Good decision getting a Class B RV?

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

I really love my Sprinter, but, it's so expensive..... lots of trade offs with fantastic excursions and experiences....

Do you ever wonder what you might have done differently?

Or would you do it all over again?

There's been some really high and low points in owning a Class B RV.... I'm glad I did it, but, I can see a time when it's time to sell and I probably won't get another one...

Trading in for an upgrade or newer model is just not possible for me to do.. too much loss of value.

I've certainly made a number of cool upgrades... but, getting a replacement is just financially unwise, in my opinion.

Do any of you feel the same about this with your rig?

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

I really love my Sprinter, but, it's so expensive..... lots of trade offs with fantastic excursions and experiences....

Do you ever wonder what you might have done differently?

Or would you do it all over again?

There's been some really high and low points in owning a Class B RV.... I'm glad I did it, but, I can see a time when it's time to sell and I probably won't get another one...

Trading in for an upgrade or newer model is just not possible for me to do.. too much loss of value.

I've certainly made a number of cool upgrades... but, getting a replacement is just financially unwise, in my opinion.

Do any of you feel the same about this with your rig?

Nope, never a question of whether or not we made a wise choice, both in getting a B and also the one we got. Of course for me equipment like this is also a fun hobby, so improvements, changes, even things that don't work are not a big deal.

[Davydd]

Planning ou fourth Class B after over 200,000 miles of adventure. There are no questions.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Planning ou fourth Class B after over 200,000 miles of adventure. There are no questions.

Dave, we finally got an opportunity to see an
Advanced RV Ocean while we were on the road.

Beautifully done. I can see why you are a fan of their RV, what's not to like.

I think you said you were thinking about getting a 2019 gasoline Sprinter?

I don't have the capability to continue to upgrade, unless I changed my lifestyle which I'm not willing to do. That's OK, we all make choices... I'll admit that it's just a matter of the money, depreciation and risk for repairs and problems associated with owning a series of vehicles that I know will eventually fail and be worth much less.

Right now.. we're having a great time with the Roadtrek except my propane generator stopped working and the local Cummins Onan dealership doesn't have a clue on how to get it working.... seriously, they are calling their own engineering team .... I'm glad they are spending all their time on this.. I'm only being charged 1 and a half hours of labor..... they've probably been on it for at least 16 hours or two days now... They are very curious about my generator??? Stump the chumps...

In the meantime....I'm thinking about purchasing a brand new one... except will I get lucky? It's always a roll of the dice ..? The new one is an overhead cam engine vs. the overhead valve....I like the sound of that...

We'll see.... again., It's just money, right? Never stops.

We've done 10,000 miles per year for the last two years... great experiences aside from some issues....of course the breakdowns are the punctuation points and make the best stories ...LOL.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

We've done 10,000 miles per year for the last two years... great experiences aside from some issues....of course the breakdowns are the punctuation points and make the best stories ...LOL.

I saw this typed somewhere on a motorcycle forum.

"It's not an adventure unless it sucks at the time."

Not always true, but somewhat profound.

Nice break in the labor, will be interesting to hear the solution.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by SteveJ

I saw this typed somewhere on a motorcycle forum.

"It's not an adventure unless it sucks at the time."

Not always true, but somewhat profound.

Nice break in the labor, will be interesting to hear the solution.

Our first tent and LAST tent camping experience was when a dozen racoons invaded our campsite at 1 AM..a friend of ours left food out ...we didn't know.....

What a freaking disaster 😡......

Great story though.... never forget that.

Yeah, generator epilogue coming.

[mikeehlert]

Quite happy with our 2017 Paseo even if it is an orphan.

[NAZCamperVan]

We're 3 years into owning our 2010 LTV Free Spirit/Sprinter after upgrading from VW Westfalia; we count our blessings and good luck in finding this rig every time we take it out (about once a month year-round.) EVERYTHING WORKS and no regrets!

