6 Month Review of our 2018 Roadtrek Zion
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- Опубліковано 19 лип 2018
- It's been 6 months since we purchased our 2018 Roadtrek Zion campervan and became first-time RV owners, so we would like to share our thoughts, experiences and some of the lessons we've learned about the coach during this time. Items we review include operation of the hot water heater, outdoor shower, rear bug screen, propane tank, detailed VoltStart use, air conditioning, and holding tanks; general internal coach features; gas mileage; and how we keep our van cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
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Useful, honest, well presented information that is valuable and helpful to both other Zion owners but also to other similar class B camper van owners (we have an Activ 1.0). I really, really appreciate you both taking the time to share your experiences.
Steven Stanley thank you for your comments and you are most welcome! We also quite like the Activ, and are sure that you enjoy it as well. Safe travels! 🚐
Thanks for your honest assessment pertaining to this particular camper van. And, after viewing your as well as others reviews online, we opted to purchase a 2019 Roadtrek Zion SRT - picking it up in Halifax, NS this coming Thursday.
Congratulations! Wishing you some great adventures!🚐. Let us know how your first trip goes.
Really enjoyed your honest and unbiased review. Like everything else in life it's a learn as you go adventure. Will be waiting for your 1 year review 6 months from now.
Cure Meister thank you and we may have to quote you on the ‘learn as you go adventure’, well put! Key is to learn!
Great honest evaluation. Thanks for posting.
shawn kane we hope it was helpful. Thanks for your comments.
Thank you for posting a very honest and through review of your coach. Found it super informative and looking forward to go "B" shopping!
Keep the great videos coming!
Mike
Michael Yin that’s great if it helped. Enjoy the shopping and let us know if any questions!
Just watched your 6-month review. Thanks for providing these! 😀👍
Hope it helps...lots of class b’s to consider, but we have enjoyed ours.
Well done very informative! Happy Camping
Jim
James thank you and glad you found of value.
Great, informative video. I have enjoyed following you and would like to thank you for sharing your experiences. Safe travels.....
Frank P thank you for your comment; we enjoy sharing our trips and nice to hear others enjoy as well!
Nice to know that Volt Start really does work, and is reliable.
RC yes, it worked well along with the Underhood Generator, though we have only used it a few times.
Finally someone tells us how it powers through mountainy terrain. Thank You.
I would like to know how it powers through an on ramp when you need that extra power, due to the flow of traffic, even the passing power to get around slow trucks.
Jesse Revilla you are welcome. We find the van is fine when pulling onto the highway...we are likely cautious as it is a van, but overall no complaints at all. As for passing slower trucks, again not likely an issue unless you are going up a steep hill. If you lose momentum (speed) and then try to pass it will be very slow up a hill and you will pushing the engine hard. But it is a van/small rv. Thanks for the comment and question.
Thank you guys🖒great review. Very helpful😉
Steve Rossi glad it helped. We would also note how effective the underhood generator is when combined with the lithium batteries! Certainly another one of the key features we enjoy.
Great honest real world review. Thanks
Raven M. Thank you for your comment. And hope that it was helpful for you!
The Voltstart is great!
Alice Green thanks for commenting and it has worked well for us!
Very good video, glad you two are enjoying life, very lucky 👍👍
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed! And we would agree...we are lucky and appreciate it as well!
Thank you so much for this review!
You are most welcome! Hope it was helpful. We also did a one year review if interested. Appreciate the comment. 🚐
@@hikenrv I will check that out, as well as the rest of your channel. Thanks!
