AVIDA Esperance best selling Motorhome in Australia

RobertRyan wrote:
As far as E350 bases and ex US E350 Motorhomes go, they have been an abysmal failure here,although relatively cheap .Poor handling, fragile build quality limited towing with 305hp tune, seemingly limited payload capacity, horrendous fuel consumption if using V10, need to convert to LPG with bigger fuel tanks..

Robert ... your comments above and many of your others regarding the Ford E Series van chassis do not apply across the pond from you ... and you know it. As you are well aware, thousands upon thousands of U.S. travelers have been enjoying a Ford chassis under their caravans for decades. Tens of thousands of businesses and emergency services here have also used the E Series vans for decades. Also as you are well aware, the E150/E250/E350/E450/E550 Fords are an American classic. It seems like Ford is merely aiming for higher fuel economy (including a push for diesel and hybridization), moving of the engine a bit for more legroom, adding of electronics, and a less commercial look in their upcoming replacement of their E Series. I don't know about your market, but what is needed here is continuance of the availability of a motorhome capable cutaway chassis choice of 14,500 lbs - or even higher - of total weight carrying capacity for the longer Class C motorhomes that are popular here. That may not be needed, or wanted, nearly as much in your market as here.

RobertRyan wrote:
Quote:

12 volt roof fan in bathroom
Hanging rail in shower
Large bathroom sliding door (B & C7923SL only)
Mirror with lights over vanity
Porcelain bowl toilet
Separate shower
Separate vanity basin
Shower screen
Skylight in bathroom
Toilet roll holder
Toothbrush holder
Towel rail

To continue with this back and forth (that I hope is doing some future owners some good):

Many, if not most, U.S. sourced Winnebago, Fleetwood, Forest River, PC Cruiser, Lazy Daze, Coash House, Tiger, etc. Class C motorhomes come with everything on the above list ... nothing new there. Our Itasca came stock with everything on the above list except for a porcelain toilet bowl (which we did not want due to it's weight being concentrated on a small area of the flooring) or a toothbrush holder (we use electric tootbrushes which wouldn't have fit in that holder, anyway) - plus our rig came with a lot more features and conveniences that you should already be well aware of due to my listing of them elsewhere in these forums. Whenever I list them it's not to "brag" or "snark" ... it's to help future shoppers with what to look for ... instead of lucking out after the purchase like we did. We were not aware of some of what be got until after the purchase, as we did not have these forums to help us back then.

The one characteristic we WERE SURE we wanted when we shopped was a slightly overkill chassis under the motorhome for the additional chassis systems ruggedness that naturally comes with the broader design margins. The biggest feature we got with our U.S. sourced new motorhome purchase was choice of a 12,000 lb. chassis or a 14,050 chassis under it, thanks to Ford (and now ... Chevy). We went with the E450 because we wanted "no weight restrictions" just in case we 1) wanted to add increased water capacity for general drycamping, and 2) for carrying of equipment and rocks when wilderness rockhounding.

Here's an intentional snark on my part: "About $135K USD .... you have to be kidding." :E