Buyers Guide

 

How do I know this is the right path for me?

ARV is for those with a passion for exploring highways and backroads in a small, nimble motorhome crafted to their unique vision. We work with people who appreciate the unrestricted freedom of a stealthy, self-contained Class B motorhome.

Our clients prioritize quality and attention to detail, seeking something custom and handmade, free from the compromises of mass production. They value collaboration and enjoy the journey of creation.

If this resonates with you, we’d love to partner with you on a custom build. And if you’re seeking a more accessible entry point into the ARV community, our Pre-Owned ARVs – fully guaranteed and modifiable to your needs – offer the same commitment to craftsmanship and service.

How do you want to travel?

Your custom ARV build begins with a conversation. Together we explore your past travels and your vision of the future. By engaging in the following discussion, we refine your answer with a simple question: “How do you want to travel?”

  • Do you plan to stay at mostly campgrounds, Harvest hosts, Walmarts, wherever you land, or other “off the grid” options?
  • How long do you anticipate you will stay at a location? Will you typically be enjoying a location for days or weeks or will you be hitting the road nearly every day?
  • Will you be traveling alone most of the time, with a significant partner or friend, with pets? How many, what type? Will you occasionally take children or grandchildren?
  • How do you plan to sleep? Alone in single beds? A queen-size sofa bed? A queen-size platform bed? An elevating bed? How many do you plan to sleep in your motor home?
  • Do you plan to cook on the road? How elaborate will your meals be? Do you have special dietary needs?
  • Do you have special medical needs on the road? Do you use a CPAP machine? Do you need artificial limb storage while sleeping?
  • What activities do you want to enjoy on the road? Do you need special storage for gear? Photographic, skiing, golf, bicycling, paddleboard? What else? 
  • What did you like from past travel experiences? What would you like to improve?

Your values and experiences form your answers to these questions. Many clients travel in pre-owned ARVs or other motorhomes before coming here. We are happy to share what we’ve learned traveling in and building hundreds of custom vehicles.

Why is it important to visit ARV and meet the staff?

The trust required to establish a productive relationship is best established face-to-face. It is important for you to see our home, watch us operate, talk to our team, and see our production method. We think the best way to accomplish this is to visit us. Please contact us any time to arrange a visit to our Cleveland home.

How do I design and build my Advanced RV?

It starts with making sure you want to work with us. This can be done by watching videos, talking on the phone, or visiting us, sometimes all of this and multiple visits. We want you to take this time to interview us and make sure we are the correct fit for your needs.

We would be pleased to send you a path to delivery document that describes our design-build process including timing and amount of deposits and progress payments. Please contact us to begin this process.

What should I budget? How long will it take?

We ask you early in the process what you have in mind for schedule and budget. This becomes the basis for future decisions and design.

Every Advanced RV build is different, and the cost of each project varies. Recent brand-new custom builds have ranged in cost between $420,000 and $650,000, depending on the level of engineering required. An alternative to a new build is purchasing a pre-owned Advanced RV with the capability to modify it to your needs. Our pre-owned ARVs usually range in price between $70,000 and $400,000.

The time between the initial deposit and delivery has varied over the years. For many years, our backlog was about two years. With the improvement in Mercedes-Benz chassis delivery, our improved production efficiency, and the status of the market, our current deposit-to-delivery time for a brand-new build is between 10 and 14 months.

What is feasible/possible in a custom design?

We will build anything that will physically fit and be within legal weight limits. There must be space and it must be legal. These are our only limitations.

Technologies and Systems

Every Advanced RV is unique, so the technology differs from build to build. However, there are certain systems that our clients repeatedly ask us to include, such as: 

  • A high-capacity, fully integrated lithium battery system, designed for rapid recharging and all-weather use. Recent battery packs have been around 16 kilowatt hours of energy.
  • Insulated, high-capacity tanks with level and temperature sensors. Our typical freshwater tank is around 40-50 gallons. 
  • A heat and hot water system, designed for four-season use, with a diesel-fired furnace that is integrated with the Mercedes fuel tank.
  • A computer-controlled air ride suspension system that replaces the stock suspension

At Advanced-RV. Innovation is driven both by our clients and by our need to continuously improve. We incorporate technologies as soon as we can assure ourselves that they are safe and reliable. We have a history of solid, useful, and elegant innovation.

