Community Forums

magicbus · 08-22-2018, 05:56 AM

I'm not sure when this morphed into a Class B vs C thread as the question was about best and worst makes. As someone who moved from a DP to a true Class B I can tell you there are lots of reasons we did not want a C, which is why we chose a B.

I don't think there is really a "best" or "worst" make. I think there are trade-offs for each one and for us the decision simply came down to the configuration that worked best for us. It happened to be on a Sprinter chassis and so far we are very pleased with it. In some cases the components such as the Truma Combi carry some importance to me, but basically I think we got lucky with that and ended up with what I consider to be a noisier-than-we're-used-to (from the outside) roof A/C unit.

As far as older units I can't offer much except that IMHO they are generally based on pretty solid truck chassis's. Before my Class A days I converted a Dodge Tradesman van but that is going back to the mid-70's. I loved that but don't think I'd trade it for my Sprinter!

Dave

HJCihak · 08-23-2018, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knit

HJC, One of the things I really like about a true class B is that the van body is engineered and built by the chassis manufacturer. I believe that they are likely to be safer as a result than most class Cs. My dad rolled his Dodge based Lesiure Travel Van and walked away from it even though it was totaled.

A lot of the good Class B used ones out there come from Canadian brands like Roadtrek, Pleasureway, Leisure Travel Vans and Great West. On all sorts of chassis.

Personally, I really like my Sprinter based RV. The Roadtrek Agile and Pleasureway Ascent are both based on shorter sprinters and have been made for years.

Good luck on the search.

Knit, thanks for your comment. I'm no mechanic, but there was always something about the designs of the Class C units that left me with an uncomfortable feeling about their overall reliability.

Trekkar · 08-26-2018, 06:41 AM

If you buy an older unit, you will normally have higher upkeep costs.
However, class B units are often driven as second vehicles day to day, and so you get more longevity. I have a 2001 Roadtrek 190 on a Dodge chassis that we like very much. No campground restrictions for size. Stand up Shower. Quick campsite set up. For two people, this works for us. Make sure the bed fits you.

Skip Steller · 10-21-2018, 10:58 AM

My wife and I have a 2016 PW Ascent. It's very high quality and it's just perfect for the two of us. So far, no major issues. However, there is a lot of talk about emissions failures... especially if driven around town a lot when the exhaust doesn't get hot enough to burn the soot out. We don't do a lot of city driving, so we'll see how that goes.

Since you are interested in a small RV to begin with, I don't quite understand why you would be interested in a slide out, and personally, from what I've read, I'd stay far, far away from them. Now, I'm sure there are some very good ones out there somewhere and some very loyal slide-out owners. But, from what I've read, good ones are few and far between and you can read horror stories on the internet all day long about daylight through the seals, stapled-on seals falling off, misaligned slide-outs tearing out the walls, getting stuck in, out, and half way out, and on and on and on. And then there's the need for an awning that rolls out along with the slide out to prevent leaves and twigs from damaging the top seal when the slide out goes back in.... and to help keep out the rain and snow from those top seals that all too often don't really seal all that well to begin with. And.... then there's the need for the awning to stay taught to keep from sagging in the middle and collecting water.... or if not, a beach ball in between the awning and the top of the slide out seems to be a favorite of many. And, then there's the need for enough room between the top of the slide out and the top of the RV so the awning can be mounted with enough slant to drain properly.... or, back to the beach ball. But I must confess.... I have no personal experience with slide outs.... all my comments are from reading on the internet.

Happy hunting for your perfect RV!
Skip

Nike · 12-02-2018, 10:48 AM

Wife and I and 2 small dogs travel a lot in a Winnebago Era 170x and are very happy. No slideout, and as I considered a B with a slideout, the potential for problems outweighed the improvement in space. You might look for a used Travato or Era from Winnebago, or the other brands mentioned.

B-RV · 12-06-2018, 06:23 PM

We are still in the shopping/learning mode. We have discovered the Coachmen Galleria to be one of the best values in the market. Fantastic cabinetry, best insulated B in the marketplace, and a great driving Van.
As of now, our retirement funds for RVing are going with the Galleria.

