Used 2021 Solis 59px or 2010 ERA 170X?

[jmonache63]

Hi Winnie owners, I am very close to owning my first class b campervan. I have narrowed down my choices to a used 2021 Solis 59px, or a 2010 ERA 170x. Of course the Solis is more expensive, MUCH newer, and sleeps 4 (which is a nice feature that will rarely get used), but the ERA has a diesel engine (and it's a bit longer, but no pop-top). Anyone have advice? Which makes more sense? I hear diesel is better in terms of longevity, towing, power etc. but is more expensive to maintain. Thank you in advance for your input

[Morich]

WOW! One could almost get whiplash from thinking of the differences in those!
But much of it is going to be personal choice combined with what you plan to do with the RV???
So I might throw in some of my personal thoughts but do consider them to apply to me and maybe not to you!!
I tend to like newer/smaller but hate some of the newer issues they have added for me to try to sort out and keep working. How do you feel about adding tech if it also adds to the failures?
Of those two, We would not like the Murphy bed as when we want to lay down, we certainly do not want to be making the bed! They seem to be lots of reports of problems with the movement but mostly it is just not for us as we want a full time bed.

And the personal choice thing comes in again on the engine as we have not had anything but gas . I watch my brother and we are glad to avoid diesel!
A site to do lots of detail looking at where they may have built in some problems is this online parts catalog that lets you do lots of looking through the walls at things like where the tanks are put and gives details on volumes, etc.
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Winnebago does do a great job of given us lots of info online.
https://www.winnebago.com/
Under the owners tab and drill down into lots of specifics on drawings and diagrams as well as the sales booklets?

One of the big things about RV is that there is a super wide range to fit our personal tastes.
But it may take forever to find out and it does keep changing over the years, so there may not be a firm answer!

[jmonache63]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will dig into the links you sent. I really appreciate your input!

[Morich]

As a way to keep the conversation going until somebody with experience on one of those two RV comes along, how do you see the RV being used?

You mention occasional use for more bedding. We had that in mind for a while with two grandkids nearby but it only happened twice between them being too young and suddenly too old and too busy!
We are not too much into cold, so we rarely went when too cold, so looking back, we might have been better served by not going for the extra sleeping space. We might now bed them down in any open space or tent them.
When they went solo, they often slept in hammocks between two trees and were able to walk the next morning!
We rarely got them to settle long enough to need dining space!

[bobojay]

Be aware, that 2010 ERA is a first generation product. WGOs first class B. It's on a 2500 chassis and really close to the max weight capacity of that Sprinter. They were not very well constructed but who knows what subsequent owners have done to help with that. We had 2 Sprinter RVs, 2009 and '13. Many shop visits for chassis related items, and both had rust on them within a year (welded body seams). Very expensive repairs if needed.
We've had a Travato Promaster we bought new and in our almost 6 years and 56k miles of ownership, one shop visit for a recall. No rust either anywhere. You can easily get 300k+ miles on a Promaster gas engine (Pentastar) if taken care of and 5k mile oil changes, and those are a piece of cake to do yourself....