Shopping for first RV...need guidance

There are so many factors to consider to answer your questions. First alot will depend on your expierence pulling any type of trailer. I grew up towing trailers and am quite comfortable towing any size trailer with any load on any terrain . If you have never towed a trailer at all jumping into a fithwheel may be over your head . You didnt say what your expierence has been so my answer would be for some people yes the 5th wheel is the best choice for others no. There are several dealers in your part of the country who have some of the best prices in the country. Holemans in Batavia OH is one. I pull a 36' TH with. 2011 F250 PSD with ease . Add air bags and don't look for the cheapest hitch look for a quailty hitch. We went with the CURT q20 slider which gas worked well for us. Extremely easy to hitch and pretty much idiot proof. Our current TH has auto level system which i didnt really care about but it was on the TH already. I wont have anything ever again without it. It really saves so much work setting up and breaking down camp. Best advice is to shop ,read and look for trends in what you read instead of taking a poster or two s advice. As far as MFGs go we have had Forrest river TH and basically it was ok for the money we spent . It was cheap built and always needed attention but was ok. Had a warranty issue with them so didnt consider FR when we bought our 5th wheel TH . We now have Keystone Fuzion and it has been excellent except for the tires. But again many people like FR and many hate Keystone so just have to remember read and shop ALOT. This forum is. Good place to get tons of info. Good luck

Phydeauxman wrote:
Thanks for the replies. @ ReneeG...you say you admire me for doing the 5th wheel first...why? I am trying to read into what you mean by that. I thought they were easier to tow...am I wrong about that? Are there reasons why someone should consider a Tow Trailer first before a 5th Wheel?

What I meant is that we are so happy with our fifth wheel I wish we would've had the insight at the beginning. To us we started out slow to see if we would like it and could handle the hookup/towing process. If you know what you want from the beginning, that's an advantage.

@laknox...great feedback. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Phydeauxman wrote:
Thanks for the replies. @ ReneeG...you say you admire me for doing the 5th wheel first...why? I am trying to read into what you mean by that. I thought they were easier to tow...am I wrong about that? Are there reasons why someone should consider a Tow Trailer first before a 5th Wheel?

I grew up farming and towed enough trailers that, when we decided to buy an RV, I knew from jump that I would not even consider a travel trailer and I didn't want a motor home. Everything is a learning curve, no matter what you decide to get, so don't let that deter or intimidate you. There are so many resources out there that you just have to search them out to find what you need. Don't be afraid to take time to select the right RV for you, you'll be glad you did.

You =are= going to run into weight issues with a 3/4 ton truck and the size RV you're looking for. Not that there aren't plenty that will fit the bill, but you're likely to have to sacrifice on some things that you might want to stay within your limits. I was totally clueless when I bought my FW and, even my single-slide, low-profile FW pretty much maxes out my 2002 D'max because it's simply =heavy= and my truck is wimpy compared to today's trucks. Depending on the age of your kids (assuming the other 4 are kids), you've got a couple choices. You can forego a free-standing dinette in lieu of a booth that converts to a bed or you can go for a bunk house model. Both have their ups and downs, though the BH will allow you to have a dinette, if you want it.

Read, read, read, and visit lots of dealers. Don't be afraid to go outside your area, but know that RV dealerships are NOT like auto dealers. They have absolutely zero obligation to service your RV in a timely manner (sometimes not at all), if you didn't buy from them. You'll read many comments where people had to call the manufacturer and get a mobile RV service to do warranty repairs when a local dealer for that brand wouldn't fix their issues. When you're on the road, it can become a real issue. Again, something I didn't know at the beginning.

When shopping, you'll find that completely identical RVs can have wildly different "retail" prices. Basically, the mfrs seem to set a "target" MSRP and let the dealers just sort of make things up as they go. No matter what, find the lowest MSRP for the same model, no matter where it is, then take that to your local dealer and see if they're willing to come close, or beat it. The general "rule" these days seems to be about 30-35% discount from "retail", which shows you the true value of RVs. Even after that discount, dealers =still= have to be making double-digit margins, or they wouldn't survive.

Good luck in your search.

