19 vs 22 Foot Interstate?

[lchamberlain]

I'm curious if owners of the 22 long interstate find it easy to navigate through traffic and around cities, and park in standard spaces? What challenges do you run into? Do you often take up two parking spots? Do you get door dinged a lot because of the size?

The standard parking spot is 20 feet by about 8 feet. A long bed dually truck is going to be about 22 long and 8 feet wide at the ass. So I'd think the longer interstate would navigate about the same.

Anyone owned a 19 and a 22 Interstate?

[85MH325]

As far as I know, the last 22' Interstates rolled off the line around 2007. All the new ones since then I believe have been on a 24' chassis. The 19' chassis Interstate is new for 2019.

Having had a 19' Coachmen immediately prior to buying my '04 22' Interstate, I can tell you that the difference inside the extra 3' makes is significant, the extra 3' outside is not.

I don't believe I'd want a van any longer than a 22' though. I regularly park in standard parking stalls, use it for shopping and even angle park without issue, but I think that I'd find a 24' van just too long for that. The 22' is the max I'd be comfortable with.

[Lineolated]

We have a 2014 that is 22 feet. We have no problem navigating. When parallel parking, we try to pick a spot at the end of a row for a bit of extra room. We can angle park in some spots, but we’ve found that many angled spaces are shorter than standard.

Since we added a bike rack to the rear hitch we’re more comfortable taking 2 spaces.

[Lily&Me]

I am on my second 22’ in almost 13 years, with about 210,000 miles traveled.

No problem getting around and parking in most cities, tho have to say old cities with narrow streets, such as Charleston, SC, are a challenge and lean one toward parking in a public lot rather than a parallel spot.

I routinely take two spots in a large lot such as WalMart, otherwise no.

Maggie

[InterBlog]

I’m going to ignore the other thread (22 to 24), which is repetitive of this one.

I have a 22 foot Interstate but we made a custom hitch carrier for it that we never dismount, so it’s effectively 23.5 feet in length.

I have to make allowances for the length - for instance, if I’m parking in urban cores, I know I typically have to get there before business hours so that I can snag a parking spot that allows me to overhang my long tail. This is especially true of paylots with spaces in high demand, where you CANNOT consume more than one parking spot without someone calling the police (unless you make arrangements to pay double).

However, for the most part, 23.5 feet doesn’t cause me trouble. I park well away from entrances to stores and buildings, and park diagonally across 2 side spaces when needed or (preferably) across two spaces that are nose to tail. But I choose areas where I know that this will not cause people to become irate.

Van owners are very particular about this question and it typically relates to what area of the country they are in. Those who live in older cities in the northeast, for instance, tend to want shorter vans, because they are habitually traveling in older, more congested areas where parking is more difficult generally.

[Keithkleinmd]

I have owned both the 24 and the 19. THey dont make the 22 anymore.
There is no comparison between the handling of the two AI. After driving the longer one, the 19 feels like you're driving a sports car. It accelerates and handles so much better. Parking is a no brainer since the dimensions of the 19 are exactly the same as a Ford F150 pickup truck. The typical curbside parking space in Los Angeles is 19'6" so the 19 fits in same as a pickup truck. Parking in supermarket parking lots is equally easier.
Driving on the streets and freeways is remarkably better in terms of keeping up with fast moving traffic, ,hill climbing and rapidly changing lanes.
The salesperson at Airstream LA and I went for an extended rise together and he too agrees with the above.
So you give up storage space when you downsize. I have a hitch carrier in the back which is 24" deep and I use if for extended trips. It actually gives me more storage space than in the longer AI but in much less total length. I have the Swingway model so I can open the rear doors.
The other thing you give up are two extra seats, but since I don't go on extended trips with six people, that was an easy decision to make.
Also, though against regulatons, I installed seat belts for the middle of the rear set so I can seat three safely in . the back

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Keithkleinmd

. . . Also, though against regulatons, I installed seat belts for the middle of the rear set so I can seat three safely in the back

I don’t think it is against a regulation – more a weight limitation.

All the larger Interstate Lounge models have three seat belts on the rear bench/lounge seat, including my 2013 model. They have even offered a nine-seat model for many years now.

I think Airstream dropped the middle seat belt on the Nineteen to keep passenger load down to four people. They are built on the 2500 Sprinter, with less load capacity than the larger 3500 Sprinters used for other Interstate models.

[1919]

The 19 is a sports car compared to the 24 footers. The shorter wheel base allows for a MUCH smaller turning circle. Yes, I have a 19 and had a 24 footer. One good thing, though, is the Mercedes chassis front end allows for very sharp turning, parallel parking, for example. But ANY shorter wheel base vehicle can get you into much tighter spaces. Think the original jeep. No, the 24 footer cannot park in a normal parking spot. The 19 does.

[jcsdra]

Ditto above had 24,22 and now 19 foot models. the 19 best one hands down for parking and driving. The others were good but 19 drives like a large suv no issues except limited storage.

[bibbs]

I think it would be a matter of the type of use, if you are on the move most of the time, and are running around with it then smaller is better. If you plan to stay at a campsite for a few days or more, then the bigger inside is nicer.

[Keithkleinmd]

[QUOTE=Boxster1971;2316767]I don’t think it is against a regulation – more a weight limitation.
Hey Boxter
Thanks for that info re weight. I had no idea!!
I’ll follow your advice and only put small children the middle seat to keep the weight low. And minimize storage in the back

[Boxster1971]

[QUOTE=Keithkleinmd;2316871]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

I don’t think it is against a regulation – more a weight limitation.
Hey Boxter
Thanks for that info re weight. I had no idea!!
I’ll follow your advice and only put small children the middle seat to keep the weight low. And minimize storage in the back

You probably don't need to worry about adding one more passenger, no matter the size. But you should get your van weighed so you have a good idea what your limits are. Driving overloaded is a chronic problem in the RV world.

