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Old 05-27-2013, 11:20 AM   #1
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Calling all Owners of Solera RV

Hi! We may be taking the huge leap in buying a used Solera RV.

I would love to hear from those who owns or owned a Solera Rv with corner bed in whether you were either very happy or not quite so happy with your Solera RV.

We will be traveling in ours for at least two years across the nation with our three Border Collies and cats. We will be selling our home beforehand. Needless to say, we are novice at this and are abit nervous.

We do like the layout of the one with corner bed because it is more open for our dogs.

Any tips or suggestions would be so appreciated!

Thank you so much and have a wonderful day!!

Janet
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Old 05-27-2013, 12:06 PM   #2
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Hi, Janet.

We own a Solera - ours is the MS (with Murphy Bed), and we love everything about it. I understand you may be better satisfied with the corner bed, though those who have it do gripe about trouble making the bed and getting in/out of bed with two people (having to crawl over one another)! The Solera drives like a dream, and is very fuel efficient.

Do you know the owners? If not and since you are new to RVs, you may want to take it to an RV dealer service center and have them go over the RV systems. The engine/chassis is Mercedes responsibility and again you may want to have this checked out. I would ask to see all maintenance records for the unit.

You apparentlty will be full-timing. You need to be aware of the weight limitations of the Solera. With full gas, propane, and freshwater, and two normal-size occupants, you only have a few hundred pounds for supplies, food, etc. I suspect the 3 dogs and the cats will take up another 150lbs. If you will be towing a vehicle, there are limitations there, also. The Solera may not be the best choice for what you are planning. Overloading the Solera could be hazardous - It is built on a light truck chassis.

These are just a few of the caveats to be aware of. I'm sure you'll get lots of other replies from those more experience than I.
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Old 05-27-2013, 12:22 PM   #3
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Hi, Ed! I can't tell you how much I appreciated your input! Thank you again!

Would you mind sharing with me what mpg did you average going 65 miles per hour?

Happy Memorial Day to you guys too!
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Old 05-27-2013, 01:15 PM   #4
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I agree with Taylorgso, I wouldn't consider full timing it in a Solera, a bit too much togetherness! Before you sell everything and go full time in any RV, rent one for a week or two, see if you really would be happy in it for your full time home. We love our Solera, and just spent two weeks in it. I can see us in it for about a month, but over that, I think we would start to get cabin fever. We averaged 12.8 miles per hour on a 2,000 mile trip.
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Old 05-27-2013, 01:29 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Stardust8385 View Post
Would you mind sharing with me what mpg did you average going 65 miles per hour?
Well... you're talking to a guy who's 75 years old and who's never in a hurry to get anywhere, and never drives 65mph - except in brief distances.

I only have a little over 1000 miles on mine. Not towing, best i've gotten is 15.4mpg. My understanding from reading the forum is that the engine needs to be well broken in before you'll get max mileage, and most people are reporting in the 16mpg range, but I suspect they drive a little faster than I do.

We do tow a small (Mazda3) a lot of the time, and I've been getting a little better than 13.5 towing. I hope that improves, too.
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Old 05-27-2013, 01:38 PM   #6
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I agree with Taylorgso, I wouldn't consider full timing it in a Solera, a bit too much togetherness! Before you sell everything and go full time in any RV, rent one for a week or two, see if you really would be happy in it for your full time home. We love our Solera, and just spent two weeks in it. I can see us in it for about a month, but over that, I think we would start to get cabin fever. We averaged 12.8 miles per hour on a 2,000 mile trip.
Debbie is spot on about the full-timing, and renting a unit for a while. You may try renting the smallest unit available and "checking the fit!" Our first MH was a 27' Tioga Class C - stayed out a month with 2 children and managed well. But full-timing? I doubt we could have managed even with the two of us for much longer.

There are a lot of great used units available, both from private sellers and dealers. Check NADA RV guides for approximate prices. Offer somewhere near wholesale. If it's on dealer lot, make a ridiculous offer... they don't like to see a sale walk off the lot, and will negotiate very quickly. You may even come back to the forum and ask opinions about value vs sale price.

Keep in mind. The Solera is somewhat an anomaly in that it gets great gas mileage. Almost all other class C's have gas engines, and you'll do well to get 10-11 mpg with them, even the smaller ones.