Lyle

Go look at several dealers, when you find several brands you like look for owners forums. Almost all major brands have owner's forums where they share info and complaints. They are not connected to the manufacturer. I know Jayco, Montana, Excel have owner's forums, look for the one you are interested in. You will get the best information from actual owners. OR when you can post questions here again

Our first RV was our fifth wheel in our signature. We looked at bumper pulls but after talking to ,any TT owners and fiver owners the fifth wheel was the only way to go. Spend lots, I mean lots of time looking at as many rigs as possible, took us almost two years to decide. The internet is your best friend. Once you find a rig you want get several internet quotes and take the lowest to your nearest dealer and ask the to match it. We did and they came within $500 of the quote, sold. If financing, talk to your bank/credit union to see what they offer first and then compare your dealers rates. Last bit of advice, get a good hitch such as the B&W Companion to make towing as smooth as possible. I wish the best of luck and have fun with your new adventures, just three years ago we were in your shoes and it is a fun lifestyle.

Thanks for the replies. @ ReneeG...you say you admire me for doing the 5th wheel first...why? I am trying to read into what you mean by that. I thought they were easier to tow...am I wrong about that? Are there reasons why someone should consider a Tow Trailer first before a 5th Wheel?

Always remember that on any forum there will be ten people posting complaints for each person posting praise.

Phydeauxman wrote:
My wife and I are going shopping for our first RV. We are going to large camper retailers this weekend just so we can get an idea of what is available. Here is what we know:

- We are pretty sure we want a 5th wheel

- We would like to be able to get a trailer that will sleep at least 6 that is safe to tow behind our 2014 F250

Questions:
1 Is one construction type significantly better than the other (Wood vs Alum)?

2 Are the brands that are better than others or brands we should try to stay away from?

3 Will the price of a trailer change based on where you buy it? We live in the Northern Virginia are where everything is more expensive...would it be cheaper if I drove say to Louisiana and bought the trailer?

4 I am all about ease of use when it comes to something like this. Don't want it to be too much work because then it reduces the fun and desire. Thinking of this...are there features I should be considering? As an example...auto-leveling jacks.

I am sure there are a billion other things we are not thinking of so any useful guidance is appreciated.

1) Wood is heavier. That's about it. People have had problems with trailers made of either. Not going to see significant issues of one versus the other.

2) In the weight class you should be looking at, their isn't a significant difference in quality. You can find horror stories in any of them, just like you can in any vehicle.

3) Prices can vary significantly based on region. Michigan seems to do a huge amount of out state business. I make no recommendations though.

4) Ease of use, boy that is really so person specific. Some might need a dishwasher for ease of use. Another might not want any slides. Huge scale.
But I do like my auto leveling system. Built in black flush is nice too.

Phydeauxman wrote:
My wife and I are going shopping for our first RV. We are going to large camper retailers this weekend just so we can get an idea of what is available. Here is what we know:

- We are pretty sure we want a 5th wheel

- We would like to be able to get a trailer that will sleep at least 6 that is safe to tow behind our 2014 F250 - I'm not the weight police but to sleep 6 you will need at least your main bed, a sleeper sofa, and a couple of bunks. To me this means a good sized one and then you want to be sure, that when it's fully loaded that it still falls within the towing capacity of your TV, including the load you are carrying in the TV.

Questions:
- Is one construction type significantly better than the other (Wood vs Alum)? [COLOR=]A lot prefer aluminum, but most units have a combination of wood and aluminum for durability and stability yet keeping weight low.

- Are the brands that are better than others or brands we should try to stay away from? I couldn't answer this. You'll need to do your research and get feedback here. Everyone has their favorite but most will let you know units they've had bad luck or issues with.

- Will the price of a trailer change based on where you buy it? We live in the Northern Virginia are where everything is more expensive...would it be cheaper if I drove say to Louisiana and bought the trailer? More importantly, I would try to stick close to home and field your dealership, ask around for their reputation. Post sale support is vital especially for you, a new RV owner. You're going to need the hand holding of a good team in the beginning.

- I am all about ease of use when it comes to something like this. Don't want it to be too much work because then it reduces the fun and desire. Thinking of this...are there features I should be considering? As an example...auto-leveling jacks. Your desire will determine how much you want to do this. My husband and I started 17 years ago towing TTs and moved to a 5W after 4 TT's. It was all new to us but we loved the fun and adventure of it and were willing to learn. I now can back and drive our 5W and I never backed the TT's we had. It's like anything else, at first it may scare the hell out of you but that's normal. Respect in the hookup process and unhooking process is very important. Do it, if that's what you want.

I am sure there are a billion other things we are not thinking of so any useful guidance is appreciated.

I admire you for doing the fifth wheel first. What you may want to do is try a rental unit and see how you like it. Maybe though they require some experience on your part. If you have a trusted friend or relative with a 5W, maybe they can help you out with a demo.

Best of luck in your decision. You will certainly get a lot of feedback here and that's what you need.