Advanced RV

[markopolo]

Originally Posted by Davydd

It looks as if Advanced RV has updated their web site. I got their newsletter this morning and went and checked it out. Their About page has a photo about possibilities with some visitors viewing that Ocean One before it underwent conversion. I'm not saying who that is behind that shock of white hair.

There's another photo of that guy on their site.... facing the camera "first customer visit"

[miken]

There is more to the Advanced RV Ocean One pricing story. The Ocean One that Advanced RV had on display at the Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa was built with a full suite of systems that we wanted to test. It is essentially a dry camper with multiple 12V lithium batteries, an outback 2800 watt sine wave inverter, and many other high value “independence options.” We also installed a 3.6KW propane generator and the propane system to supply it. This is pure redundancy but we wanted to test all of these options for operation, noise, reliability, comfort and convenience.

When asked the question; “What would this motor home cost?” the honest answer is $171,000. However, when you take out the redundancy and account for a few thousand miles, the asking price is actually $155,000. This is still a lot of money for a class B, but there is no other Class B that is designed or equipped like this Ocean One. We know there are many Class B motor home purchasers who will be pleased with the elegance, equipment, and dealer experience that has successfully existed before we started Advanced-RV. However, our feedback from very well informed Class B users and customers has confirmed that there are travelers looking for more personalized desing and higher quality product. These are the customers we intend to passionately serve before, during, and after the sale.

There is a lot more to share about Advanced-RV. We plan to produce to-order based on personalized motor home needs. Most travelers want a unique travel experience. Advanced-RV has the flexibility to provide a wide range of systems and aesthetic options that enable customers to travel the way they wish from extended dry camping to 4 season camping. We currently have 10 motor homes in process and the company has no debt.

We currently have nine full time staff at Advanced-RV (www.advanced-rv.com) along with part time services of electrical, mechanical, and software engineers. Neundorfer, Inc. (www.neundorfer.com ). Advanced-RV also has a strong group of technical, marketing, craft, and business advisors. We appreciate all of the feedback we are receiving directly from prospects and customers, blogs, suppliers and other partners.

[markopolo]

Welcome Mike - very pleased to see you here. In the past we had someone from Conquest Motorhomes as a forum member and someone from Roadtrek for a while until he left the company.
Feel free to participate in any discussion and correct any incorrect information that you might see on this forum.
It's good to see that you also actively engage with customers and potential customers right on your Advanced RV website.

[markopolo]

With any new venture, each day brings new challenges. Recently, we received a surprise letter from Thor Industries, parent company of Airstream travel trailers, demanding that we cease using the model names “Stream” and “Upstream.” “Advanced RV’s use of Stream and Upstream is likely to mislead and confuse the public, and dilute the significance of the Airstream mark,” wrote Todd Woelfer, general council for Thor Industries.

While we believe that our use of the model names “Stream” and “Upstream” is perfectly legal—we’ve never sought to associate ourselves with the Airstream brand—we also have no interest in spending valuable resources defending our position in court. We’d rather focus on building the world’s finest motor homes!

We’ve decided to rename the models in question, and we’d like your help in the creative process. Please email us your suggestions; ( http://www.advanced-rv.com/contact-us/ ) if we choose your ideas, we’ll give you credit in our newsletter and send you a limited edition Advanced RV T-shirt.

We’d like to maintain the marine theme to complement our Ocean One model. Currently, we’re considering changing the “Stream” model name to “Coastal,” and “Upstream” to “Offshore.” We’ll be interested to hear your ideas.

Thor Industries (Airstream) gets a thumbs down on that move

Advanced RV is smart not to waste money so they get a thumbs up

[youtube:2z9dnojq]-yL5cNbeQgk[/youtube:2z9dnojq]

[markopolo]

Submit your model name suggestions here: http://www.advanced-rv.com/contact-us/

[miken]

Thank you for the welcome and for posting our model naming challenge. We have received scores of excellent name suggestions which we are now sorting out. I am sure we will end up with model names better than the originals thanks to everyone who participated.

[miken]

Response about the Advanced RV radiant floor heat: The floor heating we are installing keeps the floor temperature at about 86 degrees. This creates warm comfort when walking in bare or socked feet. However, we are not introducing enough heat to actually heat the motor home. We still rely on the diesel-fired heating system for that. We are investigating ways to add a lot more heat without huge electrical draw but it will be many months before we actually will test this new system.

[miken]

Advanced RV prices start at $128,500. Our goal is to provide a well-designed, well-crafted Sprinter Class B motor home for people who want to be involved in the selection of both the style and the systems in their coach. In order to do this, we have made some judgements that add costs.

We are focused on the performance, safety, convenience, and comfort provided by systems, rather than add-on components.

We have decided to only build on the Mercedes-Benz 3500 chassis, with safety and performance options we provide on every chassis. These, too, add to costs.

We install only a diesel-fired heating and hot water system. We mount the combustion unit and on-demand water heater under the chassis providing more cabinet space and saving fresh water and tank space for grey water. This system adds cost but is more efficient, quieter, and more comfortable, plus it saves space.

We also install a Silverleaf control and monitoring system on every motor home. Silverleaf has been working with our software and controls people to expand the capabilities we provide. This is another system that is not generally installed in Class B units but adds convenience and reliability.

