Downsizing from a Family RV to a Winnebago Class B with Kerri Cox from Travels with Birdy

To buy a Class B or not to buy a Class B? That is a question many RVers have probably considered at some point. After all, #vanlife literally has its own hashtag and a sea of influencers that make it look pretty epic. However, despite the many appeals of a Class B van, they do have their drawbacks. Kerri Cox of Travels with Birdy is here to tell us all about taking the leap from a 30-foot travel trailer to a Winnebago Travato—and all of the decision making that went into the process. What are the pros and cons of buying a Class B? What else do you need to know before buying a Class B? What’s it like to transition from a family travel trailer to a Class B van? Read on to find out in this guest post.

This is a guest post from Kerri Cox. To listen to Jeremy interview Kerri click on the media player above or subscribe to The RV Atlas wherever you get your shows.

Our Journey to the Winnebago Travato 59K

This spring, I fell in love with a van and bought one on a bit of a whim. I have joked that this was a mid-life crisis…and it could be! Can I blame it on turning 50 soon? However, there were a lot of real factors that led my husband and I to make the switch from our travel trailer to a Class B van sooner rather than later. I have two years left until I retire from public teaching, and we had 100% planned to keep our travel trailer until then. Then, we planned to decide what RV would be best for the huge trips we plan to take. But, sometimes, life takes you on a detour.

Here’s what made us consider #vanlife now:

• Family trips totally ended this summer due to our young adult sons’ jobs (yes, I am sad!)
• I wrote a piece for Camping World about Class Bs and another about RVs with twin beds and managed to “influence” myself when I discovered the Winnebago Travato 59K, which seemed perfect for us (more on it later!)
• Most importantly, I found a used 59K a couple of hours away with a great price
• This gives us a chance to try the van before I retire
• Carpe diem

So, even though I am a pretty practical person about almost everything in life, I decided to go a little wild and get the Class B!

5 Reasons NOT to Buy a Class B

Even though I have long thought Class B vans were pretty cute, there were many reasons I thought I wouldn’t buy one, including:

1. Class B vans and motorhomes are pricy. Both of our prior travel trailers were on the lower price range of the RV world, so we thought motorhomes were just too much money.
2. Buying a motorhome means investing in another vehicle. Switching from a trailer to a van would meant adding another vehicle to our fleet, with another engine to repair/maintain.
3. Class B vans and motorhomes may not be as reliable. We have some well-earned brand loyalty to Toyota and didn’t want to lose that reliability for our cross-country travels
4. Having a Class B means you can’t leave the trailer at the campground. This was a big hangup for us, as we liked having the option to run to the store, go out exploring, or do separate activities while having a truck and a trailer. All of which we cannot do with the Class B.
5. A Class B is small. We will give up a lot of storage and personal space by going from a 30-foot trailer with extra storage in the truck to a 21-foot Class B.

5 Reasons TO Buy a Class B

Despite all of those reasons not to buy a Class B, we decided to take the plunge, anyway! And, I don’t think it was totally crazy. Here are the pros of buying a Class B:

1. Class Bs are nimble. I had started to really dislike towing our trailer through cities and navigating gas stops. Plus, parking is a pain. A Class B is so much easier to drive and park. And, we can pull off at scenic overlooks on a whim!
2. Class Bs are easier for solo travel. I am not ashamed to admit, but I simply didn’t want to tow our 30-foot trailer. It made me too nervous. And, I definitely couldn’t do it alone. A Class B opens us up for much easier solo travel.
3. Class Bs require less setup. There’s really not much involved in setting up camp other than plugging in the electricity and water. Yes, we need to level, but it’s easier to level the van than our long trailer.
4. Class Bs have everything you need. It kind of amazing that manufacturers can pack in everything they do in a 21-foot van!
5. The price may not be too much more than owning a truck and trailer. Because we bought a used Class B and because of how several other elements worked out, the Class B payment is the same per month as our truck and trailer, though we have added a few years (yes, we have financed this, which I know some people disapprove of, but I try to find the intersection between fiscal responsibility and the YOLO philosophy because I want to live a fun life, albeit carefully). Also, if you look at the MSRP for a 2025 Winnebago Travato 59K, you’ll see it listed as a breathtaking $220,903. I want to people to know we paid nowhere near that price!

A Few Extra Considerations for Buying Used from a Private Seller

We saved a lot of money by buying a used RV from a private seller, but the process was a lot more complicated. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Very few lenders finance used motorhomes from private sellers. It’s even more difficult than financing a trailer.
2. You should get an inspection from a certified RV technician….but we didn’t.
3. There are more complications and risks when buying from a private seller instead of a dealer.
4. Buying from an out-of-state buyer with a lien on the vehicle while getting your own financing adds even more complications.

But, if you are determined, do your due diligence, and research everything you can, it can be done!

This is a guest post from Kerri Cox. To hear more about Kerri’s experience with buying a Class B, click on the media player above or subscribe to The RV Atlas wherever you get your shows.

Are We Happy With Our Decision to Buy a Class B??

After considering all of the pros, cons, and special considerations, are we happy with our decision to buy a Class B? YES, absolutely!

Here’s what we love about the 2022 Winnebago Travato 59K:

1. Open interior
2. Comfy twin beds
3. Screens on the side and rear doors to let in air and view
4. Solar power and a generator for off-grid possibilities
5. Enough storage (surprisingly!)
6. Great driving experience — even for me while solo!
7. Front seats and tables create great workspace
8. Bike rack for our e-bike and scooter
9. Easy access to interior while on the road
10. Convection oven — no wasted space for oven we’d never light
11. Surprisingly functional wet bath
12. Helpful Facebook group for Travato Owners and Wannabees
13. Fairy lights & cute interior
14. Literally pull in and plug in and done
15. Everyone loves the van and wants to know more about it

There have been a few drawbacks. We did need to order a whole new awning and are nervous about a weird Travato quirk where the awning deploys itself, even while driving (fingers crossed for this problem to skip us!). And, we still have a lot to learn in order to operate all of the systems. Even though we have a decade of RV experience, this van has a lot of things that are totally new to us.

Have I convinced myself you that this was a reasonable purchase? Even though it was a bit of a whim, we didn’t take the decision lightly. And, while there was a lot involved in both the sale and the transition, it has all been worthwhile! The Travato 59K seems to be the perfect rig for this stage of our life, and we are excited to get out on a long road trip. We just need to add a bird sticker to make Birdy 3.0 official!

If you are thinking about buying a Class B, I hope sharing my experiences has been helpful. Feel free to reach out if you have questions, you can find me on Instagram and Facebook as Travels with Birdy or in the RV Atlas Facebook group!

 

 

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