I own a RV rental company and with nearly 3 years of owning and renting Winnebago Solis Class B RVs there’s a lot I have learned. With over 300 renters and over 500,000 miles combined driven in the Winnebago Solis most things that can and will go wrong have happened. I’ll cover all the good and bad I’ve learned about the Winnebago Solis P and PX models.
I’ll start with the different available models and what I like and don’t like about each of them. Winnebago offers 2 Solis P model floor plans, the sofa bed or the murphy bed. Then there is the PX which only comes in the murphy bed layout. The PX model also comes with a roof top AC unit which is not available on the Solis P do to space limitation on the shorter chassis with the pop top. There is an option to delete the pop top on the Solis P and get an AC unit however we rent only units with the pop top.
59P Sofa Bed Model: Many of our renters select the sofa bed model because it offers 2 more seatbelts for a total of 6 versus the murphy bed with only 4 seatbelts. The extra seat belts are useful for those traveling with larger groups. Another plus is that the sofa bed has a thicker cushion than the murphy bed which many people feel is more comfortable. The downside of the sofa bed is that it sits below the rear windows and if you’re 6 ft tall or taller you wont be able to stretch out without hitting the sides of the van. Getting on and off the sofa bed is easier though because it sits closer to the ground.
59P Murphy Bed: Although you lose 2 seat belts with the murphy bed option you gain a lot for the adventure seeker. The murphy bed folds up allowing access through the middle of the van to the rear doors. This makes the space feel much larger! There is also more room for storage under the murphy bed when its down that there is under the sofa bed. The murphy bed also sits at the height of the rear windows which give it approximately 6 more inches of total length than the sofa bed. If you don’t need 6 seat belts my preference is the murphy bet layout.
59 PX: The PX comes only in the murphy bed option. It is also built on the Ram Promaster 3500 chassis instead of the 2500 chassis that the 59p is built on. The PX gives you 18 extra inches of storage in the rear, an onboard generator and roof mounted air conditioner. While the on board generator and roof mounted air conditioner provide a sort of security for many of our renters we find that they are hardly ever used. Our generators get very little use, less than 20hrs per year. As for the air conditioner there is in dash air conditioning that can be used in both solis models while driving or by running the engine while parked. The vans with the pop top get great air flow through the side and rear screen doors that travel up through the pop top. Most renters never need any air conditioning until the temperatures reach well into the 90’s. If your parked in the shad a day in the high 90’s would be no problem without air conditioning.
What Breaks:
Fresh Water Tank: The first issue and an issue we have had with all of our Winnebago Solis models is that the fresh water storage tank located under the kitchen sink loses its shape after a couple refills. The water tank expands outward cracking the wood framing of the sink cabinet and pushing the cabinet out from the wall. Rather than rebuilding the broken framing we found that it is easier and works better to simply remove the broken wood frame.
Pop Top Doesn’t Stay Latched: All of our Winnebago Solis models had issues with the pop top not staying latched after a few uses. It seems that there is some settling in the pop top which loosens up the latches over time. Some could simply be loosened, adjusted and tightened but other latches had to be removed and re-drilled to have a tight hold.
Doors not locking: There are 2 common causes of the doors not latching and Ram loves to blame it on Winnebago but it seems to be more of a Ram issue. When this happens the parking lights flash but the doors wont lock. Mostly this is due to the sliding door not being closed all the way. It appears closed but the contacts are not touching and the van will not lock. In a rare case we did have to adjust the contacts but usually its just the sliding door not being closed. The second issue which seems to happen on all the Ram Promasters at some point is that the doors wont lock and the parking lights flash randomly. The Ram dealer has never been able to solve this but we found that if you disconnect the engine battery, honk the horn to get out and residual power, then let the van sit for 30 minutes it resets and the issue is gone.
Service Brake System Warning: This is another Ram issue that flashes a warning light to service the braking system when driving down a steep grade for an extended period of time. The light goes off after the van is stopped and restarted. I have taken several vans into the Ram dealership however they do not have a fix for it as of now.
Cabinet veneer and edging: Over time and from the factory the cabinet veneer and edging comes unglued. Weldwood contact cement with a small brush works great to reattach the peeling veneer. To re-attach the peeling cabinet edging I use E6000 High Viscosity Adhesive with some blue painters tape to hold it in place overnight.
