RV Shopping - wondering about manufacturers - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Rosie RV Thumper and Dog Dog · RV-Dreams Family Member

RV Shopping - wondering about manufacturers

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Unless things have changed Dutchman has always been a weekender builder whose trailers do not hold up under heavier usage. We have friends full-timing in a Cedar Creek who are not happy with the quality of its components and have had to replace the steps, levelers and other items with higher quality brands and parts.

I would advise joining http://rv.org/ to get some raitings, look for those rated snowbird or fulltime. If the price of units that will hold up for fulltime are out of your price range new, you would be better off finding a used unit that is in your price range.

Rosie RV Thumper and Dog Dog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Great suggestion Bjoyce and thanks for the information.

Rosie

Bob and Kathy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have been researching RVs and fifth wheels in particular for 2 years. My husband and I are planning on full-timing when our daughter goes to college (or nears the end of her college years). Bob has already retired and gotten another job, so we can't leave for full-timing just yet.

The research that I have done points to DRV Mobile Suites as a possibility for us. You might also check into Heartland - either the Big Horn or the Landmark. New Horizons is also a very well built fifth wheel for full timers.

Those are my "top 3".

If you are near a large RV show during the year, by all means ATTEND! You can learn a wealth of information there as well as actually see the units and get "hands on" experience by being in them and poking around. Bob and I went to our local RV show 2 years ago for the first time. We went back again and again and again before it was over. The same last year. AND...we attended our very first RV Dreams Rally last year. If you can at all swing it....you need to get to one of these rallies! You will not regret it. They are PACKED with such good information, and they are fun! This is how we have learned so much in the past 2 years. We feel like we are ready to make that decision any time, now that we have done our research.

Good luck in your search! Keep us posted on what you decide on.

Kathy (and Bob)

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

Rosie RV Thumper and Dog Dog wrote:
Hi All,
We went RV shopping today. Initially we were looking for a class A but quickly ended up looking at 5th wheels. Two of the makes we like are Komfort by Dutchman and Cedar Creek by Forest River. Does anyone have experience with those makes? We plan to full time. Any information would be helpful.
Thanks all!

I have never done business with www.rollingretreats.com but a poster on here as well as one of the moderators praise them highly. I do know they take DRV repos and give them a complete "twice over" (they also are a new dealer). They clean and repair or replace anything even remotely not in perfect working order. From what I have seen on the website the prices are also very good. Another source of good used units is www.pplmotorhomes.com in Houston. They have a huge lot full of consignments and are priced pretty well.

Main idea is to not be in a hurry, take your time and purchase quality. Like my dad used to say, "ya gets what ya pays for".

rvingft · RV-Dreams Family Member

(1) Join rv.org and study the 4+ star full-time rated RV's. It will save you TONS of time looking/walking/climbing thru RVs that look nice but probably won't hold up under FT use.

(2) PPLMotorhomes.com is a great place to get a feel for floorplans online. You'll know then when you walk thru a unit live if the commode in the closet set-up will work for you ...or not.

(3) Nu-Wa in Chanute, KS (a top-rated RV manufacturer) take in top-rated RV's on trade and have a nice selection available on their website. They re-condition any used RVs before they sell them. Definitely worth a look-see.

(4) Realize this first RV will most likely NOT be your last, so prioritize what is VIP and what you can compromise on.

(5) If $$ is a consideration, buy good quality used, you can upgrade later if you decided this is really a lifestyle you like. Stay on the small vs. larger side, if you intimidated at all about driving, backing, etc.

(6) Go to rallies (yes, even before you have an RV) and learn, learn, learn. That's part of the fun :D

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm not sure anyone touched on this yet, but with trailers, either fifth wheels or travel trailers, choose the trailer FIRST. Then choose a truck based on the Gross Combined Vehicular Weight ratings to get one that is "big" enough to handle that amount of weight. There is no feeling like having to do a panic stop and the truck not be big enough to handle that trailer.

Usually, it is good to have a truck with a GCVW that allows a "cushion" between the GCVW and the actual weight of the truck and trailer combined.

Good luck with the research and planning. We also went through a 2 year process of evaluating and researching both Class A's and fifth wheels. We are very happy with our choice.