Remember, these are just my (and Debbie's) opinions. Keep asking the questions, Janet. Someone on the forum will have an answer.
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Old 05-27-2013, 01:45 PM   #7
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Ours is broken in-as we have almost 13000 miles on it now. The best gas milage we ever got was in the 13.5 range. We drive it around the speed limit, maybe a tad bit under. I use the cruise control when ever I can, so, personally, I wouldn't buy one expecting the 18 mpg that the dealerships taunt! No RV is going to be cheap to run or maintain.
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Old 05-27-2013, 07:22 PM   #8
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Fuel mileage

We drove ours from Louisiana to Yellowstone and back. We were in no hurry drove about 60 mph and got 15 mpg. We love ours
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Old 05-27-2013, 08:31 PM   #9
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Got ours out for the first time this year went form Iowa to Mississippi so far.
First time towing a car behind us on a tow dolly still average about 13 MPG. Planning to be out for two to three week more.
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Old 05-27-2013, 08:43 PM   #10
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Since picking up in February we have put on 6000 miles. Lowest gas mileage was 12.8 and best was 16.6. We love our Solera. Currently we are on a 3 week trip. We think it is the right size for us for trips.
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Old 05-28-2013, 08:44 AM   #11
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Got ours out for the first time this year went form Iowa to Mississippi so far.
First time towing a car behind us on a tow dolly still average about 13 MPG. Planning to be out for two to three week more.
Wow, Henry... that sounds like excellent mileage - especially considering the added weight of the tow dolly, which must be 5-600lbs at least.

Ed
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Old 05-28-2013, 11:03 AM   #12
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Calling all Solera Owners

Hello,

Regarding the corner bed, how tall, how wide and how old are you? My wife and I are six feet tall and weigh 200. Don't tell her I told you that! There is no way we can both sleep in the corner bed so I get the pizza oven (the bed over the cab). The corner bed is too short and too narrow for two big people. I can't even sleep in it alone unless I sleep diagonally. When we bought it we anticipated none of this. As we get older I now realize that we will need something else. I suppose there will come a day when I can't or shouldn't climb up and down from the bed over the cab especially at night. Too dangerous. We are now in our early sixties.

Regarding living in the Solera, I totally agree with the person who said to rent one BEFORE selling your house. We didn't know if we would even like RV'ing so we first bought a Four Wheel Camper for the back of my pickup. That was only a $10,000 investment. We took off for the summer for three months and had a great time but realized we needed something bigger with a bathroom. So we sold the popup for $8,000 and bought the Solera in 2011.

At any rate, we took off again in March and circumnavigated the US and Canada. Were gone for three months. Going from the popup on the pickup to the Solera was like moving from a tent to a mansion. Never got claustrophobic. For two people like us we could easily travel for months at a time and feel very comfortable in our Solera. With the slide out it really seems very roomy. We definitely do not need anything bigger.

Also, we can't get anything bigger because we go to a lot of state parks where they have length limits of 27". Our favorite park in all California is Sugarloaf and they have a 27" length limit.

Our only issue is that when I can no longer climb the ladder to the bed over the cab we will have to sell the corner bed model and buy the one with the walk around bed with the slide out at the back. Would have bought that model when we bought ours in 2011 but they did not come out with that model till last year.

Another point to consider. Are you travelers or campers? By that I mean do you stay on the move every day or every couple days or do you like to go somewhere and stay there for two to four weeks or even all summer? If you are a camper you may like something a little bigger where fuel mileage and maneuverability are not such a big issue. If I were to stay somewhere for weeks at a time it would be really nice to have something bigger and to have a dinghy. But for us who rarely stay anywhere for more than a day or two - we're travelers, not campers - the Solera is perfect. Not having a car to tow is never a issue for us. We have never had issues parking it even in cities. If you were a camper I think you would definitely need a car to get around. And being travelers, going thousands of miles each year, the Sprinter gets double the mileage of any Class A.

Hope this helps.

Bob & Tina
San Francisco

As for gas mileage its always between 14 and 16 miles per gallon. Maybe a little more or less depending on headwinds or tailwind.
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Old 05-28-2013, 11:16 AM   #13
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Oh, three dogs and how many cats?