Really enjoyed your 6 month review as well as the info shared in the comments section. As posted earlier to your 6wk review, I have the 2017 model and we are also newbie rv'ers. I was continually nodding in agreement with the comments you both made throughout your video, although I'm becoming concerned that I'm starting to talk back to my cellphone... lol. Your front window covers must have been introduced in 2018. I have the accordion blinds, similar to the ones used for the back windows, for the front windshield with no insulation value and curtains for the sides that attach using velcro. We have given up on both and now use reflectix. After seeing your video, I'm going to try and order the new ones. Where I agree with your comments on the fit and finish, I think I have a few more issues with loosening cabinets, tv bracket etc., than you. Even my counter is beginning to pull away slightly from the hanging closet. Our trips are long and the highways especially in NY and PA are very rough in areas. I'm curious to know how many kms you now have on your Zion? I have 21,600 kms and planning another trip to SC before the end of the season. I know it's hard to compare terrain and other elements of driving but if you're willing to share your kms to date that would be helpful. Apologize for the long post! Again, great job! Best regards.
Bill Fairservice thank you for your comments! And we laughed about the cellphone! We currently have approximately 12,000 km on ours, so less than yours. Most of our roads here are not too bad. We will watch the areas you referenced, but no significant issues so far though the curtains likely won’t last too long. We also tried adding some closed cell foam between the reflectix we use and it seems to help with the cold, albeit extra stuff to carry around! Enjoy your next trip and safe travels.
Enjoyed your perspective on the Zion. Finding an rv that works with your vacation style is a real challenge and it seems like you have hit a nice balance. I have always been a fan of Roadtrek (RT); there quality and now there warranty. When compared to Winnebago (winne) products I think that RT has the edge, not that winne's are bad but their quality controls are bias too the economy side. Winne's are good finding layouts that work, look good and stay with them. There View J platform has been copied throughout the industry and still is awesome to look at and very well laid out. If only it wasn't based on such a poor overpriced, hard to service/expensive and overload chassis I would buy one. The more reviews I watch on the zion the more I would conclude that they are a sunny day not a rainy day type camper. Very popular with outdoorsy type of people. The Hymer aktiv might be better for inclement weather as the seating area is permanent, plus the windows flip out from the bottom and are dual pane. The big downside would be the aktiv has a 3.0 cft. fridge perfect for Europeans that shop daily for food but not so good for Westerners.
Lost Comma thanks for your comments! When we were looking we always found trade off between models, but the Zion seemed the best fit at the time. We really like the Activ too, less concerned about the smaller fridge but don’t like having to bend down to access ( not a deal breaker) and were mixed on cassette toilet (some folks like and many don’t), and less space in the aisle. You also noted a number of the attributes to consider.
Outstanding presentation. I’m in the market for a class B. Good information. Very helpful video. Thank you.
john larocca thank you and glad it was helpful. Lots of choices for class B’s, enjoy the shopping! We just saw the new Activ with the pop top. Not a feature that we would need, but certainly an interesting option that may work well for others.
Hi! We have a zion srt and we love it. Thanks for the review.
Great review!
Jeremy Doe thank you and hopefully helpful for you!
Very nice review - agree with most. Ours is a 2016 with the original Zion side bed, no VoltStart and AGM batteries. It is approaching 2 years and 65,000 KM. We have been out on a couple of 6 week runs as well as numerous shorter runs. Last year we did all 10 provinces and The Yukon.
We agree that the table is poor. We have a couple of folding tables we prefer. Also agree bathroom sink is not much use. When we are plugged in we use a ceramic heater rather than the furnace - quieter and we are paying the electricity anyway. The hot water is a pain to get to the galley sink - too much down the drain to get hot through the pipes. Tank gauges are very inaccurate.
The galley is one of the best in terms of layout - only complaint is that the microwave door opens the wrong way. The high-mounted fridge, pot drawer and panty are super. The smoke alarm is a nuisance but we just take it down when doing any smoky cooking.
We have also rigged a simple curtain at the back of the cockpit for quick privacy rather than the window covers.
The propane quickconnect works well but it is a pain to access. Roadtrek overall has most connections low which annoys an "old fart" with 'rusty knees".
The Promaster has been great to drive. Only time we had to back off for handling was head west though SK when they were having massive gusty N winds - had to slow a but below 100 in the 110 zone.
All said, I still have not seen a B that I like better for the $$.
Thanks again for your work - happy trails!