I couldn't tell from your profile if you have a 2019 or 2020 Interstate Nineteen. They have different GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The 2019 built on the older 2018 Sprinter 2500 model have a GVWR of 8,550 lbs. The 2020's built on the new 2019 Sprinter 2500 model have a GVWR of 9,050 lbs. They have nearly identical UBW (Unit Base Weight) of 7,346 lbs. for 2019 and 7,426 lbs. for 2020.

The 2019 Interstate Nineteen has a NCC (Net Carrying Capacity) of 1,204 lbs. and the 2020 has a larger NCC of 1,624 lbs. thanks to the increased GVWR of the new Sprinter 2500 models. This is a real plus for the RV industry building B-vans on the 2500 Sprinters.

The weights are all explained in your owner's manual around page 4.2 and 8.2. Also this Airstream Support Article is helpful.
https://support.airstream.com/hc/en-...-GVRW-NCC-etc-

You were partly right about mentioning regulations - since all the RV weight terms were defined by new regulations in 2009. Interestingly Airstream uses their own weight limit terms as they relate to trailers, their main product line.

The regulations define the term UVW (Unladen Vehicle Weight), which Airstream defines as UBW. The regulation also defines OCCC (Occupant and Cargo Carrying Capacity) that Airstream defines as NCC.

That's should be enough technical trivia for today.

[Larry52m]

[QUOTE=Boxster1971;2317008]

Originally Posted by Keithkleinmd

You probably don't need to worry about adding one more passenger, no matter the size. But you should get your van weighed so you have a good idea what your limits are. Driving overloaded is a chronic problem in the RV world.

I couldn't tell from your profile if you have a 2019 or 2020 Interstate Nineteen. They have different GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The 2019 built on the older 2018 Sprinter 2500 model have a GVWR of 8,550 lbs. The 2020's built on the new 2019 Sprinter 2500 model have a GVWR of 9,050 lbs. They have nearly identical UBW (Unit Base Weight) of 7,346 lbs. for 2019 and 7,426 lbs. for 2020.

The 2019 Interstate Nineteen has a NCC (Net Carrying Capacity) of 1,204 lbs. and the 2020 has a larger NCC of 1,624 lbs. thanks to the increased GVWR of the new Sprinter 2500 models. This is a real plus for the RV industry building B-vans on the 2500 Sprinters.

The weights are all explained in your owner's manual around page 4.2 and 8.2. Also this Airstream Support Article is helpful.
https://support.airstream.com/hc/en-...-GVRW-NCC-etc-

You were partly right about mentioning regulations - since all the RV weight terms were defined by new regulations in 2009. Interestingly Airstream uses their own weight limit terms as they relate to trailers, their main product line.

The regulations define the term UVW (Unladen Vehicle Weight), which Airstream defines as UBW. The regulation also defines OCCC (Occupant and Cargo Carrying Capacity) that Airstream defines as NCC.

That's should be enough technical trivia for today.

[Larry52m]

We have owned a 22' Interstate (2011) for 3 years and love it. while width wise it fits in standard parking spots, lengthwise it takes up 1 1/2. In parking lots we look for double spots, usually in the back with a farther walk. Sometimes we are lucky enough to find 2 spaces in a row on streets, but seldom in busy areas.

[CampingJoe]

We’ve owned a 19’ Bambi for 20 years and from time to time 2 spots are short so we park really far from markets etc and enjoy the walk. But a 22’ would be just as easy to drive and maneuver. Airstreams are super easy to drive regardless of the size

[Amabymorning]

We first owned the smaller Interstate and loved it but found it to have very limited storage space. Now have the larger Interstate. The extra few feet actually make a big difference in storage capacity and we have found very little difference in maneuverability. It does take more space to park but I consider that a minor factor. The extra few feet makes a surprisingly big difference. In inside room and storage. I recommend you get the larger Interstate. In the long run you will be happier in my opinion.

[Amabymorning]

To follow up on parking...in a large, open parking lot I would definitely use up two spaces end to end, unless there were absolutely none available. You can park in in a parking space along a street but it will stick out longer than a normal car. Probably similar to the dually pickup you referenced. But not as wide as the back end of the dually... the biggest issue, in my opinion, comes when backing into a parking space with a curb. The LP fill station behind the back tire can get crunched if you back all the way to the curb and do quite a bit of damage. Even a speed bump can do it if big enough. I hate where that has been located!

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Amabymorning

To follow up on parking...in a large, open parking lot I would definitely use up two spaces end to end, unless there were absolutely none available. You can park in in a parking space along a street but it will stick out longer than a normal car. Probably similar to the dually pickup you referenced. But not as wide as the back end of the dually... the biggest issue, in my opinion, comes when backing into a parking space with a curb. The LP fill station behind the back tire can get crunched if you back all the way to the curb and do quite a bit of damage. Even a speed bump can do it if big enough. I hate where that has been located!

I agree - which is why I added the Dunlop airbags to my rear axle with an AirLift compressor I can control with the remote from the drivers seat. I can lift the rear end at will to safely back over curbs. This was one of the best upgrades I made to my Interstate. Those that have the newer Interstates with VB Airsuspension can do the same thing.

[rickfab]

does the 19 foot have a spare tire and a hydraulic jack stored away.

[Keithkleinmd]

the 19' has a spare tire