FAVORITE CLASS B RVs?

[Harris4crna]

I am in the market for a Class B RV. I have perused in the internet and got an idea what I am looking for, but like to hear from those experienced RV travelers.

Most likely travel will be with 2 persons only. Like to have full amenities. 3-4 seasons preferred.

 

[NW-Bound]

For some years now, I have been eyeing the Interstate Airstream with rear dually wheels.

Reason: it's one of the larger class Bs which makes it easier for us to stepdown from a class C. In addition, it is strong enough to pull a toad, which I like to have as an option when going on longer trips and like to park the motorhome as the base and use the car to make excursions.

I still need to research about the reliability of the Mercedes diesel engine, but have not done so.

 

[yakers]

We dream of a Sportsmobile

 

[Harris4crna]

I am in the market for a Class B RV. I have perused in the internet and got an idea what I am looking for, but like to hear from those experienced RV travelers.

Most likely travel will be with 2 persons only. Like to have full amenities. 3-4 seasons preferred.

That is truly a nice Class B......200k is a bit pricey.

 

[mattbaxx]

We bought a 2016 Roadtrek SS Agile (Mercedes chassis) new, never having been RVers before (age 54 and 52 at the time). After some local practice runs we left town and spent a year traveling the US, Canada, and Baja CA. About 50,000 miles all told. The next year was about 75% in the van. Two years later a 10-week cross country trip. Then Covid, grand babies, eldercare needs, and reduced travel overall.

Certainly had to get used to the relatively tight quarters, but the flexibility of vehicle size was well worth it. We'd be using it more if not for the aforementioned. About 130,000 miles at this point and not a single mechanical issue with the engine.

 

[TOOLMAN]

Winnebago Travato 59K has been the best seller class B for the last decade. You can buy new in todays market for about 35%+ off MSRP, or about 125k.

 

[punkinhead]

Embassy RV sells truly 4 season Class B's.

 

[NewEnglander]

Winnebago Travato 59K has been the best seller class B for the last decade. You can buy new in todays market for about 35%+ off MSRP, or about 125k.

Before the Covid RV craze you could buy this unit for $85K. We were looking in 2018 but decided not to buy until we retired in 2020, that was a mistake! Now we don't think the numbers work for us, depreciation is just too much. For how we would use it for we can rent hotel rooms for much less.

 

[SnowballCamper]

One of the best designed Class B's I've seen was a Winnebago on a Mercedes Chassis that was built and sold in Europe. I've only seen one, and talked to the owner for a bit (actually ran into the couple about three times a couple years ago). Apparently there are several that have been imported to the US, but they're hard to find on the market. It was just a very well thought out design with robust hardware all around, and could be had for much less than a Revel, if a bit used. They pulled a small trailer with their kayaks, venturing around the PNW at the time.

I would say Class B is for strictly one or two people, unless the third is sleeping in the tent, or has fur. We shopped around for a year for our camping solution (a few years ago) and settled on a small travel trailer. If you know what you want in a Class B and you're buying new, I'd go for a sportsmobile, because you can get what you want.

 

[TOOLMAN]

One of the best designed Class B's I've seen was a Winnebago on a Mercedes Chassis that was built and sold in Europe. I've only seen one, and talked to the owner for a bit (actually ran into the couple about three times a couple years ago). Apparently there are several that have been imported to the US, but they're hard to find on the market.

Multiple mfg’s today sell class B RV’s built from a MB van. Coachman Galleria and Winnebago Revel are popular.

I had a class C on. MB chassis. It was over priced and over engineered. Would not buy another MB.

 

[Harris4crna]

Multiple mfg’s today sell class B RV’s built from a MB van. Coachman Galleria and Winnebago Revel are popular.

I had a class C on. MB chassis. It was over priced and over engineered. Would not buy another MB.

I have been looking at multiple sites, and it is truly overpriced. Perhaps these overpriced Class B will come on the market for a fraction of the price in the near future.

