B+ motorhomes

[Daniel_C_]

I just bought a Trail Lite B+ 211s with 8.1 Chevy
engine. This is my fifth motorhome (others range
from an old 20' Vagabond, and three Winnegagos, from 19 to 32'. This vehicle is fantastic. I am
using it as a mobile office (and sneaking in a fun
journey from time to time). It gets about 9.5mpg
and I believe I could pull a bus behind it if I wanted! I paid low $40's which is about what I had expected to pay for a five or six year old Chinook with a nicer interior, but fewer features
(slide). I am delighted thus far.

[cheeze1]

Wantabe: to make a long story short, when we moved to our present house, I thought I would be parking my B+ here. However, there was a 'neighbor issue' which Gene will remember, and the reality that, as nice looking as my rig is, it still took away from the enjoyment of my park like backyard. So, we embarked on replacing it with a B Sprinter, which would have been my daily driver. Gene convinced me that the price differential between what I might get for the B+ and what I would pay for the Sprinter (Airstream Parkway) could pay for many years of storage at a facility. He was right, and our beloved B+ is in a dealer storage lot about 25 min away.
Since we experienced living in a B+, we did find lots of compromises with a B, but we were willing to give up a few things. We thought we would be able to deal with a ROOMY wet bath, and flexible but roomy sleeping arangements.
All that being said, and I don't want to alienate anyone, but we found the Gulfstream Sprinter to be the least attractive of all available. Amazingly, the Forest River version was the nicest, but quality was not great and they discontinued the model.
Leisure makes a wonderful product and as you can see, the warranty is top notch. The Serenity certainly makes good use of the available space, but I'm sure the 22 mpg is out the window, and it is pricey.
As for daily driving, for ME a 'classic' B like the basic RT would be the only one I could use. I think a Sprinter is a bit too large. HOWEVER, there are people who drive their B+ and C's everyday. I corresponded with a woman who drove her C to work. I love driving mine, and tho I think I could use it everyday, the fuel mileage would eventually take it's toll.
I must also add, that parking in a downtown area will be a challenge. However, (I have lots of howevers :R ) when we were in Maryland's Eastern shore DURING Xmas, and they had their biggest snowstorm in MANY years, I fit the B+ on the street in a 'long' spot so we could visit the antique stores. No overhang into the street either, so I didn't worry about being clipped. (and the B+ is pretty good in the snow)(btw, anyone want to hear about frozen dump valves?? 😉 )

[happyjack2]

cheeze-- The swivel pedestals, if locked forward when driven, would be safe. A dealer would never modify the seat because of liability but the description read like a bolt in operation to me. The passenger side air bag has an off switch also, I would only do that side.
B+ wantabe-- congrats for slugging your way thru the whole B+ thread. Lots of info, lots of not so info. I read it so much a night. The sheer size of the thread is the reason we needed a B+ sub forum.

[B_rvwantabe]

The site was really informative to me. Prices were less than other places. If we could find a dry bath and swivel seats we would be okay with a Queen or King bed. They are just so hard to make up and I am like the "Princess and the Pea." Very fussy about my bed.

[B_rvwantabe]

Thank you Burlmart. I just took another look at the LTV site. It does look like a wet bath for the Spirit. Looks like a dry bath for the Serenity. I will take a look at the Sprinter you mentioned.

[burlmart]

I do not mean to steer interest away from a B+, but here is a link to a B dealer in MO where there is a NEW Gulf Stream Sprinter for $67k - looks like twins, but don;t know about that or wet bath.

http://www.vancityrv.com/inventory_new.html

Most B+ rigs are duallys, as are most Class Cs.

[B_rvwantabe]

Burlmart - I would buy a Spirit in a minute if I could. Looking at it on the web has spoiled me for the others. It is everything I like and want. Maybe I will see a used one with low mileage at a good price. Yea, right! Cheeze1 - I agree about the dry bathroom. We have a hybrid trailer with a wet bath and years ago (30) we had a MH with one and never again! Happyjack2 - I have viewed the spec sheets and am awaiting the info. I wish I could physically see one. Gene in NE - I did say drive like a van, but I remember now you all saying it was like a dually truck etc. Do all of the B's have dual wheels? I want to try and convince my husband by saying we can get rid of one car and use the MH as a car. Can one really drive it downtown and park? Thanks all!

