News on plans for Roadtrek

[Knit]

The new owners are reviving only the Roadtrek brands. Interesting interview at https://www.rvbusiness.com/blog/rapi...-roadtrek.html

There is a search box at the top. Search on Roadtrek for additional articles.

[mumkin]

That was known from the start as only Roadtrek was for sale out of Receivership. The Hymer brand names are all owned by Thor after the sale last year. It will be interesting to watch what sounds like a sensible business plan to keep Roadtrek alive. He has again confirmed that we have a limited warranty on newer units... and this was the first mention I've heard about warranties moving forward... a more industry standard 2 year warranty.

My favorite line:

"We are searching for new executives because, of course, we would not consider moving forward with the former executives."

Still sounds like a couple years' wait for those wanting a Westfalia.

[Davydd]

With 100-200 people they must be clearing inventory, assessing what they got, figuring out the market and trying to rebuild the brand. That may take two years. I think they bought just the name Roadtrek and an easing into the North American market. I still think you may not see much of the old Roadtrek after two years and their Westfalia brand and technology will be their ace.

[GeorgeRa]

Hoping for Westfalia to bring some of their innovation here. https://newatlas.com/westfalia-james...per-van/60033/

[mumkin]

Roadtrek tried that "push the bed out the back" system with the Ideal, and it was a total flop. I certainly wouldn't ever be interested and apparently few were.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by mumkin

Roadtrek tried that "push the bed out the back" system with the Ideal, and it was a total flop. I certainly wouldn't ever be interested and apparently few were.

Why do you think it flopped? Seems like a pretty good idea to me.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by avanti

Why do you think it flopped? Seems like a pretty good idea to me.

The Ideal always looked dorky to me due the fact both rear doors had to be left open to deploy the rear slide. Plus what about water and dust getting on the inside of the rear doors. The Westfalia picture above is a better application of a rear slide. Will that change be enough? Maybe to get me to at least look at it.

[GeorgeRa]

It seems unfinished, perhaps another famous Roadtrek 4 hours job. My rear doors are insulated and wouldn’t want water-soaked insulation even Thinsulate. If you look carefully you will see staples.

[booster]

I had always thought the rear slide would be a good idea, and when we visited the Roadtrek factory in 2009 Peter Lange mentioned they had one in development. He said he didn't care for it because you lost essentially all the rear storage areas, which you need in short class b, plus it made the unit very user unfriendly when not deployed. When we actually saw one in person, I had to totally agree with what he had told us.

[Davydd]

Just off hand the Roadtrek back slide plain looked not thought out. I think that turned people off. The Westfalia solution does. How practical either are I can't judge without further research.

Slides in general, out the back or off the side in a Class B have created inside usability compromises when underway. Most Class Bs are Swiss Army knife solutions already in that you have to move this or that to do this, and slides add to the complications.

Then there is the stealth and security concerns. The Westfalia solution does a better job of that concern but still raises a red flag of "Occupied." More and more people are taking to vanlife and adapting the boondocking lifestyle or the romance of it. When I got into vanlife staying in a Walmart parking lot or on the street was considered a last resort. Now it is a accepted tribal way of life and street parking is an accomplishment challenge. Swoops and swirl decals and other trappings of "look at me, I'm an RV" have given way to that change in the past decade. Actually in just the last five years with the major upfitters.

[peteco]

I met Jeff Hanemayer at the Roadtrek exhibit at the 2010 Pennsylvania RV show. He asked my wife and I to look at the Ideal and give him our thoughts. Neither of us thought it was very practical as what you gave up significantly outweighed the gain of more space while setup. We told him we preferred the 210 much more and that is what we bought (used) in 2011.

[mumkin]

Peter at Roadtrek certainly hit the nail on the head. (wonder how Peter is doing with his employer's demise - he was instrumental getting me my warranty refund just at the time that EHGNA had stopped paying bills last fall...)

You lose nearly all of the already limited storage. Slides are just a PIA mechanical item to break at the most inopportune time. You lose access to using it as "van" instead of just an RV. And I prefer a permanent bed that can be used for a quick nap if needed along the way... without putting out a "look at me" slide.

[GeorgeRa]

Personally, I don’t like slide-outs. Potential malfunction can be painful, our friends got stuck for a week in east Oregon to get some parts replaced.

Reliability issues are likely related to their high weight, it seems as Westfalia slideout could reasonably light weight. Westfalia’s James Cook could appeal to families allowing sleeping 4 or perhaps 5.

Another innovation – “Westfalia developed the James Cook system with Mercedes, providing control via the MBUX infotainment screen in the cab, a touchscreen control panel in the living area and remotely via smartphone”.

3 models:
“Westfalia will offer the James Cook in three model variants, starting with a two-sleeper/four-seater base model with factory roof. The pop-up model pictured will offer an additional two sleeping berths in the roof, sleeping and seating four people. For those that prefer a hard roof, Westfalia will also offer a four-sleeper high-roof flagship. All three versions will include the expansion slide-out.”

[Jon in AZ]

Re: rear bed slide-out...
The simple beauty (and the challenge) of a Class B is fitting everything you need for comfortable, self-sufficient travel within the footprint of a production van.

Need more space? There are many other types of RV's. Trying to make a Class B as spacious as... well, something else... detracts rather than adds. Remember when Airstream offered slideouts?

Just my random opinion...

[mumkin]

GWV offered slide-outs on the Dodge and later Ford Class B's. There was either a side dinette slide or a rear slide which lengthened the crossways bed. I chose a model without it since the side sofa model worked perfectly for me.

[teck13]

Slide add a lot of “extra” weight.

[tmshih]

Looks like there's an auction going on this week to sell off the factory assets in Kitchener.

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/auction...urer-1.4510701

[mumkin]

Yup... been going on for a few days. They started with the major equipment. People are going up and buying parts. La Mesa bought all of the completed Hymer and Carado brand vans. (mostly Hymer Aktiv Lofts, it seems) The Hymer trailers were going for a song... the shells were selling for $100.

In the video, a fellow bought an uncompleted Aktiv for about $22K... assuming that the bidding and the video of the van matched.

[mumkin]

Someone has been updating the Roadtrek website. The models have been cut. Not more Chevy models... as most of us expected.

The Simplicity has disappeared. It is just the Zion and Zion SRT.

Four Sprinters... TS, RS, ETrek, and Agile.

Still a work in progress as the Build your own says that a new Zion SRT will be about $8000. LOL