Should Newbies Steer Clear of Every Buying an RV

[booster]

Yep, you need a dump station to winterize the macerator, but I don't see how you could winterize a gravity system that had anything in it without dumping also.

Winterizing a water system is much more hassle.

 

[gregmchugh]

I am also a satisfied macerator owner, no issues at all with it...

 

[Keyne]

No MACERATOR!!?? Stop the insanity! :wink:

Not to go too far off topic but quickly, why is a macerator superior to gravity? Having used gravity it was reasonably fast and worked fine. Having a pump seems like extra complication. We will have a macerator on our Agile so I am interested.

 

[avanti]

Not to go too far off topic but quickly, why is a macerator superior to gravity? Having used gravity it was reasonably fast and worked fine. Having a pump seems like extra complication. We will have a macerator on our Agile so I am interested.

Two reasons (in order of increasing importance):
1) You can attach a long hose and pump uphill, and for long distances. Great when at home or when you have to improvise at an outhouse.
2) (FAR more important) The system is completely sealed. You open a tiny cap or valve at the end of the hose. No smell, no dirty anything, no rubber gloves, no storing a slinky. This is HUGE, at least for us.

 

[DCHitt]

A couple of additional thoughts...

If I were buying again, I would look for the following:

- No power step.
- No power awning.
- No power couch.
- No power window coverings.
- No macerator.
- No fancy schmancy entertainment center that accidentally hijacks the electrical system.

There - right off the bat and without any deep thinking, I just named six things that I wouldn't have to repair by virtue of them being not present to start with. Plus I also wouldn't have to pay for them to be installed to start with. Many models today have an absurd number of unnecessary and problematic bells and whistles added to them, but the K.I.S.S. principle can be made to go a long way where Class Bs are concerned.

A

I would add a few more goodies to delete. Like Onan generator and Propane. Here is the Promaster Sportsmobile I ended up with.

My new Promaster 3500, High Roof, Long body, Sportsmobile. - Sportsmobile Forum

 

[InterBlog]

I skimmed the Promaster build, and note that those of us with diesel engines don't really have the option to achieve certain power-related goals by idling.

I agree with the Onan removal - it's on our to-do list for after we get the lithium system completed. We do want to maintain a generator capacity, but after deliberations, we realized that we only need it for hurricane evacuation scenarios. So it's better to buy one or two portable Hondas and carry them only when the situation calls for it.

Propane... I have a love/hate relationship with it. There's no way any resistance-based heating system could ever match the efficiency of combustion. But the problem we've encountered is lack of propane fill stations in eastern Canada, where we plan to travel frequently. On my long-term wish list, I'd want an air heater-water heater and maybe even stove combo that sips diesel from the main engine tank. It's silly to have that huge tank available and not be making use of it.

 

[4DMTNS]

On my long-term wish list, I'd want an air heater-water heater and maybe even stove combo that sips diesel from the main engine tank. It's silly to have that huge tank available and not be making use of it.

We looked at the Webasto diesel heater when thinking of doing a custom build on a ProMaster through Van Specialties. Maybe Webasto has a water/heater combo too?

https://www.vanspecialties.com/options_van/webasto-air-heater/

 

[avanti]

On my long-term wish list, I'd want an air heater-water heater and maybe even stove combo that sips diesel from the main engine tank. It's silly to have that huge tank available and not be making use of it.

Another option is the Rixen's Comfort Hot, which uses an Espar D5 combined with water-water and water-air heat exchangers for on-demand hot water and cabin heat, respectively. This is what Great West put on our Legend, and was retained by ARV in their version. We love ours. Plus, ARV has this trick of bundling and wrapping the glycol lines with the outdoor plumbing to heat them for 4-season use--a technique which I stole for our van.

 

[avanti]

But the problem we've encountered is lack of propane fill stations in eastern Canada

In the US (at least) most Tractor Supply stores carry propane--they have become my go-to source. TS has a good presence in Canada--might be worth checking.

 

[InterBlog]

In the US (at least) most Tractor Supply stores carry propane--they have become my go-to source. TS has a good presence in Canada--might be worth checking.

They're so rare in Nova Scotia that a government agency actually publishes a list to help tourists find them. My intention is to help update that list in the future, but in the meantime, our last go-to fill station is Dysart's in Bangor. Which we stop at religiously anyway, because it is awesome.

 

[gregmchugh]

We looked at the Webasto diesel heater when thinking of doing a custom build on a ProMaster through Van Specialties. Maybe Webasto has a water/heater combo too?

https://www.vanspecialties.com/options_van/webasto-air-heater/

Webasto Dual Top

https://www.webasto.com/int/markets...ng-solutions/integrated-heaters/dual-top-evo/

 

[DCHitt]

I skimmed the Promaster build, and note that those of us with diesel engines don't really have the option to achieve certain power-related goals by idling.

I agree. You can heat with diesel but you will still be using battery for pumps/fans. That leads you to bigger batteries, solar, etc. making the system complicated and expensive.

I guess the gas engine is key to the KISS approach.

 

[BobB-ClassB]

They're so rare in Nova Scotia that a government agency actually publishes a list to help tourists find them. My intention is to help update that list in the future, but in the meantime, our last go-to fill station is Dysart's in Bangor. Which we stop at religiously anyway, because it is awesome.

