Six months full-timing in the Winnebago Travato

[bspurling]

We bought our Winnebago Travato right at the start of 2014 when it was fresh off the production line... and we've been full-timing in it ever since.

At the six month mark we'd clocked up over 20,000 miles, covering most of the Deep South, South West, and the Pacific Northwest.

If you’re looking for a great combination of small and self-sufficient, the Travato is brilliant. But it’s aimed at a specific type of RVer - one who prefers mobility over space! It has its fair share of design flaws and issues too, as a number of other topics on this forum have discussed.

We have loads more details - the good and the bad - on our website: travato2014.wordpress.com

With the Travato’s floor plan Winnebago have done something wonderful. They’ve taken a floor plan only found in the class C View 24J (aka Navion, if it’s an Itasca) or the class B+ Via 25P (Itasca: Reyo), and ingeniously crammed it into a Ram ProMaster chassis. This floor plan has four great features:

1. Self-sufficient — We wanted to be able to go at least a few days without hooking up, and not by relying on campsite showers either.
2. Mobile and discreet (relatively!) — We didn’t want to look too much like an RV. Big white curvy lines scream “RV”; the extra width of a class C’s coach makes tight parking impossible.
3. Permanent bed — We’re full-timing, so we couldn’t be doing with turning our table into a bed every time we wanted to sleep.
4. Booth-style dinette — We’re not just travelling, we have things we want to do. Things that require laptops, or pen and paper. Tiny little removable tables perched uncomfortably far from leather sofas… Not going to cut it. We wanted a permanent table, with the extra space afforded by the booth-style.
5. Corner shower and corner bed — We prioritise mobility and style over queen-size beds with a foot of space around it. Anything other than a corner bed with a corner shower room squeezed in beside it is a colossal waste of space by our reckoning.

There's loads of other great features, and HUGE design flaws too! As mentioned, it's all on our website. Would be happy to answer any questions from anybody considering the Travato, or pick up any feedback from others already using the van.

Brian

[Davydd]

Round and round we go. The Trend and the Pursuit are built on cutaway chassis. They are by the definition of RVIA and RV.net Class C RVs. What part of "Class B - Camping Van Conversions" mast heading of this forum do people not get?

[cjscotty]

bobojay5 wrote:
Some of your issues have been addressed for 2015. Watch the video...

2015 Travato


Nitpicky I know, but the Winnebago VIA/Reyo line is a Class A, not B+. There is no such animal as a B+. It's a marketing term only....

By the way, read your review. Nice write up....

There is a B+. A B+ is slightly larger than a B, usually have larger tanks, is easiest to describe as a
C without the overhanging front cabover bunk area. We own one. They are usually lower and more narrow or streamline than a regular gas C. Ours gets better gas mileage than most C's on a Ford V10. An example of a B+ is the Winnebago Trend, or the Pleasureway Pursuit. They are actually closer to a C than a B tho, so many B+ nowadays sometimes are termed as C's, but there are real differences in a C and B+, and a knowledgeable salesperson will let you know the differences. On the MB's, the View Navion when made without the overhanging cabover bunk area, is actually a B+ also. And Yes, they are closer to a C, but have never been called a C- as some seem to want to rename them on here. The Reyo is an A but a similar shorter length, so can be thought of as another option to people that are looking at the above, in an A (more bus like) design.

[KAYPAY]

Good for you, glad you like it but I'll stay with my Roadtrek 190P. Enjoy your travels.

[mumkin]

bspurling wrote:
My original text said "Class A/B+/B, depending who you ask", but I decided to get off the fence - perhaps I came down on the wrong side :). I was staggered by the ambiguity and uncertainty of all the dealers we spoke to about the Via!

The B+ designation has been nothing but a confusing mess to most and unnecessary IMHO. But oddly, I have never seen or heard anyone call the Via/Reyo anything but an A... which is what Winnebago calls them.

