Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

I just got a email regarding Born Free at the RV show in Hershey.
Then I saw it.... Knocked me over... ... Is this Good or Bad for us E350/450 owners?

"We're also excited to announce that we're developing a Born Free on the Mercedes Sprinter!
Come see us at the Hershey RV Show and we'll tell you all about it!"

Anybody know this was coming? If so, tell us more.
Aren't they going to have to come up with all new Fiberglass Molds?

So..... the big question?
Would you Change Over to a SPRINTER?

We were long time Born Free owners, having four different ones. In April of this year sold our 2008 Born Free and purchased a 2016 Itasca Navion J model. Love the Sprinter chassis, diesel engine, diesel generator, and slide out. Couldn't be happier with our Navion, but wish Born Free had made a similar decision sooner. I think people will love a Born Free on a sprinter chasis.

Thanks for the input. Glad you are happy with the change.
Looks like the Sprinter may be the waive of the future like the Motorhomes are in Europe?
This is a picture of a MH , I found googling. NOT A BORN FREE PIC.

Look Steve it has a step

It will be interesting to see how BF addresses the weight issue. If on the same chassis as the View, Navion, etc. I would think they will have to use lightweight materials. Will there be a sacrifice of construction quality?

Just can't see how Born Free can build anything similar to their products onto a Sprinter chassis as they are too limited on weight.

We looked at the Sprinter chassis competition but not enough "payload" for us. We many times haul a total of eight friends or family on short trips and need the CCC of the E-450. The BF design is heavy-duty and is probably why we experience minimal squeaks, rattles and leaks. I would like to see the Born Free on an M2 Freightliner chassis.

The F550 Ford MSRP w/diesel is $50000 the M2 is $70000 the Sprinter is $35000 (11030 lb GVW) ,and E350 $30500 (12500 lb GVW)... plus $2250 for E450 (14500lbGVW) . It all comes down to price and capacity .

[quote="Rich Flaugh"]We looked at the Sprinter chassis competition but not enough "payload" for us. We many times haul a total of eight friends or family on short trips and need the CCC of the E-450. The BF design is heavy-duty and is probably why we experience minimal squeaks, rattles and leaks. I would like to see the Born Free on an M2 Freightliner chassis.[/quote]

+1

randallrae wrote: It all comes down to price and capacity .

Plus a couple of other considerations: Fewer Mercedes vs Ford repair locations and I wouldn't want to take a diesel requiring Ultra Low Sulfur south of the border.

I follow the class C models thru several sources. I must say I agree with DBrown.
For some time I have looked at in person ,read about and thought a lot about the Sprinter Chassis.

It seems to me that Born Free must provide this option if they expect to really do well in the
future in the class C marketplace. They don't have to give up the E450 chassis this could be an additional
option for those wanting it.

Rob and Joan
2003 24RB

The obvious question is how long is Ford going to continue to produce the E-450 cutaway chassis? There is a substantial market for it in the US for RVs, buses ambulances etc but is it enough to satisfy Ford? I have recently seen more use of the stripped E-450 DRW chassis to produce a small Class A RV. Perhaps that will help keep it in production.

I saw this when I was at the factory in early August and they asked me not to say anything. I guess the secret is out. It is an option but it is an 11,800 pound chassis and the e 450 is 14K so they have to figure out how to slim the coaches down a bit.

Having just returned from a three-week, 4,000 mile trip in my Kodiak chassis 32RQ, I have to sing the praises of the medium-duty truck chassis coaches. I'd love to see a Born Free on the Freightliner M2 chassis. Yes, it'd be expensive, but it'd be the only coach you'd ever need to buy. There's a market for all sizes of coaches tho... the Sprinter will open a new market share for Born Free.

This is just my opinion for whatever it is worth? I suspect that the arrival of the Mercedes/Dodge class C some years back was a major competitive factor for Born Free on E-350, E-450 Chassis. Price, the diesels, and "European" design and layout just might have proven challenging. Maybe that accounted for the proliferation of larger Born Free units and just perhaps permitted movement to higher price point RVs.
JMO,
Ralph