7 Things We DON’T LOVE About Our 2021 Winnebago Revel
Вставка
- Опубліковано 5 лип 2024
- Even though our 2021 Winnebago Revel is close to being perfect, for us it is not. In this video we share with you 7 things we DON’T LOVE about our Revel.
Here’s the link to our companion video: 7 Things We LOVE About Our 2021 Winnebago Revel • 7 Things We LOVE About...
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Chapter/Segments:
00:00 Intro
00:30 Width Of Hallway
01:18 Low Garage Height
01:56 Revel’s Puzzle Bed Design
02:43 Revel Has Lots Of Road Noise
03:15 Revel Shades and Condensation
04:55 DEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid
05:57 Revel’s Hitch Pin Design
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
LINKS TO ITEMS FROM THIS VIDEO:
OUR AMAZON STORE (affiliate link):
Amazon Store: amazon.com/shop/VanTrekkingLi...
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
#vanlife #winnebagorevel
Every single one of the shortcomings you mentioned and more, is why I started Humble Road in the first place! SHEEESH! Will they ever learn!?
We just need a "clone George" button so we can make 200-300 of you so you can keep up with demand. 👍❤️
You do the best thinking and building around. Thank you for sharing. Wish you could scale up to 1,000 vans a year! Have you looked at the way Roamrig has more or less franchised his lithium system build for the Revel? It could be a business template if your ambitious enough to save the world from bad vans. Please?
@@daniellincoln412 Thank you Daniel. I am in the process of adding helpers and I have a very exciting new phase of business for Humble Road beginning this Summer. And I must say I am really enjoying the retrofit of my old Pleasure-Way!
Side window shades - "you're gonna cuss" - what a hoot!
We have the Travato G - the built in window shade in the front window is a pain and doesn't cover the top all the way. The side shades work OK, but are a pain to put back in the bag. My loving wife put together a heavy flannel sheet that we Velcro across the top shelf behind the seats. Works great, and if we want to use and swivel the passenger seat to watch TV we have enough flannel at the bottom to pull it over (behind) the swiveled seat. I can really feel the temperature difference in the morning between the front cab area and the living area, so there is some thermal insulation with the flannel. Everything is wunderbar! Thanks for sharing.
We have also thought about putting up a curtain in the front, we had one in our Travato and it worked great. Thanks for sharing your comment.
First honest Revel review I’ve seen.
We appreciate your comment.
You hit the nail on the head about diesel. Diesels are great engines overall but it's the US environmental laws that make the exhaust systems more complicated and prone to expensive repairs along with limited mechanics that know how to work on them. For that reason, I would opt for standard gas. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Good morning! I think it's difficult for 2 people to get by in most class B's but it usually makes whoever I'm RVing with laugh as we negotiate our way around. I'm always afraid I'm going to spill the DEF and corrode my hoses but I absolutely love the power of my diesel! I'm heading down to Monterey this week with my sister who recently lost her husband. The weather should be wonderful and i hope we to see some monarch butterflies. Stay healthy and safe travels.
You are correct about 2 people moving around in a class B. It does take some time to work out our routines to not get in each other’s way. We could get by each other in the Travato so I think that’s why we added this. Have a wonderful trip with you sister, I hope you see some butterflies. Be safe and stay healthy.
Nice. Chris Shontz just got a Revel. He had some interesting observations. We do like the flip down table. I need to add that to our van.
We love Chris and was very surprised he got a Revel. I think the flip down table would be a pretty easy addition if you have the space. Thanks so much for watching and sharing your comment.
To eliminate the discomfort of the 3 section bed you may want to visit IKEA and check their 2” memory foam mattress cover. I’ve used it and it’s extremely comfortable.
We have a mattress cover on the bed but we did cut into three sections. I wasn’t sure how the bed would go up and down if we didn’t. Is that working ok for you? Thanks for the suggestion.
Y'ALL ARE AWESOME thanks for the information.
Thank you Neil, we appreciate your comment.
Thank you for sharing your inside views on this . Information on a camper van is always useful to see what is important to a person . Thank you for sharing this video . BS & BK
I totally agree, and what’s important to us is probably not important to others. We appreciate your comment.
Excellent video. Short and informative.
Glad to hear you liked the video. We appreciate you letting us know.
Great review!