Loose Screws: There’s a constant need to tighten loose screws all over RVs. The main ones that come loose in the Solis are the ones on the rear door that hold the shower curtain rod on. For the machine screws with nuts applying some thread locker helps them stay tight. The screws that go into the doors usually have to be replaced with a larger screw because the threads strip out. I’ve thought of trying rivets but haven’t needed to yet. The other screws that will come loose are the screws that hold the table in place behind the middle seats. These screws strip out of the wood because of the pressure applied when the table is taken in and out. The worst part about these screws is that they are extremely difficult to access. They were definitely put in before the seat was installed in the factory. When these screws come loose I dab some wood glue on the ends and retighten them with a short handle screw driver.
Cracked Pop Top: Beware that there is an issue with some of the pop tops getting stress cracks on the roof top. This is covered under warranty and we have had a pop top replaced.
Water Pumps: Although the water pumps do typically last several years they can break and when they do it they’re not easy to replace. The water pump is located beneath the sofa bed or in a storage area depending on the model of Solis. The water pumps are under the floor and the compartment to access them is extremely tight. It takes much patience to get one in and out.
Stove Knobs: The gas stove can fit a pot larger than the burner however if the pot extends close to the gas control knobs the heat will melt them. Make sure when cooking the pot or pan used is not too large.
Bathroom Door Travel Lock and Magnets: The travel lock on the bathroom door tends to come loose over time no matter how tight it is. Retightening this is like regular maintenance with anything on a RV that’s screwed in. The lower magent that also holds the bathroom door closed seems to be too strong for the crews that hold the attachment metal plate in place. The metal plate rips off the bathroom door. I found that wrapping the metal plate with some electrical tape reduced the pull or it can be removed completely.
Leaking Cassette: The cassette toilet system works great but over time the seal do wear out. When this happens water will leak from the bowl into the cassette compartment. A replacement seal Thetford part 23721 Can be easily installed. I also use a seal conditioner whenever the toilet is not being used for a long period of time to increase the life of the seal.
Cracking Shower Hose: The plastic connectors on the shower hose cracks after very little use. It can be replaced very easily and not very expensive. The shower head also tends to leak and lacks some functionality and I prefer the one with the push button on off switch.
Refrigerator Cracks: The refrigerator gets what seem to be stress cracks in the corners over time. I use a white silicon caulk to seal these cracks. Once sealed they are much easier to keep clean.
PX Model Generator Clearance: The clearance on all of the Winnebago Solis models is low and damage does happen to the undercarriage if they are driven over bumpy rocky roads. The PX model has the generator installed under the van next to the rear axle. Although the clearance for the generator is the same height as the axle, the axle will not protect the generator from damage. We did have a renter hit something with the generator and pull it from its mounts to the bottom of the van. The worst part is that the generator mounting is installed before the inside is completed. Thus a new generator support system that mounts from the bottom had to be fabricated to reinstall the generator. Although the new mounting system is likely much stronger than the original it is a very costly process.
Things We Add:
Phone Mount: A good phone mount is essential. I use a suction cup type one.
Paper Towel Holder: I attach a paper towel holder under the kitchen cabinets, it fits great and is very useful.
Floor mats: make cleaning much easier. There are companies that make them but I cut our own pattern and had it bound at a local upholstery shop. I was able to get 3 floor mats done for the price of one bought online.
What The Winnebago Solis does right: The Winnebago Solis is a great adventure van that holds up well over time with routine maintenance. Having owned a variety of RVs from travel trailers to Class C motorhomes, the fact that they’re mobile means things will come loose and break the longer they’re on the road. Renting out the Solis really puts it through the durability test and I can say it holds up very well.
The simplicity of the Solis is what makes it a great adventure van. There aren’t a bunch of luxuries like a microwave and tv crammed into the space. Everything is functional and well thought out to maximize efficiency and storage.
The pop top is an absolute necessity for me, it provides a great sleeping or lounging area with unbeatable views. The pop top also provides a feeling of extra headroom when its open and unbeatable airflow through the van.
We have a family of 4 and have used the van for a variety of RV trips. Its the perfect RV for a trip to Yosemite or any national park. Its able to fit in almost any campsite and can explore all the vehicle accessible area of the national parks.
The cassette toilet can be easily emptied into a campground toilet so there is no need to search for a dump station.
The solar and off grid battery system powers everything onboard with no need to ever plug in. The 12 volt refrigerator has no issues running completely off solar and battery power. The Solis is truly an off grid adventure van.
The Solis is not 4 wheel drive so there are some off road limitations but I have driven it down dirt, gravel and snowy roads with no issues.
The van drives great and the best part is how easy it is to park. I’ve driven these vans though San Francisco and had no problem finding parking places. The Winnebago Solis 59p model fits easily into a standard parking space while the 59PX does stick out a little further.