 

[tutan]

I've read about the MB diesel engine start countdown problem as described here on
https://thebenztech.com/sprinter-common-repairs and elsewhere on the internet.

"Start count down. '10 & up "Bluetec" Sprinters will start counting down how many more times the van can be started if there is an issue with the DEF Adblue system. If DEF is not added and it runs out, or Nox sensors fail or any other components for DEF/Adblue system fail-it will enter "Start countdown" It is imperative that the Sprinter is brought in before it gets down to it's last few counts as it gets more difficult & expensive to diagnose what was wrong/fix/verify if not many starts left. Depending on the year/software in engine computer it will start at 16 or 9 starts remaining. "
It seems a real PITA when it happens and bad enough to turn some people off from getting a MB diesel. Is this a concern for you who are interested in a MB diesel van?

 

[bearkeley]

We've been looking at Class B's for several years but haven't pulled the trigger. We are traveling 7 months out of the country right now but thinking we would start traveling the US and Canada in a van in a year or two, when prices return to pre-Covid hikes. For now, we are looking forward to renting a van again in Japan for a month next year like we did this year.

It really comes down to your priorities. We were sure we wanted the full bath, garage & lounge and narrowed it to the Panoramic (amazing build and quality). However, we have realized that a smaller, higher chassis is more important to us. Full bath, not so much. We like to live out of the van vs in the van.

So, as of now, we like the Storyteller (but not the crazy price) or the Zenvan but will probably end up with a custom on the new Ford. Keep us posted on what you get!

 

[Northforker]

We just finished our tour of the Maritime Provinces, 57 day trip. Have you considered a truck camper? We spent last summer in Alaska and the last 5 winters in Florida. The typical hardside truck camper has much more room than a class B. Will go on roads that a Class B wont. We have an Eagle cap 960. Ideally it fits on a F350 dually with an 8 ft bed. Fuel mileage is 11 mpg. If you are at a stop for a few days, you can unload the camper and have the truck alone as an all day touring vehicle. Our unit has a wet bath, king size bed, AC, Furnace, Stove, Microwave, Furnace, Full sized RV refrigerator, 2500w Cummins Generator, 44 gal fresh water tank, 28 gal black tank. 34 gal gray tank. If you bought both the truck and the camper new, you would be looking at 135k to 140k. Plenty of good used ones out there. We haul ours on a SRW 6.7l diesel. I made some significant modifications to the rear suspension and bought some load range E tires with a 4080"/tire capacity to make this possible.

 

[kingkarmann]

We have a Unity Twin Bed made by Leisure Travel Van.
It’s a pre-owned 2017 Class B+ diesel.
25 ft. long, drives like an SUV.
We did not want a wet bath which most van based Class B’s have.
Separate shower, generator and solar so we don’t have to worry about hook ups.
The coach is built on a Mercedes Benz 3500 Chassis.
We get an average of 16 miles per gallon.
Comfortable for 2 adults.
We love it!
Look up Leisure Travel Van on YouTube.
Don’t let their spokesperson Dean irritate you too much!

 

[Mykle57]

We've an Airstream Interstate. Our second RV. Previous was an older Chevy based RoadTrek. I will say they need continual maintenance. If you're not handy, you'll spend a lot of time and money at rv service centers.

 

[Major Tom]

You're probably looking for a newer model that is unlikely to give you any problems, so perhaps my input will be of limited use. However, my 1993 class B has something that I don't believe any newer class B has, and that is a sizable bed over the cab, due to the bulbous fiberglass "muffin" top on top of the Econoline chassis. I can't find the receipt for the custom mattress that was made for the bunk a few years ago, but I just did a quick measure with a tape measure, and it looks to be about 74" x 66". It's a very comfortable space. When I'm up there, looking down on my little living space, it almost feels like having a second floor. I also appreciate the front facing window over the cab, that is great for stargazing and looking at the beach when up in the bunk. Some folk don't like to clamber up into bunks with limited headspace though, so this may or may not be a consideration for you.

