I appreciate the way you guys do a review. Down to earth, plus using your current RV as comparison helps put me alongside what you are viewing. Thanks!!
Gregg Hershberger Thanks Gregg! Great to meet you too! It was So awesome to meet you and all the others who came out. Hands down we have the best subscribers. Maybe we’ll see you down the road sometime.:)
Thank you for the detailed walk through. The narrow hallway would be a lot of backing up for my large dog so it's not a good match for me, but I do like that the driver's seat finally swivels and the pull out freezer. A lot of frozen yogurt could fit in there!
This is probably the best complement that RoadTrek could have given to the Coachman CrossFit. Things like the separated freezer, solid wood cabinets, Truman system, and the Ford chassis are things that these 2 units share. Some things that they haven't gotten to the level of the CrossFit would be things like the flat floor, lithium Ion system that can run the AC for 8 hours, dovetail construction on all the cabinets and standard screen doors from and rear. I like that under mouthed ac system but I wonder how it will fair under the chassis with dirt and road debris over time.
It was such a joy to meet you two today, and Pistol too of course. 😊 You both are so nice. I am heartbroken to say that my sticker must have slipped out of my backpack, probably when I was pulling my camera in and out. 😕And it was my first one.
Oh nooooo!! If you’re around tomorrow 11-1, swing by. Otherwise email me your address and I will drop one in the mail to you. It was great meeting you today! 😊
Thanks! I’m probably going down to the Riverwalk tomorrow. I got see all of the RVs on my checklist today and it was great. So I will definitely email you my address. 😀👍🏻
Looks pretty good for a proto. Nothing beats the Zion SRT for urban boondocking though! I'm so glad as new rigs come out I'm still never feeling an ounce of regret for my choice.
Just found your channel and binge watched today. Great stuff! You guys are so much fun to watch. Love your sense of humor and the information you share. Carry on!
Great video. To the point, reading the spec sheet really is appreciated. My guy is 6'8", he can stand in our Class C but I'm really hoping to change to a van for more ease of urban boondocking. This video gives me hope. Happy Adventures!!!
I was curious about this one! The Ford Transit Chassis is SOOOO comfortable to drive, smooth, lot's of power!! I drove a Ford Transit Rental on vacation and loved it!!! It actually changed my mind on what chassis I want to look for. But I don't know about that super thin isle, I can't stand that! I would actually prefer not to have so much counter space I would leave that space open. Thanks for the review guys!!! And thank you so much for your help with my shopping for a van!!!! Say Hi to Pistol for me!!!
Good to hear it drives so well! I wonder if there’s a different floor plan where the aisle is more open. Or maybe they will consider that going forward. So many options and choices it’s hard to decide what’s going to work best. Hope you find the perfect one! 😀
Your comments about the Haven were really helpful, especially concerning the lighting and the narrow walkway. The exterior striping was a bit odd, though - it looks like it belongs to the US Postal Service. 😜 Overall it looks like a nice space though, and it will be interesting to see how/if the final product differs from this prototype. Thanks for giving us a sneak peek!
Very nice! Earns A-. Maybe it's time to stop the gaudy racing-stripe exterior paint jobs that have been overdone to the point of being a dated cliche. Dark solid color that can blend into surroundings when stealth parking is a must. Please offer OPTIONAL convection ovens, giant microwaves, and enormous refrigerators (not everyone plans to bake a Christmas turkey, nuke a big-dish casserole, or store food for 6 in a cramped RV, where more drawers/cabinets in those spaces would be beneficial). The awning is great, but please provide an OPTIONAL three-sided canvas & Velcro attachment that would hang from it and turn that space into a livable additional exterior tent room when parked. Next year, Roadtrek, reach for an A+ and consider these revisions that will increase the unit's usefulness: -recess enough small shelves in shower encasements to hold 2-dozen bottles with heights equal to a mouthwash bottle. You've got the room in there. -build in a bolted-in steel safe -fit a removable ice chest in refrigerator -install by the kitchen sink corner a 5-gallon bottled water dispenser -put a water filter on the kitchen faucet -always include a built-in electricity surge protector -provide a cabinet space with a plug for a canister vacuum with a hose that will reach from dashboard to rear -recess in main cabin several built-in vented wall sconces for holding candles when off grid -provide an OPTIONAL chimney hole over the range where a small wood-burning stove can be set for interior off-grid heating (that can also be detached and moved outside for off-grid cooking)
Lose any more weight Dave and you'll blow away. Our first thought on seeing the sink was we could give our dog Maggie her bath. Thanks for sharing again.
