Sprinter/Camper-Van/Class-B RV Owners?

[OlongJohnson]

Nice evening out in the desert.

Attachment 49583

That should be the cover of a sci-fi novel.

[RJ]

Our industry was heavily invested in them and at this time most of the companies have moved past and are focusing on the Ford Transit Vans.

Any chance you can elaborate now how things are going with the Transit vans in your fleet?

[RJ]

I do not have comparison to offer but we do have a commercial 148" Transit for MrsMMc's print shop and we have a F-150 with the 3.5. The van IMO is pretty nice, and I am a big fan of the 3.5 in the truck, 400fp out of a gas engine that can be serviced pretty much anywhere is something I have appreciated. If we didn't have a paid off long bed F-150 with only 73k on it I might be tempted to get a mid roof AWD Transit and maybe build it out for a fun project. Since we do have the F-150 I am looking at lightweight slide in campers.

But I like the way the Transit handles and one with a 3.5 would flatten some hills. And you could still drive it around like a large car.

Thanks. We are contemplating going to a Ford dealer and asking them if they will let us test drive one of the 148" Transit vans. Or maybe go to Tampa Airport and rent one for a day.

Appreciate the inputs.

rich

[mmc45414]

Thanks. We are contemplating going to a Ford dealer and asking them if they will let us test drive one of the 148" Transit vans. Or maybe go to Tampa Airport and rent one for a day.

Wonder if you could get one that is what you want and consign a local upfitter or craftsman to build out what you want? It just seems like the RV industry puts out stuff that costs a bunch that built out of the least expensive stuff they could find. Might be some boatbuilder types in the area?

You could take a few road trips in it to be sure it is all that.

[RJ]

Wonder if you could get one that is what you want and consign a local upfitter or craftsman to build out what you want? It just seems like the RV industry puts out stuff that costs a bunch that built out of the least expensive stuff they could find. Might be some boatbuilder types in the area?

You could take a few road trips in it to be sure it is all that.

Thanks.

We could, but just prefer the option to buy a class B RV with all the bells and whistles and use it for traveling and light-duty camping in National Parks etc. Not really looking for a project.

[rob_s]

Thanks.

We could, but just prefer the option to buy a class B RV with all the bells and whistles and use it for traveling and light-duty camping in National Parks etc. Not really looking for a project.

While I wasn’t really ultimately looking for a sleeper, I’ve been obsessively searching RV trader for 18-22 ft class Bs.

Way more than I’d really like to spend (although if we lived in a more central state with more readily available desire able destinations I’d probably go for it anyway) but something like this guy would be awesome. For our purposes, having those back seats WAY back there and also forward-facing would be awesome.


https://hr4kf.app.goo.gl/QmxGo

[RJ]

https://hr4kf.app.goo.gl/QmxGo

We are looking at Pleasureways, actually, pretty hard. Right now stuck between a Sprinter based, 140" wheelbased Ascent, or a Transit based, 148" wheelbased OnTour.

That link is to a curious rig...16K miles on a 2020 PW...in white...named "Plateau TS". Plateau TS is the PW name for the Sprinter based 170" wheelbase Twin Sofa model. The "actual" Transit-based is called the "Ontour", either Ontour 2.0 on the 2500 chassis or Ontour 2.2 on the 3500.

https://pleasureway.com/models/ontour20/

The 2020 Ontours only come in Silver. Demonstrator possibly? Also, at $109 they are on crack; you cannot transfer the original buyer 5 year warranty from PW that you get if you buy one used. All you would get would be the manufacturer's warranty on the appliances (Dometic, Penguin, Norcold, etc.) and the Ford warranty. That's it. So there are bunches of Ontours out there that are listed at $129 with actual transaction prices between 10-20% off. Why would you pay $109K for a no-warranty unit rode hard and put away wet with 16K on it. And maybe you are aware, but this is a 2019 chassis, with a 2020 PW build. It is not a "2020 Transit". This is a pretty common thing in Class Bs. That's why we are currently waiting for the actual 2020 chassis-build Ontours to be starting up at the PW factory in Sakatoon. These would be the "2021" PW models.

https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2019/0...van-craze.html

[mmc45414]

Thanks.

We could, but just prefer the option to buy a class B RV with all the bells and whistles and use it for traveling and light-duty camping in National Parks etc. Not really looking for a project.

I am probably coming at this from the complete opposite direction. I do NOT want all of the bells and whistles, I am probably more interested in a metal tent. Something that I can flop in for a few hours on the way someplace and hauls all the stuff I want when I get there, maybe even including a motorcycle or an ATV, and of course my accompanying arsenal.

ETA: Since we have the truck it is probably going to be something more like this:
https://capricamper.com/models/retreat/
Probably a lightweight dry unit with a porta pot that wouldn't be used very frequently.

[RJ]

I am probably coming at this from the complete opposite direction. I do NOT want all of the bells and whistles, I am probably more interested in a metal tent. Something that I can flop in for a few hours on the way someplace and hauls all the stuff I want when I get there, maybe even including a motorcycle or an ATV, and of course my accompanying arsenal.

I’m married.

“Roughing it” is cold Room Service.

[rob_s]

it's definitely challenging to find factory options on Transit platforms, it seems. The Ram and MB seem far more common from the factory.

@RJ thanks for clarifying the models. This one looks about like exactly what I'd want. Only challenge I see here would be the lack of cargo area(s). I wish there was a way to get the forward-facing rear bench but also having some room behind it but clearly that would mean going longer.

Generally though, this floorplan looks perfect to me (without having seen one in person)
https://pleasureway.com/models/ontour20/#floor-plan



This one from Coachmen also looks great, albeit longer
https://coachmenrv.com/class-b-motor...eyond/22C/3824



Something else I'd add, outside of this forum there seems to be a predominate preference for having an on-board toilet on these things, particularly with women and girls, with the proviso that they are "emergency only", which was my requirement to begin with.