One big plus for me, was that I couldn't justify purchasing an over $100K rig, so the purchase price of $16K and the immediate $5K that I put into it gave me a very affordable way to get out onto the road. Downside is that, although it's a 30 year-old van with still only 67K miles on it, it could potentially have a major issue at any time. I have a great mechanic, and take preventative measures. Still, it's 30 years old. Because it's an older RV, I have had to spend some time on it sealing and maintaining the roof penetrations, changing out some of the RV parts (plumbing, vents, conversion of lighting to LED), etc. I've enjoyed it, but it's not everybody's cup of tea. Older RV's = work, albeit less than an old class C.

Last year, I spent a wonderful 4 1/2 months taking a trip in it around 6 Western states with my cat. I had a great time, and my amazing kitty was just happy to be with me. However, I did spend about 10 days in Durango, CO waiting for an appointment to have my fuel pump replaced, when it went out halfway up a mountain! I managed to turn that stay into a good time, but I suspect most folk in this forum would prefer the expected greater reliability of a new vehicle.

Incidentally, my rig is a 1993 Airstream B190, and it guzzles gas like nobody's business. Typical mileage is about 10mpg over long trips, and less when about town. I'd post pictures, as mine is in good shape and looks quite handsome, but I'm a bit weird about privacy on this forum. Plenty of photos of them online though.

 

[Harris4crna]

WOW, great information. For clarity, the purpose of the van is not so much for leisure, but more so to stay in during time of work in Central CA. The new prospective job requires traveling from site to site 4 days per week for 2 weeks per month. The position pays an inclusive rate, or in other words the wage covers lodging, gas and meals. So, it is in my best interest to save since hotels, rental car and meals is expensive in a high inflation world. I have looked at RV rentals, but they range around $200 per day for a Class B Solis P. The RV rental rate is not far from the lodging, rental car and meals rate, sigh..So, this brings to the consideration to purchasing one, which later I can use for leisure.

Having looked at Van builds and commercial RVs, I may go commercial. Yes, the Van Life phase is decreasing by the day. Yes, the prices are dropping on the DYI builds, but not sure if they will age well in the long run. Makes deciding difficult. Price range 50-70k.

Disclaimer: The decision to work while officially retired is for extra money and to be closer to daughter since she lives in CA. I presently live in VA, but most likely moving back to the west coast. I do not foresee ever working a couple weeks per month and often skipping months to travel or to pursue other activities. The days of full time work in my chosen medical field are over. With this said, it pays very well, and my crypto assets have yet to make me millions . Did I mention crypto here, ooops...Don't ban me.

 

[Harris4crna]

We just finished our tour of the Maritime Provinces, 57 day trip. Have you considered a truck camper? We spent last summer in Alaska and the last 5 winters in Florida. The typical hardside truck camper has much more room than a class B. Will go on roads that a Class B wont. We have an Eagle cap 960. Ideally it fits on a F350 dually with an 8 ft bed. Fuel mileage is 11 mpg. If you are at a stop for a few days, you can unload the camper and have the truck alone as an all day touring vehicle. Our unit has a wet bath, king size bed, AC, Furnace, Stove, Microwave, Furnace, Full sized RV refrigerator, 2500w Cummins Generator, 44 gal fresh water tank, 28 gal black tank. 34 gal gray tank. If you bought both the truck and the camper new, you would be looking at 135k to 140k. Plenty of good used ones out there. We haul ours on a SRW 6.7l diesel. I made some significant modifications to the rear suspension and bought some load range E tires with a 4080"/tire capacity to make this possible.

I just most recently watched a YouTube video on the comparison between a Class B and a Truck camper. They stated the exact benefits as you for the Truck camper over the Class B. The issue is I neither have nor need a truck. I just bought a brand new Toyota 4Runner last month. I would consider a trailer to pull, but I am not keen on keeping my brand new 4Runner on the other side of the country.

 

[Harris4crna]

We've an Airstream Interstate. Our second RV. Previous was an older Chevy based RoadTrek. I will say they need continual maintenance. If you're not handy, you'll spend a lot of time and money at rv service centers.

