Thank you. I am early in my journey shopping for a Class B RV. This was very helpful. I won't be living in it full time, but I travel between TN/IA/MN/CO frequently to visit family and I'm looking for the perfect Class B to travel with 2 small dogs so I don't have to worry about finding dog-friendly hotels and lugging crates and dog beds into a hotel just for one or two nights at a time because I can't make the trip in one day. I also envision traveling a lot more for fun once I have it.
I'm looking forward to this series. I also really appreciate your format and "on-air" personalities; it makes it easy and enjoyable to listen to. Here are my two questions: 1) Are there reasons you chose not to go with a slide out? 2) Once you set up camp, how do you get around to local sites or towns? Do you always break camp to travel somewhere local or just take your bikes? We are thinking that if we go with a classB, we'd just use Uber or Lyft if we want to get into town.
1) you should do a video on DEF. I don't know how often you have to add it, but I do long trips (1500+ miles) and can have to add a full bottle every time I hit the road. I've only driven older diesel vehicles and it was an unexpected surprise for me. 2) you should look into DEF delete. I'm looking at a shop in Georgia, and not only do you no longer need the fluid - but you pick up significant HP *AND* better mpg for highway driving. The entire purpose of DEF is to cut down on soot - deleting it doesn't increase your CO2 emissions - and actually decreases them due to the better MPG.
I should do a dedicated video on the def and also maintenance we have done. We add about 2.5 gallons of def every 3000-5000 miles and really try to keep it topped off. I think our tank is about 5 gallons.
Its nice that you're able to hit the sweet spot on your choice. it is a big deal that used RV has no warranty, unless you purchase one.Even with cost of used one , you need to be lucky to find no issues or repairs . Good takes. Happy RV ring.
I like the light colors inside and most of all, the quality!!! (We own a T@B 400 Boondock Lite Travel Trailer. Quality is what sold us on the this product).
1100 watts of Solar on a class B without raising the height. I wanted to thank you for your videos. Over the last few months my wife and I have reviewed many of them. The one you did on the battery upgrade and the Victron inverter were my guides to installing a system myself. I wanted to reach out to you to see if you were interested in how I was able to put 1100 watts of solar on the roof. Essentially it involved mounting multiple solar panels to slides that let two 400 watt panels nest over the factory 150 watt panel and adding a second 150 watt panel to the rear. By sliding them out when you set up they run from the middle of the windshield to about 2' beyond the rear of the vehicle. When nested they slide below the height of the air conditioner at the front of the motorhome. I only had to give up my "over the air" TV antenna and a view out my front skylight to make it happen. I have also noticed you praise the virtues of the Airstream Interstate over other models for boondocking. The Era has 44 gallons in the fresh water tank with the black and gray tanks each holding 24 or 26 gallons. That would really increase your ability to stay out longer...or simply take away some of the "black tank anxiety". Again, thank you for the tips. I'd be glad to share mine.
Hello, thanks for reaching out! We're glad our videos our of help and you guys enjoy them. Your sliding solar panels sound very intriguing and I don't think I've seen them on a van...pretty cool! It's nice you didn't raise the roof and kept it as minimal as possible. I have seen them on a trailer before called the Living Vehicle out of California and think sliding panels make a ton of sense to maximize your solar output. We actually looked very hard at a 18 Winnebago Era B and really loved the layout and big kitchen, but the 9 gallon black tank was a deal breaker. Your M does have massive tanks for sure! I think only newer Coachmen's are similar now and it's a shame most B's have very small tanks. The M is a very interesting van layout and also thought about it as well, but there were not many around and we weren't sure about the murphy bed. Can you make the bed without popping out the slide?
