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TexasSprinter · 07-01-2015, 12:45 PM

We had hoped for a 'shake down' before our big summer trip, but no such luck. So with zero experience with the unit, we packed up and took off for a 2,500 mile trip. I'll try to keep this short, but...
1) Storage. Wow! Everything fit easily. Dinnerware, glasses, teapot, & martini shaker above the kitchen, appliances (toaster & coffee maker & grinder) and food pantry opposite. Clothes in drawers & hanging closet, bedding over cab. Dog stuff & cleaning stuff under sink & corner cabinet. Two rocking chairs, two roll-up tables, small grill, large camp mat, two sets of golf clubs, water hose, electric & extension, and TV cable in back (those Rubbermaid hook systems are great). Small sewer hose & connections stored in connection bay.
2) Systems. Most everything worked well. We had a propane failure which meant we couldn't run the gen to keep the dog cool when we stopped. The dealership in Jefferson, Iowa was GREAT - kept at it until they found and fixed it, no charge. Treated us well as we hung around. Water systems worked very well, as did the (not quite) tankless water heater. Great shower, great lighting, great awning. The three-way fridge worked well. I particularly like the way it auto-switches to 12V (no propane) when the engine is running.
3) Accommodations. The pull-out bed is better designed than I thought. There are seams, yes, but the cushions seem to be very well situated for where I want support. Took a little getting used to, but overall it worked. We carry two sleeping bags opened up - one under, one over. They just fit in the over cab space, and the pillows fit above the couch easily. The cab seats are comfortable and worked well for creating a seating area (we never used the table, just ate in the chairs. When boondocking, the batteries seem to last forever! LED lighting has to help.
4) Driving & Setup/Teardown. The best part! Set up in minutes, ready to drive in minutes. The positive-lock cabinet system makes visual checks very quick. Chairs turn around easily. Crank it up, pull in the slide, move forward, and pick up an leveling blocks. 5 minutes. We averaged 16 to 18mpg moving down the road at 70mph.

Tips:
1) I bought two motorcycle roll-up style tool bags. Put the basics in them and folded them to fit in the lower (covered) door pockets on the Sprinter. Worked great.
2) Bought two sets of Rubbermaid hooks for the back end. The chairs and tables hang on them. Still want to fiddle with ways to use more hooks to secure the golf clubs a little better, but overall the back holds more than you think it does.
3) The kitchen and bathroom drawers are deep (in height), so we used spacer bars to make the dual level. Daily stuff goes in the top level, less used items in the lower level. Wife's idea - worked great.

Issues:
1) Propane, as above. Sure wish it had a diesel gennie.
2) The front entertainment system (the upgraded one) rebooted itself now and then. Got to figure that out (it came w/o a manual). And the GPS doesn't list campgrounds as POI's! Go figure?
3) You can really only carry a 10' basic sewer hose in that little compartment. I want to figure out some sort of carrier around the spare tire or something to give me better options. I'm thinking a scuba-bag sort of things strapped to the back of the tire carrier. Any ideas?

That's it - It lived amazing well for over two weeks.

painterbill · 07-01-2015, 02:57 PM

Thanks for the great report, have been waiting to hear your impressions. I also believe the diesel generator would make my concerns over the small LP tank go away. Also saw that Lichtsinn Motors has a used 70X with HWH levelers, I have never seen them on a Class B and there is probably way more than enough CCC on the 70C to handle them. Out of curiosity, what is the CCC of your 70C? Any other big trips coming up?
Thanks, Bill.

TexasSprinter · 07-02-2015, 07:24 AM

The GVWR is 11,030, the GCWR is 15,250. Cargo and occupant capacity is 1,522 - not a lot, but more than our old class C and I'm sure we were well within that.

As to the jacks, I'd be careful. MB voids all warranties if jacks are involved - got that straight from the MB dealer.

