What made you purchase your particlar style of RV? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

What made you purchase your particlar style of RV?

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

We already had a towable (travel trailer) and a truck capable of pulling a fifth wheel. We could not have afforded the type or model year of class A that would have given us the living space, amenities, and drive train that I wanted. (In addition, there would have been the expense of setting up a tow'd.) We also like the fact that, if we have a drive train issue, we still have a home - just the truck goes in the shop. With a motorhome, the whole thing goes to the shop.

Different people have different criteria and there is no one perfect RV for everyone - that's why there are so many types and configurations out there!

Rob

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Fulltime for almost 12 years. First 10 in 5th wheels now in class C. Started in 5er but found driving a dually too restrictive for daily driver......after one year added a car. Worked well as we only travelled about 200 miles/day while moving and fuel saving in dually paid for extra expense of car.....had a good 9 years that way. Eventually we decided medical concerns might require only one thing to drive when changing locations so went to a large C. In the past year+ we have enjoyed the C but space is much less than 5er the same length (storage space primarily) and we find driving the 40’ C to be a lot harder than the truck and 39’ 5er. Backing into sites is however easier with the motorhome. Got to say both work and not sure which way I’d go next time.

-- Edited by igotjam on Saturday 1st of September 2018 02:01:16 PM

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

For us it was the floorplan. I still think it's the most important factor (assuming the structure is satisfactory).

After we bought our 5th wheel and learned of some of it's potential deficiencies, we set about correcting those. MorRyde Independent Suspension, 8K axles, disc brakes, 17.5" wheels and Goodyear G114 H rated tires. We also made a visit to our manufacturer's factory and had the factory add about 400 lbs of structural steel bracing to the upper deck and pin box area (to avoid the trouble the H&L had). It is now as good as anything that costs less than $200K. There are other upgrades that we made were personal desires and did nothing to strengthen the structure like the MorRyde products and the factory did. All in, we have less than $100K invested and are very happy with our home on wheels. There are definitely better rigs that have the structure built in from the get go, but most of that can be added after market.

-- Edited by RonC on Saturday 1st of September 2018 02:03:29 PM

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

We really thought we would be going with a Class A but I couldn't find any models where I felt we could modify the floor plan to allow both of us adequate room to work. Found that there were a few 5th wheels with built in desks that solved the problem for workspace for one of us and then looked for a floorplan that we felt could be modified to allow good workspace for both of us.

BTW, we still "blame" Howard and Linda and the RV Dreams Rally big rig walk through in Oregon, Sept. 2012 for derailing our Class A hunt and starting our 5th wheel hunt!! Learned a lot at that rally, but we hadn't even considered 5th wheels before that due to not wanting the DRW truck as our only vehicle, but we've made it work for 5 years and have no regrets.

We've already been discussing our next RV, once we're both retired and we don't need this much work space, we really want something smaller so who knows what might transpire over the next 4 years, not that we're on a new countdown or anything, LOL!

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

We were leaning towards a 5er, then we bought a Class C for weekends, etc. while still working. Our cats loved it, no moving from their house on travel days, pull in when raining, just wait it out, everything handy. So we then focused on Class As and decided we wanted a DP for room, etc. Purchased her in 2005, still going striong. She’s easy to drive, mountains are a breeze, easy to back in, push buttons and she levels and out go the slides. Plus we have an economical daily driver.

Lynn and Ed · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had two initial key criteria (i.e., maximizing the kitchen space and a king bed), as we started walking into RVs we realized ceiling height was important ... if GH could not stand upright in the bedroom or shower, that was a deal beaker. Our focus was Class As and Fifthwheels, we added Super Cs to that list as we looked at options. At the end of the day, our key criteria was best met by a Fifthwheel. In hindsite, we would make the same decision but do like the idea of a toad as a daily driver with a Class A or Super C (yes, we could drive a car separately, but that does not work with our traveling style where we regularly trade-off who is driving). A way to get around fifthwheel daily driver issue is to rent a car, when needed.

