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Here is a note I've written to Winnebago as feedback.
2014 Winnebago Travato
Have owned for two months, made 3 short trips thus far.
In general, we like the van very much! There are a whole list of build/component issues that need to be resolved, but the bigger picture is positive.
Easy to Drive
Great visibility from cockpit
Good gas mileage
Very peppy
Easy enough to park in normal lots/spaces
Fully equipped coach
Wonderful screen door
Perfect size for a single, adequate size for a couple
Several of the following items were addressed at the dealer before leaving the lot, but most have cropped up in the first weeks. The van is now sitting at the dealer again... (Longmont Camping World). They have over 700 open work-orders, and are completely swamped, so we are quite frustrated not being able to use our expensive new toy.
Problems:
2014 Winnebago Travato
Have owned for two months, made 3 short trips thus far.
In general, we like the van very much! There are a whole list of build/component issues that need to be resolved, but the bigger picture is positive.
Easy to Drive
Great visibility from cockpit
Good gas mileage
Very peppy
Easy enough to park in normal lots/spaces
Fully equipped coach
Wonderful screen door
Perfect size for a single, adequate size for a couple
Several of the following items were addressed at the dealer before leaving the lot, but most have cropped up in the first weeks. The van is now sitting at the dealer again... (Longmont Camping World). They have over 700 open work-orders, and are completely swamped, so we are quite frustrated not being able to use our expensive new toy.
Problems:
- Generator
Very loud. Can't use in campgrounds without feeling like a jerk, meaning I won't be using it much. Started OK the first few times, now can't rely on it starting. It would seem like someone could design a muffler for a 5HP motor that was as quiet as the 280HP one. - Shower Drain (it's pumped from the floor to the grey tank)
Was fine the first two showers, now there seems to be an internal clog somewhere, and it doesn't drain. It's not the external filter, it must be somewhere in the plumbing/pump. - Grey Water Drain Pump (must hold a switch to drain grey tank)
Awkward, but effective. Hard to tell when to shut off. - Screen door gap
Big gap between door frame and screen trim. Installed one screw, will need another.
Screen door opens the wrong way! - Sliding screen windows
Cannot get any of them to push back in fully! Can get close if I apply pressure in the right spot to get them to enter the groove, but won't latch. Doesn't anyone test this stuff? - Bed Attachment (folds down from wall)
Crappy piece of webbing, with one screw that was already about to pull out from your factory! We reinforced it before leaving the dealer. - Stove Burner
One burner's thermocouple isn't working, won't stay on. - Refrigerator
What a pain!!!! Works well on AC power. Was able to get it to work OK on propane once, but only once. Now won't light. Doesn't cool enough on DC to be at all useful. Left it on one night and drained the battery, but the fridge was only slightly cool to the touch. Thus far, completely useless. Having to shlep around a cooler with ice. - Dining Table
Too large for the area. Support bracket screws already pulled out of the wall. - Jump Seat
Cushion flops around if seat belt isn't holding it. Won't ever use the seat belts, so it flops around! Guess we'll add velcro. Seat could be better shaped for actual human use. A small pad on the wall would be nice for lounging sideways. - Hot Water Heater
Generator is offensively loud, so can't use water heater except when on AC, or in boonies. Argggh. I hear the Trend has a propane heater... sigh. - Dash trim
Reflective plastic chrome on top of dash is highly visible in window... I removed them, and got most of the adhesive off. What a waste of effort to design and mold them. - Sliding door latch
Not Winne problem perhaps, but it sucks. Have to really jerk on it to open. Seems to be common problem. - Bath compartment latch
Door on cabinet... plastic knob pieces fall apart. Cheap crap makes Winne look bad, frustrates us to no end. This $1 part makes me rethink my positive comments online. - Bath door slider
Door didn't slide right at dealer, as the adhesive (!?) wasn't holding the track in place. They added several screws through the track to improve. Of course this shorted out all of the interior lighting as well when one screw pierced a wire and grounded to the chassis. Took forever to figure out. - Awning lamp
Doesn't work. - Passenger side awning switch.
Why two awning switches? Bizarre... might have been slightly useful for a second door step switch. - TV in awkward spot
Not that we have ever tried to watch it... laptop is so much more flexible anyway. - Back door hinge retracting cord
Broke within a week.
- Dash/foot map holder
Ram van cupholders are useless and awkward. Put some effort into providing useful storage rather than shiny plastic trim over perfectly good matte black plastic trim. There is a reason every car made uses matte black. - GPS attachment
RAM clipboard implementation is stupid. Modify to add a mount and wiring for aftermarket GPS. Van's GPS is not adequate for travellers. - Option for battery monitor.
Something better would be nice for monitoring battery for boonies. Tanks as well for that matter. Probably too much to ask for solar panel hookups... - Screen opening from other side
Would be so much nicer to have more room at the opening, and have screen retracted behind water tank. I'm an engineer and possibly extra critical, but the current configuration makes no sense. - Reverse bath/bed so door opens at bed
Opening the door at the rear exposes... a mostly blank panel. Can't realistically open door from the bed. Too late now, but sheesh. - Smaller table, better comfort
We aren't even overweight, and it's a tight fit. This van isn't going to have a lot of kids in it. I suppose it isn't going to be attractive to obese people either, for that matter. - Raise body at back to clear generator
I had a 4x4 shop lift the body 2 inches so the axle is the lowest point... not the obnoxiously loud generator. - Move grey water drain switch so you can hear the water flow, and the pump noise.
- Tie-downs
I added some tie-downs internally... great for bicycles, and even a KLX250 sized motorcycle. Selling feature!! - Audio/video library – better interface
Although both the van radio and coach radio have USB ports for memory sticks, the interfaces are horrible, and useless. Complain to your suppliers! It's 2014. At least the radios have bluetooth, so we'll use OUR electronics. - Sensor for roof vent
Roof vent easy to leave open when driving away. Didn't break it yet though! - Jump seats with seat belts optional only. Really, why even make a jump seat for other people anyway? A third person can sit for a while, but it's not comfortable. Forget the fourth person entirely, as it's too cramped. Get rid of the seat belts and weighty/large supports. Seriously... gear the van for two people, make customers pay more for extra seatbelts. That generous space could be put to better use, such as a propane water heater!!
- Add another screen door to rear. Flow-thru air...
- Add OEM hooks, tie-downs, ceiling clips, etc., for common storage items. Small broom, walking sticks, chairs, towels, coats, garbage bag, etc.
- Recommend storage accessories... drawer separators, storage bins that fit well in cabinets and on the floor.