Full Review | 2018 Winnebago Era 70M | The Only Class B with a Slideout and Dry Bath!

It is one of only a couple camper vans with a dry bath AND it's the only one with a slide

out.

We're reviewing a 2018 Winnebago Era 70M and we're starting right now!

Hello everyone!

Neil Balthaser here and welcome to Ultramobility Reviews the channel where you vote for the

RVs that you want me to review every week.

Have you cast your votes yet?

Head on over to my Community Tab and vote in the polls!

There's only one other class B camper van that has a dry bath and that's the Arriva

by Coach House.

A lot times in these small class B vans we get a wet bath where the shower shares the

same area as the toilet.

But with a dry bath, there's a separate shower.

We've got a lot of ground to cover with this van so let's jump straight into this review

starting with the exterior where we're also going to talk about those chassis specs and

hookups.

Like all Eras the 70M is built on the extended 170 inch wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter chassis

which means this van is the longest class B available here in North America coming in

at a whopping 24'3" in length.

You're definitely not going to be parking this coach in a single parking space.

Dual rear wheels give you improved handling especially on these longer wheelbased chassis.

The Era is powered by a very capable 3.0L V6 diesel engine with a 5 speed transmission

that can deliver 188hp and 325 lbs-ft of torque.

It has a tow capacity of 4,200lbs. and over 1,700 lbs of occupant and cargo carrying capacity.

As far as safety features, the Winnebago has opted for all the Mercedes safety upgrades

including Lane Keeping Assist, Hill Start Assist, blind spot and collision detection,

side wind stabilization and auto headlights and rain sensing windshield wipers.

I personally like the look of the Era.

It has a very automotive look with no swoopy graphics, black tinted, automotive style windows

- which by the way come directly from Mercedes and available aluminum dually rear wheels.

I especially like the polished stainless steel quarter panel valance trim which is an available

option.

Let's take a look at hookups while we're on the driver's side.

It's pretty clean.

There's very little in the way of access panels and venting!

Your shore power is located up higher as is your exterior shower.

But your service center is located down low just in front of the rear wheels and includes

your city water, cable tv hookups and your black tank flush.

I also like that Winnebago has included a water pump control in the service center so

that you don't have to run back inside the coach if you forgot to turn on your water

pump.

Your propane fill is located directly in front of the service center and your dump station

is at the rear behind the rear wheels.

I do appreciate the service center light located above the right-most rear window.

Often times when you pull into a campsite at night it's dark and having that service

center light is definitely convenient.

Before we head into the van let's take a look at the driver's seating position.

Like all Sprinters I have plenty of leg room.

And look how far back I'm able to recline the seat.

Keeping in mind that I'm 5'10" you can see that my arms are pretty much fully extended.

The steering wheel both tilts and telescopes so that combined with the ability to adjust

the seat's height means Taller drivers are going to have an easier time finding a comfortable

driving position in this coach.

Okay it's time to head inside to see how this van is laid out and also check out this van's

dry bath!

There is 4 floor plans available on the Era: The 70A which has a permanent bed in the back,

the 70B which has 3 captains chairs up front, the 70X which has 4 captains chairs and the

model we're reviewing today the 70M which has a dry bath in the rear and a slideout.

Here's our opening shot of what it looks like stepping into the van.

You've got your lounge/bed directly in front of you.

Now keep in mind that the slide is out here and that's required if you want to use your

lounge with a pedestal table.

Along the passenger's side is your galley and in the back is your dry bath.

There are two color options available: Fusion and Quantum.

Let's take a quick look at the driver's seating position from the inside.

Notice that with that slide out I have plenty of room but if the slide is in the wall of

it is going to block my seat from going back any further.

Let's have a quick look at the dimensions: pretty good cargo carrying capacity at over

1,700 lbs. and the interior height is 6'3" and there are no step ups.

This is a two person coach.

Only the cab seats have 3-pt seatbelts and this coach comes with only a 1 year warranty

and I'll speak about its build quality at the end of the video.

Let's head onto the galley where we're also going to talk about this coach's electrical

system.

This is a small galley which is surprising because we're in one of the longest class

B vans available here in North America today.

You do get a flush mount counter extension there to the left and I do appreciate the

large window behind letting lots of light in and the tile work backsplash.

Like all Eras you get a 3 burner stove which is the largest in its class.

You've got a stainless steel sink with a proper residential style faucet and I do like the

thick, solid surface Corian counter top which is curved and matches the drawers beneath.

It just gives the coach a more upscale feel.

Look at all that storage!

There's a bank of 4 deep drawers under the stove and then a cabinet under your sink AND

a large pantry/wardrobe closet to the right of the sink.

Above the pantry is your convection microwave oven.

Across the aisle-way is your enormous 6 cu.ft. compressor driven refrigerator and this refrigerator

has a separate 2.5 cu.ft. freezer and then to the left of your refrigerator is even more

storage including a deep drawer which would be perfect for pots and pans and then just

all this other storage space that frankly I wouldn't know how to fill!

