SMB Newbie

[smithmac99]

Hey Everyone:

Total Newbie here, looking for a small RVish thing for my family of 4. Seems to me all the Class B's out there are overkill for what I'm looking for...and I can't really seem to find the right SMB either. Maybe I'm just too picky

Looking for something that seats at least 4 in captain chairs with a central table. Also need it to sleep 4 people comfortably.

Refrigerator and sink would be great as well. Lots of Storage is a must! No need for a portapotty.

4X4 would be cool, but not required.

I live in Oregon with my wife and 2 kids. We love to camp, but are sick of setting up the tent and unpacking/repacking the minivan every night.

So, what am I looking for? Where do I find it? Is this a new build, or is there something out there for me already?

Thanks everyone for your advice!

Mac

[daveb]

Originally Posted by smithmac99

Hey Everyone:

Total Newbie here, looking for a small RVish thing for my family of 4. Seems to me all the Class B's out there are overkill for what I'm looking for...and I can't really seem to find the right SMB either. Maybe I'm just too picky

Looking for something that seats at least 4 in captain chairs with a central table. Also need it to sleep 4 people comfortably.

Refrigerator and sink would be great as well. Lots of Storage is a must! No need for a portapotty.

4X4 would be cool, but not required.

I live in Oregon with my wife and 2 kids. We love to camp, but are sick of setting up the tent and unpacking/repacking the minivan every night.

So, what am I looking for? Where do I find it? Is this a new build, or is there something out there for me already?

Thanks everyone for your advice!

Mac

Welcome to the forum Mac. Myself I think it depends on how much of a cramped feeling you are willing to put up with. Many seem fine with a Ford or Chevy type SMB and smaller kids. If I were into just light off road travel, the new 4x4 Sprinter with a pop top would be worth a look. 4 adults might be tight but if you don't mind sleeping two up top, having twin gaucho seats that convert into a bed might be plenty for a family of four. If you want four captain chairs for use during driving, it might limit the free space. IMO it's the moving around during bad weather while you're stuck inside with four people that is what can cause issues for some. The fact is that a narrow aisle just makes movement difficult for some and is why I went with the 50 model. The 50 just feels so much more roomy than a walk through model but I'm a big guy. If both front seats swivel, the 50 model isn't too bad for seating four. Sometimes the 4x4 levers on some models don't allow the driver seat to pivot but I think SMB has a solution for it.
Some members are going after CCV tops to get a wider taller penthouse making it more reasonable for two adults to sleep in more comfort up top.
Not needing an inside bathroom helps with space confinement but no matter the design, smaller RV's require some thought and sacrifice when it come to storage of everyday needs. It's somewhat akin to backpacking but on a luxury level.

This van was a hard top voyager and although they claimed they were going to sleep six, I'm sure it was going to be very cramped up in the top bed headroom wise. Maybe kids wouldn't mind it but I prefer the PH model. Still it shows a good layout and if you cut out the marine head & shower, with some rearranging it would be worth looking into.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7172

BTW when I was very young our family camped in a trailer that had a space smaller than my van. It was great for us youngsters. By the time I was 10 or so, I wanted to bring a friend along... no problem, do you think I really wanted to sleep in the trailer with my brother, sister and the rest of the family or out in the tent with my friend? Anything to get out away from them was my goal. Just sayin it's something to think about. You can also always pitch a tent or pull a small trailer so transportation might be just as or more important than sleeping quarters as the kids grow.

Good luck on finding the right model. I'm sure you'll find something.

[smithmac99]

Thanks Dave:

There's definitely a lot to think about, and we're very new to the process. I haven't even talked to anyone at SMB yet. To show you how much of a newbie I am, I was wondering what CCV stands for and what is the model 50?.

Thanks a lot.

Mac

[mikracer]

I would try to look through as many pictures of Sportsmobiles as you can to get an idea of what type of layout you would like. Having 4 captains chairs isn't a standard layout so finding one on the used market may be a bit more difficult to find. Since the second row of captains chairs take up a bit of space, you usually have to give up appliances and/or storage, but sleeping for 4 shouldn't be an issue.

What is the budget you are working with? It seems that the prices for clean examples have increased over the last couple of years.

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by mikracer

I would try to look through as many pictures of Sportsmobiles as you can to get an idea of what type of layout you would like. . . .

Agreed. Use the random and galleries tabs at the top of the page to get started. Browse user galleries when you find an interesting photo. Download ones you want for future reference, playing nice with copyright of course. We spent hours and hours looking at and collecting pics, not to mention vicariously enjoying other people's adventures.

Don

[mikracer]

Just listed on the for sale forum... Fits your need for 4 captains chairs, sink, fridge, etc. Not sure if its in your budget, but if it is, this one looks SWEET!

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=16836

[daveb]

CCV=Colorado Camper Van. You can search a couple of newer threads by Ray-1der & Robb-rallypanam who both added CCV's new penthouse top to their rigs.

On thing I will say is looking at a van by actually seeing one blew my idea that there was no way I'd fit into a Ford van. At first I wasn't thinking that a SMB was for me until I went to Fresno. I took a friend and we both were totally shocked when I opened the barn door on a EB-50 with PH. Six months later I made an order.

[smithmac99]

@daveb, thanks for the lesson on the lingo. I'll check those users out.

@mikracer that's towards the upper end of my budget for sure. Especially since it seems like I can get a new one (at least according to the SMB website) for close to that. If that one checked out, you think that's a fair price?

Mac

[mikracer]

I think it's about $60k to build something like that not including the cost of the van. The bumpers and roof rack will cost another $8k. Wheels/tires another $1,500. It will also take SMB West some time to build it (I think 6-9 months). Considering the cost of building a new one, I think the asking price is reasonable. I'm not the authority on SMB prices though, its just my personal opinion.

The most popular layout is the "50" as mentioned above. The 50 layout is very similar to the VW Vanagon Westfalia campers. Another common layout is the "30(ish)" which is a walkthrough design with a bench seat installed lenghwise behind the drivers seat that folds out into a bed and cabinets and appliances on either side going down the length of the van. You can walk through all the way to the back doors in these layouts. I added "ish" to the number because there are variants to the layouts, but still remain a walk through. In the 50, you have to exit the van to access the storage behind the rear bench.

I should add that a lot of people will buy an affordable Sportsmobile as a starter to make sure it will be used as envisioned or to make sure the layout is what really works for them. Once you figure out what works best, you can get your "permanent" SMB (Sportsmobile).