We’ve tried a lot from a roof top tent on our Jeep to an off road trailer with water, power and electric roof top tent. We rented class Bs including Revels, just too small for anything longer than two nights. We’re currently on a two week road trip and renting a Leisure Travel Van with the corner bed you talked about. We’re the same way and don’t want to make up the bed every night. We love this RV so much. The macerater and hydraulic leveling system are game changer for us - can never go back to a cassette toilet or stinky slinky and chocks ever again… still… I’ll probably never buy. It’s too easy to rent and I can pick and choose a different setup for the style and length of trip we’re taking. Although never say never. Cheers.
We’ve owned several RVs, from a 40’ motorhome with 3 slides, to our 23’ van. The roominess inside the larger rigs is so lovely, but trying to maneuver through a crowded parking lot at the grocery store isn’t fun. We much prefer our van. Our motorhome had those cushion thingies for the ceiling fans. So when we built our van, I sewed one out of 2” foam covered with fabric. (Cut it slightly larger than the opening and stuff it in.) Much more effective than a thin cover held up with Velcro.
That first Ekko you looked at has the dual 320 AH Lithionics package with the generator delete, which is the same model we have. It comes standard with a single 320 AH Lithionics battery and 2.8 KW Cummins gas generator. You need to get one!
The EKKO is really nice and we love the enclosed bike garage. It's the Transit chassis with AWD. The cabinets feel cheap, love the bathroom, bigger frig and seating for 4 people. The twin bed bedroom is the back is the BOMB. It was $30,000 more than what we paid for our Travato 59K so we couldn't justify the additional cost. We actually have more kitchen room in our Travato. Leisure Travel Vans are a quality product for sure. They have always had long wait on ordered new units (which is why they were showing "used" units at the show) and therefore we ruled it out. LTV builds the Wonder on the Transit chassis. Thanks for taking us along to the RV Show. I'd run away from that Thor, it's on the short chassis anyway.
The PAL LAY DEE UM has the new Ford Transit Trail AWD chassis. It is reminiscent of the Rize except they moved the fridge and made it bigger. I live in Orlando. They have it at the Tampa show right now and the dealership 'accidentally' left the Rize price sheet inside it. If I remember, Rizes were around $80K, so for this to be double is ridiculous!
We love our EKKO as we prefer to boondock and it’s small enough to fit in more places. Keys for us are great storage, dry bath, only 23’ ft, large tanks and 640Ah lithium. Could be a great upgrade from Mr Lemon 😂
Good to see there are so many variations and to hear your raw opinions. I like my truck camper but I still find it interesting to see what's out there. Thanks for taking us along.
You two keeping it real and all of us interested. Another B+ that maybe of interest is Gemini on a Ford chassis. I agree the Ekko looks real nice and the storage is off the hook. Thanks for sharing your fun with all of us.
You guys are great. I've owned an Ekko for over 2 years and love it. You would be ìmpressed with the build quality. It has 455 watts of solar,a 330ah Lithionics battery, a designated alternator to charge the house battery as you idle or drive, 50 gallons of fresh water,truly 4 seasons and a fantastic mattress. You would not be disappointed. Stay safe.Lee in Socal
Ford Transit Trail - Factory 3 inch lift, Heavy Duty front Axle, Axles are 2.75 inch wider than stock, HED Head Light, upgraded alternator, twin batteries, echo boost motor - twin turbo, built specifically for camper vans, fyi. I think it is going to be a game changer for Ford Transit camper vans, just my opinion, love your videos and we love our Coachman Nova 20D, safe travels.
Hi Bob and Hillary 🤗 We both .. liked the Pleasure Way ..heard they are Good Quality B-vans and also they have a Good Warranty . Great video you Guys!!! 👍👏 Hope you and your family are all doing well Thank you 🤗😁🌄❤️
Love Ekko 4 season with storage heated. They do come with out door kitchen and generator and battery system Been watching All the videos coming out on the Ford model Definitely would rent first. Thanks for sharing. Love it 🥰
Hi,Bill in Tucson,the 77 year old that you have talked out of buying a motorhome. Loved the Ekko review,we were in Catalina State Park and there was a group of at least a dozen of these parked together. On the way out we stopped for the rest room and one was parked nearby, lovely couple,took us for a tour. You're right that's the way to go. Perfect class b+, or really c.
Cassette toilet never had one but it sounds like a mess you will be dealing with every other day, i think they hold less than 5 gallons. Have you seen any Coachmen cross trails? I like the 20 xg floor plan.
