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RE: Gas VS Diesel "B"; Sprinter VS Chevy 3500 Series
I didn't just buy the Sprinter for fuel mileage, that was a bonus. I bought it for a lot of reasons, some Jeff mentioned. I like the all steel body, taller drivers position for visibility and sharp turning radius (I have the 158" wheelbase). The Sprinter has a couple of flaws too. 1 is the joke of a stock radio, another is the goofy electric door locks. However, I found the 5spd automatic with manual gear selection wonderful in the mountains with steep twisty roads. Even driving through the Ozarks is a blast, as long as my wife doesn't get annoyed with me, (she can't see well at night and I can).
After 6 years and only 23k miles, I haven't done much but change oil (5 times)and rotate tires (once).
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09/07/10 04:27pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Gas VS Diesel "B"; Sprinter VS Chevy 3500 Series
I can't help much,but as I understand it the gas motor Sprinter is no longer sold in the U.S.
I prefer turbo diesels. Nothing against GM or Ford, but when I was shopping, Sprinters were the only turbo diesel around and they were new to the U.S. market.
You'll get a lot more help here with Sprinters: http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/index.php
Sprinters tow limit is 5000lbs, even with 3500 (1ton) chassis.
Oil changes are at 10,000 mile intervals.
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09/07/10 11:18am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Some "B" some questions, and how do you like it?
I'm no camper, so a B is the best rv for me. I don't think I've stayed more than 2 nights in any one place. It takes about 10 minutes from full hookups to leaving. My van is different than most with a huge storage under the fixed bed. I've even hauled my Honda CT90 back there, but it was more trouble than it was worth. A hitch carrier is much better, I don't have to relocate all my regular stuff that way.
I suggest you try to drive a van, even an unconverted one, if you can. Each chassis has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I prefer turbo diesels, but you'll pay a premium for them.
The small showers are usable, but not easy. When the situation calls for it, they're great. It depends on where you are and how bad you want to get clean.
Renting one would be a great way to see if you'll like it.
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09/06/10 01:34pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: The Meticulous Mechanic (Not Me)
You might also consider flushing the cooling system and replacing the antifreeze. After that many miles, it will lose some anti-corrosion additives. If you haven't, I'd replace the serpentine belt or buy one and carry it with you, you're getting close to the life of any belt.
You have probably replaced spark plugs and checked ignition wires for resistance, if not your fuel mileage will be down slightly.
In general, you have a lot of preventative maintenance to do if you want trouble-free miles while traveling. All of those tips will be in your owners maintenance schedule.
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09/06/10 01:21pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Not Friendly to Class B's
.02 worth= I drive a van, it's very easy to maneuver. I've stayed one place that I had to use a second length of sewer hose in order to hook up everything at once. Big deal, that's why I have it with me. With 25' of power cord, 20' of water line and 20' of waste hose, how could I not get hooked up? If the hookups are on the wrong side, I turn around.
Pretty easy problems to solve. Now, back to that space/time continuum and getting the space of a 40' inside my 22'. :h
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09/04/10 02:42pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Mileage: What do you get?
Boy are you asking for it.
2004 Sprinter, 2.7 Ltr turbo diesel, auto matic with 4:10 gears. My worst mileage was 18 mpg in Utah 114 degrees, a/c on high, pretty heavy loaded on I-70 with big long hills 4-6% grades.
Usually get 20 mpg in town and over when I run over 70 on highway. Have gotten 22-24, but that's on 2 lane hiways in cool weather running 60-65 mph. Wind can knock 2-3 mpg out of it if it's a 30-40 mph headwind (fairly common here in Kansas).
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08/30/10 10:40am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Wish Lists for Class B Campers
One thing I wish I had was tank heaters to keep waste water tanks (under the floor) from freezing. I know I can add them, but it would have been nice from the factory like Handbaskets Tiger.
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08/28/10 04:03pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Wish Lists for Class B Campers
Well, since we're getting out there: I want the space of a 40' class A inside my 22' B. It's just a matter of solving the space/time continuum.
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08/28/10 07:36am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Wish Lists for Class B Campers
My van has 27 gallons of fresh water tank and 10 gallons each of gray and black. I wish the gray was at least 15 gallons.
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08/27/10 02:56pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Daytime running lights
Run the DRL's, if they make you feel safer.
If they made people lock cell phones in the glovebox, it would reduce more wrecks than DRL's ever could.
But, that's my opinion. BTW, I've used a cellphone since 1985, but not like many people today, who can't drive anywhere without a phone stuck to their head.
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08/26/10 06:47am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Daytime running lights
Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone by stating my opinion. It's a wonder we all didn't die in car crashes because we didn't have DRL's until a few years ago. I had a lady on a cell phone turn left into the front of my bright red truck at 10 am on a sunny day, then tell the police she never saw me. DRL's wouldn't have made any difference at all. I almost got stopped (slide on sand), but she was accelerating and just drove into me, never hit her brakes until she hit me.
