www.MN-RV.com - FAQ Page 1

Is it easy to drive ?

Yes and a regular driver license is all you need.
It is built on a Ford van chassis so the driving area is just like a Ford van. While it is 32 feet long, a Suburban is 19 feet and a Suburban with a small boat is 42 feet, so it is not as big as you would think.

I have installed a rear vision system which gives you a rear view via a 6.4" color LCD screen above the rearview mirror. Use it while backing or leave it on to monitor traffic.

It is a truck, so the steering is a little slow and vague and it gets effect by the wind some. After 1/2 hour behind the wheel, you adjust and feel comfortable.

Does it have enough power ?

The RV has plenty of power. It is built on the Ford E450 chassis with the 6.8l Triton V10 engine with 310 HP and 425 pound of torque. The RV fully loaded weight about 14,000lbs but Ford uses the same engine in trucks and RVs that weight up to 22,000lbs, so there is more then enough power.

The RV will cruise at 75 MPH all day on cruise control just fine. On average hills it can keep it's speed up, on steeper hills it won't drop below 60 and going up the steep grades, like the east bound Eisenhower tunnel in Colorado, it might drop to 45 for a while. Remember your on vacation, you don't need to hurry.

Mileage ?

It will get between 7 and 9 MPG. Mileage is effected a little by how much you use the generator, it burns about 1/2 gallon per hour. The RV has a 55 gallon fuel tank so you can go 400 miles between fills.

Don't worry too much about gas prices....if you take a 2000 mile trip, a $.20 cent increase in gas prices only increases your overall gas price by $44 ! You can see average gas prices across the country at the AAA's Fuel Gauge Report.

How many will it sleep ?

Officially it can sleep 8, comfortably a little less then that. It has 4 beds:
- a queen bed in the rear bedroom. Two adults
- a queen bed over the cab. Two adults
- the dinette folds into a bed. It is a little short but can fit two kids
- the couch fold flat. One adult or two kids

We spent two week last summer with four adults and three young kids (7,6,4) and we fit fine with the adults in bedroom and over the cab, two kids in the dinette and one on the couch.

How many can ride and what about seatbelts?

The motorhome has 8 seatbelts so the official answer is 8. Most states I have looked into only require seatbelt usage for the driver, passenger and kids. The motorhome has driver and passenger airbags (2nd generation) so the driver and passenger should always wear seatbelts and kids should not sit up front.

How are things powered....is there a generator ?

Most things in the RV are AC powered, just like at home. AC power is supplied by either a generator, a 30 amp power cord at the campground or from batteries via an inverter. This RV has an Onan MicroQuiet generator that provides 4,000 Watts. The generator is gas and runs off the same fuel tank as the RV.

When you are driving, the inverter can power the TVs, the microwave, the coffee pot, your computer, etc. It cannot power the house AC because it draws more power then the inverter and batteries can handle. When parked, most people plug in and then everything is off that. If there is no power available, you can power a limited number of things for a limited time off the batteries or run the generator or some combination.

The RV has two deep cycle 6V batteries (=12V) that are charged by either the engine, the generator, external AC and a small solar panel (100W). I estimate that the solar panel, with good sun, supplies enough power to the batteries to run the water pump, some lights at night, coffee maker and the TV for an hour and keep close to a full charge on the batteries.

Is the RV air conditioned?

Yes. The motorhome has two A/C systems, one is driven by the engine via dash vents and thus used only when driving, and the other is a roof unit that is powered by AC power. The roof A/C cannot be run off the inverter so the generator or external AC must be supplied. The cold air from the roof A/C is distributed through 5 ceiling ducts so it is very effective at cooling the RV. The HVAC system has a thermostat just like at home.

When you are driving and the outside temp is less then 90, the engine A/C is generally enough to cool the RV as long as you open a rear window or vent slightly to pull the A/C through the unit. If it get too hot, just start the generator (the switch is inside) and run the roof A/C in addition to the dash A/C.