ProMaster 3500 20'9" Chassis

[talktodean]

Can anybody provide overall feedback on the ProMaster 3500 20'9" Chassis with the 3.6l penstar gas engine? And more specifically the PW Lexor TS thsnk you, Dean

 

[BBQ-ClassB]

Can anybody provide overall feedback on the ProMaster 3500 20'9" Chassis with the 3.6l penstar gas engine? And more specifically the PW Lexor TS thsnk you, Dean

Dean Rumpel ?

 

[talktodean]

No, Dean Savas not to be confused with owner of PW

 

[MsNomer]

You will find many satisfied owners at promasterforum.com. We are traveling in our 136" PM DIY as I speak. 37,500 miles of pure bliss.

 

[Scottbaldassari]

Winnebago Travato Owner here. (3500 extended Promaster, gas)

Most excellent vehicle I think I have EVER purchased. Handles like a mini van, super sharp turning radius, front wheel drive, quite ride, plenty of get up and go, excellent mileage, great visibility, excellent mirrors and back up camera, headroom for my 6'2" height, low center of gravity, great driving position (once you get used to it), wonderful cab heat and air, and don't even get me started on how much I like the Winnebago portion...

If I had to complain about anything it would be lack of tilt steering... and maybe a different nav system (so I just use google maps on phone).

Like it so much I am considering a shorter low roof model as a primary vehicle.

 

[Marley-ClassB]

Winnebago Travato Owner here. (3500 extended Promaster, gas)

Most excellent vehicle I think I have EVER purchased. Handles like a mini van, super sharp turning radius, front wheel drive, quite ride, plenty of get up and go, excellent mileage, great visibility, excellent mirrors and back up camera...

Any comparison with the Sprinter in windy conditions and trucks passing etc - I haven't heard much on that side of it - and don't know if the Transit and Promaster have any active control for it or if it is even an issue.

 

[talktodean]

I believe just the 2500 series sprinter have crosswind assist.
I also believe Promasters have crosswind assist in the 3500.

 

[Firesteel]

Having just driven my new Travato in very windy conditions, there was some being blown by a sidewind, but not as bad as I thought it would be considering the flat sides. What I did notice, that was a new thing for me, was turbulence when behind a semi truck. I have owned two other full size vans, GMC Savana and Ford E350 and also have a 40' class A motorhome and havent experienced the behind the semi turbulence like this before.

 

[tjjeeper]

I have a 2015 PW Lexor. The ProMaster is a great vehicle. The handling for a vehicle of this size is excellent. It handles cross winds. On our first long drive we went across the Nevada and Utah flats where it was extremely windy. It was easy to drive in those conditions. Got 17-27 mpg on that trip. The 27mpg was from Reno to home which is downhill. I'm 6ft. and I am very comfortable when driving. The visibility from the front, sides, and rear is fantastic. The turning radius is excellent. I read that the turning radius is better than a Honda Accord or Civic.

 

[MsNomer]

We drove 80mph with 65mph crosswind without issue outrunning an Oklahoma tornado. Electronic assist (all models) and FWD make a very stable vehicle. Passing trucks are a non-issue. Handling in general is a strong plus--judging from comments on the three forums, I'd say handling is best of the three.

I should add that my van was one of the first built, so logically vulnerable to birthing pains. A few minor issues newer ones don't have, all efficiently remedied by the dealer.

 

[eric1514]

..
Like it so much I am considering a shorter low roof model as a primary vehicle.

You too, huh?

 

[Gobird]

Another satisfied Travato (2016 59k) owner here. Great driving van for sure.

 

[mojoman]

After installing a HD sway bar in the rear and airbags has greatly improved handling. Depending on amount of gear I carry, I just add a few pounds of air to the bags to get solid tracking and steering. Crosswind performance is excellent and no rocking or leaning. Adding rear air bags and sway bar was an easy and cheap upgrade, about $400 for both. About 2hr to install with a couple of wrenches.

 

[lmittell]

I recently took delivery of a 2017 PW Lexor TS. Everything about it is first rate, except for the RAM-supplied OEM tires. They're just plain awful.

If you buy any Promaster-based RV, plan on spending a thou or so for a good set of Michelins or Bridgestones.

The OEM tires make staying in ones lane at highway speed a fatiguing challenge.

 

[mkguitar]

I rented the Citroen version of that van ( ireland) and really liked driving it- mine was diesel w 6 speed manual.
drove really well, easy and nimble


I own a 10 year old Lexor ( chev) and think PW did a great job on the build.

mike

 

[Scottbaldassari]

...Everything about it is first rate, except for the RAM-supplied OEM tires. They're just plain awful.

If you buy any Promaster-based RV, plan on spending a thou or so for a good set of Michelins or Bridgestones.

The OEM tires make staying in ones lane at highway speed a fatiguing challenge.

Hmm. Could you elaborate? I have a Travato with OEM Nexen Tires, and haven't experienced any trouble at all with them. For some reason, I cant pull up any Pleasureway info at the moment.. Could it be a weight issue maybe?
But, I was thinking of replacing them with a slightly larger, possibly more aggressive tire when the time comes. Which ones did you go with?, and (I assume from your comment) they made a big difference?

 

[MsNomer]

My self-build certainly has had no handling issues with the original Nexan tires.

 

[lmittell]

The Nexens have sluggish response to steering input and they "tramline," that is, follow every crack in the road. It's particularly noticeable on concrete pavement that has those linear saw-cuts intended to prevent aquaplaning. The result is a continuous and tiring need for steering corrections, even while traveling in a straight line. It's not a weight issue, unless the unladen weight of a just-delivered new Lexor is a problem.

If you drive on pool-table-smooth pavement untouched with saw-cuts, instead of on aging Southern California freeways, you may not experience this.

I had precisely the same problem decades ago with Cooper tires on a Chevy bubbletop camper van. As in the current case, tire replacement effected an instant cure.

If you can tolerate the Nexens, by all means stick with them, but they're not for me.

HTH,
Larry

 

[MsNomer]

I'm guessing something else was wrong, tires were under-inflated, or ? I've never heard of this problem.

 

[booster]

Actually, that problem is pretty common in a lot of vehicles, even cars, and almost always can be made a lot better with a tire change. Even the stock Bridgstones on our Chevy exhibited some of it, when you compare then to the Michelin ATX-MS2 tires we have on it now. I had Fleet Farm tires on one of the cars, which I think were really Coopers, and they were absolutely terrible for getting thrown around by road ridges, and hold on if you ran off over a shoulder step and tried to get back up smoothly.