The Vokeys thank you for such informative comments! We like the folding table idea (!) . We also use a curtain behind cab for privacy (if we don’t have reflectix or cover up to block heat) and use a ceramic heater when appropriate. Your experiences are great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
We like "GCI Outdoor Compact Folding Camping Table" - light, but stable. We use both inside and out - handy by the fire pit. Check Owner's Moment - "Serendipity is Our Guide", Rod & Lil for an earlier look at our Ziom
Love the great review and honest opinions. Love the van even though I am not in the market for one.
Mike & Robin Fifer
Mike Fifer thanks for your comments! Just to note we weren’t really in the market when we started looking either! Did a lot of hiking, owned a few tents and started to consider a small trailer (still something we like), but as we explored we grew to like class b’s and then the Zion.
That is cool and good MPG as well. We have a 2012 Tundra and a 2012 Forest River Micro-Lite 25DS and love the trailer.
Thanks and HAVE FUN, that is what it is about.
Enjoyed your review I agree my preference would be the Hymer for almost the same reason, the front Lounge. The cassette toilet is a concern. The russos only go number 1 and they seem to have no problems. That may be a problem for me, Bears can do it (LOL) in the woods but not me. Can't wait for your one year review keep hiking.
Miles Fong thanks for watching and your comments. Actually coming from a backpacking background going in the woods is somewhat common for us:). I think most folks would get used to the cassette in time, but we would probably enjoy having the front lounge. Still, each class b is a trade off and you need to find what works best for your use.
Hymer Aktiv 2.0 has an excellent electrical system and storage as well. I'm going to use the C-Head composting toilet, so the cassette toilet would not be an issue for me. Just remove the old toilet and switch them out (or ooout). : ) Linda
INTUITIVE & INSPIRED ART an excellent plan! And we laughed too!😊
Hi, guys....I have a Simplicity SRT. Regarding the grey tank in both the Zion and Simplicity models, not sure if you’ve seen comments on the FB page about folks not really getting the full capacity that Roadtrek lists for the grey tank. Apparently, there is a modification Roadtrek can do to increase the capacity, some sort of vent, I believe....although still does not give the full amount as listed on the spec sheet. Kind of annoying, as it does seem to fill up very quickly. Might be something to ask about the next time you have any warranty work that needs to be done. I haven’t done it yet...I just dump the tank more often. Thanks...enjoy your videos.
22rawraw thanks and yes we are aware. Like you we have simply emptied the tanks more often and that has not been a problem. The next time we are at full hook ups (in August) we will empty and then measure the gray tank capacity. If a lot less due to venting issue we will flag to dealer, but for now it works well enough. Happy travels in the Simplicity!!
enjoyed the honest views.. great looking coach.
Ed Rudder thank you, and glad you enjoyed. Based on what we have seen on dealer lots lately the color we chose seems very popular!
I had a Jeep Wrangler that got 18 MPG. That's pretty good for an RV. The 'shut off' valve on that outdoor shower did not seem to do a good job of shutting it off.
Yes, Fuel economy is not bad, but you do see a big decrease if you spend a lot of time going up mountain passes! As for shower shut off, can’t recall if valve not great or if that was operator error. Likely a bit of both, but will check this once we dewinterize for the season.
It's not a shut off valve, you use the two standard shut off knobs for that. Almost all hand held shower heads have a slide that let's you cut back the water flow to a trickle so that you can conserve water while washing, shampooing.
Great video, nice review. Did not like the loud long beep when the volt start came on. Our dog would go nuts with that, she hates any beeping noises.
swamp dawg thanks for your comments. And yes, that could be a challenge!
@@hikenrv can that beep be disabled? Would also wake us up if Volt Start came on in the middle of the night.
VR Sim Wizard we don’t think so, but there may be a way. Manual doesn’t address. Once when sitting in back and the VS kicked in we actually never noticed the beep itself, so,likely a bit louder because our camera and mic were somewhat close in the video. If we find an answer we will update.