[GallenH]

Everyone's situation is different. My wife and I first camped in 1974. Up east coast through Maine into Canada back through the Catskills. We used an army issue pup tent that was about 2 feet tall. Camped from then in larger tents and popups but most recently in our Rav4 with an inflatable mattress for the back and an auxiliary tent to change in (Chaco canyon during the blood moon eclipse). So by then we were "off the ground." When my father in law turned 98(!!!) he decided he probably wouldn't use his 1997 PW anymore so sold it to us. We still "camp." We're not full-timers. But we use the RV about once every month (advantage to living in the southwest). Our son lives in England, our daughter in Minnesota. We fly there. So RVing is really a compliment to our other travels. We love it.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by GallenH

Everyone's situation is different. My wife and I first camped in 1974. Up east coast through Maine into Canada back through the Catskills. We used an army issue pup tent that was about 2 feet tall. Camped from then in larger tents and popups but most recently in our Rav4 with an inflatable mattress for the back and an auxiliary tent to change in (Chaco canyon during the blood moon eclipse). So by then we were "off the ground." When my father in law turned 98(!!!) he decided he probably wouldn't use his 1997 PW anymore so sold it to us. We still "camp." We're not full-timers. But we use the RV about once every month (advantage to living in the southwest). Our son lives in England, our daughter in Minnesota. We fly there. So RVing is really a compliment to our other travels. We love it.

How many miles are on the 97 Pleasure Way?
That's great how it's working for you.... with all the systems running OK with the original engine and transmission?

You're using it every month? Great!
What price did he sell this to you for?

Have you experienced a lot of repairs? Maybe your father in law took meticulous care and replaced a bunch of things as he went along. .if so, that's fantastic.

I hope my RV lasts for 22 years....it may out last me. In another 8 years, you'll have a real collectible on your hands....

Best of luck and travels

[Alec]

Last August we bought a new 2018 Paseo, chosen for its six seats total; three grandkids and a friend. Probably a perfect rig for soccer tournaments, but we haven't done it yet. Plan to visit friends where we used to live in the Cariboo District of B.C., and relatives on the east coast. With great consternation, we have no idea where we will put our usual over-planned stuff; necessities all of course.
Our previous four RV's were class A's, and basement models at that; 27-36'. I'm getting the idea that it's no longer practical to take the 6hp Evenrude and 5 gal gas tank. Actually I'm starting to consider how many changes of undies we really need. Minimalist planning has never occurred to me, until now. That said, I love driving the Ford/Paseo with that twin turbo engine and duellies. And the gas mileage, well, maybe it will get better if I tie a few feathers to my right foot.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Alec

Last August we bought a new 2018 Paseo, chosen for its six seats total; three grandkids and a friend. Probably a perfect rig for soccer tournaments, but we haven't done it yet. Plan to visit friends where we used to live in the Cariboo District of B.C., and relatives on the east coast. With great consternation, we have no idea where we will put our usual over-planned stuff; necessities all of course.
Our previous four RV's were class A's, and basement models at that; 27-36'. I'm getting the idea that it's no longer practical to take the 6hp Evenrude and 5 gal gas tank. Actually I'm starting to consider how many changes of undies we really need. Minimalist planning has never occurred to me, until now. That said, I love driving the Ford/Paseo with that twin turbo engine and duellies. And the gas mileage, well, maybe it will get better if I tie a few feathers to my right foot.

We've had our RV two years now...at first, we took a lot of extra stuff, and every trip we keep a log of what we didn't use.... Mostly ditch that on the next trip 😁. You won't lose everything, but, space is premium on a Class B.....

Here's some great news for you... aside from having too many people on board, you'll probably never exceed the occupant and cargo carrying capacity?

We have a carrying capacity of over 2,000 pounds.... there's lots of RVs out there that are way overloaded.... especially Class C's....
.
Add up the weight of everything including your passengers and subtract that from the total weight limit. You'll know where you are. Don't forget that water weighs just over 8 pounds per gallon....

