How to shop for Class B

Read the FAQ's on the opening page of the B forum. Several times is better.

Be prepared to travel to look, and be prepared to be disappointed.

Go ahead and buy a tire pressure gauge that goes to 120 PSI (you'll only need 80, but inaccuracy is most likely at extremes of the scale).

Tell us if you're looking used or new; big difference in hunting techniques.

Whichever, lose the salesdroid or owner; get into the van with your SO and close the doors. Simulate various activities: take a drink out of the reefer; shower; take a leak; do a technicolor yawn (barf) kneeling at the toilet; move from front to back; sit in the front seats for a while as if driving; turn the front seats to face the rear; lounge & watch TV. Start the generator; live with it running for at least 15 minutes. Start the furnace. Listen to both.


Jim, "Mo' coffee!"

Do your best to look past the glitz and cast a cold eye on build quality. Look behind panels; check fit and finish in the places that are hard to see; see what the hidden electrical and plumbing looks like. These are the things that will best predict your long-term happiness, not the pretty LED lights and fancy microwave.

The best way to shop for a Class B or any RV is to go to an RV Show where there will be multiple manufacturers of what you are interested in represented. You will then see all of the makes and most of the models that you can walk around in and see how comfortable you are.

If you are thinking about buying a van and going to a custom shop to have them turn it into an RV you will be paying a lot more than having a Class B manufacturer do the work and you choose the options. Roadtrek lately has said that they will customize - depending on to what extent one wants the interior to be customized. Sportsmobile as mentioned does custom interiors.

Go out and see what there is - you may find out immediately that you don't like traveling in something this small or you will like what you see. Then, too, if you want to buy pre-owned instead of new you will know what to search for.

As to prices on new Class Bs - expect to go into shock. You can get a small A or a good sized C for less than some Bs. Making it smaller costs more.

I see that you currently have a travel trailer so you probably have a grasp of the systems so you can figure out what works and doesn't .You probably need to get to trail heads down dirt roads. A Sportsmobile is probably what you need. Sportsmobileforum.com is a good place to ask questions. The forum also has a DIY section. Sportsmobile.com has a pre-owned section or of course you can have them build you one.Colorado camper vans is also a good poptop builder.