TinStarArabs · 07-05-2015, 01:16 PM

Glad it is working out for y'all. I live in E. Texas and have a 2015 ERA 70A and couldn't be happier.

rickjmiv · 08-07-2015, 10:03 AM

Did you ever come up with a solution to carrying a longer sewer hose? After using it for a while now - how is the bed? I am concerned about the "channels".

rickjmiv · 08-07-2015, 10:14 AM

Another quick question - Can the bed be extended with the slide in? I ask because there are times when the wind is bad and we need to pull our slide in?

TexasSprinter · 08-08-2015, 09:56 AM

Answers to above:
1) Sewer hose: Not yet. A small, cheap one fits in the little compartment underneath. I'm making due with that, but I don't like it. I'm going to keep working on that one.
2) The bed: I was worried about "channels" but it turns out that either from luck or planning (I suspect the latter), all the channels and cushioned areas fall in just the right places! There's a cushion for my shoulder/chest, a channel at the top of my waist. A cushion for my hips, and a channel below that. And a cushion for my feet. So it's actually pretty darn comfortable!
3) The bed is not operational at all with the slide in. But I've yet to come up with a situation where I would need the slide in and the bed out. The slide takes up such a very small amount of space, putting it out and in is so easy, and it doesn't seem to be very concerned at all with level. I suppose if you were in a really tight parking place - but so far it has been a complete non-issue. We even put it out when we have the unit in our driveway.

rickjmiv · 08-09-2015, 07:39 AM

A Texas size Thanks!

VoyagerRick · 08-23-2015, 10:40 PM

Very thorough report! Thanks. We're considering strongly the 70C as our first RV. The bed/slide-out issue is a concern, though.

TexasSprinter · 08-25-2015, 07:43 AM

Yep, I understand. The slide isn't really an issue - it is very easy to operate, very stable, and seems to be much better constructed than most slides. And it really doesn't pose a parking problem unless you are in really tight spots.

The bed is something you just have to try out. It works for us, but won't for everyone. We just like it better than the closed in feeling of the beds in back.

VoyagerRick · 08-25-2015, 10:20 PM

In trying out the bed at the dealership, it did indeed feel comfortable, and we really liked the extra room the slide out provides. On the unit we looked at, the slide out required an extra push from the outside to get it back in. Obviously a problem with that unit's mechanism; just concerned about a possible structural design flaw.

TexasSprinter · 08-27-2015, 07:17 AM

An extra push?? Find a different unit. Or a different dealer. Ours has been in and out dozens of times. It even has a satisfying little "snick" when it pulls into place.

There's one other possibility - if the service door for the water is open when you close the slide, it won't close completely and will crack the service door. Our dealer did that, recognized the "oops" and paid to have the service door fixed. In the real world, as long as you disconnect the water first, then close the slide, no problem.

VoyagerRick · 08-27-2015, 09:56 PM

Glad to hear you've had no problems with yours. I suspect someone at the dealership did something stupid to cause the problem. We're still looking seriously at the 70C.

talaskim · 11-08-2015, 05:31 AM

My wife and I bought one in March 2015, we have put it away now with a little over 8,000 miles, 17 mpg at 70 mph around 20 at 58 mph as we live in northern Michigan we have a lot of 55 mph zones. I however found the bed uncomfortable I am 6'2" 230 lbs and needed some more cushion so we bought a good mattress pad around 100$ from Amazon and it did the trick we keep it rolled up in the shower.
We originally looked at pleasure way and we were very impressed with the company was just about ready to buy a TS pleasure way but we gave it overnight and googled the C decided to go with Winnebago, maybe not quite as fancy as the others but certainly more practical for us, spend some time looking at small refrigerator, bend down microwave, 4 captains chairs, only storage being under beds, wet bath,every one has its limitations, you just have to be willing to make the choice what you can live with or without.
We have nothing but good to say about our ERA C can't wait till spring my wife is planning a trip to Nebraska via Iowa this summer.