Yikes. My wife wants a dog. Repeat, A dog. I am fighting off that idea. Not that I don't like dogs. In Ohio we had a 150 lb. wolf who I loved but the idea of travelling in a RV with a menagerie is something I can't abide. We also have a 42" sailboat we travel in and I can't see doing it with pets that you have to manage.

I don't know. Unless you really are in love with these animals the idea of travelling with them for years in a 24" RV is "beyond the pale". I could not do it. But that is just me.

I would really think this through before spending a lot of money. You should really rent a 24' something and see how your sanity is at the end of a four or five week trip.

I
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:21 AM   #14
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I don't know. Unless you really are in love with these animals the idea of travelling with them for years in a 24" RV is "beyond the pale". I could not do it. But that is just me.
I
Our Mistie graciously consents to our sharing "her RV" with her. LOL

We were camping this past weekend. Out of maybe 40 units in the area we were set up, I'd estimate 60-70% had dogs. Admittedly, most of the units were larger than our 24' Solera, but we were able to accomodate her (she weighs 52#) quite well. When under way, she has her spot in the kitchen area which gives her plenty of room. She's used to being alone in the camper if we're involved in other activities. We have a tie-out stake when she's outside and we're not with her. Only problem - not a complaint - is she's a longhaired breed and sheds a lot; nothing a vac won't handle.

I think a lot depends on the temperament and disposition of the dog (andof the owners). Mistie has been well trained and adapts well. I've seen others than are nothing but a nuisance.
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Old 05-29-2013, 10:26 AM   #15
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Oh, I thought you said three dogs and a herd of cats...........

I like your paint job on the Solera. We got plain white so I am envious.
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Old 05-29-2013, 11:23 AM   #16
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Oh, I thought you said three dogs and a herd of cats...........

I like your paint job on the Solera. We got plain white so I am envious.
Thanks. We originally purchased he white Soiera at the RV show. SWMBO came home, got on the internet and saw the one with the full body paint. After 18 years trying to keep the black streaks off our old pusher with gelcoat walls, and the fact they never did "shine," SWMBO insisted on upgrading to the painted exterior. Time will tell if it was a wise decision (and worth the price differential).
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:45 PM   #17
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Just got ours last month and have went about 2000 miles. We have a Doberman and it is close quarters with the dog. We pull a small enclosed trailer and the Solera has tons on power and does well on diesel. Minor problems have been corrected quickly. I love it, but can't image with three pets.
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Old 06-01-2013, 06:15 PM   #18
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If you're pets are going to sleep in the bed with you, I'd be cautious of the corner bed. It's slightly smaller than a full size mattress. My wife and I do ok for a week or two with two small dogs but it's pretty crowded. I sleep by the window and if I need to get up in the night, it's virtually impossible without waking her up. If we were going to full-time, I'd probably look for the smallest thing I could find with a rear walk around bed. Having said that, everyone is different and you may be fine with it. As others have said, before you make the commitment, rent something with a similar floorplan and give it a try.

The mattress that came with our 2011 is shot after just a few trips so I'd plan on a new mattress at minimum if you're going to full time.
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Old 06-02-2013, 04:02 PM   #19
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Thank you all for your two cents worth! I appreciate them. Yes, we would be travelers for two years and definitely are committed to selling our home in Florida for various of reasons. This was not a decision made lightly at all, I tell you. LOL

We hope to buy some land out west and settle there after a couple of years. We do alot with our dogs, Apollo, Jack and Meg. I am not worried about the closeness for we all can make that work. These dogs are very well-behaved; travel extremely well and a joy to have around too. They are our four legged children.

The gas mileage is very important to my husband. We can not afford to go to anything bigger than the 24 ' Class C rv. I am so grateful we "move out of" considering any of the Class B rvs! We are also looking at the Itasca NavionJ as well. We want the roomiest Class C on the Sprinter chassis we can find for our family. Solera RS and Navion J seems to fit the bill the most.

I am 5'1/2" tall and Bill is 6' tall. Our Border Collies, Apollo weighs 56.4 lbs; Jack 64.4 lbs and Meg 44.6 lbs. The dogs somehow fit pretty decent in the back seat of our Toyota Corolla sedan.

What an adventure we will be embarking on eventually!!

Have an superb day!

Janet
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Old 06-02-2013, 04:46 PM   #20
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Well, most recent trip (Friday), we got 13.5 mpg.
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