Your Opinion on Roadtreks?

[BigT]

What sort of MPG do you get out of the 210?

The thing I like about the 170 is that it's on a 3/4 ton chassis and tends to get slightly better gas mileage than the larger models that are built on 1-ton.

 

[caretaker]

i see 'em all the time for a lot less then that, 170 rt on avg that I've seen between $9500-$12,500 slightly higher if exceptional. thats looking at EBay,RVT,RVTrader,Roadtrek Int.

 

[skyl4rk]

We have a 190 on a one ton Dodge chassis with a 5.2 liter motor, getting about 16 mpg.

 

[reflex439]

2000 Roadtrek 190 Popular, 3500 chasis, about 15-16mpg, a little less when towing a small 6x10 cargo trailer

 

[Michael4104]

"What sort of MPG do you get out of the 210?"

Flat highway, 13-14 anything else 10-13. This is a 350 carbureted engine.

 

[JamBandFan]

I have friends with various motorhomes. Class B's, A's, and C's. I am amazed at how many say they dont use the toilet or ever cook inside etc. Why buy something if you are not going to utilize to its potential?

I agree with vtwinkicker.  Seems like so many people (even in trailers like Casitas) do not use their showers.  And many don't use the toilets and mostly cook outside.  It seems like so many RV's just waste so much space.  So many people seem to want to buy a van and customize it with a hi-top and just put in a basic bed, counter, shelving, storage cabinets and call it a day.  I'm surprised a RV manufacturer hasn't picked up on this trend and created a stripped down version of a Roadtreck 170 without a bathroom/shower (or maybe add a composting toilet instead?), no 3rd seat, more open space, etc...  Maybe a "green eco Roadtrek".    I'm a single guy in the market for a RV/van to go south for a few months, and also to take out periodically for weeks at a time from my home base where I live in the Pac NW.  Tired of sleeping in a tent.  I like the Roadtrek, but there is too much stuff crowded in there for what I want to do and they are so high priced.

Bob interviewed a lady on You Tube who full times in a Roadtreck 170 who replaced the factory  toilet with a composting toilet and doesn't use the shower.  She also had her RV guy take some stuff out around the kitchen to "open it up" and declutter.  She raves about the Roadtrek in the video and how she sold her Class A for the Roadtrek and FAR prefers it.

 

[urbanhermit70]

Iterry,

Thanks for your posts. I hope i can find a Roadtrek for $5000. or less. like you and your friend.

To BigT,

I live in California too and i don't like the i "going out of state to find a van or RV" idea but California selection is limited when it comes to certain vans or RV.

 

[ganto]

i love the roadtreks. but i would run like hell from anything on a sprinter chassis, sprinters are a real nightmare to get fixed!!! imagine breaking down in the middle of no where and you need to get towed that can run you 200 - 1000 bucks and most like prob more$$$ buy a ford or gm. i had a sprinter and the belts and pulleys needed to be replaced at 150k miles as well as every other day the chect engine light would come on i wonder why?? the DPF was saying it was plugged up and i was qouted 12k for a new DPF system!!! i fixed that problem though i took off the clamps and plugged up the diesel line that goes into the DPF and let the sensors hang there and i put a strait pipe on it that made a big difference in engine power i could keep up with a caramo . you will also need special mechs to fix it as well so you can't bring it anywhere to get it fixed not even ever MB doge dealer can fix them. and more than likely things will start falling apart once the warranty runs out!!! id'e buy a yugo before i ever bought another sprinter. i wanted to drive it off a cliff and collect the insurance on it at the end of the day

 

[urbanhermit70]

Ganto,

Do all Roadtrek model have Sprinter chassis? Before or after 2000

 

[Knit]

For many years Roadtrek has made models based on North American vans from Dodge and Chevy. Still makes Chevy based ones. Beginning in early 2000’s they also built Sprinter based models and still do. A couple of years ago they started offering Ram Promaster class Bs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dextours]

To take my best guess at why no "RV" maker builds without bathrooms, kitchens, beds or anything else you may never use. First there probably isn't enough money in it to support manufacturing, marketing and distributor Network. Second if it doesn't have all those things it may not legally qualify to be an RV.

