Solis Winnebago Owners

[pacificstar]

Hello Everyone,
Just wondering if there is a group for the new Solis? We just put a deposit on a 2021 Solis 59P, the Murphy bed model. Would love to talk and share ideas with other Solis owners.

[MsNomer]

Met a Solis owner the other day. He says there is a Facebook group.

[pacificstar]

Yes, I am on the Facebook page, its great. I just thought there would be a group on here too. Happy traveling!

[Kent]

We expect our Solis 59px to arrive sometime next month. We would like to share experiences here as I canceled my Facebook account a year ago.

[mdyn]

I'm not on Facebook either. I'd love to see a thread here. We picked up our 59P back in July and have been enjoying it ever since.

[Testa-Dura]

Hello .. LUV this thread .. am considering Solid 59PX .. Will B dropping in here 2 C NewS on this exciting topic .. Saluti

[kmessinger]

Originally Posted by mdyn

I'm not on Facebook either. I'd love to see a thread here. We picked up our 59P back in July and have been enjoying it ever since.

I agree. Not on Facebook.

[Brains]

Originally Posted by mdyn

I'm not on Facebook either. I'd love to see a thread here. We picked up our 59P back in July and have been enjoying it ever since.

We are not on Facebook either!

Wish there was an online Solis forum or an active thread.

We are seriously considering purchasing a Solis mid to late next year.

We like the 59P for the shorter length, but the 59PX has the air conditioning and generator, so is also a consideration.

If you don't mind answering some questions for us:

1) Have you camped in the 59P in hot weather? If so, does the fan work well for adequate ventilation?

2) Has anyone ridden for a long distance in the passenger seats behind the driver? If so, what is the comfort level? They look contoured, but also very upright so we wonder how comfortable they are in real-world use.

3) How do you feel about the overall workmanship of the rig so far?

4) What do you like the most about it?

Thank you very much in advance!

[mdyn]

Originally Posted by Brains

We are not on Facebook either!

Wish there was an online Solis forum or an active thread.

We are seriously considering purchasing a Solis mid to late next year.

We like the 59P for the shorter length, but the 59PX has the air conditioning and generator, so is also a consideration.

If you don't mind answering some questions for us:

1) Have you camped in the 59P in hot weather? If so, does the fan work well for adequate ventilation?

2) Has anyone ridden for a long distance in the passenger seats behind the driver? If so, what is the comfort level? They look contoured, but also very upright so we wonder how comfortable they are in real-world use.

3) How do you feel about the overall workmanship of the rig so far?

4) What do you like the most about it?

Thank you very much in advance!

Hi Brains,

1) Yes, we have camped in warm weather (Southern Utah in late July). It was pretty toasty for sure, but with a couple of small fans to help move the air around, it was bearable.

2) Not as of yet. We've only used them for short hops.

3) Workmanship has been a mixed bag. There were several small issues that we pointed out when we picked up the van from La Mesa RV in Sacramento. They pointed to Winnebago and Winnebago duly pointed right back to them. We've taken it upon ourselves to deal with them on our own. Last week we tried to schedule a service appointment with Winnebago. The soonest available slot was in late February 2021.

4) This is our first RV after having gone the rental route a couple of times. What we like most is the relative simplicity of the rig, its compact size (it's been really easy to find little spots to boondock in and it's super easy to drive) and the feeling of being able to just pick up and go at a moments notice. It's been very handy having it during the recent evacuations we've gone through.

Hope that helps,
Marco

[rockymtnb]

Originally Posted by Brains

We like the 59P for the shorter length, but the 59PX has the air conditioning and generator, so is also a consideration.

One key issue on the 59PX is that to make room for the rooftop AC unit it loses the 59P Maxxair rooftop ventilator fan. So if you can get by without AC you get much better ventilation, and one that can run on solar or battery power.

We also noticed rear ground clearance was much better on the 59P unit.

[Brains]

Marco, thanks for your fast reply!

Rockymtnb,
Thank you for pointing out the ground clearance difference.

