Thinking out Loud

[Campinghoss]

We started with tents, pop ups, tag behinds, fifth wheels and now a Class A. In the past few months we are seriously considering going back to a high end fifth wheel. I kept my truck so that is not an issue. I don't know why I am struggling so much other than I really like the Monaco but I also really like the OR with rear kitchen fiver. There is so much more room in the fiver. I know the pros and cons but ultimately it is what we "think" makes up happy huh? Being able to go to the bathroom while under way is not an issue because my DW will not drive the MH so I have to stop anyway.
Just thinking out loud.

[GHOST1750]

I started out in the late 90's thinking about RVing, my choice was a 5th. wheel for less than $20,000.00 but ended up in 2001 with a 35 ft. class A for much more but have never regretted my choice. Am now about to go into the 3rd. class A and still don't regret it. Every time my wife goes back to the bathroom or says "shall I get you a cup of coffee or a cookie and I don't have to find a place to pull over I think , This is nice, and when I stop for the night and sit behind the wheel and push a few buttons to level and put out the slides, again I think this is nice. When I back into a parking space with twisting the wheel in different directions I think "THIS IS GREAT" glad I made the choice for a class A.

If your thing is to sit in the same place for long periods of time and can back one of the confounded things then your piece of cake is a 5th. wheel. Everyone to their own taste, that's what the old woman said when she kissed the cow.

[Mile_High]

Ya, I don't miss dragging that fat butt around trying to go sightseeing 🙂

[Dance_Chick]

For us, it's pretty simple. We love motorhomes. We love looking at them in RV parks or coming down the road. So, there's no question, comparison, conversation, or decision. We want a MH. I would get whichever you want and not worry about it. You only go around once.

[mtofell1]

Like everyone says - of pros and cons. To me the biggest thing is how you use it. If you're stationary for long periods the 5th seems better. If you're constantly on the move a class A is nice.

What you do when you're stationary also matters. It can be much better sightseeing in a toad than a DRW 3500 truck.

[stickyeye]

I find the trip more enjoyable in the MH and prefer having our jeep for running around rather than the dually truck. Also like that if we are not to our campground yet but want to stop along the way or overnight somewhere, we can park the motorhome in a parking lot and take the car. We also travel with pets so having more room while traveling and another vehicle in case of a breakdown is a plus too.

Sticky

[et2]

We've owned two travel trailers, four fifth wheels and now our DP MH. The last fiver we had was a Cameo before they sold off to Thor, 40' , top of the line full body paint. It would Rivel any MH. Had a diesel dually to pull it.

Climbing up and around the bed hooking up and unhooking got really tiresome ( bad back). There had been some hitch issues with multiple hitches, braking ( hated controller). It was our second vehicle and I drove a company car for work. My wife after time wouldn't drive it anymore. So there was anothe car purchased for her. The nice truck just sat until camping, insurance , maintenance, etc.

So one day we looked at our current MH and never went back. Love it way more than any of the the other 6 platforms. Many reason discussed already, ease of hookup, no need for a dedicated towing truck. Way more comfortable driving, view better going down road, easy setup. One thing that really has me scratching my head is those who claim a fiver has more room, storage etc. In our current setup we have every bit of storage we had in our last 40' fiver. There's also as much room inside with our layout.

If your into rear kitchens, I guess that excludes DP MH's. But being you kept your truck, maybe you were never on board with the MH?

[J-Rooster]

My best friend owns a diesel pick up and tows a 5er! This past summer his turbo went out on his pick up on one of the Montana Passes! He had to call 2 tow trucks one to haul his pick up to the shop and a second tow truck to haul his 5er to a RV Park. If he would have had a Class A motorhome breakdown call one tow truck and drive to a motel in your toad.

[ncrowley]

I would not got to a fifth wheel because many times I want to have my Jeep with me so we can go out and have fun going on trails only a Jeep can do. We have seen some amazing sights with the Jeep.

