This question was raised on another thread, but really belongs under Van Conversions.
Once the wife and I decided that a Class B was right for us (we didn't start out with that mindset) we stopped at a local dealer who sells Roadtrek, Great West and Pleasure-Way vans.? We had also looked at Leisure Travel, Gulf Stream, Airstream and Forest River B brochures, but didn't have a chance to try them on.
Right away we were attracted to the diesels.? We couldn't really justify the price premium for the diesels, despite their great fuel economy, but for us there is a psychological (and ecological) benefit of not having to fill the tank as often and not having to pay as much at each fuel stop.
We were also attracted to the Sprinter-base van conversions.? The Sprinter diesel is peppy and get 24-26 mpg highway.? The footprint of the Sprinter is the same as a Ford F250 longbed crewcab pickup, but with a smaller turning radius.? You can usually park it in a normal sized parking space.? We felt that the 6'-6" width of the van did not adversely affect coach livability over that of its Ford and Chevy brethren.? It some ways it was much more livable, for example, better legroom in the front seats and stand-up head room throughout.
When it came to choosing a manufacturer, the Pleasure-Way won easily over the Great West and Roadtrek Sprinters.? Our requirements included using the van as a second vehicle, so we wanted seating for 5 passengers (facing front and seat-belted).? We wanted a large kitchen and bath area (by B standards, of course).? And finally, we wanted a lot of storage space.
The P-W Plateau TS has a transverse sofa at the rear with three seatbelts.? In conjunction with a couple of ottomans, the sofa flattens out into an almost king-size bed.? The kitchen is equipped with all the standard appliances (including a 4 cf fridge in '06) and has considerable counter space as well.? The bathroom is, hands down, the nicest we saw, save the Forest River MB Cruiser which is no longer being manufactured.? Storage space is still limited, as in all Bs, but the arrangement of the floor plan helps to maximize it.? Tall wardrobe, deep drawers, and very little wasted space.? All this is provided, perhaps, at the expense of natural window lighting in the mid-section of the van, resulting in a somewhat claustrophobic feeling in that area. The small window in the bathroom alleviates the claustrophobic feeling there, however.
The Roadtrek and Great West have their strong points, of course.? I liked the upfront table and four swivel seats of the RT.? Great for socializing with another couple.? The Westy has a tri-fold sofa that can be slid forward about 2.5' to provide some temporary cargo hauling capacity.
My only wish for the Plateau is a place for a second auxiliary battery, solid surface counter tops instead of laminate, and parabolic mirrors.? Those are really minor complaints,? however.? For the two of us, this van is just about perfect.
Once the wife and I decided that a Class B was right for us (we didn't start out with that mindset) we stopped at a local dealer who sells Roadtrek, Great West and Pleasure-Way vans.? We had also looked at Leisure Travel, Gulf Stream, Airstream and Forest River B brochures, but didn't have a chance to try them on.
Right away we were attracted to the diesels.? We couldn't really justify the price premium for the diesels, despite their great fuel economy, but for us there is a psychological (and ecological) benefit of not having to fill the tank as often and not having to pay as much at each fuel stop.
We were also attracted to the Sprinter-base van conversions.? The Sprinter diesel is peppy and get 24-26 mpg highway.? The footprint of the Sprinter is the same as a Ford F250 longbed crewcab pickup, but with a smaller turning radius.? You can usually park it in a normal sized parking space.? We felt that the 6'-6" width of the van did not adversely affect coach livability over that of its Ford and Chevy brethren.? It some ways it was much more livable, for example, better legroom in the front seats and stand-up head room throughout.
When it came to choosing a manufacturer, the Pleasure-Way won easily over the Great West and Roadtrek Sprinters.? Our requirements included using the van as a second vehicle, so we wanted seating for 5 passengers (facing front and seat-belted).? We wanted a large kitchen and bath area (by B standards, of course).? And finally, we wanted a lot of storage space.
The P-W Plateau TS has a transverse sofa at the rear with three seatbelts.? In conjunction with a couple of ottomans, the sofa flattens out into an almost king-size bed.? The kitchen is equipped with all the standard appliances (including a 4 cf fridge in '06) and has considerable counter space as well.? The bathroom is, hands down, the nicest we saw, save the Forest River MB Cruiser which is no longer being manufactured.? Storage space is still limited, as in all Bs, but the arrangement of the floor plan helps to maximize it.? Tall wardrobe, deep drawers, and very little wasted space.? All this is provided, perhaps, at the expense of natural window lighting in the mid-section of the van, resulting in a somewhat claustrophobic feeling in that area. The small window in the bathroom alleviates the claustrophobic feeling there, however.
The Roadtrek and Great West have their strong points, of course.? I liked the upfront table and four swivel seats of the RT.? Great for socializing with another couple.? The Westy has a tri-fold sofa that can be slid forward about 2.5' to provide some temporary cargo hauling capacity.
My only wish for the Plateau is a place for a second auxiliary battery, solid surface counter tops instead of laminate, and parabolic mirrors.? Those are really minor complaints,? however.? For the two of us, this van is just about perfect.
