Keel Hauler, we are now in competition...let the games begin
For others considering a dinette in a slide-out or not....
Our NO slide-out dinette, we have a flat floor...no step up, no slide out walls, and we have a higher ceiling. Like all PC dinettes without a slide out behind the driver or passenger, our dinette utilizes a portion of the angled transition wall as seen in the two floor plans below. So a 2552 with a no-slide dinette gives you more available wall to include a pull-out pantry, much larger over-head cabinets, and also more dinette head room. This compared to having the dinette inside a slide out.
There are other considerations with a slide out such as cost, weight, dirt, bugs, air & water leaks, noise, long term reliability, etc. You give up much for 2 feet of open floor space when parked. Yet it is obvious that the slide out is most popular, my wife and I in the minority with our thinking. I simply want to outline the differences for people who don't realize the benefit in not getting the slide out for the 2552, and with other models too.
Drawers versus no drawers in the dinette benches....
Our dinette bench seats without drawers offer more storage and accommodate the heaviest of items such as heavy packs of bottled water, soda, tool box, jack, etc. for they rest on the carpeted floor. Access is from two places, from above by removing the bottom cushion, and from the front through the doors seen in our green dinette pictures. If ordering a new PC, you can request drawers or doors. Admittedly the huge drawers Keel Hauler have, offer great convenience. But if heavy weight and bulk storage is your priority, consider doors, not drawers.
Note Keel Hauler's thicker cloth cushions. Our original standard low density foam cushions were as thick as that. The thinner but more dense memory foam we have today (both for seat and back rest) make the dinette much more roomier & comfortable, more supporting and easier to get into and out from. You gain more leg room and more distance between your gut and the table. The memory foam is better for sleeping on as well. When I sat on our original cushions, my 180 pound rump bottomed out on the hard base, obviously uncomfortable. No bottoming out on the thinner memory foam cushions. Keep in-mind our rig was made back in 2007. Maybe PC-USA changed the standard foam since those days. If visiting the factory, ask if they would set one of each type of cushion per bench for you to easily compare.
No-Slideout Dinette Behind Driver Seat
No-Slideout Dinette Behind Passenger Seat
Poll