Thank you, we appreciate you watching.
Great Video !!
Thanks!
We are in the process of finding an RV, so this really helped me!
Thank you for sharing!👍🤗
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent excellent excellent. Thanks for your honest and candid review. I wish others (Fit RV) would be as honest as you.
We feel it’s best to be honest and even it’s a minor inconvenience for us I would want someone to be honest with us. thanks for your comment.
I use a small squeegee for the windshield. I think it was $3 used for glass showers and it fits nicely in the door pocket. I lay the microfiber towel at the bottom to catch the water.
Thank you so much for sharing your suggestion, the squeegee will make using the microfiber towel a lot easier. Much appreciated!
All about compromise, comfort and connivence and what the owner is willing to live with. There will always be pros and cons no matter what type of RV and things pop up after a purchase you would not expect before hand. Diesel power (we have a 7.3 Superduty/towed a 27 ft fiver and never an issue towing), pretty hard to beat .Yet I went with a V-10 gas when I bought my 24 ft class c, for the convince of service on a Ford knowing my husband (a mechanic) is no longer able to do the maintenance. Would love an even smaller rig, but a wheelchair will not work, so again, what will work for one may not be possible. I think buying what suits you and fits your needs is what must be considered. Good video to show us that not every new rig is all unicorns and rainbows. Safe travels and happy tails Maggie. ❤️🐕🙋🏼♀️🚗🇺🇸👍
You said it best... it is all about compromise and I also believe there is no prefect RV. We just wanted to share our thoughts to maybe help someone else. Thanks so much for your comment, it is very much appreciated.
You guys are great! Loved both videos today. Happy tails to you both and Maggie!❤️Your friend in SC, Jane
So we’re sitting here replying to comments and literally Lynn just said, “I haven’t seen a comment from Jane this week, have you?”... and the next comment to pop up to reply to was from you. That made us smile! You make us smile!
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle I’m so glad! You guys make me smile every week. I’m so excited to see you each week. I really do hope to meet you one day. Mike is planning on retiring in the not too distant future, so hopefully we’ll be doing some traveling after that. Until then, we try to enjoy short trIps and vacations. So much love from SC, Jane❤️❤️❤️
Definitely gives us something to think about before purchasing an RV. It sounds like you would buy it again if you were in the market. Looks like a good van to me. Stay safe guys. Hi Maggie! ❤️🇨🇦❤️ Cheers!!!
It’s all about how you want to travel. We definitely feel the good outweighs the bad and Yes we purchase it again. Thanks for watching.
Good luck guys and Maggie safe travels.
Thank you, we appreciate you watching.
Love your videos. Those things would bother us too. I get the overall appeal though - it would be great if traveling solo and going off grid in remote areas all the time to pursue an active outdoor lifestyle. But we’re more sightseers, and are content staying in state and county parks. We have the Travato KL and love it. Glad to see the revel has lithium; that’s definitely a plus - it’s been a game changer for us.
Thanks for your comment. The main reason we purchased this van was to go off road, we have not done that as much as we have liked but do plan to in the near future. We also love state and county parks... so we will also continue to do that. The Travato KL’s are awesome. Safe travels.
I helped a friend re-insulate his Revel and found squared foams as insulation. So, i decided to buy Storyteller MODE LT.
Storyteller’s are awesome.
Owen, a quick suggestion on the condensation on your cabin windows... there’s a product out there that you can find on Amazon that may help with, or eliminate your problem... The Apalus, a 1KG silica gel car dehumidifier.... Its a fairly large bag of the gel that you place on your dash.... The description says it’s reusable.... might be worth a try! Good luck & ya’ll stay safe......
Thank you for the information we will definitely check it out. We appreciate you watching and commenting.
Just wait until you start getting check engine lights. In the 9 months I owned a 2020 Revel I had 9. The real serious ones you get the 10 starts to limp mode. Then you find out not all Mercedes dealers do Sprinter repairs. If everything worked on the Revel and Sprinter it would be a great Van. I could not get use to the fact you payed all that money and did not get any dependability and quality. Everything you said was very true. Everyone should be sure you want a Revel before you spend that much money.
Did you get rid of your Revel in 9 short months? How much of a bath did you take on depreciation?
@@gosman949 Yes I did. I was lucky to live in Colorado where lack of inventory made the loss only $5500. I was lucky.