Between the low hanging rear axle on the Promaster and what looks like a low placement of the generator on the PX model, we are thinking that a slight lift would be a must have, as we are accustomed to traveling on unpaved gravel roads to go fishing, etc.

This Promaster owner (travato) has what looks to be a good lift:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLaB9aYx0QY

I wonder if anyone has installed something like this with a Solis?

[mdyn]

This is something we'd be very interested in eventually. I think we'll get through the first year of our warranty period before pulling the trigger, but we've already experienced a couple of times when this would have been handy.

[American Trekker]

Hello Solis Owners and Wannabee RV Owners:

I am a USMC Veteran adapting and overcoming the new travel conditions brought on by the 2020 shut downs in the travel industry. My wife and I are Solis “Soonabees,” and are looking to purchase a 59PX next month. We will use the Solis primarily in Southern California.

We are contacting a few Dealer December 28th, and we’ve read and heard news stories some new RVs are in short supply. This makes us wonder if Dealers able to deliver the Solis in under 30 days? For example, any Solis Owners fortunate enough to take delivery immediately from the Dealer’s Inventory? If not under 30-days; how long did delivery of the van take? Seeing posts how Owner’s like Solis’ performance and features, and of how expectations of the Solis are not met is invaluable.

Our year-long research continues, and we’ve talked to several Van Owners over the last six-months, to include a couple of Solis 59P Owners. We did our “rental research” in a Roadtrek SS Agile for one-night last October, a Winnebago Travato 59G for two-nights last month, and a Winnebago Solis 59P for two nights last week. I now know, the Truma Combi and insulation is great in the Solis. We would use Solis for skiing trips like the Rental Owner does.

This shift to RV camping is a big change from our fly/car/hotel trips. However, we are ready to adapt to the current circumstances, and the Solis fits our altered plans magnificently; we will park along the Pacific Ocean on week-ends, and take 5-night trips to State Parks in our area. Working our way up to 7+ nights so we are ready for trips to the Big Sur area, and National Parks like Joshua Tree.

A Winnebago Solis thread here is a fantastic idea. My wife and I are not on Facebook and have no plans to join. Seeing posts from individuals who own a Solis as well as from Wannabees like my wife and I is tremendously helpful. We understand you can never be too safe or prepared. I am also looking forward to sharing our experiences as we move forward to purchase our Solis.

[pacificstar]

MDYN,

Hi! We got our Solis on November 4th. We took a trip to the Central Coast of California and have been day tripping ever since. Where do you live? Maybe we could meet up someday. Social Distancing for sure!

[pacificstar]

This is for "Brains"
1. We got our Solis in November so I can't give you a summer time experience. The fan is ok. If you live in an area where you need A/C then get the PX. We live on the coast of California and we didn't have A/C in our camper or on our boats so the need isn't there.
2.The seats are fine. Coming from a Toyota Tundra they are much more comfortable. My husband has a seat he bought at Costco its ergonomic. Our longest drive was 5 1/2 hours.
3. The fit and finish is just fine. I love the floorpan and everything works great. We have not had any problems with our Solis.
4. I like many things about the Solis.....the height, we sit up pretty high and you have a good view of everything, parking, we park everywhere. The turning radius is fantastic, we fit in all parking spaces.
We feel especially at this time the freedom to go where we need or want to go. We take our bathroom with us, we have a meal and we have a wonderful night sleep. I love this van and its just been perfect for us. I wish you all the best!

[pacificstar]

American Trekker,

We researched and looked for 11 months and decided on the Solis. We put a deposit down on August 25th with Mike Daniels at La Mesa RV San Diego and got a good deal, just under $80,000 with out tax & license. Our Solis was deceived on November 4th. All went well and we love our Solis. Most folks are waiting this amount of time if not longer. The price tag has increased. We used our Solis today, we visited a beach for a long walk and playtime for our dog. Then we hung out with the ocean in view and enjoyed a great lunch. Such freedom and we love everything about our Solis. We had many boats, tent camped, rented Class C and had a cab over camper on a Tundra and our Solis is perfect for us. I wish you all the best in your searching.