Watching some of your boondocking videos, the one advantages of the Ford should be higher ground clearance . Unfortunately it looks like Roadtrek has nullified this advantage with the skirting around the bottom of the van . Although you didn't show it , you did say they worked out a way to turn the driver's seat. That's a good thing for sure . Thanks for another video . My wife and I are doing your videos in order and are just getting past last years Tampa show . Please don't tell her I jumped ahead .
Yeah, that was my first reaction to this video: I wonder how much stuff is going to be ripped off the bottom/side the first time you take this on a rough/dirt road?
Bathrooms should be on the drivers side of the van . It blocks the drivers view out the passengers side while driving and puts all the windows on the neighbor's side at camp or the road side when pulled alongside a beautiful view . I also think it would unduely complicate the grey and black water tank placement . I thought Roadtrek had finally ended that design .
Thanks so much for the great tour of the Haven. Still trying to figure out which Class B we want to purchase. We sure wish we could make it down there. Our 16 year old Yorkie crossed the Rainbow 🌈 Bridge 🌉 😢recently and we need to stay closer to home with our other 2 furbabies. Thank you so much for all of your great videos! Love your channel and hope to meet you guys in the near future! Give Pistol a kiss from our furbabies 🐾🌈🌉🐶
Carey On Vagabond Thank you! We love watching Pistol and our girls(Yorkie “Carley” and Schnauzer “Pepper”) hope to meet her and get a selfie and her pawtograph🐾😁
I hate decals on RVs, always have. In my opinion, a mono-color stealthy look is far more attractive. I like the layout, although it should be reversed, and it has decent tank capacities. However, based on RT vans I've looked at over the last couple years, I'm not to confident in their build quality. The drawers seem a bit sketchy and those cabinet doors will rattle like mad going down the road. Also, I don't understand RT's stubborn insistence on putting the kitchen on the driver's side, opposite from where your camp site will be. Anyway, nice preview video of the Haven guys!
Unfortunately, unlikely this model will be in production anytime soon due to the financial scandal. That is going to hurt the employees, the company and the industry as a whole and could take a while for this to be settled.
You are %100 right on the built quality . I always thought RT is overpriced , when there is other companies with much better quality and for lack of better word feelings ! May be it is me but why we don’t have it in diesel ? Longer engine life better fuel mileage and less maintenance .
Thanks for the walk thru...I like the galley like you said Irene great counter, love the induction & sink but it is definitely too narrow. When Dave was in the bathroom sitting like you asked him to it looked like it would be easy to bump your arm into the shower valve? That would not be good. The retro is very cool. 😀
You scooped the first review of the Haven guys! Well done! Love the galley but missing your Zion pantry. I turned down the Pleasureway partly bc of the step but if a permanent bed like Dave says it’s a moot point. Not sure why the price point? That “vintage” trailer is a Hymer Touring. Made in Europe for decades.Production has been slow here bc of manufacturing problems. I was dying to see the first ones years ago and thought it would be on my buy list (but couldn’t wait any longer and bought beloved Bertie). I hope you videotape it with selling price. There is a market for these here I believe if priced right.
We did take a look at the trailer but got sidetracked. We will go back and look closer tomorrow. I don’t recall the price. We’ve looked at too much, my head is spinning! 🤪😬
GREAT VIDEO NICE RIG. ONLY I WANTED TO SEE THE RETRO ALSO.........KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU GUYS. LATER GATER............HAPPY TRAILS AND MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN.
I am like you there are several things I like about the van ( in fact the same things you like and dislike ) I wouldn't trade my Zion for it. Looking forward to what else you are going to look at.
Looks nice. Seems way too expensive though. For that price I would expect a LOT more craftsmanship to go into it. That looks almost like some kind of kit. Like they just forced a bunch of stuff into it. And even the stuff that was put in there doesn't seem top of the line. For example, those cabinets are definitely going to rattle... they rattled just by him toying with them. Also, I seen one or two cabinets where people would be constantly hitting their heads as they stood up. Don't get me wrong, it's still good quality. I would just expect better than just "good" for that price tag.
