Possibly buying a 2017 SS Agile... Need some advice

[tooTallforB?]

I've been looking for an RV in the past few months and spent a lot of time trying to educate myself. I've finally got a chance to look at a bunch of units (Ponoma show was great for that) I could fit in and seemed a good compromise (I want something short because of HOA restrictions) and I could use as a daily driver

My list was the Travato, Carado Banff, Revel, SS Agile, Airstream Interstate 19 and Pleasure Way Ascent. I really liked the Airstream in 4x4, seemed classy and well made but it's too pricey. The Travato K/KL has the best floor plan but the Promaster didn't feel super confortable to drive and 21' is a tad longer than I want, The Revel seems pretty cool, a lot of compromises biggest one for me would be the bathroom pretty much unusable. The Agile isn't the best at anything on my list of criteria but still it a lot of marks (good chassis, equipment, bed ok and bathroom a bit small but manageable.

I've found a used one (2017, 8000 miles, apparently bought from a customer not as a trade-in). It has no propane/ecotrek 400Ah/UG, undermount AC. Pretty much loaded. It is 500mi away at LaMesa Davis, the sales person is putting lot of pressure on me telling me it's going to be sold ASAP and there is no wiggle room price wise. I'm ready to make a $500 deposit and see it.

I'm looking for input about what should I be looking at closely for signs of abuse or things to make sure it's not a lemon on a "barely used" unit?

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by tooTallforB?

... the sales person is putting lot of pressure on me telling me it's going to be sold ASAP and there is no wiggle room price wise.

The classic hustle is apparently live and well.

[tooTallforB?]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

The classic hustle is apparently live and well.

LOL yes I realize that but I've been watching recent Agile online quite a bit, the ones that are correctly priced do seem to go fast.

[markopolo]

Originally Posted by tooTallforB?

............. It has ............... undermount AC...............

I'd look into that. Find out about cooling performance, reliability and where / how to get it fixed.

Is the undermount A/C still offered by Roadtrek? I kind of / sort of recall some mention of problems but didn't pay much attention so I can't provide details.

Someone who is more up to date on the happenings at RT would likely know.

[Davidy52]

Look at this thread:
http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f2...tion-5636.html

[markopolo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYBjy_58y0g

[tooTallforB?]

That's all very good info about the undermount A/C, I was more thinking about the "stealth" aspect of not having an A/C unit on the roof (and one less thing to bang my head against in an already a bit too low space) than the more practical issues like road debris and dust causing trouble, although I had assumed those issues were solved somehow as they're pretty obvious with this design.

I guess it's not so clear. Digging a bit further seems like Roadtrek isn't pushing or even offering the option anymore, that's another clue it may not be such a good idea.

More reasons to cool off and not get myself suckered by those high pressure sales tactics

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by tooTallforB?

That's all very good info about the undermount A/C, I was more thinking about the "stealth" aspect of not having an A/C unit on the roof (and one less thing to bang my head against in an already a bit too low space) than the more practical issues like road debris and dust causing trouble, although I had assumed those issues were solved somehow as they're pretty obvious with this design.

I guess it's not so clear. Digging a bit further seems like Roadtrek isn't pushing or even offering the option anymore, that's another clue it may not be such a good idea.

More reasons to cool off and not get myself suckered by those high pressure sales tactics

I checked out the Roadtrek undermount AC on a CS Adventurous. The racket it produced was close to the noise from an Onan. Unless you need the augmented BTU output, I would steer clear of it.

If the dealer 100k non-negotiable price is the one you are referring to, consider that you can buy a fully loaded 59KL for little more than that. BTW, the 20 ft spec on the Agile is actually 21 feet when you account for the Continental spare.

[avanti]

If I were doing a build today, I would seriously consider an undermount split system.

First of all, it is hard for me to see why it is much worse than the configuration that every car has with the condenser down low in front of the radiator. I guess it is behind the front wheels, but still...

Secondly, I would mount the unit parallel rather than perpendicular to the direction of travel, with a protective shield in the front. I am confident that this would make a big difference.

Finally, if I were still worried, I would mount it in a protective box, with electrically-operated louvers.

I don't know what RT's problem with noise was about. I guess it was just an oversized system. Upfitters tend to build to the spec-sheet rather than to the real need. I have no interest in making ice cubes in our van. I am more concerned about dehumidification than extremely fast cooling. Oversized systems do a poor job at humidity control.

I do realize that folks who camp regularly in the deep mount in summer have special needs.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by avanti

If I were doing a build today, I would seriously consider an undercount split system.

First of all, it is hard for me to see why it is much worse than the configuration that every car has with the condenser down low in front of the radiator. I guess it is behind the front wheels, but still...

