I've seen many off-grid class B videos, and you've done a great job introducing'em. I like Revel, GH1, and Storyteller the best. I've reservations about Entegra's quality of the off-grid vans. You're the only video that lets the audience know the payload capacity of all of those vans. Great job. If you could mention whether lithium batteries can be charged on an idle engine, that'd be great.
Thanks for the compliments. We started posting the cargo capacities after it was brought to our attention that the RV we liked was notoriously low in this area. If we can get the information about the lithium battery charging we will definitely add it in future reviews. On a side note, in our Patriot Class B we almost always used the vehicle engine to top off the battery. We rarely ever ran the generator. Of course, that had an AGM battery.
Thank you, this was great. I am designing a 170, but the way you went through these and pointed out the pros and cons gave me a few new ideas. Really well done!
We are so happy we could help. Wow, you are taking on quite a project with that 170. We really wish we had the skills and energy to do our own, but we fear that ship has sailed. We wish you the best of luck, and would love to see/hear the results of your build. Thank you.
@@halffasttravelers2702 keep you posted. Will be one of the few 5 seater, 5 sleep models ever designed (properly) 😁. Keep making the great content, love it.
I think it's an important detail that the Storyteller has 16.8kWh lithium and the capability of running the AC and microwave from the battery system alone without a lot of worry about draining it. For comparison, the 2025 Tiffin electrical system has to be optioned up 2 level to get not even half the amount of battery power
Yes, that is a very good point and one of the reasons Dan loves the Storyteller so much. What a huge bonus to be able to run the A/C while boondocking. Thanks for posting this info.
That's a great point. There are also length considerations as well. At Big Bend National Park they only allow vehicles 22 feet or less into the Chisos Basin and campground. We think that Mesa Verde has similar restrictions as well.
The 2025 Revel was the only one that's on the new AWD, twin turbo chassis. Which explains the price difference. And yes I was yelling at the screen about the seat split.
Good point on the price difference. Dan is going to see if he can drive a B with the new Mercedes engine for comparison purposes. Sorry about the seat split thing, but we are so glad we saw that. It makes that seating so much more user friendly, although we wish the left seat could come off the wall a couple of inches. Thanks for your comment.
Well you are in luck, because it seems that sales have been down lately and dealer lots seem to be overflowing with new units. The hard part is getting them to sell them at a discount. Just remember, it's a buyers market right now. Good luck.
That's an interesting idea. In some of the Entegra units we've seen they use those identical cabinets with a small locking mechanism on the lower center. I don't see any reason why we couldn't add them ourselves. The question remains: Why hasn't Thor just gone ahead and added them? How much could they cost?
You guys seem very nice! I would, however, suggest doing some research and playing with them a bit before making video though and please talk about the electronics like the Revel Power MAX system, which I personally put a lot of value in! Thanks for the video!
Thanks for the compliment and the constructive criticism. We have been focusing mainly on floor plans, our first reactions to seeing the new models and providing multiple units in a video for comparison purposes. We are walking a fine line between providing all the important information while keeping the video duration at a manageable point. We don't want to bore our viewers, but we agree with you that we should be providing info on these new, innovative features. We can always do better, and with the support of our viewers we will continue to improve. Now Dan is going to look up the Power MAX system.
I am looking at class B vans at La Mesa,not new but used due to the immediate depreciation and also cost.Being retired finances are of importance.i would like an honest unbiased opinion as to the integrity of La Mesa’s sale tactics with the F and I process.I want an out the door price with no frills attached,what say you friend ? Thanks very much.
We are hesitant about recommending any dealership over another. In our opinion there is good and bad at every dealership. We will say that we have had generally good experiences with La Mesa over the years. Whenever we need maintenance or repairs, the process usually goes smoothly and we've never been without the RV for more than a week or so. When we had our "emergency repairs" in Albuquerque they prioritized us and even provided us transportation to and from our hotel for pick-up and drop-off. We have had great success with Bob Miller who is one of the most laid-back, honest salespeople we have ever met. Good luck with your hunt, we wish you all the best.
For me the Revel is a decent unit but the split seats are a waste of space and could be used for a storage area or even a comfortable recliner type chair as there is not really a comfortable place to sit,as it is just me it’s what I would want. No arm rests on the seats is a LOSER.
We tend to agree about the split seats. It is just the two of us 99% of the time so we don't need the extra seats. It is nice to have an area inside to hang out in inclement weather and when the bugs are too much, but we do tend to spend most of our time outdoors on the trips for which these units were designed.. And yes, for long trips arm rests are a definite must have. Thanks for the comment.
You do make a great point. We’re not big fans of monopolies. Quality seems to go down and prices go up in the absence of competition. We would like to see some of the European companies make the move to the US, but the obstacles are huge. Thanks for the comment.
Like the tours, but a big fat no to these vans. Nobody thinks about having to maintain that lovely Mercedes engine at a Mercedes service bay vs a ford or ram service bay 😬, it's gonna cost you more, just cuz!! 💸💸. And that story teller tonka toy, nothing cool about its crazy price 💰😆. 🍻
You speak the truth about the Mercedes maintenance costs. On average we're paying about 30% more when we take it in for service. Dan loves the versatility of the Storyteller, but we agree that the cost is a bit out of line for what you're getting. It is also severely lacking in usable living space. There is a niche for the Storyteller, but at this moment we don't fit in it. We can always count on you to add your two cents on these videos and we really appreciate that. Thanks.
Now that is an interesting thought. I imagine we could get by with one sink, a countertop induction cook top, and a small microwave tucked away somewhere. It's hard to be sure what that would look like though. Now we are going to have to scour You Tube to see if we can find any private builds where they deleted the kitchen. We'll see what we come across.
Wow, thanks for the information. We see it was only made in 2022, but when we looked it up we saw something very cool. The La Mesa website shows they have a used one coming in. If we get back in time to see it, we'll add that to our videos.
Yeah , i've been watching r v's for the last ten years and I can't believe you got these r v's at a hundred and seven thousand whoever buys one of these arby's , it's fucking stupid
The dealers will usually point to the increased costs of the Mercedes, Ford and Ram chassis as one of the reasons the final product is priced so high. They are essentially trying to piece together and fit all the furniture, plumbing, electrical, and appliances into a tight space while, all the while trying to innovate designs and keep the weight down. Some of these models are actually marvels of modern design. The market generally dictates what the consumer is willing to pay for these products. We do agree that the price tag does seem a bit high in certain cases, but people are definitely purchasing them. What does that tell us? Thanks for being a part of the discussion.