The B/B+ confusion comes in with the iQ/Profile, which it seems that they have stopped producing? Or at least it is no longer on the 2015 product list. RVIA used it in its photos as an example of a Class C, but since it is a View/Navion without a bed over the cab, some want to call it a B+ when it is really a C-

But... off to read you blog and check out the changes so far for the 2015 models. :C

[SkiMore]

Thanks for the detailed review. 20K miles in 6 months - I'm impressed.

Do you have a good picture of the shower drain? Does the drain cover come off? Would it be possible to install a fine mesh screen?

[bobojay5]

bspurling wrote:

bobojay5 wrote:
Some of your issues have been addressed for 2015. Watch the video...

2015 Travato


Nitpicky I know, but the Winnebago VIA/Reyo line is a Class A, not B+. There is no such animal as a B+. It's a marketing term only....

By the way, read your review. Nice write up....

My original text said "Class A/B+/B, depending who you ask", but I decided to get off the fence - perhaps I came down on the wrong side :). I was staggered by the ambiguity and uncertainty of all the dealers we spoke to about the Via!

Thanks for the 2015 link - last time I looked there was nothing that detailed out. Looks like some definite improvements, but it's the behind-the-scenes stuff they really need to fix. Like the shower drain pump filter! I will add a 2015 page to the website to give a complete picture.

B

Be advised, most RV dealers don't have a clue as to what they are selling. There's a select few, Lichtsinn being one of them, that know their stuff and will do what it takes....

[wincrasher65]

It is curious what they decided to tweak. Obviously nothing big that would cost a lot of money to change - like the tank arrangement and pump, nor the 110v only water heater. And still no 2nd coach battery option?

I do like the painted bits on the outside, and the increased height of the bed and the drawers - will allow bigger items to be stored under the bed with it folded down. Not sure if it will fold up with sheets and a duvet on it - it may be more fiddly.

It looks like they extended the width of the dinette bench. I guess to allow it to sleep 2 people instead of 1. I'm not sure the trade-off with aisle way encroachment is really worth it in the end. I would have liked to see a drawer or small cabinet under that bench to take up that unused space under there.

Not enough changes to make me want to trade up. Maybe when the new front end is offered, plus these and another year's worth of improvements, and then I'd bite.

[bspurling]

bobojay5 wrote:
Some of your issues have been addressed for 2015. Watch the video...

2015 Travato


Nitpicky I know, but the Winnebago VIA/Reyo line is a Class A, not B+. There is no such animal as a B+. It's a marketing term only....

By the way, read your review. Nice write up....

My original text said "Class A/B+/B, depending who you ask", but I decided to get off the fence - perhaps I came down on the wrong side :). I was staggered by the ambiguity and uncertainty of all the dealers we spoke to about the Via!

Thanks for the 2015 link - last time I looked there was nothing that detailed out. Looks like some definite improvements, but it's the behind-the-scenes stuff they really need to fix. Like the shower drain pump filter! I will add a 2015 page to the website to give a complete picture.

B

[gerrym51]

the key point for this for me-you know that this is for a one year travel the country type of thing. if you were going to own this for the next 10 years-maybe not so great. I think the Travato is goodvalue for the money-i do not think it is a great 2 person vehicle.

the promaster van is actually pretty good in my opinion-but the Travato layout is not so good-at least to me

is the mattress thicker this year?

[NCWriter]

Hope you've enjoyed your time in the U.S., and best of success in the sale when you depart.

[bobojay5]

Some of your issues have been addressed for 2015. Watch the video...

2015 Travato


Nitpicky I know, but the Winnebago VIA/Reyo line is a Class A, not B+. There is no such animal as a B+. It's a marketing term only....

By the way, read your review. Nice write up....

[bspurling]

wsfurrie wrote:
After reading the issues and problems I think I would pass until Winnebago has time to straighten thing out.
Wayne

Yeah, you have to really want the good points to settle for the bad points. From our point of view, the good points are life-changing while the bad points are niggles that we have to work around. The Travato was - and still is - a no brainer for us. But that's subjective, of course, and Winnebago need to spend some time living in their own coach designs for more than two days if they want to sell to the whole market .

[wsfurrie]

After reading the issues and problems I think I would pass until Winnebago has time to straighten thing out.
Wayne