We just got out B+ back yesterday from the rv dealer, sat there for two wks. and hadn't even been looked at until we called the owner of the dealership and told him what was going on. Very
poor service. Anyway, an oxygen sensor was replaced (check engine light) and they also replaced the fuel filter, but not sure why. Poor reception in the radio, but nothing was done about that. A few other minor problems were taken
care of. We also had a problem with the drawers bouncing around some. One with the silverware actually flew off the track. The fresh water tank was also dripping from the drain tube, bad shutoff valve. We'll be taking our next trip the middle of May and will check for any more problems then. You're right about the beds, not quite enough room, but we can live with it.
Wade:
Are you actually in the market? I am finding problems that seem to mirror Br's to some extent. What I am experiencing is primarily a combination of a few engineering errors, and some quality control problems. I feel like a test pilot in the "lead the force" program (an old Air Force program where they would identify a number of new aircraft and fly the crap out of them to see what problems they would have after accumulating a bunch of hours). The problems I am having are mostly annoying, because I don't want to be without my unit while they get fixed (I am spoiled). They are going to need to add some support for the microwave, and the drawers. "Why is it that there is never enough time to do it right, but there is always enough time to do it over"! The Trail Lite B+ series is in its second year, and the slide is new this year. Overall, I am pretty happy, and the more I drive it, the more confident I am with the overall power, handling, and versitility. I plan to drive about 20,000 miles the first year, and 15,000 or so the second and beyond. I am going to look at how well it is holding up at about 34,000 miles and decide if the quality is sufficient to last 100K+ miles. If not, I will sell before it is out of warranty; if yes, I start saving for the inevitable repairs (that I can't do). As I had said before, if I were going to primarily use it for personal use, and the extra couple of feet are not a driveability issue, I might be tempted to look more at the BT Cruiser. They are "prettier". I just don't know how they would feel in the kind of driving I do. I saw one at Camping World in New Braunfels, and was impressed with how nice it is for a few thousand more (about 3-5K), but there is not as close a comparison as the Chinook, due to the different layout. I am frankly not sure if the light weight was a big engineering priority, but I might have added a couple of hundred pounds of gelcoat, better hardware, and deeper carpet, and charged another $2000. I would have still bought it!
Dan
2002 Trail Lite 211S; 8.1 Liter Chevy,
2007 Tundra Double Cab 4X4 - Hot Rod,
2005 30RLS Outback Sydney Edition,
2007 Jeep Compass
Hey Daniel,
Nope, just a fan for a few years before I buy. The hightop Class B era looks about over. I expect quite a few more B+ models soon. I just can't get enthusiastic about them until I seen a floorplan I like. Idealy for me it(non hightop) would have a rear living/sleeping area. But that's a personal preference.
All in all, as long as Sportsmobile will let me design my floorplan I'll buy from them. With good planning the size difference will be minimal.
Wade
Wade:
I seriously doubt that you will ever see a couch in the back, due to the overhang. I suspect that seating will usually stay in the front, near the center of gravity for passenger comfort. Now, a permanent bed is another matter. Br's 25' B+ has a bed in the back now. I believe his wheelbase is longer than mine (mine is 139"). I can turn it almost as sharply as my PT Cruiser! Anyway, I would anticipate that R Vision will start adding a slide in that model soon, and it will still be lighter than most of the other brands. If you are still a few years out from a decision, I can imagine there will be some neat additions by then! I suspect that there are some really good RV's available in Europe, since they have had to think smaller from the beginning.
AJVR -- your post of March 11 indicated you bought a BT Cruiser with slide. How's it working out? We've got that one, the Phoenix Cruiser 21' and the Trail Lite 211S in our sights.
You're right about no couch in the back but the real question is: is a 25' motorhome a B+? Nope, it's a C, albeit with a sharper design than your average Class C. If you're going that long take a look at Phoenix USA's 2550 model, possibly the sharpest "B+" out there, although it's a C. Don't understand why they went with a rubber roof though.
Wade
Wade:
I guess you are right about the size. I am struck by my ability to park in a standard sized parking space. Usually, I look for one where I can pull up into an adjacent space, or back into an end space. I took my wife, son, daugher in law, and grandsons (2) to the night fiesta parade in San Antonio last night. I parked two blocks from the seats I had purchased, and the only delay working my way out was waiting for the car in front to leave. There were 500,000 people there and I never felt "too big". I also agree with the rubber roof. WHAT IS THE DEAL with rubber roofs. It's like fixing a problem that didn't exist. My 15 year old Winnegago had a sheet of aluminum on the roof with the same sealing on the edges as my current roof. It did require resealing every few years, but remained secure from the time I bought it for fifteen years. I cringe every time I pass under any leaves making contact wiht the roof, let alone branches wiht my RUBBER ROOF!
UPDATE:
I now have 8300 miles (actually 6900 that I drove). Second oil change. Still using about one quart per 2000 miles. I am spending $32 for an oil change and lube. If I did the work myself, it would cost me $15-20 in parts/oil. A good deal. On the other hand the Onan costs $50-60 to change about 11/2 quarts of oil and no filter (I guess there is no oil pump on the 3600rpm models - uses splash method of lubricating the bearings(?). That doesn't inspire confidence, but Onan warranties the unit for two years, so I don't care. I changed that myself. I "tried" to keep speed under 65 on highway in my commute last week and got 11mpg. I am going to drive 300 miles non-stop this week, and will force myself to cruise at 65. We'll see if those claims of 12 are realistic.
*This Message was edited on 05-May-02 10:40 PM by Daniel C.*
Update:
Well, I thought that I was going to get such great gas mileage on a "real trip". I drove from New Braunfels, tx to Harlingen, then to South Padre Island, then back over three days. I purposefully limited speed to 65mph on the way there, but had a 20-30 constant head wind, and got just under 10 on the way there. I basically said to hell with the speed and returned at about 70 with a similar tail wind and got about 10.5 on the return. Handling was easy throughout (especially during the return). Once in Harlingen, I set up the slide and put an "isoform pad" that I ordered from a hospital supply company on the net (twin size) on the couch and made up a regular bed for my wife. I slept on the dinette with a sleeping bag, so I could get up and have a place to sit early in the morning with minimum hassle. The bed (couch) was incredibly comfortable. I really need to get another pad for the dinette. they can be stored under the couch during travel, and in the front seats when the slide is extended. I had enough room for an extra large kennel (wire folding) for our male Boxer in front of the couch, backed into the cab area with the seats forward. I put the other large plastic cage on the other side of the couch (for our female Boxer). That was just too restricting for access to cabinets, so I will make different arrangements next trip (probably put a folding gate on the other side to keep the female from "visiting" during the night. There are plenty of places to keep bedding, dog cages, computers, and other gear, and really a minimum of noise. The drawers on the bottom need strengthening, and the microwave isn't supported sufficiently in the back.
Once back this evening, we cleaned out the vehicle, and I prepared it for "work" tomorrow.
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