Winnebago Travato 59G opinions.

Macodiva · 01-23-2020, 05:43 PM

Hi All
I've just come upon what looks like an absolute bargain of a buy. It's almost too good to be true!
So my questions for you are....
Does anyone have experience with the Travato 59G model?
How does it handle wear & tear?
Are it's systems (there seems to be a lot of them) quirky or generally work well?
It is a 2017 with 57000 miles on it.
Do Promasters last a lot of miles without issues?
I believe 60,000 is when all the factory warranties except powertrain run out, which is making me a little nervous...
Any help or experience much appreciated, if this deal is for real i'll have to move fast!
Thanks

MsNomer · 01-23-2020, 06:47 PM

I wouldn’t worry about the underlying vehicle. PM's have proven to be quite reliable. Mine has 122,000 miles.

If you buy it, the first transmission service is at 60,000 miles.

Toyman · 01-23-2020, 07:06 PM

My Travato handles and rides better than any previous RV we’ve had, this includes a Foretravel and 2 Sprinters.

rowiebowie · 01-24-2020, 03:54 AM

The "unbelievable" price worries me some. A lot of scams out there. So just make sure it is legit.

Both Travato floorplans are highly regarded.

Popcorn · 01-24-2020, 01:10 PM

At least have it inspected by a qualified RV tech and Mopar mechanic. Preliminarily run a CARFAX check.

mikeehlert · 01-24-2020, 02:29 PM

Check out the FaceBook Travato page too. They seem to be going quickly so. Be careful.

Macodiva · 01-24-2020, 09:13 PM

Thanks & yes i've definitely got my scam antenna up! After searching around online a bit it seems like this guy might really be telling the truth & just need rid of it. It's amazing & scary what you can find online & i'm not even that good with a computer lol!

rowiebowie · 01-25-2020, 01:07 AM

My first attempt to buy a class b was on Ebay about a year before we finally bought from PPL motorhomes, a consignment dealer in Houston. That second experience was a good one.

But back to the Ebay story. The price was very good, but not ridiculously cheap. I figured I may have encountered a person who wanted a quick sale and had probably been to a dealer and realized how little they offered on it. So maybe they decided to sell it themselves.

After I initially won the bid, I asked for a picture of the VIN sticker. That's when I started getting correspondence outside of Ebay mail and I knew things were headed downhill when they said the rv was stored elsewhere and they did not have access to it. Then, I asked them to call me so we could discuss things (and so I could determine if English was their first language - although emails were well written). Well, they responded they could not speak due to recent throat surgery. When they sent me a payment request though an escrow company that looked to be Ebay endorsed, I forwarded it to Ebay who said it was a scam as I had already suspected.

I was not in hurry to buy and am naturally suspicious. The signs are there if you look for them.

Macodiva · 01-25-2020, 03:10 AM

I also had a bad eBay experience last year. I won the auction, which surprised me as i'd put a low bid in. I ran around sorting things out. Then had a friend go check it out, they were going to make a road trip out of it drive it from east coast for me. When they got there the van was nothing like described, posted pictures must've been from years before ect. All the many questions i'd asked the seller he had just out n out lied on.
Even after i told him i wouldn't be taking the van due to check engine light among other things he said "your friend doesn't know what he's talking about, there's no light"
I told him i trusted the people i'd sent & seriously dude they sent me pictures with all the lights on! Such a waste of time & effort. I don't know why people aren't straight with you, i mean do they think you're not going to notice these things! Or think you'll say well i'm here now so i'll take it anyway.
Point of that story is yes i will be checking everything closely & if ANYTHING seems/feels off i will run not walk away. I am naturally suspicious too.

Macodiva · 01-25-2020, 10:21 PM

Things that i a novice noticed;
Brakes need doing
Water filter is cracked, when you put the water pump on water flows all over the floor under the sink!
I don't think the pump is affected but don't know as i didn't want to risk flooding out the van while trying to figure it out

Do you think this is an easy inexpensive fix?
I didn't see any mold signs & don't think it has been going on long, but i'm no expert.....
Side screen door needs replacing
Passenger side window button is broken/missing. (It will open from drivers side.)
Chip (quarter size) out of the edge of the fridge door.

I've told him i need to go & research how much it will cost to fix these things before i make a decision & have asked him if he will lower the price.
I'd be surprised if he does & if he doesn't i will definitely walk away.

What do you all think?

Thanks

booster · 01-25-2020, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macodiva

Things that i a novice noticed;
Brakes need doing
Water filter is cracked, when you put the water pump on water flows all over the floor under the sink!
I don't think the pump is affected but don't know as i didn't want to risk flooding out the van while trying to figure it out

Do you think this is an easy inexpensive fix?
I didn't see any mold signs & don't think it has been going on long, but i'm no expert.....
Side screen door needs replacing
Passenger side window button is broken/missing. (It will open from drivers side.)
Chip (quarter size) out of the edge of the fridge door.

