My View

Winnebago 2007 View 23J

Our current View spending it's first night in Mexico, Dec. 2013

This is my current (and second!) Winnebago View-- a 2007 model 23J.  I did something rather unconventional for an RVer.  Rather than trading up to a newer/bigger model, in the Fall of 2013, I traded my 2008 View 24H for one a year older and foot shorter!  Why would someone do such a thing?  Well, this post will give you the full explanation, but short summary-- I wanted a floorplan more comfortable for solo long-term travel, and also wanted a 1st generation (T1N) Sprinter for better fuel mileage (and that would avoid any possible incompatibilities with Mexican diesel).

Our 23J floorplan features the optional cabover storage doors

Now that I've been living in the T1Nnie Winnie for a few years, I'm absolutely loving the J-model floorplan!  Love having the permanent rear bed, the lighter wood interior, and the nice front storage area.  I thought I would miss the H model's pantry, but discovered that the dinette overhead cabinets work great for the small stuff, and larger/heavier pantry items go great in "under bed" plastic tubs that slide out easily from under each bench seat.

The J has a massive storage area beneath the rear bed.  Half of it is accessible from the external rear hatch, however, there's also a spacious inside storage area beneath the "curve" of the bed where I can stow big bulky stuff such as extra towels and bedding, etc.

But there's one drawback to this newer older View-- a few hundred pounds of less cargo carrying capacity.  I need to continually be careful to not travel with full tanks of water/waste, and make sure I carry heavier items in the Tracker whenever possible to minimize the load carried in the View.

Here are the main specs for the T1NnieWinnie View:

• Length = 23'5"
• Width = 7'6"
• Height = 10'9"
• Exterior Storage = 25.3 cu ft
• Awning Length = 10'
• Interior Height = 6'8"
• Freshwater Tank = 34 gal
• Gray Holding Tank = 38 gal
• Black Holding Tank = 31 gal
• LP Tank = 18 gal
• Diesel Fuel Tank = 26.4 gal
• Wheelbase = 159"
• GCWR = 13,700 lbs
• GVWR = 10,200 lbs
• UVW = 9,008 lbs
• CCC (with full fuel, water, LP tanks) = 849 lbs for occupants, cargo & towing tongue weight
• Towing Capacity = 3,500 lbs
• Hitch Weight Limit = 350 lbs
• Engine = Mercedes Benz 2.7L 5-cylinder 154hp Turbo-Diesel 
• Chassis = 2006 Dodge Sprinter (Mercedes Benz) 3500 with 5-speed automatic transmission
• Avg MPG = 13-14 mpg at full highway speeds (60-70 mph) while towing; 16-18 mpg when not towing

Here are the mods and upgrades I've installed on the Winnie (click the RV Gadget Favs tab for more of my favorite RVing items):

• Set of 6 Michelin M/S2 Tires, size LT225/75R16 (Pomp's Tire)
• Bilstein B4 Front McPherson Struts (Amazon.com)
• Bilstein 4600 Series HD rear shocks (Amazon.com)
• Metal Valve Stems for the dual rear and front tires (BorgTireSupply.com)
• Swivel mounts for the Driver & Passenger seats (EuroCampers.com)
• Sony Bluetooth Car Stereo with button remote & smartphone AppRemote (Amazon.com)
• Oxygenics Shower Head with water cutoff switch (Amazon.com)
• LED light bulbs for all the under-cabinet accent lighting (SuperBrightLEDs.com)
• (2) Lifeline GPL-4CT 6 volt AGM batteries (PowerstrideBattery.com)
• (2) Renogy 100 watt solar panels (Amazon.com)
• AMSolar 35mm Rocker Mounts (AMSolar.com)
• AMSolar 45 degree tilt bar set (AMSolar.com)
• Imagine Instruments SCB-PW1-2 Rooftop Combiner Box (eBay.com)     
• Morningstar Sunsaver 15 amp MPPT Solar Controller (Amazon.com)
• Morningstar RM1 Remote Solar/Battery Meter (Amazon.com)
• Progressive Dynamics PD4645 3-stage Converter (Amazon.com)
• ReadyBrute Elite Tow Bar with integrated ReadyBrake (NSA RV Products)
• Winegard Sensar IV Replacement TV Antenna Head (Amazon.com)
• Winegard Sensar Pro TV Signal Meter/Amplifier (Amazon.com)
• IKEA Morgedal Full-size Foam Mattress (IKEA.com)
• Froli TRAVEL Large V-Berth Bed Springs (NickleAtlantic.com)
• Tough Topper 15oz. Black Slide-out Topper (ToughTopAwnings.com)
• Mercedes Grill & Paintable Trim Piece (eBay.com)
• Mercedes 52mm Steering Wheel Badge (eBay.com)

In May 2016, my View got its biggest upgrade yet-- a gorgeous new exterior paint job from the master craftsmen at Mike's Custom Painting in Bremen, IN.  Here's the full post of before/after photos.