Pros and Cons of owning a class A RV

DallasSteve wrote:

msturtz wrote:

The problem is that the listed 5th wheel towable unit is in no way equipped similarly to a Class A. There is a reason for the apparent price difference. For example the motorhomes come with an onboard generator and usually have a large battery bank and inverter. No one is disputing that an inexpensive 5th wheel plus the equivalent of a work truck can be purchased that costs much less than a motorhome however you are not comparing the same things either. Option for option feature for feature. Does the motorhome have an automatic leveling system? Then so should the 5th wheel trailer. I can tell you from personal experience that riding in a work truck and riding in any motorhome is not equivalent either. Nor is the fuel range equivalent either without aftermarket additional tanks which I added to my setup. The F350 gas may only have a 40 gallon fuel tank at most the motorhome has a 80 gallon fuel tank. I know about these limitations because I lived it. I used to have to carry many gas cans with me till I installed the auxiliary fuel tank. Again in any comparison it is important to consider all the facts. Since I have built a great towable setup before we got our motorhome I am acutely aware of the difference in features between both platforms. Bottom line is that it depends on the individual requirements of the person using the equipment. I have a CDL and work for a heavy truck manufacturer I look at an RV like any other tool. I try to determine what our requirements are first and then look for most logical solution that fits within the budget.

I did a cursory check for 5th wheels on RV trader equipped with generators and residential refrigerators and the discounted prices start at about $90k. I am assuming that they have automatic leveling systems.

I think you're "moving the goalposts". I don't see a residential fridge in the $90K class A units I searched so they are comparable to the fivers. Do they have generators? Probably. Does that close the $40K difference in my example? Hardly.

I agree with Lantley's post. If you trick out the fiver, and you trick out the class A, it's still much more expensive.

No, I'm not the basic 5th wheel units at that price point have much fewer features than any Class A. That is the reason for the price difference. Remember, I spent many years owning towable units. I work for a large heavy truck manufacturing company. If you have equivalent functionality and features you will have roughly the same cost. In both scenarios you have a dwelling and power unit. There is no magic in manufacturing. An engine, transmission, refrigerator, inverter, batteries, Air Conditioners and other components all cost the same regardless of whether they are installed in a 5th wheel, travel trailer or motorhome. Where you get into differences such as major missing components such as generators now you get some price differences a Cummins generator can cost well over $6K depending on model. In a typical two AC RV you would need a minimum of a 6K generator to run both ACs. Now, I am not talking about the high end Class A (gas or diesel) rigs that have tile floor and solid surface countertops etc. I'm talking about the family friendly lower cost Class A units that have vinyl floors etc. In my experience they are much better integrated than anything in the lower end towable space. To get equivalent features in a towable market you will need to go much higher end unit. Now, if those feature differences are not important to the customer then a really good deal at a much lower price point can be had in the towable market. We used towable units for many years. We restored a 1969 Terry travel trailer to usable condition years ago. That trailer only cost us $700 before we fixed it. The towable market can be a lower cost way to get into RVing if you have a suitable tow vehicle and are willing to tailor your use to fit the capability of the RV and put up with the limitations of the platform. Making blanket statements of which I have been guilty of doing myself don't help people understand the very real differences in the various options. When I help people figure out what they need I try to listen to what is important for them. I point out the things I have learned including the quirks of each platform. I have in the past been guilty of making blanket statements that equivalent towable are always less expensive. That isn't the case and is missing a lot of the factors that may or may not be important.