I've told him i need to go & research how much it will cost to fix these things before i make a decision & have asked him if he will lower the price.
I'd be surprised if he does & if he doesn't i will definitely walk away.

What do you all think?

Thanks

Water on the floor would be a big deal for me, as it is likely a plywood floor underneath the finish flooring. If the pump is sitting on the metal van floor and draining to an area that finds it's way out, probably OK, if on a cabinet floor could go anywhere from there. Wet wood for any length of time is bad and can grow mold and rot, especially on a floor where there is no ventilation to speak of.

Macodiva · 01-25-2020, 11:12 PM

When i initially turned the pump on to test the water i heard a gushing sound & quickly turned it off. That's when i looked into the cupboard & saw the water.
It was running straight down & dripping out of the van outside.

MsNomer · 01-26-2020, 01:08 AM

I’d guess it froze.

Those screen doors are a joke. Even if he bought you a new one, it would probably be trash in a few months. I’d just take it out and make a new one. It’s not a hard DIY for one with magnets and they are better anyway.

rowiebowie · 01-26-2020, 01:37 AM

I'm not turned off if the price is right. As mentioned, water leak might be from a recent freeze and if the water hasn't caused warping or mold, you might have caught it early.

There's always something wrong (hopefully minor) with used motorhomes. The window button and fridge corner worry me that it wasn't treated nicely and you may find other water leaks it if froze. But overall, those items shouldn't be that expensive to fix. Engine, transmission, cab A/C, tires, etc. are bigger dollar items than what you've found initially. So if they check out, fic the leaks, put brakes on it, and you'll be good for at least a little while.

eric1514 · 01-26-2020, 02:21 AM

If that fridge door needs replacing, it's very expensive and maybe unobtainable. Hopefully, it's just cosmetic and you can live with it. I took that fridge out of my coach and have the entire thing available, but I can't ship it.

The screen door may be fixable and the guy who made those can be reached by asking around on the FB Travato page. I like the door, but it is fragile and you need to keep it lubed and be gentle. There are other alternatives.

The water leak only concerns me in so far as how long has it been going on. The location makes it sound like it will be fairly easy to fix.

The window, if you need to get Winnebago involved, could get pricy.

Good luck, mine has been mostly trouble free but I'm careful with things and spend time maintaining everything. The Travato is low budget and the choice of materials and workmanship reflect that, but if you keep after it, they work very well.

Macodiva · 01-26-2020, 02:25 AM

Thanks for your advice.
I'm going to leave it unless he's willing to take less money, which understandably he's not. Says he has others coming to look at it. You never know he may get back to me & if not, well that's ok, disappointing but ok.
I got a quote for brakes & rotors approx $2600 & it's coming up for the 60,000 service so that'd be another $1000.
All the other little bits & pieces it will add up quickly to. It was also unbelievable dirty inside. Seems a bit odd for someone trying to sell it it, so you may be right about it being neglected a little.
I'm sure the right one will come along when the time is right.

rowiebowie · 01-26-2020, 04:23 AM

Ouch! I was thinking $600 for brake pads & rotors, not $2600. Who gave you that quote? 60K fluids, filters, etc. likewise should be about half your $1000 quote.

Now, I realize any other thing they might find can drive up the price, but basic things like you mention should not be that much. Unless I'm missing something about Promasters.

Macodiva · 01-26-2020, 05:15 PM

The quote was from a dealer. Which generally i avoid like the plague since i know they're expensive. The couple of local garages i called said they don't work on cargo vans as they either don't have a big enough lift or there's not enough head room to get it in their building.
You're saying $600 has me thinking i might call around a few more places to see! I was willing to go to an extra 1000 for the brakes since once they're done they're done. But the 2600 + the other stuff & the unknown of the water was too much of a risk for me. The 60000 service includes a transmission flush/clean. I think that's why it's more.
Who knows, give him a few days maybe he'll get back to me.

Thevon · 01-30-2020, 08:40 PM

For all of us that have bought used RV’s, it’s always a gamble. It’s a luxury purchase; if it’s something you want, go for it. I put brand new tires on my RT last year and had a rear tire blow going down the road (middle of nowhere in Colorado) and the tire had less than 300 miles on it. It’s always something. You just soldier on and enjoy the many happy memories you’ll make in your class B.

Greg
2006 190 P

Macodiva · 01-30-2020, 09:37 PM

I've made him an offer $5000 less than asking price. He was offended by it but as i said to him.
'this is what i have, this is what i'm willing to pay, if it doesn't work for you fair enough, no harm done'
Guess we'll see if he's still offended by it in a couple of weeks from now if there's no other takers....Who knows i might end up with a Travato yet!

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