@@IreneIronTravels I was surprised to see a response from you when I checked mail this morning. Thanks for taking the time to respond. The Murphy bed is one of the things we love the most in our layout. The bed makes it far easier to convert from "sleep" to "daytime". The bed can be raised with all of the bedding in place...messy or made...along with six pillows stacked near the window so a shit from sleep to daytime is pushing a button and everything is out of site and stored. There are cabinets over the bed and a cavity about 30"tall and 12" deep. The Murphy bed is also one of the problems when you are doing any "stealth" camping because it can't be lowered when the slide out is in. We bought a "my pillow" mattress topper that we can fold in half and lay on the floor between the bed and bathroom. One sleeps on the couch and one on the floor. Not the best but works for the few times needed. The other thing that is amazing is the dry bath. The bathroom also has a huge countertop by RV standards and is great. The kitchen is smaller and might be an issue for you. We also added a removable pedestal table between the front seats that create a work station for the day and a place to set things when driving. The garage at the back is also real handy. We bought ours the month before the pandemic with 3600 miles on it for $79,000. It had $8000 in upgrades as a bonus. The slide out is easy and adds a ton of space during the day. I If you give me an email address I can send some photos of our panels and mods. Once I figure out how to post a video I will likely put the panel upfit on RU-vid.
Wow, yes very interesting Class B for sure and sounds like you got a good deal. Would love to see some pictures. Our email is IreneIronFitness@gmail.com Thanks!
Another great video and this is a great idea on short focused topics. We are only 10weeks in to the GT Ext at this point and learning every time we take the van out as well as using YT to research issues and recommendations. A few topics I would like to see you covering would be Cell signal/Internet connections, we were in Stinson Beach/Bolinas CA yesterday and what a beautiful (but crazy narrow winding road) drive over Golden Gate Bridge all the to Stinson beach but realized we would be driving back in the dark therefore was looking for alternative routes but just could not get a signal! (Got there in the end, lesson learned plan your trip with alt routes and always have a good old fashioned paper map on standby!) Other topics I’ve been researching are power management tips with use of heating and cooling, alignment adjustment on AI cabinet doors and positive locking, problems with power shades and sunscreens, battery charging while driving. Sorry for the spiel just a few things off the top of my head. We are looking to broaden our trips from just weekends to longer and potentially on the road working and we are hoping to do a west coast to east coast trip in the coming months therefore always researching to be prepared. I love the fact you both are very candid on your reviews and have great questions as well as feedback from your subscribers that we can all learn from. I can see this being a game changer for your channel and look would forward to hearing the Q & A in the coming weeks and months.
Hello Michael! Sounds like you are having fun in your AI as well as the usual growing pains that one has when doing/owning something new! Great topics for videos, thanks! Also, how EXCITING, you are considering longer trips/fulltime!
Thank you for sharing your inside on your views of class B . Little of information is always helpful to understand what you need to know about camper vans . Enjoy this video !! BS & BK
Good points. Yes overall Airstream’s are built to a higher standard considering the industry as a whole produces allot of thrown together junk. They also seem to hold up better over time. We had a 1966 Safari AS in the mid 90’s and it was still remarkably solid after 30+ years. Looking at various B vans we noticed the Interstate’s overall construction was outstanding compared to other brands, although the top tier brands are all very close in quality with Airstream. Tank size is very important and often overlooked by new buyers. If your plans involve boon-docking you better buy a rig with the biggest tanks and/or learn to conserve. We can go 4 days on 20 gallons of potable water and waste capacity. We’ve watched people burn through 50 gallons in a weekend, they think they’re still in their house. You learn the conservation tricks over time. There is no comparison to the Mercedes diesel chassis, especially the latest generation 2019 and up. RV’s deprecate horribly. We found that overall Airstream’s hold their value better. When shopping for a used Interstate we found the prices were always higher and the units didn’t stick around long. People want these things and in today’s market they command top dollar. That’s the main reason we ended up buying new. You guys might checkout the Airstream Caravan Club and report on that. With every Airstream comes a whole family and camping experience. Their facilities and overall organization is outstanding.
Hey Evan! Great additions in your comment, really appreciate the time you put into it! We have not heard of the Airstream Caravan Club and will look into it.