Terry

Rosie RV Thumper and Dog Dog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all the great tips everyone. We know this is going to take some time but we'll find "the one" when the time is right.
Rosie

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

Adding to Terry's excellent advice, you might want to consider buying even more truck than you think you will need. My reasoning is that you may well trade the coach fairly soon after you buy it because you have a better idea of what you really need/want. Generally, your next coach will be somewhat to quite a bit heavier.

Example: you figure out that an F350 dually will handle your first coach with a reasonable cushion. Before you buy the F350, check out an F450. It will handle anything the F350 can, and more. The small difference in price now will be huge next year when you want to trade in the F350 for the F450.

Just a thought.

If you have to buy the truck first, better go for the most weight capacity you can find, and then that becomes the limiting factor for your trailer. Don't forget that the numbers you need for picking out the truck are the trailer's gross weight (not the empty weight, which is what the sales people will tell you) and the hitch/pin weight. Hitch weight (travel trailers) should be 10-15% of the trailer weight, and pin weight (5'ers) should be 20-25% of the trailer weight. Again, use gross weights when calculating these, and probably should use the higher number. That way you know you have enough truck.

Enjoy the search.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I should expand a bit more on what I wrote before. I did mention to make sure that the important number to look at is the GCVW rating, that being the total loaded weight of both the truck and the trailer. That GCVW should include the weight of truck passengers, cargo, fuel as well as liquids and personal items put in the trailer.

Some dealerships may try to sell you on a truck based on the "towing weight" of the truck. However, one can be under the towing weight, but still be overweight on GCVW.

Terry

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

I’ll add to Terry’s and Dave’s comments about the truck to say you need to purchase the trailer with what are known in the RV trade as “Electric over Hydraulic Disc Brakes.” Short of an HDT truck (class 7 semi tractor) they will do the most toward stopping your trailer and giving you the excellent braking control you need.

A lot of trailers come with old style magnetic brakes. These are cheaper and significantly inferior to these disc brakes like you may be familiar with on your car. Significantly really is an understatement. I’ve had to do two panic stops and the truck and trailer stop straight as an arrow and “right now.”

Point of information: In almost every case the factory brake controllers built into the new trucks won’t work with these disc brakes and you need an aftermarket controller installed in the truck like we have done for like the last 40+ years. Don’t let this concern you. Any competent hitch RV dealership, even Camping World, will know about this. I happen to use a Teksonha Prodigy P-2 – just for reference. (Yes, there are adapters for some trailers to use the factory truck controller. But based on experience with both I just prefer the aftermarket as they have expanded control options.)

A good friend who had the old magnetic brakes on his trailer upgraded to electric over hydraulic disc brakes had the reaction after the change, was “now I have brakes.” If the trailer manufacture doesn’t offer this important option it can be installed by other companies. (MOR/ryde for one) However, if they don’t offer it I would move on to another manufacture as the lack of that option says a lot right there IMO.

Enjoy the hunt

Bill

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bob and Kathy

We looked at the Heartland but the quality just wasn't there compared to the others. Our final two were the Elite Suites and the New Horizons; and after touring both factories the New Horizon won by a mile.

Of course; it's also the most expensive; if budget doesn't allow for the NH then we would have gone with the Elite Suites but fortunately budget wasn't the top priority; getting the best home for us was.

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Neil, your New Horizons is looking good. I'm at the factory right now.....

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jack Mayer wrote:
Neil, your New Horizons is looking good. I'm at the factory right now.....

Cool; get Cole to send us a couple of inside and outside pics so Connie can drool. I wish I had known about the shelves you got in the left end of the closet before we ordered because we would have gotten them. You sell your old one yet…guess not since it's still listed on the classifieds and your site.

rvingft · RV-Dreams Family Member

New Horizons is the ONLY (or 1 of the very FEW) 5-star rated fifth-wheels. You can't go wrong with a NH. And Jack Mayer is the most informed RVer I know of as far as what truck to tow with or what fifth-wheel is "the best for us". Have never met him or Diane, but have followed his posts for years. One of these days, we hope to shake his hand. Can you tell? I'm a fan :D