@@williamhope1327 wow, if I lived in Colorado, those short trips to the mountains would have been great in a Revel!
Thanks for the the comment, I’m sure the check engine lights issues would also be on our “Things we don’t Love” list too. We agree that for the price on this van you should not have those problems. We appreciate you sharing.
Good info to know!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much for the honest video; We have a travato, and considering something else, even a Revel; we have to pause and research again. So, really really thank you. Hope you like the good points, and
“The adventure” as you mentioned in a previous video; To us it looks like a lot of money for very little space; We live in California and we should get our hands on some at the RV show here. It is a pretty big one. Nice one in Florida right now, but Covid...
Hope COVID lets you go to the show. It’s good to get inside them and feel how you would live in them. It is small... no doubt about it. But if you like to be outside and not inside when camping (and that’s a key part too... camping instead of RV’ing) then it doesn’t seem small. The more we use it the more we have become accustomed to the size inside for everything. The places it’s taken us and what we’ve seen so far for us far outweighs the small living space. And being small when you park is just the best... when you’re driving it doesn’t feel like an RV at all. It is a lot of money too... but we’ve learned that you don’t know how much until you sell it to get something else. It has a history of holding it’s value really well, so you have to really compare the 2-year depreciated cost formula for anything you buy. When we did that the high price becomes not so unbearable. Thanks for watching and letting us know your thoughts. Good luck with the search. BTW, we’d say this about switching. If you can go everywhere you want to go already in your Travato... do not change. That’s the reason to get the Revel. When parked side by side the Travato is a more comfortable van to live in. But if it’s out in the sand or up on a mountain that only the 4x4 can get to then it evens out. Hope that helps. And, just our opinion.
Wow, thank you very much for the well thought out reply; many valid points, and you did simplify for us quite a bit; We love your channel, you always have positives to say, and your cooking and happy dance...Again thank you very very much from Kate and Ray in California
I so appreciate your videos! My favorite has been the summary of your trip to Alaska. If you had to choose, knowing what you know now, would you pick the Revel or the Travato for all your travels and van adventures?
First of all thank you for the kind words. There are things we miss about the Travato, including the $$ we spent to change to the Revel. :-). But, now that we have the Revel it would be hard for us to go back to the Travato. The ground clearance alone in AK would have changed many things for our trip a little, but reduced the stress level a lot. The 4x4 would have let us choose places we skipped because we just didn’t feel like it was a great idea with the FWD. So… we’d go with the Revel. But that said… we loved traveling in the Travato. It is much more quiet, it rides better, the beds are better, there’s a TV, the bathroom is bigger and even the fact that it has a generator is a plus for us. What it doesn’t have are all the safety features that come with the Mercedes badge tax. And it doesn’t have the clearance… and it doesn’t have Apple CarPlay and the driving experience. Hope that helps.
Nice Job. I think switching our rear bumper changed the layout of the rear hitch so it is easier to use but we haven't tested it yet. During the winter we don't use the stock shades at all to avoid the condensation on the windshield. If we have the stock shades in there they will freeze over night. There are a lot of good solutions for the privacy piece by hanging blankets to block the cab from the rest of the van. Not an issue in warmer weather though. Miss you guys.
Thanks for your input. We will probably figure out how to use a curtain or blanket for the cab area, it does make it so much easier. I can’t believe the shades freeze... I wouldn’t think that was possible. Good to know about the switching out the rear bumper, as we may have to do that. We appreciate and value your input. Miss you guys too.
Great set of videos. The front window shade is ridiculous. We found a roll up one with similar material to reflect x on Amazon, lighter and fits well. Still fits in the storage bag too. It doesn't help any better with the condensation though.
Would you mind sharing the one you got on Amazon? Thanks for sharing.
Good video, we love our Revel. we don't cook inside, only make tea or coffee so that is not a problem, we got a topper for our bed made for the Revel so we don't have a problem there, got rid of the window shades they suck and got a wrap around cover that also has screen on the windows so we can leave windows down during the day for ventilation, rolls up nice and tight easy to store. Noise I guess that is a personal issue not really a problem for us. Replacing the slider window with a nice slider window that fits the whole space where a nice window should be. But hey for the last 14 years I travelled in an 87 VW Westfalia, the Revel is like a cruise ship compared to my VW (I still loved it though) Safe Travels
You put the window shade on backwards. The light side faces out to reflect the sun’s rays. That might contribute to more condensation than normal.