@@IreneIronTravels Actually it’s official name is the WBCCI or the “Wally Byam Caravan Club International” It’s the biggest private RV brand organization in the world. They have curtesy parking at the many Land Yacht Harbor facilities located around the country. It’s much cheaper for members than most campgrounds. Also many members offer free curtesy parking. WBCCI organize many group trips and caravans around the country/world. The land yacht harbors themselves are excellent with many facilities. Nice people that share their passion for everything Airstream. We aren’t really the joining type but finally did a few years ago after owning Airstreams for over 30 years. We wish we’d have done it sooner because it’s a great club. You can usually test drive them for free. They have a land yacht harbor in your home state of Minnesota so next time your back that way check them out
I get excited for your Sunday videos. I cant wait until you guys have 500k subs, it will happen really fast. There are a lot of really boring van channels with over 500k and it bogles my mind. Question- do you think Airstream vans are more expensive because of the build quality like you mentioned? Better more expensive products? Going back to your Santa Monica video, do you think you could of done all that.. (parking, stealth street camping, maneuvering, navigating) if your airstream was 24ft like the 2021? Thanks and see you next sunday!
Ahhhh, well thank you! Hope the 500k happens fast too!😂 Good questions and short answers are yes and yes! Will put them both on the list of video topics. Thanks!
Good video. Rather than the tours you've done in the past, a more general "guide to class Bs" or something might be good. I went with a sprinter based unit from a smaller company (regency) because I didn't want any propane. Diesel generator + electric stove + microwave / convection oven (I've baked pizza and cookies in it) + electric water heater works well for me. I didn't want to have to mess with propane. But other people have different priorities. The diesel generator goes where the spare tire normally does and makes the ground clearance even worse. It's so bad that it scrapes the ground going up a friend's driveway if I go straight up, and I have to turn in sideways and cut the corner to make it. I'm going to have to get a lift kit just to have the same ground clearance as a civic. Anyway! Just an example of how even in the world of class Bs there are a lot of different options.
So true.. good points Paul! I would like to get to a show sometime where there are a lot off different options to go over. Todays video we show some ground clearance out in the desert boondocking!
Hi, Just about to shoot you questions on why you chose this rig and this video popped up. I'm not into used but after watching this video. I may explode the used option Thank you
Great episode guys! I would love to hear more about the power system. Battery, generator and solar. How are the BB’s holding up? Can you run A/c off them? Have you put in an easy start for the A/c? Do you use your generator? We are in Texas where it is hot most of the RV season where A/c is a must or you melt and we plan on boon docking more then camp site use while we chase locations for our landscape photography.
Hello Bee Creek! Great topics and questions on the power and we will add these to our list! I will answer in short - BB's are great(no issues), Yes, 2hours AC only, Yes, Easy start (did work without it too), and yes you will still need your generator(or second alternator) for long running of AC, unless you do very large lithium and solar. 800 plus amps & 2000 plus watts. IMO
oooo imma have to give it some thought as to suggestion cause I have a lot that I think you guys would do a great job on . also it was the hat. got to used to seeing Aaron with the hat so when he didn't have it in the last video it looked off :) keep up the excellent job
Love your videos. If you continue with reviewing the Class B, why not address some of the on-line pain points posted on the Interstate. As ambassadors it would be good to get your insight on topics such as; drawer latches, inverter size, TV rattles, external battery location, van insulation for winter use. Thanks. MM
Hey MM! Great topics for sure! We will defiantly do a few videos covering some of those. That's a really good idea for a endless source of ideas as well, thanks!
Good Morning ☕️ I really couldn’t think of a question for ya. Just wanted to watch~ Give the thumbs up~ Take Care Safe Travels Edited to add: After your video on lamb Sliders...I made tzatziki sauce! Never heard of it to be honest. OMGOSH!! I love it ❤️❤️❤️(cucumber,garlic,dill, fresh lemon S&P and yogurt) what a fresh alternative to ranch dip. Seriously it’s now on my go to list for yummy! Thanks so much 😍
Hi JJ! I love the edit. BEWARE: Tzatziki can be habit forming, lololol. It is nice and fresh. I do prefer the dill version myself, but it is also fun to change it up by using mint instead of dill. - Chris
yo just seeing you guys are on youtube! live it can’t wait to watch the rest of the videos. sun is about to set here beautiful boondocking spot in antelope valley w joshua trees and everything! u prob don’t know but i got a sprinter camper too and i love it! come say hi if u guys in LA pull up to the shop!!!
