Full timing in a 2350?

Im wondering if anybody here is full timing in a 2350. Im looking to use it in suburban Los Angeles and then full time in it in a few years. I have a Roadtrek 200 Popular year 2000. It is too small for us. I do like the manueverability of the Roadtrek though. But the Roadtrek is too small for fulltiming.

How maneuverable is the 2350?
What cant you do because of its size?
Is the shower adequate?
How is that corner bed?
Does it sway while driving on windy highways?
How can you tame any squirrelly handling with the E350?
Can you park it in front of your house?
Did you move up to the 2551 and/or 2552? Why? (I dont like the 2 twin beds, no cuddling with wife)
What else can you tell me about 2350?
Dinette vs c

Size wise, the 2350 is as maneuverable as a small motorhome can be.  We have had a 200P and also a 210P.  They are like having a car with amenities.  Shower is adequate depending on your size.  I am 5'7", 200lbs. and use our shower when on the road.  Corner bed is the reason we traded after one trip to a 2551.  It is not a full size bed so it is tight.  Plus the fact you are both up against hard walls, becomes very restrictive.  Did not have any trouble with roadability.  You could add a Trac Bar to the rear and control the tail wagging the dog affect.  The water tank is aft of the axle, under the corner bed which creates the tail wagging.  Most areas will not allow you to park your unit in your front yard, which you could do in most cases with a Roadtrek.  We find a slide out is a necessity.  Dramatically improves your livability, especially if you are going full time.  Did not like the dinette, too confined and uncomfortable seating.  Go with a electric couch with built-in recliner with foot rest.  Love ours on the 2551, also gives an option area to sleep.
    These are just our thoughts, others will have different opinions.  Hope this helps.
     Bob

Hi,

I full-time solo (plus dog) in a 2351.  One foot longer and half the people makes my situation quite different from yours but I thought I'd add my 2 cents just in case it is helpful.

I've never had any handling problems in the 2351, even traveling with a full water tank (no tail wag except from my dog).  I suspect that the longer wheelbase (the extra foot in length is all between the axles) may have something to do with that.  Speaking of that extra foot, you can have the bed made one foot longer to use that foot and on the other side you can have a pantry or narrow closet added.

I find the bathroom and shower quite adequate (I am 5'8").

I love my dinette and use it all day long.  I like the permanent table and find the seating quite comfortable.  With two people, though, one would have their back to the TV, which might be annoying if you like the TV on.  If you have the additional chair on the passenger side, though, that would help (I have a closet there instead).  I do not have a slide and enjoy the extra storage that brings to that area.  Also, the unit isn't so long so you can enjoy the TV from the bed, as well.

I haven't had any parking issues in front of friend's houses unless it is a narrow road with no shoulder.  I do not tow anything, so I can easily fit into two front-to-back Walmart or grocery store parking spaces.  I frequent lots of state parks, many of which are old and not all of which are paved or have spacious sites.  I rarely have a problem parking in a site.

The types of places that I haven't been able to go to because of my size (and lack of a toad) are mostly places that are in cities or crowded towns.  Museums, specialty shopping areas, etc.  Since that's not the type of traveling that I'm into right now (preferring instead pretty state parks and lots of dog walks), I'm OK with that.  Besides, I have found that if I am in a spot for awhile, I make friends and can go with them sometimes to places I otherwise might not go (a crowded flea market, a local ice cream store).

I think that mostly covers your specific questions.  Sorry for the length, but I hope it was helpful.  Feel free to contact me via the forum mail system if you want to talk about anything else.

Good luck and have fun with the planning!

Carol

Did you move up to the 2551 and/or 2552? Why? (I dont like the 2 twin beds, no cuddling with wife)

This is one of the most critical points for my wife and I with our 2350.  We would much rather deal with the restricted access over shaking hands across the isle.  The Rob & Laura Petrie arrangement wouldn't cut it for us.

With that said, if I were to consider a new 2350, I would seriously look at a 2351 with a longer bed instead of the pantry there, for two reasons.
1) much easier access to get in and out from the bed
2) I assume a larger outdoor storage compartment.  Confirm this with the factory

If you decide not to get the optional slide out, you will regain the pantry when selecting the dinette, I think a super-size pantry when selecting the couch.  You need to confirm this with the factory.

Regarding handling.
Our 2007 E350 chassis with the 2350 was ill equipped for good handling for a multitude of reasons which were resolved since 2007.  The E350 chassis from 2008 to today is improved.  Another consideration/comparison of the 2350 today to yester-year, it was redesigned, maybe to further improve handling.

