Winnebago Travato thread here

[BBQ]

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Dealer won't stock the dual-pane RVs?

I see nothing wrong with that.

They are price-sensitive -- They want to advertise with the lowest possible retail price. Most people don't care about the minor details.

That dual-pane option is expensive.
IIRC it is is a $2,800 premium.

[gregmchugh]

As noted in the article I linked to, using 303 protectant will reduce the UV degradation...

https://www.amazon.com/303-30306-Pro...b&linkCode=ktl

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by bobojay

WGO doesn't warranty any of the equipment they install. It's the manufacturer of that equipment that warranties them. WGO warranties the install of the particular item as do most other RV manufacturers

That certainly is the case for appliances WGO installs which is warrantied by the appliance manufacturer but I don't think that windows, plumbing cabinet hardware etc installed at the factory are considered appliances, are they?

[Scottbaldassari]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

That certainly is the case for appliances WGO installs which is warrantied by the appliance manufacturer but I don't think that windows, plumbing cabinet hardware etc installed at the factory are considered appliances, are they?

The Winnebago warranty covers the ENTIRE RV and everything in it for a year; along with free roadside service.
AFTER that year, warranties on particular items are extended by the individual manufacturers; for example the Van chassis is covered by RAM for 3/5 years, The Fridge for 3 years by Dometic, the Maxx Air fan for 2 years by Maxx Air, the Furnace/Hot water heater by Truma, etc. In many cases, WGO has stretched beyond that year if an item fails with an obvious manufacturer defect. Reading the Travato page for a couple years now I have found their warranty very flexible, and "warranty sensitive" people can get extended warranties for everything on the coach if they want it.
I am not a fan of acrylic windows myself, and am perfectly happy with the glass windows on my 2016, but the fact is many people give good reports regarding their sound and temp insulating capabilities. They do require some care and special cleaners, but I am glad to see they offer an option many clamored for.
I have no need for the new lithium system either, as the current AGM/Solar/Propane system has been serving me well, almost exclusively off grid camping for the last 2 years (with NO generator). As always, different strokes for different folks; but I think it is great that WGO is now offering both the acrylic windows AND the Lithium power system by Volta.
WGO had the top selling class B before, and have now locked up that position by responding to requests by owners and shoppers. The way I see it, they already had the mid range market covered, and now they have the "high demand" market covered with leather seats, a superior lithium system, acrylic windows etc. They are even taking an impressive stab at the "outback" folks with the introduction of the REVEL. The only thing left is the low end market (Delete Onan, TV, Air conditioning, trim options, etc), which I am anticipating...

[BBQ]

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I don't know why people worry about the acrylic window getting scratched.

Are you taking the RV to go bushwacking?

And the window getting yellow?
Look at your car's headlight. It is covered with an acrylic lens.
Do they get yellow?
Yes they do... maybe after 20 yrs?
But you can buff them out.
I bet you won't notice the difference on a tinted window.

[booster]

There is a difference with the headlights, as they have a coating on them to prevent the yellowing and clouding. The polishing kits usually include a crude version of the coating for you put back on after cleaning them up. It is kind of like clear varnish.

We looked at a lot of small trailers, like Aliners, and most of those windows looked pretty crappy after a couple of years. It may be the material they use to be able to form the curves in them, as it could be different than the flat Lexan that is more commonly used for windows.

[Bud]

One question I don't recall is how easy, simple, little hassle are the acrylic windows to replace? Can you turn your ARV over for half a day and get all new ones? or a Winnebago......

Bud

[HawkTX]

I really wish Winnebago with all their options would give you a choice regarding chassis on the Travato. Chevy, Ford, etc. Not a fan of the Ram pro master.

Has anyone here with the Ram pro master chassis on their Travato put any serious miles on their’s with no issues?

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

There is a difference with the headlights, as they have a coating on them to prevent the yellowing and clouding. The polishing kits usually include a crude version of the coating for you put back on after cleaning them up. It is kind of like clear varnish.

I venture that how long it takes for headlight covers to cloud depends on the intensity and duration of UV exposure. Vehicles garaged when not actually in use will probably don't experience this. Vehicles left outside 24/7/365 can see clouding in as little as 5-6 years. I own one.

But to steer back to the point at issue: if a vendor, who can make money from selling a product:

1. recommends against your buying it and will supply it only if you demand it and,

2. also warns that it isn't returnable, replaceable or repairable under warranty,

IMO, steering clear of the product is cheerful evidence that your mother didn't raise a fool.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by HawkTX

I really wish Winnebago with all their options would give you a choice regarding chassis on the Travato. Chevy, Ford, etc. Not a fan of the Ram pro master.

Has anyone here with the Ram pro master chassis on their Travato put any serious miles on their’s with no issues?

