My Winnebago View Profile - Living Large in a Small RV

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Entry posted by italo · September 5, 2014

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I'm guilty of some RV adulation here, but I wanted to write an entry about my 2014 Winnebago View motor home. I'm not doing this for any compensation or benefits from anyone. I just want to share my experience. I bought the RV new in January, when I traded up from my Class B Roadtrek. I wanted something a little bigger than a camper van that would be more comfortable for stay put camping, but still had the nimbleness of a small vehicle. And, after 17,000 miles and 140 days of traveling, its met all my expectations.

I have the Winnebago View Profile model 24V. Its 25 1/2 ft long and 7 1/2 ft wide and technically a Class C motor home. Its built on the Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500 chassis which has a a GVWR of 11,030 lbs. Its considered a small motor home.

All the specs and features for the Winnebago View are listed on the Winnebago web site and here's a link to the specifications Winnebago View Specs. Below are some the features and aspects that I find appealing or are noteworthy.

Driveability

It drives like a van not like a bus. I've been able to go everywhere I wanted. I've driven down side streets, parked in small retail store lots, parked on the street, driven thru cities, and gotten into gas stations. It fits width wise in one parking space but because of its length it take up two unless you can over hang on the edge of a lot.
Because of what I said above, I don't tow a car and doubt that I ever will. It takes less than 5 minutes to unhook and you're on your way to run errands or go sight seeing.
Its a high profile vehicle and is affected by wind. It can get pushed around in cross winds. Also, at 11 ft 3 in in height, I have to keep awareness of low tree limbs and low telephone lines. So, far I've had no problems.

Chassis

This is my first diesel. It has its own nuances like waiting a couple seconds on a cold start for the glow plugs to heat up and adding DEF (diesel exhaust fluid). Adding DEF every few 100 miles is an added procedure with all new diesels, but its simple and straight forward.
Most maintenance and service can only be done at a MB dealer. The diagnostics are unique to MB and the dealers are the only ones with the diagnostic systems to work on them. And, unfortunately, the MB dealers are not a prevalent as Ford of Chevy.
The 3.0l V6 turbo diesel engine is surprisingly quiet but has plenty of power. I've gone up 12,000 ft mountain passes without a problem. It has slowed down to around 45 mph on 12% grades. It also has a long maintenance schedule (oil & filter every 15,000 miles).
After 17,000 my fuel mileage is averaging right around 16 mpg. On some trips its close to 17 mpg and on windy days it can go down to 14 mpg
The cruise control will hold the speed you set even on most downgrades. This is a real handy feature to help minimize braking and downshifting on descents

Features

All windows have sunshade and light blocking MCD shades. The windows slide open (vs crank) and let in plenty of air. All the lights are LED and there's plenty of them.
The One Place monitoring panel accurately shows all tanks levels (propane, water, grey, black) and battery levels
The AC unit is ducted in the ceiling and very quiet. It evenly cools the motor home and also functions as a Heat Pump even when the outside temps get down to the high 30's.
The holding tanks are huge at 36 gals each and they are heated. I can go 4-5 days or longer before I dump and camp in cool weather without a worry.
The frig is a 5.3 cu/ft that can run off DC, AC, and propane. It is a 2 two door with a separate freezer. It can easily hold a weeks worth of food.
The 3,600 kw on board generator is autostart (press the button and it starts by itself).
It has a fully enclosed bath with a porcelain toilet, sink, and a shower.
My model has twin beds that can be made into a king.
My unit has one slide with the sofa. When its out the front space becomes a nice living room. Both front seat swivel to face backwards.
The 16 ft power awning is huge, very sturdy, and comes with built in LED accent lighting. When its open, I've got a nice large outside living area.

I really like my motor home and feel I made the right choice for my needs. It's nice and nimble for road tripping and sight seeing. Its also very comfortable for staying by a lake for a couple weeks or for spending a few months in Florida in the winter. For me, its the perfect second home.

Below are some pictures of my unit. You can follow more of my travels at: http://jdawgjourneys.com/

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mweiner

Posted July 6, 2017

Do you really think it's necessary to add DEF every 100 miles or was that just a figure of speech?? I have a 2012 Roadtrek RS Adventurous with the same engine as yours... dealership told me it would easily go 4,000 miles before I needed to add DEF... have gone 1,500 miles since I took delivery with no issues on the DEF. I do carry some on board if the occasion does arise.

Your rig is beautiful, congratulations. What Roadtrek model did you have before this?

I agree with you that this is technically a Class C...some people call it a B plus.. depends on who you're talking to..

I drove one of these... Even test drove the Winnebago Fuse on the Ford Transit chassis.. for me, I liked the svelte look and feel of the RS Adventurous.. strictly personal preference...

You've got to feel totally comfortable in what you are driving...the Navion would have probably been my first choice, but, after I drove the RS Adventurous and had an opportunity to purchase it for a very decent price, I decided that it was a better value for my situation.

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