[slickest1]

We had fifth wheels for a few years and then went to a D.P.
Last spring we sold the D.P. and went back to an older but nice fifth wheel.
After 2 trips last summer we are now negotiating a deal on another D.P.
The DW missed the handy on the fly bathroom breaks, having everything warm when we shut down for the day and not having to go back and forth to the truck.
A couple of sessions at the laundromat also swayed the decision.

[Campinghoss]

Mile High wrote:
Do you have opposing slides on that Cayman? About 1/2 the floorplans did. Without, I imagine it does feel a little cramped after having a 5er.

I'm not sure what you are looking at, but 3" walls are pretty unique. Are they hung walls? DRV?

We had 3 fifth wheels - the last one was auto leveling, plush, nice rig, but it still had cheesy suspension, a poor excuse for insulated belly, rubber roof, lots of woes I wouldn't want to go back to, but I do miss that huge window out the back.

No it does not have opposing slides. It has the main one and the one for the bedroom. The one we are looking at is a Open Range 3X 388 RKS model. As I said in an earlier post we met some good folks on our travels that had gone from a Class A to a high end fiver and both my wife and I were amazed at how things had changed from our old Sunnybrook fiver. The OR is a very nice fiver and out of all the different mfgs we have looked at it stands out. One of my hangups is the Monaco is picture perfect, I will jump into that right now and go anywhere with not a concern . But as with anything you purchase new you have that period where you hold your breath for a while when travelling. We have been blessed so this is not our first new one and the pdi will be extensive but you still have to have those several shakedown cruises.

[Mile_High]

Do you have opposing slides on that Cayman? About 1/2 the floorplans did. Without, I imagine it does feel a little cramped after having a 5er.

I'm not sure what you are looking at, but 3" walls are pretty unique. Are they hung walls? DRV?

We had 3 fifth wheels - the last one was auto leveling, plush, nice rig, but it still had cheesy suspension, a poor excuse for insulated belly, rubber roof, lots of woes I wouldn't want to go back to, but I do miss that huge window out the back.

[Lwiddis]

“is not an issue because my DW will not drive the MH”

Tell DW it’s much better to learn and practice regularly while you can coach her then when you have a stroke, hear attack, busted leg etc. and she has to drive. An ounce of prevention is worth...

[the_bear_II]

When we first had our 5th wheel and I would see Class As pull into a stop and be setup ready to camp in less than 30 minutes and it would take me close to an hour I told my DW a Class A is in our future. That was 22 years ago.

We are still happy with the 5th wheel and haven't found anything we like better. We do have a rear kitchen with lots of counter space.

The new 5th wheels come with all of the automatic features the Class As have had..leveling jacks, awning, sat dish...etc. So setup should be a lot quicker.

[Campinghoss]

DutchmenSport wrote:
I'm sure, in many ways, you'll miss the "A", and there are pluses to the 5er that will make up some of the difference. Nothing wrong with switching up or down, sideways, or even inside-out with one's choice of RV. Needs, wants, lifestyles, all cause changes in our outlook and the way we've always done things.

Happy Camping with the new rig! I'm sure you will enjoy it!

FYI ... folks seem to really like the rear kitchen trailers and 5er's, I think mostly because of the extra kitchen room and perhaps, more kitchen counter space. Here again, there are trade-off's for everything. But, have you looked at any of the rear living room models with the gigantic window on the back and dual - opposing slides? I'm not talking about slides or a back wall with built in entertainment centers or refrigerators in the slides covering one entire slide, or the entire rear. I'm talking about the ones with windows all around. Of course this often means a kitchen in the middle, but if you haven't looked at one, take a moment before making your final choice and at least step inside. Having (almost) a 360 degree view outside windows in the living room area is absolutely wonderful! (Just a suggestion)

Any way you go, you don't need anyone's approval except the wife for such a switch. Just remember, she's the ONLY one you have keep happy!

Oh yeah, AMEN to that too!