Hi Community,
I have recently started putting to reality my dream of full time RV living. In this process of educating myself I have found that one answered question opens the door to ten more new questions. So I will start with my first question as I feel it is the most pertinent in a long line of questions…
What are the opinions regarding best class B RV related to keeping a cool environment for pets. What a/c unit is best for longevity and effectiveness while being able to remotely monitor the vehicle in the event I need to be absent for up to 6 hours due to transitioning my work(hairdresser) to be more conducive to van life.
Any opinions on RV brand/model that particularly address the needs of van life owners with pets?
The Pleasure Way Ontour 2.2 was suggested, any pros and cons would be greatly appreciated
Greetings!
Let me start by saying that I think camper vans are too small for fulltiming with pets… I think motorhomes with lots of windows & more room are a much better choice.
For all intents & purposes, A/C is going to require either a generator or shore power. Forget solar, huge battery banks, etc; that’s for rich fools who like to tinker, not regular Joe’s.
An outdoor generator is huge theft risk too, much more so than a built in RV generator.
Cheers!
"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller
Thanks for you’re input, I greatly appreciate it particularly that I see you are very experienced in this lifestyle. I’ve also been following your feeds related to agm(lead acid) vs. lithium ion. I have been considering the winnebago travato 59k or 59kl as it seems to have good reviews and a decent price point. Though i’m not rich I can afford something in this ball park. You’re posts related to battery have me wondering if the extra $35,000 is worth the package. My trips will be intermittent, no more than 3 weeks at a time. More to visit family and see the country(national parks, grand canyon, and such) Then back to my work location to make money for 3-4 weeks(hairdresser). I have an option to leave my pets with my dad for those weeks if the class b rv lifestyle seems to cramped in that regard. I’m new to this experience so I don’t yet see myself being completely off grid for long periods of time and will have access to charge etc. in that regard. Related to your opinion of full time living in a camper, this is one of my main concerns related to my choice moving forward. Are there any B+ models you would recommend that would facilitate rv life with animals. My other consideration is the Tiffin Motorhome Wayfarer which seems to provide a lot more room while still being able to park in many regular spots. I’ve also toyed with the idea of purchasing an ford e450 bus and convert but the more I investigate I find it overwhelming to do all the required research to attain a knowledgeable, fairly priced, and available technician to do the work. In a perfect world, I would love to be able to participate in the build out and learn in the process to be able to have the education to know all of the moving parts of my vehicle. However, my goal is to be off land living(renting) by november which is the end of my lease. Which really inhibits that goal if I pursue conversion whether I participate or not. Sorry that’s a mouthful, but I find the answer to one question seems to lead to ten more. Thanks for taking the time and any help you can provide
Greetings!
hmmm… Well with a B+ you gain a little width, but lose the cab over bed. That cab over bed can provide a ton of extra overhead storage…
One of things I really like about the Class C’s vs. the Class B’s is the number of people they can sleep, and the living area. For me, I really like a bed that’s permanent. I don’t want to have to convert a dinette or a sofa into my bed every night. Some of the Wayfarer’s seem to have a rear bed, with a sofa/bed across from a dinette/bed up front. I like that because you have a permanent bed plus a nice living/dining room. That also gives you extra beds for company. Either the dinette or the sofa could probably be switched out for two captains/lounge/recliner chairs with a folding table between them too.
Most Class C’s are also built on heavier duty chassis, with better brakes, suspension, etc. They also usually have duallies in the rear which can give you much better traction when needed.
I like buses, but don’t like to recommend any DIY projects to newbies because without experience it’s almost impossible to know what you really want & need. It usually leads to lots of builds, lots of frustrations, and lots of needless added expenses.
If you’re comfortable sleeping on a sofa (I am), a layout like below my tempt you. I just leave my sleeping my sleeping bag on my sofa (futon sofa/bed in my case) all the time, and have other comfy seating.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/1997-Chinook-Concourse-5019850872
Cheers!
"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller
Hey,
Thanks so much for your advice. A lot has happened since I messaged you last. I’m extremely grateful to have come across your perspective because it has helped guide me towards what I am truly trying to accomplish by embarking on “van life”. Three days ago, After countless hours/months of research I realized all I have been doing is trying to over comfort this decision with lots of expensive gadgets that corporate conglomerates are trying to get in on the trendy movement of van life. I ended up at Gerzeny’s and bought a Class C Coachman Freelander, built on a Ford Chassis, that operates on generator and can be plugged in. This allows me to start my life now rather than later. This allows me to pursue more information about a decision related to battery, inverter, solar power. And do the build outs myself at my own leisure while gathering more info.
This vehicle allows me to tow a small vehicle behind if necessary. It’s got enough torque to get into areas that I am planning on visiting, such as national parks, family around the country, etc.
I’m picking up the vehicle in 4 weeks. In this time I plan on selling everything in my apt. Giving my lease 60 days notice to vacate even though my lease does not end till November. I am done holding myself back out of fear of failure.
I know I’m diving in head first but I believe that’s where the real life experiences and lessons will reside. Thank you for all your guidance and will appreciate any advice you can offer moving forward. Hope you’re having a beautiful and fulfilling day
Greetings!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! 
I’m a huge fan of simple, reliable, and move in ready.
Cheers!
"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller
