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Topic: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come. (Read 3 times) previous topic - next topic
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What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Yahoo Message Number: 125593
Do think the present day LD will make any major changes?
 I see a lot of those new Class C MH that are kind of a cross between Class C and Class B.  The ones on the Dodge, Freightliner, MB,  and etc chassis.  The ones that still keep the overhead sleeping area and look like a small Class C.
 Do you think LD will ever move in this direction and get away from the full size Ford Chassis?

Do you see any other major changes LD may be making?

What about the future of the V10?  Say 5-10 years from now?

Thanks Steve

PS. I do not own a LD, but am looking to buy one.
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125595
Pure speculation (because I really have no idea), but I have to say *major* change is unlikely.  LD is the definition of a slow change organization.  They tried to make a move to the GM Kodiak chassis a couple of years ago for a larger unit, and managed to build three of them, before GM canceled the platform.  I hate to think how much *that* cost them.
 I am guessing (and hope) they stick with platform that sells the most and will likely be around the longest and has a good reliability record.  Right now that appears to be the Ford E450, although it has been different historically.  LD is a very small organization and will not be able to push the truck vendors very hard by themselves.

-Dave '06 MB, Indianapolis
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125600
On Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:47:33 -0000, "steve" goodmans58@...> wrote:

Quote
Do think the present day LD will make any major changes?
I would say no. You could call and talk with Steve, if you are really interested.
 Speaking for myself, I would not be interested in an LD on a Sprinter chassis.
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125625
Why not build an LD on Sprinter chassis?
 I know they aren't as robust as the Ford chassis but they have their own merits as well.  I would like to think the folks at LD are crafty enough to build a rig on the lighter duty frame that still maintains the LD "core values".
 Also I understand by 2014 the Econoline style van will be replaced by a world type vehicle, most likely the Transit.

-Ken
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125631
On Sat, 01 Oct 2011 21:07:51 -0000, "Ken" kman940@...> wrote:

Quote
Why not build an LD on Sprinter chassis?
Ask Steve Newton. He makes those decisions.
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy
Re: the future of LD
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125636
"Why not build an LD on Sprinter chassis?"
 Three letters: CCC. Look at the cargo carrying capacity a Lazy Daze gives you--not the gross weight, but the amount of *you and your stuff* that it's capable of carrying. Now subtract two tons of useful capacity, and you have a typical Sprinter-based motorhome, complete with tiny tanks that have to be emptied every couple of days, and minimal ability to carry food, clothes, belongings, and people.
 Lazy Daze has a successful business building medium-sized class C motorhomes. For several decades now, they've been building just a couple of hundred RVs a year, so it's a fairly safe guess that they're not looking to expand production. (If they did, they'd have to do major upgrades to their factory to comply with California's VOC emission laws, which are waived for small producers.)
 They have a months-long waiting list, so there's no incentive for them to introduce new models to boost sales. On the one occasion in the past thirty years when they *did* introduce a new model, it was a larger motorhome (the Kodiak-based LDs) rather than a smaller one... but GM's shutdown of Kodiak chassis production killed that model.
 If you want a lightweight motorhome for weekend outings, Born Free makes one with fairly high build quality. Lazy Daze is unlikely to do so in the foreseeable future.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125685
I am new at all this.  What do they mean by "sprinter chassis"? Are they all rear wheel drive or are some front wheel drive? Thanks, Steve
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125688
Thanks Linda.  So now I know.  I am real new to all this.
Wonder what kind of gas mileage they get, when converted to a motorhome? Steve
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125690
"steve"  wrote: Wonder what kind of gas mileage they get, when converted to a motorhome? --- Not real good; the Sprinter is diesel. ;-)  The "Sprinter" has beed badged under the Dodge, Freightliner, and now, Mercedes Benz brands, and the chassis options have increased in number with each badge change. This link shows the current lineup (and the specs) for the Mercedes Benz Sprinter:
 http://www.mbsprinterusa.com/sprinter/showroom 
Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125692
The people I know with Class C motorhomes on the Sprinter chassis (Winnebago View and similar) report 15 to 18 mpg (most of them at the higher end), towing a long, narrow 1700 lb trailer. That's in the 60-70 mph range.

These are intriguing units, and my wife and I really wanted to like them. The LD still seems more attractive, with much more storage, a much bigger cabover bed, and better build quality.

Eric
2005 Jayco 24SS
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125695
Sprinters make wonderful sense...in Europe, where the roads and people are smaller. Our roads are wider and will accommodate the wide bodies, both RVs and human.
I'm sure many Europeans would love wider RVs, if the roads would permit them. We recently spend a bit of time wandering in southern France where we saw hundreds, if not thousands of various sized MHs and trailers. We were surprised to see so many 30'+ Class As and  good sized travel trailers (most from Germany, pulled by big BMW,  Audi or MB Suvs). I looked inside as many RVs as I could and saw that many of us are too large to comfortably fit, not having the room of our LDs.
 Sprinters, in their existing editions, do not have the payload capacity that we are accustomed to. The tanks are small and require frequent dumping and filling.  Many Euro sprinters use black water tanks are actually small removable cans that are manually remove and hand carried to the dump every day or two...a pleasant duty.
 What I would expect to see in the next few years is for Ford to update the E450 and install an inter-cooled diesel that will bring the mileage up into the mid-teens. The technology is out there to produce clean-burning, high-mileage engines that will pass our stringent pollution standards.  The Europeans are a long ways ahead of us in this respect, everything in Europe now uses clean-diesel, including high-end luxury cars.
I doubt if the full-size cutaway chassis is going to disappear since most of them are converted into delivery vans.  It will  evolve into a more efficient vehicle.  Large vehicles will always be needed..

Larry
2001 MB
* Not to be confused with Larry W (3000 of my posts are actually from expert Larry W due to Yahoo transition mis-step)
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125696
Any thoughts about the Eco-boost gas engines appearing in the E450?

Eric Greenwell
2005 Jayco 24SS
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125818
Quote
Why not build an LD on Sprinter chassis?
I think Sprinters make for excellent Class B rigs (with single rear wheels).  A Lazy Daze Class B could be a really interesting unit.  I think most, if not all, of the C rigs built on Sprinters are overloaded, especially the Winnies, cool as they look.
 
Re: What do you think the future of LD is in the years to come.
Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 125822
Please do not suggest the Sprinter chassis!! I owned (past tense) a 2006  Roadtrek Adventurous in a Sprinter.
MPG is a great plus but only a factor for those who run a lot of miles and  the MPG go down fast as speed increases.
The negatives were lack of service dealers once Daimler and Dodge divorced.  Expensive parts, dealer only diagnostics, lack of load capacity. GVW's   ever with dual wheels.
For now I get my Diesel fix with a VW Golf TDI with the DSG  transmission.

Lloyd 2001 26.5 RK