How do you like your class B?

[Chateau_Nomad]

Our travel/camping style would differ with a few of those. "Easier to drive" should apply to ALL driving/maneuvering situations... especially considering turning radius, width and height of rig. We see NUMEROUS narrow unpaved/gravel roads where our class C would be a challenge... like driving down a one-way alley with nowhere to pass another car or turn around. I wouldn't hesitate with a small class B.

This is partially why we pull a TOAD. We set up camp, then use the Wrangler to explore... sometimes on VERY sketchy roads... but those lead to some of the most attractive hiking/exploring areas. Also, parking the Jeep is easy anywhere... Parking the motorhome would be impossible most places we go for excursions.

The "ease of driving" is VERY subjective... depends where you drive. Straight down the freeway? Not much difference. Down an unknown curvy, bumpy gravel road? Give me a smaller more nimble vehicle. Thus... our TOAD.

Driving aside, my subjective preferences AFTER parked still come down to creature comforts for our style of glamping.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Our travel/camping style would differ with a few of those. "Easier to drive" should apply to ALL driving/maneuvering situations... especially considering turning radius, width and height of rig. We see NUMEROUS narrow unpaved/gravel roads where our class C would be a challenge... like driving down a one-way alley with nowhere to pass another car or turn around. I wouldn't hesitate with a small class B.

This is partially why we pull a TOAD. We set up camp, then use the Wrangler to explore... sometimes on VERY sketchy roads... but those lead to some of the most attractive hiking/exploring areas. Also, parking the Jeep is easy anywhere... Parking the motorhome would be impossible most places we go for excursions.

The "ease of driving" is VERY subjective... depends where you drive. Straight down the freeway? Not much difference. Down an unknown curvy, bumpy gravel road? Give me a smaller more nimble vehicle. Thus... our TOAD.

Driving aside, my subjective preferences AFTER parked still come down to creature comforts for our style of glamping.

We took our daughter to visit a Medical School and we trying to Navigate the campus with very poor directions. Besides the tight roads and the in the middle of the street rubber STOP at Crosswalk signs 3 times we ran upon a point where you could not go further and one time there was no turnaround, so I had to back out. But to everybody and the world watching us they seemed like it was an issue, but it was not. Maybe if a car came up behind not wanting to move back we could have an issue but that did not occur. I had kind of assumed the width of these things are all basically the same?

At any rate, the Class Bs are a lot of money. Those that love them and want them know why, but I do agree with the advise earlier rent one and take a trip. I can say this, I don't want bigger than what I have now, I rather have a Class B versus a 40 footer. But I will never pay the Class B pricing and give up what I have now. I just assume go back to our Navigator if daily driving was a factor along with ease of driving. We have TVs in our Navigator, Inverter, Nice Cooler, full body paint, easy to wash, Comfortable ride, 2 AC units in my Navigator WiFi, and a helluva sound system, and even use less gas. We can pull the boat wherever we go and easily launch it, we have a tent and porti pottie as well. It is slippery slope.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Our travel/camping style would differ with a few of those. "Easier to drive" should apply to ALL driving/maneuvering situations... especially considering turning radius, width and height of rig. We see NUMEROUS narrow unpaved/gravel roads where our class C would be a challenge... like driving down a one-way alley with nowhere to pass another car or turn around. I wouldn't hesitate with a small class B.

.....cut....

Exactly, I was describing differences with a broad brush based on decades of experience with both. And I’m not trying to argue over nit-picky details.

As one example, “to me” smaller vans in general have shorter braking distance than larger motorhomes I have driven, so end result is that I can relax a bit more in heavy Interstate traffic and not worry “as much” about idiot drivers who cut people off. Sure, I pay attention regardless, but a motorhome that needs more stopping distance requires more attention. To me that is tiring, and partly explains why I can drive farther per day on average in a van than 30-foot motorhome.

Another is steering. Newer vans with rack-and-pinion steering have greater steering precision, which also translates to less work (i.e. — easier to drive in my opinion). I don’t have as much experience with newer vans yet, but even my old E-350 “van” steers much easier in cross winds than every Class C I have ever driven.

It is no secret I prefer small rigs for myself for numerous reasons, but don’t try to convince others that they are better just because that is what I choose or what I own at present. Bottom line as objectively as I can be is that the biggest problem (DISADVANTAGE) with smaller van-size motorhomes is that they are SMALL. For many that can be a huge problem — a deal breaker — which is completely understandable.

