Key Features of Your Fifth Wheel

You just described our Cedar Creek.

Forgot your original question.

SP = State Park
NP = National Park

It wasn't the decision maker but we love being able to access our kitchen trash can from the outside.

Key features for me but in no particular order...Floor plan, right & left full wall slide-outs, large bathroom/shower, frameless tinted windows, privacy bedroom door, ceiling fan, electric jacks & awning, roof solar panels, huge amount of internal/external storage space, 3 heat sources: furnace/fireplace/heat pump, high quality cabinets and furniture, island kitchen, twin leather recliners, 10 gal gas/electric water heater, heated & insulated holding tanks with fully enclosed underbelly, Dual 30# LP gas bottles with auto change over, high gloss gel coat.

I'm not a fulltimer.

Most painful on the wallet was replacing the OEM wheels & tires.
Major PITA was fixing a slide-out issue.

mykahts wrote:

Veebyes wrote:
Ours was chosen for the galley, because the DW is a foody & we knew we would be spending many nights on the road, & the LOA so that we can get into most SPs & NP campgrounds.

Wow! Thanks for sharing the nice pix! I don't know all the acronyms yet but what's SPs & NP? :)

At a dry weight of almost 13k lbs you are in 1t dually territory.
Forget 3/4t or 1t SRW.

mykahts wrote:

I'm still looking into the tow vehicle. I started my research and based on what I have, it looks like a 3/4 to a ton truck would be sufficient. I'm not big on duallies but we'll see. Any recommendation on tow vehicle?

Your new trailer weighs the same as mine. A 350/3500 is barely adequate, and most likely, with the inclusion of additional people and things to the truck, overloaded.

You need a dually. They are not that scary. And they only cost about $500 more than a single. 1% of your purchase cost.

Don't fall for "Hey I can do it and so far, not die, so can you" mentality.

bpounds wrote:
Thinking back now about what my priorities were when we were fiver shopping.

*OAL of 30' or less.
Why? Fitting within my home storage area saves us $200-$300 per month compared to renting storage space in So California. Also needed to fit in National Forest campgrounds which we frequently visit.

*Large tank space.
Why? National Forest campgrounds don't offer hookups. We boondock at least half of the time.

*Exterior design features that are rough road friendly.
Why? Forest Service campgrounds. For example, little things like a tank drain that is well protected by proximity to the wheels. We saw some where the drain was so low and rearward that it would be easily snagged or dragged.

*Sleeping, cooking, and bathroom facilities usable without deploying the slide.
Why? We will often catch a short nights sleep in a rest stop or parking lot while traveling to our destination. Can't always put out a slide.

*Wanted to spend $30k or less. Spent a little more.
Why? This is a vacation rig for us. We don't live in it. Didn't want or need to have $100k sitting outside on a concrete pad. Even $30 makes for damned expensive vacations.

Those were the biggies for us IIRC. Other things that were important to us, like a walk around bed, good storage space, etc. are pretty much givens for any fiver.

Great points and practical! I admit, I fell in love with the aesthetic before I even thought about functionality but these are really good to take into account. Thank you.

Hvyhauler wrote:
Very nice unit and video... The exterior option pkg shows GY G614RST / LT235/85R16G tires.These are excellent trailer tires,how long the tire will last is a good question... many factors contribute to the longevity of tire life.Did you order the ext option pkg ? and what tow vehicle will be used to haul the castle.

I'm not sure about the ext option pkg. I don't know if it's included in the price. I will definitely ask about that. I'm still looking into the tow vehicle. I started my research and based on what I have, it looks like a 3/4 to a ton truck would be sufficient. I'm not big on duallies but we'll see. I did look into the cost of towing which can range from $1.50 to $2.00 per mile. Given my commitments here in Vegas, I won't be traveling with it til probably next year. Any recommendation on tow vehicle?

Thinking back now about what my priorities were when we were fiver shopping.

*OAL of 30' or less.
Why? Fitting within my home storage area saves us $200-$300 per month compared to renting storage space in So California. Also needed to fit in National Forest campgrounds which we frequently visit.

*Large tank space.
Why? National Forest campgrounds don't offer hookups. We boondock at least half of the time.

*Exterior design features that are rough road friendly.
Why? Forest Service campgrounds. For example, little things like a tank drain that is well protected by proximity to the wheels. We saw some where the drain was so low and rearward that it would be easily snagged or dragged.

*Sleeping, cooking, and bathroom facilities usable without deploying the slide.
Why? We will often catch a short nights sleep in a rest stop or parking lot while traveling to our destination. Can't always put out a slide.

*Wanted to spend $30k or less. Spent a little more.
Why? This is a vacation rig for us. We don't live in it. Didn't want or need to have $100k sitting outside on a concrete pad. Even $30 makes for damned expensive vacations.

Those were the biggies for us IIRC. Other things that were important to us, like a walk around bed, good storage space, etc. are pretty much givens for any fiver.

mykahts wrote:

Hvyhauler wrote:

mykahts wrote:

Hi Hvyhauler... What would be a normal lifespan for tires? Do they last longer if unit is parked more than towed along? I think I'll be ok with the wiring system as my man is good with electrical stuff. I'll have him check my 12 volt wiring out. :)

Hello Mykahts, Please share with the group the make/model of your new 5ver & make/model of your tow vehicle.The info will help answer your tire question.

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm going to be the soon to be owner of a Coachmen Brookstone 370RL. It was love at first sight! I was so smitten, I created a video collage of what I call My Castle... :)

My Castle... My Castle...

Very nice unit and video... The exterior option pkg shows GY G614RST / LT235/85R16G tires.These are excellent trailer tires,how long the tire will last is a good question... many factors contribute to the longevity of tire life.Did you order the ext option pkg ? and what tow vehicle will be used to haul the castle.