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Old 08-19-2015, 10:06 PM   #1
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Interstate v. Winnebago View

I've been heavy in the market for a late model AI, but I keep having a nagging temptation to look at the View/navion as well. And repeatedly frustrated at pricing on the AI.

Realizing this is the AI site, I'll take with a grain of salt, but anyone have a thought of how the AI drives as compared to the View? I've got a young family, plan to use it for weekend baseball tournaments etc. The AI is sexier, but the View seems more cost effective and definitely has better use of space.

Fire away😊
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Old 08-20-2015, 12:07 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Rosie39j View Post
I've been heavy in the market for a late model AI, but I keep having a nagging temptation to look at the View/navion as well. And repeatedly frustrated at pricing on the AI.

Realizing this is the AI site, I'll take with a grain of salt, but anyone have a thought of how the AI drives as compared to the View? I've got a young family, plan to use it for weekend baseball tournaments etc. The AI is sexier, but the View seems more cost effective and definitely has better use of space.

Fire away��
Rosie,

I get to take apart both types as I perform my solar installations, so I get to see areas that most folks never do. The Winnie on the Sprinter platform has more space and a slide for better utilization, but the internal construction leaves MUCH to be desired.

General construction is 1 X 1 wood stapled together with 1/4" faux wood luan for most finished walls and surfaces. Drawers are not all wood, and their slide mechanisms are cheaply made. They also use an EPDM rubber 'membrane' over styrofoam and plywood for a roof covering compared to the Mercedes steel roof on the AI.

The AI has solid wood for all cabinets and is soundly constructed, but has less usable space and significantly less available storage.

It depends on what your priorities are: better handling and construction of the AI or better space utilization and storage in the View/Navion.

I have driven both and use a 2011 Sprinter as my service van (currently at 120,000 miles) which I drive cross country every year and also as my daily driver. The AI has far superior handling over the Winnie, which is also a consideration.
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Old 08-20-2015, 05:12 AM   #3
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I once saw a video clip of a motorhome rolling over. Nothing remained above the floor line. Brand of the motor home that rolled over is irrelvant - 1"x1" pine boards can't support the engine and running gear. I'll trust my life to the steel body of the van - be it a Sprinter or Chevy or Ford van - instead of a motorhome built on the chassis of said van.
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Old 08-20-2015, 06:02 AM   #4
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Is the View a class B or a class C. If it is a C then you are not going to get a valid comparison.
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Old 08-20-2015, 06:06 AM   #5
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Class C, basic sprinter body widened and modified for overcab extension. Class B, sprinter body basically unmodified. Much more room in C but a different animal from a B.
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Old 08-20-2015, 08:23 AM   #6
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Class C, basic sprinter body widened and modified for overcab extension. Class B, sprinter body basically unmodified. Much more room in C but a different animal from a B.
The Winnebago Navion/View clones are built on the Sprinter 3500 cab and rail chassis. Winnie builds the box and everything behind the cab. The chassis/cab is the only thing similar to the AI.

Some are full Class C units and others are called 'B+' as they are essentially a widened van body with no cab-over space.
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Old 08-20-2015, 10:07 AM   #7
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B plus was a marketing designation by sales people who didn't know what a class B or C were. It has now been accepted as correct. A widened van body originally would have been called a C. But now is a B plus. Hardly matters as long as we understand what we are talking about.
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Old 08-20-2015, 10:12 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by lewster View Post
Rosie,


General construction is 1 X 1 wood stapled together with 1/4" faux wood luan for most finished walls and surfaces. Drawers are not all wood, and their slide mechanisms are cheaply made. They also use an EPDM rubber 'membrane' over styrofoam and plywood for a roof covering compared to the Mercedes steel roof on the AI.
.
Maybe Winnebago has changed the specs but the website states they use aluminum wall structure and a fiberglass roof. Interior walls structure isn't mentioned.

My father in law has a 2006 View and its held together fine and he's not known for maintaining things.