PS I love to travel and different circumstances call for an Airbnb, the Ritz, a cute boutique hotel etc. or my Solis!

[Brains]

Thanks for the update PacificStar!

Since my last post in October I've been lurking and reading here, so it was very kind of you to update everyone on your experiences.

We live in Carlsbad California, and have seen Solis-es at the beach a couple of times nearby in the past month, and once one was parked in Encinitas in one of the 101 head in spots downtown and didn't stick out at all, my husband and I were excited to see that.

The Solis parking ease is a key benefit, we're used to 4x4 camping and being able to take our vehicle into towns and enjoy that, but in our 50's we are getting tired of tent camping.

Since you have had the Solis a couple of months, we are curious to know if you are using the second row of seats, and if you can comment on the comfort. For our use, female adults under 5'4" would be riding in those seats long distance on trips, I wonder how comfortable they are. Do you have any opinion?

[pacificstar]

Brains,

Oh we could meet up somewhere maybe Carlsbad State Beach or a beach in Carlsbad. You can view our Solis up close, gotta wear a mask! Were in San Clemente or drive up here for a meet up.

So your main question is about the seat seating. We are a couple with a dog. At first we thought our dog would be on the seat when once we traveled however he didn't seem to like being that high so he lays between the front seats. So I have sat in one of the seats during a drive and I am 5'2" I was comfortable and had room. I will tell you honestly my husband and I would not both sit there but he is 6'!' and wears a XL shirt. Two 5"4' women would be fine. They have the 3 point seat belts so totally safe. We love the seats for when we are hanging out inside the van and having a meal. The front seats swivel and its great for up to 4 people.

Unfortunately the price of all RV's is going up. So from my experience and those on the very active Facebook page (which is the most informative and positive group I have even been a part of) there is 2 thought processes for a new buyer. 1. You want a Solis now, to travel safely and for your mental health and your willing to pay the price (that's us, were newly retired and the time is now, were 70 years old and can't see us traveling like this at 80. 2. If you can wait until Covid is over there will be many units on the market. People who bought them primarily for the Covid answer to life and found our they are not campers. Or folks wanting a bigger vehicle and move up to Class C etc. Then the prices will be much more reasonable however it will be a used unit.

We took advantage of the 20 year 4.25% interest rate RV loan and our monthly payment is like a car payment and we can deduct the interest as a second home on our taxes.

Buying the Solis is one of our best moves in our almost 50 years of marriage. We use it almost daily for the convenience of having a comfortable ride, a bathroom handy and bringing along a meal. We took a 5 night trip to the Central Coast and have reservations to go again in April. Our Solis fits in our driveway, we can park it anywhere. The visibility and drivability is awesome. The storage seems unending believe it our not, our bed is super comfortable I bought a mattress pad from Costco and we have lovely sheets and blankets. The heater works well for those chilly nights. We do not use the pop top but we realize so many families do and for re-sale in the future it will be a welcome feature.

I can't say enough for the Facebook group and I had a FB account but never used it as much as I do now. The group is positive, helpful and some fo the greatest folks in the states and Canada. Lots of modifications, interesting places they visit and good info about warranties and tires etc. I encourage you all to join the Solis life!

[pacificstar]

Hello Friends,

I set up a Solis Winnebago Group here however it would not let me post a photo and I think that is something you have to do to become an active link here. I contacted folks here on the forum for assistance, so hopefully it will be a link now or in the near future.

Happy New Year!

[coss370]

I had considered the px for our family of 3, but I decided against it for 3 big reasons

1. Dodge Ram chassis. I can’t stand the look or the interior. Worst of all, the driving position and feel and comfort. This is my opinion, I know many loves it

2. That middle seat looks uncomfortable for long trips. It would be a torture for my wife on long drives

3. Cassette toilet! (I am starting to think this isn’t as big of an issue as I have a class b with a short dump hose, pain in the ass)

4. Lack of adaptive cruise control. On long highway drives, there is no going back after you are used to it