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Old 04-30-2020, 10:37 AM
 
460 posts, read 228,993 times
Reputation: 362

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I see... I guess can call up EMS in various places and ask.
Getting a 4x4 would be very nice.
I was hoping for a diesel van, because of supposed fuel economy but not many models sold in the US are diesel.
Sprinter is so expensive. And diesel Transit Connect got cancelled.
I'm not close to Canada, so can't drive there to get one (neither they probably would allow importing non-US model because of different emissions regulations).

From the standpoint of maneur-ability and not getting stuck a truck with camper top would probably be better than a van (not sure), but I'd rather have a van. And I like that van is stealth compared to truck camper and can get to the steering wheel without exiting the sleeping quarters: important for safety.

Last edited by landlock; 04-30-2020 at 10:47 AM..
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Old 04-30-2020, 01:36 PM
 
Location: Huntsville Area
1,948 posts, read 1,488,392 times
Reputation: 2998
We've been RVers for the last 25 years. But our fifth wheel sits in storage in a guarded lot in a member owned campground in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We stay with utilities, cable tv and wifi for $1 a day--14 days per month. They move the camper on a site for us, so my truck stays at home. Not a bad deal.

Some owners have two memberships, and live up there all year long.
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Old 04-30-2020, 03:29 PM
 
15 posts, read 11,129 times
Reputation: 16
20K$ +- is what I gave myself last yr ,
here's the specs :

*diesel pusher & strictly cummins( engine mounted in rear -cancels out that ridiculous extended driveline from front to back )
the energy loss is just incalculable let alone a fail point
**allison 6spd tranny
***hard side aluminum skin body ( yes its rattly but way more secure - think those shiny air streams )
****Metal framed ( wood is weight , all that heavy outside fiber skinned stuff you see is a prime example )
*****Wood and linoleum floored throughout, the vinyl can be taken up for the linseed based floor if needed ,
but redoing a wood narrow plank is difficult , yes excellent snap fit real wood based is ok also
*******Length = 25-28' is ideal and will get that RV into many spots without knocking over the fountain, garbage pails etc..( think lampoon family vacation )
At 27' for example the sway doesn't happen , as the tail is insignificant , side wind exposure with a metal skinned pusher is way less just for the fact these models have rounded corners etc..

stay aways : anything gasser , they puke out a huge grind just to move , it will seem like you have a roar under the hood and the engine fan is a spinnin from all that wasted excess
engines for a pusher ; cats in the year range where i look are a fail , miserable in over required service hrs
just to change out an injector
cummins rehyped their baseline from the early 90's with a higher output that works , they built 2 versions ,
1 for the mopar products & the other as a industrial buildout , this is what might see in a pusher

there will be specific yrs where mfg shifted from lousy to better designs , it makes a real difference
weight wise , the better builds are lighter , integrity of how the frame stays together etc..

The only area that I want an over build on is where the chassis meets the axles , both in overall underside clearance around the tires-wheels but also in what the spacing is in case air ride has to be added as an after market + how the braking system is engineered ,

found this early 90's oddball pusher 4-5yrs back , 67k , cummins with an allison trans , windshield was built right for wind sheer , cool rounded body , just bit noisy driving , but handling as through the steering wheel was tight
( for an RV ! )
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Old 04-30-2020, 03:53 PM
 
15 posts, read 11,129 times
Reputation: 16
landlock : if you dig , there are 4wd ford diesels that reliably cranked out 15-18mpg ,
unfortunately have to be of the mind to do a search and often wait then look again
the 2wd versions could achieve 24+ on a downslope
The last 2wd 1 i saw was maybe 5yrs back , built up with a utility use in mind suspension , paint was even solid for that yr
Asking was in the 4k range , I dont care for a V8 version of a diesel but these were known reliable power plants
Stay awys are anything ford made diesel from approx early 2000's , international cranked out those power strokes annd the aspirated versions for ford , fords 2000 area version was so money suc$ing and for those buyers to pony up 40$+k and see all this just turn into trash ? yep it happened
Those mini busses , some might have the duramax , this is another chunky block version , but ultra reliable minus the 1st yrs with the heads cracking or something , duramax built an inline recently , its out in gmc products now I hear
inlines are notoriously efficient( think cummins ) run cool , just take a look at the coolant system requirements between a V8 & an inline , I drive an inline powered suv , the mpg and torque production amazes , heat output relatively seems trivial
recent 218 mi freeway trip this last wk prodeced my lowest avg but still respectable 45.5mpg , I snap pics all the time at the end
Sprinters with that mercedes ? highly efficient , buttttt known for highly costly parts - & service to do the work
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Old 04-30-2020, 03:59 PM
 
