I love how decisive you are. You know what you want and what concessions you are willing to make. And if it doesn't work you don't waste time or emotion about changing it. Thanks for the detailed plus/minus on the rig!
I can’t wait to buy your audio book. I have never bought an audio book 📖 before but this is a special case. You ARE the only one who can pull it off properly!
It really is amazing how there are so many RV's out there yet I am still begrudgingly planning a self-build because literally none of them meet my needs, regardless of price.
So not to remind you or anything, but during the live when you were comparing the 18m to the larger version I said GET THE BIGGER ONE you deserve it 😄 and you and everyone on the chat agreed! but then you pulled the trigger on the smaller one so I’m glad you sold it!!
As your little Northern New Jersey Consigliere, I am willing to press my french cuffs, buff my wing tips and go deep into the weeds to help put this little problem to rest.
I totally agree with your comments about the bed and kitchen. I'm a really short person. Most class B's have too much bed and not enough kitchen. Looking to do something custom. Since you said the driving was comfortable....I would like to know if the driver's seat could be adjusted up and down as well as forward.
So much more helpful review than all other RV reviews. You really nailed all the points I was curious about class B RV. Still counting days to get one and live my dream. Well, need to wait until my kid to graduate and get a full time remote job.
Sorry about your bad experience. They don’t make them like roadtreks anymore. I own a 210 versatile and the bed was permanently set up. Topped it with a memory foam was good to go. Very comfortable.
Greetings from Columbus, Ohio, and Happy Fourth of July. I am an excellent swimmer as was my father before me and his father before him. Have a wonderful week.
Only class B floorplan that I ever found that I thought would work for me was an old (2001) American Cruiser. (Rear entrance, rear bath - streetside, rear kitcken - curbside, hanging closet, streetside gaucho & curbside dinette. - Gaucho replaced with desk, dinette replaced with single bed.
Glad you made it to Wyoming Casey and had a safe trip home. A good review of the down falls of the mobile office. Nice that it held it's value. Yep, we do have some fierce winds. This year has been full of light, medium and heavy rains.
You may want to consider the Tiffin Cahaba. Since it's on the Sprinter 144, it'll be more nimble than the long wheelbase Promaster, but it's a very functional layout. It addresses most of the issues you had with the 18M. With its twin bed layout, as a solo traveler, one side can be a dedicated bed and the other a dedicated couch. No mattress Tetris, no issues with height. In addition, there's a small desk that turns into a work area by swiveling the driver's seat. The fridge isn't significantly larger, but IMHO, the drawer design is easier to use. It has a Volta system so power is plentiful and a generator isn't needed. Sprinter's turbodiesel is more powerful and the big 3500 Promaster may be even more sluggish than the little 1500 Promaster since they share the same engine. The Cahaba has windows on both sides of the van, allowing for cross ventilation.The Uconnect 5 on the MY 2023 Promaster have a larger screen than what was available in previous years. The Cahaba MBUX has a 10" screen. Other than when I'm searching for a gas station that sells diesel, I prefer the Sprinter chassis, but if you are committed to a vehicle based on the Promaster, the Travato 59G layout would also be better suited for your priorities than the 18M.
This is my first time watching you and your honesty is refreshing. That being said, there is no way in hell I would consider a class b. I don't think you could give me one unless I could hang a for sale sign in it immediately.
Can’t wait for the book! As a former camper I can relate to all the pros and cons. It is way better to have a designated bed and a rear bath. My experience comes from travel trailers and slide outs are a must for. Us. Good luck searching for new one. ❤❤❤❤❤
I know you do real estate now, but I REALLY HOPE - SOMEDAY - you are able to travel the country full time, making videos.. because that's what you are THE BEST at. But I understand that life is $$$$ anyways, love the updates.
Completely agree. Casey has some of the most enjoyable videos and realistic perspectives found on RU-vid. Really miss those short video "documentaries" she did on different special or historical locations she came across during her travels.
Okay young lady, time for you to move into the future! Get yourself into the "Wheel Estate" EV business! Land yourself an RV park in the northeast (think Maine). Set it up with proper power to each site, Tesla plugs, Tesla Megapak, and count the $$$$$ coming in.