Secondly, I would mount the unit parallel rather than perpendicular to the direction of travel, with a protective shield in the front. I am confident that this would make a big difference.

Finally, if I were still worried, I would mount it in a protective box, with electrically-operated louvers.

I don't know what RT's problem with noise was about. I guess it was just an oversized system. Upfitters tend to build to the spec-sheet rather than to the real need. I have no interest in making ice cubes in our van. I am more concerned about dehumidification than extremely fast cooling. Oversized systems do a poor job at humidity control.

I do realize that folks who camp regularly in the deep mount in summer have special needs.

Roadtrek uses the Pro Air unit which has gone through a couple of generations. My guess is that the racket is from the compressor and it's sufficiently obnoxious to guarantee your getting stink eye from adjacent campsites.

I'm confounded by owners who buy coaches in snazzy black or charcoal and then complain that their AC isn't up to snuff.

[ponti33602]

Originally Posted by markopolo

I'd look into that. Find out about cooling performance, reliability and where / how to get it fixed.

Is the undermount A/C still offered by Roadtrek? I kind of / sort of recall some mention of problems but didn't pay much attention so I can't provide details.

Someone who is more up to date on the happenings at RT would likely know.

Only on Ext Chassis

[OregonTrader]

We enjoy our 2015 SS Agile, though it doesn't have the latest technology. I might prefer the floorpan of the Ascent.

We bought our Agile from a dealer when it was two years old and had about the same number of miles. We got 32% off list. It was reassuring to know that both the chassis and coach were still under warranty.

Good luck!

[Boats]

We have a 2017 Agile SS 4x4, ecotrec, that we bought new a year and a half ago and absolutely love it. The only problem we've had was a toilet that wasn't sealed to the floor, it was fixed and is perfect now. We use it every other week from May till the snow flies here in November. We have the normal overhead A/C so I can't comment on the other one. One of the things that was a deciding factor for us was the Roadtrek warranty., it was hands down the best of any class B at the time. The other thing to consider is the maintainace of the Merc Sprinter Diesel which can be expensive (@ $500. For first oil change) but if you are mechanically inclined you can easily do it yourself for under $200.

[Boats]

One other thing to add , we paid $118, 000. For ours new (way more than I wanted to spend) but we got what we wanted. MSRP was $144,000, not sure how much the one your looking at is. But you can kind of use that as a guide keep in mind ours is a 4x4 which is somewhere around $10,000. More than the 4x2 version.

[Monica998]

Originally Posted by tooTallforB?

I've been looking for an RV in the past few months and spent a lot of time trying to educate myself. I've finally got a chance to look at a bunch of units (Ponoma show was great for that) I could fit in and seemed a good compromise (I want something short because of HOA restrictions) and I could use as a daily driver

My list was the Travato, Carado Banff, Revel, SS Agile, Airstream Interstate 19 and Pleasure Way Ascent. I really liked the Airstream in 4x4, seemed classy and well made but it's too pricey. The Travato K/KL has the best floor plan but the Promaster didn't feel super confortable to drive and 21' is a tad longer than I want, The Revel seems pretty cool, a lot of compromises biggest one for me would be the bathroom pretty much unusable. The Agile isn't the best at anything on my list of criteria but still it a lot of marks (good chassis, equipment, bed ok and bathroom a bit small but manageable.

I've found a used one (2017, 8000 miles, apparently bought from a customer not as a trade-in). It has no propane/ecotrek 400Ah/UG, undermount AC. Pretty much loaded. It is 500mi away at LaMesa Davis, the sales person is putting lot of pressure on me telling me it's going to be sold ASAP and there is no wiggle room price wise. I'm ready to make a $500 deposit and see it.

I'm looking for input about what should I be looking at closely for signs of abuse or things to make sure it's not a lemon on a "barely used" unit?

Nothing is perfect. So every Rv has its advantages and disadvantages, which depends on the choice. If finally selected one, you should receive its imperfections in the near future.

As for the used one, try to do a testing drive and check everything carefully, such as, the water spots, engine, batteries and so on with a friend and the reasonable price. Good luck!

[David Pouliot]

There is always wiggle room and another unit available. Buy what you love but feel good about it.
Respectfully I don't feel good about La Masa. I needed service done on my 2015 Agile SS. I paid $700.00 for them to diagnose. I even approved the repair of a few thousand more and they were not responsive.
The real issue is I sat in a waiting room where everyone was pissed and had a story of how bad things were.
My point is don't expect them to stand behind anything. if it is broken get it fixed before the deal is over then your on your own
BTW I love my Agile SS

Originally Posted by tooTallforB?