Thanks for letting up know that.
Great video! I'm glad you mentioned the hitch pin. I thought to myself , is it just me? Am I missing something? Is there a trick to it? Lucky for me I had three locking hinge pins to try and ended up going with an old pin I was about to through away. It was the only one with a locking device that would fit. Thank you for the video and happy travels!
It’s definitely not just you! It’s a pain and what most of us consider a very poor design. Glad you found something that worked.
I went with Weather Tech window shade insulator treatment for our Mercedes Metris Campervan . Fits perfect and no condensation and folds easily for simple storage 🇺🇸
Thanks for the information we will check them out.
Hi. Great comments. Could you maybe later do a compare your last rig to this one?? ☘️🇨🇦
We did do a short comparison when we first got the Revel, but we will plan to do a longer one. Thanks for the suggestion.
Thank you for this video. I have gone back and forth for a long time on what our next purchase would be. My husband and myself travel with our pup in a light weight travel trailer with one slide dual axile.
A four wheel 6 foot bed with plenty of room for storage. The trailer allows comfortable sleeping full kitchen a bath and couch.
I think it's time for me to stop looking for awhile and enjoy what we have.
One question are you able to travel with your clam?
We have not taken the clam yet but we plan to and will probably attach it to the ladder. It sounds like you have a good setup. I think getting another RV should depend on how you are going to use it or how you want to camp. We want to do more off road camping so that’s why we changed. But we also still want to camp in state parks. We appreciate you watching and commenting.
Great info! I did the UA-camy thing! 😆
Thanks for doing the UA-cam thing, much appreciated.
We really enjoy watching your channel. We watched one of your episodes where you cooked a Tortellini based recipe in an electric fry pan outside. We are trying to find that recipe. Can you send me the link. Thank You. Tim
Hi guys! Here's a little tip which you may or may not have tried. We have a similar window covering system for our Hymer Aktiv. We've discovered, that if you tilt the rear view mirror vertically before you put the blind in the window or before you take it out next morning, it makes a little bit easier. Also regarding the condensation, we have the same issue. We just start the van ahead of time (5-10 min), turn the defrost and heat way up on the window, and then go about getting prepped to get on the road.
Great suggestions thank you for sharing. Last time we didn’t put the shade behind the mirror and we didn’t have any condensation and it made it a lot easier to put up. It may have been a one time thing. We appreciate you watching and sharing your comment.
Side window covers: A lady made a nice video of their ingenious solution over on the Reel 4x4 FB page. We've done it and confirmed it's a near perfect solution (George @ HR would approve). See the video but basically your adding epoxy-coated rare earth magnets to the window side of the covers. They attract stronger to the existing window cover magnets more than the frame so they simply stay where you put them when you take the cover down. No more opening the door to put those shades up or take em down. Pro tip? We went with (5) 3/4" magnets rather than the (4) 1. 25" magnets she used. Didn't try it here way but I was a little afraid of that much magnetism.
Thanks so much for sharing the information... we will check it out.
For the condensation issue, I would make a cab partition of some kind. May be able to make a test partition to see if it works.
We had one on our Travato and it was awesome. Don’t know why we haven’t done that yet. One day soon for sure. It should help. During our last trip we learned that if we put the middle of the cover in front of the mirror instead of behind it, leaving a small gap it does not create the condensation. Might have been a fluke so we need to try again to see.
Thank you nice to know Kirk from Florida
Very welcome
Are you able to run your Coleman Mach AC unit on your battery power? If so, for how long?
I wonder if you put a cover on the outside of the windshield and the inside also if that would help with the condensation issue? 🤨
Several people have recommended that, we may have to try it. Thanks for the suggestion.
I have a Boldt with the same hitch. You can take the four screws out of the electrical connector and slide it forward letting you install the pin lock. After it’s installed push the connector back and reinstall the four screws. Works perfectly. Good luck.
What a great, great suggestion! Thank you. BTW, how do you like your Boldt? We finally got to get inside one the day we picked up our Revel. Very nice.
