Advice on a fifth wheel purchase

[ProudSoccerMom]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting in the camping forum. We are at the beginning stages of researching a fifth wheel purchase. After last year, we decided to invest in our own lodging, so to speak. Some info about us...it is my husband, 15 year old son, myself and our 2 year old fur baby Golden Retriever. My husband grew up camping, first with an RV and then a fifth wheel. So, he has experience. I do not.

I’m in charge of this first phase of research as my husband said he’ll be happy as long as I am...he’s a smart man And, it’s been a long time since he’s camped, so he wants to see what’s new.

I am completely overwhelmed with the number of choices. So, I am seeking some advice. Here’s what I know we want...enough space to sleep 5-6 comfortably (we plan to take my parents with us on a trip out west to visit the Grand Canyon again); good storage space; and, this might not be an option, but a washer and dryer. That’s it so far.

Based on these criteria, I’d love to hear your opinions and recommendations both in terms of manufacturer and model; good info sources; other features you’ve found to be important, and anything else you think might help.

Thanks for listening, and thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

 

[Bishoparc]

First, welcome to the camping forum! You’ll find a great group of friendly, helpful people here.

I have a TT not a fifth wheel so I can’t advise on that specifically but can tell you what I did for ours since we were also new to it as of 2018.

First, know that you are likely going to have issues with any of them. I went in thinking “new camper, no problems” just like a car but that isn’t the case. It takes time to “work the bugs out” so pack your patience and take it all in stride.

When we started looking, I went to the website of one of the larger camper sales companies and set the filter to my budget and slightly under my towing capacity. If I saw a floor plan I thought I liked, I’d view the listing, look at all the pictures, and watch the video walk through if the pictures caught my eye. I kept a list of the ones I really liked and we referred to that list numerous times and ultimately took it with us to the dealer when we went to look. Decide together what are your MUST haves and your nice to haves, realizing there will be some trade offs.

We didn’t, but I’d recommend, going to any RV shows you can find near you. They usually have a lot of campers on display and usually not as much high pressure sales people over top of you.

Final recommendation, we just started a couple of months ago watching the “Keep Your Daydream” series on YouTube. We started on season 7 and it truly changed how we view camping and has taught us so incredibly much.

Best of luck and welcome!!

 

[team bradfield]

Find a good dealer, all the units on the road today are basically the same, we've owned 5 different fifth wheels, pro's and con's to all manufacturers, find a good dealer, then find the floor plan that suits your needs. RV shopping is so much fun..

 

[ProudSoccerMom]

Thank you, both! I appreciate your help!

 

[loves to dive]

I agree with Bishoparc to go to shows and walk into different models and brands. We started by doing that. We live about a hour away from Atlanta and there were 3 dealers within a hour or two driving distance so we went and visited all of them, mostly just to walk into different brands and floor plans. We narrowed down the floor plan and a couple of brands then found a dealer with good reviews, it happened to be 3 3/12 hours away but it was worth it. We watched lots and lots and lots of UTube videos. We did/do watch Keep Your Daydream but I wouldn't say to follow their advice, they are pure entertainment. Someone who does pretty good walk through videos is Josh the RV Geek at Haylett RV https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRS9u1f7074u0Rrgu05K9Wg. They carry a few different brands and models and his walkthroughs are pretty good. They all have their issues and evidently this year because of the high demand, they are pushing them out faster than they should. You really have to first decide that floor plan and what you are comfortable with. We bought a dually from the get go so we didn't have to worry about weight. You also need to think about what you are going to be using it for. Are you going to be always going to parks that have full hookups or are you going to want to boondock with no hookups? Are you going to want to stay in National/State Parks a lot? If so, their sites (especially the National Parks) don't always fit larger rigs. In that case, you are going to have to narrow down size. It took us a year from the first RV show to actually buying one. There were lots of visits to dealers, most of them more than once, lots of spreadsheets, wish lists, must haves, etc.

 

[WeLovePluto]

I went in thinking “new camper, no problems” just like a car but that isn’t the case. It takes time to “work the bugs out” so pack your patience and take it all in stride.

We just kept a list of things that didn’t work right for the first several trips and brought it back to the dealer to fix all of them at once. None of them were showstoppers, so that approach worked.

definitely like the RV show approach because sales people at all of the dealerships we went to were extra pushy. Our local RV show was canceled again this year though.