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

That was one of the questions we asked people when we were researching several years ago. We didn't want to know why they chose the brand. We wanted to know why they chose the type of coach. We got lots of answers, but they all seemed to center around how they planned to use the coach. Some people settle into one place for several months at a time, and they tended towards 5'ers. Others move from place to place frequently, and they tended toward motorized coaches.

Then we started asking about what they wish they could change. Almost everyone wanted more room. A few mentioned carrying capacity. A few mentioned tank capacity.

We didn't want to consider motor homes at first, because they use a lot of fuel. Then someone mentioned that a MH and a larger truck towing a large 5'er use about the same amount of fuel when going from one campground to another. The truck is the daily driver for going to church, Wal-Mart, sight-seeing, etc. The MH can tow a fuel-efficient vehicle for all of that. Some people get around that by converting a semi to tow the 5'er and carry a small car, often a Smart For Two. Others have one person drive the truck and trailer and the other one drives the car.

Consider each possibility in light of what YOU want to do and YOUR circumstances. If you are a single person you probably can't do the truck and car driving separately (unless you have a REALLY split personality).

In our case we wanted to be in the same vehicle when traveling. We ended up choosing a no-slide DP. The second choice was a pickup and Airstream. I didn't like the idea of having so much stuff riding in the back of the truck. In hindsight (which is always 20-20) I wish we had gone with the Airstream. We do some construction work for our church, and too many times I've said "I have that tool - back at the campground." If I had all of my tools with me I'd have the one I need but didn't think I would.

Rickl · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bought my first RV in 80, which was a 5th wheel. Bought as I worked on the road and used it to live in. Owned it for 6 years and had little issues with it, a Nuwa. Then when we decided to go full time I immediately gravitated back to a 5th wheel. Basically due to past experience but also with the same consideration others have stated, if you have truck issues you still have a place to stay, my opinion is we have more room then most coaches, ease of maneuvering the rig around.

The wife follows me in her vehicle so we can minimize the miles on the tow vehicle. Actually I think it helps as she is in another vehicle not being a “back seat” driver.

As some have stated it really comes down to the research and personal preference.

LarryW21 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I like driving my full size SUV daily, wanted the ability to explore once we found a campsite and didn’t want to “raid” the retirement fund for an RV. A modest TT was our choice.

jrzygrl64 · RV-Dreams Family Member

We went to many RV shows and it became quickly apparent we preferred a 5th Wheel. We liked that they felt “homier”. We (mostly me - Kelly) didn’t prefer the driving area always there. There were also budgetary concerns that were better addressed with a truck/5er combo. While we also had concerns about using a DRW truck as our daily driver, we followed H & L’s lead and kept my CRV, which I drive on move days, figuring we could always sell it later if we didn’t like having it. Aside from leaving it in FL the year we went to AK, we love having it with us. It is especially good to have now, with Bill doing solar installs, as we use it to pick up supplies, etc. We try to keep move days shorter vs longer, which makes it easier. It really comes down to personal preference. Go to shows, rallies and just walk in and out of as many as you can. You will quickly learn which you like and which you don’t.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I find it interesting that many say you get kicked out of your motorhome when you have motor issues, but that is not our experience. We do have a bit of experience. We get kicked out during the day, but have not been kicked out over night for motor issues. We have been kicked out overnight for RV issues (some body work and electrical problems), but not often. We have friends who have been kicked out of their 5th wheel for RV issues.

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm looking for the day to day stuff, not the exceptions. Since I'm pretty sure I can fix most things wrong with the coach and most things wrong with the chassis, except for possibly a catastrophic driveline failure, I'm not really too worried about getting kicked out of the coach for repairs. Even if I do, there's generally a hotel within a few miles and I'm thinking all three of my vehicles won't be down at the same time. However it is interesting so see what everyone's thoughts are. The more input the better I think my decision will be. Thanks to everyone, and keep the cards and letters coming folks.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
I find it interesting that many say you get kicked out of your motorhome when you have motor issues, but that is not our experience. We do have a bit of experience. We get kicked out during the day, but have not been kicked out over night for motor issues. We have been kicked out overnight for RV issues (some body work and electrical problems), but not often. We have friends who have been kicked out of their 5th wheel for RV issues.

