Community Forums

mlo166 · 10-19-2014, 08:03 PM

Hello wincrasher and others: Winnebago used a Renault and later VW chassis for their 1984 and later LeSharos and then Rialtas. Both were front drive but underpowered (100 hp engines but 19 mpg). I have a 1986 LeSharo and drove home in the 2012 Midwestern major snow storm before the plows got out! Front wheel drive was the only way to get through the slush and no slipping! I am sure you will find that front wheel driving experience (while dragging the rear) is the safest and surest way to go cross-country in the winter. In fact, you will be the ONLY RV on the road when others are stranded! (we were

) Have Fun.... wish I had a Travato but our LeSharo is still alive and doing well here! We use it for short hops because it is so old! The Travato will be like that too because you will not want to get rid of it! Winnebego gets high marks for the Travato in my front-wheel driving experience.

gggplaya · 10-20-2014, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlo166

Hello wincrasher and others: Winnebago used a Renault and later VW chassis for their 1984 and later LeSharos and then Rialtas. Both were front drive but underpowered (100 hp engines but 19 mpg). I have a 1986 LeSharo and drove home in the 2012 Midwestern major snow storm before the plows got out! Front wheel drive was the only way to get through the slush and no slipping! I am sure you will find that front wheel driving experience (while dragging the rear) is the safest and surest way to go cross-country in the winter. In fact, you will be the ONLY RV on the road when others are stranded! (we were

) Have Fun.... wish I had a Travato but our LeSharo is still alive and doing well here! We use it for short hops because it is so old! The Travato will be like that too because you will not want to get rid of it! Winnebego gets high marks for the Travato in my front-wheel driving experience.

Except after next year when mercedes releases the 4WD sprinter model here in the U.S.

But in my experience at work using 4WD trucks working in the field off road from spring-fall. It's rare i ever have to put it in 4WD. Usually we can see a rainstorm coming and get out before it gets wet. When it's dry, you never need 4WD except for sand. Or in the gulf coast states where a freak rainstorm can come out of nowhere.

wincrasher · 10-20-2014, 09:05 AM

Thanks mlo.

The only place I get crap about my Travato is here online. Everywhere else in the "real" world, I get excited people with nice comments, want to look at it, ask questions, etc.

I still stand by the statement that the Promaster is an excellent platform for an RV. I don't plan on any snowy or slushy traveling, but I can tell you it's great in the rain! My biggest fear was that it would seem underpowered, but that is not true at all.

wblynch · 10-20-2014, 09:40 AM

Sprinter 4x4 RV would be $30,000 or $40,000 more than Pro-Master.

cjscotty · 10-21-2014, 06:59 AM

I wonder if they'll be able to make existing Sprinters into 4 wheel drive now that they will have the others coming out. Maybe it would be cheaper? We are looking into Sprinter also. Or do they do this now? I'm female, be kind

. Saw a 2014 Travato and 2015. Kind of like the back of the 2014 better without the larger floor cabinets, leaving more space. Only thing stopping us is worried about tank sizes which are even smaller than a regular B, and wish the bench seat was like the one in their Winnebago 70A Era, sitting sideways instead of forward with a pop up table, which was much more comfortable and opened up the space more. Still think it's a REALLY cool little motorhome tho.

ruggini · 10-21-2014, 03:55 PM

have a 2014 travato, loved it until all the windows failed, radio cd and tv failed. Did the tour at forest city, none of those test they said are done could have been done on ours. Dealer now has it for over a month waiting on parts. Still have to deal with Dodge on recall, no way this could have gone through what winnebago claims, very frustrated and disappointed how long all this is taking. Any travato owners having similar issues/

wincrasher · 10-21-2014, 04:43 PM

What do you mean your windows failed?

ruggini · 10-22-2014, 07:43 AM

the screens were out of aligment when I got it , thought no big deal they can be replaced but the only fix was to replace the whole window, plus window on sliding door leaks and sliding screen door goes off track

gggplaya · 10-22-2014, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wblynch

Sprinter 4x4 RV would be $30,000 or $40,000 more than Pro-Master.

It's an $8,000 option on sprinters in Europe. I would assume it would be close to the same when it hits the states. So whatever a sprinter rv costs over top of a promaster rv costs today, just add another $8k to that.

wblynch · 10-22-2014, 01:46 PM

So then I guess an AWD (not really 4x4) Sprinter RV would be $38,000 or $48,000 more than Pro-Master...

mtmtyah · 08-21-2015, 03:28 PM

Where is the pump to send gray water to the sewer in the Travato?

carolp495 · 09-12-2015, 03:44 PM

We purchased a 2016 Travato 59K about 4 months ago and absolutely LOVE IT!

We have owned three Pleasure-Ways, two Phoenix Cruisers B+, a Coachman C class, and a Roadtrek Agile. They were all nice RV's but I have to say this one has been the most fun. It drives great and you have a really nice panoramic view from the front seats. The entire unit is so open and gives you the impression of it being much bigger inside.

The storage is unbelievable, it is everywhere you turn, more then I have seen in a class "B". Ours has the twin beds and they are extremely comfortable. The rear bathroom is plenty roomy and the shower setup keeps the bathroom 90% dry while showering, huge plus.

I was disappointed at first when I saw the small refrigerator, but it is a 4.1 cf and deep. I have been able to keep as much in this one as my 7 cf that I had in the PW, the freezer is a little smaller but again deep and holds a lot of food. I am still working on getting the refrigerator adjusted just right as so far I have had it freeze things in the fridge part which is a bummer, but I will get it figured out soon.

It has super pick up on the roads and has never disappointed. The gas mileage has been around 16 MPG and when I am on the interstate or turnpike I drive 70+ (I am working on slowing down), it is so smooth to drive and handles beautifully all the time.

Have wanted the sliding screen door forever and when it cools downs a bit more here in Florida that will get a lot use.

I can't say enough good things about this RV, and I have to say that this one is true keeper.

cjscotty · 09-13-2015, 06:20 AM

Carol, good luck with your Travato 59K, we liked the looks of it, and the floor plan inside looks very nice and much more open than the 59G, which for us has to improve the dinette area, which was cramped and extremely uncomfortable when we were in one. The only thing for us in the 59K, we did wish the twins were 2 sofas with seatbelts, so that you could travel with more than two people. Unless I'm mistaken, it only has seat-belts for 2 correct? We only camp with 2 but would like to drive more than 2 people. And the 59G has the nice open back door to the outside which you couldn't do with the 59K unless you were boondocking somewhere VERY private with the toilet open to the outside

but it looks a nice size bathroom and for us the 59G seemed better suited for 1 person. I hope Winnebago brings more floor plans, I know Europe has some really interesting layouts in their smaller B's.
Speaking of 4x4 for anyone interested, looks like the 4x4 Era 70X and 70A are going to be debuting at the Hershey show next week, and we're looking forward to seeing that and the Travato 59K in person.

ncwild · 09-20-2015, 02:05 PM

Great Camper and photos. My wife and I camped near there in our Navion back in June 2015 at the NPS Balsam Mountain Campground just up the road. We drove through your campground and intend on camping there soon. The views are incredible. Enjoy you new camper.