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

[cjscotty]

Davydd wrote:
Speaking of New York City you all might like to read this account of a couple who dry camped parallel parked right in the city on the street in an un-metered parking spot near Chelsea Market for three nights. That blew me away. I don't think I would ever of thought of doing it even though we often park and sleep on a fairly busy through route street in front of our son's house in La Crosse, WI.

Andiamo Takes New York

Very cool. And just the idea of being able to drive the Travato into NYC is so appealing. 😉

[wincrasher65]

Davydd wrote:
Speaking of New York City you all might like to read this account of a couple who dry camped parallel parked right in the city on the street in an un-metered parking spot near Chelsea Market for three nights. That blew me away. I don't think I would ever of thought of doing it even though we often park and sleep on a fairly busy through route street in front of our son's house in La Crosse, WI.

Andiamo Takes New York

I've read that article before. It's what I like to refer to as the holy grail of b-van usage. I think most people, when they buy a b-van, think of using it this way and not just parking in campgrounds.

I also think it goes to show you, if you keep a low profile, and not make a spectacle of yourself, you can get away with just about anything. Most people mind their own business and will leave you alone if you act like you belong.

[Sebtown]

This is simply why we refer to our Airstream Interstate as the "van". No class distinction, no arguements, just a van.

[Davydd]

Speaking of New York City you all might like to read this account of a couple who dry camped parallel parked right in the city on the street in an un-metered parking spot near Chelsea Market for three nights. That blew me away. I don't think I would ever of thought of doing it even though we often park and sleep on a fairly busy through route street in front of our son's house in La Crosse, WI.

Andiamo Takes New York

[cjscotty]

erip wrote:
Scotty,
Sounds like we may live near one another. Driving my travato on meadowbrook parkway, the East River Drive and Harlem river drive with my bed shower and toilet has made me a very happy camper. I save between half hour and 45 minutes every time i want to get on the road. And i have stealth camped in hotel parking lots and even on the street as i take up just a parking space. There are a few minor quirks that wincrasher has pointed out but none have caused a second thought about my purchase. Tanks are always smaller on a b van and that's why its called camping. Wincrasher moved from a much larger RV so his adaptation time may have been longer. Read his threads, he's bought some innovative space saving gadgets for his rig. I am still trying to fill up the 3 storage boxes that i bought for under the bed and after 13 weekends of traveling in my travato i still have 2 empty boxes.

Thanks! that's great info. Yes I'm from NY and my husband works in the City. :C

[Arizona_Kid]

Yes, let's get back on topic.

[cjscotty]

My Roadtrek wrote:
The topic is SIX MONTHS FULL-TIMING IN A WINNEBAGO TRAVATO, not the difference between a B+, and a B. :S
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A B+. There all Class C's, or small Class C's. That's why I posted about 30' Class C's that are called B+'s by the manufactures, just as a sales ploy.

Reading Six Months Full Timing in a Winnebago Travato helps someone like me, who has a B-Plus (says so right on it) learn about how the tank sizes would work, the smaller size of the motorhome would work, if I were to go into this B size Travato and is on topic. I am amazed that someone can full time in this and love to read about how they and others are managing, what they like and don't like, etc., how they make compromises, and has been extremely informative. If you want to continue to try to take off topic or continuously tell me what threads I should or should not post on, which is really over the top, you can private message me so others don't have to deal with it.
Roadtrek, I see you did send PM, but not allowing reply. I'm on here learning about the Travato and don't need to justify that to you. This may help you, this book is made for people looking to purchase a motorhome, shows the differences between a B+ and regular C. Arguing semantics or how the term came about is silly, what is important is that there are real differences between C and the B+ form of the C, and that helps consumers. And to keep on topic, the differences between B and B+ for those on fence like myself between the two. http://www.rvreviews.net/rv-types/class-b-plus-motorhomes/

[bspurling]

Firstly, Davydd: yes, we're definitely of a mindset that tolerates inconvenicnes. Also worth noting we quit our jobs "mid-career" for a once-in-a-life-time year of opportunity and excitement. We had just a couple of weeks of RV shopping to choose a vehicle that could take us on our trip... we were always going to be willing to compromise. That said, we feel we hit the jackpot!

