Is it important to get dual pane windows?

MookieKat wrote:
I was questioning the comment by Lukeporter, "You can get a better price ordering than buying off the lot."

I don't understand how or why it would be cheaper to special order than to buy stock.

You should be able to because the dealer has much less overhead on a unit that someone else has paid for and isn't sitting around on his lot. On the other hand, he has less incentive to get rid of one that is bleeding him.

To save on energy costs. Not so much. For comfort. Definitely. In our cooler damp climate we find a big difference when it comes to condensation and comfort when sitting near a window. Except for some of the cheaper models, the great majority of fifth wheels that dealers order in this area now come with dual pane windows.

I was questioning the comment by Lukeporter, "You can get a better price ordering than buying off the lot."

I don't understand how or why it would be cheaper to special order than to buy stock.

It costs the dealer to have a unit sitting on the lot. He has interest expenses also. The longer it sits, the more he has into it.

So, if someone comes in and wants to make a down payment to order, the dealer orders, delivers, done. With less expenses, he can sell it for less.

Dealers are real funny about selling for less than they have in a unit.

MookieKat wrote:

Luke Porter wrote:

MookieKat wrote:
I would have to special order them...I probably won't get the best price if I order rather than buy something off the lot, would I?

You mean you would special order a 5th wheel--with dual panes?

You can get a better price ordering than buying off the lot.

Huh? I would think that it is cheaper to buy off the lot, since they would want to get rid of their inventory....

Sure a dealer WANTS to get rid of inventory. Why? Because it is costing him money! That said, he isn't going to sell it at a loss so the extra costs will be passed along to the buyer. There may be an individual unit that has been sitting too long, or something else wrong with it that the dealer will sell at a loss while making up for it on other units. If you find one of those and it really fits your needs, then great.

Luke Porter wrote:

MookieKat wrote:
I would have to special order them...I probably won't get the best price if I order rather than buy something off the lot, would I?

You mean you would special order a 5th wheel--with dual panes?

You can get a better price ordering than buying off the lot.

Huh? I would think that it is cheaper to buy off the lot, since they would want to get rid of their inventory....

I don't think I would ever get dual pane windows for the express purpose of saving energy. The benefits of no condensation and quieter interior would be my motive. Most of the heat for our motorhome comes from wall baseboard heaters but for those who get their heat primarily from furnace or hydronic heat systems there would also be less run time of the heating system...again making it quieter.

Just for fun, walk into two RV's parked close to a highway. Close the door and listen to the noise. You will notice a SIGNIFIACANT difference between the two units. A salesman tool for demonstrating both thermo pane and dual pane windows. Of course if you are always in a quiet woodsy area this is less important. Different folks, different needs.

Good luck on your quest. Happy trails.

Have them in my home, would never consider them in an RV. When you consider the total surface area of glass in a towable RV vs. the total surface area of walls and roof (and floor), and despite the manufacturer claims of insulation "R" values, more heat gain/loss is taking place through the rest of the trailer's structure than its windows. I personally think a blackout style shade would do more to cut heat transmission through a trailer's windows.

I've been in trailers at RV shows with "insulated" double pane windows. Standing in front of a window on the "sunny" side of the trailer, I couldn't perceive a dime's worth of difference between a double pane window and standard RV window. Save your money................

As far as condensation in cooler weather, proper air and moisture "management" (ventilation) inside the trailer will take care of that. I have never experienced a condensation problem in either of our trailers.

At the risk of sounding a bit uneducated on this matter ,I give our experience. We snowbirded in the RGV one winter , which happened to be one of the coldest and wettest winters on record for that area. Many people were complaining about "condensation" . We would tell Friends that we did not have a problem with condensation ,only with the window by our bed. Turns out one of Friends stopped by on another cool,wet day and he said "no wonder why you don't have a problem, you have dual ( double) pane windows!" We were unaware of that extra when we bought our Fiver new. I looked at our bill of sale and at that time it was a $1500.00 extra. That's my story and I'm sticking to it . Life is Good

LostinAZ wrote:
I would strongly recommend that you do a energy loss analysis on the total RV. If the RV has multiple slides I suspect you will find much more energy loss associated with the slides than the single pane windows. Also verify that they are truly sealed double pane windows. Also consider the extra weight and added initial cost these windows will add to the RV. Also consider the amount of time you will spend in the RV each year and what the temperatures will be when you are in the RV and then calculate the savings vs the initial costs. Very few RV double pane windows are of the quality that are installed in stick homes.

good point