Thanks for all your great videos! How does a Class B+ compare to a Class B in MPG? It seems like it's around 1 to 4 mpg less on the B+ but wanted to see if you have any insights :) Also are there any of these size RVs that are including a hybrid battery that does battery regeneration on braking that assists in increasing the mpg? Thanks!
The existing Ekko was my choice until I saw the new Ekko on the MB sprinter chasis and fell in love. BTW convention microwaves have a metal type interior.
Not sure if it’s all models of the LTVs but think that open from front/rear refrigerator is no longer. Could be wrong but thought I saw a newer video from LTV and it’s back to the normal one side open refrigerator. The Ekko now also comes one the MB chassis as well if I was to I’d go that route it gives stock higher ground clearance and more interior space and garage space. Curious which model of LTV is the one your choice?
Guys I was super interested in the B plus idea. I thought about you when I saw that most had higher ceilings 😂. There are a bunch of nice (non-Thor) builds but you gotta watch out for the GVWR being not much higher than the curb weight including fuel, water tanks etc. Some of them will be overweight with 2 people and their stuff!
Thanks for showing us all these vans. Where was this show? I really didn't see any floorplan I liked. Which is probably why we are having a custom van built - ha! 12 more days until our van is ready. That's the downside - time. Started our process of getting a van by going to the Adventure Van Expo in Santa Rosa, CA to look at vans - on May 13th! 8 months ago. Worth the wait though to get a floorplan we like!
would love your opinion on the new Jayco Granite Ridge ( almost identical to EKKO but Jayco adds the Van Compass 2" lift kit to enhance the AWD of the Transit platform ) Some subtle fit/finish differences but very similar to the EKKO Your review of the Jayco B+ and comparison opinion to the EKKO would make a great video Thanks - enjoy the rest of the show
If budget wasn't an issue for us, we would go with the Ekko. We think the floor plan is good and the giant storage area under the bed is great. How are the Aluminess upgrades doing? How's the durability? I feel comfortable asking you guys 'cause I know I will get an honest answer. Cheers and safe travels!
You need to see what James from the Fit RV has done in his EKKO. He and Steph got the very first EKKO. It is a cassette toilet. Entegra has a similar model too.
Nice review! Would have liked to see vans based on the Sprinter. I’m personally not interested in the B+s, it’s nice that they have all that space but I’d never be able to take them to the off road places that my 144 Sprinter can easily get to.
You guys need to see the coachmen beyond on the ford chassis. Just before this one I saw a walkthrough of the palladium on strangerpalooza, comments weren’t very flattering.
You guys seem to prefer the Ford chassis? I know you've had a LOT of problems with the Thor...but have you had issues with the Ram chassis? If so, just wondering what they are. I'm considering a Winnebago Solis on a RAM chassis.
I liked the EKKO and I also like the Coachmen Galleria A until I saw a video on the Coach House Arriva v24 tb. It a Class B on the Mercedes. I looked through your videos and I don't think you've reviewed it. I would love your opinion on the Arriva. For one, I'd like to know how you would rate the bathroom (dry bath). It looks great in the promotional video. The layout is one of the best I've seen (which they make a point of saying that have a patent on the design).
Hey guys! Since you reviewed the palladium, which is just like the Winnebago Solis Pocket 36B; could you PLEASE review the Solis Pocket 36A???? Thank you❤️
What I don’t understand about EKKO is why W won’t paint the step van so it doesn’t look like a plumber’s truck? Hymer has a similar unit but it is the same color all around. 🤔🤔
I had a B+ before but now have just a B. Seems like a lot of weight on a Transit or Sprinter. Rather have something that size on a 350 chassis with the 7.3 v8
We have a 2015 Winnebago Itasca Viva ( an early B plus) and have had virtually no issues. Winnebago quality has impressed us so much. We've never had a Thor, but from our own inspections and second hand accounts ( such as yours) we wouldn't buy one. But best of luck on your RV buying journey.
First thing, Thank You Both for doing these honest reviews with no sponsorships!. I'm looking to purchase a B+ and greatly value your video and opionins! Leisure Travel is great however at the Florida RV show this week the dealer said I could get one earlier than 2+yr wait for $20,000! NEXT! Went to Coach House but I guess as a single female they couldn't be bothered. NEXT. Coachman Galleria 24A. Swoon! Till the salesman got upset because I wouldn't give him my credit card with no test drive! haha. This is on par with car salesmen!
