4x4 Winnebago ERA 70A - in the flesh

[thefitrv]

Couple quick pictures on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thefitrv/posts/887606661320497

In all respects, a pretty typical ERA. Just built up on the 4x4 Sprinter. From the inside, you wouldn't know it was any different (unless you got in the driver's seat).

[markopolo]

Nice! thanks for sharing the link to the photos

[Davydd]

It is about a 4 inch higher hike to get in. I was asked yesterday about getting to the upper storage of my Advanced RV in the back end. I thought it rather easy with the two tier step bumper they install on the hitch receiver. But thinking about it, 4 more inches might make that difficult. My wife already uses a collapsible stool we keep in the back to step up on that step bumper. None of the Advanced RVs had the fiberglass or nerf bar sides installed on their 4 x 4s when I looked at them. I wonder how they are handling the extra 4 inches at the sliding door. It seems rather high on that ERA.

I ordered about 8 months too soon or I probably would have opted for a 4 x 4.

[wincrasher]

Pretty cool. I'd think the A with this chassis would be a big seller.

Not sure I'm sold on the extra 4" of ride height though. I'd like 4WD at a normal ride height. Or better yet, an adjustable ride height like on the Range Rover.

[Robert Ryan]

4x4 Sprinter Conversions been around in Australia for two years. Paradise Motorhomes with 70c like slide. Trakka is another Company doing the Sprinter 4 x4 Conversions
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psburfrq1t.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...pscfexkdpy.jpg

[Nomad32]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

4x4 Sprinter Conversions been around in Australia for two years. Paradise Motorhomes with 70c like slide. Trakka is another Company doing the Sprinter 4 x4 Conversions
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...psburfrq1t.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...pscfexkdpy.jpg

It's unfortunate that North American manufacturers are behind the curve on many RV innovations, when compared to Australia and Europe.

[wincrasher]

It's not the RV manufacturers. It's Mercedes Benz decision to delay importing the van. As soon as the imports started, WGO came out with a conversion.

That's like saying Winnebago is at fault for not having Ducato conversions 10 years ago. They started making conversions immediately upon the van being available.

[Robert Ryan]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

It's not the RV manufacturers. It's Mercedes Benz decision to delay importing the van. As soon as the imports started, WGO came out with a conversion.

That's like saying Winnebago is at fault for not having Ducato conversions 10 years ago. They started making conversions immediately upon the van being available.

To be factored in as well is Ford's Umming and Ahhing in introducing the Transit. If they had not ,Mercedes would have respected the Status quo and did nothing. Influx of the European Vans, has opened a new RV chapter in the U.S., as I suspected it would. How long is the Chevrolet Van going to last as a Van and basis for Conversions? I would expect not long.

[wincrasher]

Suprisingly, the Chevy Express is still selling well considering it's an old design in a sea of new product. I suspect GM will drop the price if sales slip to maintain sales. What is surprising is that they have a Euro-van that could be brought over fairly quickly. Are the just milking the old cash cow until they have no other choice?

[Robert Ryan]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

Suprisingly, the Chevy Express is still selling well considering it's an old design in a sea of new product. I suspect GM will drop the price if sales slip to maintain sales. What is surprising is that they have a Euro-van that could be brought over fairly quickly. Are the just milking the old cash cow until they have no other choice?

Just like Ford did with the Econoline. If it is still making reasonable money, no reason to drop it. For traditional buyers, it is the only " American" Van still available

[bobojay]

GM will keep the Express/Savannah as long as demand is there I think. All tooling is paid for long ago, one of, if not the best quality/performing V8 engines, cheap to make in Mexico, again, all paid for. Being built in an assembly plant that's running at over 100% capacity right now with the Colorado/Canyon trucks.
Like wincrasher said, they can lower the price if need be via big rebates or upfit credits etc. Ford is doing the same right now with the E series cutaways, making small year to year changes bringing them in line with their corporate cousin trucks. As long as the RV & public safety market can take all their production, they'll be around

[markopolo]

There's some info about the Winnebago Era 4×4 on RV Business: Winnebago Era Adds 4×4 Option from Mercedes | RV Business

and here's the source from Gizmag: Winnebago launches Mercedes Sprinter 4x4-based Era 4x4 camper van

The Travato 59K is also highlighted in the Gizmag article.

