Leisure Travel Vans, need second opinion before purchase.

[lloyd528]

My wife and I are near retirement and intend to travel in a class B. I've scoured all the class B motorhome websites and Leisure Travel has the most thorough site, with many informative videos, photos, etc. After looking at the Free Spirit SS and Unity models, with slide outs, I found my local dealer and took a tour of the Unity. I was blown away by the craftsmanship and interior and exterior design of this vehicle. I got in and out of the best Roadtreks they had and no comparison. I checked out Winnebago's best motorhome of similar size as well as the Airstream's best, but not impressed compared to the LTV offerings. Unfortunately there are no RV shows around at this time of year to get in and out of other brands such as Pleasure Way, CoachHouse, etc. Am I on to something here, that Leisure Travel Vans are a cut above the rest or am I missing something? Who has cabinetry like them? I just didn't see it in the other motorhomes, in the 22-24 size, on a Mercedes chassis.

Any suggestions, or things I should consider before buying a Free Spirit SS or the Unity, both with slide outs. Have I overlooked a coach that is top of the line?

[Davydd]

rvit wrote:
Just so you know, the manufacturer says it's a B, the State of New Hampshire says it's a B, I'm guessing a judge would say it's a B.

You can call it what ever you like. It means nothing. It's all about how you use it, not what it is.

You could also call it an ice cream truck or an emergency response vehicle. 😄

[wincrasher65]

Some like length, others want width. Some want both. 😉

[gerrym51]

rvit-i do not understand why you persist in this-pleasure way makes mostly b's(yours is a c.) but they (pleasure way) calls it a B so that all their units will be counted to their official 'B' total they don't want to split among b and c for official charts-

why are you trying to convince people who don't want to be convinced

[Arizona_Kid]

Your RV a PleasureWay Class C Pursuit.



PW calls your RV a B plus, which we all know is a Class C.
"Built on the Ford E350 dual rear wheel cutaway chassis, the Pursuit is easy to drive and achieves great fuel economy. The Pursuit is unique due to many of its special features, but primarily because it is 22 feet long. This new B Plus motorhome is constructed with the same attention to detail and commitment to quality and safety that Pleasure-Way Industries Ltd. is known for."

On this forum it's also a Class C, and let me tell you that RIVA also defines it as a Class C. If you look at your Vin no. I will bet there is a C in it.

From RIVA's consumer page, and I quote.
RIVA (Go RVing)

Type C Motorhomes are built on an automotive van frame with a wider body section attached to the original cab section. Many Type C Motorhomes are easily recognizable by the over-the-cab area that is often an optional sleeping area. Amenities are similar to those in conventional motorhomes.

SIZE
21-35 ft
COSTS
From $43,000 to $200,000+
SLEEPS
Up to 8
Features
Ample living space includes sleeping, kitchen, dining and bathroom facilities, as well as entertainment systems and storage.

The manufacture also calls this a B+ 29' with 2 slides
Get my point?

[rvit]

Just so you know, the manufacturer says it's a B, the State of New Hampshire says it's a B, I'm guessing a judge would say it's a B.

You can call it what ever you like. It means nothing. It's all about how you use it, not what it is.

[Davydd]

It is not B envy, it is B-ness envy. Here you can extoll big is better which seems to be the prime message by the C owners here. I suspect if they posted in the proper forum that was set up for them in the Class C forum B+ sub forum they might then suffer from C-ness envy in no longer having the biggest RV is better boast.

[Arizona_Kid]

There are some Trolls, but because of your short time here, you have no idea who they are, and what's going on. Now you seem to be wanting to join their ranks.

I'm sorry you made a mistake and purchased a Class C thinking it was a Class B. You should have done more homework. Now you want to post about your "C" in this forum, and because I or others tell you your in the wrong place you accuse us of harassing you.
Like I said, why don't you start your own forum instead of telling all the Class B owners what they should do, and how this forum should change.

You should embrace your small Class C, and join the hundreds of others who are quite happy in that forum.

Maybe we will all chip in and get you some "C"heese for Xmas.

:S

Edited for grammar.

[rvit]

"Relevant answers to a query". Thank you Wincrasher65 for confirming that I am in the correct forum. That's precisely why I'm here. I didn't come here to ruin your forum. I come here to learn and get answers just like everyone else (except for Arizona kid who apparently has spent 12 years trying to prevent people from doing just that). I didn't choose this forum, it chose me by having the topics that interested me. If the answers I wanted were in the C forum, that is where I would be.

Issues dealing with small size like parking, storage, and capacities, are just as important to me as they are to you. B owners have to be more innovative and as a newbie I have learned many tricks from you folks with regard to those issues. I don't participate in "B" specific topics.