Would love the extra space in the rear the EKKO has but quality issues are a huge red flag for me. Have owned a Winnebago B+ in the past with some of the same materials and while better than Thor not good enough. It took us 3 RVs to get it right for us. We now have a 2022 Pleasureway 2.2 that has larger bath that my 6’5” body needs. FYI the 2024 Pleasureway vans come with 3 times the lithium power we have that allows you to use the A/C without the generator. The downside to the larger batteries is a smaller garage area. Ours also doesn’t have AWD but living in San Diego we don’t need that and the dual rear tires have given us great traction going up dirt trails and deliver better MPG. You will love the Ford power on any of the Transit Vans you reviewed.
Bob how do you get away with the HOA? Obviously your neighborhood is pretty nice. In Tucson my HOA won't allow us to have anything that looks like amotorhome
I park it in our driveway and it doesn’t stick out over the sidewalk. Plus other people have big vans and trucks the same size. But truthfully I don’t know. I’ve never asked for permission. 😅 sorry yours doesn’t let you.
Have you considered building your own B van? I know you are handy and you both know what you like/don't like. I just think building one can give you everything you want. You see a lot of the quality issues these B/B+'s have and I just think you buying another van may just frustrate you more. It would for me. :) My girlfriend and I are strongly considering building our own. Keep up the great content!
Absolutely. That would be our first choice to build out a van. And honestly we would have from the get go but the timing of when we were wanting to buy/build was terrible. Back in 2020/2021. So we bought one instead. And actually are relatively happy we did because like you said we now know what we like/don't like. Thanks for the great comment!
1. IMHO, I think the term B+ is a unicorn. A B van is all van with no aftermarket fiberglass shell changes to the body. If they're not a B, they're a C, but for the shorter ones like you looked at, I would go with C-. I know everyone has their own idea on this, but I think anything that's partially van and partially factory built is a C. 2. Those swing out windows are called awning windows. 3. Palladium is pronounced pa-LAY-de-um. It's Latin for stronghold. 4. EKKOs have had a lot of problems since they came out. There are a couple of EKKO channels, actually several but two I follow. VanTrekking Lifestyle went from a Travato K to a Revel, and now they have an EKKO. They like it, but there've been a lot of issues - they've even driven back to the factory to have some of them taken care of. And The FitRV went from a Travato G to the EKKO, actually, they own the 1st EKKO that rolled off the production line. They don't talk about problems because he started voiding the warranty the minute they took it home. But he's done a lot of mods that are interesting. When they sold the Travato, it had something like 95 major mods.
wow how do u have so many rv shows around u i live in ky by cincinnati oh we got none near here u lucky cause we been looking at class b hoopefully getting one soon
The pop up or drop down curtain ones that connect to a hidden shower pan are surprisingly roomy. A bit fiddly to set up and tear down, but they don't get used that often and take up way less space.
The Ekko is a class C. Technically there is no such thing as a B+. It’s a marketing gimmick by the manufacturers. A Class B is built inside a van. The Ekko is built on a cab and chassis truck like all class Cs. If you want all the room look at all the class Cs. There are some great class Cs for a lot less money. You are giving up nimbleness and parking anywhere. The cassette toilet is a deal breaker for me. I wouldn’t want to be carrying it out to dump every day or so.
When looking to rent an RV is there a way other than scrolling through all the listing to find models one might be interested in buying to rent to try out?
There is usually some sort of filter you can click on. I know Outdoorsy lets you select a bunch of criteria. Select a model you like from a dealer's site and then type the details in the rental site. One tip is to be open about where you want to rent from. It's worth driving / flying to a less popular place to get a better deal. A Revel can set you back 650/night in Bozeman while 250 or so in Salt Lake for example.
I love your videos. ❤ I’m also tall so it’s helpful to us to see you testing the height of the shower etc. RE the Leisure Travel Van you saw. You’re right very disappointing model. You were at a dealership that just brought some of their Class B’s. If you are going to be there tomorrow PLEASE PLEASE find the LTV booth and see them all. They are located at Lakeside 5 #361. Will you also be there Friday? If so, I hope to run into you all. Definitely a fan here.