[cjscott]

Winnebago told us when we bought our Era 70X in March they had no immediate plans for this which is not true according to this link. Wish we knew bc we would have waited for the 4x4. Just read they will be at the 4x4 at this year's Hershey show, 70A and 70X models. Wish we knew about this bf we got our 70X in March. Wonder if they got a side door window screen for the 70A yet, one of the reasons we went with the 70X. Winnebago Brings Exciting Lineup to America's Largest RV Show<WGO.N> | Reuters

[bobojay]

WGO told you or your dealer told you? This was online very early this year that they were going to do something with the AWD Sprinter

[cjscott]

BoboJay, Winnebago not dealer and they lied to us if the link we put on above is correct which shows them debuting at Hershey show next week. I think they wanted us to take what they were building at the time. We ordered our black Era 70X sometime after Halloween 2014 and when it arrived at our dealer end of Jan 2015, it had ghost like images throughout the black paint, scratches in the paint and on the upgraded alcoa wheels, etc. We did not take, and dealer reordered a new one. We were on the phone with Winnebago continuously and asked them again about the 4x4 and this was around Feb and March of 2015 thinking now they may be coming out as it has been almost 6 months since we originally ordered. We also would have waited for a 4x4 70A instead if we knew they were making the 2016 70A now with a side door screen, another thing they told us they had no plans for. Winnebago has been of very little help with any problems unless you hound them. By the way our air conditioner condenser fan motor mounts broke when we were away this weekend, which caused the fan to hit something and break and we spent this past Labor Day weekend without air conditioning. Also our fresh water pump went second time we had it out. Also a lot of little odd and end issues, screens popping out, broken window handle, etc. We've only had ours since early spring. I do like my Era, and it's a real head turner, people gawk at us even take pics of it while we're sitting in it which can be weird, lol, but they need to work on quality issues and their customer service and should be honest about what they are making in changes, etc.

[bobojay]

ciscott, is this your first RV?

[cjscott]

Originally Posted by bobojay

ciscott, is this your first RV?

We owned a 2003 Trail-Lite B+ 250LE on a Ford E350 chasis with a Triton 6.8 liter V10, 4:11 rear gears which gave us great gas mileage 13 to 15 mpg with the higher gear ratio and a softer ride than the 450. Trail-Lites were considered lower end altho everything was Dometic fridge, air conditioner, awning, etc., stove and furnace were Atwood, and generator was an Onen 4KWand never had problems like we are experiencing now, except one time with the furnace, in 13 years of owning it. And to be honest, we do not trust leaving our pets with the generator which has stalled on us several times, and now the air conditioner which just went this weekend while we were away on a trip, and had walked into a store leaving our pets inside for 20 minutes, coming back to find it banging, and the air conditioner shaking on the roof of the RV, as the mounts broke and the fan was hitting the cover, on a 6 month old motorhome. Again just informing. I like my Era but the quality of the components also are questionable. The roof AC is not strong enough on a hot sunny day, it is a 13.5 BTU with a high speed condenser fan motor 3100 RPM which may be why it self destructed when the motor mounts went bad this weekend. We all know how hot it has been everywhere. We see now that a lot of the newer B's are coming with 15 BTU. Not a fan of the propane generator either, would prefer a diesel. Yes, the Era was a lot less than other B's but to me Winnebago needs to up their game.

[wincrasher]

All your problems sound like sub-components, so not exactly W's fault.

Often a new RV has some teething problems. Once you are sorted, they generally have a long trouble free existance, save maintenance.

My luck with W's products have been superb. I've not have any warranty claims on the last 3 I've owned, and I've always bought new.

FWIW, I had no issues with the 13.5k BTU AC in my Travato in the Florida heat & oppressive humidity. There are many Florida owners on the forum, so maybe some others can chime in on their experiences with it.

[cjscott]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

All your problems sound like sub-components, so not exactly W's fault.

Often a new RV has some teething problems. Once you are sorted, they generally have a long trouble free existance, save maintenance.

My luck with W's products have been superb. I've not have any warranty claims on the last 3 I've owned, and I've always bought new.

FWIW, I had no issues with the 13.5k BTU AC in my Travato in the Florida heat & oppressive humidity. There are many Florida owners on the forum, so maybe some others can chime in on their experiences with it.

The Travato is smaller than the Era, 21 ft compared to 24 ft, so it may work well, and did you read the first post on here, the black paint had whitish ghost like images throughout the paint, also scratches, etc. There was also another discoloration in the paint aside from these discolorations where an exact black square was darker than the rest of the black paint, similar to someone laying a piece of paper over an area and spray painting. That was absolutely an issue with Winnebago. I do hope you are right tho as far as everything else. To us it should have the 15 BTU which they are putting in their C/B+ units. I do like that Winnebago makes a B much more reasonable than the others, and now the 4x4 if the link is correct. It also is a real beauty inside and out, and drives really nice.

[wincrasher]

Yes I did. Sounds like overspray someone tried to buff out. W doesn't do the painting either - they send it out, but it shouldn't have made it past quality control at the factory. I have a sneaking suspicion something happened to that van at the dealership that they tried to fix up and see if you'd notice.