Thank you for a very enlightening and comprehensive review. I love the honest, direct and clear analysis and critique that allows RV dreamers like me to hear and see from an actual Travatoer. Most of the reviews here are from salespeople and social media wannabes. Having you articulate the essence of your actual and authentic events has allowed us to have a vicarious experiences that'll help us decide what's best for us. Great job. Nice!
Thank you and thank you for watching. I tried to hit everything from a neophytes point of view. I’m sure I missed a couple things (maybe a few) but the gist is there. All the best and good luck!
@@ChippersIslandAdventures, you did a great job. My only question is that, is the 2024 Onan generator going to be more quite or is it worth it to get the KL? Can the KL handle an overnight air conditioner? Thank you for whatever answer you may have.
No idea on the 24 Onan. They are getting quieter. We’ll see. As for A/C with KL. I believe it depends on the battery bank. You’d need a lot of Amp hours to run it all night. As I don’t have a KL, I can’t answer that question with any degree of certainty. I can always run the generator if I need to so . . .
@@ChippersIslandAdventuresYeah, thanks for your honest view. My concern is HEADROOM. I am 6'5" and also are beds long? I am recently retired and wanting to travel around the country and Canada, from the ground. I flew for an airline for 37 years, so been around the world, but by air.
I took the cover for the sink. Used it as a template and bought one of those plastic cutting boards. Cut it out and now I have a cutting board that covers the sink and is usable as a cutting board
Nice review! Very thorough. We've had our '17K for 7 years now and just went over 100K miles in it. Still going strong. Will be heading for Florida a couple times this winter, and we're planning a big Nova Scotia/Newfoundland trip in the Spring or early summer next year. Been cross country from Virginia twice in it, but I'm getting the urge to go spend some more time in Utah! The T is absolutely the perfect travel vehicle for us. Our first RV, and likely our last. One caution on removing the toilet sprayer if you live somewhere that you'll need to winterize the rig - You'll need to reinstall the sprayer hose to get RV antifreeze in the pipe behind the bathroom wall that leads to the sprayer. It's a common point of failure when folks forget to run RV antifreeze through there. Also a minor nit, the 59 in "Travato 59K" can be left out of most T discussions. It's just the last two digits of the 159" extended RAM PM van wheelbase, and every Travato ever made had been made on that wheelbase. Enjoy that Travato!
Hello there. To answer your question, I cruise at about the speed limit posted. If it's 65, I do 65. If it's 70 or 75 I might be a tad slower than those posted limits. All the best!
Can't say for sure what I get highway vs town driving because that instant gauge is notoriously unreliable. My driving is probably 70% highway, 30% in town. I average 15.5 overall based on actual fuel consumption calculations.@@user-3tf67bk46u
Thanks. This was helpful. We are looking at the 59K and this answered many of our questions. I appreciate the honest feedback and the extras you are doing.
Really appreciate you taking the time to put together such a thorough review. I'm not in the market just yet (I've never even owned a car so it's a big step), but am starting my research and this gives a very clear sense of what the space is like. Many thanks!
Wow! That will be a big step. Take your time and research, research, research. Go to some RV shows and kick some tires. Have fun with all of it and all the best!
Wonderful review and I'm glad your Class B man is working well. I commented earlier on the loud generator that is supposed to be the quietest generator that is put in RVs and it's not. Cummins diesel owns the Onan generator company and they had me come down the night before my 7 a.m. appointment and plug-in at their lot in Harrisburg which was very kind of them so I could run the air conditioning for my dog and I on a very hot humid night also and they were very honest that it may take a couple weeks to get the part they needed. The RV dealer who sold me the van was kind enough to pay for a spot in the campground where I could get electric hookup until my air conditioner got repaired and I don't mind saying it was Colton RV in the Poconos at Wind Gap PA. Thank you for saving my dog and me from the extreme heat and humidity. The back-up camera quit working because it was shorted out because of using aftermarket wiring by Thor industries during the pandemic, again I'm sure a supply issue. The Dodge dealership near me replace the backup camera after three months of not having a backup camera. I am pleased by the consideration of the Dodge dealership who replaced it for me rather than driving three and a half hours round-trip to the RV sales and service. Thanks again for your review of the mind is not a Winnebago it is a Thor and I will never buy another floor because of the many many problems I had with it.