[cheeze1]

Not to throw a damper on the swivel seat topic, and I do think it's a great idea, but are there any regulations prohibiting that kind of application?
I also need to weigh in on the Rialta. It has a slide out, temporary bathroom, and I question the robustness of the VW van drivetrain dealing with that weight.
Wantabe: the LTV Serenity is a nice floorplan but I agree about the price. One other thing, think REAL carefully about whether you want to do without a dry bath. For us, especially after having one, it would be non-negotiable.

[happyjack2]

shelby--If you do a search for swivel seats you will probably find that discussion in B+ or C. I'm sure I read it here and then did a couple of net searches and found them for less than $200 under Express vans parts. I had swivel seats in my 1977 Santana B van and always turned them around for more room. It is on my list of mods along with Dually wheel covers, Scan gauge, back up camera, TOAD, out side shower and grill, etc. (So many projects, so little time)

[burlmart]

B+rvwannabe, since I couldn't sell you a new $100k class B, how about a used Rialta (class A or C, depending on who is arguing, but for all intents and purposes, the quintessential B+). They cost $55k when new about 2 years back when still available, and one floorplan had rear twins. It is a sleek design based on a VW front end. It has front swivels and even a dry bath (there was a pull out door to create the room, and a removable floor panel that creates a shower water catch.

It is the separate room twins that keep me from matching you to a B+, where twins are in the center of things. If course, Born Free President on a Super C has a twin bed option, but it is longer and more money than you want.

[shelby2005]

Bill & Maggie, I hope you are right about swivel seat pedestal. We have a 29 ft Trail-Lite, and our dealer told us he called the factory , and was told they have no such thing We took out the extra chair for more space so being able to swivel the passenger seat would be just great. As for the 290 , it drives beautifully although not like a car, more like a bigger truck. My husband is usually the passenger and I do all the driving.

[happyjack2]

B+ Wantabe-- When we visited the R-Vision factory they drove three of us around in a 235S which had all the features you describe; dry bath, twin beds. I wasn't driving but at 22'7" it 3" shorter than the current version of our 211, the Town & Country 210, so it probably would handle the same. Having driven big pick ups, cargo vans and some box trucks I have had no trouble driving our 211, in fact I would rather drive the B+ on trips than my SUV or Kia compact and have logged 4600 miles since May. I have looked into swivel seats as a mod. You can buy aftermarket seat pedestals that swivel, they are not made that way from the factory because of airbags. Also they seemed to have got the leaking slides under control. Have you viewed the spec sheets at www.trail-lite.com ?

[B_rvwantabe]

Burlmart: I looked up the LTV Free Spirit. It would be just the thing. It looked like the 2007 ones had a dry bath. However, they are well over $100,000. Perfect, though too expensive.

[cheeze1]

I was looking at those GMC motorhomes just for fun also. I read that the black water tank would 'dribble' onto the exhaust pipe to get rid of the contents of the tank.
Wannabee, I have a 213, chevy, 22'8" long. Easy to drive, not as nimble as a van, but with the duallies, takes the curves pretty well considering. Has a dinette one side, sofa the other. Plenty for us and our 2 small dogs.

[Gene_in_NE]

B+rvwantabe wrote:
I don't know if the B+ crowd is going to come back here.. I have learned a lot, however I still don't know if the 25 foot Trail-Lites can be driven like a car...

I suspect all of the posters to this topic check periodically to see if anything new has been submitted or asked. As to the 25' and longer driving like a car - more like a 1 ton dually long box pickup with crew cab. I will attempt sending you a PM on the 7 owners that I recorded having a longer Trail Lite unit.

[burlmart]

Oddly enough, I am thinking of the LTV Free Spirit Sprinter B van as an exact match to your floorplan needs, except for bath.