What Is An Ambassador?

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Very easy to drive and a nice view from up in the cab. Have 33,000 miles on it and it goes pretty much anywhere you might want to go...

Has the chassis and house been pretty much trouble free?

What other options did you consider before going 'all in' on this beautiful expedition vehicle?

Do you get annoyed by all the attention this vehicle must draw? It is extremely attractive.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

Has the chassis and house been pretty much trouble free?

What other options did you consider before going 'all in' on this beautiful expedition vehicle?

Do you get annoyed by all the attention this vehicle must draw? It is extremely attractive.

No major issues with the Kenworth K370 chassis (converted to 4wd by Tulsa Truck Manufacturing) or with the camper side.

Since we live full time in it and no longer have a house we needed this size to carry all our stuff that we like to take (kayaks, bikes, etc, etc,) and that limits the options. We were originally going to go full time in a standard 40-42’ diesel pusher Class A but after a 6 month trip to Alaska in our Roadtrek Sprinter we decided to switch to something a little more suited to where we like to go. We looked at a few other options (used EarthRoamers mainly) but decided to go with GXV after a visit there and seeing the Kenworth chassis option.

You have to get used to meeting a lot of new people if you have one of these, every stop includes a few people who want to know more about it. Not much way to be stealthy with it...

There is standard set of possible questions we get...

Are you Germans? (Lots of trucks like this roaming around with Europeans inside)
Is that an Army truck?
Are you preparing for Armageddon or the Zombie Apocalypse?
Are you a prepper?
What is that?
Is that some kind of RV?
How much does one of those cost?

So, you get used to a lot of interest...

Mike Wendland interviewed me at Overland Expo in 2017...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ckm1ksLADA

[InterBlog]

Absolutely stunning rig - congrats! And thanks for sharing!

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Absolutely stunning rig - congrats! And thanks for sharing!

I hesitate to discuss it much here, the Class B zealots want to keep the forum as pure as possible, not sure how the Class B+’s got in here ...

[Bud]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Absolutely stunning rig - congrats! And thanks for sharing!

InterBlog, since b+'s are here. Here is a similar b+, worth a look due to the pop top.

[B Eventually]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

I hesitate to discuss it much here, the Class B zealots want to keep the forum as pure as possible, not sure how the Class B+’s got in here ...

Thanks for sharing, but that video didn't even touch on the abundant storage you must have below the bed and on the roof.

In the case of engine troubles, I imagine most semi-truck mechanics could help you out?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by B Eventually

Thanks for sharing, but that video didn't even touch on the abundant storage you must have below the bed and on the roof.

In the case of engine troubles, I imagine most semi-truck mechanics could help you out?

Yes, there is a lot of storage in the back and under the bed but the spare tire is in there too. Not much on the roof, it is covered with solar panels. We now have a roof rack over the cab which adds some more storage space.

It is a Kenworth truck but a European DAF design that PACCAR brought over and builds in Mexico for North America. Engine is a PACCAR PX-7 (Cummins 6.7 6 cyl diesel) and it has an Allison 6 speed transmission. So easy to get service at Kenworth or Peterbilt (there is a Peterbilt version of the same truck) or any place that services large trucks. Some of the K series/DAF specific parts can take time to get since most dealers don’t service many of these but they are in US warehouses so no need to get them from Europe.

[Binny]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Absolutely stunning rig - congrats! And thanks for sharing!

I agree and offer my thanks as well. I don't watch the Wendlands much, so I wouldn't have come across this.

[ClassB4Me]

Surprised....

NewmarCorp is entering the Class C market and revealing their first model next week with the 2020 Super Star.

I was surprised to see the RV Geeks (populat YT Channel and Newmar RV owners) were hosting the reveal.

RV marketing is truly changing.

------------------------------------------

Register for our live RVX video stream happening March 13 at 12 pm MST / 2 pm EST and witness the arrival of our first-ever Super C model, the 2020 Super Star!

Hosted by the ever-popular RVgeeks, you’ll also get an inside look at the 33-foot New Aire, all-new Dutch Star, wheelchair-accessible Canyon Star!

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

Surprised....

NewmarCorp is entering the Class C market and revealing their first model next week with the 2020 Super Star.

I was surprised to see the RV Geeks (populat YT Channel and Newmar RV owners) were hosting the reveal.

RV marketing is truly changing.

------------------------------------------

Register for our live RVX video stream happening March 13 at 12 pm MST / 2 pm EST and witness the arrival of our first-ever Super C model, the 2020 Super Star!

Hosted by the ever-popular RVgeeks, you’ll also get an inside look at the 33-foot New Aire, all-new Dutch Star, wheelchair-accessible Canyon Star!

It is a Super C so not too much of a stretch for them. Tiffin came out with a Sprinter Class C awhile ago. They are moving with the market with Class A sales on the decline.

[Boxster1971]

... and yesterday the FitRV couple, Stef and James announced that they "will be hosting Winnebago’s huge “new product” launch happening at the RVX show next week in Salt Lake City".

https://www.thefitrv.com/blog/big-announcement-coming/

They also said they have a big announcement - likely that they will become Winnebago Ambassadors.

Yes - the social media influencers are becoming a key marketing tool.

