Ep 01 Nick Schmidt GM of Sunshine State RV

In this episode, Hank Strange welcomes Nick Schmidt for a detailed discussion about RVs, their usage, and servicing. They dive into topics like Chinook RVs, all-wheel drive options, considerations for larger individuals, and the future of 4x4s in RVs. The two also cover updates from major manufacturers and the influence of European designs on van features.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Guys should be joining us for the 1st inauguralVanasaur podcast episode 1.

(00:05):
Here we go, Vanasaur podcast, exploring classVs Overlanding And Van Live Culture.
Let's do this.
And my my guest joining us is Nick Schmidt ofSunshine Strange RV, I know there's not, like,
a name thing up there for you, Nick, but we'llwe'll work on that.
I'll make sure that I get that up there in thefuture.

(00:27):
Welcome to the podcast.
What's up?
Well, thank you, Hank.
I appreciate you having me on as your, firstever guest.
Yeah.
Uh-uh.
Oh,
this new podcast you're doing?
Yes.
Absolutely.
And I see, you know, I see some some Schmidt'sare, joining us here as call.
So shout out to all the Schmidt's out there

(00:48):
who are joining us.
Lisa, my daughter who's a freshman in collegejust finished.
Freshman year at UF, and
she is
doing some internships this summer.
So Yeah.
Racking up those bills for you.
You need to sell more vans.
Okay.
A lot more vans.
A lot.
You gotta take care of all these Schmitz thatare going to college.

(01:09):
Schmidt's running around.
Absolutely.
Okay.
Cool.
So, now the thing that I wanna get into firsthere since it's the beginning of this.
You're the first guest.
Do you wanna tell the folks about, you know,like, who are you?
What do you do?
How do you start doing it?
You know, roughly.
Let's start with that.
Yeah.
So we are a class B RV dealership inGainesville, Florida.

(01:33):
All we do are class VRVs.
Last few years, we have been number 1 in thestate of Florida for class B sales.
The number 3 in the whole United States.
So we have sold more new class bs than almostany other single location in the country.
Got started back in 7 probably.

(01:55):
We were selling high end cars.
We took a Class B on Strange, never seenanything like it, thought it was pretty weird.
It's like, you know, living in a van down bythe river type
Right.
You didn't think the Ben Life was a big dealback then.
When was this?
9697, you said?
No.
7.
7.
Oh, 7.
Okay.

(02:16):
90 6, 97.
I was still in high school.
Oh, okay.
I'm
not quite as old as you, Hank.
I'm, you know, a few years old man.
Yeah.
In high school at 87, but go ahead.
Yeah.
Go for it.
So so, yeah, pretty cool.
Took a van on trade.
Tons of interest.
Lots of people wanted it.
And so we ended up, seeing there's there'ssomething here, you know, they're Mhmm.

(02:38):
There's a market here.
People like this stuff.
And so, and so we we just started, diving intoused RV, buying them, fixing them up, and
selling them all over the country, and then gotinto new RVs in probably 2014 with roadtrek.
And then, Roadtrek had a hit a little a littlespeed bump.
And and at that point, we started sellingOnenebago is in Coachmen and American Coach and

(03:02):
Dynamax and, you know, now we have 27 Northand, you know, some other cool Chinook, some
other brands that that are great class B brandsthat have been around forever, and it's all we
do.
We're one of the only dealerships in the wholeyou that only sell class view vans.
Nothing else.
Yes.
And I think if you're interested in this, I'veI've said this before, if you're looking for a

(03:27):
van.
If you're looking to get into van life, youwant you wanna get something.
The place you wanna go is to people who that'swhat they do.
That's a only thing that they do.
So if you go to some of these bigger guys tosell a bunch of different things like 5th
wheels and, travel trailer, class a's,etcetera.
They may have a couple of vans there, but theywon't have as many as Sunshine State RV, for

(03:48):
example, would Hank.
And, you know, they also won't know as much.
What do you think about that?
Yeah.
So, you know, one of the one of the greatthings, you know, I remember a couple of years
ago, Hank, you were doing a survey at the OcalaRV show coach and beyond, rally.
And you were asking people, what what are theimportant things where you're looking for an
RV?
And a lot of people said, you know, expertiseof the dealership, the service, the selection,

(04:12):
you know, and all that.
I I think it's so important that the the peopleworking on the RV.
The people that are prepping the RV, the peoplethat are teaching you how to use it actually
know what they're doing.
You know, they know how to teach some buddy.
I got a guy right now who is 20 feet from meover here who is getting taught how to use his
brand new American Coach Patriot He has neverowned an RV in his life.

(04:37):
Guys, in his sixties wanted to get into it.
And so it's gonna take a little bit to teachhis how to do it.
So I got Corey over there, teaching him how todo it.
And and Corey said, Bryan's been 2 or 3 hourswith this guy, teaching him how to use his van.
So that's all part of what we all for as as aas a dealership, you know, real, real extensive
education on how to use your RV.

(04:57):
And then we put you up at a campground for acouple nights.
And if you need any issues, you come rightback.
If you have any problems, anything doesn'twork, you come right back.
Take care of it immediately.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So now, you know, just so you guys know, theway that we're gonna do this is, obviously, if
we have a guest, we'll introduce them like Ijust did with Nick.
We're gonna take questions from you guys.
We're gonna be on for an hour, so we're gonnahave 3 segments of 20 minutes.

(05:21):
You could probably see a little countdown.
Right?
Yes, an hour, an hour, Nick.
Yes.
So you've got 14 minutes in this section, andthere are questions, and there's a couple
things.
I wanna shout out new supporting us, of course.
So Patrick, 1966 here.
He, he got a sticker, super sticker, hand doinga high 5 from him, and he actually has a couple

(05:46):
of, comments and questions I wanna say.
He says he's from Anna.
So that's, that's where these these things aresome of these things are made.
And he says, looking let me see.
And oh, no.
That's wait.
There's Let's see.
So, Patrick, what was his question?
Okay.
Let's get to his question.
He says, Patrick, what what is the questionthat he had?

(06:08):
The pilot had the question.
Yeah.
John the pilot.
Oh, so there's there's Patrick and there's Johnthe pilot.
Okay.
So thanks to Patrick.
Let's get John the pilot's question in here.
He says, looking to come out and see what Ineed for living in a van as a commute pilot.
Do you have a do you have an answer for that?
Do you ever see that pilot?

(06:29):
Yeah.
So yeah.
No.
We see that a lot.
People who who want to You know, we sold one toa guy that worked for, I think it was Spirit
Airlines down in South Florida.
And he said, sometimes between flights, there'sonly like 6 or 8 hours, 10 for us.
And for him to get home was an hour a half Hankthen come back was an hour a half.
And he said he would he would spend half of histime off driving back and forth.

(06:51):
So he said on those days, He was in, drive hisvan to the airport, sleep in the van at the
airport, go fly, come back, and then he drivehome and just use the van to drive home.
And then when he's off for a week or so, usethe van around, around the area.
So, you know, lots of cool cool options fortravel nurses, traveling pilots, people that

(07:12):
that when they're on like a like a long work,it's stints.
You can use it as a quick, quick place ofsleep, shower, eat, and then get right back out
hotel on window.
That reminds me of Grace Grey's Anatomy.
Didn't they sleep in an air stream
in
the parking lot at, Grey's Anatomy?
What's that guy's name?
I don't know.
Maybe.

