4x4 Motovan Planning stages

[mikracer]

Originally Posted by Drizzt

I've been searching the forum on this exact topic of side facing gaucho's and am getting mixed results. I was looking at a side facing gaucho as I thought it'd be a good place to sit and look out the barn doors when it was raining out or something, but it seems like some say it's great for relaxing on and others say it sucks. Is this because of height differences maybe? Or am I missing something here? I haven't had an opportunity to sit in one myself.

David

It is mainly due to the curve of the wall and also because of the trim piece that SMB puts along the top rail. When you sit on the gaucho, and try to sit back, your head hits something before you can lean back. At least that was the way it was for me. It was more comfortable to sit at an angle.

[Drizzt]

Well that kind of makes the side facing gaucho rather worthless, doesn't it? But it seems like a lot of people get them, so there must be some advantage to it.

David

[Viva]

I think it depends on your torso length and "how" you are sitting. I sat on my gaucho all the time and found it great (my '97 had a layout very similar to the last one shown above). I basically had two positions:

1) Sitting sideways with my legs up on the couch, leaning back on the aft wall (reading, laptop work, etc.)

2) Sitting leaning back on the back like you are supposed to, but with my feet up on the kitchen counter across the way (so, basically slouching/relaxing).

I could actually sit up and work at the counter too - but then I wasn't leaning back (so my head was not near the offending trim piece). The PO's of my rig made a board that fit into the top of the drawer that came out from under the stove and made it a table. Very handy as the SMB table was a real aisle blocker in my layout. The other place I'd sit a lot was in the swiveled passenger seat with that fold up table lifted up.

I'm not sure I would have wanted to sit in any of these spots for protracted "desk work" though - my back is hurting just thinking about it. Maybe in the swiveled passenger seat with a tray/desk that would pull close so you could sit up straight?

I'm not tall, so take that into account as well (but I think #1 and #2 would be fine for taller people as well).

I wonder how "ohpyramids" ever made out?

[mikracer]

1) Sitting sideways with my legs up on the couch, leaning back on the aft wall (reading, laptop work, etc.)

This was my preferred way of sitting on the gaucho. If you slouch a bit when leaning back, you can sit back and not hit anything. Its also nice for a quick nap since you don't have to convert anything, its just like sleeping on a couch at home.

[Viva]

Originally Posted by mikracer

Its also nice for a quick nap since you don't have to convert anything, its just like sleeping on a couch at home.

That to me was one of the plusses of the aisle layout. I could nap (or, in my case, sleep) on the gaucho as-is (I did modify it to make the seat part a bit wider though).

I really like the look of the "50" layout for a bunch of reasons, but not being able to nap on the couch was one of the downsides (I haven't had one though). On the other hand a tall person could sit up straight on the convertible couch, I imagine.

[rob_gendreau]

I'm just over 6'1" and love the gaucho.

Yeah, If I went into boarding school perfect posture mode facing straight forward it might be a pain. But I too lean against the aft bulkhead where my fridge is. Or slouch. In fact I forgot about the curving until a passenger complained (I don't like it for long passenger rides for several reasons).

And you can turn the front seats around too.

But I like the gaucho best, with a counter and a window right in front. Makes the van seem much bigger in side.

[Drizzt]

Thanks for the responses, definitely helps!