February 1, 2024
We looked at literally hundreds of RVs for sale online. All of them reminded us of the 70's or 80's in terms of style, color, finish, etc. We even wondered if getting an RV was the right thing to do. One afternoon, we had an appointment that cancelled last-minute. We had the time blocked, so off we went to the LA RV Center - where we met Gary. After explaining what we wanted, he walked us over to a 2017 Dynamax Isata 3, which was built onto a 2016 Mercedes Benz 3500 Sprinter chassis. It has a full slide out on the driver's side that almost doubles the entire living space. We glanced at each other (slightly confused), as it was the first relatively modern RV we'd seen, and it was exactly what we wanted. Not sure how long it will remain online (since it's now sold), but here's the 'for sale' page for the one we purchased. Since that has the full description & pics, I won't bother to add it all here but to save you a click...here are some pics:
Basic Description: 2016 Mercedes 3500 Dynamax Isata 3 - Model 24FW - 3.0L V6 Diesel. 36k miles.
Full Length Slide out
Full Body Paint Package with Diamond Shield (no decals)
ONAN 3.6 kw LP Generator with Auto Transfer (41 hours)
Tankless On-Demand Water Heater
1,000W Inverter
Solar Panels - Two 100 Watt
30 Amp Controller
Color Rear Camera, Color Side Cameras
4 Point Hydraulic Auto Leveling
Winegard Satellite Dish on roof
Gas (Propane) Stove
Refrigerator
Convection / Microwave oven
Bathroom with sink, shower, toilet.
Fresh Water, Gray Water, and Black water tanks
Propane tank
3 powered vents
2 32" TVs
Since the brand is "Dynamax," and because that describes him pretty well overall, we decided to call him "Max". Sometimes we also refer to him as "the rig," "the van," "the mobile response unit" and my favorite: "The Millennium Falcon" (which of course makes me Han Solo and/or Harrison Ford). Definitely enough to get us where we're going!
Owning an RV is similar to owning a full-on house with complex modern systems, only built on a van. There are a ton of systems that you need to understand and operate. AC power (via battery Inverter or via 30 amp hookup),12 volt power, solar panels & solar power, solar & battery power management, 12 volt lighting, propane tank, propane generator, multiple fuse panels with different types of fuses with different amperages, circuit breakers, lighting, a plumbing system that works on both tank and fresh water, water pump, multiple hoses, 2 water filters, incoming water pressure limits, instant hot water heater, how to manage them in the winter, powered vents, fresh water tank, gray water tank, 'black' water tank (and their sensors), tank heaters (for when it's below freezing), how to dump the tanks, sewage line & related sanitation considerations, propane furnace, air conditioning, levelers, awning, a full length slide out, electric steps, battery powered combination lock side door (with remote), multiple audio & indoor/outdoor speaker systems, a folding bed, a dinette that converts to a bed, a refrigerator that runs on either propane, 12 volts, or 120 volts works, which internal or external storage bin is best to store what, weight management, tire pressure, how diesel engines are different than car engines, DEF fluid, and sooo much more. LOTS of fun stuff to learn! Max came with an actual briefcase full of manuals for all the various systems and components.
Once we acquired it in October '23, I went about attaining a bunch of needed accessories and various upgrades, which I outline here!
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