I only responded because in my short time here(3 months), I have watched Arizona kid and a few others constantly harass people who are just trying to get answers. His post did not contain one constructive comment and I guess I had enough of "B envy".

I'm sorry that some of you can't figure this out but I would suggest that when you see us (B+, tiny C owners) advising a prospective B purchaser on "ALL" of their options, go to one of the many "B" specific topics where you won't have to put up with us.

I think that this bothers me because I would not even own an RV if not for this forum. This is where I found out about the tiny C, the only MH that fit all our needs, thanks to some brave folks who didn't listen to the likes of Arizona Kid. You may have been right 12 years ago but the line is blurred now, get used to it.

[Sebtown]

I have to agree with Arizonakid on this one. I come here to learn about b vans as that is what I have. It is not a "small rv" it is a b van. If you don't own one you don't understand. No value judgement intended.

[bobojay5]

Davydd wrote:

Fastpaddler wrote:

Dodge provided the body for the up to 06 Sprinters but the chassis is pure Mercedes Benz with the ESP etc as are the later models. With the longer Sprinters ie 22ft9ins they have dualies which theoretically provide more rear stability in cross winds. My 06 has single rear wheels and Firestone air bags at the rear which i keep at 60psi. I keep the front tires at 55psi and rears at 80 because that gives some understeer up front.At 60 or more up front oversteer happens. 35mph winds are substantial for an rv especially with an overhang bunk system up front.
2. The Ford front end geometry has been debated on the web and there are innumerable cases of 'loose' front ends. Could be a problem with tire pressures, driver traits, roads, strong winds,overloaded rvs, and lack of rear end stabilizers. I have driven chevs and found the front end characteristics ie Stabiltrak superior to Ford. Perhaps the wheel alignment might cure the problem but it didnt for my Trail-lite. The Winnebago Aspect wasnt much better.
3. If I were to buy an LTV and I like the company products, I would still prefer a rear single wheel system if possible. I find the MB chassis quite tight and vehicle tracks well, more like a car. Others with dualy models can weigh in on their reactions. I came back from Manitoba where I can park my 06 on city streets without getting a ticket. With dualies the parking cops are after you right away.

AL

Dodge provided nothing on the Sprinters but a cosmetic nameplate and grill. They did not provide the body. The Sprinters were always 100% Mercedes Benz. Daimler shed Chrysler Corporation in 2010 so there were also dually Dodge brands for a couple of years. Starting with the 2007 chassis redesign some converters attempted to build on the four wheel 2500 chassis like the previous model but quickly realized they had to go to a 3500 dually. The Sprinter duallies are not like truck duallies in that the extra wheels do not change the width of the van so I am not sure how you can conclude cops would ticket a Sprinter dually. No major North American converter builds off the 2500 single wheel Sprinter that I know of today in the standard and extended body length.

What DavyDD says. We park our 3500 wherever, as the owners we know of these units all do. No problems so far in that.
And as was stated, no Chrysler input at all other than the horn button & grille. And no more 2500 Sprinter class B's are built other than specialty makers like Sportsmobile

[Arizona_Kid]

rvit wrote:
Arizona Kid, You don't get it. Regardless of what they call the forum, people are going to go where their answers are. IMO it shouldn't be a "B" forum, it should just be a "Small MH" forum. People who are considering a B should also consider the tiny C and those who are looking at small Cs should look at Bs also. Bs have their advantages (mpg, drivability, versatility) and the tiny Cs have theirs ( more space, better livability, larger capacities). IMO one is a passenger vehicle trying to be an RV and the other is an RV trying to be a passenger vehicle. But people buy both with the same goals in mind. A 22' tiny C can be more versatile than a 24' B. Each buyer has to decide what's important to THEM. I doubt that the chassis is the most important consideration to very many first time buyers. I would guess that things like floorplan, bed size, and price come first. This is the forum where these comparisons can be made, not the C forum.

I have been on this forum for 12 years so I think I get it better than you do.
This is the Class B forum, and is going to stay the Class B forum, so I suggest if you want a "small RV forum" go start your own!
If I want to learn about small Class A's, small trailers, etc, I will go to their respective forums, and read about them.
Now keep us posted about how your new "Small RV Forum. is going. thanks

It's funny, how it's almost always a Class C owner making these comments in the B forum. I think your just another owner with "Class B envy" 😉

Edited for spelling.

