2015 Solera 24R New Owner Observations

[Mikegjax]

I bought mine new in Sep 2013. It's a 2014 and now has 55,000 miles. I've had a few chassis issues early on like failed wheel sensors. Warranty covered replacement. I do all my own servicing like oil changes and fuel filter replacement.

According to my scanner the chassis has never needed to perform a regeneration.

The little diesel has plenty of power and I get around 12.5 mpg towing and cruising at 67 mph.

Great chassis with a roomy cab.

[CharSolera]

LeeF, I have regular service at the MBS dealer in Tucson (I pass through Tucson yearly as I work my way north with the spring). Freightliner service is usually available near truck stops, but I haven't had to use it.
Yes, I've have two catpanions traveling with me for the past five years. They love it as much as I do.

[LeeF]

Good to know that you guys haven't had trouble finding service! Is there a particular OBD2 reader that you'd recommend that works well with the MB and is easy to read for non mechanics? Also what about a tire pressure meter?

[LeeF]

Charlene, that is amazing that you fulltime in this little rig with your cats! Do they ever have issues with the small space? I have a dog and 2 cats - I'm sure my dog will love it right away but my cats are older and I'm not sure how they'll acclimate. Did you have to do anything special to get them used to it? And where do you keep the litter box? LOL... I won't be fulltiming, but it would be nice to take longer trips and bring the kitties.


Also, silly question - does anybody know if the stock radio that comes with this rig supports Apple CarPlay? Maybe with a software upgrade... I wouldn't think Jim's 2012 would (unless there's been an upgrade that he installed) but maybe Charlene's would? I am both a musician and a tech nerd so I'm kinda picky about these things and need to know if I should be setting aside budget to replace the stereo.

[JLeising]

I use an Autel OBD2 reader - it’s several years old now; there may well be better choices today.
I use a truck type tire pressure gauge with a hose and a gauge. Be sure to get one that goes to a high enough pressure. Similar to this:


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JWKOY5U...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I have not gone to a TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) yet. Many strongly recommend installing such a system. Search TPMS on the forum and you will find lots of information.

[Mikegjax]

This is the unit I have and it provides lots of info. It will reset the brake ware system and also tell you how many regenerations have been performed. Will also allow you to perform a manual regen.

Checks most systems and let you know which wheel sensor has failed.

https://www.amazon.com/iCarsoft-Merc...87015726&psc=1

[Mikegjax]

I would update the software be first use.

https://www.amazon.com/iCarsoft-Merc...87015726&psc=1

[CharSolera]

LeeF, they both do just fine in the space. One is 11 and the other is six. They both made the transition from a house to the RV quickly. They do have a regular schedule with play and training, but their favorite past time is bird watching. The youngest cat goes outdoors for walks on a leash occasionally. I recommend Tidy Cat's Breeze system for the liter box. No smells and no sand. I put the box behind the drivers seat.

My Jensen radio doesn't support Apple Carplay or Android Auto (I use the application on my cell phone instead).

[LeeF]

Thanks for the info on the code scanner, the one specifically for the Sprinter looks like it'd be great!


And Charlene... my cats are wonderful EXCEPT... one of them has so far refused to use any litter except clay litter. He is super picky about his litter box. So I tend to doubt he would use the Breeze pellets, unfortunately... lol. But good to know yours have adapted! I saw a hack where someone removed the drawers under the dinette benches and made that space into cat hangouts. One of mine in particular likes to have a place to hide so I might do something like that if they have a hard time adapting.

You guys are great, thanks!

[Solera Steve]

I purchased a used 2014 Solera 24R with aroung 16K miles a little over 2 years ago. Before taking it on any camping trip I spent about 2 months going over the unit and performing maintenance on every component I could find. This gave me experience diagnosing and working on the unit while in the comfort of my home. We have taken the unit on 1 great trip out west and several shorter trips on the east coast. Main issues have been wheel sensor units and slide out motors. Since we had a service agreement that came with the unit our cost were the $250 deductible per incident.
All of that being considered my wife and I are extremely happy with the Solera. We cannot wait to get back into some camping since we have not gone since December 2019. Have fun. They are work but they are so much fun!