Thank you for watching and I’m sorry you’ve had so many issues with your RV. But, I’m glad you’ve had such good results with the repairs. I did a lot of research and found that in the twin bed floor plan, the two best seemed to be Winnebago and Coachman. Good luck and all the best!
@craiginker6732 Thank you for watching. First of, I’d like to say the K is a great choice. I love mine! As for having a pet. A lot of folks have work arounds depending on what you’re asking. I’m not sure of the concern. if it’s leaving a pet in the van during hot weather, well the generator can help with that though a KL may be a better fit. Also not sure what you’d like to know re: generator and storage. Feel free to ask away and I’ll answer the best I can. All the best!
Thank you for watching and the kind comment. Going from Class C to B reduced a lot of anxiousness with levelers, slides, fuel prices, etc. Plus I use the rig as a daily driver along with my jeep. Thank you and all the best!
Hey Mike thanks for the great review! Been looking at upgrading from my 1991 VW Vanagon camper, which the wife can't drive ( 4 speed) and I agree with you the Travato and Coachman are the best quality for the money. I used to live in Swampscott and Salem, now retired living in Walpole South of Boston. Love your channel, and thanks for your efforts.
I just looked on Amazon for coffee cup holders they have some to attach to your drivers side window where is slides down. And one that attaches to the vans vents. Good luck. My Brother has a 2022 Travato GL he loves it.
Very comprehensive review. We just got our 23/23 59K a few weeks ago and love it. It’s almost identical to yours except for the more adjustable driver’s seat and comes from the factory with the awning power switch. The generator needed the update (would only run for 5. In then quit) and so far runs great. I definitely like the 23 chassis. Mine came with a larger display screen and surround view like my RAM has. I love that. Also has wireless charging and wireless Apple car play connection. My wife loved the idea of putting the blanket in a sham. I have no issue with the lack of city water inlet from outside. At least so far. Our pump has plenty of pressure and I’ve used the shower once so far and find it very good, but I’ll a,ways use a bath house assuming a clean one is available. We have a 14 year old and tried 3 sleeping on the made up bed. It works, but we bought a Luno inflatable bed that goes between the driver and passenger seats that seems to do the trick for her. The only real issue we have so far is the awning does not seem to close completely at the rear, so I’ve strapped it closed with Velcro till we can get the van in for a warranty visit. Waiting to see if anything else needs fixing. Although I like the van overall, I find the ride noisy and rough. Constantly correcting the steering, just like my Jeep. Very susceptible to wind gusts and passing trucks. Not a deal breaker, but nowhere near as nice as my RAM. We don’t have a lot of miles yet, but we seem to be getting north of 15 MPG, mostly city driving and some highway. That’s very encouraging. We have an airstream and love that. But my daughter just started travel softball and I think the Travato will be great to go to games with, camp overnight if necessary, and hang out between games and get relief from the heat and rain.
Thank you for watching. So far, I’m loving my 59k. Not only have I taken it on long and short trips, I use it to go to the beach and other day to day stuff. I know the city driving definitely decreases overall mpg but it’s expected. So no worries. The wireless charger you have is certainly a nice feature. At some point I may upgrade the stereo and display but we’ll see. Have you checked alignment? Always check tire pressure. Tomorrow it’s off the Acadia National Park in Maine. All the best!
@@ChippersIslandAdventures never trust the dealer for things like tire pressure. Mine were all over the place. 50psi on one front, 100psi in the rear. Dangerously off.
One of the reasons we bought the 22/23 259 G instead of the K was because we have unlimited room to push back the drivers seat! I’m 6’ and my wife is 5’11”. We love the unlimited leg and back room. Mike- I think you’d like the G better, especially if you are traveling solo. The bathroom is narrower, though.
I liked the K better when we first started looking at Travato’s 3 years ago. But I felt like I got a lot more value with the G. Bigger refrigerator and separate freezer, kitchen that isn’t going to set the front drivers seat on fire when you are cooking, more storage for larger items under the Murphy bed, very private bathroom, though a bit narrow when you are sitting, front lounge, more leg room for the driver, don’t have to lean over for the microwave oven, etc. With the K I felt like I was getting ripped off. I hated the kitchen and still do on the K. To me the K is less bang for the buck and it’s uninteresting inside. But I do like the amount of room the K provides when on the potty. All of this said, the K out sells the G by a lot. For us, the G is the better choice. Then again, we have never camped in the K.