@@Vancaskeys THANK YOU GUYS, we love your van, we gonna try to get one like yours in the future, we need to wait for our retirement 😜 Blessings for you and your wife from me and my wife. Sincerely; Don Lalo
We love watching you guys ❤ our favorite is the EKKO - unfortunately it’s just so expensive!! We’re so curious what your next recreational vehicle will be ❤️❤️
Cassette Toilets ??? Really ??? $150k ??? Talk about manufacturing cost savings to keep the price down. My wife won't do the dirty work of a Cassette Toilet, so I guess it's a no-go.
You guys need to get in touch with Tanya and Dave @ Lets Turn it up world youtube channel. They have one, and they have taken their van into the snow and desert multiple times. I would only spend that much money on a Winnebago or Pleasure Way B van because of the quality and years of experience they have in the business. Go for it!
You have reached full adult status when you are excited by a refrigerator door that opens both ways. 😂😂😂😂 Very good episode!
Exactly! 😂
😂😂😂 So true!
We’ve tried a lot from a roof top tent on our Jeep to an off road trailer with water, power and electric roof top tent. We rented class Bs including Revels, just too small for anything longer than two nights. We’re currently on a two week road trip and renting a Leisure Travel Van with the corner bed you talked about. We’re the same way and don’t want to make up the bed every night. We love this RV so much. The macerater and hydraulic leveling system are game changer for us - can never go back to a cassette toilet or stinky slinky and chocks ever again… still… I’ll probably never buy. It’s too easy to rent and I can pick and choose a different setup for the style and length of trip we’re taking. Although never say never. Cheers.
We’ve owned several RVs, from a 40’ motorhome with 3 slides, to our 23’ van. The roominess inside the larger rigs is so lovely, but trying to maneuver through a crowded parking lot at the grocery store isn’t fun. We much prefer our van.
Our motorhome had those cushion thingies for the ceiling fans. So when we built our van, I sewed one out of 2” foam covered with fabric. (Cut it slightly larger than the opening and stuff it in.) Much more effective than a thin cover held up with Velcro.
That first Ekko you looked at has the dual 320 AH Lithionics package with the generator delete, which is the same model we have. It comes standard with a single 320 AH Lithionics battery and 2.8 KW Cummins gas generator. You need to get one!
The EKKO is really nice and we love the enclosed bike garage. It's the Transit chassis with AWD. The cabinets feel cheap, love the bathroom, bigger frig and seating for 4 people. The twin bed bedroom is the back is the BOMB. It was $30,000 more than what we paid for our Travato 59K so we couldn't justify the additional cost. We actually have more kitchen room in our Travato. Leisure Travel Vans are a quality product for sure. They have always had long wait on ordered new units (which is why they were showing "used" units at the show) and therefore we ruled it out. LTV builds the Wonder on the Transit chassis. Thanks for taking us along to the RV Show. I'd run away from that Thor, it's on the short chassis anyway.
The PAL LAY DEE UM has the new Ford Transit Trail AWD chassis. It is reminiscent of the Rize except they moved the fridge and made it bigger. I live in Orlando. They have it at the Tampa show right now and the dealership 'accidentally' left the Rize price sheet inside it. If I remember, Rizes were around $80K, so for this to be double is ridiculous!
I enjoy your authenticity. No drama, just saying how you see it. I like the B vans. A quality build can be seen at the sprinter booth with Outsidevan.
Thanks!
That “seat cushion” on the leisure is actually an insulated cover for the sky light in the shower.
Once again, thanks for taking us along! I really enjoy your takes on these vans and appreciate the time you take to give us the low down. 😊❤🙏
Thanks Joe! Our pleasure!
I love watching y'all in sweatshirts while its 110° here 😅
Omg! Right!
Look into the coachmen Cross Trail Class C Motorhomes, XTreme Package. 20XG, and the coachhouse PLATINUM III (FORD TRANSIT 3500 CAB CHASSIS too ☺
Would love too!
Great reviews of the B+Cs. I like the ekko too. It is a great floorplan, but love the Pleasure-Way more. Much more nimble and better quality.
Lord, it's a damn shame when only rich men north of Richmond can afford vanlife. Another great video by Bob & Hillary!
Thanks Rick! Looking forward to meeting you!
We love our EKKO as we prefer to boondock and it’s small enough to fit in more places. Keys for us are great storage, dry bath, only 23’ ft, large tanks and 640Ah lithium. Could be a great upgrade from Mr Lemon 😂
Good to see there are so many variations and to hear your raw opinions. I like my truck camper but I still find it interesting to see what's out there. Thanks for taking us along.
You two keeping it real and all of us interested. Another B+ that maybe of interest is Gemini on a Ford chassis. I agree the Ekko looks real nice and the storage is off the hook. Thanks for sharing your fun with all of us.
