New Winnebago on Ford Tansit

mlts22 wrote:
IThe Econoline's as a platform, its days are numbered, and the Transit is going to replace it sooner or later.

E-series isn't going anywhere, and continues to get updates like the year's 6-speed auto. Transit simply can't compete in the higher weight class.

I wonder if part of it is due to the fact that the View/Navion has gone from a midrange model to a premium model with a price tag to boot.

How the Fuse compares to the Trend? I think both address different markets. The Trend is more Euro-style, having drop-down beds and other nifty features. The Fuse is more of a conventional style with slide-outs, more competing against the smaller Ford E-350 rigs than the Sprinters.

It is a wise move on Winnebago's part. The Econoline's as a platform, its days are numbered, and the Transit is going to replace it sooner or later.

I learned with our 2007 E350 Phoenix Cruiser, it is very easy to increase our original unloaded vehicle weight by adding heavy duty stabilizer bars, 6V batteries, TVs, pressure tank, quality faucets and other interior upgrades. Then add all the trip-related weight this past trip carrying a surplus of bottled water and other supplies, and we ended up right at the limit of 11,500 pounds. That is 2250 pounds more than the original unloaded vehicle weight.

JT wrote:
Which is the same gross weight as the original View/Navions and they pulled it off.
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Really? Any real life, "loaded for the road", documented weight figures to back up this statement?

Gross weight was 10,200 on the 5 cylinder View/Navions and they sold plenty of them. There are lots of them still on the road, so it apparently worked.

I only know the OCCC numbers for my 2011 (higher gross weight but also higher unladen weight) which is about 1500 lbs. I can easily live within that number. The 5 cylinder Sprinter RVs were around before OCCC was standardized and I don't know how Winnebago calculated their numbers back then but I think they used the RVIA method of the day. Ask an owner of a 5 cylinder Sprinter RV.

Which is the same gross weight as the original View/Navions and they pulled it off.
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Really? Any real life, "loaded for the road", documented weight figures to back up this statement?

carringb wrote:
Keep in mind the Transit Cutaway is NOT available with the EcoBoost. The gas model will be the natural-aspirated 3.7L. Which has plenty of horsies, but won't have the down-low, never-need-to-downshift torque of the EcoBoost or Diesel. Which probably was the right decision. Full-profile motorhomes would take a lot more power all the time, putting the motor in boost more often than not. Once you apply a full-time big-block load, it gets full-time block gas mileage.

Both Thor and Winnie are offering theirs with the diesel and a 6 speed transmission.

ron.dittmer wrote:
As a few of you might recall, I am not a lover of slide outs. But that rear slide making a walk-around queen bed is quite nice, as long as the bed remains a bed when pulled in. I would want a real bed, not a couch bed back there. I might be persuaded to consider that. But the added weight is always concerning on the lighter rated chassis like the Transit, Sprinter, and E350. A short 24 footer with that rear slide out would put me at ease if it were built on the E450 chassis. Nothing less.

Another up side of that slide is it doesn't stick into the street if you are curb camping (like I do). Down side is it sticks into your campsite.

Looking forward to seeing some real numbers on this...like OCCC.

JT wrote:
It would be very interesting to *weigh* this thing as it comes off the line. The maximum GVWR of the 350HD DRW is only 10.360 lbs. Depending on how Winnebago jiggers the numbers, I suspect that the "Fuse" would be overweight before adding a can of beans.

Which is the same gross weight as the original View/Navions and they pulled it off.

Keep in mind the Transit Cutaway is NOT available with the EcoBoost. The gas model will be the natural-aspirated 3.7L. Which has plenty of horsies, but won't have the down-low, never-need-to-downshift torque of the EcoBoost or Diesel. Which probably was the right decision. Full-profile motorhomes would take a lot more power all the time, putting the motor in boost more often than not. Once you apply a full-time big-block load, it gets full-time block gas mileage.

mrshowtime3 wrote:
Yes finally. Cant wait to see the twin bed layout. So far for the floor plan we like at the length we want, only Coach House, LT and Phoenix make one like it. Two of those 3 being way too expensive. This could be just what we want. 26' or less twin bed setup with a front couch or dinette on a Transit gas Ecoboost. Would prefer no slideout though.

Am I wrong that the Promaster carries less weight then these Transits? I know on a few of the Promaster B+ models like the REV, once you get water and two people one board you are about over capacity. I figured the Transit would not present these same problems.

The Promaster here has about 2000 pounds less GVWR than Transit or Sprinter. The Ducato from which is derived is in Europe one truck class smaller than the DRW versions of Transit or Sprinter. Ducato market is shared directly with a Renault van and VW Transporter.

Daimler and Ford have tried to cover that under 3500 Kg class by using down rated versions of a larger van. M-B has just recently introduced an up-sized minivan to approach it from the other direction. VW manufactures both classes, Transporter to compete with Ducato and Renault Master, and a Sprinter-based Crafter to compete with Transit and Sprinter in the next size up.

That particular vehicle class, light-duty commercial under 3500 KG, under 7 meters length, does not exist in our commercial vehicle licensing systems. Class 1 (we used to call it 1/2 ton) stops at 6000 pounds, and only a few compact trucks now fit. Our current "1/2 ton" trucks now have higher capacities, which is why model numbers got changed from 10, 100, or 1000 to 150 and 1500. Halfway into Class 2.

Class 2, the next one up, now goes to 10,000 pounds, all our 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks fit here. The biggest RAM Promaster is targeted to this, FCA upgraded its capabilities to just reach to top of the category.