X2

i find it interesting that so many who don’t own a MH are such experts on how we get them serviced/repaired.

Rickl · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barbaraok wrote:
bjoyce wrote:
I find it interesting that many say you get kicked out of your motorhome when you have motor issues, but that is not our experience. We do have a bit of experience. We get kicked out during the day, but have not been kicked out over night for motor issues. We have been kicked out overnight for RV issues (some body work and electrical problems), but not often. We have friends who have been kicked out of their 5th wheel for RV issues.
X2
i find it interesting that so many who don’t own a MH are such experts on how we get them serviced/repaired.

I think you are reading too much into the responses and are a little sensitive. Having stayed at the RV dealer to get our unit serviced, yes much like a coach, we have to vacate once work commences. But having to be ready by 7:00 AM to leave and then staying away until about 6:00 PM (which we did for a week) is a real pain. Having the two separate would mean we wouldn’t give up the ability to come and go from our trailer like normal. Utilizing our car to move around means everything would be just like a typical day with the exception we may not really be parked in a location we desired due to a tow vehicle breakdown.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I did not respond about being kicked out until two different people mentioned it as an advantage for towables. I fail to see why that is being sensitive. I did feel it necessary to point out that the our experience is the engine work is not when you get kicked out, it is the work that is the same as a towable, body work, work that makes the RV systems unusable or dangerous. There are many reasons people chose the type of RV they have and those reasons vary by person and time. We know many who have changed to a 5th wheel after owning a motorhome and others who have switched to a motorhome from a trailer. Some have downsized to a truck camper, campervan or small trailer. Some have moved up in size and sometimes type as their needs and desires changed. The decision of what kind of RV you want does not have to be a lifelong choice.

We just spent almost two weeks having to be ready by 8AM for paint and body work. Some days little went on. Some days we had to be away with the cat in the car all day. Our actual body work was minor, but the shop was very busy and these things get done in stages and they only have one paint booth. For large paint jobs people were having to vacate one or two nights. We are happy with the result and the bill came to about $30 less than the estimate. They had 50AMP and water available, but we did have to drive across town to dump in the middle. One motorhome was having to be pumped out, since they were illegal to drive, at $75. (The place we were at Straightline in Springfield Oregon, does body work and paint on motorhomes, trailers and boats.)

mb36912 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Our original thinking in 2008 was to go with a Class A or C. After attending a number of shows and walking thru campgrounds talking to people, Joan decided she preferred a 5'er. After more research, she chose a toyhauler with a shorter garage,mostly to accommodate my hobbies and need for space to tinker and build, but also to use as a 2nd bedroom for occasional visitors. We then researched and chose our new TV and 5'er, but got some great just-in-time advice on things to look for in our new "home's" foundation. They included frame, brakes, suspension, windows, tanks, tires, GAWR, GVWR, CCC, insulation, air hitch or pinbox, and a recommendation to consider high quality used instead of new. Armed with this information, we looked at the rig and TV we had selected.....and found them sorely lacking. Our original choices just didn't measure up to what was recommended. We ended up with a used HDT towing a used KZ Escalade that had an 18" frame, disc brakes, independent suspension, H-rate tires & wheels, thermo-pane windows, and 3500+ lbs of CCC. Another recommendation was to consider keeping a "paid for" vehicle to use as a daily driver until we had some experience under our belts and knew exactly what we wanted.

While our HDT may not be an acceptable choice for many, the price was less than half what we were looking at spending for a commercial 5500 and bed and it has more GCVWR capacity than we will ever need. That being said, the day will eventually come when we will downsize our rig and TV to something smaller......but not yet.

Cookie Dough · RV-Dreams Family Member

We decided on a motorhome for most of the reasons Barbara states in her first post on this thread.

No cat, but much easier on our dog. Plus a parking spot is a self contained rest stop.