Thanks! Will be on the lookout for one!
You guys are great. I've owned an Ekko for over 2 years and love it. You would be ìmpressed with the build quality. It has 455 watts of solar,a 330ah Lithionics battery, a designated alternator to charge the house battery as you idle or drive, 50 gallons of fresh water,truly 4 seasons and a fantastic mattress. You would not be disappointed. Stay safe.Lee in Socal
Definitely rent and try. IMO Some B+ especially on the MB chassis, have drivability issues at higher speeds and adverse conditions
Thanks for sharing!
Ford Transit Trail - Factory 3 inch lift, Heavy Duty front Axle, Axles are 2.75 inch wider than stock, HED Head Light, upgraded alternator, twin batteries, echo boost motor - twin turbo, built specifically for camper vans, fyi. I think it is going to be a game changer for Ford Transit camper vans, just my opinion, love your videos and we love our Coachman Nova 20D, safe travels.
I don’t think the motor is specific to the transit vans, f150 and others use it also.
@@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5I think he was saying the Ford Transit Trail as a whole was built specifically for camper van builds.
@@jtbrv23 yeah that makes sense!
Hi Bob and Hillary 🤗
We both .. liked the Pleasure Way ..heard they are Good Quality B-vans and also they have a Good Warranty . Great video you
Guys!!! 👍👏
Hope you and your family are all doing well
Thank you 🤗😁🌄❤️
Thanks Diane! Hope you guys are loving your van and having a great start to 2024!
I love the quality of Pleasureway - even though I've modified mine a lot .....
Love Ekko 4 season with storage heated. They do come with out door kitchen and generator and battery system
Been watching All the videos coming out on the Ford model
Definitely would rent first. Thanks for sharing. Love it 🥰
Very cool!
London Palladium was built in 1910. It's a theater. Woo!
And def rent. I went through three rentals before picking my ride.
Agree. Renting is a must.
Omg, I love the EKKO, that’s my dream Class B. TH-camrs “Turn up World” live in theirs they call it “Desert Snow” and they love it!
We need to look them up! Thanks for sharing!
Hi,Bill in Tucson,the 77 year old that you have talked out of buying a motorhome. Loved the Ekko review,we were in Catalina State Park and there was a group of at least a dozen of these parked together. On the way out we stopped for the rest room and one was parked nearby, lovely couple,took us for a tour. You're right that's the way to go. Perfect class b+, or really c.
Nice vid. Your description of B/b+ was spot on.
Leisure makes a B+ version with the rear raised twin beds on a Transit chassis.
Oh nice.
Cassette toilet never had one but it sounds like a mess you will be dealing with every other day, i think they hold less than 5 gallons. Have you seen any Coachmen cross trails? I like the 20 xg floor plan.
I like how you guys work so will together like it so cool and in sync
❤
Aww Thanks!
@@Vancaskeys u welcome
Always enjoyed your video get right to the point on what good or bad and how u guys over come things that happened in van life.
Thank you!
Pleasure Way has a 10 year warranty (or they used to) which explains part of the cost.
Oh thanks for sharing!
Did you look at the Tiffin b+ with the rear lounge/murphy bed?
I don't think we did...bummer !
Nice job!! Love your opinions & honestly. Good luck in your search. If possible could you please review the Roadtrek Pivot Slumber. Thanks
Thanks! Will do!
Maybe the Roadtrek pivot slumber ( pop top ) not there?? If it’s there please find out what the show price is. Thanks for looking !!
I was at that show Sunday and was kinda hoping I’d see you all. 😃
Oh bummer. We went on Monday.
I fell in love with the EKKO before it even came out. It seems to be the best of both the Class B & C. Tons of room!
Yes! Agree!
Did you find the Leisure Travel Vans display? They had many of the models there. Looks like you were in the used RV section.
Thanks for all your great videos! How does a Class B+ compare to a Class B in MPG? It seems like it's around 1 to 4 mpg less on the B+ but wanted to see if you have any insights :) Also are there any of these size RVs that are including a hybrid battery that does battery regeneration on braking that assists in increasing the mpg? Thanks!
Love all your van reviews. Have you ever road tripped out to Colorado Springs and looked at Wayfarer Vans. I hope you you find the time to do this.
The existing Ekko was my choice until I saw the new Ekko on the MB sprinter chasis and fell in love.
BTW convention microwaves have a metal type interior.