(07:32):
There's a there's a tradition of shows wherepeople, you know, I so first of all, Miami Vice
Right?
Didn't, did it was it who who was who was DonJohnson?
Was he tubs or Crocket?
I think he was Crocket Right?
Don Johnson.
Whoever oh, so, yeah, this was way before yourtime, Nick.
Back in the eighties,

(07:53):
in Miami, buddy.
When I was in high school.
Yeah.
He lived on a boat.
Yeah.
But there was there was always someone on TVthat lived, like, in, you know, a or an RV or a
boat or an airplane or, you know, some kind ofspaceship or something that.
So, weirdest weirdest things that you've, youknow, professions that you've seen people do

(08:17):
when they buy an RV from since just as afollow-up to that, and then we'll get some
other questions.
Yeah.
So one guy, Chase's tornadoes, And he was,like, kind of off the movie, twister, which is
which is pretty cool.
You know, they chase a tornado and they setthings up so they can track what kind of
tornado it is.
I don't know.

(08:37):
I thought that was neat.
An insurance adjuster goes into, like,demolished areas and he needed a 4 by 4.
That makes sense.
That way, and he and he needed to be totallyself sufficient.
And so, that was that was pretty unique.
One guy who travels the country doing a sharpshooting Okay.
Like all these competitions, so he needed aplace to put, like, a 100 guns in his RV

(09:01):
because, you know, so, like, lots of cool Wow.
Yeah.
Difference.
I've seen people that have run, like, dog doggrooming businesses.
There.
A lot of those.
Yeah.
A lot of different things out there.
And then, of course, I do not just this podcastbecause it's the first one, but for 2 years
that I've owned my van, and I've put aboutover, I think at this point, I have fifty two

(09:23):
thousand miles on my van since bought it fromyou, but I use it for my office, and I use it
to do my podcast out of.
I don't live in it all the time.
I just was living in it for 3 weeks, the last 3weeks.
You know, I saw each other at the Overland ExpoWest.
And then before that, I was in Indiana visitcoachman.

(09:43):
So Yeah.
That is I mean, you just got your speaking ofcoachman.
You just got your AC upgraded.
How's that feel?
Yeah.
Very nice.
Very nice.
I'm not using it right now.
It's actually quieter, but I, you know,obviously, we want good audio because we're
making a podcast out of this.
But it's quieter.
It's more efficient.
I'm gonna coach them and be on.
Am I allowed to move my computer around andshow them.

(10:03):
Yeah.
You can move around.
I'm gonna coach them and be on right now.
Oh,
I got it.
A fancy halo light.
I'm in a coach from
Beyond right now.
Did you borrow that from your daughter, thathalo light?
I did.
She's fourteen years old.
Yeah.
And
she uses these halo lights Cool.
Social media.
Yeah.
And so Yeah.

(10:24):
Yeah.
This is a this is a d model.
So I'm sitting on a twin bed.
Yeah.
I see you have a sign printed up behind you.
We're gonna get to more questions.
Yeah.
Very Yes.
It's got a very handsome guy, you know, there.
Hand with Hank.
Oh, yeah.
Okay.
Alright.
Cool.
So, yeah, let's get to some more questionshere.

(10:46):
We've let's see.
So Susan Strange said many years ago, I had aToyota Chinook out of the numerous RVs I've
owned.
That was my absolute favorite.
Are the new Chinook made by the same Chinookcompany.
I want 1.
So good question for you.
You can't reach Chinook's.
And let me say this, of course, Sunshine StateRV does sponsor this podcast.

(11:10):
We'll get into that and, you know, but and andby the way, so does coachman.
So go for it.
Chinook,
So, yes, so Chinook was, from Yakima, y a k I ma, Yakima, Washington, and and they had, they
built on the Toyotas back in the seventies andeighties, and then they built on the Ford

(11:32):
econoline, some Chevy Express vans, and theybuilt all the way till 2005 or 6.
They went out of business or a family ownedcompany, I I believe the father passed away,
the son Strange the company, and it just didnot work.
And so, the current Chinook owners bought allthe all the technology.

(11:52):
They bought the name.
They bought everything that had to do withChinook, moved it to Elkhart, Indiana, and, and
then now they are making the Chinook's again,same quality, same everything, but they're not
making it on a Toyota chassis.
So they're making it on a Mercedes and the FordTransit right now.
Mhmm.
And we have videos on this for you.

(12:13):
If you wanna see that, you can definitely outthose videos.
We have videos of it both on the Ford Chassisas well as the, Mercedes, the Sprinter chassis,
and the Strange.
And there's 2 different kinds on each chassis.
Right?
So there's what we would call traditional vanand then a B plus.
Yeah.
So they got the Maverick on the B plus, thetransit, and they have the summit on the

(12:38):
Mercedes B Plus, and then they have the baseside on the transit.
And what's really unique about the enough onthe transit is that they have a separate toilet
and shower.
So they have what they call a dry bath.
Most other class VRVs have a that bath, sothey're both in the same little room.
And Chinook said, you know, we wanna dosomething that's gonna set us apart from

(13:00):
everybody.
And and they separated the toilet and showerinto 2 separate, things.
Sections.
Yes.
If you wanna if anyone wants to know, if anyonecares, my favorite is all the Ford Transit
because it's all wheel drive.
But, of course, you're gonna have Mercedes isdoing wheel drive now as well.
So They are.
Yep.

(13:20):
Yeah.
So you'll see that.
And and and I took this video is not up yet.
But I took Nick for a test drive of what I'msaying.
I'm just laughing.
There's like an error.
Tear or dry.
You guys are gonna laugh when you see the.
Nick was scared.
I don't think he's gonna let me drive himanymore.
Anywhere.
No.

(13:41):
Yeah.
Hey.
So along time ago, I stopped going on testdrives with customers and and with a lot of
people.
And and Hank said, Hey, let me drive this thinga little bit.
So we all these cameras set up all over thewindows.
They can watch our reaction.
And the Hank is like like like moving this thisevery which way and put it on 2 wheels.
I was treating it like a sports car.

(14:01):
I was like, let's see what this thing could do.
Like your little Audi or us, whatever.
That you have.
Yeah.
I agree.
Uh-huh.
Someone asked if I'm in an RV.
I am in an RV right now.
Yeah.
Just in I need to use the bathroom, it's here.
You know?
Everything Yeah.
There you go.
Everything is right here.
Oh, this is a is this a rare bath?
Oh, yeah.

(14:22):
I can't even open it.
Alright.
Whatever.
Yes.
Yeah.
You you locked yourself out of the bathroom.
I'll I'll lock myself.
I don't even know.
There we
go.
There you go.
Nobody's in there.
Yeah.
Got the bathroom.
Yeah.
Got everything going on here.
Yes.
So, okay, I'm gonna get to questions because Iknow we're falling behind.

(14:43):
Let's, and I'm trying to stay.
I know there's a lot of comments.
Question coming in.
Please smash the thumbs ups.
Share this if you can.
Ask your questions.
We've got, some time here, and we're gonna tryto get as many of as possible.
Travel dreamer says since you ship nationwide,how does a person get service in their home
state?
Do you have network of dealers?

(15:06):
That is a great question, traveler.
So, no, we do not have a network of themanufacturers have a network of dealers that
they use for warranty work.
And we give so approach it from a few differentangles.
The first angle is, you know, we fly you downand teach you how to use DRP.

(15:27):
So most problems, and I say most, not all, agood number of problems happen in an RV when
people do not know how to use it correctly.
So our goal is to thoroughly someone to teachthem how to use the RV correctly from the
beginning so that way they're not causingproblems.
And then the next thing, if you do have aproblem, we give tech support over the phone

(15:48):
anytime.
You call us.
We get you on the phone of our technicians,they teach you how to fix it, how to
troubleshoot it, and kind of take you through afew steps know, someone called the other day
and said, every time I'm I go to get my car andI there's this loud beeping noise.
I don't know what it is.
And I said, try this.
Try this.
Try this.
We got them on the phone with the technician,and they realized their awning was out.

(16:11):
And so, you know, it's like there's, you know,getting on the phone with one of our
technicians is, very helpful.
And then when something breaks, we we try tohelp you help walk you through it.
Anybody within Florida, we guarantee a serviceappointment within 5 days.
So you call us.
We get you in right away no matter what.
But, you know, being at work coachman's numberone dealer.

(16:34):
Where American coaches number 1 dealer roadtrips, number 1 dealer, we will call the
factory and have the factory call a dealer bywhere you're at.
So if you're in the middle of Montana and youbroke down, we will call that dealership for
you, and we will also have the factory callthat dealership for you to try to help get you
service.
So we we deal this every day because because wedeliver for free anywhere in the country all

(16:58):
the time.
So every day, we're calling other dealershipstrying to, like, can, you know, having them
help our customers all over.
And we get calls.
I got a call from leisure time RV in Texas theother day, from Houston saying, hey.
Someone bought RV in there passes in Florida.
Can you help them?
Yeah.
100%.
Send them my way.
I'll help them out.
No problem.
Oh, so all of you guys help.

(17:19):
Yeah.
Because, of course, I think that was a goodquestion.
But, really, you're getting this to travel.
So it's highly likely that you'll run into anissue when you're on the road.
So know, you could just happen at home as well.
But And You know?
Even if you bought the RV from a dealership 5minutes from your house, if if you're if you
bought it 5 minutes from your house and you'rein the middle of Montana, that dealership's not

(17:40):
gonna help you anyways.
So so you want us helping you.
I promise because when I pick up the phone andcall the dealership, there's good chance they
know who I am.
They definitely know, like, Ron Preston, he iswatching this podcast right now.
Oh, shut up.
It's American Coach.
If there's an American coach broke somewhere
Yeah.
I'd say Ron, I really need help.
Ron will call his dealer in that state and say,hey.

(18:02):
Can you please help my customer?
They say, oh, of course, Ron.
So we have those connections, and we use themevery day.
Ron's great about it.
A lot of these guys are great.
Yeah.
And one thing I would say, so if you're gettingif you're getting any kind of RV or anything
these days.
You wanna be part of the users groups.
We did a video with with Ron and the folks fromthe Mad, which is Midwest Automotive design

(18:23):
group, and you wanna rely on that as well.
I think that's a really good resource.
The other owners, you can, you know, they canhelp you out with issues that you're facing,
all that kind stuff as well as the meetups thathappen.
I think you said there's one happening rightnow.
That's a good place.
There is.
Carl.
Carl is doing a mad about you meetup right now.
I don't know where it is.

(18:44):
Maybe Shout out to Carl.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Carl's a hard worker.
We gotta we gotta get Carl out here.
Yeah.
Carl loves to talk.
He'll definitely be down here.
Yeah.
I'm a glutton for punishment.
Yes.
Someone wants a new Strange, 170 extended 45where I had one here.
Yeah.
Yes.

(19:04):
Anyway, shout out to Ron.
We'll get Ron on.
Let me keep going the questions here.
Patrick 1966 says, photography recreation,living dreams.
What's the best Four Seasons van?
So there you go.
The best.
That is a question I did every single day.
What is the best?

(19:27):
Paul has said 27 North is the best.
So, you know, according to Pavel, 27 North isthe
Shout out to Paul.
Yeah.
So, you know, it it just depends on on whatkind of floor plan you want.
Do you want a Ford?
Do you want a Mercedes?
Do you want a a truck camper?
Do you want a V plus?
You know, there's a lot of best out there.

(19:48):
Mhmm.
I would say, you know, Coachmen has some gradeinsulation, and heated tanks, American Coach
has some great insulation and heated tanks, youknow, the Chinook b plus.
So that's their summit Hank passed some crazytruma test.
That We've got 5 seconds.
Other 5 seconds.
Whether it's certified.

(20:09):
Yep.
We're taking a break.
We'll be right back.
So as you guys might have already heard Lolaand myself our brand ambassadors for Sunshine
State RV.
And as Vanasource, I wanna take this moment toencourage anyone who is in the market for B van
to start their journey with SS RV.
Sunshine State RVs specializes in selling classB vans and B plus RVs.

(20:32):
That is the reason why they are the number onedealer in all of the state of Florida.
Number 3 in the whole United States.
SSRV will fly you right to their location inGainesville, Florida.
They'll give you a very detailed and thoroughwalk through of your van, and they'll give you
a 2 night stay at a local campground so you canget used to your van.
If you don't like that, you can actually havehands free delivery anywhere in the United

(20:56):
States of your RV.
We bought our coachman Beyond from SunshineState RV 2 years ago.
And over the past 2 years, we've seen how theytreat customers when it comes to warranty side.
Their service team is great.
Whether you bought it from them or not, everyperson that comes in their gifts same service
and care when it comes to warranty repairs.
The same service, attention, and care, andtheir team does a great job getting you back on

(21:19):
the road safely.
So if you guys are in the market for a B or Bplus van, consider Sunshine State RV.
We've got a link in the description that youguys can use see their current inventory and
have someone get in touch with you.
Alright.
See, so there you go.
Did you see that?
I know you've seen this beef you've seen thatbefore.
That's our enforcement.
Months ago.

(21:40):
Yeah.
Yes.
Absolutely.
So my apologies for that.
Yes.
You got a time limit.
We're in the second segment now.
You got 20 minutes.
So I wanna, I wanna cover I wanna cover thesequestions because, wow, we've got a lot of
questions.
See, you were concerned.
We're only gonna get, like, two or threepeople, and no and no one's gonna ask us

(22:00):
anything.
Well, good luck with that.
I I sent out a thing.
I said I'm paying people $10 to watch thispodcast.
Alright.
Paying all these people.
Oh, don't don't even start it.
That's not official.
Yes, by the way, so listen, smash the ups.
If you wanna support us, you could buy sticker.
You can do all that kind of stuff here.
I'm gonna try to go through this, get throughthis faster so we can really get to a lot of

(22:23):
these.
Carolyn Smith's board says, I would love to seeSunshine State RV carry add on items for
seniors to access the RV easier, like lowersteps and ramps.
I also want to see manufacturers make biggerbathrooms for larger people.
Boom.
There you go.
Comments on that one.
Yeah.
No.
You know, we talk about Chinook a minute ago.

(22:44):
That is that's something that that a Chinook isdoing.
Like, that's the purpose of it that you have aa toilet that in a separate room all by itself.
So that is, that's great.
And, Hank, I always joke on you.
You bought a rear bath because the rear bathreally does have a Hank a big bathroom Mhmm.
Than a lot of the other ones.
Yeah.
I I would say that's the best way to go.

(23:05):
Okay.
Let's keep doing it here.
Brett says, are any factors planning to buildon the new Ford Transit Trail?
And then yes.
They've all talked about it, but no one has hasgotten it yet.
Ford has not made any.
You have talked to Ford and you have talked toall my manufacturers around it.

(23:27):
And, yes, everybody wants to build on it.
It's gonna be great.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
You know, obviously, it's gonna take timebefore you guys actually see it.
I don't think any have been officially made.
So with the with the with the Strange Trail, Iknow in Ford stuff, there's something from Van

(23:48):
Duet, but that was a prototype.
So I don't think there's actually any, FordStrange trails that have been completely built
and delivered that are not prototypes at thispoint.
And even amongst prototypes, it might only be,let's say, maybe 2 or 3 of those, even out
there in the world.
So probably towards the end of the year, thatstuff's gonna happen.

(24:09):
And I'm sure a lot of companies will beordering them.
And, you know, let you guys know about that.
So let me go on to another one here.
Deborah says how backlogs is VAN chassisproduction for Mercedes Ford and Ram.
So yeah, the chassis.
What do you know about that?
So so, yeah, so there's, I mean, you know,we're getting all all things right now.

(24:30):
They are getting caught up.
This chip crisis has gotten somewhat taken careof, it seems like.
You know, we're getting all wheel drivesprinters.
We're getting Ford Transit all wheel drives.
Those are probably the hardest still to getright now of the Ford Transits.
The Rams, it seems like they they have a lot ofRams So, you know, the, the I would say the

(24:53):
Ford Trans is the hardest to get, then the allwheel drive Mercedes, and then the the the Rams
are be easy.
But, yeah, people are getting caught up, whichI'm very thankful because there's nothing worse
for me than if someone walks on the lot andsays, I would like to see this RV, I want 1 and
I can't get it to to them.
That's like a bad feeling.
Especially when I say, I have every RV known tome and every class speed, but I can't get that

(25:16):
for you.
You know?
Yeah.
And a lot of the new, Pro masters with the newfront end and everything, I'm seeing them out
there.
So
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I hope they do an all wheel drive here soon,Hank.
I really hope I would like to see that too, butit would take a real, like, a complete redo
because they haven't done any like that.
So that would just be amazing.
Can you imagine that?

(25:37):
You'd probably sell.
Yeah.
You'd probably sell a ton of those.
We sell
a lot of a lot of pro masters right now.
Yeah.
But I'm saying imagine if they went all wheeldrive or something crazy.
I think I've seen people in of places turning 4by 4, but that's the whole thing.
Let's see.
Cheryl Katz says looking for a Strange 170extended 4 by 4, any shot you think?

(26:00):
Yeah.
So we have Coachmen Galleria's here right now.
We have a Galleria 170 extended 4 by 4.
I have a couple 170 standard 4 by fours, whichare the 22 foot.
Those are American Coaches.
Those are so those are brand new.
Would be brand new.
Brand new.
Brand new.
The only one we would have 170 extended 4 by 4right now would be the, coach in Galleria.

(26:27):
And so the thing about that is, are we gonnasee 4 by fours going away or with Mercedes, you
know, the new all wheel drive, is there still a4 by 4 option or no?
Or that's gonna be all all wheel drive from nowon?
No.
And it's gonna be all all wheel drive from nowon.
So whatever there is with four wheel drive isgonna be there there is nothing else after

(26:50):
that.
They're only doing all wheel drive.
Okay.
So I think, and I actually have a video fromOverland West coming up on this subject, that
if you if you're looking for something that'sup for reels, like 4 by 4.
I have a cool video that you guys will see outthere.
But, yeah, from Mercedes put putting them out,I don't think there's gonna be 4 by fours

(27:13):
anymore.
So here's a question Darris Friend, he says,can I buy a new air stream range line from
Sunshine State RV?
I trust Sunshine State as a dealer and don'twant to use 1 of the giant or at dealerships.
Okay.
There's thank you.
Thank you for that.
We, we definitely appreciate it.
And I agree with you.
I would not wanna purchase from one of thoseconglomerates either.

(27:36):
But, no, we cannot sell a new air stream ridgeline.
There are territory rules and that is airstream is not, available for us to sell in our
territory.
So Yeah.
There are good options.
The, you know, the the ridgeline, that's that'sthe ProMaster.
Right?
It I think so.

(27:56):
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, I mean, there's lots of options on theProMaster.
I haven't actually been in 1.
I think you went in 1, didn't you?
Yeah.
I liked it.
It was actually it was really nice.
You know, good way to Yeah.
Like entry level to air stream, I think.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Not too expensive either.
Unfortunately, you can't carry.
You know, do you think maybe we could you know,we can pick at congress or something and get

(28:19):
them to make you the dealer for every singleVan, you probably love that.
I would love that.
Why not?
Yeah.
But this is America.
There's no work like that.
This is the matter.
Our
speaking of space wise Uh-huh.
Our new dealership, we did get all of our So weare already building our new dealership here

(28:39):
within the next year to a year and a half.
So it's pretty exciting.
So we'll have space to carry more RVs morelines, more everything.
Yes.
Congratulations.
And, you know, so just, like, while we're onthat subject, you are carrying some new some
new things.
Do you wanna talk about that?

(29:00):
Or They are.
I mean, this this would be a good time to talkabout it, I
of course, you know, someone just asked aboutan echo, you know, Winnebago, we're carrying
ecops as well.
We don't have any right now, but, we have wehave, you know, a dozen on order that we should
be getting by the end of the year.
So pretty excited about carrying Echos, butnone in stock.
Right?
Now.
So, yeah, so, you know, probably the the newestline that we're carrying right now is 27 North,

(29:25):
which is an Overland.
Styles they do expedition trucks and adventurevans.
So pretty unique stuff.
A Rex rovers on like an F Two Fifty with withthe big box, fiber carbon fiber or fiberglass
shell on the back, which is pretty cool.
And then they do a sprinter van on a 170standard.

(29:45):
That's a twenty two foot 4 all wheel driveversion.
They put a lift on it, upgrade the suspension,do a really unique build on the inside.
People really like those a lot.
So that's probably our newest line in it, andthey also do a Strange all wheel drive and a
Pro Master.
Yeah.
And the ascender, Endy ascender.
Don't leave it out.

(30:06):
Pavel might still be out there.
Yeah.
So, Pavel, if you guys see in the chat, Pavelfrom 27 North, you can direct a lot of
questions to him, check out, their website andtheir social media.
Plus, we've got videos.
This.
And you have a 27 North on the dealership atthe dealership.
We have we have.
We just got one in, a venture, and then we justdid a video on that, Rex Rover.

(30:29):
That video just went live yesterday.
I believe.
So that was pretty cool.
We will be getting our first, Rex rovers andother units in July.
They're they're building their new facilityright now.
So pretty exciting pretty exciting time for 27North, and I'm glad that we get to partner with
them.
But that is something new.
You know, there's something we doing when youwhen you talk about new roadtrek is is doing

(30:52):
some new stuff with their pivot, which is a newEuropean s band that they're building with a
new bathroom and Mhmm.
That was very popular when you show theprototype, but did you sell that to talk to
someone?
No.
They actually took it back.
Oh, they took it back.
Because people keep asking me about that thing.
I'm like, alright.
I don't know.
I guess that's funny.

(31:13):
It's we're gonna see that soon.
Right?
Yes.
Yes.
They're they're saying in June they're sayingin July.
We'll be getting some, putting a lot of focuson the pivots, which are pretty cool.
So and they're also they promised me that wewill see some new European models this year.
Oh, nice.
Okay.
Cool.

(31:33):
And I think
excited about that.
Yes.
We haven't made anything, it's not set in stoneyet, but I think we got an invite to go check
out the factory and all that kind of stuff.
It's all depending on me and Lola gettingpassports.
Well, are you even eligible to have a passporthandy?
Yes, man.
I've been a I've I've been an American citizensince, 2003.

(31:55):
There you go.
I think I need to do a background check on youbefore we
Yeah.
Let's dive in more.
You won't be the only person.
I've had lots of background checks.
Yeah, so me and you can go to Canada in thesummertime, not the winter, and we can tour the
roadtrek factory.
Yes.
That'll be awesome.
I'm actually looking forward to else.
Yes.
So That will be awesome.

(32:15):
And then so there's not any other new thingsthat we can announce, but you are a always,
like, working on that kind of stuff.
And
Yes.
Always.
So, you know, Coachmen is starting to build onon the new pro Master Chassis, the Novus.
They're all starting to be on that.
We're they're starting to build on the allwheel drive Mercedes Chassis, which are really
exciting.

