Rialta Motorhome
Ero27
I plan to buy a Rialta Motorhome. I want an additional A/C such as the roof
top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top space
needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or is there
another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
Thank you, in advance, for the response.
Mickey Lane
>I want an additional A/C such as the roof
>top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top space
>needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or is there
>another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
I suspect that it would be cheaper to raise the garage rather than
lower the RV. The only RVs I can recall that have the A/C under the
rig usually price out in the $300,000 plus range. The A/C units
made for RV use exhaust cold air either directly below the unit
or into ducting that runs inside the roof of the rig.
(Not counting an old step van I saw with a household A/C mounted
in the *side* of the rig or the old Ecoline with same duct-taped
into one of the rear windows...)
Mickey.
Ralph Lindberg & Ellen Winnie
er...@aol.com (Ero27) wrote:
> I plan to buy a Rialta Motorhome. I want an additional A/C such as the
> roof
> top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top space
> needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or is
> there
> another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
Unfortunately no.
If you haven't paid for it yet I urge you to get some of the reviews on
this rig. Generally Motor Home and Trailer Life don't give negative
reviews. When they did the Rialta they reviewed it in Trailer Life (how
many Motor Home buyers read TL?). They noted the low engine performance
and low cargo ratings.
For good general info on all major motor homes get the guides from the
RV Consumer Group (http://www.rv.org). You might even consider joining.
The info they can give you could easily save the membership costs
I have a good friend that, besides his class C motorhome, he owns three
(3) Audi's. Two have the same engine as they put in the Rialta, one has
a bigger engine. He laughs at the idea it's a good engine for a Motor
Home.
Personally I would look at a GM/Dodge/Ford based class B motorhome
instead
--
Ralph Lindberg personal email n7...@amsat.org
RV and Camping FAQ http://kendaco.telebyte.com/rlindber/rv
If Windows is the answer I would really like to know what the question is
Frank
The one where I store my rig has a very HIGH ceiling.
On 01 Dec 1999 18:49:07 GMT, er...@aol.com (Ero27) wrote:
>
> I plan to buy a Rialta Motorhome. I want an additional A/C such as the roof
>top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top space
>needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or is there
>another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
william irwin
Ralph Lindberg & Ellen Winnie wrote:
> In article <19991201134907...@ng-fi1.aol.com>,
> er...@aol.com (Ero27) wrote:
>
> > I plan to buy a Rialta Motorhome. I want an additional A/C such as the
> > roof
> > top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top space
> > needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or is
> > there
> > another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
>
Jim Parks
together. Been that way for a while.
Paul Deen
owner came in while engine was apart. He saw the VW logo casting on
camshaft and got extremely upset, saying that we were putting junk,
cheap parts in his engine. These were the parts that came from Porsche
distibutor and parts warehouse. We packed the parts up and sent them,
the car and the owner to the same place we ordered parts from. He had to
pay considerably more for labor to get the same parts installed.
Doesn't matter who made them or where they are going, if it is the right
part, use it.
Paul Deen
william irwin wrote:
>
> They put a VW engine in an AUDI????????
>
> >
sbourg
wrote:
> It's all the same company now...VW, Porsche, and Audi are
> together. Been that way for a while.
Porsche has always been a part of VW, I believe. When Dr. Ferdinand
Porsche was bored after producing his enormously successful people's
car, he built himself a sporty variant of it. Others liked it, so he
started producing 'Porsches' on another assembly line. Since companies
were organized a bit differently back then, it's separateness as a
company was maintained, for image purposes, but I believe it was still
owned and financed by Volkswagen.
Steve
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william irwin
would like to know more about the ??problem?? with the VW engine. I am just
starting to research
but so far I like the Rialta the best.
GBinNC
wrote:
>OK I did not know they were the same. I am thinking of getting a Rialta and
>would like to know more about the ??problem?? with the VW engine. I am just
>starting to research
>but so far I like the Rialta the best.
I have no direct experience with the Rialta (other than helping a
friend decide not to buy one), but I STRONGLY recommend you instead
consider an American-made Class B or small Class C. Generally less
money, much better handling and performance, more load-carrying
capacity, etc. -- and perhaps the most important factor of all, you
won't be at the mercy of VW dealerships for parts and service.
