24 foot Class B Questions

[GizmosMom]

Our old 2000 van has cost us plenty this year. We take good care of it and are up with the maintenance but things happen.

This year alone we have replaced all six tires, new rear brakes, new motor for passenger side window and new computer.

We headed out on a nice Friday in July and our destination was the Grand Mesa in Colorado. We got as far as Sweetwater, Texas, where we stopped for lunch. The van would not start. After some "wraggling" with Good Sam Roadside Assistance we found a place that would at least look at it and it was towed to a Dodge Dealer in Abilene. The rebuilt ECM that was replaced in May failed...so a new one was ordered and our trip was history.

Now we have a gray water water leak and we are replacing the Dometic refrigerator that died in October.

We looked at new vans (yikes $$$$$$) and saw some real "Purdy" ones but decided to wait.

Now for my question: We looked at some ERA's and an airstream and they were 24 feet long. Do any of you use these as a daily driver? And where do you hang your clothes? We saw some very small closets. Do you hang your clothes in the shower stall?

We will keep on camping with our beloved old van but will continue to look for a gently used van that fits our needs.

Does anyone else have an older van that they keep pouring money into?

Thanks!

[georgelesley]

Davydd wrote:
I think if we ever get another B that I am going to have to design my own bed. No one has one that I 100% like.

Dave, Talk to Mike at advanced-RV. He will custom just about anything you want if is possible.

[Davydd]

I think if we ever get another B that I am going to have to design my own bed. No one has one that I 100% like.

[mlts22]

I like the drop-down bed in the Diversion, just due to the dual-use, and the fact that it means not having to take a bed up and down. Just get out of bed, slide it up and out of the way, drop in the table, and go from there. I'm sure it also gives more room in the front of the van for a bigger bathroom.

[lfloom]

Nifty, Robert Ryan. I always enjoy your pics. Actually, the class Bs are pretty similar to their American cousins, but the bed that can raise is pretty nifty. Is that just for transport, or you can you sleep on it that way?

[RobertRyan]

jjrai wrote:
There are plenty of chubby Euros. But, they do make nice, small Units. I wonder iff it is because there is more focus on efficiency because they pay so much more in taxes than we do over here 😉

No more a cultural thing. You can have something that is so so, and quite efficient, but a stylish unit that does the same has a much better chance of being sold.
That being said the above units are from Australia not Europe.

[jjrai]

There are plenty of chubby Euros. But, they do make nice, small Units. I wonder iff it is because there is more focus on efficiency because they pay so much more in taxes than we do over here 😉

[RobertRyan]

[RobertRyan]

Dayvvd wrote:
RobertRyan, Nice but not considered a B. Show us something inside a van body. That's the challenge

Some ideas

[Davydd]

markopolo wrote:


I'd prefer having the cargo space for gear and bikes inside the 24' length rather than hanging off the rear like I have to do now.

Advanced RV has probably put more thought in that solution than any other B converters. The owner of the company is an avid bicyclist.

[markopolo]

mlts22 wrote:
.............. a 20 gallon tank can last a long time, while a cassette might last a day or two at most......

It's more typical to find 8, 10, or 12 gallon black tanks in Class B's so a cassette type toilet or even a porta-potti might not be much of a compromise at all.

My van, with a cargo box on the hitch, is probably close to 22' feet now and I find that I overhang just about all parking lot spaces because of the cargo box. An extra 2 feet in addition to the 22' length (like when I add bikes in addition to the cargo box) really doesn't affect my choices of parking spaces much.

I'd prefer having the cargo space for gear and bikes inside the 24' length rather than hanging off the rear like I have to do now.

[Davydd]

RobertRyan, Nice but not considered a B. Show us something inside a van body. That's the challenge.

[RobertRyan]

mlts22 wrote:
It would be like auto makers assuming that a Cadillac is the only vehicle that people want, ignoring the Chevies, Toyotas, and other mainstays which also have a profit, although by a higher volume.

Although this maker produces are much better built product than the Class B's and C's I have seen in the US.

[mlts22]

Quit teasing us poor Americans with pictures of real campervans and coach builts. 😉


I just can't figure out why all the "B" makers here in the US just want to fight for the top end.

It would be like auto makers assuming that a Cadillac is the only vehicle that people want, ignoring the Chevies, Toyotas, and other mainstays which also have a profit, although by a higher volume.

[RobertRyan]

Some suggestions

[mlts22]

I wish US makers could so something like the above. There are also European cassette toilets which swivel, so one can shove the bowl out of the way when showering.

I'm curious why US tank toilets are not more common, however if I were to guess, it probably would be that grey water is easy to deal with, while done right, hauling a cassette might be better for CG owners, as it means a lot less water into the sewage treatment system.

The downside of cassettes is that for one person, a 20 gallon tank can last a long time, while a cassette might last a day or two at most. However, one can always buy multiples of them, and put them in a hitch mounted cargo rack until one does find a place to dump them.