[Ecopco]

Wow! Great comments. Glad this thread is still going. Before we bought our 2015 Solera 24R I was on this forum every day and it was an invaluable asset in helping me decide which RV to purchase. 6 years and 22K later I’m still happy with our purchase. Sometimes I want a bigger rig but most of the time, I feel that we made a great choice. The Solera has so many upscale features like full body paint and so much storage. We travel with our tanks mostly dry and our tow vehicle nearly empty as we are at max GCVWR. Mechanical repairs in the last 6 years have been limited 3 speed sensors. We’ve had minor things break inside the rig including a toilet fitting, and a day/night shade anchor pulled out of bedroom wall. We do all required maintenance at a local Indepdndent MB. We did do the fuel filter early and will probably do it again soon. We also changed out the coach batteries to Lifeline AGM’s. My only real complaint is the diamond shield on the front of the rig has got moisture beneath it and needs to be removed. It makes the rig look bad. Other than that we’re happy campers!

[Puma26RLSS]

I don't have a Solera, but my wife and I are considering a Solera or similar Class C. I have a couple of questions. We currently have a Puma travel trailer and pickup, which we have enjoyed for 10 years and 25,000 plus miles. We have gotten used to parking our unit in a campsite and then taking the truck for sight seeing and activities. We are not sure how we would adjust to just taking a Class C of this size without a toad. Have any of you made that transformation? If so, how did it go? Pros/cons? We do have a Hyundai Elantra at 2,900 lbs. Do you think that would make a doable toad? If so, how much do you think that would that impact the 13-14 mpg mileage? If not, why?

[DaveJordan]

Originally Posted by Puma26RLSS

Have any of you made that transformation?

I have not. While it doesn't take a huge amount of time to decamp, it's probably 20 minutes - even if you leave hoses and cables behind. A toad just made more sense to me.

Originally Posted by Puma26RLSS

We do have a Hyundai Elantra at 2,900 lbs. Do you think that would make a doable toad? If so, how much do you think that would that impact the 13-14 mpg mileage? If not, why?

Yes, that should work as a toad (well, assuming that it's towable - It looks like, with a manual transmission, at least some years are towable.) Getting all the bits and pieces needed for a toad is a few thousand dollars. You'll need:

• baseplate on toad
• braking system on toad
• brake/tail light wiring on toad
• tow bar
• maybe a couple of other smaller items

The toad will probably knock one or two mpg off the mileage but, in the scheme of things, that's probably not a lot of money - the setup stuff will probably cost more than you'll ever lose in mpg.

[LeeF]

I've only actually had my Solera for a few months, and I've never owned a TT, but I researched a lot of different options before buying the Solera, including whether to get a truck and TT vs. a Class B or C, and once I decided on the Sprinter based Class C, whether it made sense to get a toad. There are tradeoffs no matter which way you go, and I've observed all the tradeoffs in action since I've had the Solera - both for myself and from seeing what campsite neighbors experience. For me, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have a toad, although of course I could always get one in the future if I change my mind. But part of the reason I like having the small Class C is it's very easy to maneuver, park, set up camp and break camp. There've been a few times when I just want to run to the store or something and wish I had a toad, but if it's to go sightseeing or what have you, it doesn't bother me at all to take the Solera. In fact I like the fact that I can take my bathroom and kitchen with me to go wherever I'm going, so I don't have to deal with public restrooms or anything. The Solera can be parked just about anywhere so it's no biggie. If I really didn't want to de-camp from a particular place, I'd probably just rent a car for the day or take Uber. That doesn't work in very remote areas but in places like that, I'd probably either be staying close to camp anyway or would prefer to take the motorhome where I'm going.