The Airstream Interstate also needs constant maintenance? Is this common for any Class B?

 

[Harris4crna]

We've been looking at Class B's for several years but haven't pulled the trigger. We are traveling 7 months out of the country right now but thinking we would start traveling the US and Canada in a van in a year or two, when prices return to pre-Covid hikes. For now, we are looking forward to renting a van again in Japan for a month next year like we did this year.

It really comes down to your priorities. We were sure we wanted the full bath, garage & lounge and narrowed it to the Panoramic (amazing build and quality). However, we have realized that a smaller, higher chassis is more important to us. Full bath, not so much. We like to live out of the van vs in the van.

So, as of now, we like the Storyteller (but not the crazy price) or the Zenvan but will probably end up with a custom on the new Ford. Keep us posted on what you get!

Definitely keep you updated. Have a great trip next year to Japan. Renting a van in Japan huh? Did you stick to the back roads or did you pay the crazy tolls for the expressways? I lived in Japan for 3 years, and owned a car. I only travelled the expressways when needed such as going to Narita or Yokohama. Took trains otherwise. With this said, it would have been so cool to travel by van across country especially in Hokaido.I will be going to Japan in October for 3 weeks, but will be spent on the island of Okinawa.

Break//

I really liked the Storyteller until I saw the Zenvanz....Wow that bamboo is beautiful. Both vans are 175,000 + with full build, but perhaps on the used market they can be picked up cheaper...

 

[punkinhead]

The Airstream Interstate also needs constant maintenance? Is this common for any Class B?

It's not an Airstream thing or a Class B thing - all RV's require constant maintenance. In general, higher quality more expensive units will be more reliable but they all require more maintenance than a house or car.

 

[NW-Bound]

We've an Airstream Interstate. Our second RV. Previous was an older Chevy based RoadTrek. I will say they need continual maintenance. If you're not handy, you'll spend a lot of time and money at rv service centers.

I am curious if your problems were with the engine and chassis, or with the house portion.

If it's the problem with the diesel engine or drive train, it scares me a lot more than problems with the house portion such as plumbing, hardware, electrical system, etc...

I have spent quite a bit of elbow grease maintaining my class C motorhome, so know how plumbing connections can work themselves loose with vibrations and cause leaks, or wires getting corroded, etc...

 

[bearkeley]

Definitely keep you updated. Have a great trip next year to Japan. Renting a van in Japan huh? Did you stick to the back roads or did you pay the crazy tolls for the expressways? I lived in Japan for 3 years, and owned a car. I only travelled the expressways when needed such as going to Narita or Yokohama. Took trains otherwise. With this said, it would have been so cool to travel by van across country especially in Hokaido.I will be going to Japan in October for 3 weeks, but will be spent on the island of Okinawa.

Break//

I really liked the Storyteller until I saw the Zenvanz....Wow that bamboo is beautiful. Both vans are 175,000 + with full build, but perhaps on the used market they can be picked up cheaper...

Yeah, unfortunately we didn't realize how much the tolls were, until we realized there was a premium for "camping cars" at toll booths. We had to do it though, chasing the Sakura from Osaka to Nagano. Next year we plan to stay the month in Kyushu, so hopefully, less tolls and more time in a few spots. Enjoy Okinawa!

 

[kingkarmann]

I am curious if your problems were with the engine and chassis, or with the house portion.

If it's the problem with the diesel engine or drive train, it scares me a lot more than problems with the house portion such as plumbing, hardware, electrical system, etc...

I have spent quite a bit of elbow grease maintaining my class C motorhome, so know how plumbing connections can work themselves loose with vibrations and cause leaks, or wires getting corroded, etc...

Just as any vehicle, travel creates wear. It's essentially like a mini earthquake as you're driving.
The "house" portion requires attention just as your "sticks and bricks" dwelling. An RV has the same systems.

Diesel vs. gasoline chassis' need maintenance just as any vehicle. Neither are especially problematic in my experience.
The Airstream Interstate is a quality coach Class B coach.