Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 23:40:59 EST
Reply-To: Ssittservl@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: S Sittservl <Ssittservl@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Sportsmobile
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> Date: 03/24/2000 1:27:51 PM CDT
> From: scottse@MICROSOFT.COM (Scott Semyan)
>
> I know this might be a sacrilegious question but does anyone have any
> experience with Sportsmobile (http://www.sportsmobile.com/)?
I've been intrigued by the Sportsmobiles since before we bought our
Westfalia two years ago. What I like best about them is:
(1) The ability to do a custom floorplan and custom equipment for
no extra cost.
(2) The big straight-up poptop; roomy, with lots of windows.
(3) A very different "feel" than most van campers. The
Sportsmobile seems to be much more open and airy
(depending on the floor plan and furnishings, of course),
and they make particularly good use of space. I'd feel "canned"
in most van campers; the Sportsmobile - like the Westfalia -
seems to let the outdoors in more.
(4) The availability of standard RV amenities - extra batteries,
holding tanks, shower, furnace, power convertor, etc.
(5) A better van than the Vanagon underneath it: more reliable,
a real engine, engine up front so it doesn't take up half the
living space, and the ability to actually find more than one
reasonable-quality mechanic per 100 square mile. Plus, of
course, it's simply newer, and thus (at least initially) lower
maintenence, and probably safer (air bags, shoulder belts,
ABS, etc.)
(6) More room than the Westfalia, but, like the Westfalia, in
a reasonably-sized vehicle that can be used conveniently
when not camping.
Last summer, I happened to be in Texas on business, so I took a detour
to visit the Sportsmobilke plant there and see if they looked as good
in "real life" as they did in the brochures. They did.
The place was smaller than I expected - basically a couple of offices,
a 3 or 4 bay garage, and perhaps 6 or 8 people. They were very friendly.
The workmanship appeared to be of good quality. The pop-top is as
roomy and open-feeling as it appears to be in pictures.
Back when I was first interested in them, they sent me their "design
you own" packet, which gives you "empty" van floorplans and cutouts of
furnishings, cabinetry, seats, etc. to play around with and invent the
perfect layout. There's also a complete equipment and price list, about
50 "standard" floorplans, and lots of other pictures and information. I've
spent more hours than I care to think about playing around with it, often
just for the fun of it; in fact, about 5 minutes before I read your note
I'd been experimenting with turning the bathroom in my latest plan
90 degrees. (It didn't work.) Definitely order the packet if you're at
all interested.
If $40000 dropped in my lap tomorrow I'd be awfully tempted to go for
the Sportsmobile; but the Westfalia has a lot of sentimental value at
this point, I've put a lot of work into it, and I like it despite its flaws,
and
I'd have a hard time giving it up.
-Steven Sittser
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