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recommendations please on the best RV option for :
1) sleeping 4 + dog
2) best possible gas mileage
3) ideally 4WD
4) no longer than 24, 25 ft
5) No class A
initial research seems to suggest that the Merc V6 turbodiesel platform (Sprinter, etc) is the best in this size range for gas mileage, but haven't seen any 4wd options... Really interested in folks' opinions, suggestions thanks.
Cost doesn't matter? Then you have many, many options.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaka
Re: Sprinter 4WD -- Sportsmobile has done at least one of these as a 4WD conversion. Note that the Sprinter is a unibody, which will be a weaker chassis than a body-on-frame design.
http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/2611023584.html
Not my listing.
Oh damn that things got HUDGE potential!
. heh
Chup - I wish I were printing money but alas not the case. As we are envisioning this to potentially be a primary means of family vacations for summer and winter for many years, we'd be willing to get a solid setup, but not the really high end stuff, and would avoid new like the plague.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
I've never seen a Sportsmobile which slept 4? thanks for the tip though I will research more. What other options?
thanks
What's your total budget for this project? $10K, 20K, 50K?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaka
Also, many of the Sportsmobile pop-top conversions will sleep 4: two upstairs in the pop-top, and the seat/bunk downstairs converts to a bed also. It would be tight though.
Possibly the most appealing setup I've seen for sleeping 4, with some room, and without going to extreme expenses (e.g. gargantuan expedition truck), is a truck camper with a fold-out bed. Something like this (this one would require a 3/4-ton or 1-ton truck; Outfitters are heavy):
http://www.outfittermfg.com/campers/...s/juno/juno-85
It wouldn't be so good for winter use though, since the fold-out bed would be cold.
I like the look of the Tiger 4WD RVs too, but they're as pricey as the Sportsmobiles ($70-90K):
http://www.tigermotorhomes.com/home.htm
While I really like the packaging of the Sportsmobile 4WD van conversions, I've read several not-so-complimentary things on the quality of their conversion builds. For example:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...obile-wiring!?
After considering all sorts of options, I decided on a truck camper on a longbed 4WD fullsize pickup. In my view, this was the least expensive way to get a functional 4WD camper, ready to go. I bought a used truck, and used camper, and the camper is never coming off the truck unless necessary for repairs -- the truck is solely for camper/recreational usage; we don't need it as a daily driver or work truck. Between the truck, camper, and repairs to the truck over the last several months (mostly delayed maintenance items), I have about $18.5K into our project, and I'm pretty much done.
Pro: cheap to buy/maintain/insure (millions of American trucks out there, used); if the mechanicals of the truck catastrophically fail, can easily move the camper to another truck. Lots of options for truck campers too: popup, hardside, slideout, etc., also many options new or used. You can have a bare-bones sleeper setup (Flip-Pac, Four Wheel Camper shell), all the way up to full RV-type amenities (furnace, stove, hot water, even indoor shower and toilet, solar/generator) -- it just depends on how much you want to pay, and how much weight you want to haul. Basically drives just like a large truck -- easy to drive/ park/ setup, can handle dirt roads and light 4WD terrain.
Con: gas mileage isn't great, limited storage space inside, limited living space inside (esp. for 4 people), very expensive per square foot if you compare a truck camper to a travel trailer/ fifth wheel/ Class C RV. If you already own a truck, that may dictate your camper choice (e.g., a Tacoma with a 5' bed can only carry so much). If you intend to remove the camper and use the truck as a daily driver, that may also influence your camper choice (e.g., a longbed dually may not be much fun to commute in and park downtown).
Every type of RV comes with tradeoffs, so the "best one" is going to depend a lot on individual needs/wants and intended usage.
Here's a CL listing for a 4x4 Class C set up that looks pretty cool. Way up north in CA.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/rvs/2595508265.html
Nice find. If you don't need the ground clearance, and just need 4WD for snow traction, this could be a great ski camper.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinecure
I find Class C RVs to be really noisy on the highway -- seems like everything in them rattles. Probably want to test drive a few of them to see whether this annoys you.
Chup - thanks for the detailed thoughts, info. We're leaning towards a combined unit rather than truck + camper, although I totally get your logic if you intend to always keep them attached. Sounds like you ended up with a sweet setup!
Sinecure- that is a cool setup... kinda matches a lot of my criteria, probably the only ding is the gas mileage...
Chup, I went with the same kind of setup. Lets see some pics.
Mileage is not really a great criteria in this arena. I believe that a full size 2WD van without conversion weight gets around 14 mpgs in the best case. RVs get 10 mpgs when at their best. Goes down to 6 mpg. It doesn't seem to matter much if you are towing a Suburban, have a gasser or a diesel pusher, the range is 6 to 10 mpg in reality. Some of those Sprinter conversions seem to brag about 20 mpgs. I honestly wonder how that is possible however I am not familiar with the Sprinter realities, and that may be a diesel figure. If you can afford a diesel sprinter you are in a position to be wholly unconcerned with mpgs. Hope that was helpful. I am normally aware of mpgs and getting the RV was a shocker. but I planned for it, and driving a car still burns fuel...
In the spirit of actually contributing a tiny bit of info to this thread vs just being a parasite here's a response I just got from Sportsmobile. Pipe dream anyway as I don't think I'm ready to drop $100k on a new custom sportsmobile, maybe they have a scratched show room floor model I can pick up for around $20k.
"4wd is not available on the Sprinter chassis, but this may change in 2013 if
Mercedes decides to bring their 4wd option to the US market."
Here's an interesting 4WD van/RV conversion for sale on ExPo:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...RHOME-Complete
You guys think I could get a functioning mobile-abode for 1-3,000$?
Not sure if I can get an RV that will run all winter without major mechanical work in that price range. It doesn't have to last forever, just this winter with me driving ~500km's between resorts between 2-5 times all winter.
Also not sure how I would keep the thing heated...something like a dickinson diesel or propane heater sounds perfect for me but on the site theyre running for over 1000$, which might push me over budget. Is it worth spending that much of my budget on just the heater?
For power I'm thinking a couple of golf cart batteries? Big draws would be a fridge (really want a fridge) and some cooking appliances like a micro maybe a toaster oven. I'm willing to rough it in basically every category except food.
Any ideas? My jongery in the RV world is immense, I'm not sure I could pull a project like this off with my dirtbag level finances.
Do these look ok?
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ316646296
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ316759505
Biggest concern here is whether one of those would drive for a good 3000-5000km before something breaks...how do I tell what kind of condition its in? Take it to a mechanic before buying it?
I am working on putting together the cash so that I can spend a winter on the road sometime in the next few years.
Thinking about an Astro/Safari awd vs slide in truck camper. Thoughts?
Just for fun: http://members.cox.net/hooper/van.html
mechanics won't be able to address those stains from the 'kids breaking into it'.:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy Reuben
true, but especially at that price i have the money to rip allot of shit out and replace itQuote:
Originally Posted by Nic.A
fresh paint.
Like the new paint. Nice rig. Is that a 22RE in that?Quote:
Originally Posted by natty dread
Sweet Rader!
I did the Astro van for a couple months out west a couple years ago and it worked great! I loved it you could park just about anywhere and get away with it since it looked just like any other Astro van running around town. Check out the sleeping in cars in the winter tread I think it is. I have pics in the tread somewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by nickwm21
That is sweet; best-looking one I've seen. What year is the Sunrader part, and what year is the Toyota? And is it 4WD? Sick!Quote:
Originally Posted by natty dread
That looks awesome.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/a...5&d=1317022295