Never said seat belts are bad, I'm still not sure about air bags. The newer cars have sensors that adjust (or are supposed to adjust) for a persons weight. I know people that got broken arms and noses in minor wrecks due to air bags 10 years ago.
I was rear ended by a 1 ton truck that lost it's brakes, while stopped I was sitting still at a light.
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/bluetopless/subaru10.jpg
slammed into the car in front of me
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/bluetopless/subaru2.jpg
No air bags deployed. So, I don't know if they are worthwhile, it's just interesting that they made possible to deactivate passenger air bags in a lot of vehicles before the sensors were incorporated, and I'm not that sure they work as advertised.
Motorcycles need all the visibility they can get, but ultimately it's not going to keep you from getting hurt if you expect every other driver to see you. So, when I ride my motorcycle, I ride like every car out there is trying to kill me.
Until they figure out a way to keep everybody else alert and aware at all times, it's my job to keep safe. I just don't think DRL's do that much, and I'm happy to turn my lights on when I think someone might not see what I'm driving. But, I won't let down my guard, people are driving with all kinds of distractions and out to get me.
So far, I keep missing the bicyclists & pedestrians, they're just too quick.
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08/25/10 01:49pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Daytime running lights
DRL's are for sissy's. j/k I turn them off on every vehicle I own. I'm think I'm smart enough to know when I need headlights and when I don't. They use up the life of low beam bulbs on some vehicles (if they use the low beams at a reduced voltage for DRL's) Example, I have a Volvo and my brother bought a similar Volvo a couple of months later. I turned my DRL's off the day I bought it, my brother ran his. Within 2 years he had to replace both of his headlight bulbs, the low-beam element burned out from the DRL's. I still have my car, never replaced any lights (it's now 11 years old).
I can't tell you how many vehicles I see driving with 1 DRL burned out, it's a lot. To me, it's just something else to maintain.
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08/25/10 08:42am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Warranty question
That's pretty standard in the rv business. I understand why, but that doesn't seem completely right. I'd think if you had one of their dealers inspect it, they'd go ahead and cover the warranty.
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08/24/10 04:15pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Black Water Security (no, not that Black Water.)
I certainly won't pooh-pooh your concerns, but if someone opened the valve, wouldn't you see the leak even with the cover on? Besides, if someone was po'd that I parked wrong, I'm thinking a key scratch is more likely.
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08/11/10 04:33pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: The 1959 Ford Thames campervan restoration begins.
Good luck with that restore. How easy is it to fine mechanical parts for the van?
There was nothing that looked like that in the states back in 1959. I think the first Econoline Ford van came out here in '61 with the motor was between the front seats. I had a '63 for a while. It was a little bigger than that, a 240 cu in inline 6 with 3spd on the column. Mine had a Offenhauser intake with a 390 Holley 4bbl on it for a while. I bought it that way, later put a stock 1bbl on it and it was just as fast, but got much better mpg. The camping came from a bed mattress tossed in the back and a portable stove with lawn chairs.
A cooler and some insect repellent was all we took camping. I just realized I've turned into a sissy, with a/c, shower, toilet etc.
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08/06/10 03:07pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: 85 Dodge Conversion - only 40k miles - good deal?
I drove an '83 Dodge van when it was new, for work. I hated it. Single biggest problem was the font suspension. I was driving about 1000 miles a week in it, and had to realign the front every 3-4 weeks. Second biggest problem was the carburetor. It had a bad case of vapor lock in hot weather. One day stranded me in the middle of a 4 lane highway on a hot summer day, I was trying to turn left and it kept dying before I could move, I finally got mad, floored it in neutral and dropped it into gear, and broke the transmission yoke, but I got across the highway :). Every long wheel base Dodge I ever drove from the 70-90's had steering issues. The 360 motor is a great motor, the Torqueflite trannsy are tough as nails. But, You couldn't give me one of those vans.
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08/06/10 10:59am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Attn: WalMart campers!
Times are tough. With unemployment in some areas way over 10%, I'm surprised there aren't more tent cities like they had during the Great Depression.
I've seen more people living in cars and under bridges than ever.
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08/03/10 01:27pm |
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RE: Attn: WalMart campers!
I had not heard about it, and I do not look at other forums either.
I wouldn't be surprised if Walmart got less tolerant of overnight campers. What is it that they would lose? How many dollars spent in lawsuits would more than balance out the money spent by those campers. I wouldn't stop shopping there if they stopped allowing overnighters.
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08/03/10 06:01am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: black tank question
My black tank is only connected to my toilet, I keep water on top of the flush valve and no odor can get inside.
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08/02/10 12:25pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Expertise wanted for new retirees
I spent 2 years looking for my first rv as well. After all that time, I was petty sure I knew what I wanted. But, I do wish I had been able to rent a B before I bought one. In my part of the world, the local rv dealers acted like they'd never heard of a B.
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08/02/10 06:22am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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