FWIW, "dashboard, etc." in my living room, the front seats swivel to the living area. I've seen some creative folks use steering wheel and dash and a small board to create a table for a lamp. Cover it up with tablecloth and there ya go.

Giving up one's home for repairs, is part of this life style. Whether emergent or planned. We have our system, there's one that will work for you.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Rickl wrote:
I think you are reading too much into the responses and are a little sensitive. Having stayed at the RV dealer to get our unit serviced, yes much like a coach, we have to vacate once work commences. But having to be ready by 7:00 AM to leave and then staying away until about 6:00 PM (which we did for a week) is a real pain. Having the two separate would mean we wouldn’t give up the ability to come and go from our trailer like normal. Utilizing our car to move around means everything would be just like a typical day with the exception we may not really be parked in a location we desired due to a tow vehicle breakdown.

We look at those days as the same as any other - a chance to go exploring the area or do laundry, etc. Didn't find the early morning start a problem, as we would go out for breakfast on those days. And quite often when we return from breakfast we find that the work is finished for the day (parts that arrived overnight have been installed) and we usually hit the road, or if we were at the Coach Care facility in Elkhardt, we would stay another night in their RV park. Brazel RV in Centralia, WA even put in a park next door for the use of the customers. Especially nice when they can do the work at the coach and not have to take it into the shop area. As to being to sensitive - this is RV-Dreams where 5ers reign supreme. biggrin

Like Cookie Dough, I am also amazed at the number of people who complain about the dash area not being useful - - obviously they do not have a cat or dog that firmly believes that dashes are obviously there for THEIR exclusive use while parked in order to enjoy the parade of people walking by. We have a cover for the steering wheel that makes a small table which Shadow loved - - she got angry at Christmas when we put a little tree on it!

Russ Ranger · RV-Dreams Family Member

All types of RV's have advantages and disadvantages.... how you deal with them is the only difference. The van camper can be as good as the Provost. It all depends on what you want and perhaps your budget. We can all visit the same great locations no matter what we drive.

For our first 5 years we were happy in our 15 year old class A gasser. We changed to a diesel pusher this year and my wife still misses the old RV. What we drive to get to our location is much less important than the great places we get to visit in this lifestyle. I believe I could be happy in any RV so long as I could travel.

Once in 5 years we had to be out of our motorhome so that transmission work could be done. We were happy to drop the RV at the shop and and drive to the airport for a two week trip to Maui. I didn't feel the least bit deprived to be away from the motorhome.

Life is good ....in any RV.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

We were out of our RV last month, our car died in downtown Seattle in the evening and we had to find a 3rd rate/overpriced hotel to stay in until the car could be towed the next morning to be repaired. We were lucky in that Carter Subaru in Ballad had free loaner cars, so we had transportation for the two days to replace the clutch on our 14 yr old car. No matter what you have, things can happen.

I do like the idea of Hawaii as a place to go while repairs are being made.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Money fixes a lot of things ... and makes them more bearable.

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

already had and needed a truck so the 5th wheel was the best choice. Based on the cost and the quality/amenities in our 5th wheel, I feel if you consider the economics alone it was the better choice.

We have replaced the first truck with a brand new one and still have not spent as much as we would have if we had gone with a Class A or C.

Russ Ranger · RV-Dreams Family Member

So here's another way to approach the decision on what type of RV to purchase. Maybe the towed or daily driver vehicle should be a major factor in your decision.

If I had already owned a large truck the 5th wheel might have been a better choice. But because we had a Honda we wanted to start with a motorhome. It was a better choice for us. Some people are comfortable driving a dully around as their daily driver, we wanted a four wheel drive to go exploring with.

The gas mileage of our towed became a factor for us because we drove the Honda 4 times more miles than the motorhome.

Our budget at the time dictated an older (15 years) motorhome. We were retiring early and we had 3 years before all the retirement income was going to be available. I have to say that the $28,000 Monaco LaPalma motorhome served us well for the first five years. The choice between waiting until we were 65 or taking off early has been priceless. We were as happy in that old RV as we would have been in a million dollar rig.