Love the Ekko. We like a lot of the B ➕️ with the Ford Transit Chassis. But. It would be cool if you built one. I vote for the Ford Transit Chassis!
Agree. We would love to build one.
Really good review! Thanks.
Thanks Liz!
Not sure if it’s all models of the LTVs but think that open from front/rear refrigerator is no longer. Could be wrong but thought I saw a newer video from LTV and it’s back to the normal one side open refrigerator.
The Ekko now also comes one the MB chassis as well if I was to I’d go that route it gives stock higher ground clearance and more interior space and garage space.
Curious which model of LTV is the one your choice?
another great video. we purchased our EKKO last Oct, I retire in 2 weeks and we are 'gone'!!! :--)) You'd love it, do it!! ha ha
Congrats!!!! So cool!!
Guys I was super interested in the B plus idea. I thought about you when I saw that most had higher ceilings 😂. There are a bunch of nice (non-Thor) builds but you gotta watch out for the GVWR being not much higher than the curb weight including fuel, water tanks etc. Some of them will be overweight with 2 people and their stuff!
Thanks for showing us all these vans. Where was this show? I really didn't see any floorplan I liked. Which is probably why we are having a custom van built - ha! 12 more days until our van is ready. That's the downside - time. Started our process of getting a van by going to the Adventure Van Expo in Santa Rosa, CA to look at vans - on May 13th! 8 months ago. Worth the wait though to get a floorplan we like!
So exciting!
It’s like waiting for Xmas morning when I was 5 years old! 😅
😅@@CraigPeer
hello very nice tour was wondering if you saw the sprinter version of the ekko and if they disclosed a sales price
We did look at sprinter version at this show. Sorry!
Can you do a video on the Winnebago Travato 59G
Would love too! Next time we see one we will!
Thank You
That fridge that opens both ways is super cool!
would love your opinion on the new Jayco Granite Ridge ( almost identical to EKKO but Jayco adds the Van Compass 2" lift kit to enhance the AWD of the Transit platform ) Some subtle fit/finish differences but very similar to the EKKO
Your review of the Jayco B+ and comparison opinion to the EKKO would make a great video
Thanks - enjoy the rest of the show
If budget wasn't an issue for us, we would go with the Ekko. We think the floor plan is good and the giant storage area under the bed is great. How are the Aluminess upgrades doing? How's the durability? I feel comfortable asking you guys 'cause I know I will get an honest answer. Cheers and safe travels!
Doing a great job. I would like to see the new east west tala on the transit
Thanks! If we find one we will review it.
You need to see what James from the Fit RV has done in his EKKO. He and Steph got the very first EKKO. It is a cassette toilet. Entegra has a similar model too.
We will check it out! Thanks!
Who is the dealer offering the $157K show price for the EKKO?
Nice review! Would have liked to see vans based on the Sprinter. I’m personally not interested in the B+s, it’s nice that they have all that space but I’d never be able to take them to the off road places that my 144 Sprinter can easily get to.
I talked to an owner of the EKKO at a rest stop. They loved it.
Love this! Thanks!
The Fit RV channel has an Echo. They have a lot of good advice and modifications
Yes! Buy it!
😆 would be a nice upgrade!
Beautiful class B+, I usually identify convection microwaves because they are metal inside, regular microwaves aren’t stainless inside
My home microwave is not convection and is stainless steel inside.
You guys need to see the coachmen beyond on the ford chassis. Just before this one I saw a walkthrough of the palladium on strangerpalooza, comments weren’t very flattering.
We need too!
@@Vancaskeys I think they carry them at NIRVC in Phoenix.
You guys seem to prefer the Ford chassis? I know you've had a LOT of problems with the Thor...but have you had issues with the Ram chassis? If so, just wondering what they are. I'm considering a Winnebago Solis on a RAM chassis.
Can you guys accept a cassette toilet as full timers? I cant accept a cassette even on holiday. We have a Boldt 70KL 4x4 (with 10 gal black tank)
I liked the EKKO and I also like the Coachmen Galleria A until I saw a video on the Coach House Arriva v24 tb. It a Class B on the Mercedes. I looked through your videos and I don't think you've reviewed it. I would love your opinion on the Arriva. For one, I'd like to know how you would rate the bathroom (dry bath). It looks great in the promotional video. The layout is one of the best I've seen (which they make a point of saying that have a patent on the design).
Hey guys!