HA! The review I've been waiting for! Thanks for demonstrating the Volt Start in action for us. Nice to see the storage under the ottoman seats, seldom do you see that space shown. If you get a chance, I have a few questions:)
1. If you could order the Zion w/o the bathroom sink would you , and if so, would it provide any significant increase in space for showering? Also, one less item to winterize.
2. Related to question 1. Have you thought about buying an outdoor shower stall, like Cabela's Easy-Up Deluxe Shower Shelter? This would decrease water to the gray tank, as long as it's allowed where you are camping, and provide more room.
3. Do you know if you can order the Zion w/o a stove? The way I see it, because of the EcoTrec technology, I would buy an induction cook top stove to create more counter space. It would easily store, and if it broke I can easily replace it and avoid a trip to a dealer for repair. The down side is they use around 1100W.
4. Do you know if you can order the Zion with a more residential kitchen sink faucet? The Hymer Banff and Axion, and the RT Simplicity have a kitchen sink faucet that seems much nicer, more functional, and you wouldn't get that spray when you rotate the faucet too far.
5. Have you noticed any bugs getting by the slider door screen at the connection points, or between the connection points? The Pleasure Way screen doors seem so much nicer and more functional.
Glad to hear you are still happy with the purchase so far. Great review.
Fly Fish we knew you were waiting for this one. Hope it was helpful. To your questions 1. Yes, if we could order without the bathroom sink we would. Would add a bit more room, but really length which is less of an issue. Not an option though. 2. I was just looking portable shower stalls on line. Some are very easy to pack and not too expensive. To your point it would be less water into our gray tank, though we would still not likely shower too often outside. 3. I don’t know if you could order without a stove, but suspect you could. RT does offer an induction stove option, but we chose the propane as if an issue almost anyone could fix. An aftermarket induction stove could work well too, heat faster than propane and not heat up the coach. We do enjoy our stove overall though.4 I don’t think so, but if not there are aftermarket ones that I think you could use. The challenge would be how you made it work with the cover. 5 we quite like how the screens work, the back screen has velocro as well at the bottom so a nice fit. The side screen does definitely have a few small gaps, so no doubt some bugs get in, but overall it seems to do a good job. Easy out and easy in and very hard to damage (a big plus)but I do like the Pleasureway screen as well.
Thanks for the reply, it was helpful. Also, I wondered if the rear door screen had any connection at the bottom, thanks for pointing that out. I agree, your side screen is far more durable compared to the sliding screen doors RT offers. Have you ever seen Humble Road's screen door? Now, that's a screen door. Thanks again!
I know this is a sore subject but one you have to deal with. I am horrified that EHNA have gone bankrupt, you bought your beautiful Roadtrek thinking you would have the 5 ( 6yr?) warranty. What will happen now, what are your options for service and warranty? This is tragic for Hymer/Roadtrek owners. So sad for the RV community.
Thanks for comment/ question. Not a sore subject, but certainly a sad one, notability for the employees impacted. We did a video on this a few weeks ago once the Receivership was announced. In summary; bad news...the 6 year warranty was a selling feature but now gone. Good news...the RT is largely a compilation of others parts and a number of dealers have noted they can access these parts from suppliers and still do work, so service not an issue as we understand it. One exception might be the gray and black tanks which are custom fit to RT vehicles (cabinets too, but likely anyone can fix). Don’t expect an issue here usually 🤞. Dodge RAM (chassis)warranty still applies and many of the parts/appliances have their own warranties which range from 1 to several years (but none for 6). In our view not tragic for owners, but disappointing...in essence we paid (some folks estimate $5k) for the warranty and now gone. The average warranty for an RV is one year, so in our case we are largely in the same place as if we purchased other brands, but some folks have only recently purchased, so they are likely more upset. Our dealer has offered to provide third party warranties at their cost (no markup by dealer), but generally the view of the third party warranties by RV users not very positive. We were certainly shocked at the time, especially given the 40 year history of RT.
Hello,
About the door screen, must you unzip and zip back up for each exit /entrance into van?