So here's my advise. Go as soon as you can. Go in any RV you can afford. Go debt free. Don't look back, just enjoy all that is out there waiting for you.

Life is very good!!!

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

x2 on the debt free.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Having some debt is not necessarily a bad thing if (1) you have an income stream that can easily handle the payment and (2) it allows you to keep invested funds (particularly tax-deferred funds) to keep earning money. This "debit free" is beaten into people over and over again. If retiring early gets you out of a stressful job so that you can enjoy your retirement at a time when you are physically able to really enjoy it, far better than continuing to work in a job that will end up being your demise.

Russ Ranger · RV-Dreams Family Member

Barb, I agree with all you have written. My point in saying "go debt free" was that it didn't cost us an arm and a leg to get started. We were perfectly happy in an old $28,000 motorhome for five years. For some people the start-up cost may be what is holding them back. A new motorhome or a new truck and new towable will probably eat a big chunk out of 100 or 200 grand.

After our five years of fun and adventures, I wanted to encourage people to go sooner rather than later. My wife is a cancer survivor and my heart in for maintenance regularly (stents and mechanical valve). None of us know how many years we will be given, for us it was time to go early.

Each year I am more grateful that we choose to not wait until too late. It has been priceless.

As we begin our sixth year we are excited to see Alaska this Spring and Summer.

Life is good.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

X2 on the debt free. There is no situation that is improved by debt. My fixed income allows me to continue to grow my investments, but debt would erode that. Debt is poison ... it is the Universe’s way of telling you “you cannot afford this purchase”.

-- Edited by RonC on Thursday 6th of September 2018 10:42:33 PM

-- Edited by RonC on Friday 29th of November 2019 02:23:01 PM

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

I disagree. We were able to keep tax deferred funds working, made more each year than the interest on the loan, and finished with larger tax deferred accounts than when we began plus our RV, which is worth the same as if we had paid cash for it. Tell me again how this was bad?

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

We just see debit differently.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Obviously. I would suggest not castigating people for having different approaches to getting out and enjoy the lifestyle.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sigh😉.

-- Edited by RonC on Friday 7th of September 2018 11:08:32 PM

-- Edited by RonC on Friday 7th of September 2018 11:18:16 PM

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Let's get the discussion back onto the original topic, not how one should do it financially.

Terry

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

But...finances were the main reason for us choosing the RV we did. I was going to go the truck/trailer route, as many here do. I purchased a diesel truck a few years ahead of time, but had not yet purchased a trailer, waiting till we were about to retire to do so. And then the motor died on the truck requiring $15k to repair. Since I didn't have this money plus the money to buy a trailer we decided to shop for an older Class A instead, but this time a gasser, so if the motor went south during retirement we were more likely able to afford a new one than a new diesel engine. Of course one could argue that it is more likely that we might need to replace the gas engine than a diesel, and while this might be statistically true, it was not our experience. Nevertheless, for what the diesel repair would have cost us we were able to purchase a quality, older Class A gasser with only 29k miles, suitable for FT use. It has sufficient carrying capacity due to its tag axle (which was a problem with most towables in our price range), is sturdily made and has full time amenities, such as dual pane windows, a built in generator (as do most, if not all MHs) larger water, gas, propane tanks, (for boondocking) etc.

There's no right choice, but as previously stated, every type of RV has its advantages. Though it might give a little poorer fuel mileage than an equivalent diesel powered rig, regular gas is cheaper than diesel fuel, and maintenance costs are less than a diesel too, bringing the cost of operation closer to that of the more powerful diesel engine powered vehicle. Plus having a motorhome allows us to pull a small, fuel efficient toad (which we already owned BTW, saving us even more.) This econobox car will be cheaper to own and operate for our daily tasks and touring needs over firing up a big diesel truck. It will save mileage on the MH engine too, not to mention being easier to park and get around downtown. As we will be retiring soon on meager means (SS and a small pension) this is an important consideration for us, but there are others as well.

