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

[ranger]

Okey dokey, I will fess up: Mrs. RJ and I have located a used MBZ-based Class B we like in Corpus Christi TX. We are headed there Wednesday to take a look and if all is ok, do the deal and drive back to Tampa.

Will post pics if it works out.

@Chuck Whitlock

So RJ, why Class B? As I remember, you started with your RV with a Class B like vehicle then moved to Airstream then larger Airstream? Asking as I am looking at a RV as I approach retirement and I am confident my wife will not be happy with a Class B (based on 10+ years boating moving from 25 to 30 to 35+ boats).

[RJ]

So RJ, why Class B? As I remember, you started with your RV with a Class B like vehicle then moved to Airstream then larger Airstream? Asking as I am looking at a RV as I approach retirement and I am confident my wife will not be happy with a Class B (based on 10+ years boating moving from 25 to 30 to 35+ boats).

Well I was not trying to completely make the thread focus on me; I’m planning to start another Rich’s RV and Shootin’ Tour 2020 thread if this sale works out.

But since you asked: in brief: It’s a different use case now for us.

First RV: 22’ Class B. 1,000 ft sq permanent cottage in Fl. Traveled US for 9 months. We are still married, but it was close. Conclusion: Too small for full time.

Second RV: 27’ Airstream. No permanent residence. Conclusion: Still not big enough.

Third RV: 30’ Airstream. Still no permanent home. Conclusion: Did two laps of the US. Also: Big enough.

Sold the truck and Airstream. Got a place to live. Went back to work for 2 years. Had enough. Retired for good. So, now, we are planning shorter, targeted trips. Like:

- The Keys for a week
- The mountains of GA, NC, or TN
- Racing events like Sebring or Road Atlanta
- Visit family in Miami, and Jacksonville NC
- Maybe Frostproof overnight to shoot a match
- Local travel

So...ended up looking for something smaller...which this unit is. Like say, will post a pic if it works out.

[ranger]

Well I was not trying to completely make the thread focus on me; I’m planning to start another Rich’s RV and Shootin’ Tour 2020 thread if this sale works out.

But since you asked: in brief: It’s a different use case now for us.

First RV: 22’ Class B. 1,000 ft sq permanent cottage in Fl. Traveled US for 9 months. We are still married, but it was close. Conclusion: Too small for full time.

Second RV: 27’ Airstream. No permanent residence. Conclusion: Still not big enough.

Third RV: 30’ Airstream. Still no permanent home. Conclusion: Did two laps of the US. Also: Big enough.

Sold the truck and Airstream. Got a place to live. Went back to work for 2 years. Had enough. Retired for good. So, now, we are planning shorter, targeted trips. Like:

- The Keys for a week
- The mountains of GA, NC, or TN
- Racing events like Sebring or Road Atlanta
- Visit family in Miami, and Jacksonville NC
- Maybe Frostproof overnight to shoot a match
- Local travel

So...ended up looking for something smaller...which this unit is. Like say, will post a pic if it works out.

Great - look forward to updates on the new adventure!

[Chuck Whitlock]

Hypo question: Say that one located a possible sale in another state (oh, I don't know, say Texas). Say one travelled to that state, and bought the vehicle.

Then say, one wanted to bring it back to one's home (again, for this hypothetical, say Florida): Would it be better to drive without the plate after purchase on the way home, or if one had say, a previous FL plate in their possession, that one intended to put on this vehicle, would one be better off just mounting that plate?

It would seem to me one would attract less attention, going down the road, to have a plate "of some kind" on one's car, as opposed to say, no plate at all.

Asking for a friend.

None of those choices seem good, how about this:

https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/regi...porary-permits

Listen to GJM.. Get the temp tag. Having a plate on a vehicle that does not return to that vehicle will result in a conversation with the officer/deputy/trooper who ran it. The result of said conversation has a high likelyhood of resulting in a charge for a fictitious LP and quite possibly seizure of the vehicle, as it is not being legally operated.

Okey dokey, I will fess up: Mrs. RJ and I have located a used MBZ-based Class B we like in Corpus Christi TX. We are headed there Wednesday to take a look and if all is ok, do the deal and drive back to Tampa.

Will post pics if it works out.

@Chuck Whitlock

To PM's!!

[RJ]

Listen to GJM.. Get the temp tag. Having a plate on a vehicle that does not return to that vehicle will result in a conversation with the officer/deputy/trooper who ran it. The result of said conversation has a high likelyhood of resulting in a charge for a fictitious LP and quite possibly seizure of the vehicle, as it is not being legally operated.

Thanks Chuck! Wasn’t aware of the Texas temp tag concept. We’ll follow up w our local FL DMV as well, since it will be registered in FL.

[RJ]

Ok, just to close out on my question about tags, TX vis a vis FL: I was able to get through to the Hillsborough Cty Tax collector finally. They indicated that there's no provision for issuing g a personal use FL Temp permit for a private sale. The out-of-date FL plate can be used post-sale in FL when we register it here. So bottom line, once the transaction completes (assuming it does) we will follow that link to generate a Texas Temp plate, print it out somehow and affix it to the window and (legally) get the heck out of dodge. Appreciate the input from the folks here. @GJM @Chuck Whitlock.

[Navin Johnson]

I have a sprinter for work. Drives excellent. Very expensive to maintain if you put lots of miles on it. Get rid of it at or before 100k.

Promasters are a no go ask any technician who works at a CDJR dealership. Especially the diesel.

Transit is probably lesser of the evils (gas). No eco-boost for long term....usually good till 80-100k. The local Popo no longer order their Explorers with eco-boost. Too much down time.

Again under 100k Sprinter should be fine. Just avoid idling as it will clog up the $8k particulate filter much faster.

[SecondsCount]

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Again under 100k Sprinter should be fine. Just avoid idling as it will clog up the $8k particulate filter much faster.

For some reason, people think it is okay to idle a diesel vehicle for long periods. Maybe it is because the big semi's do it. It's a bad thing, especially in the winter, and even more so today because of all the emissions devices like the particulate filter. After a long hard run, it is a good idea to let them idle for 10-20 seconds before shutting them off to allow the turbo to cool a little.

[Navin Johnson]

The EPA has ruined diesels with all the emissions shit.

Many imported diesels have problems here because they were not designed around our requirements.

Before particulate filters and $5k cats a diesel could idle with no ill effects.

[rob_s]

@RJ and @GJM I hope that you and any others that own Class Bs or similar continue to post in this thread.

on that note, @littelebowski or @Nephrology could we edit the thread title to add the bit in red so that it says "Sprinter/Camper-Van/Class-B RV Owners?