Since you reviewed the palladium, which is just like the Winnebago Solis Pocket 36B; could you PLEASE review the Solis Pocket 36A????
Thank you❤️
Great tour of the show.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Can you check out the Chinook 360 Summit/Maverick and Coach house offerings?
What I don’t understand about EKKO is why W won’t paint the step van so it doesn’t look like a plumber’s truck? Hymer has a similar unit but it is the same color all around. 🤔🤔
I’m really liking your videos, real world. Also I like the Mr Lemon name !!!
I had a B+ before but now have just a B. Seems like a lot of weight on a Transit or Sprinter. Rather have something that size on a 350 chassis with the 7.3 v8
Good point.
Like luxury vans not a van pf the huge wait times for one. Nope. My serious eye candy just me but earthroamers. In love with them
Liked the video and I'd like to give the Ekko a better look. Hope to run into (not literally) one day
Haha!! We would love to meet you!
We have a 2015 Winnebago Itasca Viva ( an early B plus) and have had virtually no issues. Winnebago quality has impressed us so much. We've never had a Thor, but from our own inspections and second hand accounts ( such as yours) we wouldn't buy one. But best of luck on your RV buying journey.
I think quality took a hit during the Covid pandemic with the increased demand and parts shortages. 2015 was probably a better year build wise.
Agreed
First thing, Thank You Both for doing these honest reviews with no sponsorships!. I'm looking to purchase a B+ and greatly value your video and opionins! Leisure Travel is great however at the Florida RV show this week the dealer said I could get one earlier than 2+yr wait for $20,000! NEXT! Went to Coach House but I guess as a single female they couldn't be bothered. NEXT. Coachman Galleria 24A. Swoon! Till the salesman got upset because I wouldn't give him my credit card with no test drive! haha. This is on par with car salesmen!
I really don’t like class b vans, but I do love your videos because you say what you think. I could consider a b plus.
"It's a Thor...that's alright." Yeah, nah. Not alright.
The Ekko is basically the same price as my rig from STO.
Would love the extra space in the rear the EKKO has but quality issues are a huge red flag for me. Have owned a Winnebago B+ in the past with some of the same materials and while better than Thor not good enough. It took us 3 RVs to get it right for us. We now have a 2022 Pleasureway 2.2 that has larger bath that my 6’5” body needs. FYI the 2024 Pleasureway vans come with 3 times the lithium power we have that allows you to use the A/C without the generator. The downside to the larger batteries is a smaller garage area. Ours also doesn’t have AWD but living in San Diego we don’t need that and the dual rear tires have given us great traction going up dirt trails and deliver better MPG. You will love the Ford power on any of the Transit Vans you reviewed.
Best thing about Pleasure Way is they are not made in Elkhart, In.
Love you guys…but search the release of videos of the Ford Transit Trail.
Bob how do you get away with the HOA? Obviously your neighborhood is pretty nice. In Tucson my HOA won't allow us to have anything that looks like amotorhome
I park it in our driveway and it doesn’t stick out over the sidewalk. Plus other people have big vans and trucks the same size. But truthfully I don’t know. I’ve never asked for permission. 😅 sorry yours doesn’t let you.
Thank you
That seat cushion is actually a shower skylight insulator.
Have you considered building your own B van? I know you are handy and you both know what you like/don't like. I just think building one can give you everything you want. You see a lot of the quality issues these B/B+'s have and I just think you buying another van may just frustrate you more. It would for me. :) My girlfriend and I are strongly considering building our own. Keep up the great content!
Absolutely. That would be our first choice to build out a van. And honestly we would have from the get go but the timing of when we were wanting to buy/build was terrible. Back in 2020/2021. So we bought one instead. And actually are relatively happy we did because like you said we now know what we like/don't like. Thanks for the great comment!
1. IMHO, I think the term B+ is a unicorn. A B van is all van with no aftermarket fiberglass shell changes to the body. If they're not a B, they're a C, but for the shorter ones like you looked at, I would go with C-. I know everyone has their own idea on this, but I think anything that's partially van and partially factory built is a C.
2. Those swing out windows are called awning windows.
3. Palladium is pronounced pa-LAY-de-um. It's Latin for stronghold.
4. EKKOs have had a lot of problems since they came out. There are a couple of EKKO channels, actually several but two I follow. VanTrekking Lifestyle went from a Travato K to a Revel, and now they have an EKKO. They like it, but there've been a lot of issues - they've even driven back to the factory to have some of them taken care of. And The FitRV went from a Travato G to the EKKO, actually, they own the 1st EKKO that rolled off the production line. They don't talk about problems because he started voiding the warranty the minute they took it home. But he's done a lot of mods that are interesting. When they sold the Travato, it had something like 95 major mods.
