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I have a lady friend who used to own one. A couple of things she told me about was the ground clearance, it was too low to the ground, and the bottoms of anything like sanitary pipes, exhaust, etc. would drag when going into and out of unlevel places. Another issue she had with hers was the air conditioning, she claimed it wasn't adequate.
I do like my Rialta's 20 mpg, tho I personally prefer to RV in my Diesel Passat Wagon @ 52 mpg. w/ 25 gal tank
Spouse would rather use the Rialta.
I've added a tranny cooler (1st thing). The convenience is very nice for parking / stealth camping, city travel, highway comfort, economy, very handy interior designs, great for seniors or handicapped.
The negatives... wimpy tires for 7800# load, (needs duals); ground clearance, VW dealers (if you have to use them, which I DON'T / WON'T)
Thanks Stealthrabbit. I've moved on. Whatever info I got on the Rialta seems inadequate for some of the travel I wanted to do. How was the layout? I've heard that they aren't the best. I would like to have a small RV with the back taken up with a comfy bed. Thanks anyway.
I do like my Rialta's 20 mpg, tho I personally prefer to RV in my Diesel Passat Wagon @ 52 mpg. w/ 25 gal tank
Spouse would rather use the Rialta.
I've added a tranny cooler (1st thing). The convenience is very nice for parking / stealth camping, city travel, highway comfort, economy, very handy interior designs, great for seniors or handicapped.
The negatives... wimpy tires for 7800# load, (needs duals); ground clearance, VW dealers (if you have to use them, which I DON'T / WON'T)
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,705 posts, read 58,031,425 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bob swanson
...How was the layout? .. I would like to have a small RV with the back taken up with a comfy bed. Thanks anyway.
precisely what I was looking for (in addition to 20 mpg + and van convenience)
1st I found the ONE Sprinter conversion by Gulfstream with a queen bed across the back and great storage below (crossways with 'punch-outs in the rear window ports).(circa 2005, model 22-G). It got 22-24 mpg and on diesel, which is my fuel of choice. Was a great driver, but list price of $85k and bargain price of $58k from St Louis dealer. (this model http://hickory-northcarolina.olx.com...2-iid-17429851)
issues... too much capital ($$) tied up to suit me (for a secondary vehicle)
narrow layout, tight for two (restrictions of Sprinter B conversions, C conversions have duals and are wider ~ 18 mpg)
so... against my desire (gas powered) I looked at the Rialta and tried a few out. Decided on the QD model, as I like to take seniors for road trips who can no longer drive + it has a bed / dinette that can be left made into a bed, and still seat 4 + have room for eating and fixing meals. For a single person or not needing passengers, I would choose the FD 'double-bed' model. QD seats 8 total and sleeps 4 if necessary (one queen and one double bed)
pro's - wide body; low profile; full class C rather than B; 18 - 20 mpg w/ v6; very good driving, tho not 'trucky' enough for me, but MUCH better than most Class A's I tried. (I like to corner fast). EZ to park in SF or Washington DC, or similar...EZ to store (fits in a 10' tall bay). AC is fine with a 'hot weather upgrade' (Larger unit). I don't like AC and don't travel in areas that need AC, I will probably take it off and replace with another vent. Nice interior lighting and window placement (Huge rear window for enjoying the beach / view on rainy days. Pretty good longevity - ~200k miles or more (I have many VWs over 300k with no major work required INCLUDING serious suspension work. One of mine is near 500k and still fine (I have over 30 VW's..., all diesel except the Rialta)
Negatives - too light duty and LOW chassis (need to be careful w/ tires / clearances / cargo); Limited power / towing capacity
VW issues (power windows, tranny needs cooler $100).
The Rialta is very nice highway cruiser, and great for single person. Tight for 2, but better than a van. Really nice 'pull-out' shower + external shower, REALLY nice 'motor aid' (constant hot water for shower / food, after 10 min of operation).
For off-road, you really need to use a pickup and pop-up camper, but they are a real pain for EZ traveling. I would probably make a VW Synchro (4x4) Westy (camper van) TDI (diesel) if I was into off-road camping. I have a friend who makes them for folks that often 'trek' through South America. They get about 35 mpg and are very 'mule-like' (sure footed on steep rocky climbs)
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 08-19-2009 at 11:16 AM..
