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patkip · 01-27-2021, 04:04 PM

We owned a Leisure Travel Van Serenity for several years and loved the drive and the quality. But now we have growing grandchildren and would like to have room to sleep 2 more on short trips. We were looking at the Tiffin Wayfarer FW to keep the length down, but we are having a difficult time with the OOCC.
Has anyone actually run into problems there?
And otherwise how satisfied are you?

RVThere · 01-27-2021, 09:00 PM

Seems all the Mercedes chassis RV's have trouble being overweight.

With little ones, the real issue is can you put two car seats safely in the motorhome?

HighDesert · 01-27-2021, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patkip

We owned a Leisure Travel Van Serenity for several years and loved the drive and the quality. But now we have growing grandchildren and would like to have room to sleep 2 more on short trips. We were looking at the Tiffin Wayfarer FW to keep the length down, but we are having a difficult time with the OOCC.
Has anyone actually run into problems there?
And otherwise how satisfied are you?

This one of the reasons I went from a Sprinter to a class All of the Mercedes based Sprinters have a very low OOCC. You may want to consider a gas, V10 unit, as you can get a lager capacity there.

jcussen · 01-27-2021, 09:56 PM

Agree, most Sprinter Class C's with slides will have less than 1500 lbs OCCC. The Wayfarer a little less because of the heaver construction. Might be okay for a weekend though, if you put the kids in the overhead bunk. You do have to be careful on what you take with you.
The theater seats or fold away bed does have seatbelts, don't know about the dinette, but imagine it would too.

patkip · 01-28-2021, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighDesert

This one of the reasons I went from a Sprinter to a class All of the Mercedes based Sprinters have a very low OOCC. You may want to consider a gas, V10 unit, as you can get a lager capacity there.

Thanks, we were really spoiled with the ease of driving anywhere we wanted with the Serenity, how was the adjustment for you to change first to the gas V10, and more importantly getting used to the longer unit with getting in and out of parking lots, traffic etc.? Thanks

HighDesert · 01-28-2021, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patkip

Thanks, we were really spoiled with the ease of driving anywhere we wanted with the Serenity, how was the adjustment for you to change first to the gas V10, and more importantly getting used to the longer unit with getting in and out of parking lots, traffic etc.? Thanks

The change from the MB diesel togas was pretty transparent. When pulling a steep grade, there is more engine noise, but not bad in out Tiffin. Big difference is maintenance as gas engine is less expensive to maintain and Ford dealers are pretty much everywhere. With the MBS, only authorized repair facilities can perform work under warranty. Can be an issue when traveling away from big cities. As to driving the 35’ rig we have now vs the 25’ Sprinter - took hardly any time to adjust. You just have to be aware of where you are and plan your turns ahead of time. As much as I liked some aspects of the Sprinter, it just did not have enough room and carrying capacity for us.

Dave-Oh · 01-30-2021, 07:44 PM

We went from a Tiffin 32SA V10 to a Winnebago View. The bigger gas Tiffin could certainly be stuffed with more things, much of which we really didn't need to take. We loved the fireplace, larger TV and sound system. The fixed bed, and other accouterments. we were certainly comfy when we parked.

Downsides: Fuel Mileage (6.2 to 6.8 mpg when towing), gas station accommodations (had to find a station that would allow pulling almost past the pump since fill is in the back and able to exit with a towed attached), and Servicing - Ford may be a universal brand, but we had little luck finding a local dealer for warranty issues that would handle it - even ones that sold trucks. closest dealer was over an hour away through heavy traffic. Fortunately, no chassis warranty issues on the Tiffin.

The View, on the Mercedes Chassis, tows the same Jeep we towed with the V10 and gets 13mpg. Fuel is more expensive, but it doesn't cost that much more than gas depending on where you are. The ride is better than the Tiffins, it is FAR more maneuverable, not as tall, and we are happy with the layout. It is also much easier for my old dog to get in and out of...steps are fewer and less steep. Our local MB dealer - 10 min away - has no problem servicing ours, they sell the sprinters including the cut-aways.

Downsides: Smaller coach, smaller gas tank, Servicing isn't that different cost-wise so far. Smaller TV, no surround-sound system, and less in and under coach storage.

Note: It will easily sleep more than our Tiffin could, but i wouldn't try to test that out.

We won't go back to anything larger. We also have reviewed what we usually take and realized we don't need a lot of the stuff we often packed. We don't fill all of the cabinets, we have space underneath left as well. Weight is not a problem, and we enjoy our outings a bit more - we're usually not out for more than 2 months at a time and we don't boondock.

Your mileage may vary.

BlueRidgeTim · 01-30-2021, 10:02 PM

Did a ton of research on Class C including: gas -vs- diesel, OCCC, etc, before deciding on Tiffin Wayfarer TW for my wife and I. I almost was caught up in OCCC anxiety until I reviewed my own experience (always brought more stuff than I needed/used) and did the math myself. I’ve been very happy with the Sprinter ride, handling, low noise, ease of DIY maintenance & MPG on this RV. We rented a 25’ Class C gasser last fall and I find the Sprinter more pleasant to drive than the gasser. Only thing I would change on the MB is another 5-10 gal fuel capacity would be nice.
YMMV