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle We love it. Love the Diesel as well but already had a wiring issue with the DEF sensor. Repaired under warranty. Have about 11k miles and love it. We looked at the Revel but was looking for a little more room. Happy Travels 😊
It is a tight squeeze in our T@B 400, but we love it!
We love T@Bs! We call it spontaneous, vertical snuggling! 😂
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle I agree!!!
Love your videos. 2021 owner. Two days ago all my plumbing froze solid while we were sleeping overnight in it. Timberline set at 65F. I'd add the lack of the platform to live up to the cold weather camping it advertised as my main complaint about the cost of this vehicle relative to its recent performance. Interested to know the lowest temp you all have been in without issue. Thanks! Such great content.
Wow! So sorry. How cold was it?
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle It was above Zero. About 3-5F. All plumbing - greywater, pump, and lines to all fittings frozen. Muse have missed the class where I needed to modify the stock model with tank heaters and wrap all the pipes with heat tape. Going back to the dealer Monday. Told by WGO corporate that these models "are never intended to be used in below-freezing temperatures."
Just sold my Travato 59G and put a deposit on a 2021 Travato 59KL for some of the reasons you just mentioned. Wife didn't like the narrow confinement of the 59G and loves the openness of the 59K. Enjoy
Awesome! KL is a beast of a beautiful van. You will love it for sure... you’ll probably miss a few things about the G but every purchase is just a pro/con list vs. a compromise isn’t it? Congratulations!
I’ve found that the DEF is pretty much a non issue in the 5 years I’ve owned my Sprinter-based motor home. I’ve attempted to calculate usage and while it will vary greatly depending on driving conditions, somewhere around 1,700 mpg is what I’ve found. Buy it at Walmart, and the cost per mile is fairly insignificant. There is a heater in the tank to prevent freezing. If you park the vehicle long term, it’s probably not a good idea to have the tank topped off. Your warranty on the engine is 5 years 100,000 miles. Something to consider, probably more on time than mileage.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the DEF. It is very helpful.
Did you guys purchase the Extended Service Contract when you got your Revel? Just curious. I'm about a week away from getting my own Revel, and was curious whether other Revel owners opted for it, as my dealership guy is suggesting I should get it (of course), but I'm not so sure. Made me think of it while you were explaining the DEF issue. Thanks for another nice video.
Love the name BTW! No, we do not ever buy extended warranties from dealers. I think there are situations where the peace of mind might be worth it for some though. If a major repair is going to have a financial impact on your ability to enjoy the van then it might be worth it. But, they are priced to make money for the dealer and the insurance company, meaning if you have the financial means it is always a better deal to self-insure those things. Just our humble/bumble opinion though.
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Thanks guys! Your insight was very helpful. Keep on Trekking!!
Wow, didn't see this one coming
Why’s that? Well... I guess I see your point. We just have so many comments of folks asking us how we like and don’t like it... so many saying it looks perfect... we wanted to do an open and honest review of the things we love and don’t love. But... as you know... we love it! And more importantly we love where it can take us.
Hey guys, just a thought about having a place to go outside when it rains. We bought a Clam quick set 5 sides easy to put up and you can purchase sides to protect you from the elements.
We have one and also have the sides and totally agree it’s a great place to hang out when it rains if it’s not to hot. Thanks for the reminder.
No modern diesel rig for us. My husband is a 30yr diesel tech. That's his rule 😄
Sounds like your husband should know. Thanks for watching and sharing your comment.
The first thing my diesel mechanic friends said when we bought the Travato, "Good, it's gas." Especially if you're idling.
@@BeyondIntention Diesel used to be great until the EPA went over board. Pre 2007
@@spellmadam2947 Yup, it isn't a Mercedes issue either, it is all modern diesels in the USA. They don't last as long now, they don't get nearly the MPG they use to, but the cost is more than ever. A diesel engine isn't worth it anymore.
Thanks for sharing. I didn't know all this.
Have you yet found a solution for that condensation problem behind the window covers? We experience that too and can't seem to find a solution.
No really, since it’s turned warm we don’t really have that problem right now. A lot of people suggested we leave the max air fan on, we did do that and it did help some. It’s just hard for me to run the heater and have the fan on at the same time.