Nice 👌 we didn't know you got a Sprinter....congrats! We've meant to stop by your shop a couple times now, but haven't made it. We're headed east now and we've been in AZ for a bit. We'll make sure we stop by next time in LA. We circle back to minne every summer for a month or 2 and than head back out on the road.
Great video as always! Very informative and very helpful especially for people like me who are just starting their RV search. Great idea to start with the big RV shows and then narrowing it down to more local inventory and using RV Trader in the end. Did you find the sellers on RV Trader were accurate describing their rig for sale? It's very frustrating to travel many miles to see a car or RV for sale only to find the seller really misrepresented what they were selling. Keep the great videos coming and be safe out there!
Thanks, John! For the most part, we found RV Trader to be fairly accurate, but there is also a wide variety of sellers. Once I started looking at it daily ( really became an obsession 😳) I could follow price trending and really pic apart the pictures for details. Some dealers always listed MSRP(high) and some dealers listed their discounted price(fair), so I did find certain dealers I like to look at. We did as much over the phone and email as we could before going to look at. For example, on our Interstate, I negotiated our final price by phone and pictures, and then contingent upon in-person inspection. Also, on a different van, we didn't buy, we set up a dealer inspection by Mercedes Benz all the way over in California. It was a long, fun, and exhausting process over the two years!
Why Class B if you always wanted to live Full Time? We’ve had a Class B and a Tent Trailer before we moved up to our current Class A Diesel Pusher. It is used but it too looked new despite its age so we got a great deal and we love the space we have for our long trips.
Hello, great question! Our travel style when we went full time was fast and furious. We moved every couple days and loved to visit big cites. For example we parked our van in downtown Manhattan for two days while exploring NYC. Class B's are tough to fulltime in, but have its advantages while traveling. We've seen a lot of Class A's and they are great for full time for sure!
Hi I have an airstream interstate GT. Able to only stretch 3days noon docking. Would love to hear the “tricks” for boondocking longer. Especially how you are stretching out your tank spreads
I am seeing this video after you switched to a trailer but would like to know how you made your bed? What size was the bottom fitted sheet? What did you use for top cover? We are looking at a Roadtrek with the same bed.
We talk about the bed a bit more in this video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HT4KJfSlXQU.html But we used a king fitted bottom sheet, flat sheet above that, and then different layers depending on temp. Duvet cover, light down blanket, electric blanket, etc
Howdy! Thanks for the video once again. I’m excited for the new mini series. You guys always provide such good information. So I have two questions for you. One is informational and the second is somewhat hypothetical. For your bed setup, do you only use a fitted sheet and blanket or do you have a full sheet set? If you HAD to sleep 4 adults inside, is it possible? How would you achieve that?
Awesome video, I never considered buying used, now I see this is an option I must strongly consider. How long can you boondock before having refuel or hook up ?
We can boondock for a full 7 days before we run out of space in our black tank. Fresh shortly after that and then gray. I really do like buying 1 to 5 years old to really get the best value for such depreciating assets!
I’m looking at buying an Airstream but haven’t decided whether it will be an Interstate or a Flying Cloud. I know both serve different travel needs. If I remember correctly you purchased either a 2006 or 2007 Interstate used. If you don’t mind, what did you pay for the used RV. I was looking at new ones and $167,000 is a little out of the range I wanted to pay. Really enjoy your travel videos and look forward to the 5 minute snipets.
Hello Stephen! We purchased our 2014 Airstream Interstate in December of 2018. The market right now is definitely a sellers market as demand is high and inventory is low. 4-5 year old coaches now are between 100-120k, and I will say we paid a good bit under that. But, we did watch and shop the market for few years while timing it and finding a great deal on a slightly used coach(24k miles). If you are looking at Interstates, not Nineteens, $167,000 would be an good deal at about 14% off MSRP, but is a very large purchase indeed . With demand up I hear prices are going close to MSRP. I'll also say I have seen prices vary quite a bit over the past few years on used units. Good luck on your new purchase!