Our 2007 2350, the fresh water tanks sits across the rear bumper.  All the weight of a full tank of water is as far out there as possible, as bad as you can get.  Adding that when a half tank of water sloshes side-to-side, that also influences handling.

I think it was in 2009 when the fresh water tank was relocated within the space under the bed.  It was turned 90 degrees and moved forward, closer to the rear axle and also closer to the front/back center line as well.  This improved the weight distribution and also reduced any effects of sloshing water.

So I believe, since we purchased our 2350 in 2007, the current-day chassis and improved location of the water tank in combination reduces the need for suspension upgrades.  I also might... and I do mean "might" consider an E450 chassis with the longer 2351.  This because I would be tempted to load up heavy, the outdoor storage compartment which is now against the rear bumper.  The E450 would be the better choice for so much weight cantilevered far out from the rear axle.

In sort-of a strange way, our old 2007 2350 design is very good, only because we have the option not to carry fresh water.  If we did that, our rig would handle much better without modification to the chassis.  But we love to carry a load of fresh water so our suspension upgrades are well utilized.  The 400 pounds of water weight over the rear bumper also dampens the rough ride by a lot.

There are pros and cons to everything RV.

How is that corner bed?

This is the number one reason we moved from a 2350 to a 2551 and we have never regretted our decision.  For us, the best model is the 2551.  We are small people in size and the corner bed was very confining.  We were always bumping into the walls on all three sides and when the inside person had to get out of bed the outside person was disturbed.  

What we also gained by moving to a 2551 was a very roomy bathroom, easy access to all cabinets over the bed, not to mention not having to crawl under the mattress on the corner bed to put the fitted sheets on.

We found the bathroom in then 2350 to be very small.  There was no room for us to manuever in that tiny space.  With the bathroom along the back, as it is in the 2551, there is enough space to change clothes plus you get a nice clothes hanging closet.

Did you move up to the 2551 and/or 2552? Why? (I dont like the 2 twin beds, no cuddling with wife)

We have the slideout with a couch and very much enjoy our cuddling time.  

I think it was in 2009 when the fresh water tank was relocated within the space under the bed.  It was turned 90 degrees and moved forward, closer to the rear axle and also closer to the front/back center line as well.  This improved the weight distribution and also reduced any effects of sloshing water.

It was in 2008 that this change was made.  We had an 2008 2350 with the fresh water tank located within the space under the bed and it was turned 90 degrees and moved forward.


If I was buying a new PC today I would buy a 2551, that is how much we enjoy our unit.

We agree with the comments of Barry-Sue re the 2350 bedroom and bathroom.  We switched from a 2350 to our 2552 in order to get the slide-out pantry and the Eurochair.  Very happy that we did.
--Bruce and Sharon

When it comes to full timing it is about as personal as it can get. One person can get by on 20 foot and a wet shower and the next?  If I was going to full time I'd buy a  few year old 45 foot Prevost 500 horse pusher. However I  have never had any desire to live in one full time.  We use ours to travel in, not  stay or live in. Its more of a personal hotel room to us. 

As far as the twin beds.  That was a trade off. I didn't want to go any smaller than the 2552 and My better half did not want to go any bigger because she wants to drive it as well and any bigger she is a little intimidated.  I spent years living on the road working in  the Middle east etc. so just being across the isle is no big deal to us after having thousands of miles between us for way too long. Well that and neither of us is so old we cant sneak across the isle.   

At any rate it really is a personal thing,  I could never live in a small RV full time but I know many can with no problem at all.

Joseph is spot on.  We met a couple two years ago in a National Forest Campground out in the middle of no where in Colorado. They were fulltiming in a Roadtrek 210P.  The guy was a retired university prof from Florida and he had completely customized his rig with several hundred watts of solar.  He also had designed and built himself a little 12 volt wind generator and a telescoping pole that put it up about 15 feet or so.  He had a big hitch storage arrangement with all sorts of neat stuff he carried.  Huge inverter and he had enlarged the battery capacity to several batteries to feed it.  Fascinating guy and gal, both in their 50s and early retirees.   They had sold their home in Florida, put their "stuff" in a storage place and were committed to two years of living in the Roadtrek.   His rig looked like an airplane with the solar, which looked to me like it was a total array about the size of a regular sized mattress.  He had designed a mount for it on the roof that was an engineering miracle, IMO.   Claimed no instability problems going down the road.

Now, a Class B van camper with a wet bath gets pretty crowded.  I know. We owned the exact same unit and often spent two weeks in it mostly boondocking.   No toad required.  To each his own.  Me?  I would go nuts in such a rig for a long period of time.  The couple from FL seemed perfectly happy and excited about their adventure. 

So, I agree with Joseph:  to each his own.

Paul