Favorite Class B

[cjscott]

I want to know which Class B you would get if able, the floor plan, and why. These are our favs after endless searching.
First Fav: Airstream EXT Grand Tour. Holy cow, love this! Beautiful! Love the front work station and open feel in the front. Love the decent tank sizes for a B: B-15, G-27, F-32 (26 fresh and 6 hot water tank). Love the large fridge!! Love the large storage behind the back sofa. Don't see any others like that? Love all the windows on camp size. Love the screen doors. Very comfortable seats. Love the cool microwave drawer, yes a draw that you drop stuff from the top into the microwave. Love every single thing about it. But HATE the price.
Second Fav: The Pleasure-Way FL. Love the open feel inside. Love the front work space. Love the screen doors. Very comfortable seats. Fairly decent tank sizes for B, B-12, F-30, G-35. Love the length 22 feet. And did I say pretty.
Both of these two models have somewhat similar floor plans, with a front work station type set up, lots of windows on passenger camp size, leaving them open and large for a class B. So sad they don't make something similar a little more affordable with similar floor plans. Do people actually pay $150,000 for the Airstream? OR do they know a trick I don't know of. I have been looking at the Promaster Travato but the tank sizes are sooo small. I'm going from a B+ possibly down to B and I don't know if I can do it. But at least it's more affordable!

[gerrym51]

Roadtrek CS with full E-trek package with XL length option

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by cjscott

I want to know which Class B you would get if able, the floor plan, and why. These are our favs after endless searching.
First Fav: Airstream EXT Grand Tour. Holy cow, love this! Beautiful! Love the front work station and open feel in the front. Love the decent tank sizes for a B: B-15, G-27, F-32 (26 fresh and 6 hot water tank). Love the large fridge!! Love the large storage behind the back sofa. Don't see any others like that? Love all the windows on camp size. Love the screen doors. Very comfortable seats. Love the cool microwave drawer, yes a draw that you drop stuff from the top into the microwave. Love every single thing about it. But HATE the price.
Second Fav: The Pleasure-Way FL. Love the open feel inside. Love the front work space. Love the screen doors. Very comfortable seats. Fairly decent tank sizes for B, B-12, F-30, G-35. Love the length 22 feet.
Both of these two models have somewhat similar floor plans, with a front work station type set up, lots of windows on passenger camp size, leaving them open and large for a class B. So sad they don't make something similar a little more affordable with similar floor plans. Do people actually pay $150,000 for the Airstream? OR do they know a trick I don't know of. I have been looking at the Promaster Travato but the tank sizes are sooo small. I'm going from a B+ possibly down to B and I don't know if I can do it. But at least it's more affordable!

CJ- i don't know if you know this but RVDIRECT sells these airstream grand tour. they are listed under motorhomes not b''s. you might be able to get good price from them



http://www.rvdirect.com/models.asp?type ... model=3757


i got a price quote for you-all options $124,500

[Davydd]

In some considerable detail our favorite is this...

Advancing Alvar

Advanced RV

[pattonsr]

cjscott,

You said the Airstream Grand Tour has a large refrigerator/freezer. Do you know the manufacturer/model number? It looks to me like they may be stacked separates from Nova Kool. The other Airstream Interstates use a Nova Kool 3100 and the Grand Tour refrigerator looks like a Nova Kool 3100 without the small inside freezer. I am not sure what model the freezer is. Of course this is based on the units being separate and stacked.

If I am right, then the cubic space is much less than a one piece NovaKool RFU6800 which is wider than the 3100

[Boxster1971]

I have an Airstream Interstate and love it! It was the only nicely finished 24 foot Sprinter B-van available when we bought it in mid 2013 that meet my wife's tastes. The competition was the cheaper Winnebago ERA. We wanted the 8 seat capacity since this van serves dual purposes for us as a people hauler. Roadtrek is now offering the 24 foot Sprinter so it is definitely a contender.

We like the four front seat arrangement and use it as a lounging area when we are camping. Just finished a three month, 12,000 mile adventure to Alaska. I have some storage built on back of the drivers seat so it stays in place. We rotate the passenger seat to use as a hassock. The rear lounge is kept as a bed, but with a bed roll of memory foam and pillow topper that gets rolled up to provide some seating in back if desired.