Best to look at them all before choosing. I think the AI would be too small if you decided to take your family on a 2 week camping trip.

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Old 08-20-2015, 10:52 AM   #9
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I have had both a Navion IQ and an Interstate twin and here is my take. The AI is much easier to drive, and gets about 3mpg better mileage (based on similar 7500 mile cross country trips). My wife wouldn't drive the Navion but she does drive the AI. The fit and finish in the AI are far superior to the Itasca and it has proven to have far fewer issues. The Navion I had came with two separate dump fittings because one tank was in front of the rear axle and one in back making it a hassle to dump. I understand the newer Navions now pump the grey water into the black tank and then uses one dump fitting which is still a hassle. The AI on the other hand uses a macerator pump with a power wind hose reel. Interior storage in the AI is similar to the Navion but the Navion does have two external storage bins. The Navion also has a step in shower as opposed to the AI's wet bath.
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Old 08-20-2015, 12:57 PM   #10
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B plus was a marketing designation by sales people who didn't know what a class B or C were.
Personally I believe the RVs that are called "B+" really should be called "C-" not only for the configuration as a smaller Class C but also as a letter grade like in school, as they are generally inferior— in my opinion— to both the B's and C's, though inferior in different ways; less durable and nimble than a B, less roomy than a C.

But of course standard disclaimers #2 and #3 both apply.*

*Standard disclaimer #1 (which doesn't apply here) is "Do not try this at home."
Standard disclaimer #2 is "Your mileage may vary."
Standard disclaimer #3 is "The opinions expressed by the individual do not necessarily reflect the opinions of management."
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Old 08-20-2015, 01:12 PM   #11
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Agree.
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Old 08-20-2015, 01:58 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Rosie39j View Post
I've been heavy in the market for a late model AI, but I keep having a nagging temptation to look at the View/navion as well. And repeatedly frustrated at pricing on the AI.

Realizing this is the AI site, I'll take with a grain of salt, but anyone have a thought of how the AI drives as compared to the View? I've got a young family, plan to use it for weekend baseball tournaments etc. The AI is sexier, but the View seems more cost effective and definitely has better use of space.

Fire away��
Rosie - the view is a Class-C and it will provide more space for your family if you ever plan to use it for travel/camping. If you like the AI also look at the Winnebago ERA it is a low cost version of the AI.
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Old 08-20-2015, 02:22 PM   #13
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I owned a Sprinter based Gulf Stream Class C for seven years that was very similar to the view at about 24'. I took that MH everywhere as we did not tow a toad. Very few places that I did not feel comfortable traveling.

It will be slower and more sluggish than the Interstate due to the bulk and the fact that the sides are like sheets of plywood. I added a Roadtrek anti-sway bar in the rear and Koni shocks all around. The improved ride was like a sports car, but it cured the side-to-side rocking common on Class C's.

I averaged 15-16 MPG out here in the West, even with the steep grades and strong winds. We also traveled in the Spring and Fall, so it was always windy.

You mention a young family, but not how many members. In the Class C, you get a full bathroom with separate shower, toilet and sink. Mine had a cab-over Queen, a jackknife sofa, and a dinette: sleeping for six. And, one could still get to the bathroom even with all sleeping spaces filled. In a Class B, you are squeezing by one another to go from one end to another, if it is even possible once the sleeping area is made up.

It will all come down to how much space you want/need.

Another thought is if you are going for more than a weekender, you can always pitch a tent outside for additional space with either choice.
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Old 08-20-2015, 05:50 PM   #14
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Thanks y'all. Im pretty familiar with the designation differences, and also expected the quality comments, so much appreciated. Really interested in the head to head driving/use, ke. How much worse is it. Think I'm getting a pretty good sense. Wife not driving it would be the killer.