B+ = Storage above cab | C = Bunk bed above cab
Don't fall in love with the Leisures. You can't get one. They have a great couple of Floorplans.
wow how do u have so many rv shows around u i live in ky by cincinnati oh we got none near here u lucky cause we been looking at class b hoopefully getting one soon
Someday RV manufactures will make a bath shower to accommodate larger aka rounder people. Travato 59k
The pop up or drop down curtain ones that connect to a hidden shower pan are surprisingly roomy. A bit fiddly to set up and tear down, but they don't get used that often and take up way less space.
Why do they have used stuff at the Great Big Tampa RV show ? Are you sure you are not in the parking lot ? And it even smells.
People trade in desirable models so they bring them to sell.
The Ekko is a class C. Technically there is no such thing as a B+. It’s a marketing gimmick by the manufacturers. A Class B is built inside a van. The Ekko is built on a cab and chassis truck like all class Cs. If you want all the room look at all the class Cs. There are some great class Cs for a lot less money. You are giving up nimbleness and parking anywhere. The cassette toilet is a deal breaker for me. I wouldn’t want to be carrying it out to dump every day or so.
When looking to rent an RV is there a way other than scrolling through all the listing to find models one might be interested in buying to rent to try out?
There is usually some sort of filter you can click on. I know Outdoorsy lets you select a bunch of criteria. Select a model you like from a dealer's site and then type the details in the rental site. One tip is to be open about where you want to rent from. It's worth driving / flying to a less popular place to get a better deal. A Revel can set you back 650/night in Bozeman while 250 or so in Salt Lake for example.
I love your videos. ❤ I’m also tall so it’s helpful to us to see you testing the height of the shower etc. RE the Leisure Travel Van you saw. You’re right very disappointing model. You were at a dealership that just brought some of their Class B’s. If you are going to be there tomorrow PLEASE PLEASE find the LTV booth and see them all. They are located at Lakeside 5 #361. Will you also be there Friday? If so, I hope to run into you all. Definitely a fan here.
Would love too! What RV show are you talking about?
Tampa
@@senjacobs oh wish we were at that one! This show was in AZ.
@@Vancaskeys Darn. I was hoping to meet you guys.
@@senjacobs we would have loved to meet you! We definitely want to go to a show in Tampa so if another happens this year let us know.
Love you 2❤. I have a feeling that in the future you will trade in Mr lemon for a Ecco. Just saying 😊
Maybe one day!😂
Where did your channel name come from
Well...our last name in McCaskey....So we added a Van to it. Not very original 😂
Ekko would be the van of choice. More for the money.
True!
HI GUYS WHERE IS THIS VAN OR RV SHOW?
Thank you so much in advance.
Nice videos guys.
Sincerely; Don Lalo from #atrevetehazloyaprende
The show is in Glendale Arizona. It's still going on for I think another week or so.
@@Vancaskeys THANK YOU GUYS, we love your van, we gonna try to get one like yours in the future, we need to wait for our retirement 😜
Blessings for you and your wife from me and my wife.
Sincerely; Don Lalo
Love what you do, plz extend your info graphics, not a speed reader…
Beds are too short. Sub the gas range with an induction burner. NO cassette potty please.
Like the last van. Sorry you don't.
Glad you did!
We love watching you guys ❤ our favorite is the EKKO - unfortunately it’s just so expensive!! We’re so curious what your next recreational vehicle will be ❤️❤️
Haha! We are curious too! 😂 And you are so right...it's so expensive!
Cassette Toilets ??? Really ??? $150k ???
Talk about manufacturing cost savings to keep the price down.
My wife won't do the dirty work of a Cassette Toilet, so I guess it's a no-go.
Great video! I think it's pronounced pa-lay-dee-um
Round up 163.8k is 164k.
All of those RVs are dirt cheap when you buy used. I would never buy a brand new one. 60% depreciation when you drive out the door!
We prefer to call them “C-minuses.”
😂 Love this!
You guys need to get in touch with Tanya and Dave @ Lets Turn it up world youtube channel. They have one, and they have taken their van into the snow and desert multiple times. I would only spend that much money on a Winnebago or Pleasure Way B van because of the quality and years of experience they have in the business. Go for it!
Thank would be fun!