I added 400 watts of solar panels which turned the Interstate into a useful camping vehicle that is a big improvement on Airstream's stock configuration.


- - Mike
2013 Airstream Interstate on 2012 Sprinter 3500 tall & long

[cjscott]

Thanks for all the replies, great info and ideas. Thanks gerrym51, never knew RV Direct sold the B vans. We actually are considering a Solera from them BUT really like the idea of going smaller if we can afford. ;o} Davyyd, from the prices I've seen they're even higher, but very nice, can't wait to see the final pics. I have to add Coach House Arriva to the group too, LOVE the new floor plan, think I could put some things into the bathroom while driving. We have 2 fold-up bikes and a blow up kayak we need to have storage for. Also would like to bring 2 gravity chairs, but could live with our smaller camp chairs.

[Davydd]

With our Great West Van Legend we were able to carry two inflatable kayaks (Advanced Elements), two zero gravity lounge chairs, two camp director chairs, a screen tent and more miscellaneous stuff under and behind the tri-fold sofa/bed. My plan is to be able to carry even more with our extended body Advanced RV.

[Aeronie]

Originally Posted by cjscott

I want to know which Class B you would get if able, the floor plan, and why.

I went with Advanced RV. I like the quality of the work I've seen and I have total control over the layout and other design elements. I expect to take delivery of my rig in early spring. I'm about 2 month's behind Davydd's Alvar on their production line.

[Davydd]

Aeronie,

Has your Sprinter been delivered yet to Advanced RV? We drove out to look at ours and spent two days going over all the details again. Since then I have been doing my own CAD drawings and sending to them to explain my plan and details intent. The overall plan layout was not much different than my former Great West Van Legend so I did not have to venture off course too far. The bed area for them is like a blank canvas and they have designed just about everything for people. Very few seem to be the same. The tri-fold sofa and the twin bed layouts seem to be the most popular. Yet the twin bed layout has varied a great deal from B to B right down to the one with under bed dog kennels. I only have one cat to worry about and I can't believe the amount of time I have spent designing around her.

[stanw909]

2005 MB Cruiser. rear bath, rear garage, 22 mpg on Sprinter chassis. Huge tanks 25 fresh 30 black, 25 grey. Mid lounge sleeper area. Couch n dinette, front kitchen. 22 '.

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by stanw909

2005 MB Cruiser. rear bath, rear garage, 22 mpg on Sprinter chassis. Huge tanks 25 fresh 30 black, 25 grey. Mid lounge sleeper area. Couch n dinette, front kitchen. 22 '.

it gets22 mpg with 5 cyclinder and it is a TN1. totally different animal then the current sprinter van

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by cjscott

Thanks for all the replies, great info and ideas. Davyyd, from the prices I've seen they're even higher, but very nice, can't wait to see the final pics. I have to add Coach House Arriva to the group too, LOVE the new floor plan, think I could put some things into the bathroom while driving. We have 2 fold-up bikes and a blow up kayak we need to have storage for. Also would like to bring 2 gravity chairs, but could live with our smaller camp chairs.

I finally took a look at the Airstream Grand Tour EXT. I hadn't seen it before. They finally broke free of the Roadtrek cloning and have a rather decent floor plan I could like most similar to the Great West Van and Advanced RV. They have the front work desk which is something I am having custom done in my Advanced RV. At nearly $152,000 starting price this is as expensive if not more expensive than an Advanced RV. Airstream quality and design is toward the upper end in quality but I don't think it is equal to Advanced RV. Their options are pretty much middle of the road standard. Two AGM group 24 batteries for house batteries, 1000W inverter and 100W solar panel does not impress me in this day and age. It doesn't add much to true boon docking capability if anything that Roadtrek and Advanced RV are pushing forward on. If you like the electric sofa/bed concept I think you'll find the tri-fold design to be nicer and with it riding on side rails you find much more storage behind and underneath the sofa with no under sofa obstructions. Tank capacities are larger on the Advanced RV at 40 fresh, 26 grey and 18 black though Airstream's tank capacities are also nothing to sneeze at compared to others. I guess the bottom line is if the Airstream Grand Tour is reachable in your budget and you like that design I think you owe it to yourself to check out the Advanced RV. You can take Advanced RV one step further with many more options and customize it exactly the way you want it.

