Drivabilty Of Winnebago Views Around Town

[CamperAL]

Wondering if I could get some input on how easy these are to drive into towns when camping? Also some comments about CCC on the View. Seems like there isn't a lot based on some I have seen (something like 1000 lbs). Thank you for your input in advance!

 

[PancakeBill]

Correct, not a lot of capacity, but it is small, fuel efficient and pretty easy to drive.  Driving around town is pretty easy, not much bigger than a big car.  Fits pretty much in any parking space. 

 

[Lou Schneider]

I used to have a Class B, and the main thing I didn't like about using it for local transportation was having to break camp (stow and secure everything inside for travel, disconnect the water, sewer, electric and CATV lines), run my errand, then reverse the procedure when I returned to the campsite.

Much easier just to hop into the toad and go, leaving the house at the campsite.

 

[CamperAL]

Hi Pancakebill and Lou,

Thanks for your input!! If CCC is low to begin with, then wouldn't towing a small car reduce that capacity also?? I gave it some thought (towing) but think it might exceed weight limit with all the other various weights and so forth.

I am in agreement that tearing down and setting up all the time wouldn't be much fun and would reduce my wanting to run into town for some milk, etc. Best again!

 

[PancakeBill]

The Navion and View have 2500 lb tow limit. 

 

[driftless shifter]

ccc (cargo carrying capacity), gvw (gross vehicle weight) and gcvw (gross combined vehicle weight) are 3 different things, they are related. ccc is all the additional weight the vehicle can carry on its chassis. The weight of the vehicle, passengers and cargo should not exceed the gvw. gcvw is the combined weight of vehicle and trailer/toad. If trailer/toad puts tongue weight on tow vehicle, that weight has to be accounted for in the ccc on tow vehicle. You can flat tow with no tongue weight and carry full ccc in tow vehicle. You can carry some extra weight in toad/trailer, if toad/trailer weighs less than hitch rating, and you don't exceed the gcvw or the gvw of the toad/trailer.
If you rig and toad come in at or under gcvw, but one or the other is heavy, just move stuff around.

This is what most of the discussions about "how much water do you travel with" or "groceries from home vs on the road" etc... are about, in the end.

The library and glossary are full of info, particularly the stuff ya didn't know ya didn't know.

Bill

 

[Seilerbird]

I have been full timing for ten years without a toad. I have no problem breaking camp and driving into town. Parking is usually easy. Find a shopping center parking lot. Usually when I do go into town it is to go to Walmart and you won't ever have problems parking in a Walmart parking lot. Driving around town is rarely a problem. It is just like a car only a bit bigger. I currently have a 32 foot class A and I feel it is just as easy to drive as a car is, just a bit different. Once you get used to it then it becomes fun to drive.

When I set up camp all I do is plug in power. That's it. So breaking camp is easy for me. Unplug, put the cord away, push the step in and remove the American flags from my rear view mirror. I am solo so once every two weeks I hook up the sewer hose, dump, hook up the water hose and refill the water tank and then put the hoses away. I don't ever bother with leveling the RV since there is no real need for me to level. I actually don't even own levelers.

 

[John Canfield]

We have some View/Navion owners here, hopefully they will surface with an opinion.

 

[John Hilley]

We rented a 6 1/2 meter Dethleffs Class A motor home in Europe. It was 20' long, had a queen size bed across the back and a pull down bed over the two front seats. It worked perfectly for driving around the small villages in Europe and worked well for my wife, 22 year old daughter and myself. My main criteria for an RV is that you don't have to convert the beds to go to bed at night or for eating or traveling.

 

[dwaugh10]

We have a 2010 Navion.  I believe the GCWR is 15000 lbs.  GVW is 11030 lbs, which would allow for a toad of 3970 lbs.  We pull a mini cooper with great success (2500 lbs).  I think it would be a big hassle to break everything down to go into town.  I know there are many that do that though.

David
'10 Navion in OK

 

[CamperAL]

Still monitoring the comments here. I thank everyone who chimed in! I'll be studying Bill's reply carefully as it has good info in it. I would like to hear comments from View owners or something like a view (should stay true to the Winnebago area).

Also thanks John Canfield for your help here.