Tell me.... these are all day trips with 6 people? No Class B sleeps 6 people....as far as I know.... besides, that's a real strain on the bathroom.

What is your fuel mileage? 12-14 ???

[Alec]

Ah, weight limit; with so little room for "stuff" I hadn't even considered that. I suppose carrying a full tank of water does affect gas mileage, especially driving around town, with all the starts and stops. I've been getting a bit less than 13.
Yes, only day trips for soccer shuttle service.
I've thought about one of those (expensive) pods for the roof rack, but I'd like to leave the ladder at home, so first we'll take your advice and try to eliminate non-essential stuff.
Thanks for the tips.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Alec

Ah, weight limit; with so little room for "stuff" I hadn't even considered that. I suppose carrying a full tank of water does affect gas mileage, especially driving around town, with all the starts and stops. I've been getting a bit less than 13.
Yes, only day trips for soccer shuttle service.
I've thought about one of those (expensive) pods for the roof rack, but I'd like to leave the ladder at home, so first we'll take your advice and try to eliminate non-essential stuff.
Thanks for the tips.

All weight will affect the mileage but it will be seen much more in stop and go driving than constant highway speed where it all about wind resistance. Some have even found having water onboard makes for better handling because it is very low in the van, compared to without.


Adding a roof pod will probably knock you mileage very hard at highway speeds.

[mtmdatlanta]

The Paseo (and the CrossFit/Beyond if equipped with the Ecoboost) are relative rocket ships in the RV world. I saw a road test of a Paseo where they found a 0-60 time of 12.2 seconds! All of that power comes courtesy of the turbocharger, of course. The only way to get decent mileage with a turbo is to NOT USE the turbo! When under boost, the cylinders require additional cooling, and this is accomplished by spraying additional gas into the chamber during the off-combustion part of the cycle. It is not an insignificant amount. so it can really affect fuel efficiency. I don't know if the Ecoboost vans are equipped with a boost gauge, but staying off boost really helps the mileage, if also limiting the "fun". Sometimes, you can also hear the turbocharger spool up, so if there is no boost gauge you can try that. It's easier to hear with the windows open. Keeping the weight down will help a lot, as it will require less boost when relatively unladen to accelerate. It's still nice to have the power available when needed, even if it's not used often. Of interest, the 2020 Transits will have the new 10 speed automatic transmission instead of the current 6 speed, which will further aid acceleration and fuel economy.

As an example of mileage off and on boost, back in the 90's through late 2000's, I did a lot of high performance driving events at many tracks, but mostly Road Atlanta. Of course, one's foot is mostly to the floor, except when braking or early in a turn. Turbocharged cars will be on boost most of the time. Starting in 2005, I had a Porsche GT3 with 385 HP and 0-60 of under 4 seconds. I got 8 mpg with that car on the track, which was incidentally the same mileage as my 1997 911 on the track, but with only 286 HP, and was significantly slower. In comparison, the 911 Turbos of that era, with similar acceleration to my car, only got 4 mpg while on the track! They had to fill their tanks after only two track sessions, as they didn't have enough fuel for even a third run! I could go the whole day on one fill-up, in comparison. Under street driving conditions, where the Turbos rarely used boost, their mileage wasn't much different than mine. In further comparison, I had my 1993 Honda del Sol Si on the track a few times, with it's 1.6 liter VTEC 5 speed with 128 hp, and it managed a whopping 12 mpg on the track, and far fewer laps per session. Still, it didn't go far with it's 10 gallon tank. Extreme driving will really demonstrate efficiency, and accelerating a fully loaded RV is actually a form of extreme driving! Egg between the accelerator and your foot will definitely help.

[GallenH]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

How many miles are on the 97 Pleasure Way?