@@clarkleakins879 LOVE the "wheel estate" phrase! Will be a cold day in hell before I embrace the silence of Tesla while my diesel is still around (and far more reliable!)
HAHAHA! I UNDERSTAND regarding your not driving a Tesla. I was suggesting how to serve the future EV industry, government mandates/specific charge connection, some/many people driving Tesla will want to "camp mode", need electric to do that, at a campground. KOA already upgrading their facilities for EVs. "The future is Electric".
We've had the RV the Thor 18M is based on for over five years and we're happy with it for camping trips for two people. This is not to say she's wrong for herself. People's needs vary. But I also noticed that when Thor decided to copy what we have--a Carado Axion from the now-defunct Hymer North America--they cheaped out every which way. For example, Casey complains about not having an open-able window on the sliding door for cross ventilation. We do. We have a proper marine toilet instead of a cassette (you still have to pay a dump fee to dump the gray water tank even if you have a cassette so what's the value?). We have 200W of solar instead of the Thor's 100W, and lithium batteries instead of lead acid. And an underhood generator instead of the noisy and hard to access gasoline-fueled generator under the van. And so forth. So ours if more lievable due to all the upgrades compared to the Thor. But it's still under 18 ft. long. Well, unlike Casey, we live in a condo in a city, and we can't have anything longer than 18 feet on the premises. So if we wanted something longer we'd have to store it somewhere and pay storage on it and not have it available as a second car, which we use it for because it gets 15mpg on regular and can park in a parallel space. The only way we could have a b igger RV is to not own any and just rent one when we needed it. Also, here in California, when you try to reserve a camptise at a public campground, they always want to know how long your vehicle is, and if you're longer than 18 ft. fewer campsites are available. The fold-out bed is a daily hassle, but a van this size will be claustrophobic with a permanently deployed bed. No way around it. And as it happens we owned a VW Euroan Camper for 20 years, and the Promaster 1500 is wider and longer, so for us it was a step up in roominess. We'd have to sell our condo and move if we got a pROMASTER 3500 THAT SHE WAYS IS THE MINIUM. And many thiousands of people in other countries camp in Promaster 1500-sized vans The notion of vast minium space needed wakes many Euros roll their eyes. With the foldout bed folded we have a spacious, comfortable van. She complains about the lack of storage space. We agree that it's not much in such a short RV that has a full bathroom. Our solution is a fold-up hitch-mounted cargo platform that can accommodate two 27 gallow rainproof containers. One holds all our bedding; the other holds things like the water hose and Lynx Levelers that can dirty up the interior. Food goes in a hard-sides box that folds flat when empty. It's just the size to fit in front of the passenger seat when it's rotated. . As for the bed being uncomfortable, no RV comes with a comfortable bed, really. You have to get custom memory foam mattresses that fit in the covers. Ours cost about a grand, though cheaper is doable. And while the couch is too high for your feet to set flat on the floor, we just put one of the bolsters down there on top of a cushioned mat that we stand on for working in the kitchen. And as for the sliding door and rear doors letting in bugs, that's why we have Skeeter Beater screens with magnets on their periphery to hold them in place. As for lack of power, it has adequate power. No more, but no less. And certainly comparable to what the Sprinter and Transit have. Just think about that 15mpg as it's going up a long grade--which we have aplenty here in California, sometimes up to 10,000 ft. above sea level or more. There were about 220 Careado Axions made, and you can almost always find one for sale somewhere in the country at any given time. Check them out on the Facebook page for them, which I help moderate. Honestly Ieverything I've heard about the Thor version doesn't make me want to get one. I'm so glad we got an Axion while it was available.
Thank you for another great video. My late husband and I purchased a 1995 Pleasure-Way STW last February. It has turned out to be perfect for me and works for a guest too. Because of the twin beds. Yes I agree about the bathroom in the middle, but when purchasing really used and going for the engine you want, you get what you get. I'm going to do a few minor updates and likely leave homebase for the entire winter. Pleasur- Way, has always had some light interiors and I love that. I can't wait for your book. Best wishes on finding the perfect mobile office/ adventure vehicle for your style.