You can buy 3 inch wide elastic at fabric store. Sew together to create an elastic band to fit all the way around the mattress as a whole. Put it on at night and remove during the day. That should hold all the mattress pieces together while you sleep. Might be able to achieve same result with bunji cords but they will cut into the foam. Flat wide elastic would work better.
Thanks for the suggestion we will try that.
Have you talked about the cassette toilet yet as compared to the large bathroom in the Travato?
Well, that’s a crappy discussion in a lot of ways. We have during many of the videos tried to chronicle the journey of getting used to the cassette toilet. I think we’re there now. It’s a piece of cake for me to empty and maintain now. Biggest benefit is not having to hunt down dump stations when boondocking as well as being able to just empty the cassette in the toilet when we get back from a trip. That was always a point of concern when we drove home from a trip... try not to use the toilet on the return trip because it’s going to require heading out to a campground to dump. Now it’s just like any other day.
Livability, storage, personnel comfort inside and "drivabilty/parking" are my priorities. 4x4 is not.
That is totally understandable. Thanks for sharing.
The front windshield cover was backwards
Thanks for pointing that out, I guess we need to try to put them in properly...
Are you guys cracking a window/vent or using a dehumidifier? I really love the loft bed in the revel but the loss of standing height would get annoying. We were shopping really hard for a Revel but ended up gong the storyteller route. I don't think you can go wrong with either it just comes down to which design you like better. My wife and I enjoy watching your videos. Maybe we will see you guys down the road when we head east.
We have cracked a window and also ran the fantastic fan and still have condensation, but we have not used a dehumidifier, I’m not sure I would want to give up the space to carry one. The storyteller’s are awesome... congratulations! Let us know when you head east, we would love to meet up.
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle absolutely. We have a pretty small dehumidifier. Check some out on amazon, you might be surprised how small some of them are.
Was just going to tell you to watch VENTURE 4WD . Chris has a jeep but bought a Rebel as an office / home. 🇨🇦🦋💕
We watch Chris and love his channel. We were excited that he got a Revel. Thanks for watching.
We have a Ram / Cirrus 820 Truck camper . Love watching you travelling . Learning allot from you both!
Spending more time exploring 🇨🇦because of the border closure.🌲
Hitch-pin: Search the Revel 4x4 FB page (yeah, the search function on FB is horrible but you might get lucky). There's a simple mod that simply moves the trailer plug. There's no need to fight that thing every time.
Thanks we will search that one too. We do appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
Wonder why Winnebago didn't give Rebel the ' Travato option ' of that ultra cool pull up shade on the front windshield... and make the same thing for side windows
The pull up shades would have made things a lot easier. Thanks for commenting and watching.
The bed/low clearance is my worst fear. I will be towing a motorcycle trailer. After seeing this video, will it be too much of a hassle with this particular van? (due to the hitch pin)
Depends... I’d say no, you can live with it. We put a hitch/step extender on so we only have to deal with the hitch pin that one time. Every other connect and disconnect is then easy. Even if you don’t need the extra clearance the extender would be a good addition if just for this reason. Let us know what you decide.
I expected the cassette toilet to be at the top of your list. I'm surprised. It seem like the Revel offers off-road accessibility at the cost of interior comfort and convenience. We'll keep our Travato KL a little longer.
Well, a month ago the cassette toilet would have been on that list. But I’ve become pretty proficient and comfortable with that little turd suitcase. And, we’re loving not having to find dump stations. We bought the Revel to disperse/wild camp more and the suitcase helps a lot with that. We’ve said many times though that we miss many things about our 59K... if it had been a 59KL like yours we may have chosen to just keep the Travato. When asked that question we usually respond that if the Travato can take you everywhere you want to go and you never find yourself looking off at the sand or up on a mountain wishing you could explore there, then the Travato is absolutely perfect. For us, we kept yearning for more off-road adventure and Lynn very easily puts her foot down.
Yeah the gaps in the bed mattress would drive me nuts.
It is something you get use to. We are still looking for a better solution.
I apologize if this has been asked before. Does the Revel have a spare tire? We just bought a Travato 59K and there is no spare tire. AAA will come to change a flat tire but can't if you don't have one.
No worries about asking again. Yes the Revel has a spare tire mounted under the rear area. Some move it to the back door. Before our Alaska trip we modified our bike rack to allow us to take a spare. Now there’s a company that makes a spare tire mount for the Travato, but you loose the bike rack if that’s important to you. Spare tires are something you hope you never need but boy when you do it is good to have them.