 

[PaHunter]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting in the camping forum. We are at the beginning stages of researching a fifth wheel purchase. After last year, we decided to invest in our own lodging, so to speak. Some info about us...it is my husband, 15 year old son, myself and our 2 year old fur baby Golden Retriever. My husband grew up camping, first with an RV and then a fifth wheel. So, he has experience. I do not.

I’m in charge of this first phase of research as my husband said he’ll be happy as long as I am...he’s a smart man And, it’s been a long time since he’s camped, so he wants to see what’s new.

I am completely overwhelmed with the number of choices. So, I am seeking some advice. Here’s what I know we want...enough space to sleep 5-6 comfortably (we plan to take my parents with us on a trip out west to visit the Grand Canyon again); good storage space; and, this might not be an option, but a washer and dryer. That’s it so far.

Based on these criteria, I’d love to hear your opinions and recommendations both in terms of manufacturer and model; good info sources; other features you’ve found to be important, and anything else you think might help.

Thanks for listening, and thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Welcome to the Camping Forum.
Searching for a new camper will be an overwhelming experience. That said, almost all the major manufacturers have similar floor plans. First you need to decide, where do you plan on staying ? Campgrounds, National Parks, State Parks ? Because a larger fifth wheel may sound like a great idea, many National Parks do not allow anything over 35 feet, or there are very few sites, quickly reserved. State Parks, may be a bit longer site wise, but some of the roads may be smaller also.
So you have decided on washer and dryer, how often do you plan to wash ? Just curious as that is a lot of weight, and doing a load of laundry takes like half the day. It is not your household washer or dryer. Most campgrounds have washer and dryers in them. We went without a washer/dryer and had a huge closet for storage instead.
Access while traveling ? Can you get to the fridge ? Can you access your bathroom while on the road without having to open everything up. (not always possible in some rest stops the tractor trailers would take your slides off.) Are these even important to you.
Kitchen space, pantry space, counter space ? all considerations on how one camps ?

So while you are in research mode, start a notebook of what you like, want, and keep a list of all units and manufacturers. If you can get to an RV show, take the notebook along, make notes, take pictures. Trust me, at the Hershey RV show, after the first 10 units, they all start to look the same, and you forget what you liked about that one, did not like about this one. When you take pictures, note it in the book, so you know what they relate to.
What are you pulling the camper with ? Especially in the mountains out west, make sure you have enough truck, or more than enough.
All things to consider.
We started with a 25 foot travel trailer about 6 years ago, moved to a fifth wheel after that, and just moved to a Motorhome this winter.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

This is a deep dive, sooooo much to consider. I will hit a few points that factored into our decisions when we purchased a new fifth wheel and truck last year.
In MI there arent any "shows" since inventory is so low and sales are so high. Dealers wont spend money on shows when they literally have nothing to show.
"comfortably" is very subjective. Our 36 ft fifth wheel "could" sleep 6 but theres no way it ever will. Its just the 2 of us and our Diva boxer Nellie
This is our second trailer with a Splendide washer/dryer combo. A load a day will keep up with the 2 of us (we were on the road for almost 8 weeks this Feb and March) It takes about 2 1/2 hrs for a load start to finish and we typically start the washer just before bedtime. While it did take up some room we still have more storage than we actually use on this new trailer. Aside from the cost savings the convenience of not having to schlep clothes to the laundry is huge for us. All 3 of the campgrounds we were at this trip had some or all of their machines out of order during our stay. Another factor is needing full hookups to use it. If you often use partial hookups I would save my money.

Happy hunting for that "perfect" trailer

 

[SteveH]

Our family has been into RV camping since about 2001. Popup, a Hybrid, Trailer, 5er and now a Class A gas motor home that we've owned for almost 15 years. You want to slow down and take time to research not only the RV but your tow vehicle. I've lost count how many over buy on the RV and then are forced to upgrade their truck. You're going to want an F250/2500 at a minimum for a 5er. You will need to understand the weight capacity of your truck and the weights of the RV - never ever trust an RV sales person for this info. While some liability lawsuits have gotten then in trouble for overselling, the reality is you need to know this as you shop. The bells and whistels that draw you in = weight and potential problems. While having laundry in your RV is great - for the average non-full time RVer its not a big need, at least in your 1st RV. But look at all the gizmos and decide if you really need it as you shop around