Also looked at a pretty nice sports mobile sprinter but with a gas engine, which makes me nervous every. Thank you guys a bunch - Airatream community always great, probably justifies the extra $50k😜

Rosie
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Old 08-20-2015, 06:14 PM   #15
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Really interested in the head to head driving/use, ke. How much worse is it. Think I'm getting a pretty good sense.
Having test-driven a variety of B-vans and Class Cs while shopping for my Interstate, the Sprinter-based B-vans are the easiest— and most comfortable— to drive.

For comparison, a long-wheelbase Sprinter van has exactly the same wheelbase and almost the exact same track width in the rear as a long-bed crew-cab Chevy Silverado dually pickup; it's just taller is all. But it has a slightly tighter turning radius than the pickup at slow speeds due to differences in the steering linkage. If you're not going too fast you can really crank it around tight turns for a vehicle that size.

Also, one reason why I decided on the Interstate as opposed to the Winnebago ERA or Roadtrek Adventurous was that it was quieter on the road. The Winnebago in particular was like riding inside an oil drum. Part of the difference I think is the 1½-inch foam-sandwich floor Airstream puts in the Interstate, which muffles a lot of the road noise.
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Old 08-20-2015, 08:05 PM   #16
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One of my neighbors had a "View" for sale when I was looking at the AI. I checked it out but did not drive it as I wasn't happy with the workmanship and the layout.

One of the quality issues that always stand out when I look at something similar to the "View" is the cheapness of the seating areas. They always have simple foam cushions which are not nearly as comfortable as the seating in the AI and I would question their long term durability as well.

It had a slide out with the requisite hole in the side which I felt had to compromise the overall rigidity of the vehicle. While we occasionally would like to have more room, we feel safer being surrounded by Mercedes steel.

There was a news story recently about Tracy Morgan and his recovery from the very serious accident he had over a year ago. The brief image of the wreck showed what I thought was a Sprinter. I looked up news stories from then with video footage. In one of the the printed stories, it was referred to as a Mercedes Limo Bus but I could see in the video that it was a Sprinter. One person was killed and Tracy was in critical condition but he and others survived the crash despite not wearing seat belts. I wonder what a View would have looked like after a semi, traveling 20mph over the speed limit, crashed into it.

Tracy Morgan's family reveal details of his injuries as truck driver is charged | Daily Mail Online
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Old 08-20-2015, 08:50 PM   #17
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Thanks y'all. Im pretty familiar with the designation differences, and also expected the quality comments, so much appreciated. Really interested in the head to head driving/use, ke. How much worse is it. Think I'm getting a pretty good sense. Wife not driving it would be the killer.

Also looked at a pretty nice sports mobile sprinter but with a gas engine, which makes me nervous every. Thank you guys a bunch - Airatream community always great, probably justifies the extra $50k😜

Rosie
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Old 08-21-2015, 04:01 AM   #18
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Space wise if somehow you can find the first generation Interstate it seemed to me that they had much more room than the current models which I just can't see more than 3 people max using for a weekend. And wet-baths definitely take some getting used to. I will say as far as Winnebago is concerned the ERA-C is one hell of a floor plan in a true class B just with a slide out (any guesses how long it takes Airstream to copy that idea...for that matter every class B manufacturer?)
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Old 08-21-2015, 06:03 AM   #19
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With a slide out technically it would be a C.
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Old 08-21-2015, 06:13 AM   #20
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I will say as far as Winnebago is concerned the ERA-C is one hell of a floor plan in a true class B just with a slide out (any guesses how long it takes Airstream to copy that idea...for that matter every class B manufacturer?)
Strictly speaking the Free Spirit SS by Leisure Vans was the first Sprinter-based Class B with a slide-out, and the ERA-C "copied" them.
Leisure Travel Vans - Free Spirit SS - Floorplans

Though one could say that the Roadtrek SS-Ideal, which featured a rear slide-out on the 144" wheelbase, was first, and that's an idea that also could have been adopted by the long wheelbase competitors to provide a larger floor plan but never was.
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