Quote:
Originally Posted by DirtRider
The tank volumes are one of the biggest things that make me drool over these things. And yep, a locking diff seems amazing. The things I would have been worried about boondocking are the physical size, the maneuverability, and the power draws.
Do you find the 12-1/2’ tall profile a problem on forest roads? How much harder is it to maneuver than the little 25b? Obviously, the steering wheel cut is way better than the nonsense on the E450. But the unit is another 10’ longer, so not sure how much of an issue it is.
Finally, is the all-electric thing an issue? I just always think a propane stove would be better without power. And the propane fridge. Does your solar and battery manage well enough, or do you just run the gen some every day?
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I loved that 25B because it was so compact. I did a lot of work to it and it ran great. I had all the same concerns you have about making the switch to the bigger Verona. There are certainly places where that little Winnebago could go where the bigger Verona can’t, but honestly, there are so many advantages to the Verona that to me it’s worth the very small sacrifice not being able to get into the really tight places. I find that one of the main limiting factors is more psychological than anything, as I don’t want to beat up the beautiful paint on the Verona. If I were really serious about taking it into tight areas, I would wrap the side walls. From behind the steering wheel, it drives every bit as small as my Winnebago did.
Regarding it being all electrical, I don’t miss the propane for all the reasons mentioned by others above. At first I didn’t like the idea of all electric, now I wouldn’t go back to propane. My Verona has the lithium batteries (300AH) and solar (525W). I’ve been running the generator an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening and have never dropped below about 50% capacity on the batteries. I would definitely go lithium as you get a whole bunch more capacity since they can be drawn down to nearly 0.
Another point worth mentioning is that if you are like me, your aversion to generator use is based on gas generator experience. Mine was very, very noisy. The 8KW diesel generator on the Verona is very quiet and unobtrusive. Your fellow campers are not going to be staring at you cursing under their breath when you run it.
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