Since we will be traveling with pets (a dog and a bird) allowing them to stay in their temperature controlled environment while we travel is a plus, as is not having to brave the elements to move between truck and trailer when stopping. When we get where we are headed, we don't have to wait for the trailer to get to the appropriate, habitable temperature before occupation by people and pets. This is a small, yet not unappreciated feature of a self-propelled RV, as is the ability to use the potty or make lunch without going outside and getting the rv to temp first. This is also a security feature if you must stop in rest areas, parking lots, etc. for a brief nocturnal respite, where you'd feel safer remaining inside before heading on your way after a few hours rest. If approached by unsavory types - possibly just panhandlers or wayward teens (as my the vehicle was once surrounded by in the middle of the night, startling us and interrupting our sleep one unlucky night), they were loud and vulgar, but harmless. However, you never know. If this were to happen in a MH one could just start the engine and drive off rather than have to exit one's trailer to leave only to be exposed to such hazards, whether real or imagined.

Chip

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

If finances is an issue I have 30k in my Teton and paid 21,500 for my truck. I did customize truck so about 30k in it. DW hated a motorhome first time we got in one. Felt like a bus to her and that was the end of that.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

We're in the middle of making this decision also. Our plan is to travel 6 months and be home 6 months. We have been planning this seriously for over 3 years and have been all around the proverbial mulberry bush! LOL

We started out thinking we would get a DP. We purchased a Jeep Cherokee Limited equipped to tow 4 down. We plan to travel with our Harley Trike and with the lift options we figured that was doable. So we were looking for a higher end DP with a tag axel that could handle the weight of the Trike hanging on the back. Then we got very nervous about all that weight hanging on the back... and saw the Grand Design toy hauler with the garage under the bed and switched gears. Besides the Trike issue, I love to cook and DP kitchens were always lacking for me. Now it was 5th wheels with big truck to tow it. The Jeep would stay at home in the garage while we traveled.

We went to the Tampa RV Show in 2017 and saw the Riverstone 5th wheel with the front kitchen and I was in love! As I said, I love to cook. The problem was the bedroom/bathroom situation on the Riverstone 39FKTH is pretty lacking. Plus the price tag when we added the 5th wheel and the truck to tow it is in the $200K range. And that bedroom/bath still felt like a serious compromise to us.

A blog post by friends who had spent years getting ready to retire and travel full time in their 45 ft DP got us talking and thinking more. They had literally spent years getting ready. They had previously traveled full time in their 40 ft MH. 2 months into their fulltime adventure, they traded down to a 25 ft Class C. We were shocked! Their reason? They found they either couldn't get into or it was too stressful getting into the places they wanted to stay. Plus she was never comfortable driving the 45 ft rig with their toad.

All this has us seriously thinking about everything. Everything is a trade off. Think about not only the unit and how it works for you, but based on our friends experience, it's also a matter of HOW you want to travel and where you want to stay. What are your non-negotiables and what best meets those needs.

For us, taking the Trike is a must. We're back to a DP but towing an pick up with the Trike in the back. That means we don't need a tag axel and can do a little shorter. The kitchen is still really important to me and we think we've found MH that meets most all our needs so we're making a road trip to look at it this weekend. We're trying to as much as possible look at the places we want to stay and make sure the new set up will fit...

Good luck in your search. We're right there with you!

arcaguy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Just to update this thread, I'm the Original Poster, I've pretty much decided on a Super C diesel, either a Jayco Seneca or a Nexus Wraith. However, this depends on how much money we can get for our house. I too will have my motorcycle in the bed of my pick-up. I've been looking at maybe going to a little newer pickup as mine is a 2008 with 190,000 miles and rust from living in salt all of it's life. I have a few bucks from selling my car so that will help. If I keep my truck it will need a new box and a driveline disconnect. This will run about $2,500 so I can add that to what I can pay for a truck. We'll see. The advantage of a trike is that it's easier to load, but you're still going to have to get a loader or 3 ramps. Where do you plan on storing the ramps. Just food for thought. Good luck and keep us posted.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Both Super Cs are nice. We’re thinking we will go with the Rampage power lift for the Trike Or something similar. So no ramps to worry about.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

UPDATE: We pulled the Trigger last Friday and purchased a 2018 Winnebago Horizon 40A. It is used with 8500 miles on it so it’s first owners didn’t let any grass grow under their feet. They traded for a 45 foot 2019 Tiffin Zephyr. Not because of any issues with the coach.