Davydd, also love your point about whether we're actually full timers. Hadn't really thought about it before like that. I /could/ full-time in this indefinitely, but I probably wouldn't choose to. But then I'm not sure I would choose to full-time indefinitely in anything! Maybe I'm just not the type :). We've got used to cold showers over the summer, but they're beginning to get a bit too much. Winter IS coming :). Like Wincrasher, we're starting to time our generator for the last 10 to 15 mins of our driving. Easy if you're on the road all the time; troublesome if you like to stay put for a few days in a row.

wincrasher/erip: Everybody's different on their water usage, of course, but we've gone 8 days before without pumping out (that was pretty extreme!) We manage 4 or 5 fairly easily now, but it used to be a push for three at the start.

Erip: glad to hear we're not the only ones "stealth camping" on the street. Just came through Chicago and didn't spend a cent on camping fees. The Travato is great on that front.

[erip]

Scotty,
Sounds like we may live near one another. Driving my travato on meadowbrook parkway, the East River Drive and Harlem river drive with my bed shower and toilet has made me a very happy camper. I save between half hour and 45 minutes every time i want to get on the road. And i have stealth camped in hotel parking lots and even on the street as i take up just a parking space. There are a few minor quirks that wincrasher has pointed out but none have caused a second thought about my purchase. Tanks are always smaller on a b van and that's why its called camping. Wincrasher moved from a much larger RV so his adaptation time may have been longer. Read his threads, he's bought some innovative space saving gadgets for his rig. I am still trying to fill up the 3 storage boxes that i bought for under the bed and after 13 weekends of traveling in my travato i still have 2 empty boxes.

[Davydd]

Getting back on topic. I know the young couple full-timed in the Travato. They had great spirit in doing so, and I suspect unlike the older retiree generation that makes up a great deal of B users, they probably had more tolerances with the inconveniences. Also, was it really full-timing as this is where we live...forever? I've met some B full-timers. One trait was economy, meaning a lot of dry camping in inexpensive places. Given that you need an electrical hookup to get hot water, is the Travato really a practical solution, especially when a lot of dry camping areas like National Forests prohibit generator use?

[My_Roadtrek]

The topic is SIX MONTHS FULL-TIMING IN A WINNEBAGO TRAVATO, not the difference between a B+, and a B. :S
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A B+. There all Class C's, or small Class C's. That's why I posted about 30' Class C's that are called B+'s by the manufactures, just as a sales ploy.

[cjscotty]

My Roadtrek wrote:
Yes Scotty , but the thread was over a month old before you started it back up, and continued the argument.
Sometimes it's best not to nit pick every comment made, like you did mine, and just move on.

You should do the same and take your own advice. I was just as surprised about people arguing and nasty comments, trying to educate not argue. Bringing it back on topic, I wanted to know about the Travato and the differences between a B+ and B Travato and if I can be happy going from B+ to B. Someone here is nice enough to let me know that they had a B+ and now are doing very well and enjoying their B Travato. Appreciate that and am glad that it comes from someone who had a B+ as opposed to a C which is different.

[wincrasher65]

The only "quirks" I struggle with on the Travato is the pump out gray tank and the 110v only water heater. The rest I love.

I work around the water heater by timing the use of the genset - the water will stay hot for quite awhile - hours even. The gray pump out is needed every other day if I'm judicious in my water use.

In the end, I'm OK with both, as I saved at least $15k over a similar sized van.

[My_Roadtrek]

Yes Scotty , but the thread was over a month old before you started it back up, and continued the argument.
Sometimes it's best not to nit pick every comment made, like you did mine, and just move on.

[cjscotty]

erip wrote:
Scotty.
I own a travato and am very happy with it and would be happy to answer any questions you have. Try to disregard the snarkiness of other members. Many people have nothing better to do than critize others knowledge and denegrate RV's different than theirs.
I owned a 22 foot b plus for 8 years and now that i am back in a B, i am driving on roads that i couldn't go on for years. I don't know where in ny you are, but any disadvantage of size you out weigh in drivability, if you live near lots of parkways, limiting your ability to get around.

Thanks for letting me know you like it. Really do like the idea of being about to go on the Parkway. We live in areas where there are small older tighter towns also, and parking can be an issue even in our smaller 25 ft B+.