(32:36):
A bunch of new chassis are coming out rightnow.
Coachmen's, you know, changing some stuff up.
So pretty excited about that.
But as in, like, you know, new other thing.
You know, American Coach is doing a bigoverhaul for their 24 models.
We we got the prototype here.
We did a video on that with the new airconditioner layouts, new countertops, new

(32:57):
lighting, new Strange, you know, they'rethey're really putting a lot into their 24,
vans So, yeah, that'll be fun as well to seewhat to see what they do.
I know Ron Ron has been putting a lot intothat, Patriot.
Yeah.
And we were talking about air conditioners, andI have the Trauma for anyone who's curious, but
that, AC that's gonna be in the American coach,that's pretty cool.

(33:21):
You know, I like, you know, I like cool techiestuff.
I like how the vets, like, you know, open upand close and move around on their own.
Awesome.
You're atorch.
What is that what is that thing called?
What is that AC called?
Do you remember?
It's fantastic.
G r g e.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
The crew.

(33:41):
The crew.
Yeah.
There you go.
Okay.
Let's get back to some questions here.
The Patrick 1966 is what's the long 1 tonsprinter.
So do you go by tonnage?
1 ton sprinter.
Yeah.
Do you go by tonnage?
Yeah.
Okay.
24 foot is
the longest Sprinter van.

(34:03):
They go they have a nineteen foot, which is a144 wheelbase.
They have a 170 standard, which is 22 feet, andthey have the 170 extended, which is 24 feet.
Those are all true vans.
Now there's long ones with the cutaway Strangeon the front and then, like, some box on the
back.
But as an actual, van, the, the twenty fourfoot the longest.

(34:27):
Yeah.
So there you go.
Someone was very amused at you saying you don'tknow what, 5¢ means.
So there you go.
5 seconds.
Count down.
There's a countdown there.
Lisa M says I can't believe I missed you inFlagstaff.
Oh, yeah.
That, you know, it was real it was really crazyfor me this year in Flagstaff.

(34:48):
So There's a bunch of stuff and people that Imissed out on seeing there.
But the next, the next thing like that, I'mgonna be at Overland East, What events are you
guys doing?
Yeah.
Over 6th through 8th.
And I will say if my wife is watching, I didn'twanna tell about it because that's her
birthday.
And so I need to find a way to convince her tolet me go.

(35:12):
Bring her
with you.
She'll love it.
Oh, love it.
Yeah.
Is that little boy.
I love it.
Mary, this is her thing, man.
The blue the what is it?
I think it's the Blue Ridge mountains up there.
She likes mountains.
Right?
She likes that kind of
she loves.
She likes camping albums.
You know, you can camp out there.
So maybe for her birthday, I can I can gift hera weekend in a little van?

(35:33):
Well, just me and her.
How great would
Yeah.
There you go.
Shout out to I'm the Brown.
He says, stop looking like a stiff.
Really?
He's just trying to make sure he staying oncamera.
He's in his, you know, let's let's roll up theshoulders, roll the shoulders like that.
There you go.
And Patrick says that we rock.
So what oh, Cheryl Katz is trying to I don'tknow who Cheryl Katz is trying to reach, but

(35:55):
she says, how can reach you.
I got $20.
I owe you $10.
I don't know what that means.
Do you know what that means?
I don't know.
So, okay, k.
Let's see.
Travel Dreamer, Midwest creates a van with alift.
Could a patriot, extended be equipped with thesame?
A lift.

(36:15):
Oh,
so you're talking about lift, like, a lift onthe bed or a lift, like, a Hank, like, a, a
wheel air lift.
Yeah.
Or is it or is the van lifted?
I don't know.
Yeah.
Mhmm.
Good question.
So, yeah, we I mean, we do lifts on vans, wecan, you know, people can do a a wheelchair
lift.
Mhmm.
And then there's also they used to do a bed inthe back that was lift up and down.

(36:41):
27 North does that now.
Mhmm.
So I don't I don't know.
Yeah.
I
just gotta that you Hank all, and when are wegoing camping together?
I Hank asking it every time.
She sees nothing.
It's good.
It better happen.
The people want it to happen?
Will happen.
Yes.
Absolutely.
Let's see.
I have a wheelchair lift.

(37:02):
So, yes, so mobility places can do a wheelchairlift.
It doesn't actually come from the factory withthe lip installed, I don't think.
But Ron Preston is watching this.
So is the, the national sales manager forMidwest.
So maybe he can answer this question a littlebetter.
Yeah.
I'm assuming they would have to send it out tosomeone else to do that.

(37:24):
And I know that, Winnebago, which you do carryWinnebago, does have some vehicles.
Yeah.
Have you Hank you actually ever seen the Romecome out yet?
That's the VIN version.
I have.
Yep.
Yep.
I've I have seen the Rome.
I don't know if I don't know what it featuresand what it has, but I have seen the roll.

(37:44):
Yeah.
So it just may take a little while before westart seeing more of those out there.
May have to be a custom thing.
So, John the pilot says, is it possible to geta van with power set up to run air conditioner,
non shore power for days at a time.
So I'm assuming that's like lithium.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes.

(38:05):
Yeah.
You can that is possible.
Now, you would have to start the engine, or belike in direct sunlight, charge your batteries
or drive around a little bit, but, yes, you canrun air conditioner days at a time, especially
with with the lithium that they're producingnow and the air conditioners that are very
energy efficient.

(38:26):
Yeah.
Depends how much lithium, power you Hank.
What's the weather conditions where you are,you know, all that kind of management stuff of
how long you can run it.
So, consistently, that's definitely gonnadepend on how much lithium power you have.
So, days at a time, don't know.
You'd have to move around.

(38:47):
You'd have to figure out a way to generate somepower.
And solar power, you'd have to have a lot toreplace it with solar power.
That's, you know, my opinion on that.
So BJ's
not being big enough in the world for me tohang the camping together, by the way.
Just together?
No.
We gotta separate vans.
No.
That's I'm
the ground.

(39:09):
That we gotta be in separate vans.
It's tough for me to live a van with Lola.
Okay?
And we've done this before.
And I'll tell you, if you're a couple outthere, we'll talk about this if you guys want
to or some other time, we a couple and you livein a van, you better love each other because
there's not a lot of places to go run and hide.
There's lots of love between me, like, butnowhere near that much.

(39:32):
No.
It's gotta be separate vans, separate vans.
There you go.
So BJ Travelers or, Bill and Joe.
Bill and Joe.
What is all?
They say
hello.
Yeah.
They have a 2023 coachman beyond 22
So that that's a great transition, not atransition, but that's a great thing to bring
up that they they went to Vantopia year.

(39:53):
So Van Topia is a weekend event in, here inNorth Central Florida that we're actually the
title sponsor or 4 this year, they went to VanTopia in February, decided they were gonna get
a a van and they came to us and they bought acoach beyond.
They thought they were gonna buy a Chinook.
They thought maybe a, embassy, maybe aGalleria, but they ended up on the Coach and

(40:16):
Beyond.
The d model, and it was perfect for him.
So pretty cool.
You know, something like that Vantopia doesgreat at letting you see a lot of different
options.
If you're, what they call, Van Curius.
Van
Curius.
Van Topia.
That's what they told me.
They said there's a 1000 fan curious peoplethat came to the in the last year.

(40:39):
So we're the title sponsor.
It's February 16th through 19th, and it's inDade City, we actually have, a whole road named
afters.
Can I share my screen for a second?
Ahead.
Share your screen here.
And I will share my screen.
How do I do this?
You did it before before we started.

(40:59):
4.
Now you gotta figure out how to figure it out.
Here it is.
Okay.
Alright.
So let's see here.
So now I've gotta I'll change my screen to, youscreen.
Hold on.
Let's go.
Boom.
Right there.
There you go.
So So?
Right here is Sunshine Avenue.
So this should be all the people camping withus.
Mhmm.
And then this will be our display.