At 40 ft we felt it was the best compromise of living space and length. It has a 15000 hitch and 400 hp Cummins diesel so we can tow the truck with Trike as planned. It was difficult to find that in a shorter coach. Buying 1 year old saved us $70000 over the best price we could negotiate on a 2019 same model. Plus we liked that the previous owner had hopefully worked through a lot of the new coach issues. We also still have 2 years of factory warranty.

Since we have a Jeep Cherokee 4wd capable of being towed 4 down, we will set that up to tow 4 down for now. When we’re closer to being ready for longer travel we’ll probably trade the Avalanche for a pick up with the Trike lift.

As Jeff said, let the spending begin...😂

arcaguy wrote:
Just to update this thread, I'm the Original Poster, I've pretty much decided on a Super C diesel, either a Jayco Seneca or a Nexus Wraith. However, this depends on how much money we can get for our house. I too will have my motorcycle in the bed of my pick-up. I've been looking at maybe going to a little newer pickup as mine is a 2008 with 190,000 miles and rust from living in salt all of it's life. I have a few bucks from selling my car so that will help. If I keep my truck it will need a new box and a driveline disconnect. This will run about $2,500 so I can add that to what I can pay for a truck. We'll see. The advantage of a trike is that it's easier to load, but you're still going to have to get a loader or 3 ramps. Where do you plan on storing the ramps. Just food for thought. Good luck and keep us posted.

-- Edited by Ckerr on Tuesday 9th of July 2019 09:16:25 AM

Talensnana · RV-Dreams Family Member

We had purchased a older class A diesel when we started RVing on vacation. We chose a Class A because we travel with parrots and did not want to move them from vehicle to vehicle. In the beginning we did not tow a vehicle we just rented a car for the week we were someplace. When we decided to go full time I knew we wanted slides. We still wanted a drive able not something to tow. My husband wanted a diesel again because of the reliability of the engine. He also wanted a truck conversion because he did not want only a windshield between us and a accident. With a truck a conversion we have the engine in front. We ended up going with a Powerhouse Coach as they had the quality we wanted. We are steel on the bottom half of the rv. We have enough power to tow a enclosed car hauler and not even feel it. It has 3 slides so I have plenty of room so I do not feel claustrophobic. The parrots have their own room which is in what would have been the sleeping quarters for the cab. The only downside is that it is 52’ without the tow and 86’ with the tow. So it takes a little planning and we can not just show up at a rv park. This is okay as we are more explorers and not campers. I am not a one with nature type of person. I just look for a comfortable place to park my home while we use the car to explore an area.

ChrisColeman · RV-Dreams Community Member

5th wheels tend to offer more and better-used space. Besides that they tend to be more stable when towing.

FastEagle · RV-Dreams Family Member

At 61 & 64 my wife and I sold our home and 90% of our positions and went full time RVing. We were both on SS and pensions. It was not a spur of the moment decision. We had worked all of our lives and had moved around the country a lot, as I had spent 31 years in the USN. Our two sons were grown and our grandchildren were both in collages. Our first choice was a large motor home with a toad. Our problem with that choice was servicing. We were going to be non-stop travelers for at least 3 years and would be piling up the mileage. Having to put a motor home in shops for servicing and maintenance was just plain out of the question. Large travel trailers (40’ +) wag a lot, so the 5^th wheel option and a diesel dually truck was our final option. At that time, weight was a problem. Many of the upscale fivers were too heavy for a 1 ton dually and that was as large as we wanted to go. So we opted for a 38’ three slide Everest by Keystone. We added an optional washer/dryer combo and instead of a 2^nd A/C we upgraded to a single 15K unit. We were going to follow the seasons, staying out of extreme colds and hots. For the four years we were on the road we only had to put the 5er in a service/repair bay one time and that bay had FHU service, so we could be in it at night. The dually never require more than four hours service during that time and I was very good at finding service facilities that would provide transportation to and from a local golf course while the truck was being serviced.