By focusing on our power supply, storage and use systems, we have created an approach that makes it easier and more convenient to dry camp.

At Advanced, we work to reduce costs but not at the expense of flexibility and craftsmanship. Our approach will not appeal to everyone, but we are not trying to mass market or mass produce.

One last comment: There is a small group of intelligent, experienced and passionate Class B enthusiasts who help us every day by asking powerful quesitons and making great suggestions. I hope they realize how much we appreciate them.

[booster]

Originally Posted by miken

One last comment: There is a small group of intelligent, experienced and passionate Class B enthusiasts who help us every day by asking powerful quesitons and making great suggestions. I hope they realize how much we appreciate them.

Imagine that! They actually respect and listen to the their customers/potential customers/interested parties, instead of complaining that folks would be so insolent in questioning the hows and why's. A refreshing change from most of what has been discussed here recently!

[Mike]

Opportunistic perhaps, after reading the E-Trek thread? Just kidding....

Seriously, no matter what the motivation, that attitude is what sells merchandise, no matter what it is, or how much it costs. I may never be able to afford one of their products, but knowing that they have an open minded "we're listening" attitude regarding customer questions and support, places them at the top of my "best in class" list.

I wish I could help them rename their models, but I'm feeling creatively challenged today, it seems.
How about.....
"Surf on Turf" ?
"Atlantis" ?
"Ocean Breeze" ?
"Blue Lagoon" ?

[miken]

Mike,

Thanks for the name suggestions. I hope you will send us an email with your suggestions so we can give you credit for your ggod name ideas and send you t-shirts if we use your names.

[pattonsr]

Anybody have any news regarding Advanced RV?

[miken]

Things are good at Advanced RV. We have several visitors scheduled in late March and early April. In our production shop, we now have motor homes complete or nearly complete, with four distinct interiors. We are creating an improved web site that will be up in the next three weeks. We continue to hear from customers with suggestions that we are using to improve quality. We are also making progress in lowering our costs (and prices) based on higher volume purchases, improved process, and supplier support.

[miken]

This is an interesting conversation.

Good point about the confusion in terminology. I guess "coach" might be better terminology than "cabin" when referring to the whole interior space of the Advanced RV interior. Mike ellis is knowledgable about RV's.

There is also an interesting thread discussing design, features, cost and price. The questions asked about the value and price are valid and probably personal. This is an expecially important polarity related to cabinetry and hardware quality. How do you put a value on the feeling of space or the emotional lift some people feel when they experience fine quality and design. Are warm feet when you get out of bed worth a couple hundred dollars in cost for a motor home? To some it is and to others, it is not worth the cost.

At Advanced RV, we are applying all of our creativity to the challenge of creating a truly beautiful and well built motor home at the least cost possible. We are having a blast working together to accomplish this and we are getting great feedback from the folks that have been trying to find a nimble, flexible efficient motor home that is built with quality. At the same time, we are providing customers choices in their configurations and, by building to order, we can match their new motor home to the way they wish to travel.

Thank you for your continued interest, suggestions and concerns.

[Davydd]

Hi Mike. Glad to hear things are picking up.

We are at Big Bend NP right now and I have a suggestion on this fine 39 deg. F morning. Put a switch accessible without getting out of bed that will turn on the furnace. That would be a nice touch. We normally sleep (down to 20F in the past) without our heat on at night. Works well for us. But once out from under...

[teachergal]

Davvyd,
In my PW the thermostat is located on the wall by the TV - all I have to do is sit up in bed and I can switch on the furnace! No special switch...just thoughtful - or happy accident - placement of the thermostat.

One other question...how do you keep warm in your van at 20*? I slept in mine one night and it went down into 30s and I was freezing. I have a backpacking sleeping bag - rated to 0* - and I wore long underwear and was still freezing. I'm thinking it was partly b/c I had no insulation between the sleeping bag and the bed and the leather in the bed absorbed the cold. I'm thinking I need to run the furnace while I'm getting ready for bed and warm up the bed. Also thinking about an electric blanket! If I have a hookup at a campground then that's a great solution. I have an inverter so I could run it when I'm dry camping, but I'm guess it would suck the battery down. I haven't tried again to sleep in the van when it's cold - the one night I was going to it was going down to 11 and I decided that was just entirely too cold.

[jackfish]

Heated mattress pads are better than electric blankets. They use less energy and heat from below so it rises through your body. A down comforter and merino wool stocking cap and you are good to go. We have two 36"x60" 12V DC pads that fit crossways over our queen Murphy bed.

[Rok]

Just testing.

[miken]

Davydd,

Thanks for your suggestion to locate a switch near the bed to turn on the furnace and get things toasty before having to get up. The Silverleaf control gives us two ways to accomplish this. One is by a strategically placed hard switch wired to a Silverleaf furnace relay. The other way is to use the Silverleaf bluetooth or wy fi capability and use a cell phone ap to start the furnace. In the Ocean One (Now the Gold Coast), we have lighted shelves(one on each side) next to the head of the bed that include USB charging connections for cell phones. I keep my cell phone charging there at night and set the phone alarm if I have to be up early.

Great idea! Thanks

[stanw909]

Miken's idea is very cool with charging station and bluetooth but how many customers are that tech savy? Switch can be flipped by anyone.