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Old 03-13-2017, 06:50 PM   #1
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Default Travato 59G Competitions

Exceptional quality workmanship

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Old 03-13-2017, 07:50 PM   #2
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Is the Promaster's shell identical to the Ducato's? Is the small size of our B market the only thing stopping one of the European manufacturers partnering with a small US converter to import and install their superior designs and components?

Outside Vans, Sportsmobile, Van Specialities, etc aren't crash tested, right? So federal "safety" standards shouldn't be a factor for Bs being sold directly to the customers.
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Old 03-13-2017, 08:11 PM   #3
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Exceptional quality workmanship

The bathroom design is remarkable.

One feature I question in a B is the skylight that takes up space that could be used for solar support.

If this builder built a few of these innovtive units that would pass DOT standards and exhibited them in our domestic RV shows, it would have RT, PW, et al, peeing in their pants.
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Old 03-13-2017, 08:57 PM   #4
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There are some great European designs and innovations. There is also a much bigger Class B market in Europe. I remember reading that Hymer alone sells 22,000 Class B's yearly just on the Ducato / Promaster van in Europe and they have a lot of competition. The total number of Class B's sold yearly in the US is closer to 3000 as I recall.

This van is basically the Hymer Aktiv design with a few cool features. Even if someone brought this van to the US, the market for this van would be very small. The majority of Class B buyers wouldn't choose this floor plan, the Promaster van, the cassette toilet, etc.. Then most US customers wouldn't be willing to the pay the price for some of these fancy features. The few US customers there are for B's mostly want cheap which is the reason our choices here are pretty limited.
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Old 03-13-2017, 09:03 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cruising7388 View Post
The bathroom design is remarkable.

One feature I question in a B is the skylight that takes up space that could be used for solar support.

If this builder built a few of these innovtive units that would pass DOT standards and exhibited them in our domestic RV shows, it would have RT, PW, et al, peeing in their pants.
There is nothing preventing any of those manufacturers from building this. It is simply cheaper and more profitable (in their mind) to build using cheaper components and less custom parts.

Plus the suppliers in the EU sell many more Class B & C units, therefore they offer more products (Ive seen those bathroom components in 2-3 EU products) and modular kits.
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Old 03-13-2017, 09:25 PM   #6
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That model sells for $70k in USD. imagine what you get for $100K.
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Old 03-13-2017, 09:28 PM   #7
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Add A/C, Inverter, TV, A/V system. EU vans tend to be ala carte
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Old 03-13-2017, 11:27 PM   #8
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We are going to Iceland in a few months to drive the Ring Road. We are renting a small Ducato-based C-van like this one:



We are really looking forward to trying out a euro-style rig.
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Old 03-13-2017, 11:34 PM   #9
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$67K list price with AC and diesel to boot.
2017 MALIBU 600 DB LOW BED VAN CONVERSION | eBay
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Old 03-13-2017, 11:42 PM   #10
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Default Westfalia

How about the Westfalia now owned by the French Rapido SA, the company which saved the Westfalia after the disastrous acquisition by Daimler Benz.

Westfalia - Columbus | Westfalia Mobil GmbH
http://www.westfalia-mobil.net/dokum...f?m=1471588201

These campers could shake the US market at their prices and high USD.

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Old 03-14-2017, 12:09 AM   #11
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I owned a Westfalia product and was spoiled by the quality. I had my heart set on buying this one but the relationship with Mercedes was coming to an end

James Cook Sprinter Westfalia

https://youtu.be/N-lU660_WNw


The One I Let Get Away

https://youtu.be/_B9t9Tzk_KU
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Old 03-14-2017, 12:44 AM   #12
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"Is the Promaster's shell identical to the Ducato's?"

Yes. RAM Promaster, Fiat Ducato, Citroen Jumper, and Peugeot Boxer are all the same shell, body parts all made in the Italian Sevel factory. I am intimately familiar with more than 500 holes of various shapes and sizes in the area behind the cab. We are told that each of these means something to some upfitter somewhere.
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Old 03-14-2017, 02:00 AM   #13
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Euro prices are less than US. Some of it is competition, but some is decontenting as well.

No black tank, no generator, no air conditioning, no microwave, no tv, etc. Many though have an oven which you never see in a B in North America, plus a big skylight.

On the Malibu shown in this thread, note the van is a short version of the Ducato (they pack a lot in a 5 meter van - but that seems to be the norm in Europe. Also, the van is a very low spec model - no nav, no air conditioning and no aluminum wheels. Most likely it's the 1500 version and most likely a small diesel with manual transmission.

I'd agree that a van like the Malibu could be very successful in the US. Particularly in the PNW where they might not really want a generator or air conditioning. No US builder seems interested in producing region specific vans, which is a shame really.

I'd love to see this type of modular bathroom in a variety of vans. It would be worth the tradeoff of the cassette toilet to have the swivel head loo and gain a huge shower space. All those pieces look like some supplier is manufacturing a kit or assembly. I wonder if the whole thing could actually be purchased and used in a DIY build.
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Old 03-17-2017, 09:35 AM   #14
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There are about 240 model year 2005 Airstream Westfalias in the U.S. The average used price is about $50,000. they come up for sale now and then. I bought mine new in March 2005. It's been a great rig...
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