And just wish to comment how much I like the music/video clip that starts each video, put's one in the mood to travel.
Robert Keenan thanks very much for your comments. Kudos go to Miki for the music! The back door screen does require unzipping to access, but easily done. Side door screen you simply push it to open and it will close on its own ...magnets in the screen. Works very well and if you don’t want it to close you can open and secure it to the metal door.
Have thought about a shower tent
We consider it as well. There are a number at places like Cabella’s etc that sell something that would work and are not too expensive. We didn’t simply as we don’t use the outside shower that often, and it becomes one more thing to carry. Still, maybe this summer!🚐
@@hikenrv at least if you take a shower outdoors you're not putting water in your holding tanks
Excellent review - one of the very best. We're going to be new RV'ers if we go forward and purchase one. I've done lots of research and have decided on a class B Roadteck Zion SRT. The floor plan works best for our needs. I have 3 questions if you don't mind sharing your thoughts.
1. We will be in areas that don't have hookups but where we still would want air conditioning due to heat and humidity, even for sleeping. That volt start beep would wake us up every time it cycles. Is there any way to turn off the beep temporarily?
2. Are you able to use the Zion's water system when the temp gets below freezing?
3. Sorry for this question..... We also have a cat - where do you keep the litter box in the Zion?
Again thank you so much for your excellent review!
Doug Ascoli thanks for your comments and we are certain you will enjoy a Zion SRT! As for your questions; we don’t think you can turn off the beeping, but even if you can’t it actually doesn’t seem that noticeable when other things are running (especially the AC). Note that we haven’t needed AC often, we keep the van cool by parking in the shade if we can and the fantastic fan works well with a window open, but we typically don’t have the heat and humidity issues you noted. Voltstart will work fine, but we don’t rely on it if really hot for our cat. On 2 you can use the water if not too cold for too long (RT suggests if just at or a little below freezing at night, but above during day you would be fine, but for any serious cold you should winterize the van, which means you remove all the water and replace with RV antifreeze. For winter here it means we don’t use the water system at all, and simply carry water with us. RT has a video on their website about winterizing that explains it well and we will likely do one this late fall. On 3 the litter box is in the washroom. We move it out when we shower and step around it when we use the washroom ourselves. Works fine. Hope this helps!
Hike'n RV thank you for your reply!
Thank you for the various reviews on the Roadtrek Zion, the videos are really helpful for someone doing research like myself. There are a couple of concerns I have, if you don't mind addressing them for me from your experience:
1) I heard when Voltstart turns on in the middle of the night, the headlights will also come on, the engine is loud enough to wake you up? The generator will only come on up to 4 times? How do you reset that process?
2) The furnace can be quite loud when cycling on/off during the night?
Glad the videos were helpful! As for the questions; (1) we have actually never had to use Voltstart in our 5 years of owning the van..other than to test it a few times. If you are buying in Canada the driving lights (not headlights) will come on, plus it beeps slightly before it starts. For models sold in the US we believe (have heard but not confirmed) you can turn off the light function. The van starting would wake us up, but perhaps not others. The only regular use we could see for Voltstart for us would be to power the AC (from batteries) which itself is quite loud. We wouldn’t want the motor running in the van regardless if we were sleeping and we wouldn’t trust it 100% to look after pets if out of van- sometimes the AC can simply stop. Here is the link as to reset if needed (www.roadtrek.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/HOWTO-Voltstart-April-24th-2017.pdf). As for (2) yes the furnace is loud and often does wake us up briefly if it cycles on. We generally keep the van cooler at night to minimize that from happening, but largely don’t find it too much of an issue. We wake up and then fall asleep again as the sound is constant. It is actually the fan that is a bit loud.
Note: Some of the features/operations above may have changed with newer models however, but you can check with RT. Best of luck with your research…usually a lot of fun! 🚐
Does it have a cold water heater or just the hot? ;)
Thanks for the review. What a beautiful machine. The van looks like it might be a little low. How do you find the ground clearance? Do you find the van scraping or bumping the bottom on potholes or bumpy roads, dirt roads? Thanks!