KanzKran · 12-07-2018, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-RV

We are still in the shopping/learning mode. We have discovered the Coachmen Galleria to be one of the best values in the market. Fantastic cabinetry, best insulated B in the marketplace, and a great driving Van.
As of now, our retirement funds for RVing are going with the Galleria.

That's the one I have my eye on, too. The 24T, to be precise. Small, understated, and not ridiculously priced for what in the end is a van.

knit · 12-07-2018, 03:16 PM

Airstream, Roadtrek and Winnebago all have Sprinters with the same basic floorplan as the Coachman 24t. It’s a nice floor plan for two people in my opinion. We are in our 6th year of owning a Roadtrek RS and are really enjoying it. Love the mobility. Easy to drive. No major problems so far.

Idleup · 01-24-2019, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HJCihak

Hi,
After spending a considerable amount of time investigating small travel trailers I've come to the conclusion that what would really best suit my intended uses is a Class B RV.

I'd like to hear others' opinions of the best or worst makes of Class Bs and why, as well as any tips or suggestions that I might find helpful.

One last thing; I must consider buying an older used Class B since my finances won't permit getting a new or late model.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Type B's are great - don't let anyone tell you different. If you don't need the room of a type A or C then the B is the way to go, they are no more difficult to drive than a pick-up or van. Most offer a 24 ft model and while its a bit cramped it more than serves the purpose.

Whatever you do, don't buy a Sprinter chassis for anything other than a B model because the rear tire track (width) is too narrow for a 90-92" wide coach so the roll moment and overall handling is terrible.

If you get a C model go with the E450 or Ford or Ram pickup chassis because unlike the Benz Sprinter it overs a full 8ft width in rear track and heaver suspension.

Getting a Sprinter diesel offers no real advantages since it has less power than the V-10. With low fuel prices low now the gas V-10 is cheaper to operate.

Another advantage with the B model is you don't need to two anything yourB model is easy to drive anywhere. Best part is the Ford chassis is around $20K cheaper than the Sprinter, so you'll never begin to save any money on fuel and Benz maintenance is 3-4 times more expensive.

Regards - Mike

gaok123 · 01-30-2019, 10:38 AM

Do consider the maintenance fee. 3 years maintenance fee for my 2017 ss agile is around 3500 cad.

oldsman41 · 03-09-2019, 08:20 PM

IMHO the ltv wonder on the ford transit chassis with the Murphy bed is a whole lot of rv in a small package.

CIDE · 03-09-2019, 09:01 PM

Since I tend to keep my vehicles, I can't wrap my head around a mfr with the reputation of "I really like my Mercedes vehicle but I have to sell it before the warranty expires."

With that, I wouldn't buy one of those any sooner than I'd buy a Thor product or from Camping World.

KanzKran · 03-10-2019, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIDE

Since I tend to keep my vehicles, I can't wrap my head around a mfr with the reputation of "I really like my Mercedes vehicle but I have to sell it before the warranty expires."

With that, I wouldn't buy one of those any sooner than I'd buy a Thor product or from Camping World.

This is what worries me, seeing so many Class B vans on Sprinter chassis on the market at 2-3 years old with low miles. Can’t help but think owners are using the same logic I use with the Grand Cherokees I use as tow vehicles - lease for 3 years, so it’s always under warranty.

The Ford Transit vans are a little too small, and can’t pull a toad, but the chassis should be able to get service just about anywhere, and not need a stock of gold bars to pay for it. Now, if Ford made the van in the long chassis like the cutaways offer, with a higher GVWR and GCWR rating, they’d have something to go head to head against the Sprinter. Their long wheelbase cutaway actually has a longer wheelbase than the Sprinter.

Decisions, decisions.

TravelDuo · 03-27-2019, 04:28 AM

We're in the process of trading in our Sunstar 27N for a LTV Unity 24TB. The twin beds offer lots of options and the 19 Mercedes chassis is incredible. Lots of safety features built in. I believe Leisure Travels offer great quality. The Wonder series is built on the Transit chassis but we were afraid the cab area would be too small for us.