Chassis

Most of our builds have been on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van or cab chassis because that is what our clients prefer. We have built on other chassis brands and are open to any chassis our client desires as long as the quality reflects the use of our high standards.

Service, Support, and Warranty

We provide a person on the phone when you call whether you call for service, support, or just to talk to us. During business hours. There are no buttons to punch or menus to go through. You get a person. 

The same is true if you call for service. We are available for emergencies 7 days per week. Our service is designed to keep you on the road or get you back on the road as soon as possible with the least hassle. Our warranty is three year, bumper to bumper including appliances and all systems.

FAQ’s

There are many shapes and sizes of motorhomes. How do I know a Class B is the best fit for me?

The class B motorhome is the most convenient size for traveling. From city driving to off road travel, class B motorhomes are easy to maneuver as they mirror the lengths and widths of a large SUV or pickup truck. Their smaller size opens up more options for overnight stays as they can be parked virtually anywhere and not been recognized as an RV. In our opinion, class B motorhomes are the most convenient for travel and the most comfortable eating and sleeping. When it comes to gas mileage, class B can be multiples of the larger motorhomes. Class A and Class C motorhomes are larger with more floor space, but this additional floor space makes them far more difficult to park – often requiring the need to tow a vehicle for local travel. When it comes to number of people, class B motorhomes can comfortably accommodate two for travel and sleep while class A and C motorhomes are typically designed to house more travelers.

Why ARV?

If you want a completely custom, hand crafted class B motor home, ARV will accommodate your needs. Each client creates every aspect of their design to match their travel needs. If you can find a “factory built” class B motor home that meets your design needs and quality standards, you should purchase it.

 

How much does it cost? How long does it take to build?

Advanced-RV motor homes will typically cost about two times the cost of a “factory built model”. If you don’t need the quality, capabilities, and customization of an ARV, we suggest on the following higher volume produced manufacturers of Class B motor homes: (Link to Roadtrek, Winnebago, Airstream, Midwest, etc.)

Where would I find a dealer that sells Advanced RV motorhomes?

We don’t use dealers. We design our motor homes with each client and we manage every detail of their ARV service. Based on our close client contact and total customization, there isn’t much value a dealer can offer our clients. We do not do paid advertising or pay to attend shows. We do a relatively small number of builds per year and we don’t want to have to add advertising costs to the cost of our clients’ motorhomes.

How will I design my ARV?

Clients visit our facility and join in a fun but significant process of sharing the details of their motorhome vision. Our designers and engineers facilitate the process supported by the many build examples on our production floor.

How customized can I make my ARV?

The only limits are ‘Does it fit?’ and ‘Can you afford it?’ Custom means custom.

There is no menu of items for you to choose from when designing your custom motorhome. Our designers have created an outline that guides the design process but every client design conversation is as unique as their resulting motorhome. The only limitations on the design are “will it fit into the chassis (weight and volume” and “is it legal by MB upfit and DOT standards”

I’ve decided I’m interested, what should my next step be?

We enjoy our email and phone conversations with potential clients. Ask as many questions as possible. We encourage you to visit us, tour our factory, and share your vision in person. If you are sure you want an advanced RV motorhome, please ask for deposit information. Your initial deposit will enable us to order your custom chassis (with your input) and firm your place in the production queue.

What kind of support and service can I expect when I drive away?

We answer our phones in person during business hours. We also have a service phone answered 24/7 by one of our technical staff. We do everything we can to answer your service questions, troubleshoot your issue, and find the nearest, best resource to do your repair, if a repair is warranted.

What should I name my van?

The names are only limited by your imaginations. Some examples of past names: NUANNAARPOQ, WAHROONGA, Glamazon, Goose, Nut Nut, Eowyn, Pebbles and Bam Bam