know I am not a Roadtrek fanboy, I have no problem discussing their issues and I see plenty of them from my view. I just find it interesting that some people spend way too much time bashing the other guys and ignore the imperfections of their chosen RV brand. And Davyyd, if you were trying to put me in Kool-Aid group since I have not been kicked out, nice try but the evidence says not. I will say the I think Advanced RV is clearly the best manufacturer Class Bs and their owners are justified in their praise of their chosen van. Just not sure why so many people spend so much time here bashing Roadtrek implying that anyone who buys one must be crazy. I bought a 08 RS Adventurous 3 years ago and have had no major problems with it. Would I trade it for a new one with all the ETrek/Ecotrek stuff? I am not about to become a guinea pig for their undeclared beta testing program of new technology.

[ClassB4Me]

Thanks for adding your voice to the conversation...

I will say the I think Advanced RV is clearly the best manufacturer Class Bs and their owners are justified in their praise of their chosen van.

Each RV manufacturer focuses on a particular area of the Class B segment. Advanced RV has chosen to be a small volume provider of RVs where customization is highly valued. With that customization comes a higher transactional price point that many customer will pay. Others manufacturers who build in greater volumes have to balance price with features and build quality.

Winnebago offers a wide range of RV products across a broad price point. In addition, their size lets them manufacture on different chassis. I'm confident the new Class C on the Ford Transit cutaway chassis will be well received and have good quality.

The RV industry is good study in how to grow and diversify in a product segment where the purchase is clearly discretionary and sometimes an impulse purchase. Over the last decade we have seen many RV manufacturers leave the market due to poor management or changes in customer tastes.

For me the measure of a good company besides the product is the implicit guarantee they will be there long-term to support their product.

[gregmchugh]

I agree that each tries to hit a certain segment. By best for Advanced, I should have been specific. I think they are best at design, workmanship, and customer focus/satisfaction, clearly the buyers are happy but they did have to wait in line, think about what they really want, and pay somewhat more, not the choice many buyers might make.

[booster]

I think the fact that ARV has, and is, proving to be doing a good job on their chosen market should not be totally unexpected, as they owners have other industry manufacturing experience. No predetermined ways of how to design and build a class B, or believing that it is good because "that is the way we always did it". A lot of the expertise transfers. IIRC, there was already a good sized CAD and design area at one of the sister companies, that really is a big thing at startup.

Winnebago has obviously moved beyond the basic RV building philosophy, and into the more modern times. The documentation is very good, real drawings and parts lists, good price points. They must do a good job of efficiency in manufacturing to be that competitive. Not the quality of ARV, but about what I would expect at the price point.

The surprise to me is Roadtrek, as I totally expected the new owners (5-6 years ago) would move them into a more controlled manufacturing and design situation, as that is their specialty--buying distressed, but withgood future, manufacturing companies and then straightening them out for resale. Our 07 Roadtrek had quite a few "challenges" when new, and it really doesn't look like things have changed much in that regard.

It will be interesting to see if anyone is able to step it up a notch and challenge ARV and Winnebago in the areas of success. Right now they are eating up the competition.

[wincrasher]

My guess is they changed antennas. They extend above the AC unit and are pretty easy to get a couple inches out of them.

I thought they changed AC units to the Coleman Mach a few years ago. Same unit as the Travato which is a lower profile than what they were using previously.

What I found curious is that the X in 2WD sits an inch higher than than the A in 2WD, but in 4WD they are the same. Could be that the A is heavier than the X, but with the springs in the 4WD, it doesn't matter.

[Scottbaldassari]

Originally Posted by Davydd

... Winnebago owners just drink Bud Light and like it.

hee hee. That's good. But I hope you're not dissin bud light..