Forum Discussion

MookieKat's avatar
MookieKat
Explorer
May 27, 2016

Anyone switch from a motor home to a fifth wheel?

If you have, would love to know the reasons why!

37 Replies

  • Yes, and here's my reasons:
    • Easier to drive
    • Easier to get repairs on the truck
    • Easier to sell one half and upgrade
    • More living space for size
    • Cheaper to maintain
    • Less to go wrong IMO
  • We also have had two Class A's and a Class C before going with the 5th wheel. For us there were a couple of things, in both the class A & C, the front 4 of 5 feet were dedicated just to driving, so a 30 foot "C" is really only 26 feet of usable RV space. Second, if you just pull in, cap a beer & spend the night before moving on your ok in a motor home. But if you actually want to stay a while and explore the souronding area you need a toad, (towed vehicle). With insurance and maintenance you are adding a big expense, as stated before a lot of things to go wrong! I maintain that a "C" or "A" motor home and a toad it is easier to set up a fiver than it is to set up a motor home, and that is with a vehicle that can be towed 4 down. If you add in a dolly to the equation you start really having "fun" setting up and/or taking down! A really nice TV can be equipped almost as good as any luxury car, add 4 wheel drive, and you can take it off road while "exploring". Final "nail in the coffin" a nice well equipped Class A will cost you 2 or 3 times what a similar 5th wheel would cost!
  • Went from FW to a MH. Which gives the same diff's only in reverse!

    For me it was the ability to just pull into a CG, put it in park and open a cold one.

    THAT doesn't happen with a FW or TT. You are out there setting up forever and then reversing the whole process when it's time to leave.
  • I think it's pretty ingenious to reverse the question for the motorhome crowd. You get answers from both sides that way. Not sure your motive though, unless you are debating between the two. That said, you will find numerous threads on this same subject that include various opinions. You will hear how much freedom a motorhome provides going down the road, unless you are driving, of course, and how a fifth wheel may have more useable space and a better bang for the buck.

    We have had 5 fifth wheels and 2 motorhomes, one gas and one dp, in the past 45 years. We had the gas motorhome 2 years, couldn't get it to drive straight no matter how much I flogged it with my wallet. Then had the dp for 7 years and it finally wore me down with the expense of ownership, especially in the maintenance and repair department. Too many moving parts to go wrong. Our current rig has been a joy comparatively with basically nothing in the way of repairs in 4 full seasons of 3 to 4 month use each season, plus a bunch of miles. I am in my comfort zone with a fifth wheel and never was with the motorhomes.

    I personally don't care what someone else wants or owns because each of us have a reason for getting what we did, and you know what, they are all valid to that person. Here is the bottom line: Once you get there they are all just a house on wheels.
  • We just went from a Winnebago class a to crossroads 5er. Some reasons in no particular order
    I didn't like towing a car
    Wanted a room for kids
    Having a truck again is handy

    Miss hydraulic jacks
    Kids enjoyed watching tv while sitting on couch going down road.
    These are just random thoughts. Really biggest reason is the cruiser that we bought is handed down our favorite layout. Truck is the less important part really.

    What's your thoughts?