@@IreneIronTravels I read an article in an RV magazine that said demand for RV’s is up 35%. Folks are looking for alternatives to travel. My prediction is after COVID is over give it a year or two and the market will be flooded with low mileage RV’s. As you well know a lot of folks buy RV’s thinking they will use it and it ends up sitting on the end of the driveway as a huge paper weight. Similarly boat sales are up as well. Same scenario with them as well.
Yes, all very true! If you can wait a year or two you would most definitely be able to buy a slightly used good deal RV. The problem is waiting! Most of us humans have trouble with that one! 😂
I am very confused. You show her the Class-B interstate and then your videos are with a towing trailer? Which one is it and do you guys own both or dropped one?
I’ve been researching class B RVs for awhile and was planning on purchasing in 2020, but then the pandemic hit. I’m strongly leaning toward a Pleasure Way Plateau TS. I have some ideas for mods to the drivers area to make it into a working area, but need to get into one to see how workable my plans are. Can’t wait till it’s safe to go to RV Shows to start shopping.
I enjoy all your videos. I’ve always wondered how you manage your black tank. We are full time with a 50 gallon and this limits us as well. I very interested to hear your tips and tricks for making it a week while boondocking. We are hoping to begin boondocking in the West this spring. Any help would really be appreciated.
Thank you for watching great question! We love boondocking and will definitely cover this topic. We did a video when we first started to test our tanks and it was interesting to see. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DagmTKWrEHE.html Glad to hear you are going to get out there and try it this Spring. Exciting!
Do you have recommendations on tires? Ours will not come with a spare - just a repair kit. So quality AT tires will be important. As always, great video.
We put new tires on our van right when we bought it with 24k on it. It was between Michelin Defenders( Hwy tire ) and Goodyear Wranglers ( All terrain tire) . We went with the Goodyears because we knew we would be off the road at times boondocking and in campgrounds, They have been great for 25k, but they are getting loud on the highway. The new Michelin that is out is called the Agilis Crossclimate and I would probably give those a try on the next round!
Hello Irene Iron Travels: I was curious, I am a first time buyer. Would it be best to get a Airstream class B or a Classic trailer from Airstream or should I get a class a. i am sory for all the questions, I am looking for some help. Thank you for your time! Cheers! Wes obee
I would be curious to know.. since you are considering a trailer..... would you not consider a class c? Many I’ve looked at seem very roomy and lots of storage. I’m debating this for myself.. I found that the sprinter is the best for many reasons. From what I was told.. no matter if class b or class c a sprinter can be financed for 20 years... I don’t think the others can be. To me it’s a testament to how long a sprinter lasts.. it’s not uncommon for a sprinter to go over a million miles.
Good question and a good topic for sure. There a lot of Class C's out there and some even tow a small car or jeep as well. I think for us if we went bigger than a B we would want a truck and trailer combo for its versatility. But a C is a good choice for many. I think any RV can be financed for 10-20 years as long as it is considered a recreational vehicle (A,B,C trailer, 5ther, truckcamper,etc), but don't know that for sure.....
I have a request for a topic and that is biodiesel and the Sprinter engine. I live in Illinois and I think biodiesel is all we have. Have heard different opinions on using biodiesel and that voiding the Mercedes warranty or causing engine problems.
Great topic and will be a good video! Short answer is I think all US diesel at gas stations have some biodiesel blended in. Should stick with B5 ULSD, but a lot of places only have B20. In the meantime here is a link for MB Illionis I found. mercedes-benz.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/10832/0/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNjEwMjkzMDcyL3NpZC82SWNsd0oqbw==/filename/Illinois+biodiesel+brochure_Final.pdf
Love the size of the Interstate but the size of the bathroom is keeping me from pulling the trigger. What’s it really like living with such a small bathroom/wet bath? Thanks.