Jumby Breeze no issues so far. And thank you for your comment! Just finished a very bumpy forest road with a number of potholes...and other than a lot of rattling all worked well. We are cautious however as not a lot of clearance but seems enough if careful.
Thanks! Excellent review. I discounted Zion myself due to floor plan and tiny bathroom, but it’s a very good van nevertheless. Have you considered Winnebago Travato, either 59G or 59K that is also based on ProMaster? They now also have a lithium system with secondary alternator that they claim is twice the capacity of Roadtrek and does not require you to watch the voltages and switch battery 1 or 2 all the time. A more advanced design.
Dima Habenko thanks for both your comment and the question. We considered the Travato G initially, and your were correct the bathroom was a little longer which was nice, but the huge bed (see our 6 week review video. . And sorry it is a little bouncy at times) and the technology and warranty’s in the Zion effectively made the choice for us. Now that the lithium option is available in the Travato it would make the choice that much tougher! We love the Promaster chassis for any model, and folks need to choose the van floor plan that best fits their needs.
Does rain on the roof sound the same as a car or is it insulated enough to not hear the rain?
Thomas Hanan thanks for the question. The fact that we had to discuss it first before we could reply means that it isn’t too loud. You will certainly notice it in a heavy rainstorm though, but we have largely gotten used to it.
When you park at a campsite, do you drive in or back in? Is one easier than the other? Without a backup camera do you need Miki to direct from outside?
We almost always back in, but both ways are relatively easy in a class b. Usually the back of a campsite is more private and with a nicer view. And for the rare occasion we go to a commercial campground that usually means the sewer/water/power connections will align with ours (driver side). It also makes it easier to leave. The Promaster chassis does come with a back up camera and our model (2017 Promaster, 2018 RT Zion) has rear sensors as well (which no longer appear to be added), but most of the time Miki does direct from outside, just makes in a bit easier if tight spots. You would not really need someone to, but would likely often then spend a minute or so checking it out before backing in.
The critique about the cold applies also to us down south. How much insulation is possible in a class b?
It is a van, not a house so we guess expectations need to reflect that. The only people we know that have been happy are those that built there own. A few brands do offer models with additional insulation...we think Coachman and some Winnebago models are examples. On ours the back doors and the side door are key heat loss areas and could have insulation added fairly easily.
i saw online a video about a company out in california that installs popups on vans such has yours would you ever consider having one installed on your van
william burgin thanks for the question, but unlikely we would consider now...too much in the way (AC, lighting etc), but it would an interesting option if building your own. We also saw a version of the Hymer Activ that comes with that option on a video, but not sure if that was a prototype or if it is now available.
How is the dumping process ? Thanks
Stan Watkins fast and easy...no issues. Being new to RVs this was a concern for us, but the system works very well. Will show the process in a future video in a few weeks. Macerator impresses folks waiting behind us at the Sani station, but the grey and black tanks not too large so also makes it fast.
If you had solar on top ,would you still need Voltstart?
dale kroll yes, the solar is more like a supplement to your power, though we would expect if we were farther south it would help much more than here. Voltstart starts the van when the battery is too low and solar helps mitigate that. You don’t need voltstart as you could start the van yourself, but you need to be there.
Will you be doing a One year review?
dale kroll thanks for the question and we think likely, though shorter.
cost to insure?
Sam Wong the good news...according to the insurance broker: "RVs are much less expensive to insure than a car". Bad news, not so much when it costs over 6 figures (much higher than the value of our cars). We also live in BC where our insurance is provided by a government agency, and is likely some of the most expensive in Canada. So for us it worked out about $130 per month for the full year. Of course, you could do partial year, add more or less coverage depending on your own insurance needs ( coverage for under insured motorists in other locations is an example) etc. So it will depend on a number of factors that will likely differ from ours.
Great review, but for the sake of travel alone bachelors please no more shots of those gorgeous plates of food.
David Maxwell thank you and noted!