They do offer the Paseo on the Ford Transit but it is a larger van.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

I venture that how long it takes for headlight covers to cloud depends on the intensity and duration of UV exposure. Vehicles garaged when not actually in use will probably don't experience this. Vehicles left outside 24/7/365 can see clouding in as little as 5-6 years. I own one.

But to steer back to the point at issue: if a vendor, who can make money from selling a product:

1. recommends against your buying it and will supply it only if you demand it and,

2. also warns that it isn't returnable, replaceable or repairable under warranty,

IMO, steering clear of the product is cheerful evidence that your mother didn't raise a fool.

Seitz windows are widely used around the world and very popular and considered high quality so I wouldn’t consider them to be an inferior product at all. There are ways to reduce the UV damage but they will get scratched over time. That seems to not be a problem elsewhere so I am not sure why it would be a major problem here...

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Scottbaldassari

The Winnebago warranty covers the ENTIRE RV and everything in it for a year; along with free roadside service.
AFTER that year, warranties on particular items are extended by the individual manufacturers; for example the Van chassis is covered by RAM for 3/5 years, The Fridge for 3 years by Dometic, the Maxx Air fan for 2 years by Maxx Air, the Furnace/Hot water heater by Truma, etc.

I'm not familiar with the WGO warranty details but AFAIK, industry wide, the chassis and drive train is excluded from an RV warranty and your recourse is directly with the chassis manufacturer. Also, during the umbrella RV warranty (in WGO, for 1 year/12,000 miles) does an appliance failure obligate WGO to repair or replace or do you still have to address this directly with the appliance manufacturer? After the one year warranty period, if your Dometic roof AC crashes, who replaces it and where is it replaced?

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by HawkTX

I really wish Winnebago with all their options would give you a choice regarding chassis on the Travato. Chevy, Ford, etc. Not a fan of the Ram pro master.

Has anyone here with the Ram pro master chassis on their Travato put any serious miles on their’s with no issues?

There is no perfect chassis.

The Sprinter is good, but not perfect. Some people say it is too narrow. It is 2" narrower for crying out loud. Then there is the Love-It-or-Hate-It diesel engine.

The Transit is good, but it is not perfect. I like the high-torque eco-boost engine. But that's about it. The seat can't swivel. The floor is high, so the roof is higher. It is 2" higher for crying out loud. I know I know...

The ProMaster is a truck. So what is your concern? Commercial users have routinely taken them over 100k miles. I have heard of a few Travato owners have done the same. I don't know them, so I can't give you a reference.

The redeeming grace for the ProMaster is also its distraction -- the square box is ugly, but it is utilitarian. You cannot find a better platform to build a living space than a square box.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Seitz windows are widely used around the world and very popular and considered high quality so I wouldn’t consider them to be an inferior product at all. There are ways to reduce the UV damage but they will get scratched over time. That seems to not be a problem elsewhere so I am not sure why it would be a major problem here...

Greg, I know nothing about Seitz windows or the dual pane windows WGO provides but when a salesman recommends not buying their dual pane option from which he can generate profit (in the 59k, isn't the MSRP around $1700?) don't you think it's worth paying attention to the likelihood that he knows something that we don't?

[BBQ]

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The window is a $2,800 option.

Is it good value?
Is this a "Want" or a "Need"?

You be the judge.

[BBQ]

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Seitz window is owned by Dometic.

[BBQ]

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Winnebago has been using dual-pane windows in their Class C for a few years. This is not new. Not to Winnebago. Not to the RV nation, especially in Europe.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Greg, I know nothing about Seitz windows or the dual pane windows WGO provides but when a salesman recommends not buying their dual pane option from which he can generate profit (in the 59k, isn't the MSRP around $1700?) don't you think it's worth paying attention to the likelihood that he knows something that we don't?

I am sure that Seitz windows are not perfect, they require higher maintenance but for many this negative aspect is outweighed by values, so, a salesman's recommendation should be questioned for his reasoning, all reasons, hidden and claimed. These windows are used in many conversions worldwide.

http://www.truckcamperadventure.com/...nd-a-few-tips/

[booster]

What percentage of the window glass in the van is dual pane for $2800? With the big front and side windows and maybe others, it seems like that $2800 could buy some really nice insulated curtains, that would insulate all the glass in the van, and probably leave enough left over to improve the likely not very good metal parts insulation.

[gregmchugh]

For years, the biggest complaint about Seitz windows in the US has been the fact that they were not generally available on manufactured RVs or available for installation on DIY campers. They are sort of the world standard for quality windows in campers and only exceeded in quality by the dual pane glass windows available at a much higher price.

Here are some dual pane glass windows...

http://www.outbound.eu/en/windows.php