No, I am not opposed to foreign-made vehicles in general. I have owned
half a dozen, including three VW Beetles and a VW Vanagon camper, all
of which, except for the first Beetle, I bought new. (Total mileage
driven on those four VWs was well over half a million miles.) I am all
too familiar with VW dealerships and will never go near one again...
FWIW.
GB in NC
[For e-mail reply, please remove the last two letters from "yahoooo."]
R Lindberg / E Winnie
> OK I did not know they were the same. I am thinking of getting a Rialta and
> would like to know more about the ??problem?? with the VW engine. I am just
There's no problem with the engine, other then it's too small (IMHO, and
others) and -NOT- big enough to push a small MH around.
It's pushes my friends Audi's around real nice, even the track car.
-----
Ralph Lindberg N7BSN <n7...@amsat.org> ICQ#5988954
RV and Camping FAQ <http://kendaco.telebyte.net/rlindber/rv/>
Remember, it's the same computer geeks that gave us the problem in the
first place that shortened "Year2000" into Y2K
Scott Leahy
>OK I did not know they were the same. I am thinking of getting a Rialta and
>would like to know more about the ??problem?? with the VW engine. I am just
>starting to research
>but so far I like the Rialta the best.
>
The Rialta is the follow-on to the Le Sharo, Phasar, Centauri line
from Winnebago of the 1980's.
These earlier models were based on Renault running gear and had a
reputation for lack of power, expensive parts, difficulty in finding
service, and poor reliability.
I used to own a Phasar, and we really loved it, despite the problems.
They are fully self-contained, very easy to drive and park, and work
well for short camping jaunts with a couple of people. .
They do not do well for extended camping when compared with a more
spacious Class A or C.
But I routinely got 20mpg out of our turbo diesel, and I could easily
keep up with 80's vintage motorhomes on the interstate.
The thing is, these vehicles were not for people who could not do
their own maintenance and had to rely on Winnebago dealers for
service. There are a number of specialized tools listed in the shop
manual which I doubt many dealers even possessed. The Renault gear
completely flabbergasted the mechanics at the dealership I bought the
rig from, and I never took it back to them after the warrantee ran
out.
When it comes to purchasing a Le Sharo now, I wouldn't recommend it
for anyone but the most skilled RV owner, fully capable of finding his
own supply of parts and using them, or someone with an expert repair
person nearby, and yes, they exist for the Le Sharo. But any person
doing so needs to have a complete understanding of the difficulties he
will face if something breaks. If they do, then they can have a ball
with one, we sure did.
Now, as for the Rialta. They are basically the same layout,
modernized, with VW running gear. I have never driven one, myself. But
some have reported that the VW truck upon which it's based is a much
better platform. I couldn't comment, other than the fact that there
are a heck of a lot more VW dealers around vice Renault, which had
ceased operations in America when we owned the Phasar.
I'd be a lot more comfortable driving around in a Rialta for that fact
alone. But the main thing is, before buying one, you need to have a
clear grasp of what the living conditions will be in the fairly
cramped space afforded by the vehicle. Ask yourself:
How much do I need to carry when I travel?
Will I need lawn chairs? Where will I stash them?
Will I need a week's food supply for back country stuff?
Will I need an awning for shade?
If so, can you mount one on a Rialta?
Will you need to use the shower a lot?
(It's really a cramped makeshift set-up suitable more for emergencies
than daily hygiene.)
Will you be able to stand up in the vehicle?
This last was one of the biggest annoyances for me. I could
not stand up in the vehicle. It was no problem for my wife and kids,
but it drove me crazy banging my head all the time.
Stuff like that should be considered before plunking down the dough.
As far as the performance of the vehicle, you should definitely drive
one yourself. Try it out on some hills and on the freeway. My guess is
you will find the performance acceptable, but it's just a guess, since
I have not driven the modern variant. Chances are horsepower and
torque are both greater than what I had with the Phasar, which was
really a great driver.
Some other considerations:
Front wheel drive is a plus in snow. I could go places that would stop
others dead, and did, in the White Mountains of AZ and all around
Western NM.
You will not be able to tow well. They sell a towing package, but I
would never consider towing anything with one.
One thing I never did was weigh the vehicle and compare the
measurements to the GVWR. If I had it to do over, I would. My guess is
I was overweight quite a few times. Wish there'd been this group back
in the mid-80's! <g>
Don't make the same mistake. Weigh any vehicle front to back and side
to side yourself. If the salesman won't let you take the vehicle to a
certified scale, blow him off like a bad date. Never sign any RV deal
before verifying for yourself that you will be able to use the vehicle
with a reasonable payload and remain under the weight limits for both
front and rear axles.