@@CaseyRoman 🤣🤣 And filling up the entire roof with 1kW of solar will allow you to run another fridge and freezer on top of a 6000 BTU AC on a hot sunny day. It's amazing what math and science can do for us Hey, hope you find the perfect rig soon 👍😁. The travel videos you did were entertaining.
Thank the Lord I found your channel. I will not make a move without your approval. The best honest review's hands down. When the right man comes along he will have a winner on his hands for sure. You Rock.
Hi Casey, waiting for your audio book to come out! Would love your opinion on the new Roadtrek Pivot Slumber that was rated best class b van in spring. Keep up the great work!!
Good points. I have a roadtrek, the bed is in the back plenty of room up front. Need a spare tire too.I've had a blow out, plenty of trend but dry rot on sides
Your awesome, thank you for your honest evaluation, it’s going to help me so much when I buy my first Class B, you cover so much and touch on so many things most reviews don’t talk about ❤
having a permanent bed, a dry bath & being able to stand up were my priorities for a class B+. Putting your bed up/down every day must be a pain AND what little storage you have is taken up by bed linens/pillows. Also no slide outs. A B+ has EVERYTHING you mentioned.
One downside of a B+ is they tend to look more like an RV and while few (nobody?) would mistake something like the Thor for a van, at least in the non-white color Casey's was, it didn't scream RV.
@@ianfurqueron5850 yup... cant put a utility rack on this and pretend it's a work van, but I find that I have no problem parking it on the street and never have to worry about a campsite since it's only 24'. I have no slide outs and when I back into a parking spot ( the backend over grass) many people look twice to realize it's an rv.
Hi Casey! Another great video although I'm sorry that things didn't work out with the Thor! I don't blame you a bit for selling ANY RV you aren't truly happy/comfortable with. Did you sell your Thor through a sales service (like RV Trader, etc) OR did you sell it just by word of mouth? I'm curious for my own future reference.
I am sorry for you, this was hard for you or anyone. The 18M Class B is only 18 feet long, to have separate bed and desk space, the Ram Promaster 21 foot is needed. The 21 foot are the Thor Dazzle/Twist (low cost units), Thor Tellaro/Sequnce (hight cost units), Swift from JayCo, Travato from Winnebago and Nova fom Coachmen. Buyers need to look, study, think and if needed rent a unit to try. Rent cost less than the loss in a resale.
Great Video - The comment at 20:50 "I know you've seen all these van channel where they have all these stupid photos up of the back doors wide open and you know it's the camera pans down across her exposed butt cheeks and she's reading Aristotle but it's upside down cause she's not actually reading it.....etc just killed me. Thanks for injecting some humour into the review!
Casey- re: solar panels. When you don’t want to be shelling out $$$ for a parking space in a park. And not a wimp for camping; I’m overlanding on purpose- to get away from people!
I agree. A 15 minute visit to an RV lot to see one in person would have also made it an immediate no for her. I also question dropping $100k on anything sight unseen, but that’s just me. On the other hand, there need to be more critical reviews of these class Bs out there- not everything can be puppies and rainbows. So if this video did nothing else, it may save someone from duplicating her mistake.
Thanks for the informative info on the Thor. I've been looking at it closely, and yes, that bed/couch has concerned me from the start. Also, some people have voiced concerns about how low the generator sits on the chassis, which they say, results in only about 3-4 inches of ground clearance. Is that true? If so, I would think that this could lead to generator damage if hitting a mound or rock or something while on the go. Not sure if I'll continue to consider this one or keep shopping. The problem is is that I want a new Class B under $100,000 and there aren't many in that category from what I can tell. Thank again for your thoughts.
As you keep looking for the "perfect" RV for you, consider looking at the fleet of RVs made by Coach House. Our Preference is the 27 foot "Platinum" on a Ford E450 chassis. It is powered by the "Godzilla" Gas V8 , lots of power without the crazy expensive maintenance of diesel. It is a small class C With super quality construction. There are numerous floor plans. We have owned ours three years now and have driven coast to coast twice We found the 27 to be large enough to live on comfortably for long periods yet compact enough to take shopping . The V8 had plenty of power when crossing the continental divide. It is fully self contained. The Ford E 450 chassis is rugged ( A consideration when we get off paved roads) and has ample load carrying capacity above the gross vehicle rating. Coach House is a small family owned business specializing in semi custom RVs Since this model is Ford, dealer support is available everywhere. This model fits in the space beween your B+ and the fifth wheel.
