Winnebago Travato new model # 59K

[tbirdman]

The goal is to travel across the US and Canada 2-3 months at a time. I'm retired and will have an 85 lb dog with me. The Travato is the only Class B for me as I want a shower I can stand in. I want to boondock to keep cost down. I don't want to stay in a RV park with rows and rows of campers.

I plan to have no schedule, but move when I decide to move. I realize with stealth camping you should stay more than the night.

The small Cs have the disadvantage of little stealth, little harder to drive and I would need to store it when home although I have found covered storage for $110/mo.

The small Cs when the slides are in are still much larger than a B and you can easily sleep in them.

[patirwin]

Hello everybody,

I'm a complete newbie to this RV thing as my wife and I have just started shopping for one. At the moment we're looking at a new 2016 Travato but aren't sure which floor plan makes more sense for us. Is the murphy bed on the 59G just too narrow for 2 grown ups to sleep comfortably like it looks? I like the G plan better than the K but only if we can sleep well. We prefer to sleep together so we're not real crazy about the 59K's 2 bed option. If only they'd come together to make a big bed.

Does anyone have experience using both of these floor plans, and which do you prefer and why?

I haven't searched through the 26 pages of this thread so if this has been answered already please let me know.

Thank you from Alaska

[eric1514]

We (wife and I) sleep comfortably together in a 59g. We're not big people. I'm 5'6, she's 4'11. We weigh a combined 235lbs.

Eric

[Gryphon]

Originally Posted by patirwin

Is the murphy bed on the 59G just too narrow for 2 grown ups to sleep comfortably like it looks? I like the G plan better than the K but only if we can sleep well.

The folks over at The FitRV have a 59G and they seem to like the bed well enough. Stefany talks about their experience with the bed so far in this post.

You should be aware that they have the bed mounted higher up than is usual for a 59G, so they would have bike storage room underneath; normally the bed isn't that high (see this post for more about the custom mods they had done to their 59G).

[AlexJ]

This video shows a way to make a queen bed out of the 2 twins on the 59k.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vDRpogKacpg

[patirwin]

Thanks Alex, that's an easy fix to that problem.

[patirwin]

so I'm getting mixed results online when I look to see if the Travato is a 4 season rig. As far as I can determine it's not officially called a 4 season rig by Winnebago but folks think it can be used as one. I called my local dealer in Anchorage and they don't carry it b/c its not.
My plan is to use it and leave it in a warm spot in the lower 48 but with the crazy weather patterns lately I'm not sure where I can safely go. Is my newbie brain over thinking this? What do you guys think?

Thanks

[wincrasher]

Which one are you talking about? I'd say you might have half a chance with a 59K - all the water piping is inside the rig. On the 59G, some of this piping is on the outside of the van and uninsulated.

Neither model has heated tanks stock, or thermopane windows, or really extensive insulation. It may be an easy thing to install some tank heaters and a bit of insulation as FitRV demostrated recently. You can also fashion some insulated window covers which could help a great deal.

So I'd say a G is a 3 season, and a K may be 3.5 season. With the Truma heating system, both would probably be OK down into the teens overnight. But not sustained below freezing - just excursions below if it warmed up during the day.

[Jostalli]

Originally Posted by patirwin

so I'm getting mixed results online when I look to see if the Travato is a 4 season rig. As far as I can determine it's not officially called a 4 season rig by Winnebago but folks think it can be used as one. I called my local dealer in Anchorage and they don't carry it b/c its not.
My plan is to use it and leave it in a warm spot in the lower 48 but with the crazy weather patterns lately I'm not sure where I can safely go. Is my newbie brain over thinking this? What do you guys think?

Thanks

Not a 4 season rig. They hardly insulate the van. I pulled back the panel in the rear of a 59k and found a sliver of what looked like foil faced fiberglass. Very thin piece.

[patirwin]

yes, It's the 59K. I saw on FitRv that the pipes are not hanging down on the underside like the 59G, but they didn't actually say it was 4-season. The reason for my concern is we'll be in the smokies for Christmas and last year it got down to 2 below. Hopefully it'll be a normal, warmer winter this year.

Thanks for your reply

[BobB]

Originally Posted by patirwin

yes, It's the 59K. I saw on FitRv that the pipes are not hanging down on the underside like the 59G, but they didn't actually say it was 4-season. The reason for my concern is we'll be in the smokies for Christmas and last year it got down to 2 below. Hopefully it'll be a normal, warmer winter this year.

Thanks for your reply

I think if you look through the FitRV blogs, they had Winnebago move some of the water lines to inside their 59G. They are also now installing more insulation in the van to make it more 4 season. You might want to search their site more and/or post a question regarding their overall plan for making it more 4 season.

Here is a FitRV link to their winterizing project
http://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/gett...travato-doors/
Discusses also other 4 season improvements done on Lance and to be done, including tank heaters. They may be doing more things, too.

[mlts22]

I wonder if Winnebago might have a salable product on their hands, something like the 59G, but adapted to be four seasons. Even if this cost $4k more, having heater pads, insulated tanks and valves, and thicker insulation in general would make it quite useful for a place to crash at sky resorts.

[wincrasher]

I think their position is that with the highly efficient heating system running, it's useable down to fairly low temperatures. Any dealer can install tank heaters and many do.

[patirwin]

OK, I have another question for you Travato folks. The 59K we have on hold in Tampa just came in and I'm getting goodies for it, such as a 2" receiver bike rack from Amazon. After looking at pics of the rack I'm concerned the swing out doors won't clear the rack when it's folded down. What do you folks think?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TRTSW46?psc=1

I'm doing all this from AK

Thanks for all your help !!

Pat in Alaska

[eric1514]

Can't you get the Fiamma rack that Winnebago puts on the back of the Travato?



Eric

[patirwin]

We chose not to pay for the expensive factory racks and use the type of bike rack we use up here. One potential problem I saw with their bike rack is the wheel trays. We ride fatbikes, which have 4" fat tires on them and don't fit well in narrow trays.

At worst I can get a 2" extension for the receiver but I hope that won't be necessary.

Thanks

[patirwin]

OK I have another question for you folks. Our 59K is waiting for us at LazyDays in Tampa for pickup at the end of this month. We got the Ram ProMaster 174-hp, 3.0L diesel engine version.
With all of the VW TDI scandal going on do you guys think Chrysler will eventually fall under the 'dirty diesel' umbrella. I realize they're not the same company and Dodge doesn't use TDI engines, but the conspiracy nut in me says if one cheats then they all have to in order to compete. In your opinions is the Promaster diesel still a smart choice?

[wincrasher]

It has a Urea system, so I wouldn't worry about it.

VW was using a different system, that I guess, couldn't meet economy expectations under normal driving, so they had a software switch to disable it.

Even if they are discovered to also have a problem, they'll be obligated to fix it, so your exposure would be nil. If you've convinced yourself you want a deisel, then I'd just get it.

[patirwin]

Thanks Wincrasher, that's what I needed to hear. I'm going with diesel/deisel (I see it spelled both ways) for the mpg and longevity (I hope). Does Dodge still build their own diesels (Cummins) or is it one of their subsidiaries?
If we decide RVing isn't for us I want a good resale value, which market forces will decide as we see how this whole VW scandal plays out. And as we seem to have short memories these days I have a feeling it'll blowover eventually to be replaced with another 'latest scandal'.
I see you're from SC and hope you're safely above flood stage.
Thanks again,
Pat

[wincrasher]

The diesel in the promaster is actually a Fiat engine. It's reliability is something you'd have to research, as I have no idea.

We got alot of rain, but the upstate area was mostly spared from flooding.