No Longer Own an Interstate

[Tomzstream]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I can't answer for Advanced RV but I suspect they would say no. They have stated they are only interested in converting 3500 RB and EB Sprinter vans. If you know your history most of the B converters initially tried building on the 2500 chassis with the NC3V Sprinter and all abandoned them almost immediately. It is simple math. B converters build on the 3500 because it has a GVWR of 11,030 lbs. A 2500 GVWR is 8,550 lbs. The problem is people who have weighed their Class B converted Sprinter Bs have reported anywhere from 9,400 to 9,900 lbs. Clearly the 2500 is not up to it in load capability.

I had a 2500 T1N Sprinter and I had the NC3V dually. I am not sure where you got that a 2500 rides better. Mercedes Benz is now compensating the 2500 with crosswind assist technology which they find not necessary on the 3500 chassis. My experience is a 3500 dually chassis gives a much more stable ride. The VB Air Suspension is going to make it all the better. It takes out the sway and side to side bounce on turns and it smooths out the bumping and jarring of the rear end.

Other vendors do indeed make B vans on the 2500 chassis. RT makes the Agile for example. Roadtrek 2500 Sprinter SS-Agile - Class B - Road Test - RV Magazine These are often outfitted with the 2.1L Diesel. I test drove one before purchasing a RT CS. It was equipped with the newer chassis upgrades including the safety equipment. It drove fine and was actually more nimble than the 3500. One thing that bugged me was the Blind Spot assist was not functioning. The dealer's maintenance shop spent a day trying figure out why. Back home, a close inspection of the photos of the rear revealed the continental tire kit had a brake light that was plugged into the trailer hitch connection... Voila! Any time you "trailer" MB disables the BLIS. The only thing I did not like was the lack of the crosswind assist as I test drove it over some high overpasses on a breezy day. CWA would have helped greatly. MB has deemed it is only useful on the 2500. I disagree. My 3500 could still benefit from it.

As with all of the MB enhancements, more is better. They have had CWA on the GL for years now... ask those owners how they like it when trailering.

Certainly glad I waited for my 2014 RT CS with the chassis upgrades and love the BLIS. Lane Keeping is a bit annoying as it beeps at you, unlike the steering wheel thumping I get on my 2014 E-250 Bluetec sedan, but it is what it is.

[Davydd]

Crosswind Assist is new as a standard with the 2015 2500 Sprinters.

The Roadtrek SS Agile and the Pleasure-way Ascent for that matter are short wheelbase 144" Sprinters. Of course they are going to be more agile and nimble than the longer wheelbase 170" Sprinters both regular body and extended body but you are not comparing apples to apples when you talk 2500 in the short wheelbase vs 3500 chassis in the longer wheelbase. It is kind of a moot point. Airstream does not build on the short wheelbase any longer (since the ca. 2005 Westfalia). It is also moot because it is difficult or next to impossible to build a Class B Sprinter 170" wheelbase on anything other than the 3500 chassis and satisfy current design criteria the market wants with GVWR. Airstream tried it early on with the NC3V chassis and found out very quick it was a mistake. All the old T1N chassis were 2500s by all converters.

[Tomzstream]

Originally Posted by Davydd

If you know your history most of the B converters initially tried building on the 2500 chassis with the NC3V Sprinter and all abandoned them almost immediately. It is simple math. B converters build on the 3500 because it has a GVWR of 11,030 lbs. A 2500 GVWR is 8,550 lbs. The problem is people who have weighed their Class B converted Sprinter Bs have reported anywhere from 9,400 to 9,900 lbs. Clearly the 2500 is not up to it in load capability.

But they haven't abandoned them... that was my point. Some chose to make it work and it works beautifully for them. The ascent and agile are great vans for those who want a parkable van. Yes of course its a shorter WB thats the whole point. And there is nothing "moot" about comparing the 2500 to the 3500. Fine if you think you "prefer" a 3500, thats your business but don't go spouting off that you can't compare them. I DID, with test drives of both.

As to the the other poster commenting about "dealing" with RT, I am just back from the Tampa RV Supershow and spoke personally to the Owner of RT about making some mods to my CS. He sat and chatted with us for nearly an hour and we discussed many topics, including his willingness to work with CURRENT owners on modifying their rigs... TRY THAT WITH THOR.

Most Happy with my decision to go with RT. Wish I could say the same about my corrosion infested AS trailer. I did observe at the RV Supershow that Thor now covers the mid seam of ALL AS models, including the low end Sport, with the beltline trim. Yet they still won't acknowledge their responsibility to correct the corrosion problem for mid to late 2000's Safaris and others. It sucks to be an AS owner, and I still hate Thor for that.

It was kinda funny, but AS was setup right next to RT this year at the show as Prevost had totally taken over Thor's B Van spot on the floor. Lots of interest in AS, but I saw the RT dealers doing much more business... Every floor model, of which there were quite a few, were sold by Saturday Afternoon. Not so with AS. I also noted that RT had corrected its wiring on the Agile to hard wire the continental kit to the brake wiring, thereby fixing the Blind Spot de-activation issue.

I toured the Grand Tour, AS had two there, but did not care for the glossy interior. I prefer the natural Cherry cabinets in the RT CS. Seems more like a camper to me. The openness of the GT was good, but overall there was way less cabinet space. Also did not care that much for the RT TS which also came off as too glitzy. But to each their own.

Saw first hand the rear and side screen setups in the Interstate GTs, and they are nice, but the rear screen was electric drive and you could not lower it manually, and the side slider reminded me of sliding doors built in homes that are always so trouble prone after a few years... Likely to collect sand and dirt in the tracks and a disaster once a dog tries to "exit" on their own LOL! BTW, that was one mod I discussed with RT and they are now going to offer a magnetic clasp screen for the side... I already have a zip up Rear screen on my CS.

[Bikerbill]

Tomzstream, point of clarification. The person you met at Tampa from Roadtrek was probably Jim Hammil. He does not own RT, he is the president. RT is owned by Industrial Opportunity Partners since April 2011.