15 posts, read 11,129 times
Reputation: 16
whoops should added : after market turbo systems can and do work with those older diesels
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Old 04-30-2020, 05:25 PM
 
460 posts, read 228,993 times
Reputation: 362
Quote:
Originally Posted by drastic40's View Post
landlock : if you dig , there are 4wd ford diesels that reliably cranked out 15-18mpg ,
unfortunately have to be of the mind to do a search and often wait then look again
the 2wd versions could achieve 24+ on a downslope
The last 2wd 1 i saw was maybe 5yrs back , built up with a utility use in mind suspension , paint was even solid for that yr
Asking was in the 4k range , I dont care for a V8 version of a diesel but these were known reliable power plants
Stay awys are anything ford made diesel from approx early 2000's , international cranked out those power strokes annd the aspirated versions for ford , fords 2000 area version was so money suc$ing and for those buyers to pony up 40$+k and see all this just turn into trash ? yep it happened
Those mini busses , some might have the duramax , this is another chunky block version , but ultra reliable minus the 1st yrs with the heads cracking or something , duramax built an inline recently , its out in gmc products now I hear
inlines are notoriously efficient( think cummins ) run cool , just take a look at the coolant system requirements between a V8 & an inline , I drive an inline powered suv , the mpg and torque production amazes , heat output relatively seems trivial
recent 218 mi freeway trip this last wk prodeced my lowest avg but still respectable 45.5mpg , I snap pics all the time at the end
Sprinters with that mercedes ? highly efficient , buttttt known for highly costly parts - & service to do the work
Yeah, I just read that someone called dealerships to get a quote for an oil change for a Sprinter and the quotes were between $350-1000, not sure how this is even possible... Anyway, just too expensive overall for me.
Duramax is supposed to be in Chevy Express and GMC Savana, but not inline. That GMC Savana supposedly has pretty lowish mpg around 13, and Chevy Express much higher 22 to mid-20s. I don't have heavy stuff and don't plan full conversion with heavy materials, don't expect to tow, so I guess don't need a lot of power and mpg is more important.
Fuel economy, being able to fix it where there's only one mechanic within 2-hour drive, easy to get parts, inexpensive to work on matters a lot.

Last edited by landlock; 04-30-2020 at 05:41 PM..
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Old 05-02-2020, 07:56 PM
 
15 posts, read 11,129 times
Reputation: 16
amen to the nissan concept in diesels , unfortunately they are not quite as well survived yr - yr as advertised
but even in a marine application this japanese inspired is potentially more directly user friendly
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Old 05-02-2020, 07:57 PM
 
15 posts, read 11,129 times
Reputation: 16
think derre duramax ?yess amen nissan design international all here minus gmc's money grubbing interference
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Old 05-03-2020, 02:09 PM
 
Location: Redwood City, CA
15,242 posts, read 12,836,963 times
Reputation: 54012
Quote:
Originally Posted by landlock View Post
Yeah, I just read that someone called dealerships to get a quote for an oil change for a Sprinter and the quotes were between $350-1000, not sure how this is even possible... Anyway, just too expensive overall for me.

It's never "just an oil change." Mercedes has Service A and Service B. Service A is typically around $300 or so, Service B is more.


I have an independent shop that works on my Sprinter. They charge a lot less than the stealerships.
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Old 05-04-2020, 06:34 PM
 
27,957 posts, read 39,618,429 times
Reputation: 26197
The one camper I would is priced beyond my budget. However it is well built, it was built by a luxury coach manufacturer. It is heavy. It is long and it is a bumper pull.

I am setup to pull 5th wheels or bumper-pull trailers. Whet ever is picked will be towards the top end of the budget. If I go with a smaller or lighter travel trailer I can pull it with my Jeep Grand Cherokee or my F250. It is something that I would like to take to the mountains. I would like to use it without having to do a bunch of fixing when I get it home.
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