Experienced any banning noise from roof vent? It just drives me crazy
Yes, and it drives us crazy too. We’ve heard there’s a kit that you replace the vent that will tighten it up and help with the noise.
only living in a house do you know what works for you and what doesn't work...As my momma always said, "there is no 'perfect' house"..I believe that is why RV'rs continue to upgrade and make changes to make it their own just like in a stick built house. It's good for the 'housing/RV' industry.
I totally agree... there is no perfect RV. It’s all about compromise. Thanks for your comment, it is much appreciated.
How about a USB fan faced toward the windshield overnight???
Thanks for the suggestion, we will try that.
A 170 Sprinter REVEL would be better for most REVEL owners. The 144 Sprinter just isn't big enough when you add a complete wet bathroom. Too many compromises, everything is almost, but doesn't hit the mark. I have heard that Winnebago is going to come out with a 170 REVEL. I can't wait to see what they come up with.
A 170 would be great, we can’t wait either.
For privacy maybe a curtain behind the front seats would be good
We had one in the Travato and it’s on our list of mods to add to the Revel. We loved it in the Travato. The overhead design and the sloping sides make it a more complicated install but we’re going to do it one day. Thanks for watching and reaching out to us.
We went for the limited 2020 edition National Park 59 KL. We paid $125k fully loaded after not too hard negotiation in April last year in NC. Rebel is not open and not comfortable inside, the toilet is too small to be used easily, the toilet cassette is too small and not practical, it is also way more expensive, the travato is more stable in twisty or windy road. The bed is small and dual bed travato is way better when going to the bathroom without going over the other person. The fridge is too small also. Not enough space to put all your things and difficult to access.
For us it comes down to what you want to do with your life and the tools you use to create the journey you’re envisioning. For us, we could have easily purchased a bigger, less capable but more comfortable coach or van. We made a conscious choice to push ourselves into more challenging situations and destinations for the next two years of our life. We’re getting older and as such, feel it’s getting close to the now or never time for less comfortable and more adventurous travel in a van. It sounds like the Revel is not the van for you and that’s why there are so many different models from manufacturers and brands. Like we stated in our video, there are many things we don’t love about the Revel. But for us the pros far outweigh the cons for the type of adventures we want to be doing. Granted, that’s hard to do these days with the pandemic but hopefully soon we can get out in a desert or on a mountaintop and stay there for a while. Thanks for watching and letting us know your opinion.
get some windows shades from vanmade gear
We may have to do that. Thanks for the suggestion.
You guys have invested a lot of money in something that you didn't get that much additional advantages out of it. You should have kept what you had!
I Agree 100%... I like what they had better then the Revel.
You might be right, but there are things we like more about the Revel than the Travato. With every RV there are compromises. Thanks for your input.
Do the good things outweigh the bad.
So far.... yes. The places we have gotten to go and see in the Revel wins out over the more room and comfort of the Travato.
Hello, I just picked up my new Revel last week. Anyone have an easy 1, 2, 3 step instructions about how to work the solar system? When I start my Revel diesel engine, what are the settings and sequence for the knobs and buttons controlling the solar system? 1st do this...2nd do this...3rd do this...etc...turn this knob...push this button. I am confused and do not want to damage the system. Then when I shut down the van overnight, but not staying in the van...1st do this...2nd do this... Then I turn off the Sprinter Diesel engine but I’m staying in the van for the day or night. Turn off the Diesel engine...then do this...1st do this...2nd, etc. The batteries are not supposed to get below 10%...how do I avoid this? Sorry, I have read the manual over and over and still not sure what I am doing. Any help is appreciated. Wish Winnebago had a easy 1, 2, 3, 4 instructions for all systems. The manual is too out of sequence to me.
That might be a great idea for a video but it would be a difficult thing to explain in words. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Assuming you have a 21 or 22 Revel it’s really pretty easy and straight forward and there’s no right or wrong answer really. Think of solar as a battery backup to your alarm clock. Don’t worry about it and don’t fret about it… it’s just there, directly connected to the house batteries and helping (a little). The under hood generator does most of the recharging of the battery and it does it’s thing when you’re driving… you don’t have to think about that either… just drive and it will more quickly than solar top off your batteries. When we’re at home or at a campground we plug the 30-amp plug in. It doesn’t really change how we use the van but it does charge those same batteries and does so pretty quickly. Your batteries have an auto-shut-off that is set to a safe “don’t go below this voltage” setting and when it gets that low they’ll stop providing power. When it’s low and you can’t plug in… drive… if you can’t do that make sure it’s getting sunlight. Hope this helps. Bet you have it all figured out by now! Congratulations BTW!