For us “B” advantages outweigh the small size — and even then only to a point. I’m willing to replace my E-350 van with a larger van, but would not seriously consider a smaller van unless gas got to $10+ a gallon and that was the only way I could afford to take long road trips. If it comes down to it, I’d rather tour and camp out of a Honda minivan than have to stay home. Just saying space and creature comforts aren’t as high a priority for us as they are for most others.

[ducksface]

I have an easy way to tell if a b/c absolutely isn't for you:
Someone here can measure the height and width between the front seats so we're close to correct.
Then
Cut the same size hole in a sheet of plywood,
If you can't easily and with grace lift yourself off a chair and turn 180° through that tiny space and reverse that whole movement back into the chair,
A b/c isn't for you.

Neighbor sold theirs after their third trip.
Bad hip,
A sighful
'No, I can do this' grimace
along with a
Wider than needed butt...
And that c class was Gone.

Reality struck.

[Chance]

Ford Transit is (or was) the biggest culprit in this area in my opinion. Between seats being much lower, distance between then narrower, and then placing the parking brake lever in what little floor space was left between the front seats, Ford restricted movement to the “house” worse than the competition (Sprinter and ProMaster) and also Ford’s previous van (E-Series). As bad as the E-Series doghouse is to get around, I personally prefer that. That’s not to say I can’t move in and out of Transit cab, I just find it more difficult than other van chassis.

For B’s Ford recently eliminated the parking brake lever between seats on some models which helps movement some, but I’m still not a fan of the overall ergonomics of getting in and out of cab seats from inside. Fortunately, everyone can try moving from cab to house and back to seats BEFORE buying; either at RV dealer or local Ford, Mercedes, or RAM dealer.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I have an easy way to tell if a b/c absolutely isn't for you:
Someone here can measure the height and width between the front seats so we're close to correct.
Then
Cut the same size hole in a sheet of plywood,
If you can't easily and with grace lift yourself off a chair and turn 180° through that tiny space and reverse that whole movement back into the chair,
A b/c isn't for you.

Neighbor sold theirs after their third trip.
Bad hip,
A sighful
'No, I can do this' grimace
along with a
Wider than needed butt...
And that c class was Gone.

Reality struck.

Really true. Headroom is another factor. I am sure you have seen, but something I found odd, a few years back when we were shopping around at MHSRV, we looked at some of those new high end 40 footers, and a few of them had NO aisle or walk space when the slides were in I was like OMG, if I am driving, and my wife is in front seat, she would have to crawl all over stuff to get to things like fridge IF that could even open!!! How could a coach tyhat size not have a aisle to walk through? Granted when you get where you going and slides out you have paradise, but the travel is a great portion of the trip, and I need my luxury and space.


We have plenty of room, so much that a lot of time I like to keep the table with the shorter pedestal in while driving. You are not suppose to but it is convenient. It just spins out of the way and it has multiple offset positions if one desires.

[roy stone]

Originally Posted by Chance

What’s not to like except for small size and associated limited capacities?

There is less living space, less storage, less fresh water, less holding tank capacities, etc. However, by accepting “less” space and capacities, owners get many advantages that may or may not be important to others. Trade offs are extremely subjective depending on wants and needs.

I can list a few advantages “important to me” compared to previous Class C, in no particular order:

Park at home
Use as second car
Doubled fuel economy
Much easier to service and maintain
Park anywhere
Drive places large motorhomes can not
Easier to drive (less tiring)
Requires less trip planning
Don’t require toad
Quieter
Fits in any campsite
Easier to wash
Full body paint standard
Lower overall cost
Fewer/no leaks
Etc....


From my perspective everything about a van-size RV is better except for lack of space and associated capacities, and no one else can judge how much another person needs or wants. My wife and I are both relatively small and don’t need a lot of space, and more importantly don’t mind working around each other to move around. We also tour more than camp, which makes big difference. Also, in my opinion, level of vehicle build luxury is irrelevant to downsizing decision. If you can’t survive in a small space, gold platting it won’t help, so throwing money at it is likely a waste.

For the traveling we do, a house on wheels doesn’t make as much sense to us as a van we can sleep in. The freedom of a small vehicle has more value than added space.