(41:20):
Can you see my mouse moving also or no?
Yes.
And you have 5 seconds and life.
This is hard to be bike.
So all of these people are gonna be camping,and this is gonna be fine avenue.
So, listen, I just wanna let you guys know thiscoachman, you know, we're very grateful to
coachman for the podcast as well as the channeland all that.

(41:44):
So big shout out to Coachmen.
We're gonna actually have something here, Nick,that will play for Coachmen as time goes on
from air, but a big shout out to them.
We do wanna let you guys know that.
I'm in a coachman, Nick's in a coachman rightnow.
I think the world of coachman so far as, youknow, when it when it comes to these class b
vans, and and I've had mine for 2 years, Nick,2 is.

(42:09):
52,000 miles.
Oh.
Okay.
It took me it took me to Indiana in the last 3weeks, and then to me all the way out to, to
Flagstaff, Arizona where we're hanging out, andthat's where I was staying.
You know, you were staying in some fancy Dancykind of place.
I don't know, but I was staying in an awesome,like, right on-site in a coachman, you know,

(42:34):
You gotta see how that is sometimes.
Can you we need to get, like, a caravan ofpeople, you know, and then when we go to these,
they like, circle the wagons.
Remember in the old style?
The olden days is circling the wagons.
So this is a thing.
I mean, if it for Van Topia, I would I wouldprobably stay in a van Vantopia.
Oh, that.

(42:55):
Yep.
I'm what what vans are you gonna have atVantopia, by the way?
We will have some 27 North.
We will have some American Coach.
I have
a couple
of road checks, couple of coachmen.
I think we're gonna bring 6 or 8, if I'm notmistaken.
Okay.
So we'll so we'll have we'll we'll have somecool vans at Vantopia.

(43:17):
So I wanna show a picture real quick.
Absolutely.
What do you wanna show?
It depends on what you wanna show.
My where I was staying in Let's see here.
Share screen one more time before we
Okay.
Sharing screens?
Alright.
Let's go.
I'll set it up.
Try.
Let's see if I can do it.

(43:41):
Yeah.
It's not letting me.
Okay.
While you're doing that, we've got a questionfrom Pete Hats.
Any Ford pop tops coming besides the echo, poptops for the Ford?
Pop top.
Yes.
So 27 North is making a pop top on a Ford.
I don't know who else is.
Good question.
The only pea so other than Winnebago echo,which you said you're gonna have 27 North The

(44:06):
only company I could think of is mod vans,which you saw at the show, but you don't carry
you don't carry, mod vans.
You have you guys have to get those direct.
If you're looking for something like that.
They they only do they only do that.
Yeah.
So I would say check those guys out.
They only carry forwards, and they have the lowroofs and mid roofs and high roofs
and stuff like that.

(44:26):
Know that 27 North is is doing, pop tops?
Yes.
So that's gonna be another option that you'regonna have.
This is gonna be my cheeky question of the day.
Are you gonna a 27 North popped up before youget an echo popped up.
Is there a
Do you wanna make a bet?

(44:47):
What?
I would say yes.
I would say, I I've I have a dozen a dozenunorder echoes, and 27 North is telling me that
I'll have vans in July.
So I'm really looking forward to you getting aWinnebago echo that you could sell.
I'm looking forward to that.
I've done some videos on them.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.

(45:08):
And everyone's been following those guys.
You know, they've kind of, put everythingforward here.
So, okay, so good question there.
Let's get, Ermatique, Cologne says, hi, Hank,Nick, and Lola.
You all put out amazing fun to watch and veryinformative.
My husband wants to know if Sunshine State willbe carrying the Winnebago echo.

(45:29):
We an you answered that one.
Right?
You will be.
You better be.
Yes.
We will be.
For sure.
Yeah.
So So, what is this?
I have a build design.
Haven't seen before, so need a shell sprinter.
I don't know what that not sure what thatmeans.
Like a like a cargo van.

(45:49):
You can buy that at the Sprinter dealership.
You can buy cargo vans.
Oh, just the shell.
Yeah.
That's a place to get
I wanna do those sprinter vans take the place.
Remember we were kids and people used to drivearound the vans with no windows and you would
thought they were always kidnappers.
Do you like
people in Strange vans?
They drive Or FBI agents?
Yeah.
FBI agents are kidnapped because I always sawtheir kidnapper when I was

(46:10):
in here.
I have 1.
I have a white van from it's a Ford.
Yeah.
It's a transit.
It's the electric transit.
It was at you saw it at at, Overland West.
Yeah.
It was in this.
Oh, yeah.
Seesucker did a Seesucker.
Yeah.
Yep.
Absolutely.
Seesucker.
So Patrick Ross says looking for it echowithout all the extra bells and whistles any in

(46:32):
stock.
So when you say bells and whistles, do you meanlike the general?
I mean, like, they don't come with a lot ofoptions.
They're not that, Yeah.
What's the options on an echo?
I think you could get pop top.
No pop top.
You can do pop top.
You can do lithium.
They all come standard with some lithium.
You can do like that bat wing awning.

(46:52):
You can do an outstand.
Yeah.
That one is that maybe that's what you'reselling.
Yeah.
I'd be happy to order whatever you want,Patrick.
Yeah.
Can people put those in now or know that we'vegotta wait Can people pay it now?
I've I I have a half a dozen sold orders rightnow.
Oh, okay.
Cool.
I've already
put deposits on them.
And Yeah.

(47:13):
Okay.
Sweet.
And, Matt Mar Martinez wants to know any planson carrying Gretch vans?
So no.
You know, I yeah.
I don't know.
I don't I mean, Gretch has some cool things.
They've approached us about us about themwanting us to carry them, and it just it hasn't
been something, you know, I there's there'snice remains out there that we carry, I and

(47:37):
Mhmm.
You know, they stopped building over the Eastfor 6 months, and there was some back and
forth.
So, I'm good right now.
Yeah.
You've seen some come in used, though.
Right?
I have.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
There you go.
And do you wanna question from Lola.
Lola's throwing out questions here.
I would love for.
Lola says, what brand class b does our SSRVcarry and what RV services does Sunshine State

(48:04):
RV have?
So what brands do you carry since people areasking?
Good good question.
So from Lola?
We carry.
They're all on our website, but we carryroadtrek.
We take carry coachman.
We carry American Coach.
We carry Midwest to Automotive Designs.
We carry 27 North.
We carry lots of Winnebago's we carry Chinook.

(48:27):
We carry Dynamax, which is the Ford Riverproduct.
That might be it?
Yeah.
You you got 27 North in there.
And, Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
No.
We care lots of stuff.
And then services, so I mean, we do a fullservice center here.
I mean, we we, you know, we we deliver freeanywhere in the country, but if you're close

(48:48):
by, we we service RVs every day.
We We try service 8 to 10 RVs a day right now,here at our location.
And when we move to our big location, we willbe able to service two or three times that
many.
Yeah.
Right now, our service department Hank, like, a2 or 3 month waiting list unless you bought
from us, and we'll get you in and how many daysHank.

(49:09):
5.
I'm seeing you put I'm I'm seeing you put up 5.
So, by the way, I'm gonna I'm
I'm gonna I gotta say.
I'm gonna real quick.
Go ahead.
Yesterday
Oh.
You got a new fridge.
Right?
Yes.
There it goes.
While you were getting a haircut.
Yeah.
Do you guys I love drop
the RV, got a haircut, came back when yourfridge was in and done.

(49:32):
Right?
Yes.
Yes.
It did.
I mean,
how often does that happen?
Not that often.
Not that often.
Oh, that was pretty funny.
I thought about that on my way home.
Yeah.
Yes.
I borrowed your minivan if anyone wants toknow.
I mortgage I borrow your minivan to, do that.
Get them
a haircut.
I'm like, I don't know.

