Raleigh noob that just ordered my first van!

Newbie's Corner
1

I’m Gigi from Raleigh, NC. Just ordered a Rossmonster Havn and I couldn’t be more excited. She’ll be ready in August.

Her maiden voyage will be from Longmont CO to Raleigh NC via Fayetteville AR. Looking forward to getting to know everyone along the way!

2

Hi GiGi, I am from Louisville KY, and I picked up the very first Havn last November. I am a full-timer and I really like it, and you will too! I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have– Julie

3

Hey Julie, thanks so much for replying and CONGRATS on being the very first Havn owner!!! What a thrill! I’d love to know which upgrades/modifications you’re happy you got or wish you had gotten. Below are the ones I’d like to add, and I’d love any feedback you have on them!

  • rooftop tent
  • Infinity shower
  • extra Lagun table
  • Owl Pismo bumper
  • Baja Design LP6 grille lights
  • WARN VR EVO 12-S winch
  • ARB onboard air compressor, air chucks, and hoses
  • Popup kitchen counter extension
  • Replace passenger seat w/ comfortable bench seat, 2 lap belts, & storage underneath
  • TV mount for use in bed
  • Light switches by bed
  • Pull-out pantry cabinet w/ shelves and soft close between fridge and wet room

My plan is to get everything installed by Rossmonster from the get-go that I think I’ll need. Because I couldn’t do it myself and I’m in NC so it’s not easy for me to get back out there to them, and I’m sure they’d do it the best. I’ll be taking it off road and off grid in all kinds of weather and on the beach.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

-Gigi

4

Those all sound like great upgrades. I will go back and get the infinity shower this spring. I did add a Midwest High idle/auto start kit since there is quite a bit of discussion that idling for long periods without driving is not recommended by Mercedes. What this high idle kit does is if my lithium battery goes too low and I am stationary and not wanting to drive to recharge and not plugged into shore power, it will automatically kick on the Mercedes engine in a high idle for an hour or so to recharge the Lithium. This high idle is considered better for the Mercedes in that it allows for the diesel exhaust emissions to burn off (the DEF system) because of the higher temperature achieved by the high idle instead of the low idle. Also, I went with a portable Trelino toilet because I am not a fan of cleaning out a cassette toilet. They will let you put in any toilet you want. I like having the bigger shower by taking the box toilet out of the stall when I shower. But when it comes to toilets, everyone has their own preferences. Other changes you might want to consider is not using black for the sinks and faucets and drawer locks, microwave, and heater vent covers – they can be changed to something more like a brushed nickel.

1 Like