Of course these are just my thoughts. Or put another way my mind just made it all up.

 

[heron]

I recently bought a 1988 Versatile, no shower, 52,000 miles, clean as a whistle. Paid way less than I'd expected to, thank goodness, because what I'd "budgeted" was way more than we could afford, but we wanted to be on the road sooo badly. Anyway, serendipitously rescued. Took out those gormy second row seats, which stuck out into the aisle space, and got in the way of getting in, if you didn't move the front seat all the way forward. 43" seating/storage bench on the driver's side, same at half that on the pasenger side. Accessing the storage, with seats in place, was awkward, because of the way they were built, and there wasn't all that much space in there. Now, lots of space, easy to access. Everything else is pretty much ok. I'm good with the storage as I have it, but it might've been more difficult as built. I think ew'll be fine. We're both short, which helps. Ed will be comfortably ensconced in the swivel chair,and I can get stuff done. Works for me!

 

[accrete]

To take my best guess at why no "RV" maker builds without bathrooms, kitchens, beds or anything else you may never use..

And why my wife and i went with a custom van-up-fitter for both Van 1 (our chevy awd) and our recent purchase of Van 2 (a 2017 Promaster).
For ~1/2~ the price of anything even close (again not apples for apples cuz we didn't want all the _stuff_), the builds only have what we want, and how we want it.

Thom

 

[urbanhermit70]

What type of insurances do you have for your Roadtrek?

 

[uncagingmyspirit]

I know this is an old thread, but hoping for a little more info on a Roadtrek I'm seriously considering. It's a 2001 Roadtrek 190 Popular with only 15,307 miles.

It looks clean from the pictures and the dealership ensures me it's had a thorough check - no roof leaks ect...

 

[highdesertranger]

Class B's aren't known for roof leaks(one piece roof).

when you go look at it check everything to make sure everything works. don't take any excuses from the seller, like we can't check the fridge on propane because the propane tank is empty or whatever excuse they might have as to why they can't demo a particular item. anything that they refuse to demonstrate is working must be considered non-functional and the price lowered accordingly.

highdesertranger

 

[user 423]

Roadtrek I'm seriously considering.  It's a 2001 Roadtrek 190 Popular with only 15,307 miles.

That's only 800 miles/year.  Sitting around unused can be pretty hard on vehicles, especially if they were stored in extreme climates. The tires may show great tread in the pics but if they're older than 6-7 years they should be replaced....$

 

[abnorm]

Old Thread^^^^^ Heron posted their Roadtrek purchase above....they spent 3 Winters on-the-road until Ed passed this Spring in Maine

RIP Ed...........""It's a LARGE morning !"".................……Liz would be first to tell you:

They always develop roof leaks around those "signature" windows in the roof...……the rubber fails……

The van sits low (of course) so it's difficult to access/dump the tanks...…the waste water dump(s) use levers and push rods...…complicated ?

That recessed floor can be a challenge for us "old-farts"...…..the side door remains LOW

The particle-board interior falls apart constantly

YMMV

 

[uncagingmyspirit]

That's only 800 miles/year.  Sitting around unused can be pretty hard on vehicles, especially if they were stored in extreme climates. The tires may show  great tread in the pics but if they're older than 6-7 years they should be replaced....$

He said it the owners only used it a few times a year for short travel trips, was kept inside a building with a tarp & regularly maintained. If truthful, probably just started up and run it for a while. Also said the tires were replaced a few years ago, before the husband passed away.  Still thinking on it.

 

[abnorm]

You need to see the design...…..the floor is recessed...….like a 70's sunken living room

RE: Windows...……….Heron had theirs removed and fiberglassed ……….

Everything inside is particleboard...wood chips and glue…..the hinge/screws pull out...