Let's take a look at the aisle-way.

It's okay.

With the slide out you've got space for someone to go around you but when the slide is the

sofa goes up to the pedestal table mount in the floor and you can see that it's going

to be pretty tight.

One small detail that I appreciate however is that the cabinets have a bit of room along

the bottom for your toes.

That's a very residential design and it just helps to move you in an inch or so closer

to the counter while you're cooking.

Okay, let's move on to the electrical system.

Standard on this coach are two 6v lead acid batteries with 2,400wh of capacity and a standard

2.5kw LP generator and a kind of lacking 1000w inverter.

100w of solar is the only option available but that's for the 2018 model year.

For the 2019 model year 200w of solar is standard and then there would be no electrical upgrades

at all.

So this is a basic electrical system.

It does cover all your bases especially the 2019 model year which gives you everything

you need except for an upgrade path to lithium.

Hopefully soon Winnebago will offer their Pure3 lithium upgrade by Volta systems on

their Era line.

The Pure3 lithium upgrade is currently only available on their Travato line.

Before we move onto the lounge and bedroom: take a look at those lighting controls there

to the left of the stove.

Those kind of controls means this coach features multipliex wiring which is great.

Multiplex wiring lets you centralize all kinds of lighting and other controls into these

control panels which can be placed throughout the coach.

Additionally, Winnebago uses the FireFly integrated control system which lets you control a load

of functions from your mobile phone or tablet using the Precision Plex app for Android and

iOS.

Okay let's head on into the lounge/bedroom where we're also going to talk about the bathroom

and take a look at available options.

And you're going to want to stick around because I'm also going to talk about build quality

on this coach.

Here we are in the lounge now keep in mind that this lounge and bedroom are only usable

if the slide is out as you see here.

When the slide is out the two cab seats can swivel around and you've got seating for 4.

There's a pedestal table that can be setup in front of the sofa but it's not quite large

enough for the two cab seats to use comfortably.

You've got lots of light coming in from the cab and the sliding door has These are sliding

type windows has a big window that opens with privacy shades.

I especially like the large skylight letting in lots of light.

The skylight has screens and privacy shades as well.

There is a window behind the sofa which you'll see in a minute when I lower the bed.

I do wish that they would have kept this window when the bed is up like they used to have

on their previous model the Era 70C.

There's a 24" LCD TV on a swingout armature that is also positive locking.

The TV's sensibly placed where people can see it AND it's mounted up and out of the

way and not on the kitchen counter like the 70a floor plan!

Here's a shot that you'll rarely if ever see with the slide in.

I want you to see what it's like to have the slide in because you're not always going to

want or be able to extend out the slide.

Take a look at the space behind the driver's seat.

There is none because the wall of the slideout is right up against the seat.

Also it's kind of difficult to see but notice that the sofa is pushed all the way out into

the entry way.

There is no entry way and the sofa is pushed nearly up against the entryway grab bar.

So when the slide is in like this, the driver's seat cannot spin around and the pedestal table

can't be setup so you don't really have much of a lounge.

Okay, I thought that was important to show you because most dealer and manufacturer videos

don't show this floor plan with the slide in.

Let's put the slide back out and talk about sitting comfort.

It's just okay.

While Winnebago does use memory foam it's thin and you can feel it.

I do like that there's nothing behind my head and the seats are a good size with plenty

of elbow room.

I'm 5'10" and I can sit here just fine with proper back support and without my feet dangling.

One thing that I wish Winnebago would do is figure out a way to attach the sofa back cushion

so the wall so that it doesn't fly about when you're driving.

Good news however is that Winnebago placed a couple usb ports on the side of the sofa.

That's a great location because who wants usb ports up in the ceiling where cords dangle

in front of your face?

As far as storage you've got a large overcab cabinet and then all that storage that we

saw opposite the galley.

I really don't think there's a lack of storage in this coach.

Let's see how this area functions as a bedroom.

Setting this area up as a bedroom is straightforward.

You just need to find a place to stow the sofa back cushion.

Then you manually flip out this leg extension and push a button to electrically lower the

murphy bed and TADA! you have a 52"x75" bed!

Keep in mind that you have to have the slide out in order to drop the bed.

Here I am laying on the bed and you can see that that I'm 5'10" and I have plenty of space.

If you're 6' tall you're going to be able to sleep on this bed just fine.

Bed comfort was just fine.

It's nice having a proper mattress with now seams between seat back cushions and seat

bottoms.

One really nice feature of a murphy bed is that you can leave your bed made up when you

put up the bed so you don't need to find places to stow your pillows and blankets.

As you can see here there's a couple more cabinets above your bed along with readings

lights and some storage underneath where the pillows are.

And I really like that window in the back.