Don’t forget the Sequence and the Tellaro., same exact van. Glad you explained that! 😂 I noticed the variations as well. As for the Class B vans, I haven’t seen ONE with a standalone bed. If you found one, please share. I’m curious if there is an update to this video. Did you purchase another RV? If so again, please share!
If you liked the basic layout of the 18m but wanted longer ....look at the Thor Tellaro or Sequence...has the rear bath and just more room and bigger frig.
The Tellaro was initially my first choice but I will NEVER buy a fold-up bed again. It still suffers from the same issue of the bed taking over the entire space. The Sequence is pretty nice
I know this was mentioned previously..... But 1500, 2500, 3500..... Is the Engine - Not the wheelbase.... The 18M means - 18 foot wheelbase.... From front axel to rear axel.... 1,500 feet would be over 30 city lots.... 3,500 feet would be over 80 city lots.... Feel free to hide this comment.... It's just for your information.
Why not look into a custom built van instead of a new commercial build. You could get a custom build that meets all of your needs. The cost is approximately the same either way. They make vans with beds that raise and lower as well as having custom bathroom and office builds. Just a suggestion that could be worth looking into. Have a wonderful day.
I seen a Canadian van where the back bed retracted up to the ceiling so you had storage or seating underneath and you had a real bed. You could contact Thor and actually put your input in.
Nice to see a review from one who actually went on a long trip with it. Loved your description of being in a grand canyon in the middle of the night. 😂 I agree nobody needs TV.
Wow ! I love this rig….I guess their are different levels of campers. This unit has everything I need plus. I guess I got a good one…. It’s a great lay out. No problems with hills and the cassette toilet I’ve had no smell issues. I guess I drink the right amount of water daily. I get 20 mpg. The air will pull through if you open the back and latch the doors ! I encourage everyone to go and look at one don’t be discourage by this video. I love mine! All rigs are having issues, nothing new in the industry.
Seems like every RV video I’ve ever watched, even when the owner likes it , most of the video is about a laundry list of various things breaking and falling apart from day one.
I am new here never saw any of your videos. This is my 1st. Love that you know what you like and don't. 1question please....why not do a custom build??? Best of all worlds!! Just wondering???
So much easier to use the casette toilet for urine only & put a bag in the bowl with some kitty litter for #2 double bag & dump in the nearest trash can. I just use some urine digester in the cassette toilet which cuts urine smell. With urine only you can use much longer before dumping too. Just my advice as a van lifer. If yiu can't seperate your 💧 & 💩, work on your kegel muscles...lol 😂
Be leery of any commercially manufactured RV, especially a Thor. Awful reputation for quality. The rear baths are appealing, except for the loss of storage. With a rear fixed bed, you get a huge "garage". Ours holds an inflatable kayak, ebikes, camp chairs & table, grill, camera equipment, compressor, traction boards, fishing gear .... even my sewing machine, etc. etc. Respectfully disagree about solar; our panels power everything. I'm not sure why you think you have to replace the panels. Just get good ones. (We had them on several homes and RVs, for years. Never had to replace one.) Solar allows us to boondock all over the western US/Canada for free. No plugging in, ever.
All the rigs outfitted by American RV companies are so poorly designed, they are all doing the same bad layouts, this is why people are compelled to do there own van layout and build…
Petty and rude. When I started I was unemployed and battling depression. Then living in a cargo van eating rice cakes. Now I can afford all three meals. Add too the conversation or get lost.
This comment tells me you have never done a van build. Or know the cost associated with custom build outs. Or how problematic resale is on custom build outs.
@@TheUGFUGF my first rig was a custom build. I get what you’re saying but it’s the resale value that loses me. Outdoorsy is littered with custom builds. Sorry, didn’t mean that to sound so harsh. Just terribly blunt.