Great review! I bought a 2022/2023 59K in March. The one I have has problems. But I also got a problematic price for it and am dealing with fixing the issues. I had all 4 Nexum tires with tread separation. At 69 mph the vibration was so bad that it pulled 2 screws totally out of the passenger bed frame mount. I fixed that with larger #14 1-1/4" screws on both bed frame mounts. I replaced all 4 tires but now have a wobble, not just in the steering wheel but in the whole coach around 39 mph when accelerating or in an upgrade. My Ram service manager has the vehicle now and is trying to find the cause. I have done a lot of research on this and think I know what the issue is. But it is just my guess so I will see what the service people have to say. It is such a nice riding rig otherwise that I hope I get to use it one of these days.
Thank you for watching. Sorry to hear of your problems and hopefully they’ll all be rectified. It’s a great rig. All the best and maybe we’ll see ya on the road!
Good review and glad you’re enjoying it. Such a difficult choice when deciding on a rig. We like yours and Pleasure way’s for ease of driving and layout. Concern is it just doesn’t have enough creature comforts for once we arrive at destination. You seem to be traveling solo mostly. This makes the size less of issue and actually perfect for just one. Will keep looking. Tks for sharing.
Thank you for watching. I did not rent one but I went to shows and sat in and “kicked a lot of tires” to find a good fit. I’ve heard of people renting so it’s doable. Good luck and all the best!
Thank you for watching. I like the Mercedes as well. Especially the 4 wd. My concern was when it needed work. There are far more ram dealers than Mercedes. This can be an issue depending where you are. I also wanted the twin beds which I don’t believe is offered on a Mercedes chassis. All the best!
as someone who is interested in both the coachmen rb and the travato 59k, this was the best video ive seen on the travato so i'd like to thank you. you mentioned near the end that travato has more storage than the coachmen "underneath". are you referring to under the twin bed? i have not seen any videos showing whats under the coachmen bed. thanks again for your video, very appreciated
Have you tried using a "flat" hose to hook up to city water? I have heard that the flat hose fits between the door seal and the cab, and allows sufficient waterr pressure to the rig. Bonus points for rolling up MUCH smaller than a normal water hose. They are available at WalMart, Amazon, and lots of other places.
@ChippersIslandAdventures got to see a Travato in person today, and the blue light got me! 😄 THAT is what I'm going to get, maybe a '22. it's beautiful.
Loved your video! Didn't know about switching the power switch to 15! (We just bought our 2024 Travato 59k and the walk through wasn't the best.) We have on the heat and the van is plugged in but I didn't know what power was on. It's -8 degrees here, so I threw on my coat and went out and checked and changed the amp to 15! Thank you for that info! Also, I love you storage in the back of your van! What did you use and was it easy to install? Thank you for this video! I subscribe to you channel!
Thank you for doing such an informative review. I have a friend who has listed her 2023 Travato 59k with 2100 miles on it asking $120k, but now she came to me and said she is willing to sell it to me for $100k. In your opinion, is this a great deal? Most listings I see start around $119K. It's practically new. Thanks.
@@bella3007186 Thank you for watching. I’m no expert but I think that might be a decent deal. Look up the 59k’s on RV Trader and see what their prices are. I suspect that with year and low mileage, 100k is ballpark. Good luck and all the best!
This was a really good video - quite useful. One question: the city water hookup is on the INSIDE? Am I understanding that right? If so, how can you get around that? What was Winnebago thinking?
Thank you and thanks for watching. Yes, you’re correct. All connections are inside as Winnebago feels that many Travato owners are trying to use the rig all year, or at least into colder months. Keeping the connections inside prevents any freezing. Hopefully. Some have made a hole in the inside to run a hose thru to be connected to a water source. Me, thus far it hasn’t been an issue. Hope this helps. All the best!
Mike, thank you for the great review. Just looked at one on the lot yesterday. What limitations do you see with this being a front wheel drive? Not considering off road, but how would this handle if caught in a light snowfall or some slippery weather? Have you experience this? Thanks.
