40' or 45' Question

Two comments Ben....

Your Prevost will still be going strong when the converted pickup truck is long gone.

I'm wondering if you are giving your love life any thought. I can't see the pickup truck a babe magnet like the bus is.

Maybe I should elaborate on why this might be a good transition for me:

1) My Prevost has to either be plugged in, driven a long distance, or have its generator run every 1.5 days just to keep the refrigerator running. Run more stuff and it's even more frequent that it needs more juice. If I use the generator, then I have to change the oil/filter quite frequently as well. Many times it pays better to just pay to park since then I can use everything without having to try to conserve so much and I'm not always parked in an area where the sound of the generator would be welcome. With the EarthRoamer, I can run the fridge, ventilation fan and a few accessories off solar indefinitely, so I can park the vehicle at the airport when I fly out without having to figure out a special parking place.

2) With a single air conditioner and not many electrical needs, I can run just about everything with a standard 120v 15 amp hookup... which means easy parking at friends homes, etc or when storing the unit in a covered garage. It has a 30-amp plug, but that's mainly so you can charge the batteries faster while you might be running everything. I can run the air conditioner overnight on battery alone, but would have to idle the engine a bit if I wanted to run it non-stop all day/night, but with four windows, two vents/fans, I don't expect to have to do that unless I'm in Las Vegas in the summer... after all, I don't run the buses air 24hrs unless I'm plugged in and that's rare.

3) Being 4x4 with front/rear winches and only 25' long, I can go to remote locations and park in tiny campgrounds and having access to an electrical plug is not essential (I'd attach a small motorcycle and mountain bike to the back in case it broke down and so I can get around without "breaking camp").

4) This thing costs about $100K less than my Prevost, which is enough to live off of for 2+ years and gives me a lot more to invest so I am not as dependent on my career for income, which means for freedom!

5) I can ship this sucker overseas and explore far away lands (like Iceland, New Zealand, etc.).

6) It's built with marine-grade electronics and super insulated (I've talked with people who full-time in one and have spent a good amount of time in a Minnesota winter, etc.).

7) I can fit my essentials in it and will only be doing without stuff that I really don't need... similarly to when I moved from a house onto the Prevost, but just one step further.

8) It will have a 3 year warranty on both the truck and camper, so my expenses for maintenance/repair will be more predictable.

9) I can easily park at any event that I'm speaking at and not have to worry about things... since it would take up 1.5 spaces in a parking lot and the solar will keep up with the fridge and other stuff I have plugged in.

10) 10-14 MPG will be a tradeoff... better when I'm going long distances compared to the buses 6-8MPG, but less than my Jeep's MPG.

11) The ceramic stovetop (which looks just like what's in my Prevost) runs off of diesel as does the water heater and camper heater, so everything either sucks from solar or diesel and with a 90 gallon tank, I can last for quite a while. If the battery gets too low, then I can idle the engine and it's two alternators will charge the batteries (I've talked to multiple owners, including full-timers and they don't need to do that very often).

Sure it won't be alive at the time my bus dies... but I don't plan on owning any single bus for that long and since this is based on the F550 chassis, it should easily handle the weight of the camper. It also won't have the ride of a Prevost and won't have quite the luxury... but it does have granite counter tops, stainless steel sink, real wood dovetailed cabinets and a lot more... it doesn't feel like a "cheap camper".

I'd rather have a "camper babe" than one that requires a bus... there are many women who are into exploring the world and would find this to be a great adventure... especially photographers.

It's certainly not for everyone (or even many people), but it sure aligns with my desires. I've really enjoyed living on the bus, but am flirting with the idea of an EarthRoamer. Please feel free to pick apart the decision... I'd love someone to talk me out of it now, before I get too attached to the idea... but just keep in mind that I'm not trying to talk YOU into doing it... buses offer a great lifestyle and I'm not knocking that at all... it's just my particular situation and desires that are steering me towards an EarthRoamer.

Ben, I think the driving theme of you thoughts are to reduce even more than what you already have done by moving out of a house. If your goal is to travel less encumbered, you are on the right track with the outcome of less and less stuff. We are all in our own way , trying to figure it all out. Good Luck.

Well Ben, Your the only one that can live your life. If that there thing your talkin about suites your fancy, I say go for it. Your an asset to the group and have many friends here. Even if you do sell the Prevost you don't have to quit POG! When you get to be a geezer there will be another Prevo with your name on it I'm sure!:D ;)

Ben, I think you would be wise to rent a similar unit for a month before you sell out and switch. How insulated can a tent be ? :)

A month long shake down would let you know first hand what you are giving up, and give you a first hand look at what you are getting out of and into..

Just my .02

Ben,

I'm jealous. I looked at the unit on the website, and it is really neat. I wish that I could buy an EarthRoamer and travel the back roads. If I were single, I would have one in a heart-beat.:D

Jello has a good point, but my guess is that you will not be able to rent an EarthRoamer to see if you like it or not. It seems that you have thought it out throughly, and your arguements make sense. Certainly, the fuel consumption calculations make sense with diesel at $3/gallon. I like the solar/inverter concept as well.

If you do buy one, I think that it would be a good topic for a mechanic's corner at POG IV. My guess is everyone in the group would be very interested in seeing how it functions. I know I would.:D

Go for it!

Ben,

If for some reason you decide against this new venture, or if you decide to delay the purchase for an extended period of time, you might want to consider covering the top of your bus with solar panels. That should greatly extend the functionality of your current systems.

When you sell your current bus, you will probably take a significant depreciation, but you may have already recovered most of that on your income taxes. Fortunately, you will also be able to depreciate anything you drive, so you are in a much better position (tax wise) than most of us. Good luck in what ever you decide.

I've found one I can stay on for two nights, but don't know of anyone who'd like me have it for a month.

I went from a 5 bedroom house to a 40' bus without ever sleeping on one... I do a lot of research first, so it's not a casual decision. I've been following this company for about three years now.

The camper is very well insulated and is an all-season vehicle (heated water tanks, etc. to make sure they don't freeze, etc.).

Aside from being slightly claustrophobic, how will you transport all the equipment that you need for your work in that vehicle? or after a year in the downsized environment of your bus, did you find that you require less to live and work comfortably?

Ben,

Great looking machine, but I doubt you can run an A/C off the 2000 watt inverter. I had several CC's with 2000 watt inverters and they don't even wire the A/C's through the inverters. I also have one of those quiet Honda 2000 watt generators and we tried to run my son's 5th wheel A/C and no good. There's just too much starting amperage.

The solar panels would be great in the day time, but without a generator, your only alternative would be running the engine and again, I doubt it would handle the A/C.

If the A/C system is something new and fancy, then all of the above might be pure BS. Let us know....

PS - Chicks dig Prevosts:D