[ponti33602]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

... and yesterday the FitRV couple, Stef and James announced that they "will be hosting Winnebago’s huge “new product” launch happening at the RVX show next week in Salt Lake City".

https://www.thefitrv.com/blog/big-announcement-coming/

They also said they have a big announcement - likely that they will become Winnebago Ambassadors.

Yes - the social media influencers are becoming a key marketing tool.

Yup....and their current Travato has been "down" for a month or more I believe.

[gregmchugh]

So, the Wendland’s are picking up the LTV Unity FX that was on display and that they have purchased when they leave the RVX show. It is on the new Sprinter chassis. Some people are, of course, saying that it is unfair for them to go to the front of the queue instead of waiting for one to be built but I suppose that this unit was a unit built by LTV for show display without a specific order. It probably would have gone to a dealer at some point for sale off the lot to a regular customer who also would have jumped the queue for customer ordered vans. Hard to find many positive responses here on the forum for the Wendland’s due to their sometimes murky relationship with Roadtrek and I saw that they did not get a warm response on the LTV Owners Group initially. In any case, that is the unit they will be driving and reporting on as Brand Ambassador’s for LTV.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

So, the Wendland’s are picking up the LTV Unity FX that was on display and that they have purchased when they leave the RVX show. It is on the new Sprinter chassis. Some people are, of course, saying that it is unfair for them to go to the front of the queue instead of waiting for one to be built but I suppose that this unit was a unit built by LTV for show display without a specific order. It probably would have gone to a dealer at some point for sale off the lot to a regular customer who also would have jumped the queue for customer ordered vans. Hard to find many positive responses here on the forum for the Wendland’s due to their sometimes murky relationship with Roadtrek and I saw that they did not get a warm response on the LTV Owners Group initially. In any case, that is the unit they will be driving and reporting on as Brand Ambassador’s for LTV.

So how are they being paid? Anyone ask them on the LTV Owners Group?

Bud

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

So, the Wendland’s are picking up the LTV Unity FX that was on display and that they have purchased when they leave the RVX show. It is on the new Sprinter chassis. Some people are, of course, saying that it is unfair for them to go to the front of the queue instead of waiting for one to be built but I suppose that this unit was a unit built by LTV for show display without a specific order. It probably would have gone to a dealer at some point for sale off the lot to a regular customer who also would have jumped the queue for customer ordered vans. Hard to find many positive responses here on the forum for the Wendland’s due to their sometimes murky relationship with Roadtrek and I saw that they did not get a warm response on the LTV Owners Group initially. In any case, that is the unit they will be driving and reporting on as Brand Ambassador’s for LTV.

In all the videos, LTV described the vehicle as a prototype. Would the sell a prototype?

Dean mentioned taking the vehicle to a future show.

Others mentioned the marine grade flooring had not been decided as going into production

Maybe they have multiple prototypes.

[mrshowtime3]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

So, the Wendland’s are picking up the LTV Unity FX that was on display and that they have purchased when they leave the RVX show. It is on the new Sprinter chassis. Some people are, of course, saying that it is unfair for them to go to the front of the queue instead of waiting for one to be built but I suppose that this unit was a unit built by LTV for show display without a specific order. It probably would have gone to a dealer at some point for sale off the lot to a regular customer who also would have jumped the queue for customer ordered vans. Hard to find many positive responses here on the forum for the Wendland’s due to their sometimes murky relationship with Roadtrek and I saw that they did not get a warm response on the LTV Owners Group initially. In any case, that is the unit they will be driving and reporting on as Brand Ambassador’s for LTV.

THey made a thing of it on their video from RVX. Making sure to clarify to FitRV that they are buying a LTV with their own money. Doubtful. Or at minimum with a drastic discount. Meanwhile some older couple without many years left is waiting 9 months somewhere for their new Unity to be made.

One thing I thought was funny is that when doing these live videos Tech Guy Mike either uses a actual laptop while walking around. Or doesnt know you can change from the phones front facing and rear facing camera.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

In all the videos, LTV described the vehicle as a prototype. Would the sell a prototype?

Dean mentioned taking the vehicle to a future show.

Others mentioned the marine grade flooring had not been decided as going into production

Maybe they have multiple prototypes.

I think the prototype was for the new Rear Lounge floorplan that won’t go into production until this fall.

I think the Unity FX that the Wendland’s purchased is a standard production model not any type of prototype.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

I think the prototype was for the new Rear Lounge floorplan that won’t go into production until this fall.

I think the Unity FX that the Wendland’s purchased is a standard production model not any type of prototype.

Thanks for clarifying. So will it be on the new Mercedes chassis or the older chassis?

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

Thanks for clarifying. So will it be on the new Mercedes chassis or the older chassis?

Both the prototype of the new floor plan they showed at RVX and the production unit that the Wendland’s purchased are on the new Sprinter chassis. Mike is planning a video covering the new chassis features in addition to a video of the LTV features in the Unity FX.

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Both the prototype of the new floor plan they showed at RVX and the production unit that the Wendland’s purchased are on the new Sprinter chassis. Mike is planning a video covering the new chassis features in addition to a video of the LTV features in the Unity FX.

Are you an 'insider'?

You seem to know a lot of details. Appreciated.