Help with choosing our 5th wheel (and truck)
Thanks to the wonderful members here, we're making progress and now know where we'll buy our 5th wheel and truck :C but I could really use some help with choosing the right ones.
Who we are (and our plan)
I'm Anne, aged 49. DH is 51. Our son is 17. All three of us will be RV'ing for the first time, going full-time right away in July.
We don't live in the US (coming over to work and manage our company), so we'll be starting from scratch in terms of buying a rig and a towing vehicle. We decided on a 5th wheel because we like the idea of towing stability, combined with the ability to have a truck that we can use to drive around when camping.
We've traveled extensively in the US in the past, so in no rush to get to any particular "sightseeing" spot. We plan on relatively long stays in nice places with good weather and lovely natural settings, where we can work and hike locally. We're thinking of staying for 2-4 weeks in each place and then move on, as the weather changes.
We have a decent budget, I think. Can go up to $120K for a really good rig, and up to $100K for a truck+hitch. I'm hoping that will be enough in today's market. We're ok with buying used or new.
We're flying to Florida next month and plan on going to Tampa to buy. I already checked and dealerships can register our truck and RV for us, not a problem. But we do prefer a dealership for that (rather than buying privately).
Our considerations -
1. Safety.
Since we're new to towing, we want to make sure we get the safest possible setup. From what I've read, that means a heavy-duty truck with towing packages. I'll need some advice as to the actual size and what hitch to choose etc.
2. Having enough space for full-time living, and especially working.
We can do with a small living/cooking area but would want a separate sleeping area for our son. A front living-room that we can convert into his room looks like a good option. Or possibly a toy hauler where we can convert the garage into his room.
Now, I have so many questions and dilemmas. I'm hoping the good people here may be able to offer tips and advice.
1. How much does the size of the 5th wheel really matter? Should we try and squeeze into something smaller than 39' or splurge on a larger 45'? or something in between? DH is concerned with finding sites for large rigs. I'm concerned with the ease of driving/towing. Not sure if the extra feet matter in that respect or not?
2. What about buying "off the catalog" so to speak? I'm thinking we could choose our RV in advance, get someone to do an inspection for us, and have it waiting for us in the dealership when we get there. If we buy from a large place like LazyDays or General RV Center, maybe they can even start working on adjusting the floorplan for our needs. For example, we'll probably want to remove a couch or two and replace them with desks.
3. What would be a good truck for towing? Will an F350 dually be enough? Should we go for an F450 dually? Anything else to keep in mind re the truck?
I've been going over the LazyDays and General RV Center sites for a few days now. So many options and I'm hoping to post a few of them here for feedback.
Who we are (and our plan)
I'm Anne, aged 49. DH is 51. Our son is 17. All three of us will be RV'ing for the first time, going full-time right away in July.
We don't live in the US (coming over to work and manage our company), so we'll be starting from scratch in terms of buying a rig and a towing vehicle. We decided on a 5th wheel because we like the idea of towing stability, combined with the ability to have a truck that we can use to drive around when camping.
We've traveled extensively in the US in the past, so in no rush to get to any particular "sightseeing" spot. We plan on relatively long stays in nice places with good weather and lovely natural settings, where we can work and hike locally. We're thinking of staying for 2-4 weeks in each place and then move on, as the weather changes.
We have a decent budget, I think. Can go up to $120K for a really good rig, and up to $100K for a truck+hitch. I'm hoping that will be enough in today's market. We're ok with buying used or new.
We're flying to Florida next month and plan on going to Tampa to buy. I already checked and dealerships can register our truck and RV for us, not a problem. But we do prefer a dealership for that (rather than buying privately).
Our considerations -
1. Safety.
Since we're new to towing, we want to make sure we get the safest possible setup. From what I've read, that means a heavy-duty truck with towing packages. I'll need some advice as to the actual size and what hitch to choose etc.
2. Having enough space for full-time living, and especially working.
We can do with a small living/cooking area but would want a separate sleeping area for our son. A front living-room that we can convert into his room looks like a good option. Or possibly a toy hauler where we can convert the garage into his room.
Now, I have so many questions and dilemmas. I'm hoping the good people here may be able to offer tips and advice.
1. How much does the size of the 5th wheel really matter? Should we try and squeeze into something smaller than 39' or splurge on a larger 45'? or something in between? DH is concerned with finding sites for large rigs. I'm concerned with the ease of driving/towing. Not sure if the extra feet matter in that respect or not?
2. What about buying "off the catalog" so to speak? I'm thinking we could choose our RV in advance, get someone to do an inspection for us, and have it waiting for us in the dealership when we get there. If we buy from a large place like LazyDays or General RV Center, maybe they can even start working on adjusting the floorplan for our needs. For example, we'll probably want to remove a couch or two and replace them with desks.
3. What would be a good truck for towing? Will an F350 dually be enough? Should we go for an F450 dually? Anything else to keep in mind re the truck?
I've been going over the LazyDays and General RV Center sites for a few days now. So many options and I'm hoping to post a few of them here for feedback.