Logically, you would assume a vehicle set out for public viewing would have been quality checked very carefully. Potential buyers see sloppy workmanship and that first impression may be the last chance Road Trek will have to get them interested. Those loose latches could have been easily adjusted at the final QC station before the unit want out the door. This interior layout had some positives, like the spacious counter top, and large clothes closet. Also induction cooktop ... it is about time that RV manufacturers started listening to customer’s who love induction cooktops. Deep kitchen sink is a plus, but square or rectangular would be more efficient for dish washing and buying sink accessories. There must be ducted air since the A/C is under the floor. Phooey on the “US Postal truck” graphics! Didn’t see a spare tire. Yeah, I know ... the only time you need a spare is when you have a flat that can’t be at least temporarily cured with a can of Fix-A-Flat. My luck never is that kind to me though. Price? Meh ... they always jack it up then drop it for a “show special” which is the same price a dealer will eventually negotiate down to anyway then try to sell you upgrades, and extended warranties.
The 40 gal fresh water is a big plus. You can install 2 weeks of off-grid power and it's all for naught if you run out of water. Wondering if this has the SumoSpring upgrade, and another great thing about the Transit is you can lift it 2 5/8" without affecting the drive-train geometry. I really like this van, and it's on my short list. Cabinets, at least on the show model, definitely need tuning which is not a big deal or unusual. After the suspension upgrade I'd plumb in an additional 30-40 gal fresh water in the rear under the bed. I wonder if it has an under-hood generator, which would be good to offset the weight of the extra water and who wants the noise. Thanks for the tour
My husband and I were at the Tampa RV show Wednesday and Thursday. Wasn't very impressed with the Haven really. Looked like just one long hallway and thought maybe they rushed having it on display when it wasn't really ready.... cabinets were loose as an example. Made it feel chintzy and lacking quality. We were looking specifically at the Zion and the Agile SS, as well as the Hymer Aktiv and Travato. Thought we would lean toward the Agile, but it was really lacking in storage for basic kitchen items/food. Was not crazy about the bathroom either. The Zion was much better for storage but we both thought it lacked natural light. Still on our list though. We both loved the Hymer Aktiv 2.0 - very bright, good quality and tons of storage. The cassette toilet idea is starting to grow on us. Also loved the 6 year warranties with the Roadtrek and the Hymers - good for resale as well. We also both loved the Travatos - good quality, great layouts, storage, and large bathrooms. Downsides were the warranties and the fact they are hard to find in Canada. The show helped us narrow down what was really important to us a in a van though. Spoke to James from Fit RV for a few minutes too.
Sounds like you were busy while you were here! I agree about the natural light in the Zion but we are lucky enough we can chase nice weather and be outside until bedtime. We always look when we are at these shows and we are always happy with our choice but everyone travels differently. Hope you find just the right one! 😀
Another excellent video. We are thinking about downsizing fro our 25’ trailer to a van type rig. We are trying to figure out how to fit the bikes and kayaks with reasonable access. Also am tempted to build my own after 40 years of RVs I know all the components are made by just a few manufacturers and think I can customize them for our comfort. You have mentioned a couple of times of maybe building your own. What are your thought now?
We think about building one every day! We’re still learning what works for us and what doesn’t but a custom build is really the only way to get exactly what you want. Check out Humble Road on RU-vid. He’s mid build on a Sprinter now, Dodge to come. He’s doing some great things. 👍🏼
Hi guys - Thank you so much for taking us through the Ford Transit Haven; so wish we could have been there in person. Do you know When the Super “B” RV show is in Arizona this year? Will you be there?