Okay... some questions...
Where are the tanks located... inside the van or is there a heating pad that makes them not freeze?
If you had a super power, what would it be?
Does the Revel have a Cassette toilet, and if so, who gets to empty it?
What song would you play if you were at a party?
Speaking of the toilet, doesn't the Revel come with shelves in the bathroom? Where did those end up?
What is the most annoying color?
I think I added even more ridiculous questions to this list ( 🤣 )!
That's what you get for knowing me... hope they made you giggle!
Be seeing you!
OK... we have to get you out traveling again... you have way too much time on your hands. 😂 Tanks are inside the van and don’t require heating pads... if the van is heated the tanks are heated. My super power might be to make it through the night without having to pee. Turd Suitcase... yes. Love it... Owen empties it. It wouldn’t be Free Bird for sure. Shelves ended up in spare bedroom closet with other things from this van and others that we don’t take with us. No most annoying color for us... we’re thankful we can see color so the lack of color would be the most annoying. B’Seein’You too!
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle You are SO RIGHT... I need to get out and travel again!
Hope the questions brought a little smile to the day!
And Free Bird is the correct answer! Love that song!
Be seeing you!
I will never own a new diesel. As you say the emissions systems are a point of constant failure and run out of DEF once, go into limp mode, then tell me what you think about these engines. They suck!!!!! It took 3 dealers and two months to get my last one fixed and all it had was a bad ground wire. Then the DEF pump went bad, then the computer controlling the DEF system quit, I could go on.
That’s not good... Thanks for sharing.
Would a mattress cover help the gaps in the mattress? Now you have to let Maggie do her list. LOL
We put a mattress cover on, but also cut it into three sections, I’m not sure how the bed would go up and down if you didn’t. Is that what you did? I would be interested in knowing how it works. Maggie’s list is a great idea, we may have to do that. Thanks for the suggestion.
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle I see that your bed is not conducive to my suggestion because it has to raise and lower at the splits. The only thing I can think is if you can cover the actual bed part that raises and lowers with a thick cover so that it meets the top and bottom closer and reduces the split. Hmmm interesting have any Revel owners reached out? Good luck because a good nights sleep is so necessary.
Storyteller Overland
Like them a lot. Not a fan of the bathroom so it is a no go for us on them.
Looks like you joined the GLSS club...how do you like sitting back there?
We don’t have the GLSS, Owen made a bench seat that we are using right now. We would love to have the GLSS system, they are awesome. We do like sitting back there, standing not so much. Thanks for watching.
Wow! If I ever get to the point I’m looking again, it will be a “C” NOT a “B”!
The new EKCO is pretty impressive, roomy and storage too.
We also thing the Ekco looks good, it all depends on how you want to camp.
Accents sound like smooth glasses of bourbons
That’s funny, thanks for watching.
What
What?
you're gonna cuss.....................
Every single time. 😁
The cost of the Revel should be on the "WE DON'T LOVE" list. The Revel is over rated and certainly over priced.
We agree that it’s a big purchase and most van purchases are. But if we were to purchase the base 2020 van from Mercedes and build out to the same specs it would easily be much more than we paid for it. What something costs in the end is the difference between the purchase price and what you sell it for when you decide to change. As of today we could sell it for more than we purchased it for and for us that makes it a good deal. We’ll see how that holds up. But for what we want to do with the van it has proven to be a great purchase. We agree it’s not for everyone for sure but “over rated” is a personal decision. For us it has been everything we hoped it would be.
@@VANTREKKINGlifestyle Yes, I agree. I just liked your Promaster chassis.
@@stephencarpenter4603 We did too. But when you see where we took the van this Sunday you'll probably see why we did what we did... for now. ❤️
I wouldn’t buy a revel. Too small & pricey
Not everything fits everyone. Thanks for watching. We appreciate you connecting with us.