I think in a snow going up a hill would present a problem. My driveway is an example. All our vehicles are 4 or all wheel drive except the Travato. It'll be in testing this winter. Otherwise, I've had no problems. All the best!
Thank you for watching. I might do lithium in the future but for now, the AGMs are treating me fine. I certainly think it’s a great upgrade. All the best!
Thank you for watching. Yes, as a matter of fact, my wife just purchased a slim one. I keep it at the foot of the passenger side bed. It seems to stay in place well and doesn’t rattle or anything while under way. Hope this answers your question. All the best!
I was curious about the pizza oven curtain. Did you purchase one or make one that attaches to those velcro circles? We have a 59K Travato and I'd like to get a curtain.
Thank you for watching. The curtain I’ve used is the one that also is used for the partition wall when you have the rear doors open and put the bar across. You can hang it over the bar or, on mine, there are Velcro tabs on the pizza oven that you can use the same curtain. Hope this helps. All the best.
Love your video! How did you get your bike secured on your bike rack? The bike frame connector on the bike rack is 90 degrees off from me securing my bike and I have a Lectric Lite bike. Thanks for any suggestions you may have. Happy traveling!!!!!
New subscriber here. Very nice and helpful review! Any thoughts on build quality? I guess it's holding up well overall? I've heard horror stories about RV build quality in general.
Thank you for watching and welcome aboard. The nice thing with the 59 is minimal moving parts vs a class C with slides, moving steps, levelers, etc. I found my build was fine. Use a checklist and make sure everything works. Every outlet, faucet, lights, etc. Also that any recalls are rectified. I hope this helps. Good luck and all the best!
Thank you for watching. Because I to ownership in late February, I did not winterize. To get thru a couple cold snaps, I ran the heater on a mix while plugged. However, I had to fill my propane at least a couple times. This winter I will winterize. Hope this helps. All the best!
@@ChippersIslandAdventures yes thank you. Just trying to learn everything i can and do my research before i eventually buy one. Maybe one day you will make a winterization video ur very good at explaining things. Thanks 🤘🏼
@@Uncleharley77 Yes, I will make a winterization video. It's great that you're doing you research. Btw, when sanitizing or winterizing, always bypass the Truma. All the best!
@ChippersIslandAdventures I recognized it! I used to live about 15-20 minutes from there. Except when it was snowing. LOL! I live that place! My sheets on this bed are the blue lobster sheet set LOL. I like your video of the (short term memory name of your van) better than this other couple that's done 5 or 6 different vans from a dealership in Florida. I can't remember their name. She was real nice....I'll leave it at that. I bet you live in Mass?
@ChippersIslandAdventures LOL, I just had that feeling. I've been to Gloucester! I was stationed in the Navy up there. If your headed to Florida, I'm right next door in Alabama. We have 3 RV parks here on the island, or you can boondock in my side yard! I'll make fun of the way you talk, and you can make fun of the way I talk! 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you and thank you for watching. I bought on reg. Twin and one XL. All the best! SafeRest TwinXL Mattress... www.amazon.com/dp/B003PWNGK6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
We're did you buy your winnebago? I'm in Missouri trying to find a place to look at one. If you can let me know, we're you got yours. Thank you for your video.
Great review. We have about 4000 miles on our T and we've averaged about 15.8 mpg. Tell me about that dash mount for the camera...........I been looking for one??
Thank you for watching. The dash mount is for the go pro I sometimes use. Though it’s a bit tight to turn, It’s a 360° that I got off Amazon. All the best!
Thank you for watching. Yes there is. How far forward you go will determine the amount of recline which is some. In my case it’s very little. Hope this helps. All the best!
Why didn’t you get the lithium one? Do you think if I get the regular “K” model that I can run the generator and the roof ac for 8 hours or more continuous for boondocking? If I run the generator for 8 hrs continuously will it overheat or blowup? I have not seen any test on RU-vid on running the Travato generator continuously for 8 hrs or more. I like to see you do that test. Thank you.
Thank you for watching. I went with the K vs KL as I didn’t need the latter. Im quite happy with the way my K suits my needs and I saved myself 20k. As for running the generator: you can run it but it depends on your fuel levels as well. Due to your style of RVing you might find the KL suits you better. Especially if you get add more to you battery bank. All the best and good luck!