(49:53):
Who?
Right.
Yeah.
So, yeah, that was cool.
And I actually have the door from the oldfridge here.
Yes.
I kept it because I've got stickers on it.
That's what that's what I was just showing justnow.
Let's see.
I think I've got 2 cameras showing there.
Okay.

(50:13):
So, yeah, you guys do a lot of service, a lotof different I Hank my, generator serviced also
yesterday.
She gets you a generator service and a newfridge all while you were getting a haircut.
Yes.
Do you want to, so I actually I actuallycracked my durata, which Nick claims that no
one has ever done in the history of class bvans.

(50:34):
So when I called a guy at Coachmen and told himabout your crack refrigerator.
Do you know what his comment was?
No.
What?
Tell Hank, you cannot or that many bullets inhis fridge.
Yeah.
I don't know how that happened, but I haveheard that people don't do that, apparently.

(50:54):
Maybe I was driving really fast or something,and I took, like, a little bump, had a little
hop.
I believe that.
100%.
Yeah.
Okay.
So there you go.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yana Smith says bathroom.
When is the class b industry looking in toinstalling European flip bathrooms.
That is a great question, Yamah.

(51:16):
The road trip pivot action has one.
So me and Hank have done a video.
Hank, if you wanna put a a link to that videoup, that might be helpful.
We actually have done a flip bathroom in a, ina roadtrek pivot.
And then the bathroom kinda swivels around, andit is I mean, it's very, very unique, and it's

(51:39):
something that that no other van I'm when I sayno other, you know, the echo has something like
it.
Mhmm.
But, you know, for for the most really has it.
I mean, just just that.
That's it.
Yeah.
So listen.
That's up to the industry to do it.
And, along with that, Donald Kingfel has aquestion.
What changes to Galleria coming down the line?

(52:01):
Coaching area.
The gal the biggest change to the Galleria isthe, the all wheel drive chassis.
So they're they are gonna be built on the allwheel drive chassis.
Mhmm.
And and and they're gonna start to be in builtvery soon.
So I I don't, you know, couple of weeks, coupleof months.
I don't know when they're gonna actually start,but, they're gonna they're gonna start building

(52:25):
all wheel drive chassis.
They they are doing a few changes for 24.
They haven't solidified a lot of those yet.
But, I've heard some rumors back and forthabout them.
So we will know more in the next couple months,but I do know starting in July I believe
they're gonna start building them on the newall wheel drive.

(52:46):
We're seeing these 4 cylinder.
Yes.
I actually did test drive with with the emptychassis with Nick Rachio of such of, Coachmen.
So So Bill just made a comment, Hank.
Yeah.
Uh-huh.
I remember watching a video where Hank drove ahundred miles an hour.
That's when the fridge broke.

(53:06):
I agree with that.
No problem.
I think it's gonna be a hundred miles an hour.
That was probably on a on a closed race Strangeclose racetrack.
Yeah.
My butt, a close racetrack.
Yeah.
You know, I only go whatever the speed limitis.
Driving through Texas, what's the speed limitthere?

(53:27):
80?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's about 80 or something like that.
So No.
I That's that's about Back
to that original question about the the Eurobathroom.
The pivot does have that style bathroom, and weare gonna be having them, me and Hank did do
video on them.
I think they're pretty cool.
Roadtrek is really focusing a lot of theirenergy on that here in the next couple of
months.

(53:47):
A lot of it.
If if you guys are looking for the video, it'scalled roadtrek best class B RV for Van Life,
the all new 2023 Pivot slumber camper.
You can find it right here on the channel ifyou're looking for that.
So let's see.
If I'm trying to get trying to move down to thequestions and comments and all that kind of

(54:10):
stuff here.
I wonder
if we can get 27 North to do like a a eurostyle bathroom.
They're, you know.
Mhmm.
Pretty creative with the stuff they're doing.
I don't know if Pablo's still listening or not,but,
you know.
Yeah.
What do you think about the euro?
Do you have you ever, you know, have you spenta lot of time looking at the stuff in Europe?
I got a lot of questions about that that peoplewant to see more here in America, what they're

(54:32):
seeing from European stuff.
What do you think?
Yeah.
So
I a lot of it's smaller.
So if people want smaller, you know, than thanthat is European, It is more like IKEA looking.
So I do think the, you know, Winnebago ishitting some of that with the SOLACE product.

(54:53):
Mhmm.
The 50 p, the 59px, the pocket where they'reoffering less as in bathroom wise, as in space,
and luxuries and more, utilitarian type stuffthat that, that just exactly what you need to
camp and that's it.
You know?
Mhmm.
Yeah.
And let's see.
Okay.

(55:14):
Gas.
What's this?
Gas door thick.
1 sure.
I don't know.
Guest Terrific monster Muncher, I guess.
There you go.
What happened to the Ford E Transit project?
Yeah, it's out there.
I don't have it.
It is.
Right.
Yeah.
You saw it.
That's I should.
Yeah.
I mean, you Hank a neat Strange when a bagosmaking 1.

(55:35):
Mhmm.
There's rumors that Coachmen Platts B is gonnabe coming out with, with one soon, so that'd be
pretty cool.
Yeah.
Sure everyone will be in time here.
I think that, But it
has to be able to hit over two hundred miles,two hundred miles in range.
I mean, having it go a hundred miles is justnot practical.
Yeah.
But I think we'll see that.

(55:56):
I think Mercedes is coming out with anesprinter that's gonna do around 2 100 else.
And then Ford announced that they're gonna havea 186 mile battery.
It's just the battery size.
That's all.
That has to change in that realm.
And if you up that battery size, that van goesfrom being like a 60, $70,000 van, depending on
how you build it, to being a, you know, 80,$90,000 van before you even build, you know

(56:24):
What's the price of a Strange, if you answerthe same.
Yeah.
So I but I think the reason, like, right nowwith electric, they're selling more of them to
companies that aren't going that far.
So Sunshine State RV, a guy that does some kindof laundry with you guys, and he has electric,
van.
Yeah.
You know, yes.
I I talked to him before I bought mine.

(56:44):
So it's it's typically folks like that who livein that town.
They don't do more than 50, 70, 5 miles a day.
So they've gotta see the the business side ofit.
They've gotta see that it makes sense for themto build, a bunch of these.
So, you know, you you guys will see some stuff.
I have, like, a ton of videos that are gonnacome out and all the stuff.

(57:07):
And you're gonna see more stuff on my eStrange.
It's at seasucker right now.
They shipped it up to Flagstaff and theyshipped it back.
Yeah.
It's over there.
I've gotta go get it.
And then I'll be doing more videos.
And I did some videos on it, before that, whichyou guys will see.
So
So, Hank, Yes.
And you're getting
me
in trouble here.

(57:28):
Uh-oh.
I just got a text from my wife.
We will have to go to Europe to do someresearch.
Oh, I I'm down to go.
I wanna go to Europe too and do some research.
Oh my gosh.
I'm with Mary.
Mary?
Yeah.
You're right, Mary.
We're gonna have to
we're gonna do this.
My 20th wedding anniversary is coming up inJanuary, Oh.

(57:50):
Can I write the trip off if we go to EuropeanRV research?
Can it be considered a business trip?
I'm not a tax accountant, but I I'll say I'llsay yes.
Sounds like
you do work.
Right?
Yeah.
If you do work.
I do work.
Yeah.
K.
You know, Lola and I are getting, we're we'regetting, passports anyway.
So there you go.

(58:10):
Alright.
Let's see.
I think we could probably take a couple of morequestions here.
You know what?
I'm surprised of how many folks are comingthrough.
I'm really happy for that.
I hope you all you guys smash the thumbs ups onthis and, share it as well.
Let's see.
Question about Coachmen dropping propane fromthe Galleria.
Yeah.
There you go.
You just pasted it.

