Mercedes? My dad had a Mercedes and it was always in the shop!
Some are better than others but none are completely problem-free. Yes, careful and regular maintenance is very important, but some RVs are just junk due to poor materials and sloppy construction. Can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear, I'm afraid.
2000 Born Free 24RB Class C
2002 Honda CR-V toad
Roadmaster Sterling A/T towbar
VIP braking system
Eddyline Merlin kayak
Reading your profile, I would ask what size RV, would you tow a car, and will it stay outdoors or under a cover?
I will add that having a rolling doghouse means you will likely spend every nite in an RV park of some kind, and with your travel interests, this could get monotonous.
"...Last I recall Mercedes were way down in the quality ratings...."
I was General Manager of a Mercedes dealership in the early to mid-80's, and believe me, the Mercedes' we sold then were FAR different from the Mercedes' of today. I totally agree with the above observation. I also think Chrysler helped Mercedes along their path of declining quality. FWIW, the worst initial quality ratings for Mercedes were achieved by the first US assembly plant, who turned out the ML series.
That being said, I fully agree with many other posters who have said that proper routine maintenance will go a long ways towards a happy relationship with just about any brand RV.
A few people new to RVing, think spending $80,000 on a motor home should yield the same low maintenence reliability, durability, fit & form, etc. etc. as well as a cheap $15,000 production car. That is "Not True". Rv's are a different animal. There are better quality ones and lesser quality ones. You need to educate yourself on those differences of which 95% of "Quality" is relative to how the main structure is constructed, it's design/engineering/materials/workmanship/windows. It is not the appliances, interior finish materials, or size. If the coach is coming apart and leaking rain water after a trip to Alaska via it's rough roads, what good is a luxury interior?
The best coach shell is a seamless one, but that relates to something scaled down, typically under 25 feet, and at a very costly price too. Airstreams were built in pieces, but riveted together like an aircraft, making it virtually impossible for structural failure with normal use. There are other lower priced RVs assembled in sections, but do a great job in placing seamwork where there is the least amount of stress on them. I own such a motor home, and see the advantages of this construction method.
Do your own research on the makings of a good shell. Materials used, location of seamwork, fiberglass crowned roof, quality of the windows....things like that. Then go from there.
If you like to buy new RVs every 5 to 8 years, then go cheap. By the time it starts to leak, it's out of your hands anyway. But if you plan to keep it a long long time, you can't go wrong with one built to last.
* This post was
edited 10/15/09 10:27am by ron.dittmer *
Bought new in June 2007, Phoenix Cruiser-2350
Fits inside our garage.
Dingy towing a red Toyota MR2 Spyder
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I think that what everyone has said above is correct. However, I wonder if an all-metal RV, such as a Winnebago ERA, which is based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, has no slides, and didn't have anything "cut out" by Winnebago in building it, would be a better-quality coach than, for example, my own (which is also based on the same chassis, but with a standard fiberglass body, a slide, etc.) I wonder...
raydf_1 wrote: I think that what everyone has said above is correct. However, I wonder if an all-metal RV, such as a Winnebago ERA, which is based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, has no slides, and didn't have anything "cut out" by Winnebago in building it, would be a better-quality coach than, for example, my own (which is also based on the same chassis, but with a standard fiberglass body, a slide, etc.) I wonder...
I also agree here on this.
Described as a class "B", the shell/house structure is an unmodified Sprinter van, 100% made by Dodge using precision robotics. It is tested and retested for structural integrity by Dodge long before any were sold. The conventional Dodge roof was either cut off by the RV company, an extended roof installed by Dodge at their production facility, or came from Dodge without a roof ready for the RV company to install their own.
The draw-back with a class "B" is that they are much smaller, have no floor space and have very ingenious ways to conserve space. Such ways can come in the form of very tiny sinks, stoves, fridges etc. Some flip up and down....you get the idea. You sleep on a conversion bed too. Holding tanks are a lot smaller too. But "B"s are extremely friendly in getting around in.
Everything has it's trade-offs.
FWIW, we ordered our B+ without a slide for numerous reasons, one being structural integrity.
My coach is a 26' class A that was in the last fifty built by GMC in 1978! The complete power train can be replaced for less than $10k. We take it from the east coast to Arizona in the fall and back in the spring each year. Of the total # built from '73-'78 (13,000+) More than 9,000+ are still registered! They are hard to find on the used market because most of us won't let go. But, no slides, W/D etc...
When one can locate one the price can be nominal or go to $200,000+. These GMC's ARE quality RV's. I know of one that has over 600k miles on it and sold for over $26k on Ebay. It was a steal, at that price, It was like new. Had I known it was for sale I would have gladly offered $40-50k for it. It was that nice.
What about a bus conversion? Up to 45ft long, the drive trains are usually designed with a million miles in mind, are usually a monocoque structure, and a bus conversion company can give you whatever interior layout you want. A nicely overhauled and converted Ex charter bus (like a Silver Eagle or MCI) will cost a fraction of what a new high end coach would cost. Biggest downside is most don't have slides (lots of engineering involved in putting a big hole in a monocoque structure)
One of these years when I get closer to full timing, this is what I would want. They seem to be the ultimate in reliability and durability.
2007 Expedition EL 4x4 Tow pkg
2006 Pioneer 180CK (No more PUcampin!)
Nights in 08: 6
Nights in 09: 15 Thats all for the year
Me DW and the 3 in 3
DD 6/14/06, DS 11/27/07, DD 11/11/08
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