I haven’t had that issue as I don’t cook to often inside. I have a 17” Blackstone griddle that is my go to cooking. I do use the stovetop when it’s raining or cold, but this far, no issues. You can always draw a towel over seat or pivot it to use in sitting area.
Ed, I'm not sure about getting more Solar from factory. Panels are available in many different wattages and sizes on the market. I have considered lithium, which I love. But the installed AGM are performing fine. After this major purchase of the 59K and just coming off a Euro adventure, I'm a bit tapped out to make the lithium jump. I do see it down the road though. All the best!
what about cooking with that seat RIGHT THERE! I think the kitchen ought to be on the other side and not so big just put a table that raises on the end, block half the door, that would be fine. That is the only thing I DON'T LIKE, plus able to adjust the steering wheel I agree with you
Thank you for watching. As for cooking, I tend to use the left burner. But you can always pivot the seat or move it forward if it’s a concern with the right burner. All in all I’m happy with the layout but there is always room for improvement. All the best!
Thank you for watching. Only a couple as my wife isn’t into this type of traveling along with we have 3 dogs. So, other than cruises and hotels, she prefers to dog watch at home. All the best.
Great review. You said you had to have a special adapter to hook up a couple of suitcase Solar panels? I have a Jackery suitcase solar panel kit. Can you put in the link or tell me what you use please
Yes they’re easy to install. acegoo RV Boat LED Ceiling Dome Light, 12V Dimmable Acrylic Puck Light with Press Switch & Blue Night Light, 4 Inches DC12-24V 270 Lumen Surface Mount Black Finish a.co/d/4eZV5mN
Thank you for watching. Please feel free to check out my other videos such as my Van Mods. For the vent cover, try this: vanmadegear.com/products/roof-vent-fan-insulated-cover?
@@CathyKliewer-y3b thank you for watching. It has a set on the drivers side but I’d be hesitant to use for a child seat as it is seated sideways rather than forward.
Thank you for watching. That is up to you. I use it often as a daily driver but I also have a Jeep. However many do use the Travato’s as daily drivers. Totally a personal choice. Good luck and all the best!
I thoroughly enjoyed your review. We are in Australia, and we have just put a deposit on a Horizon Casuarina. We have chosen the twin singles option. The van is the equivalent of your Ram in the US. Here, it is a Fiat Ducato. Italian manufactured. It has a 2.2 litre turbo diesel with 180hp, 9 speed auto. We will have the 2023 version. We have to wait 6 months before we can take ownership. Yes, it is made already and sitting on the display yard. But, being a display model and they take it to RV shows, we can not have it until they produce a new one to replace this one. Thems are the rules, I guess. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed your down to earth review.
Thank YOU and thank you for watching! It’s great to hear from someone on the opposite side of the globe. Winter is just ending here so I’ll be de-winterizing soon. I’m sure yours will have some differences such as, maybe a cassette toilet. Which, I kinda wish mine had. I hope you stay tuned (and subscribed) as I’ll be posting more travel and Van talk. Congrats on your purchase. You’re going to love it especially as you can use it everyday to run errands and such. Thank you again and all the best!
Thank you for watching. To answer your question, no. The toilet in the 59k is perfectly fine. The shower can be a bit tight but, it is a van. In The 24b, the toilet is great. Certainly better than in The 59k but it is a Class C.
@@ChippersIslandAdventures We started with a diesel pusher about 11 years ago three years ago we sold it took a little break and two years ago we purchased a class C Winnebago 30j . We are on a 4000 mile trip currently and it’s a real pain towing a car and finding a place to park and unload. We are more of a gypsy style campers then we are driving to a campground and sitting there for a week two or three weeks. I do like stopping in a campground for a day or two for a break but we enjoy driving to different sites and learning about history and hiking trails. Don’t mind Boondocking I think it’s a lot easier than getting in and out of a campground just for a night sleep. While we had a down day, we went to a local RV store and looked around at the class b’s we really fell in love with the Winnebago Travato 59K the only complaint I would have would be the refrigerator but we talked about it and feel as much as we travel around. There’s always plenty of Walmarts to stop and pick up two or three items so we don’t have to store a whole lot of stuff.