 

[John Canfield]

^^Thanks!^^

 

[PancakeBill]

Don't forget, while there may be 3900 pounds between the vehicle and the GCVWR this also has to allow for what you have in the vehicle including occupants.  PLUS the tow bar is rated for 2500 pounds.  The Mini would be a nice choice.  While some folks may only connect power and be rady to unplug and go, also consider that you may want the awning deployed, chairs set up, your slide out etc.  Not really just an unplug and go.  Having a towed vehicle with you is priceless.  (not costless!)

In our situation, we tow a vehicle behind the motorhome, but it is a small campvan, VW Westfalia to be exact.  When we weekend in the Westy we have no toad.  We pop top back down, unplug if there is power, and can go, but easier if there is a second vehicle.

 

[IslandGuy1]

Wondering if I could get some input on how easy these are to drive into towns when camping? Also some comments about CCC on the View. Seems like there isn't a lot based on some I have seen (something like 1000 lbs). Thank you for your input in advance!

I have a 2010 View 24A floor plan. They only made this floor plan for 2 yrs (2009 & 2010). It is built on a 2008 Sprinter chassis. The 2011+ model Views are built on a 2010+ Sprinter chassis which requires DEF for emissions. The hp increased about 20% and some say a bit better gas mileage.
As far as OCCC is concerned it depends on which floor plan you are looking at. My 24A OCCC is 935lbs. There is a difference between CCC and OCCC which you need to understand. So my OCCC which is 935 lbs means I can load that much "stuff" into my MH without exceeding the OCCC...stuff = people, water, personal belongings, food, etc, etc...some of the newer models OCCC are ~ 1300 lbs or more.
As far as drivability....like driving a car. Very easy to drive around town and on the highway. Getting into refuel is easy, the biggest concern is the height. You need to be cognizant of that...!
Now we use to not bring along a toad because of the type of camping we did. We rarely stayed in one place for more than a night or two. But we changed and tend to stay longer 3-5 days so a toad made more sense for us. We tow a 2012 Honda Fit or a 1998 Chevy Tracker. Both weigh in around 2500 lbs or so...easy to tow. The View is not going to win any races up hills but. Avg gas towing is ~15 mpg and without the toad ~16mpg.
Let me know if you have any other questions.

Jim

 

[John Hilley]

The Navion and View have 2500 lb tow limit.

According to the current specs it is 5,000lbs

Mercedes-Benz 3.0L 6-cylinder, 188-hp turbo-diesel engine
Adaptive ESP? technology
5-speed automatic transmission w/Tip Shift technology to allow manual shifting
4-wheel ABS
180-amp. alternator
Trailer Hitch 5 5,000-lb. drawbar/500-lb. maximum vertical tongue weight w/7-pin connector
Stainless steel wheel liners

 

[PancakeBill]

OK, new spec.  Thanks,,but now you are dealing with GCVWR and doubt it ha room for 5,000 of towed vehicle.  No matter what we say here, the numbers have to add up.
 

 

[Conquest102]

My everyday driver is a chevy express van its around 17 feet long. No problem driving around only issue we had was in Chicago we were to tall for most parking decks. My current rig is 32 feet and have driven it around town a few times little bit of a pain but doable just have to remember TAIL swing.

 

[CamperAL]

Greetings all,

It seems like the capacity for carrying things is low on the views, (1000 lbs) but we don't need to take a lot of items. Mainly I have one item that may weigh 150 lbs that I really would like to take with me and may have to discard other items.

I figure that filling up the water and other things before entering a campground to stay might be a solution so you could take more. That way you only have a heavy load on the way in. Perhaps shopping for groceries after getting into a town and other fill ups would be in order. Maybe not topping of the fuel would save pounds.

Forgot to mention that my wife and I are wanting to snowbird in Tucson for a couple of months during our retirement years. Avoid the Indiana winters for a change.

I'll look into a tow but will have to check the library and see if this is a do-able thing with the weight limit. Perhaps a tow might increase my capacity to carry things as long as I don't go over the total weight limit for both vehicles.

Thanks to Jim for your input with your View. Best and thanks to everyone!

 

[driftless shifter]

1000 lbs is very small. A classic VW Beetle has a capacity of about 750 lbs. You could stay under 2500 lb limit on toad and increase your cargo cap. by putting about 500-600 lbs in similar modern car, that can be flat towed.

Bill

 

[John Canfield]

We travel with empty black/gray tanks and only about 20 gallons of water (we have 100 gallons of capacity).  Once in a great wile we need to violate the rule though.