Consider, before purchasing a Rialta, that there are other
alternatives with much better livability in a fairly compact size, the
Isata comes to mind here as one alternative. Something to consider.
Weigh it all out carefully. I think the Rialta appeals more to the
"sports-car gran turismo" mentality; compact and maneuverable, pretty
plush in a small space. The VW eurovan, on the same running gear,
would be more for roadster minimalists, and the larger rigs more for
the Detroit Iron mindset, roomy and powerful. I would not consider a
Rialta at this stage of life myself, because I do not want to
sacrifice the room and ability to haul a lot of people if need be. But
at one point I didn't care too much about that sort of thing, so the
Phasar fit the bill.
Not sure if any of this helps, just my observations, opinions,
experience, YMMV.
One thing I am pretty sure of is this. I would never buy anything
based on any recommendations from one of Trailer Life Magazine's puff-
pieces calling themselves road tests. Nor would I trust their
judgement regarding the Rialta, good or bad. TL and Motorhome have no
credibility with me whatsoever, and will not until they abandon their
suck-up, don't insult the advertiser, to hell with the safety of our
readership approach and adopt rigorous testing, with real measures of
performance, suitability, and safety.
Best of luck, whatever you decide!
Scott Leahy
sle...@ohnayamspay.ridgenet.net
(For email, just ixnay the igpay atinlay!)
Laurence R. Mann
Rialta. My wife and I (and two small dogs) just finished a 11 thousand mile trip
in it (coast to coast). For two people it had plenty of space (given it's size).
It was extremely easy to handle, it had more than sufficient power to deal with
the Rockies (assuming you didn't mind using 3rd gear at times) and got between 18
and 20 mpg. The VW running gear was very good (infact they have substantial
cooling capability). Engine temp. never varied even through the mountains of
Death Valley. After getting some initial problems sorted out with the dealer
before our trip, the Rialta performed fine. Just one man's experince.
Ero27 wrote:
> I plan to buy a Rialta Motorhome. I want an additional A/C such as the roof
> top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top space
> needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or is there
> another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
wi...@epix.net
In the course of an otherwise excellent article on the subject class
of MH, Scott Leahy writes one thing I take issue with:
> Front wheel drive is a plus in snow. I could go places that would
>stop others dead
This generality MAY well apply to the specific class of MH he is
addressing, but at the risk of competing for the Nitpicker of the Day
title, it does NOT apply to some other popular front-drive MH's. The
much-admired GMC is arguably the most helpless pig I ever drove in
slippery conditions. WHY? Because only about 1/3 if the weight was
on the drive wheels. The LeSharo/Rialta class of rig is more nearly
balanced and could be expected to be far superior in this respect.
Will KD3XR
william irwin
various events
from FL , probably going farther each time. There are mountains in GA and north
but none in FL.
Scott Leahy
>
>This generality MAY well apply to the specific class of MH he is
>addressing, but at the risk of competing for the Nitpicker of the Day
>title, it does NOT apply to some other popular front-drive MH's. The
>much-admired GMC is arguably the most helpless pig I ever drove in
>slippery conditions. WHY? Because only about 1/3 if the weight was
>on the drive wheels. The LeSharo/Rialta class of rig is more nearly
>balanced and could be expected to be far superior in this respect.
>
Thanks Will, glad you liked the post. No, I do not consider it
nitpicking. Just looking at the GMC I could see where you would have
problems with slick roads.
Man they sure were pretty though. I never paid the slightest bit of
attention to motorhomes until I saw my first GMC. What a knockout. And
as far as I'm concerned, still one of the most beautiful RV's ever
built, along with the Airstreams (both MH and trailer) and the Vixen,
a stunning little rig.
Funny story, totally unrelated to RVing. One day, up around
Christopher Creek, AZ with about 8" of snow on the ground and more
coming every second, the HW patrol was stopping everyone and forcing
them to chain up. I got out and put ours on in the snow. Next to us
was a car load of college students on their way to Phoenix. They had
chains on too.
They got in and started to drive away, but all they got was wheelspin.
They looked puzzled by the failure of the car to move in the deep
snow, even though they had applied their chains the same way just
about everyone else in the pull off had. Except me, of course, since I
was driving the Phasar.
