Wannabe Looking to Get First Van

[jerrysimps@aol.com]

Since you are celebrating your 40th anniversary, I am guessing that your are in your 60s or 70s. That means two things: you need a good night's sleep and your reaction times to potential traffic issues are slowing. (I am 71, so I know these things well.) So, the largest, most comfortable, and easily accessible bed (no ladders to get up into bed or climbing over the other person to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night) you can find is very important. Secondly, you should really consider only those RVs that have the latest safety features, such as lane changing alerts, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. (That eliminates the models built on the Promaster chassis, I think.) I have driven gas and diesel RVs, and I can tell you that they both have their plusses and minuses, but on balance, I prefer the diesel. I strongly suggest that you take a look at the Pleasure Way Ascent, and if you want 4 wheel drive and a higher ground clearance (I do.), consider the Airstream 19 4 x 4. Both of these models will allow you to have a queen size bed on the "ground level" and park in a standard size parking spot at hotels and in towns, which I am sure you will want to do.

[proeddie]

Just a few counterpoints Jerry...

$150,000 (ascent) vs $85,000 (sequence)

queen bed (ascent) vs king bed sequence (both have no climb-over sleeping)

I would guess in a survey that, most 70+ retired RV'ers don't expect to need or use 4WD and higher ground clearance

OP: not sure where you are in New England, but there are a few places in CT, RI, MA I'm aware of that sell Class Bs

[BEF]

Thanks Ed.

Since my original post I've done some more research and found dealers which sell Class Bs in New England (it seems like mostly Pleasure Way and Roadtrek.) I haven't seen any Thor dealers though, but my one concern about the Sequence is the somewhat limited standard AGM batteries and lack of windows in the rear lounge area. Not sure about upgrade options to Lithium and second alternator, which just makes sense to me (although that is not necessarily a deal-breaker.).

Based on feedback here (and pending actually taking something out for a test drive) I'm thinking up to 21' would meet our needs.

Again, thanks to all for your insights. Very helpful to someone just starting out on this "journey". At this point I suspect we will stay in "research mode" until at least mid-summer (unless something pops up that we can't resist.

[dr_g]

Originally Posted by proeddie

As a fellow Connecticut DIY campervan builder/owner, I'd like to share a few thoughts that may or may not agree with some of the above.

- you have time to plan... consider a DIY campervan... visit promasterforum. com for lots of info and ideas. I was all set to buy a Class A, then thought about a Class B, then decided there were lots of "features" we wouldn't use, and it took up lots of space for "stuff" we'd like to take... so a Promaster build worked out well for us.

- my campervan is easy to winterize... just empty the portapotti, and we have a case with all of the freezable stuff that just moves in and out with us. 5 minutes at the end of a trip, easy to use on winter trips, and a quick setup for last minute plans.

- You mentioned turning radius - my 159wb gas Promaster turns a tighter radius than my cars do! I do U turns in places i wouldn't even consider it in a car. And, parking is as simple as a car too.

- A Promaster is definitely the squarest, widest van and gives you more space than MB or Ford, plus a lower (by about 9") step in height at the slider and back doors.... you'll use them a lot while camping. Oil changes and service are affordable... it's a van with the same engine that's in lots of Chrysler products. Price maintenance costs on MB.

- Many of our trips are 2 or 3 days in campsites and then one in a hotel. It's a very comfortable way to travel.

- during the pandemic, the PM has become our rolling dining room. Been to Pepe's in NH a few times, and Joey Garlic's on the Berlin Tpke.. Order, they deliver to the van, and we dine in a warm, comfortable, and safe space with piping hot food!

If you'd like to discuss ideas, feel free to contact me. I don't have a commercial RV but do keep up on many of the models that I find interesting. If I was buying a Class b right now, I'd probably get a Thor Sequence. It's like a Travato with lots of nice, thought out features! And it's affordable. (I still say they copied MY floorplan that the Travato K copied first!)

Retired and camping every now and then... but not lately!

Newbie here. Live in Florida and Connecticut, but looking at a Class B to sit in the driveways of 4 kids in various locations to be able to see more of the grandkids during this crazy covid era. "Mooch-docking" it shall be !

We like the Sequence/Tellaro very much, esp the European cabinets. A great value, we think (we like value!). Also the right length (we favor a smaller footprint).

2 big concerns: Tiny refrigerator, but mostly lack of safety features (collision alert, lane keep, blind spot, adaptive cruise, head light dim, etc) on the Ram chassis. Seems like Dodge is 2-3 years behind MB and 1-2 years behind Ford in this area. Our passenger cars all have them and we've really learned to appreciate them, especially when your cat-like reflexes are no longer that!

Any thoughts on aftermarket items or other musings before we turn our attention to the Ford or Sprinter chassis?

Thanks very much for any possible advice or musings ..and thanks for the moderators and founders of this forum. Great stuff!

Gerry

[coss370]

Have you driven the 3 chassis? The RAM is less comfortable than my toilet at home.

[dr_g]

Originally Posted by coss370

Have you driven the 3 chassis? The RAM is less comfortable than my toilet at home.

Any additional (perhaps more mechanical) advice appreciated!

[ProfMJMcG]

I'd like to add in some things you may not have thought of yet....
Do each of you wake at the same time? Do you need an area for one to stay up later in the evening? Or wake early and need a place to sit with a cup of coffee?

