My wife and I are in a stand off on picking new 5er. We currently have a 29TT with BH.I want a RL or FL 35-39' with 4-5 slides. She wants a BH 35-41'. Our daughters are 18 and 21 and usually bring a friend when we camp (lake). I reluctantly agreed to a BH on the condition we get nothing over 39', outside cooking, ceiling fan and a kitchen slide out. She wants a lot of storage in kitchen, place for towels in bathroom and an island. We have spent days looking, all over DFW. We really liked the: Silverado 36TB with Stainless Appliances, double refrigerator. Sierra 301OK (kinda basic, but has large pantry)Open Range 367BHS with table in bunk area for our kids to play game.Gateway 3650BH, has most everything we want, but looks over priced. All of them have their good points, our favorite was the Open Range. It had everything we liked.... Open living area with the tables that can be removed, and the dinette/table in the rear. It has great storage but is missing a door for the bedroom between the step and the bed. The Gateway was nice, but for the price it seems to be built on the cheap. The Sierra was ok, but looks too basic for the price. Silverado was nice too, but she'd rather have the storage as opposed to the 1/2 bath. My question is, does anyone have any other ideas for us to consider? Or any experience with these models? If there were a bedroom door on the Open Range, we would have bought it. As you can see our price points vary depending on unit, we have a 2012 Ford F250 so TV is not a huge concern. Thanks in advance for any input.

Sounds like the Open Range fits most of your needs/wants list. Any way a bedroom door can be added?

I thought about doing a slider, but it would go on the outside of the bedroom/bathrrom door and would not really work. The bathroom hall in to bedroom has a slide that when closed will almost touch the wall where the door would need to go. Only option I can envision would be an accordian door, but then again, due to the slide/trim it would not completly close in the bedroom. They are going to see about removing the trim for the slide, and trying to make something work, but I think it is going to look "rigged".

Here is a link to the trim around the slide.http://i1.rvusa.com/wm/showimagerv.ashx?id=13461989&t=4

Take a step back and ask your kids how much longer they are going to camp with you. I would get them a nice tent or a popup they can tow themselves (we did) and then get the rig that will suit you and the spouse for many years. I've seen too many friends get a BH and then complain they have no space and no kids to use the bunks.

I agree with twins89. You are about to make a purchase that should last you years down the road. I am surprised your daughters still want to go with you, Usually at that age it is just not "cool" to go camping with your parents lol lol..... So even if they do they may only be going for another year or two but you will have the trailer for longer then that. You still have the sofa bed and if necessary get a blow up bed for friends. Just get one with the opposing slides for lots of floor area. Or better yet get a toyhauler which had bunks in the garage and then you can buy toys too lol lol

Advice needed on new 5er | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

NC_Hauler
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
What are the GVW's on these 5er's?....With 4 slides and up to 41' in length, has anyone thought about how much weight OP might be towing with his 3/4 ton, F250 truck? It, like any other truck DOES have it's limits. I'm Just curious. I may be way off base, but I've yet to see how much any of these 5er's weigh....not empty or dry weight, or empty or dry pin weight, but the real GVW of each of these 5er's.. I would be curious to know before I recommended any of them at this point. Having a 3/4 ton truck will limit one to just how much they can tow, just like a 1/2 ton, 1 ton SRW and 1 ton DRW truck has it's limitations.....

Maybe I should have looked them all up, but again, was just curious as to what kind of GVW's OP was looking at..
nano
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
I haven't read anything good about CrossRoads, so I'd do a lot of research before buying something from them. Personally, I wouldn't. (And we did really like the layout of the mid-bunk model.)
ReVoker
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
Your kids are 18 and 21 and you are STILL thinkng they want to go camping with you? School, work, boyfriends, other friends, etc., will take precedence over being with Mommy and Daddy as adults.
Mountain_Mama
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
twins89 wrote:
Take a step back and ask your kids how much longer they are going to camp with you. I would get them a nice tent or a popup they can tow themselves (we did) and then get the rig that will suit you and the spouse for many years. I've seen too many friends get a BH and then complain they have no space and no kids to use the bunks.

X2...I had a friend who was looking for a model "for her Grandkids"...I told her to buy what she liked as the kids could sleep on the floor, or where ever...She's glad she listened to me!
frogfan
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
Thanks for all the input. We are still at a standstill. We took the girls to look this weekend, the oldest couldn't care less. She loves to go and hang out, and agrees we are rarely in there. The youngest, she would not even look unless it had bunks.

Someone mentioned the cruiser, we have been waiting for the cruiser 355BL to land in a dealership. It is rear living with a slide out for the bunks. That may be the best option, we can always keep that slide in, if the girls don't go.

As to the truck, I have a CC short bed, with the 6.7. We never all 4 ride in the truck. My wife always follows with the boat and we each take one of the girls for someone to talk too. Like I said, I don't want anything huge or super heavy, 35-37' is my preference.

Thanks again for all the input, fortunately, we have an RV show this weekend. Maybe we can get it worked out. But I doubt it.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Jan 21, 2014
twins89 wrote:
Take a step back and ask your kids how much longer they are going to camp with you. I would get them a nice tent or a popup they can tow themselves (we did) and then get the rig that will suit you and the spouse for many years. I've seen too many friends get a BH and then complain they have no space and no kids to use the bunks.

Same thought here too. Another year or so & those girls will be history with their own social lives. Been there already.

Now might be the time to look for a really nice partys 6, feeds 4, sleeps 2 5er.

As suggested, a tent or a popup for them sounds like a plan. It would be a huge loss to get a big 5er to suit needs for only a season & then be wanting to sell it because the situation has changed.
RVcrazy
Explorer
Jan 20, 2014
I would not buy a unit with the idea that your kids will be joining you!!! They are about at the time when kids make their own lives and plans. If they come with you, you could always put them on a hide-a-bed or inflatable in the living area. I would have another talk with your wife. Good luck!
miboje
Explorer
Jan 20, 2014
What about the CrossRoads Cruiser with a slideout bunkroom?: CF34BH
Also, you could get an RL floorplan with two opposing couches to double for sleeping space without giving up one inch of floor space to a bunk room. The following has great inside kitchen storage and countertop space, plus an outside kitchen(replace recliners with sleeper sofa):SF34RE
Finally, this one comes with a booth dinette and sleeper sofa with an awesome interior kitchen and outside kitchen: SR34RK
camp-n-family
Explorer
Jan 20, 2014
we have a 2012 Ford F250 so TV is not a huge concern.

If you're looking at fivers in the 35-40' range with 4-5 slides, plus 4 adults in the truck, you should be concerned about the TV. You don't mention what cab style or engine etc so it's hard to say what your payload is but those sizes and weights are getting into 1 ton territory.
Lantley
Nomad
Jan 20, 2014
I posted the 389 BHS above which I think may meet your bunkhouse requirement but I agree with some others, based on your kids ages,you are passing the bunkhouse phase. You should focus your search on the rear or front living room floor plans.

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