We did a little over 100,000 miles in those first 4 years, visiting all of the lower 48 and 5 CDN provinces. The Everest was very durable. I broke some shackles parking where tight turns were necessary. Tires were an early problem. They just didn’t have enough load capacity or speed ratings for such traveling. Once we adjusted upwards and replaced them more frequently the problems subsided.

p.s. We never boon-docked or used someone's parking lot.

-- Edited by FastEagle on Wednesday 4th of December 2019 11:47:30 AM

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Straight up it was floor plan then budget. Initially we were attracted to a Class A pusher but even preowned ones were out of our budget. 5ers that met our specific wants and needs seems doable but were also potentially pricey. As it turned out timing was everything. I cannot overemphasize this critical element. We picked off a phenomenal bargain on a 2017 RAM 3500 CTD dually with only 20k miles on it during a blistering cold snap (-20 degrees for ten days) in late February and the dealer was anxious to get sales numbers up giving us a excellent negotiating position, which allowed us to divert a gob of money for the RV. Next week we take delivery on a 2020 Keystone Montana 3813MS which we also got a great deal on spec'd to our requirements. It's perfect for our needs and wants.

The adventure begins next spring.

Sushidog · RV-Dreams Family Member

Congrats, BiggarView! Look forward to seeing you on the road soon!

Chip

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Chip... yeah it's getting real. Hope to cross paths with you down the road.

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Brian ... is your first stop MorRyde for 8k IS and disc brakes? When we did ours, we asked them to upgrade our wheels and tires to 17.5” wheels and Goodyear G114 H rated tires. Also, if you got your rig nice and level, tell them to make it ride at the same height ... if a little adjustment is needed it’s a perfect time to have that done. Also have them measure your height after the modifications. Costs nothing, but will give you information you will definitely need. They can also do a wheel by wheel weighing, FWIW.

-- Edited by RonC on Saturday 7th of December 2019 11:00:24 AM

-- Edited by RonC on Saturday 7th of December 2019 11:03:17 AM

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ron, we have an appt. at MOR/ryde on the way to the RV-D spring rally for the IS upgrade. Trailer comes with disk brakes. They will determine if we need to go to 8k when the work is done. As for the tires and wheels, we'll have to see about those when we take delivery as to when we might want to upgrade those. BY the time we get the solar and batteries for it onboard we'll need the H rated tires for sure. Money in the budget for all the upgrades (IS, 8K disk brakes, tires and wheels) just the timeframe is flexible.

AbdRahim · RV-Dreams Community Member

I have always wanted a Class A. I liked the way they look. However, the first year was a trailer- reason price. I already had a tow vehicle and the trailer provided many more amenities than the back of my SUV. The second year, I figured out the finances for a Motorhome. I only could afford an inexpensive MH. Despite the difficulties I prefer new. The first A I test drove was scary. I knew from my research it had issues, but I could not live with the ride and did not want to sink thousands into a new vehicle to get it to ride the way it already should.

I hate the overhang over the cab of the traditional C. The dealer happened to have a GTS model in stock. I fell in love with it and it had the TV across from the couch. No neck cramps from always turning to view the TV. The floor plan was almost perfect for me, as was the size. The front cabinets instead of the bed over the cab was a winner. I did not have any other transportation, that went with me in the beginning.

I later bought a bicycle for exercise and running errands while camping. Thus, I discovered the only drawback of my particular MH. To use the bed, I must extend the rear slide. This cannot be done with the bicycle on the back. Now I like the fact that the C has 3 entrances plus an escape window vs. the A with only one entrance, especially with all the cases I have heard of entry door mechanisms failing and locking people in or out on A's.

So, after taking four years to get my C almost perfect, I have an A on order. Pemanent bed, and TV across from the sitting area and more storage. We will see. Hopefully I get to keep this one for a long time.

S