I had a dry bath in my Class C for years and never used the shower. We would stop at campgrounds every so often and use the shower there, so we weren't adding so much to our grey water tank.

How do you use the tables at home? Will the table configuration work for you?

How do you cook? Do you like using an oven? Insta-pot? Microwave? If you're thinking of going out for a few months at a time, you'll want your cooking set up to match your favorites.

And table top areas that work for you.

And flexibility if you have different sleeping times.

Will the layout support your lifestyle?

Have fun! You will find the right rig for you!

[Beachlife]

Originally Posted by BEF

Thanks to you all for your thoughts an input. We are true first-timers who have not camped before. Looking to begin exploring the country, probably starting in 2022 for our 40th wedding anniversary. Use case will primarily be traveling from place to place, spending 3-4 days in one location. Never bought an RV of any kind, but a Class B certainly seems to meet our needs.

Living in New England, there are not a lot of RV dealers that have a lot of Class B inventory for us to look at in person right now so all of the input is appreciated. Recognizing there will be trade-offs, I have developed the following list of criteria to help our search (any thoughts on that would also be appreciated.)

Must Haves

• Gasoline Engine
• Under 21' long
• Compressor Fridge
• Queen Bed or larger
• Toilet with Wet Bath

Strongly Prefer

• Under 20' in length
• AC runs without shore power
• Separate front lounge area
• Swivel front seats
• Induction cooktop
• Lithium batteries (>200 ah)
• 2,000 W or greater inverter
• Deeper sink

Nice to Have

• Bigger Fridge/Freezer
• Ford Chassis (Wife has had Fords for 30+ years)
• Instant Hot Water
• More Storage
• Second Alternator

Based on what I have seen, the vans that come closest to checking all these boxes (and under 20') are the Pleasureway Ontour 2.0 and the Roadtrek Zion SRT. Clearly the Ontour has build quality and the Ford Chassis, while the Zion SRT has more on-board battery/electric and a slightly better design for our needs, however, I am not sure whether the new owner (Rapido) will remain committed to this product or what the build quality will be.

Looking at slightly bigger vehicles, the Roadtrek Zion and Winnebago Travato 59kL seem to be best. (Except for the absorption fridge the Pleasureway Lexus FL would be on the list.)

That's where we are right now without seeing any vehicles. I'll probably start calling around to see if there is any place within reasonable driving distance to check things out. I may follow up with this group for more ideas or if we have to range farther. Thanks again.

Brian

Hello we have a 2020 Travato K59 and love it. We find the Lithium a not need for us, and the cost since we do not go off road much. Also we loved the Wonder a lot if you have the space to park it. I would think a 21-24' is the way to go across county. We are planning a trip in 2022. This year our trip is from Florida up the east into the Carolinas as things get better. Good luck on getting a newer vehicle. Do a lot of research. I find my wife likes a dry bath better. I have done a bunch of mods including a cargo rack with two boxes on the back for longer trips. I do recommend a sports rack and ladder for sure. I have done some great things with that on the outside without much cost or work.

[larryadamsco]

Hi BEF,
I had similar angst when buying my 95 RT Popular a few months back. Living in RI, my search, too, required site-unseen correspondence. Fortunately, I hit a home run. That said, I live in Westerly and you are welcome to visit and have a look at mine, or even take it on a mini-trial run to widen your experience base before continuing your search. The on-line thing is hard, particularly when pictures and videos can't replace the hands-on.
Let me know and we can arrange it. I'm happy to help

[dr_g]

After additional research, our current leanings are towards a BEYOND (Looks like they were called Crossfit).

1. Great electronic safety features (collision avoidance, etc) that rival those of the industry leading Sprinter
2. Reasonably priced (way below Sprinters)
3. More service locations (especially important during break in period, so we hear)
4. Better footprint: Slightly wider than Sprinter chassis. Also, 2' shorter, depending on Sprinter wheel base.
5. Negative: Slightly worse cost of operating per mile, but engine has excellent reviews and is close to Sprinter diesels in operating costs.
6. Of course, you're giving up that precious star badge!

Looking forward to comments !

Gerry

[AliceRV]

The Solis fits all our criteria but hoping to get something smaller. Eating in the van at the restaurants parking lot is a lot better than getting home and all the food is cold and then you decide you want dessert. Having a toilet after a hike would be great. Maybe we would buy a Mercedes metris (largest van that fits in a garage), add swiveling front seats, table, cassette toilet, fridge, coffee/tea making and sleep on the floor if necessary. That fits all our minimum criteria and stay in hotels and eat out most of the time. So just need to add electrical for heating water and an electric blanket for cooler nights. And when we go to homedepot to buy wood have a vehicle to take it home.

I did look at the Metris Weekender but at $80K it doesn't even have a toilet.

[vwmaniaman]

Our latest purchased camper is a 2005 Coach House 272XL. It is big enough for over a week at one spot and drives like a van. Has a Ford E450 chassis with the V10 and full Banks Power kit. Our other campers include a 93 Roadtrek Versatile and a fifth wheel.
We are camper poor but each has its place. The fifth wheel is great when you want to stay someplace for a couple weeks. The Coach House works great when a week is the limit and the Roadtrek is our choice for a 2week traveling vacation or 4 days at the lake. We don't have to have new since I can repair most any issues we have and our total investment is less than most would spend on one new class B. Renting first is a great idea especially when you are on a first time basis. My wife can handle the ones we have in case I am unable to. Verify that for your protection.