P.S. — By definition Class B (van camper) can range from very small with pop-up roof and no bathroom, to 24-foot high-roof Mercedes Sprinter with full dry bath. Just stating that not all Class Bs are even close to the same, so there is much to consider and choose from beyond it just being a “B”.

Bottom Lne

[mikebreeze]

I haven't seen anything discussed regarding the wet bath or no bath in a class B. I saw a lot of class B's on our recent vacation in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. And I was thinking about seriously inquiring about one. But when I saw that most had a wet bath and some had no bath I decided to stick with a class C.

[CWS]

I'm an old man. I've had 9 different rigs in my life. Wanted each one, loved each one and used each one differently. There were advantages and disadvantages to each one. At this stage of MY life the Class B is perfect.....that's why I bought it......to meet my needs now.
There is nothing wrong with pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of each type of rig. In fact it helps a lot to get positive advice from others. My Great Grandfather was known for saying, "If everybody thought my wife Polly was pretty, she never would have married me!"
There are enough ways in the world for everybody to have one.....to say one thing is better than the other depends on what an individual wants and needs at that point in time in their life.

[kamccormick]

Originally Posted by CWS

I'm an old man. I've had 9 different rigs in my life. Wanted each one, loved each one and used each one differently. There were advantages and disadvantages to each one. At this stage of MY life the Class B is perfect.....that's why I bought it......to meet my needs now.
There is nothing wrong with pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of each type of rig. In fact it helps a lot to get positive advice from others. My Great Grandfather was known for saying, "If everybody thought my wife Polly was pretty, she never would have married me!"
There are enough ways in the world for everybody to have one.....to say one thing is better than the other depends on what an individual wants and needs at that point in time in their life.

I agree!!

[kamccormick]

Originally Posted by mikebreeze

I haven't seen anything discussed regarding the wet bath or no bath in a class B. I saw a lot of class B's on our recent vacation in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. And I was thinking about seriously inquiring about one. But when I saw that most had a wet bath and some had no bath I decided to stick with a class C.

I did post early in the thread that the bath can be disappointing if one likes a nice bathroom. For us, it’s not an issue. But I do like a nice long hot shower when we get home [emoji23]

[Chance]

Originally Posted by mikebreeze

I haven't seen anything discussed regarding the wet bath or no bath in a class B. I saw a lot of class B's on our recent vacation in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. And I was thinking about seriously inquiring about one. But when I saw that most had a wet bath and some had no bath I decided to stick with a class C.

You are correct in that modern large van campers today normally have small wet baths, and smaller vans no bathroom at all. That’s probably a deal breaker for most. It’s a choice designers make because if they place enough priority in a dry bath, they can make it work. Perhaps buyers find it too much of a waste of space to have a dedicated shower that only gets used +/- 5 minutes a day. I don’t know why they are not more floor plan choices with stand-alone showers.

I have seen a few vans in person with dry baths, and more recently pictures of one built on extended Mercedes Sprinter that dedicates the entire rear of van to a spacious bathroom. As reference, it seems roomier to me than bathroom in an Axis/Vegas 24.1.

In my opinion when designing a floor plan in 21- to 24-foot length, there is enough room to include a dedicated shower. It’s only a matter of how important is it.

I want a full dry bath in my next van, but I don’t want it at the very rear of van. I want to be able to sit next to rear doors with them open, so we can better enjoy nature/outdoors from inside van when we can’t be outside. Latest trip with multiple back-in waterfront campsites reminded me not to compromise on this.

Anyway, I’d have to find pictures of the vans with dry bathrooms I have seen in person, but below is a model being built today as far as I know. Very expensive, but floorplan could work on budget build as well if manufacturers wanted to bad enough.
.

[Chance]

Additional pictures of van with dry bathroom:
.

[Chance]

The Class B I saw at PPL in Houston years ago that had a dry bath was a Forest River M-B Cruiser. It wasn’t this unit but same in design. The older Sprinter vans were pretty nice size for RV conversions (though narrow), and some “reportedly” had rust issues.

Blocking rear doors completely like this design is a deal breaker for me. Having extra doors compared to Cs is one of the features I like best about vans.
.

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

now that is sweet! 2005, you keep it looking very good for 17 yrs old.