Thanks again. You are a wealth of info. Right now I am leaning towards the pick-up truck and pup. My real delimna is choosing a V-6 or a V-8. Is the gas mileage difference that much or is the towing capacity that different? Whether I need a king cab with full bed or a bigger cab and short bed? At my age I don't need this many options but my "Scots Irish" keeps kicking in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
precisely what I was looking for (in addition to 20 mpg + and van convenience)
issues... too much capital ($$) tied up to suit me (for a secondary vehicle)
narrow layout, tight for two (restrictions of Sprinter B conversions, C conversions have duals and are wider ~ 18 mpg)
so... against my desire (gas powered) I looked at the Rialta and tried a few out. Decided on the QD model, as I like to take seniors for road trips who can no longer drive + it has a bed / dinette that can be left made into a bed, and still seat 4 + have room for eating and fixing meals. For a single person or not needing passengers, I would choose the FD 'double-bed' model. QD seats 8 total and sleeps 4 if necessary (one queen and one double bed)
pro's - wide body; low profile; full class C rather than B; 18 - 20 mpg w/ v6; very good driving, tho not 'trucky' enough for me, but MUCH better than most Class A's I tried. (I like to corner fast). EZ to park in SF or Washington DC, or similar...EZ to store (fits in a 10' tall bay). AC is fine with a 'hot weather upgrade' (Larger unit). I don't like AC and don't travel in areas that need AC, I will probably take it off and replace with another vent. Nice interior lighting and window placement (Huge rear window for enjoying the beach / view on rainy days. Pretty good longevity - ~200k miles or more (I have many VWs over 300k with no major work required INCLUDING serious suspension work. One of mine is near 500k and still fine (I have over 30 VW's..., all diesel except the Rialta)
Negatives - too light duty and LOW chassis (need to be careful w/ tires / clearances / cargo); Limited power / towing capacity
VW issues (power windows, tranny needs cooler $100).
The Rialta is very nice highway cruiser, and great for single person. Tight for 2, but better than a van. Really nice 'pull-out' shower + external shower, REALLY nice 'motor aid' (constant hot water for shower / food, after 10 min of operation).
For off-road, you really need to use a pickup and pop-up camper, but they are a real pain for EZ traveling. I would probably make a VW Synchro (4x4) Westy (camper van) TDI (diesel) if I was into off-road camping. I have a friend who makes them for folks that often 'trek' through South America. They get about 35 mpg and are very 'mule-like' (sure footed on steep rocky climbs)
Decide on what you're pulling first, then pick the truck to do the job. Error on the side of too much truck, for you may decide later on a bigger trailer. I'd also error on too much engine. A small, overworked engine doesn't get good mileage.
Have you thought about a slide-in pickup camper? I think most newer ones have hydraulic jacks, so it's quick and easy to load and unload them when necessary. I had manual jacks on mine, and I could still load and unload it in a few minutes. Some have pop-up tops to reduce wind resistance while traveling. I don't think I'd like that, but to each his own.
Advantages:
* Nothing to tow; parking and maneuvering in traffic is fairly easy.
* If you want to leave it at campsite while you explore, it's easy to remove from pickup.
* You'll have a good truck (4x4?) for back roads/mountain driving.
* Some can be used 4 seasons.
* Because truck and camper are separate items, you can upgrade one without changing the other (provided you don't overload the truck).
* Doesn't require a license plate. (Some states may charge property tax.)
* Low maintenance.
Disadvantages:
* Requires big pickup to haul it -- 3/4-ton to 1-ton dually. (IOW, poor mileage.)
* Can't move from cab to camper as you could with motorhome.
I've had three of them and loved each one. I'd have one now if my wife didn't insist on a 5th wheel.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,705 posts, read 58,031,425 times
Reputation: 46172
as mentioned, match the truck the to your need, and error on too much truck. The problem ends up being economy and maint expenses. Sounds like you are leaning to a 1/2 ton, which are fine for light stuff, and are cheaper to maintain, BUT they are not suited for overhead campers, heavy loads or towing over 5,000#.
I'm a bit of a 'purest', so have a few Cummins diesel pickups / 1 tons (flat beds) All of mine are 4x4 cuz I live in mtns and need to off-road on my farm. I also tow VERY heavy, 20,000#+
I like my 18 - 20 mpg in cummins, but some folks can't deal with the noise / smell. You can find them used for well under $10k (I've got some for under $3000). Best to buy a one-owner for sale By Owner (likely been well cared for, but not always, get receipts and note fluids and condition of steering / tires. The early cummins have been known to go well over 1 million miles. I don't much care for the later 'computer' versions, as I prefer to be able to fix something on the fly, in the rare case of a breakdown.
The v6 is usually not best for a pickup, but toyota seems to be successful. They usually require higher RPM, which is not good for 'crawling' up hills and through creeks. A straight 6 is better for torque (Low RPM pulling), not many of those around anymore (If any). There will be many diesel choices arriving in the next few yrs in smaller / lighter trucks. (USA needs to 'clean-up' their refined diesel to meet the rest of the world.) They will be getting 20-35 mpg.
I prefer a 'king cab' and a larger bed. I need a long bed for sleeping, hauling 10' fence rails and 12' panel gates. They also are much nicer to load gravel and rock / hay into. I bought one short bed, -when I ordered a new one as a teenager (about a zillion years ago). My 'farmer' dad was NOT IMPRESSED, and he was right (as usual). The longer wheelbase is a better ride, and you are not so 'cargo' restricted, also a good excuse to not bring extra passengers (which you don't want in a pickup anyway due to liability). Injury is much higher in a pickup due to rigid chassis and light weight.
Get a truck that is tough and has a good resale value.Don't skimp on service duty. I like a 'basic' truck that I can hose out the interior. I also don't like power windows and locks, as they don't like dusty conditions.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 08-20-2009 at 12:43 AM..
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, all diesel except the Rialta)