I guess it boils down to how you plan to spend most of your time. If you're on the road a lot, the toad is kind of a pain and as Dave pointed out, you have to have the right kind of car and aside from the fuel mileage, it takes quite a bit of money to outfit your toad and RV. Plus it makes the rig that much more difficult to park, set up camp, break camp etc. although I guess you're used to that if you're used to a trailer. I like the simplicity of just being able to take off or park without much fuss. If you're fulltime or you want to camp for long periods in one spot, it would make more sense to have a toad. I know someone with a similar RV who is fulltime and she tows a Jeep Wrangler. It's small and lighter weight I think and doesn't affect mileage much.

[Loefflerh]

I completely agree with Leef...it is my 7th year with a SprinterMBS, 3 years Solera and the 4th with the Forester 2400w.
For those typical 7 mile away shopping trips I added 2 ebikes to the rear. Fantastic!
And if you want to go further - like in April twice from Hiawassee to Helen - take the motorhome! No problem parking whatsoever..
Or the prior year in Frico CO: we really wanted to see the surrounding, so we got a rent a car for 200$ the week.
Hans

[LeeF]

Good to know that a long time owner agrees! And I've considered getting an e-bike - those seem cool! I have a folding bike already which fits nicely in the Solera storage bay. I've seen that there are folding e-bikes that are similarly designed.


I'd say to just try it for awhile without a toad, and see if you like the tradeoffs. You can always get a toad later if you decide it really makes sense.

[Loefflerh]

Check out radpower bikes, they have folding ebikes. I don't have the folding ones but their quality is superb .

[Homebrew]

Originally Posted by LeeF

Good to know that a long time owner agrees! And I've considered getting an e-bike - those seem cool! I have a folding bike already which fits nicely in the Solera storage bay. I've seen that there are folding e-bikes that are similarly designed.


I'd say to just try it for awhile without a toad, and see if you like the tradeoffs. You can always get a toad later if you decide it really makes sense.

We just received our lectric e bikes and tested them on a great flat trail and a hilly campground and had a blast. My wife and I have agreed it’s the best thing we ever did.
We would never do more than a mile or two on normal bikes due to the hills in many areas. The last few days we put 40+ miles on the e bikes.

[Puma26RLSS]

Originally Posted by DaveJordan

I have not. While it doesn't take a huge amount of time to decamp, it's probably 20 minutes - even if you leave hoses and cables behind. A toad just made more sense to me.



Yes, that should work as a toad (well, assuming that it's towable - It looks like, with a manual transmission, at least some years are towable.) Getting all the bits and pieces needed for a toad is a few thousand dollars. You'll need:

• baseplate on toad
• braking system on toad
• brake/tail light wiring on toad
• tow bar
• maybe a couple of other smaller items

The toad will probably knock one or two mpg off the mileage but, in the scheme of things, that's probably not a lot of money - the setup stuff will probably cost more than you'll ever lose in mpg.

Since I have an Elantra with automatic transmission, and that may be questionable for a toad, does the use of a tow dolly ever enter your analyses?
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...1&gclsrc=3p.ds

[DaveJordan]

Originally Posted by Puma26RLSS

Since I have an Elantra with automatic transmission, and that may be questionable for a toad, does the use of a tow dolly ever enter your analyses?
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...1&gclsrc=3p.ds

I always thought this approach cumbersome because you end up with a third item that needs to be stashed somewhere around your campsite. Other than that, it might well be a viable option. The one you referenced appears to me to have a capacity right at the weight of your car and doesn't appear to have brakes, which I consider a necessity when towing with a Sprinter chassis - the combined weight of the car and dolly is something like a third of the weight of the motorhome itself. Anyway, here's one with a higher capacity, and brakes, for not a whole lot more money:

https://www.campingworld.com/roadmas...B&gclsrc=aw.ds