Those windows are awning style so you can crank them open even when it's raining and

rain won't get in.

Okay let's move on and take a look at some of the available options and their prices.

You can upgrade to a 9" color touchscreen info and gps system in the cab.

It's a Rand McNally RV system that has some RV specific features in it like knowing bridge

clearances and things like that.

It's a pricey $2,700 upgrade but it replaces the old and kinda outdated Becker system that

Mercedes installs and gives you all the latest and greatest connectivity options like Apple

Car Play and Sirius XM satellite radio.

You can upgrade to the Mobile Eye Collision Avoidance System for $1,000.

Again I'm not sure you need this since you're already getting as standard the Mercedes collision

avoidance and lane keeping assit safety features although it is only air to point out that

Mobileye does do a few things that the Mercedes system doesn't do like headway/following time,

and pedestrian hazards.

You can get a roof rack, ladder and aluminum wheels but the big upgrade that's missing

is the 4x4 chassis upgrade that's offered on every other Era floorplan but is not available

here on the 70M.

That's the sum total of your upgrade options let's wrap up this review by taking a quick

look at the bathroom before I give you my final recommendation.

Here's the big reason why you would consider the 70M - a dry bath!

Dry bath means that you get an enclosed shower separate from the rest of the bathroom and

dry baths are rare in the class b segment.

I'm only aware of one other class B van, the Arriva by Coach House that can boast a dry

bath.

The enclosure for your shower is a single piece of fiberglass and not paneling with

seams that need to be sealed.

There won't be any potential for leaks in this bathroom.

Bonus points for the textured glass shower door although these doors will have a tendency

to rattle going down the road.

Here I am standing in the shower.

The dimensions of the shower are a good size: 24"x31".

I've got plenty of headroom I'm able to turn around easily when inside without bumping

into a sink or toilet.

Speaking of which, here I am sitting on the toilet.

While there is a cabinet and towel rack above and behind my head they're not bothering me

and I've got good shoulder room.

I kinda like that little ledge that houses the Truma Combi system.

It's a great place for your phone!

Take a look up: there's a dedicated roof top vent in here.

That's in addition to the large skylight in the lounge so plenty of ventilation in this

coach.

Before we talk about tank sizes I just want to admire this bathroom.

I love everything about it.

That solid surface Corian counter top and its mosaic backsplash and humongous mirror

look like they would fit right into a nice condo.

There are much more expensive class A coaches on the market that don't have as nice as dry

bath as this coach has.

Okay, let's take a look at these tank sizes.

Wow!

Wow! and Wow!

An enormous 44g fresh water tank is approaching the size of a class A's fresh water capacity.

That's beyond good.

That's fantastic.

A generous 25g grey water tank and a massive 22g black water tank.

AND you get a standard black tank flush system which is always appreciated.

So all around really great tank sizes.

A couple is going to be able to boondock for days in this coach no problem.

Before I give you my final recommendation I have to talk about this coach's build quality.

On the surface this coach shines - literally.

Its high gloss cabinets are beautiful.

The halo rope lighting is gorgeous.

The solid surface counters are thick and lustrous.

It's easy to fall in love with the look of this coach.

But... as I do in every coach, I pulled out drawers and looked behind panels and I do

have to report that I saw extensive use of stick framing and staples.

Stick framing and staples is a construction technique that involves stapling together

pieces of wood to form the structural support elements of cabinets.

It's a fast and cheap way of constructing cabinets as opposed to using solid pieces

of wood that are then cut out and screwed together to form the structure of the cabinet.

I personally would never buy any furniture for my home that was stapled together but

it makes even less sense when the cabinets are subjected to the stresses and constant

vibrations when driving down the road.

you'll have to make your own call and determine if you're okay with stick framing but I feel

it's important to at least make you aware that stick framing and staples are being used

behind the scenes on this coach.

You won't find any other dealer or manufacturer sponsored video reviewer telling you this.

So what's my final recommendation?

Should you avoid the 70M?

Consider it?

Short list it?

Or buy it?

I think you should...

Consider it but only if you're a couple who want a dry bath in a class B camper van.

Honestly if it weren't for the dry bath I would have to recommend that you avoid the

70M but because there are just no other options available on the market today this coach's

dry bath saves it from the dreaded "avoid" rating.

Let me know if you agree with me in the comments section below and if you like this video - you

know what you need to do!

Give me that thumbs up; subscribe and hit that little bell to be notified when new reviews

are released.

And, if you want to support honest RV reviews you can give me a one time donation through

PayPal - the link's in the video description.

And please don't feel guilty if you can't.

You're watching is always good enough for me!

That wraps it up.

Thanks so much for watching Ultramobility Reviews where you vote for the RVs that you

want me to review.

Watch out for the 360 degree video tour of the CrossFit dropping soon after this video

releases and a live questions and answer session following that!

I'll see you soon everyone!

Take care!

BBye!