The Coach House Arriva is nicely laid out, zoned and livable. It is kind of old school in design when it comes to electrical. It's greatest appeal is having a nice dry bath with separate shower. However its tank capacities don't support Class A RV luxury unless you stay at full hookup campgrounds or dump every day or every other day. In a Class B with only about 100 sf of space giving up close to a fifth that space for a bathroom makes not a lot of sense. Then if you are forced to stack all your toys (bikes, kayaks, chairs, etc.) there you defeat having the luxury of the space as well when traveling. This is a Class B that begs to be tethered to full service campgrounds away from the wilderness.

With my third Class B I have steadily worked toward a non-compromise two person only RV without sacrificing any space for non-traveling passengers or even a third traveling passenger. It happens at times. We have hauled our grandkids on trips. But for 99% of all miles with just the two of us we come to the conclusion a B is too small to sacrifice that space for contingency. We also wanted zoning to accommodate one person sleeping and one person up. That happens. So we have good front and back of van zoning to accommodate that. So we have eliminated the either/or situation. The electric bed/sofa design though very versatile in our two previous Class Bs was out. It is an either/or design. We are looking for extreme comfort inside. I think we will get that. Lastly, we do like the wilderness. We do tour almost constantly. So we wanted overnight freedom to stop anywhere we desire. That meant no-brainer boon docking. I think we will achieve that.

[cjscott]

Davyyd, I totally agree with all you said. I also took a look at the Great West like yours and really like it. There aren't a lot of them by me in the Northeast. Really like that floor plan. Really like the storage capabilities. That is now on my list of favorites also. Would have liked better a table with TV behind driver, but do like lower cabinet, leaving a window, feeling open and lots of windows on camp side. I'll probably end up with an Era if I get a MB B van, bc it's more my price range, but will look into GW. Maybe we'll splurge. Still love Airstream Grand Tour. Can't afford Advanced but I think worth it if you can to get all you want, looked very elegant. I wish the Era 70X floor plan was switched, with bathroom and kitchen area reversed. Why they make all the windows on driver's side I don't understand. Also just heard that GW now has a Promaster. I saw small pics and e-mailed them, and they said they will have at least 2 floorplans on Promaster with showers. I think there was some talk the Classic GW Promaster didn't have a shower in bathroom? This will also be consideration for me. The Travato we looked into, liked some things about it a lot, some things not so much, don't think it's going to work for us.

[stanw909]

"It gets22 mpg with 5 cyclinder and it is a TN1. totally different animal then the current Sprinter" OP did not say it had to be new. If I were buying new I might get the Pleasure Way Promaster.

[Fastpaddler1]

Originally Posted by stanw909

2005 MB Cruiser. rear bath, rear garage, 22 mpg on Sprinter chassis. Huge tanks 25 fresh 30 black, 25 grey. Mid lounge sleeper area. Couch n dinette, front kitchen. 22 '.

I just watched a video on 2005 Vista MB Cruiser. When you consider what this rv has:useable shower,full sized bed, sitting area for two, good sized galley, pantry/pantry and good sized fridge--what is going on in the successor generations? This rig is better than mine which is the earlier variety of Sprinters with MB chassis. Somehow, the designers got lost!We pay the Earth now and still have to get 24 ft rvs. Pathetic. I am still looking yet seeing this 2005 Vista was an eye opener. I know. People will weigh in on shortcomings etc. but the little rig has a lot to offer.

[gerrym51]

is this the vista cruiser type we are talking about




http://www.colonialairstream.com/preowned-rvs/9178a/#

[Davydd]

Here is a video of the 2005 Vista Cruiser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZHv0u_85TY

[Aeronie]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Aeronie, Has your Sprinter been delivered yet to Advanced RV?

Not yet. My chassis is due in December. We were out two days before you (Monday) to work out details; I believe you got there Wednesday.
The biggest challenge my design has is fitting the composting toilet into the bathroom and my office area. I also got a chance to drive a rig with the VB air while there and I liked the difference it made.

[stanw909]

Gulfstream made the VISTA Cruiser. Forest River made the MB Cruiser m different animals. Google search and you will find a brochure pdf.