Downsizing from Fifth Wheel to Class B: Experiences and Key Considerations

[BNAllen509]

My wife and I have traveled all around the western states pulling three different fifth wheels. Our last was a 38+ ft Grand Design. It was a home on wheels and was perfect for someone looking for a second home. We love to travel, but, we tried staying one month in Mesa ... not really our jam. We sold that Grand Design 18 months ago and have been considering what, if anything, we want now.

So, here I am ... new to this forum. Thinking a Class B might be the answer. I look forward to reading some of the reviews and comments.

 

[youngnretired]

Welcome to the forum. I'll let others chime in on the pro's and cons of a class B v's others, but from a chassis perspective, my wife and I faced this question starting last year when we started looking for a camper based vehicle that had an engine (owned an older popup before). I wanted a Sprinter from the fuel economy perspective and the fact that they are massive inside, however, Sprinters have a regimented maintenance schedule, could be costly to own using only Mercedes spec oils etc, and sometimes have issues with their emissions systems, particularly the newer models that have the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) systems installed (2008-2009, I believe). Because of this, we bought a Roadtrek on a Chevy chassis, mainly because when you're in the middle of nowhere, just about anyone is familiar with a Chevy. We traded fuel economy for less possible downsides that the Sprinters have when an issue comes up with the emissions systems and you have 10 starts to get it to a dealer.

We love our 2008 Roadtrek mainly because it's about the right size for 2 people, easy to drive, and especially easy to park. It does take up more than one length of a parking spot and our 210 is a little wider than the standard Chevy Express van chassis it's based on, so finding a spot a little further out is a good idea, or backing into a stall so that the overhang past the rear wheels is over a grass area v's pulling head in and the back of the camper hanging out. You get used to it, but mostly manageable in single stall parking spaces with some exceptions.

I would suggest searching for some key words or phrases on this forum and start to read and see what others have to say. You'll probably learn a whole lot in the process as there's a ton of information here.

 

[peteco]

Had 5th wheels in the past. Great for camping in one spot for a while but not for a lot of traveling IMO. Sold last one in 2004. Bought a 2006 Roadtrek 210P in 2011. Agree with youngnretired. Great for our RVing and travels. Can go so many more places than the 5th wheel could. Too bad they don't make the Chevy B's anymore, but plenty of used ones available. Take your time and find one at a reasonable price. If you need to put some money into it don't stress too much about it. We had to have transmission rebuilt last year at 165,000 miles. Cost $4000. Plan on keeping the van going as long as I am able to(at age 69).

 

[Mike Bee-ClassB]

We also own a Class B built by Roadtrek. Ours is a 170 the shortest that they made.
It is a 1997 and we've had it over 10 years.
We do not usually stay for more than a few days anywhere.
Our normal is moving daily. Have gone coast to coast twice in Canada.
As others have said , can park almost everywhere, height is the deciding factor at 7"2".
Gas mileage is more than acceptable at better than 20 mpg (Cdn)

While we all have are different reasons and criteria for travelling, most B owners spend parked time outside - cooking, eating , hiking, swimming , around the campfire at night etc. The van is transportation, a place to sleep and carry what you need.
We do not live in our RV , going in at 5pm and emerging at 9 am the next day.

If travelling to see the country and spending time together is your aim , B's are hard to beat.

Mike Bee

97 RT 170P
former 89 VW Westphalis\a
b4 that: tents

 

[TravelingCOWs]

We've been wandering in a 2016 170" WB, extended body Sprinter upfit by Advanved RV. We chose a B for its mobility. We choose the Sprinter because at 6'4" tall it was about the only B I could stand up in. We chose Advanced RV because we wanted neither propane nor a generator and at the time it was the only one making a working Li power system.

Yes, Sprinters cost more every time you visit a dealer, but scheduled service intervals are longer. Yes, there are all kinds of horror stories about DEF, but for us, we haven't had problems. We've averaged 17-18 miles per gallon over 139,000+ miles.

It should go without saying, but you need to assess your own travel style, living needs, and budget.

For us, we love our van and spend as many as 8 to 10 months a year in it. We've been coast to coast in both the US and Canada, boondocking much of the way.

Enjoy your travels, no matter what you wind up in!

 

[topwop]

My wife and I had never owned an RV before we retired and decided to look into getting a Class B. After searching a short time we decided on a 2006 Roadtrek 210 Popular on a Chevy 3500 Express chassis. Luckily for us it only had 18K miles on it because the original owners didn't drive very far to camp. Since then we've put on about 60k miles, have been in all the lower 48 states, and visited 43 National Parks. We'll be leaving in March to complete our tour of the lower 48 NPs and then we'll put it up for sale, do to our age and health, not because we don't still love it. I can tell you it's been one of the best investments we have ever made. As others have said Chevies can be worked on by almost anyone in the country so maintenance is easy to come by. Hope you find what you're looking for and let us know what you decide.

 

[Hatteras Jim]

My wife and I converted a 2013 (new) extended, high roof sprinter van into our camper. Our sole purpose was to take it to all 48 states, which we did, as well as visiting 50+ national parks. We were part of the unfortunate ones that also had to visit 10 sprinter dealerships to keep us running. All DEF related problems. The biggest issue is when a problem is detected, you get a warning that says, "ten starts left". You have 10 starts to locate a dealership, schedule an appointment and find someplace to hang out while you wait for your appointment. Dealerships that can service sprinters were few and far between when we were travelling. The longest distance that we had to divert was over 600 miles. If you do not make it to a repair facility by #10 start, you have to get it towed. Thus, you get creative when making rest stops and fuel stops with the engine running. All that being said, I think the biggest issue that you will face is going from a very large spacious environment to a much more compact one. You and your mate must not have any personal space issues, especially on rainy days. IMO, the only way you are going to be sure if a "B" is right for you is to borrow or rent one for a week and do a trial run (If your future camping is going to be spending a day here and a day there, then schedule your week with a similar itinerary). I have known folks that went from large to small and absolutely hated it. They missed the large microwave, oven and freezer space for all of B&J's flavors. Others have had no problems with the adjustments. Another potential problem is that you are more limited on storage space, so the number of "amenities (toys)" that you drag along is also reduced. On the plus side, you can pull into a space, run your electric and water lines and be ready for rest within 5 minutes. Rent or borrow one and see how you like it.

 

[Sensfan-ClassB]

Hatteras Jim gives you some solid advice. Used class B’s are easy to rent. You appear to be from the west coast, so you may want to consider flying to Calgary this coming mid-spring (to keep ahead of forest fire season start), renting a Class B at the airport, running it north to Banff, then to Jasper, then, time and budget permitting, south-west toward Vancouver before returning to CYYC. Family members did this; they rented one at CYYC, fell in love with class B travel, returned home, and within two months bought a used Leisure Travel van.
We often travel as lone wolf nomads, picking a morning general direction without knowing where we will overnight until late afternoon or early evening. We love it. We stay away from populated areas.The size of the B’s allows us to travel (at least in Canada) with no need to reserve in advance. We have been doing this for 12 years.