(58:31):
Mhmm.
So Yeah.
I mean, I I can ask them.
I you know, people ask me about that all thetime about not having propane in in vans.
I just say just don't fill it up.
Every there's there's an alternative foreverything.
So in the coachman, the propane is mainly usedfor the truma hot water heater and truma
furnace.
So if you don't want to use propane, just useelectric.

(58:52):
Right?
I mean, hey, that's what you do on yours.
Use propane.
And when you're out of propane, use electric.
Yeah.
But I prefer propane.
It is cheaper and more efficient in heating.
And doing all those kinds of things.
I'm not really sure why people don't like it.
I found a lot of places that I can get that,that refilled.
The last time I filled mine was year ago, andI'm still at Hank, but I used it when I was in

(59:15):
in, Flagstaff for hot water.
So, you know, I think it's just very and worthit.
And if you're worried about the safety, thesethings are designed to be very safe.
So I'm not sure why people don't want it.
If you go some with some thing that's allelectric.
I know American Coach has that.
You are gonna burn through whatever batteriesyou have if you really need to heat that van.

(59:36):
Up.
Or, you
know, 27 North is doing the same thing wherethey're they're, but they're also upping their
lithium elasticity.
So, you know, raw American coach is doing, a1080 amp hours of lithium.
27 North doing 900 amp hours of lithium.
So, you know, they're they're upping theirtheir lithium so that way they can keep up with

(59:59):
everything else.
But I agree.
Propane's hard to find sometimes.
I mean, we have an issue right here on MainStreet where where we are.
There's a U Haul down the road that doesn'talways have and there's a propane place behind
us that doesn't have it that much either.
So it's it is a little annoying for us.
Yeah.
I guess it's one of those things is, like, likeyou say, that's gonna come down to what you
really want and then what you're able to get.

(01:00:22):
And and that's just how that's that particularthing's gonna work.
We should probably do some kind of, follow-upon that.
I'll I'll work on on something along thoselines.
I need to Well, you
are the official Coachmen class b brandambassador.
Right?
Yep.
Yep.
Can you go and pass for us?
Yeah.
I got people.
I'll do something on that to find out, but I'ma fan of propane.

(01:00:45):
So what I need to know from people is why don'tyou like propane?
Right?
So if you tell if you tell
us separately.
It stinks.
I'm the brown said it smells.
He also said I was stiff, so I don't really I Idon't know.
Yeah.
It is.
Yeah.
It is.
Yeah.
Okay.
You know, it's one thing from the outside.
Once you actually have to use this stuff,you'll find out.
And it depends on what climate you're in.

(01:01:06):
If you don't feel like you'll ever need propaneto heat up anything, heat heat up water or the
van, I think you'll be fine.
So you know, it really depends.
I like having a backup source to things.
Me personal.
Yes.
Redundancy.
Yes.
Redundancy.
You know, I'm a little bit of a survivalist,you know, a prepper.
You mean a prepper?

(01:01:28):
Yes.
You you can say that.
You're waiting for
the apocalypse.
The apocalypse is is is waiting for us.
Carmelo Cologne Senior says awesome podcast andcoachman design a wind deflector for the front.
A wind deflector.
So Uh-huh.
I
we put wind deflectors on when people ask aboutthem.
I you know, coachman are you talking aboutunderneath or on the hood, you know, on the

(01:01:52):
hood, we've done it a few times.
You know, on the on the bottom, I don't know ifyou need it on the bottom, but on the front,
we've we've put window deflectors on for peoplewho've named them.
Did my screen just Strange
or Yes.
It just changed.
Check that out.
Yes.
Now you're all you're you're fully wide screennow because we have done an hour.
That's the indication that we've done an hourhere.

(01:02:13):
Our time is
That's the indication.
Yes.
I'll get it better in the clay indication.
It's ongoing.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'll get it better in vacation as time goes onhere.
But what I wanna do here so we've we'veanswered a lot of questions, actually
pleasantly surprised of how many people joinedus.
We're gonna do this once a week.

(01:02:33):
Nick won't be here every single time.
But if you want to, I'll put you on schedulefor once a week.
I don't think you want to.
We'll get him back.
We'll definitely get him back.
We'll have other guests come on.
Some of the folks you guys saw is in the, inthe chat will be coming on here.
If you wanna know how you can support Lola andmyself, go to strangerpalooza.com, follow us on

(01:02:58):
social media, share this stuff.
We have some cool T shirts that we sell, andthat there's lots of ways you can also support
companies that support us like Sunshine StateRVs, which does a lot to support us actually
makes it possible for us to do this podcast.
I have to say that now that Nick is on, butgive him a hard time.

(01:03:21):
Whenever I see him.
Yeah.
I know.
I know he's gonna he's gonna love that one.
He's gonna make a little snippet out of thatright now.
It's try to play it back for me every time I'mgiving him a hard time about something.
So that's what you can do for us.
What can the folks do out there, Nick, if theywant to find out more from you, you know, buy
something from you guys.

(01:03:42):
They have, you know, questions, whatever.
What can those folks do?
Yeah.
So, you know, feel free to reach out to Hank.
He can give you an honest opinion and and and,you know, Hank connects people with us all the
time.
Feel free to reach out to us, check out ourwebsite.
We deliver free anywhere in the country nomatter where you're at.
We teach use your RV.
We do a a virtual walk through, teach you howto use it.

(01:04:05):
Even if you're not in Gainesville, we canstill, you know, help you with all of that.
So, yeah, check out our website.
We got lots of cool RVs in in stock.
More probably burned from sloppy human habits.
That was a true Strange.
Yes.
There's a Yeah.
Question needs to be answered.
We've got tons of videos.

(01:04:25):
So I've got a lot of videos in the pipelinethat are coming up, and they I have plans for
other videos.
So, you guys stay tuned for that.
I I wanna thank everyone.
Travel Dreamer says next time needs to bringhis Ben and Jerry's.
Are you allowed to eat Ben and Jerry's?
I thought you were not.
You can't be going to Europe and walking downthe beaches with a Ben and Jerry's body.

(01:04:47):
I I cannot.
I cannot.
I gotta I'm
going to the beach later this month.
I'm done to be in tip top shape.
Tip top shape.
So, you know, the the I think this has beenfun.
I don't know about you, but I've fun.
Right?
Yeah.
It's yeah.
It's good.
Yeah.
It's super fun.
Flew by.
It felt like 58 minutes.
I mean, it wasn't bad at
all.
Right.

(01:05:08):
Exactly.
And what we're gonna do here, we're gonna domore of these, continuing this next week.
I'm gonna pull the audio out of these.
I'm gonna throw them up Itunes and all yourfavorite places to to listen to audio podcasts
from so you can listen to us in your car,etcetera.
We're gonna put a few together.
So, Paul, when we get to, like, the 3rdepisode, We'll have those up, but you guys can
join us back here at the same time next week,and we'll have another cool guest that you guys

(01:05:34):
can you know, ask questions and all that.
Big thanks to everyone.
Nick, you know, I'm gonna do you have somelast, you know, last words of advice for folks
out there in the van in the van world or vanlife or who are interested in it before we go.
Man, you're like, put me on the spot here,Hank.
I don't know.

(01:05:54):
I mean, the advice is to, why wait?
Do it now.
You know?
You're you're not getting any younger and lifesituations change.
And if you've been thinking about it, make thejump, make it happen, and, start experiencing
everything you wanna experience now.
Awesome.
Well done.
Alright, Nick.
You stay right there.
Big thanks to everyone.
We'll we'll see you guys next week.

(01:06:16):
Right back here.
Same bat time, St.
Bat channel.
We're we're out of here.
Peace see you.