I've been looking for an RV in the past few months and spent a lot of time trying to educate myself. I've finally got a chance to look at a bunch of units (Ponoma show was great for that) I could fit in and seemed a good compromise (I want something short because of HOA restrictions) and I could use as a daily driver

My list was the Travato, Carado Banff, Revel, SS Agile, Airstream Interstate 19 and Pleasure Way Ascent. I really liked the Airstream in 4x4, seemed classy and well made but it's too pricey. The Travato K/KL has the best floor plan but the Promaster didn't feel super confortable to drive and 21' is a tad longer than I want, The Revel seems pretty cool, a lot of compromises biggest one for me would be the bathroom pretty much unusable. The Agile isn't the best at anything on my list of criteria but still it a lot of marks (good chassis, equipment, bed ok and bathroom a bit small but manageable.

I've found a used one (2017, 8000 miles, apparently bought from a customer not as a trade-in). It has no propane/ecotrek 400Ah/UG, undermount AC. Pretty much loaded. It is 500mi away at LaMesa Davis, the sales person is putting lot of pressure on me telling me it's going to be sold ASAP and there is no wiggle room price wise. I'm ready to make a $500 deposit and see it.

I'm looking for input about what should I be looking at closely for signs of abuse or things to make sure it's not a lemon on a "barely used" unit?

[teck13]

My list of B Camper Vans originally was nearly identical to yours, and probably many others. In fact I even explored the custom guys. I think the key is to spend a bunch of time in the ones on your short list and imagine being in each one for days at a time. And obviously prioritize your needs and desires. For us the only way I would choose a Agile is if gas mileage was super important and all the adventurers are relatively small. The bath is not really usable if you are on the larger side. Also the option of 4X4 was the main draw. If it boiled down to a rear drive Agile I’d look hard at the much higher quality PW Ascent or the much better value offered by a Travato. We ended up with a Travato K because the small amount of extra room makes a big difference, openness from all the windows, three season capability, and very useable bath were unmatched by the others. I do like the driving position and safety features of the Mercedes builds but not enough to compensate for the other tradeoffs. I would not let the folks at Le Masa high pressure you. Season is winding down and availability of used vans likely to go up. We are in the Bay area too. Are you located in the East Bay by any chance?

[sctucker]

I too have had issues with service at La Mesa. The warranty looks good on paper but when it's time to get something done it literally takes months for the repairs to be completed. As an example I have an E-Trek under warranty and one of the many issues I've had was the wind deflector in front of the solar panel flying off somewhere on the freeway. When I called in June to get it repaired La Mesa Davis told me the soonest they could look at it was in October. And that was just to drop it off so they can diagnose it and get the repair authorized. After which another appointment is required for the actual repairs. This is the second time I've been through this run around with them and I now fix everything possible on my own. FWIW this seems to be the industry standard and not just a La Mesa issue. I called a dealer in Boise and the soonest they could "diagnose" it was a month later. Not sure how much diagnoses is needed for a part that is gone.

[Boats]

I think the long waiting time to get something repaired is pretty much the industry norm, think of how many RV's are on the road today and then how cheaply many of them are made and you can easly see why it takes time to get anything done. As far as our Agile is concerned we looked at many, the one i liked the most was actualy the winnabago with the head (bath) in the rear and a slide out where the convertable coach/bed was, we really liked it but it was too long for my shops space, we get a ton of snow here in the mountains of Northern Idaho so storing it outside is really not an option, so we were stuck with only the short 19.5' sprinter ad an option, sacrificing the much larger head and storage space, also the Winnebago warannty was 1 year while Roadtrek is 6 and that covers everything that comes with it except the Sprinter chassis. Believe me I'm a big guy and using the tiny head in most class B's seemed pretty daunting, but it's actually pretty manageable maybe not so comfortable as a larger one but doable...

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Boats

I think the long waiting time to get something repaired is pretty much the industry norm, think of how many RV's are on the road today and then how cheaply many of them are made and you can easly see why it takes time to get anything done. As far as our Agile is concerned we looked at many, the one i liked the most was actualy the winnabago with the head (bath) in the rear and a slide out where the convertable coach/bed was, we really liked it but it was too long for my shops space, we get a ton of snow here in the mountains of Northern Idaho so storing it outside is really not an option, so we were stuck with only the short 19.5' sprinter ad an option, sacrificing the much larger head and storage space, also the Winnebago warannty was 1 year while Roadtrek is 6 and that covers everything that comes with it except the Sprinter chassis. Believe me I'm a big guy and using the tiny head in most class B's seemed pretty daunting, but it's actually pretty manageable maybe not so comfortable as a larger one but doable...

You would think that the laws of supply and demand would ultimately correct the long wait times for RV service and repair but it just doesn't seem to be the case.

Space in a class B is pretty limited. Considering how little time you spend in the bathroom compared to the time spent outside of it, IMO a tight bathroom seems eminently sensible.