Quality and low price do not go together. If you spend sometime on RV forums you're going to read some horror stories about build quality and problems with the RV - it does happen far more often then you expect. The number of people that buy and RV and then have it spent months at the dealership getting fixed is pretty common. I'm not trying to scare you off, but I want you to go in prepared and educated. There are 3 big players in the RV manufacturing; Forest River, Thor with Winnebago in third place. Both FR & Thor have been buying up companies left and right for the past few years. A quality brand 10 years ago may not be as good as it once was. Speaking of RV forums I do suggest reading places like RV.net and iRV2.com - but as you begin to narrow down brands look for some of the brand forums - I am not a fan of forums run by the RV companies as they can control what is posted. Facebook groups are ok, but to be honest finding info on them is a mess and there is almost to much information, but it's a resource. I am a mod over on a RV forum, there are good and bad aspects there too, but I would start reading there too as you look at the websites and brochures.

Just like how Forest River & Thor have been buying up the manufacturers; Camping World has been buying up RV Dealers. I have mixed feelings about Camping World but its hard to pain them with a big brush - just because one location is great doesn't mean the next is. Camping World, Good Sam, Gander, etc are all part of the same empire.

Warranty service - so if you buy a Ford you can take it to any Ford dealer for service. In the RV industry this isn't always the case. So as you shop you need to consider if you will be going back to that dealership or not. When I bought my 3rd RV I dropped by and waited in the service waiting room a few times to get an idea of how 3 dealerships in my area treated their customers. I can tell you I ruled one dealership out right away. The reason this is important to you is some dealerships have pretty much taken the attitude that if you didn't buy it from them you go to the bottom of the list - they will take care of their customers first. Is this bad? yes and no, but it's reality. While they really can't refuse service to you, can you blame them for taking care of their customers first? They lost a sale to another dealership that is maybe 200 miles away but now you want service locally. Just keep this in mind as you shop. Many qualified techs have left the big dealerships to setup mobile RV techs - after warranty this is great, but for that first year most can not do warranty work.

Keep in mind that right now RVs are a hot item and prices seem to reflect that as well as availability. This is caused a lot by demand but the challenge of manufacturing dealing with Covid-19 and supplies. If you are buying for summer its' going to be a challenge to get it, let alone any RV sites.

I'm sorry for the book, but in my 20 years and having been an RV moderator for various forums for 15+ years I've seen a lot of great memories and a lot of people buy a lemon or other problems. The biggest advice is go slow, get educated and don't buy the first one you see. Have fun shopping - it really is fun. But don't get in a rush or feel pressured to buy.

 

[JanszLoveOswald]

I'm new to the Camping Forum however my DH and I have been camping for 30 years now. We've graduated from tents to popups to travel trailers to several different Fifth Wheels.

I'm not sure where you live and/or how quickly you want to get an RV. I'd recommend going to the Hershey RV show in September if you are not in a rush. You will be able to look at, sit it and see all sorts of different RVs. I like to touch/see things in person and it helped us decide which rig to purchase. If you want to buy a new RV, they have very competitive prices during the show.

If you plan to travel alot, we have learned over the years that two things are deal breakers for us when purchasing a new RV:

1. Can you get to the bathroom while you are on the road (without opening any slides)? We don't like to use the rest rooms in the rest areas.
2. Can you get to the refrigerator while you are on the road (without opening any slides)? We stop for lunch in the rest area and make a sandwich and then get back on the road.

You'd be surprised how many models don't meet this criteria. In fact, I made the salesman close all of the slides on the rig we eventually purchased to "prove" that I could open at least one of the dual doors on the refrigerator.

Others also mentioned this...it is a great idea to start a list of your "must haves" and "deal breakers" on what features you want in your new RV.

Several people have mentioned this, but you should decide what kind of truck you need and/or have before you buy the RV. For a large, heavy fifth wheel a 3500 diesel dually pick up truck would be the best. We have seen several friends buy a nice new RV only to find out that the truck they had did not have the towing capacity, etc.

Good Luck!!

 

[garneska]

I second making them close the slides in before you decide to buy. Its not everyone's requirement but i want to know that if i had to stealth camp and not put any slides out i can get to all the important things.

 

[ProudSoccerMom]

Thank you, everyone!