Is this the list? Found it on the NS Tourism site. If you Google "RV Propane [name of province]" you might be surprised at the hits/links you get including other RV forums.

https://www.novascotia.com/sites/default/files/propane_fill_ups_ns_-_july_2016.pdf

 

[InterBlog]

Is this the list? Found it on the NS Tourism site. If you Google "RV Propane [name of province]" you might be surprised at the hits/links you get including other RV forums.

https://www.novascotia.com/sites/default/files/propane_fill_ups_ns_-_july_2016.pdf

Yyyyyup. But it's desperately incomplete. Many of the listed sources only swap BBQ bottles. They don't actually have the equipment needed to fill motor vehicle tanks. If you google the terms CBC News Nova Scotia RV propane, you'll see a recent story on this issue.

 

[Mike-ClassB]

In my experience there are two groups who usually get screwed on RV's.

Those that buy the high $ fancy deisel pusher class A with all the complex systems. Every brand has thier own issues, as none are immune. Even spending $1 million doesn't guarantee a good experience. Basically the luck of the draw.

Those that buy solely on price. They buy the cheapest they can get and then demand perfection. Usually the all-glitz type RV (doesn't matter A, C or trailer) at an unbelievable low price turn out to be full of assembly shortcuts and poor engineering decisions.

Of course there are outliers. I'm speaking in generalities of course. I'm a fairly careful consumer, but I've been burned in the past too. But RVing is a lifestyle - even with poor quality rigs, you still want to pursue the adventure.

What is more troubling is the variation of experience. As I've stated numberous times, I've had extraodianary good luck with the 3 Travatos I've owned. Admittedly, they aren't built from the best materials available. But I've found them to be essentially problem free. Not to say there aren't design shortcomings and cosmetic issues here and there. But I've never had a trip interruption or had to change my plans due to an issue with the van. My experience is fairly typical, but there are still horror stories out there of people (some in my Facebook group) who've had nothing but problems and terrible dealer and WGO experiences. I have a hard time understanding the inconsistency of the builds - especially after touring the factory and seeing how they are built.

I would echo this sentiment. I have 8 years and 150,000 miles of class B experience in my 2002 Roadtrek 190P. Purchased it used 9 years ago. Is it perfect? No, although the fit and finish is probably better than many units that are much newer. It's the ideal tool to see the continent, it's nimble, easy on fuel, and repairs are relatively inexpensive compared to the competition in the RV world. The problem I have had over the years with the class B motorhome has always been the size. It's a very up close and personal way to travel, but it has served us well and we have enjoyed the positive features that came with it. We decided we've done our time touring the continent, and recently up sized to a small class A coach with more of everything than our class B. About the only thing it doesn't have more of, which I will miss, is the fuel economy. Will the new rig be perfect? Probably not, although we have high expectations for as few issues as possible in a brand new unit. I guess we'll find out if our evolution in travel has paid off in a few weeks, as we transition to the new rig. It's the second RV leap of faith for us in the last 9 years, and as much as the apprehension feels familiar, we welcome the change and potential benefits and challenges that goes along with it. Until you make the same leap, you won't know whether it was the right decision or not.

 

[Keyne]

Mike. Sounds like a fun 9 years. What small class A did you get?

 

[Mike-ClassB]

Mike. Sounds like a fun 9 years. What small class A did you get?

2016 Winnebago/Itasca Sunstar 26HE. It's pretty much entry level, and the smallest one they make, but to us, it seems cavernous after the Roadtrek. I think we'll enjoy it. I'm hoping the F53 chassis with the Triton V10 3 valve/6 speed transmission combo will help with the fuel economy a bit. It should be OK for power to weight ratio. We've been looking at the Thor Vegas/Axis units since they first appeared, but some of the write ups on the F350 chassis made it seem a little light for what we thought we'd need in a class A coach, long term. So we went a bit larger (small for a class A at 27') to get the F53 chassis. Nothing wrong with the Thor coaches, just not quite right for us, we think. So we're a 2 coach family for now. That's weird to consider for me.

 

[InterBlog]

.... over 12 years and two vans, I have never once had occasion to make our slinky stinky. Our macerators have proven bulletproof. ....

It could very well be that there are different brands and one is better than another (?). The leading thread on Air Forums B Van child forum this afternoon is titled "Yet another macerator issue". There have been complaints routinely posted.

 

[avanti]

It could very well be that there are different brands and one is better than another (?). The leading thread on Air Forums B Van child forum this afternoon is titled "Yet another macerator issue". There have been complaints routinely posted.

Could be. But, I frankly suspect user error. In particular, proper winterizing is very important for macerators. The designs of the available devices are not very robust to freeze damage. It is easily done, but also easily neglected.

Of course, inappropriate stuff thrown in the toilet is also always a risk.

 

[wincrasher]

You did well to avoid the Thor coaches, especially Vegas/Axis. They build all to a price and you don't have to search many forums to discover they are junk along with all the Forest River units. Their beauty is only skin deep as they say.

For my assignment in California, I bought a Tiffin Open Road 32SA on the 24,000 lb F53 chassis. It's small for an A, at 34'. I expect mpg being around 8, but considering the weight and frontal area of the thing, that is pretty amazing economy.

Winnebago, Tiffin and Newmar are essentially on par quality wise. There is a good community of support for these brands and the vendors stand behind them. As with all RV's, the quality of the dealers varies a good bit. I ordered from my local dealer (the same guys I've bought my B's from) so I'm confident in service after the sale. So far I'm one month in and I have no issues to speak of - looking forward to heading west in January or February.