Hello. I am thinking about buying a class B. I am leaning toward the Roadtrek 190P but the wife is leaning toward the 210P. Does one drive better than the other? We briefly had a 33' class A and it was stressful in so many ways. Having to pull a toad drove the nail in the coffin. Is it realistic to expect the Roadtrek to just be a good touring vehicle? Does it ride about like a good sized SUV? Quieter? How bad are wind cross-currents? We probably won't do a lot of camping but I'd like that option. I have been recently diagnosed with celiac disease and would like to be able to conveniently carry along food (gluten-free). We also have pets that have to accompany us. I'm thinking the pet(s) could possibly stay in the Roadtrek should we stay in a motel. When visiting some relatives we could sleep in the Roadtrek. What do you think? Am I being realistic? Thanks.

We have a Pleasure-way Plateau TS(21ft 11ins).New ones are 22ft 9ins,still fine for parking and the Sprinters have a tight turning circle. No significant problems with crosswinds in Sprinter but the Ford/GM based units handle diffently so I am not qualified to comment on them.My C Class Trail-lite with Ford E350 chassis wandered around especially in the wind. Most people on this Net prefer NOT to stay in a motel because of terrible experiences with unhygenic motels with bugs and other problems,often located near noisy freeway interchanges or next door to a train track, happily frequented by freight trains. We would never leave our pooch alone overnight in a parking lot. An RV breakin would be bad enough,and it can happen in un-supervised parking lots,but to have our pooch stolen,hurt or lonely all night would be too much for we pet lovers. We prefer commercial RV Parks where there is a higher probability of security to other locations. But many boondsock WITH their pooches.2. If you are only going to use the RV occasionally it seems rather expensive and a SUV might be another option. The ROadtrek models ard/features will possibly determine what model you buy ie do you want a self-contained shower/toilet--do you even need that?Or, is a hallway shower ok? There is a wealth of info on this RV.NET B Class blog from all of us who try to help each other and that includes you. We use our PW almost as a second vehicle for day trips in summer and our pooch,Holly,a Coton de Tulear(Princess of Madagascar) approves wholeheartedly. Pets ARE more comfortable in an RV usually because of the greater air mass and fans which can be set to run thermostatically. In sum, getting an RV for the odd trip is,in my view,not at all practical. Finally, you will want to remember that some B Sprinters including Roadtreks,have dualies and that introduces it's own considerations due to the checking of dual tires and extra length and weight of the unit. Your choice in all this.Hope I have been helpful.AL

Yippie. My wife tells me I had gotten the wrong impression. She does not intend to want to stay in motels but would prefer to stay in the RV. That is definitely my preference. She just doesn't want to boondock . If I ever take it out on my own I will definitely rough it more.

You will be crowded in the 190P with pooches, unless they are small. Less so in the 210. You can't beat the Chevy van chassis for driving dynamics in that sized van. The Ford way less so.You might also consider the Pleasureway Chevy class B's also. They feel less crowded inside in their 190P clone the Lexor. The Pleasureway wide body RT 210 competitor is called the Excel, and it's on the Ford chassis.We had a 2007 Pleasureway Lexor, went to a small class C for 3 years, now we're going back next week to a Sprinter large size class B, the Winnebago ERA. It's 24' long, about 1' shorter than our small C was.I suggest you guys look at the various Sprinter vans available from all the class B makers. You guys may be happier in the long run with that size.

I agree with "Fastpaddler". Most B's are not cheap, and for occasional camping would be quite expensive. Hard to justify. We use ours so we don't have to use hotels, motels etc. and we use our own food for health reasons and cost. Our older 190P does wander a little in the cross winds, but it has a longer overhang than the newer ones on the Chevy chassis, and they handle better. They still can be a rougher ride when loaded than an SUV.We travel 5 to 7 months each year and could not afford to do so without an RV.Good luck in your search and this is the place to get your questions answered.AL

I have to agree with bobojay5 on the Chevy ride. It is as smooth as or smoother than an SUV, because of its longer wheelbase. If you pack stuff so that it doesn't rattle, the Chev is probably as quiet. Not many SUVs have a GVWR of 9600 lbs or 6.0 litre engines. Since 1996, we travel four to five months every summer and put on 10,000 to 15,000 miles, over the mountains, through narrow passes, down the valleys and across the plains, through the desert and sometimes the floods, but try and keep away from the snow. Chev does pick up cross wind currents, all high top vehicles do to some extent, but not anything serious.Our bed is more comfortable than some of our relatives and friends guest beds. Never sleep in hotels, motels or the like, often sleep at Walmart, Casinos and occasional truck stop as well as National, State and Municipal parks. I cannot speak for the Sprinter versions, because I haven't slept in them.I have been "gluten intolerant" for 55 years. We seldom eat out on the road, but I have a "mean" BBQ and DW is a microwave wizard. No pets.

Thinking about buying a B | Good Sam Community

newBera
Explorer
Mar 30, 2013
Yippie. My wife tells me I had gotten the wrong impression. She does not intend to want to stay in motels but would prefer to stay in the RV. That is definitely my preference. She just doesn't want to boondock . If I ever take it out on my own I will definitely rough it more.
Fastpaddler
Explorer
Mar 30, 2013
We have a Pleasure-way Plateau TS(21ft 11ins).New ones are 22ft 9ins,still fine for parking and the Sprinters have a tight turning circle. No significant problems with crosswinds in Sprinter but the Ford/GM based units handle diffently so I am not qualified to comment on them.My C Class Trail-lite with Ford E350 chassis wandered around especially in the wind. Most people on this Net prefer NOT to stay in a motel because of terrible experiences with unhygenic motels with bugs and other problems,often located near noisy freeway interchanges or next door to a train track, happily frequented by freight trains. We would never leave our pooch alone overnight in a parking lot. An RV breakin would be bad enough,and it can happen in un-supervised parking lots,but to have our pooch stolen,hurt or lonely all night would be too much for we pet lovers. We prefer commercial RV Parks where there is a higher probability of security to other locations. But many boondsock WITH their pooches.
2. If you are only going to use the RV occasionally it seems rather expensive and a SUV might be another option. The ROadtrek models ard/features will possibly determine what model you buy ie do you want a self-contained shower/toilet--do you even need that?Or, is a hallway shower ok? There is a wealth of info on this RV.NET B Class blog from all of us who try to help each other and that includes you. We use our PW almost as a second vehicle for day trips in summer and our pooch,Holly,a Coton de Tulear(Princess of Madagascar) approves wholeheartedly. Pets ARE more comfortable in an RV usually because of the greater air mass and fans which can be set to run thermostatically. In sum, getting an RV for the odd trip is,in my view,not at all practical. Finally, you will want to remember that some B Sprinters including Roadtreks,have dualies and that introduces it's own considerations due to the checking of dual tires and extra length and weight of the unit. Your choice in all this.Hope I have been helpful.
AL

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