[Davydd]

Fastpaddler wrote:

Dodge provided the body for the up to 06 Sprinters but the chassis is pure Mercedes Benz with the ESP etc as are the later models. With the longer Sprinters ie 22ft9ins they have dualies which theoretically provide more rear stability in cross winds. My 06 has single rear wheels and Firestone air bags at the rear which i keep at 60psi. I keep the front tires at 55psi and rears at 80 because that gives some understeer up front.At 60 or more up front oversteer happens. 35mph winds are substantial for an rv especially with an overhang bunk system up front.
2. The Ford front end geometry has been debated on the web and there are innumerable cases of 'loose' front ends. Could be a problem with tire pressures, driver traits, roads, strong winds,overloaded rvs, and lack of rear end stabilizers. I have driven chevs and found the front end characteristics ie Stabiltrak superior to Ford. Perhaps the wheel alignment might cure the problem but it didnt for my Trail-lite. The Winnebago Aspect wasnt much better.
3. If I were to buy an LTV and I like the company products, I would still prefer a rear single wheel system if possible. I find the MB chassis quite tight and vehicle tracks well, more like a car. Others with dualy models can weigh in on their reactions. I came back from Manitoba where I can park my 06 on city streets without getting a ticket. With dualies the parking cops are after you right away.

AL

Dodge provided nothing on the Sprinters but a cosmetic nameplate and grill. They did not provide the body. The Sprinters were always 100% Mercedes Benz. Daimler shed Chrysler Corporation in 2010 so there were also dually Dodge brands for a couple of years. Starting with the 2007 chassis redesign some converters attempted to build on the four wheel 2500 chassis like the previous model but quickly realized they had to go to a 3500 dually. The Sprinter duallies are not like truck duallies in that the extra wheels do not change the width of the van so I am not sure how you can conclude cops would ticket a Sprinter dually. No major North American converter builds off the 2500 single wheel Sprinter that I know of today in the standard and extended body length.

[Fastpaddler]

rvit wrote:
Arizona Kid, You don't get it. Regardless of what they call the forum, people are going to go where their answers are. IMO it shouldn't be a "B" forum, it should just be a "Small MH" forum. People who are considering a B should also consider the tiny C and those who are looking at small Cs should look at Bs also. Bs have their advantages (mpg, drivability, versatility) and the tiny Cs have theirs ( more space, better livability, larger capacities). IMO one is a passenger vehicle trying to be an RV and the other is an RV trying to be a passenger vehicle. But people buy both with the same goals in mind. A 22' tiny C can be more versatile than a 24' B. Each buyer has to decide what's important to THEM. I doubt that the chassis is the most important consideration to very many first time buyers. I would guess that things like floorplan, bed size, and price come first. This is the forum where these comparisons can be made, not the C forum.

I agree completely with your views on this. I think we shall see more configurations of smaller rvs around 22 ft or so. I really like the 22ft Pursuit, which is like our PW Plateau but with a little more width and a bigger bathroom.

[Fastpaddler]

bobojay5 wrote:
Fastpaddler, the Sprinter you own and the company that made our 2 must be different manufacturers. Both of ours, '08 & '13, have been all over the road in winds and when a semi passes. Now the winds I'm talking about are 20-30+mph gusts however.
Both had front end & alignment issues when brand new requiring multiple 40+ mile drive service visits. The '13's sheet metal fits were so bad that you could see light at the top of the rear doors when closed, had to SLAM the slider to get it to latch, and the passenger door stuck out so far at the top that the wind noise was intolerable.
It's a well known fact that when you buy a Ford 350/450 RV chassis, that after 3 to 5k miles a good front end alignment takes care of 95% of the handling issues. All the RV makers that use the Ford chassis, as well as the Sprinter, recommend an alignment after 5k or so miles

Dodge provided the body for the up to 06 Sprinters but the chassis is pure Mercedes Benz with the ESP etc as are the later models. With the longer Sprinters ie 22ft9ins they have dualies which theoretically provide more rear stability in cross winds. My 06 has single rear wheels and Firestone air bags at the rear which i keep at 60psi. I keep the front tires at 55psi and rears at 80 because that gives some understeer up front.At 60 or more up front oversteer happens. 35mph winds are substantial for an rv especially with an overhang bunk system up front.
2. The Ford front end geometry has been debated on the web and there are innumerable cases of 'loose' front ends. Could be a problem with tire pressures, driver traits, roads, strong winds,overloaded rvs, and lack of rear end stabilizers. I have driven chevs and found the front end characteristics ie Stabiltrak superior to Ford. Perhaps the wheel alignment might cure the problem but it didnt for my Trail-lite. The Winnebago Aspect wasnt much better.
3. If I were to buy an LTV and I like the company products, I would still prefer a rear single wheel system if possible. I find the MB chassis quite tight and vehicle tracks well, more like a car. Others with dualy models can weigh in on their reactions. I came back from Manitoba where I can park my 06 on city streets without getting a ticket. With dualies the parking cops are after you right away.

AL