My FIL bought it new but stopped using it after 5 years because of health issues. He did maintain it with short drives, new tires, battery, etc. but only once rv'ed in it after that. When we bought it 3 years ago it had 45k. Now has 62k.

That's great how it's working for you.... with all the systems running OK with the original engine and transmission?

Original engine and tranny. Runs smooth. Has always passed AZ emissions.

You're using it every month? Great!
What price did he sell this to you for?

$1

Have you experienced a lot of repairs? Maybe your father in law took meticulous care and replaced a bunch of things as he went along. .if so, that's fantastic.

He did take excellent care of it. I spent about $3k on it for tires, brakes, change of tranny fluid/filter, shocks on front, new cabin battery, hardwired surge, upgrade of charger/converter, new circuit board for furnace. And of course the routine oil, filters, wiper blades, etc. that are normal wear and tear items.

I hope my RV lasts for 22 years....it may out last me. In another 8 years, you'll have a real collectible on your hands....

Best of luck and travels

I don't think I would have bought a RV if this one hadn't fallen in my lap.

[Bud]

"I saw a road test of a Paseo where they found a 0-60 time of 12.2 seconds! "

Hard to believe, was something removed?

I'm imagining dividing the weight in half, would that be about 4500 pounds? If so, cut the hp in half, same power/weight ratio. What 4500 pound car with about 150 hp does 12.2 in a quarter mile?

Bud

[mtmdatlanta]

This was from the road test I read online. I couldn't find the reference, but I distinctly remembered the test results, because it was so good. It really caught my attention. They didn't mention the load conditions, but the Paseo has the Ecoboost has 310 hp and more importantly, 400 lb/ft of torque over a broad range, along with a 6 speed transmission. Tests of Sprinter based vans usually showed 0-60 in the upper teens, with only 185 hp, 325 of torque, a 5 speed transmission, and a narrower rev range. Again, loads not listed, but probably similar circumstances. Given nearly double the hp, 20% greater torque, and more favorable gearing, I think 12.2 is plausible. Reports are that it feels quite peppy. The base 3.7 in the CrossFit, not so much. These days, a car that only achieves 0-60 in 12.2 is considered to be a slug, though it was pretty decent in the '70s and '80s. My, how times have changed.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by mtmdatlanta

This was from the road test I read online. I couldn't find the reference, but I distinctly remembered the test results, because it was so good. It really caught my attention. They didn't mention the load conditions, but the Paseo has the Ecoboost has 310 hp and more importantly, 400 lb/ft of torque over a broad range, along with a 6 speed transmission. Tests of Sprinter based vans usually showed 0-60 in the upper teens, with only 185 hp, 325 of torque, a 5 speed transmission, and a narrower rev range. Again, loads not listed, but probably similar circumstances. Given nearly double the hp, 20% greater torque, and more favorable gearing, I think 12.2 is plausible. Reports are that it feels quite peppy. The base 3.7 in the CrossFit, not so much. These days, a car that only achieves 0-60 in 12.2 is considered to be a slug, though it was pretty decent in the '70s and '80s. My, how times have changed.

'Car and Driver'

If money is to be spent augmenting the Transit 350, we’d recommend dropping the $1865 needed to replace the Transit 350’s standard 275-hp 3.7-liter V-6 with the 310-hp twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 fitted to our test vehicle. Dubbed EcoBoost in Ford parlance, the forced-induction engine pulled the 5423-pound cargo van to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds, and the big brown box jumped past the quarter-mile pole after 15.3 seconds at 90 mph."

This was not the 22.2 foot dually or high top. It weighed:

"Curb weight:
5423 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:

Zero to 60 mph: 6.8 sec
Zero to 90 mph: 15.3 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.1 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.8 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.3 @ 90 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 97 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 171 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.60 g"

I would have ordered the turbo, now I would have to start over. I mean how often do I use my 300hp now? rare even mostly.

ymmv

Bud

[Bud]

"rare even mostly"

I don't even understand that.