Yeah, they'd put the chains on the rear tires of a front-drive Nissan.
You should have seen their faces when I explained, as gently as
possible, that they would have to start all over again, this time from
the front!
wi...@epix.net
Scott Leahy <ohnay...@null.ridgenet.net> writes:
> Funny story, totally unrelated to RVing. One day, up around
> Christopher Creek, AZ with about 8" of snow on the ground and more
> coming every second, the HW patrol was stopping everyone and forcing
> them to chain up. I got out and put ours on in the snow. Next to us
> was a car load of college students on their way to Phoenix. They had
> chains on too.
>
> They got in and started to drive away, but all they got was
>wheelspin. They looked puzzled by the failure of the car to move in
>the deep snow, even though they had applied their chains the same way
>just about everyone else in the pull off had. Except me, of course,
>since I was driving the Phasar. [fwd MH]
>
> Yeah, they'd put the chains on the rear tires of a front-drive
>Nissan.
I can't top yer story but have one of my own. Years ago we dropped our
Toronado off at the tire shop to have them put on the snow tires while
we went down the street for groceries.
You guessed it - the shop guy had mounted them on the rear wheels!
Will KD3XR
Ralph Lindberg & Ellen Winnie
>
> No, I am not opposed to foreign-made vehicles in general. I have owned
> half a dozen, including three VW Beetles and a VW Vanagon camper, all
> of which, except for the first Beetle, I bought new. (Total mileage
> driven on those four VWs was well over half a million miles.)
years ago I had a room-mate the put 500,000 on -one- bug. Three engines,
two tranies, etc.. It finally caught fire and burned
wi...@epix.net
Sez Ralph <rlin...@kendaco.telebyte.com>:
> years ago I had a room-mate the put 500,000 on -one- bug. Three
>engines, two tranies, etc.. It finally caught fire and burned
Kinda like Abe Lincoln's personal axe I have out in the barn. It's had
five new handles and two new heads.
8-)
Will KD3XR
Scott Leahy
wrote:
>I am a Amateur radio opr.. and want to use the unit traveling around to the
>various events
>from FL , probably going farther each time. There are mountains in GA and north
>but none in FL.
>
I have no idea how big your radios are, but I'd advise thinking of
just about everything you would want to take with you to these events,
adding some cushion because you will always want *some* empty space
for the things you can't remember now and then going to a dealer to
see if there is enough room and weight capacity for what you'll need.
I mentioned lawn chairs in my original posts because they were a big
pain to stash anywhere and generally ended up stacked in the
minimalist hall.
Did you see Laurence Mann's post? He has some good things to say about
the Rialta and he owns one. Perhaps he can give you a better idea of
how stowage friendly the vehicle is.
Oh, I've got one more beef about the Rialta, and that is price. Aren't
they 50,000 or something like that? At that price, I'd ~seriously~
consider some other options too. I'll bet you could get yourself a
real nice used diesel pusher in that price range, or perhaps a newer
Safari Trek, which is a 24' full-height rig that I saw for the first
time a couple of weeks ago in Las Vegas. A pretty well done job if you
ask me. Much higher quality than my Southwind, with all the amenities
except its bed is in the living room ceiling and needs to be lowered
electrically at night. I was impressed, even though there have been
some horror strories told here about failues of the electrically
operated rack and pinion. Doesn't look too scary to me, though.
But then again, I once owned a Phasar.
william irwin
I bought a used FORD van in 1991 ( was a 89 ) and FORD paid for 2 AC compressors and
2 tranmission overhauls, and 2 water pumps. The original owner bought a 4 year
warranty,
was I lucky.
The second :
I priced a 1999 new GMC conversion van after the 2000 vans came out.
They were -after a $10,000 -discount 39,999 so the price was and the 2000 is 49,999
or more. Makes you wonder about prices!!
Bill
Scott Leahy wrote:
> On Fri, 03 Dec 1999 08:18:23 -0500, william irwin <wir...@gate.net>
> wrote:
>
> >I am a Amateur radio opr.. and want to use the unit traveling around to the
> >various events
> >from FL , probably going farther each time. There are mountains in GA and north
> >but none in FL.
> >
>
> I have no idea how big your radios are, but I'd advise thinking of
> just about everything you would want to take with you to these events,
> adding some cushion because you will always want *some* empty space
> for the things you can't remember now and then going to a dealer to
> see if there is enough room and weight capacity for what you'll need.