Hello! Great question and we will for sure cover the wetbath as it seems to be a main point for many. In short for us, we prefer a smaller bathroom and have the space be in the living area were we spend more time. Most important to us is a separate (door closing room) and fully functioning bathroom with shower and toilet. If you haven't seen the Pleasure Way Plateau TS, check it out. One of the larger wet baths out there!
Thank you for the informative and useful videos. We did buy used and have a beautiful RV....but.....have you ever tried to ride in the back (bench/couch) while the RV is in motion? We have the Sprinter 3500 chassis and are thrown all over the place and are thinking that if we need to take more than the two of us skiing, that we need to tell folks to drive their own vehicle. What has been your experience with the ride?
It is definitely a rough ride back there. I (Aaron) rode back there once and it was really tough on my lower back. The rear side jumper seats( right on the rear axle) were much better for me than the back bench. But, we recently had a friend back there for a week and a couple hundred miles and he said it was fine. So it seems to depend on the person. The newer ones have air ride( rear air bags) as an option and I've heard that helps out a ton!
@@IreneIronTravels Thank you so much for the response! We just need to decide how much more money to invest. Again...I really appreciate your feedback.
Hi Dorothy. Glad to hear you are getting ready! First, make sure you have clearance from your doctor. Your doctor should give some direction on what exercises you can do and which you should refrain from. Once you have that info, then come up with a schedule for yourself. You can check out my coaching programs if you want personalized coaching and accountability :) - Chris
Thanks Gregg! I have never seen one in person, but yes they are a really cool van. I don't think it would work for us for a full time van (space/storage/tanks/kitchen/bathroom/shower wise), but definitely a nice van. I kinda group all of the 144 4x4 Sprinters camper vans as more of a weekend/part time van. Would be awesome for a 3 day trip, but not great for a full time couple for many years.
Do you ever have ground clearance problems? Are there problems with the generators just because they're always getting dirty on the bottom of the vehicle? I'm considering buying a class B.
Ground clearance can be an issue if you're wanting to go off road farther than most people. Although there are plenty of great places that a class b will be able to get and the narrow width also really helps. We had a gen problem with leaking fuel hoses, but otherwise it doesn't seem to be a problem under the van. Ground clearance comes into play there as well.
Good question and great topic! We could do a composting toilet, but it would be a bit tricky in the wetbath we have. We would also have to have to install a urine diverting valve into our black tank as the composting toilet urine tanks are just too small. Around 1 gal.
Thanks Joyce! They do not make this model anymore ( 2014 Airstream Interstate Dual Wardrobe Lounge) , but the new model is the Grand Tour. The tanks have actually gotten smaller since our model and I hope they consider making them bigger again. Check out that Coachmen Galleria FL as well with that 26 gallon black tank!
@@IreneIronTravels I like the shorter van like yours. I’ll be doing a lot of national parks and parking will be easier. Two contenders are the Coachmen Beyond and the Pleasure Way Plateau TS. I’ll never find the perfect van, so need to determine what my trade-offs are.
So true 👍no perfect rig out there, just the one that checks the most boxes! I guess unless your budget is endless and you have it built to your exact specs🤣
Hey Aaron! I believe that is the same van with the big dry bath in the back. Winnebago ERA M. Pretty cool van with a side out, but I think the slide needed to be out for the murphy to go down and it was a smaller bed. We ended up thinking it would not work for us but fun to see the innovation!
Hello, yes we upgraded our electrical system to 400 amps of Battle Born Lithium batteries and a 3000 Multiplus Victron inverter. We have heard good things about the Volta system and it sounds like a great power setup!
No, we take it in. No outside storage on these vans so things like oil drain pans are a no go. And most places don't want you changing fluids at their campgrounds or RV parks.
RT's are great! We almost bought a 2016 RT CS Adventurous and I did start looking at RT's first because of their great electrical systems they have been doing for quite sometime. But that deal feel through and it turned out to be a good thing as we found this Airstream and really fell in love with the interior and the layout.