Howdy folks 👋🏻 I had a Roadtrek 190 back in the day, so im very fond of that particular model! The Haven is way too long for me personally, so im not a big fan! And, the only other chassis/powertrain I like, is the Dodge ProMaster! This was a great walk-thru. There were some takeaways that I DID LIKE: 1) Side mounted 30amp connection 2) The kitchen basin/residential Faucet! 3) The roof rack on top In conclusion, I like your van much much better 👍👌✌🏻😎 #CareyOn
Yeah, 22.2 ft!? That would be crazy long for us. And a smaller wheelbase. Of course people think we’re crazy for having only 19.5 ft. They’re kinda right. 🤪😬 I like the same things you mentioned. I think it will be the perfect rig for some but we are happy with the SRT for now. 👍🏼👌🏼 Carey On!
Irene, your Promaster is a Ram, not a Dodge. They split into separate divisions many years ago. Saying your Promaster is a Dodge is like saying your chevy is a Buick.
I like the retro to :) as for this van I think I like yours better....some things are nice but kinda don't like the length and the aisle width ...Thanks so much for the tour keep them coming :) Carey On
Yeah I don’t think the space is great for us but I think it will be great for some. It would be awesome if we could take the best of both and make our own! 😬
Amazing rv but I definitely would rather customize my own. The cabinets to me are very unnecessary. Just a little to much for my liking. But it's good to see the space available in this rv.
hmmm, it's taller and narrower. some nice features. that isle width is definitely problematic. decent specs but the jury is still out. similar layout to the Agile. I'm not a Ford Transit fan.
It’s definitely taller! Great for a tall person. Love the counter space but not at the cost of the narrow aisle. Maybe they will go back and rework it a bit. 👍🏼
The new class b RVs are nice looking but they're not made to live in full time :( I'd rather build my own class b and design it the way I want it thanks for the video
You’re welcome. I agree about the current B’s not being designed for full time. We have been full time in our Roadtrek Zion SRT for over 2 years but it’s taken a bit of modification. One of these days I plan to build one.👍😁
Hi guys, did you happen to hear any thing about Hymer group being investigated for cooking the books and fraud? They are laying every one off at there plant and covering up books to look good for the Thor Industries in the sale to them.
It's a bad scenario. 3 execs, including Jim Hammill, were terminated. Details are still pending since the company has not issued a statement yet. For anyone unfamiliar, just Google "Erwin Hymer North America scandal."
Hi Dave, Irene, and Pistol. It was great meeting you guys at the Tampa RV Show. We’re back in San Antonio tonight but will be flying back to Florida next Friday to pick up our RV. Happy travels. Rick and Jan
All these van builders have it wrong. They use house style items like square cabinets and counter tops which are not ergonomic or road worthy. If they would study how boats are built they would see items that are built for motion and maximize storage as well as increase reliability due to constant stresses put on an item in motion. Door handles sticking out in a passageway? Come on. Lazy builders that buy cheap crap from Ikea.
One of these days a RV maker will make a bare bones conversion van like all the DIY builders make. I'll take one of those DIY converison over this really poor designed conversion. Now if a car manufacturer will get smart and offer a true wide body cargo van for commercial worker and van converters to add a transverse full size mattress (75") will fit length wise.
It's beautiful and bright. I wonder what kind of customer they have in mind when I see a dinette and seating in the back. In this case, to get there everyone has to squeeze through the middle. If it is always in the bed position, no problem. Seeing these big vans makes me appreciate my 17 footer with the rear bath. Are there any shorties like that at the show?
I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite that short here. We love out 19.5 ft but could probably get away with 21.. the 22.2 would feel awfully long to us.
@@CareyOnVagabond Yeah, mine is so short it has no propane. It is a Coachmen "Traveler" and the next size up was 19' and had propane plumbed in. I remember looking at a 17' that had a burner built in using a small propane bottle screwed onto the side of it. I've not seen anything like that or like mine since.
I thought Hymer, Roadtrek were bankrupt. Maybe they need to update the RV community on the future plans....like warranty work, repairs, who has the warranty....etc.
The fit and finish looks poor as well as the quality of the woodwork. Seems cheap. The cabinet doors rattling down the road would drive me crazy. This coach may work for a weekend but i don’t think it would work well for long term trips or full time, IMO.
Boy, other than it being 4 season and the lighting, it’s not for me. Poor overhead storage, the front of the awning sticks out away from the body, and WAY too low to the ground. I’m sure it’ll meet some people’s needs, but I’m happy with my Aktiv. I am looking forward to seeing it in person tomorrow, thanks for the preview!