[richguess]

I have a 29’ class A gasser (27.2 ACE) and am considering moving to a MBZ based class C. The van B size is too narrow for me. They are also quite expensive. I would want auto levelers, recliners rather than the dinette, and bed/storage over the cab, and the single large slide. So far, the cheapest new one meeting these criteria is about $110k. I like having a small toad for off road exploring, and my old cChevy tracker can be towed with either RV. As far as saving $$ on gas, the taxes to buy the new one would amount 3 years of fuel, so it’s really not an issue. No way it’s not easier to drive, smoother and quieter.

[Skip500]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

I see you currently have a 2018 24F Chateau... we have a 2020.

Would you mind listing the things about your class C which is driving your desire to downsize to a class B? I know our 24F isn't perfect, but there's a point I draw the line... must have a workable shower, must have a flush toilet and 40 gallons of fresh water is about as low as I would go for our type of travel.

We chose our 24F based on compromises - it had most of the desired creature comforts without being a mansion on wheels - and is reasonably maneuverable. Numerous mods have checked off many more of the "must have" items.

Your reasons to downsize and your justifiable compromises (everyone has those with any RV) may help someone else who's trying to decide.

We are just talking about it for now. We do enjoy our class c 24f chateau but have decided against the long distance travels in it and we’re looking for something for day trips and visiting the kids. Gas mileage is a big thing as you all know. About the only things I dislike about ours is the ac in Arizona temps, the gas mileage, and the biggest is the legroom or lack of it in ours. Our problem is a lack of dealers/ rental places anywhere near to check out a class B. I appreciate everyone’s insight and experiences that have been shared!

[mbutts4901]

Quote: I would feel any safer about trying to launch my 24 boat with Class B?



That's something I haven't seen on those "Boat Ramp Disaster Compilation" videos on Youtube!

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Skip500

We are just talking about it for now. We do enjoy our class c 24f chateau but have decided against the long distance travels in it and we’re looking for something for day trips and visiting the kids. Gas mileage is a big thing as you all know. About the only things I dislike about ours is the ac in Arizona temps, the gas mileage, and the biggest is the legroom or lack of it in ours. Our problem is a lack of dealers/ rental places anywhere near to check out a class B. I appreciate everyone’s insight and experiences that have been shared!

I'm 6'1" tall, and after the first "longish" trip in ours, I knew I had to do something about legroom. Are Thor's class C interior designers all 5' tall?? Seriously... WHY do they install the slide room AGAINST the back of the driver's seat?? Honestly, allowing a mere 6" would make the driving position MUCH more comfortable!

So... I used Unistrut rails to raise/move back both cab seats. I did have to remove the vertical trim piece on the slide and cut the underlying particle board... which allowed enough room for the seat. While driving I remove and store the trim piece... then after extending the slide, it sticks back on with Velcro. I can now nearly straighten my legs! SO much more comfy!!

In addition I recently installed swivel bases on both cab seats... now there's actually someplace other than the dinette to sit!!

[hikerjohn7]

Originally Posted by Chance

What’s not to like except for small size and associated limited capacities?

There is less living space, less storage, less fresh water, less holding tank capacities, etc. However, by accepting “less” space and capacities, owners get many advantages that may or may not be important to others. Trade offs are extremely subjective depending on wants and needs.

I can list a few advantages “important to me” compared to previous Class C, in no particular order:

Park at home
Use as second car
Doubled fuel economy
Much easier to service and maintain
Park anywhere
Drive places large motorhomes can not
Easier to drive (less tiring)
Requires less trip planning
Don’t require toad
Quieter
Fits in any campsite
Easier to wash
Full body paint standard
Lower overall cost
Fewer/no leaks
Etc....


From my perspective everything about a van-size RV is better except for lack of space and associated capacities, and no one else can judge how much another person needs or wants. My wife and I are both relatively small and don’t need a lot of space, and more importantly don’t mind working around each other to move around. We also tour more than camp, which makes big difference. Also, in my opinion, level of vehicle build luxury is irrelevant to downsizing decision. If you can’t survive in a small space, gold platting it won’t help, so throwing money at it is likely a waste.

For the traveling we do, a house on wheels doesn’t make as much sense to us as a van we can sleep in. The freedom of a small vehicle has more value than added space.


P.S. — By definition Class B (van camper) can range from very small with pop-up roof and no bathroom, to 24-foot high-roof Mercedes Sprinter with full dry bath. Just stating that not all Class Bs are even close to the same, so there is much to consider and choose from beyond it just being a “B”.

Can you carry folding chairs, outside grill and tools?