>
> I mentioned lawn chairs in my original posts because they were a big
> pain to stash anywhere and generally ended up stacked in the
> minimalist hall.
>
> Did you see Laurence Mann's post? He has some good things to say about
> the Rialta and he owns one. Perhaps he can give you a better idea of
> how stowage friendly the vehicle is.
>
> Oh, I've got one more beef about the Rialta, and that is price. Aren't
> they 50,000 or something like that? At that price, I'd ~seriously~
> consider some other options too. I'll bet you could get yourself a
> real nice used diesel pusher in that price range, or perhaps a newer
> Safari Trek, which is a 24' full-height rig that I saw for the first
> time a couple of weeks ago in Las Vegas. A pretty well done job if you
> ask me. Much higher quality than my Southwind, with all the amenities
> except its bed is in the living room ceiling and needs to be lowered
> electrically at night. I was impressed, even though there have been
> some horror strories told here about failues of the electrically
> operated rack and pinion. Doesn't look too scary to me, though.
>
> But then again, I once owned a Phasar.
Mary Jane Mcgee
good gas mileage as I did with my minivan...I drive the Rialta daily and
have even parallel parked it!! I can see everywhere with the large rear
window. I am concerned about the weight limitations but I can pare
down, I suppose. Now the sad thing s my husband got seriously ill from
a prescription drug he should not have been given so our big fall trip
got cancelled and I don't know when we'll get to travel. I, too, priced
conversion vans and got sticker shock...I paid less for my brand new
Rialta than a year old conversion was gonna cost...go figure! I met a
man at the bank who pulled up and asked how I liked it. Turns out he
has one and took a trip out west (we are in Alabama) and had no
problems...even said he got it up to 95mph on a flat empty
highway...then he tells me he is a minister..lol. I guess you can tell
I like mine :-) Mary Jane
Rialta
I have driven it for 37000 to date. I have traveled all of
the 48 states...and intend to drive to Alaska next summer.
The early models(95&96)were powered by a 5 cyl.in line VW
engine...and were sorely lacking in power. The one I test
drove had trouble maintaining hyway speeds. The dealer did
not have a used later model Rialta with the more powerful V-
6 engine. The salesman suggested I test drive a new one...I
drove the new one and it went like the wind and felt very
stable at 70-75mph when passing the big rigs. I have had no
problems with any part of the vehicle. BUT as one of the
other persons in the discussion had stated,VW dealers get
their parts prices from a special book...then multiply the
price by 10. I have always maintained my own vehicles. I am
doing the same with my Rialta. I have been searching for a
Shop Manual for it since buying it. I finally located a
complete set of Rialta Shop Manuals,with the help of my
local dealer's parts dept..The manuals are in Ohio and I
live in Florida...and at VW pricing($395.00). I average
17mpg at hyway speed w/AC off and avg.16 w/AC on. I would
suggest that you take a good long TEST-DRIVE in a newer
model ,(97-99),and also do your own routine
maintanance...oil change,wheel bearings check etc.
NOTE: Don't worry about any mountains in the US...you will
be at the top as soon...if not sooner than many other RVs.
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mhg
been proven over time. There is a question as to whether
the power is adequate. It won't make a hill climb winner,
but it will certainly do a good job in the mountains.
VW dealerships have the properly trained technicians, tools
and knowledge to service the chassis and are overall very
good servicing dealers.
Many buyers of this product buy is for dual purpose, they
are; 1. a passenger vehicle
2. a motor home
If you've thoroughly evaluated your needs and are
comfortable the Rialto will satisify them, move forward
with your purchase.
If you are in doubt I would look seriously at class 'C'
motor homes.
wild...@matnet.com
er...@aol.com (Ero27) wrote:
>
> I plan to buy a Rialta Motorhome. I want an additional A/C such as
the roof
> top option. However: my garage overhead will not accomodate the top
space
> needed for the optional rooftop unit. Can it be mounted elsewhere or
is there
> another unit that does not need to be mounted on the roof?
> Thank you, in advance, for the response.
>
you want it to go. Looks like it is the roof or nothing. However, the
Rialta is a great rig! I think you would love it. I have driven several
99's. They drive like a dream, and are very popular in Alaska, due to
the front wheel drive, and good milage. i know folks who use them as an
every day vehicle for just getting around.
--
Wild Bill
http://wildbill.tripod.com/arv/index.html
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Before you buy.