first time buying

2gypsies wrote:
Regarding the truck - first choose your RV then buy the truck capable of pulling it. If you don't want to buy a big powerful truck then you should be looking at smaller, lightweight RVs. RVs can be very heavy nowadays so study the weights carefully.

Never listen to a RV salesman saying "oh, a _____ truck will pull it easily". He just wants to sell you that RV. Do your research.

Completely agree.

Much easier to match truck to 5vr.
Just take 25% of 5vrs GVWR and use that figure as 'wet pin weight' (weight that truck is going to carry on rear axle)
Then buy truck capable of carrying that weight......IF pin weight is lower you STILL have the truck to tow it.


Buy truck first...then you need to find 5vr that truck is capable of towing.GVWR/RAWR/Payload.
And you get temped to go little bigger cause you find 'the one' but it is a little heavy ....so you fudge, try to 'fix' truck and end up not having a good towing combo.
No fun , costly and could be down right dangerous depending on fudge factor

Regarding the truck - first choose your RV then buy the truck capable of pulling it. If you don't want to buy a big powerful truck then you should be looking at smaller, lightweight RVs. RVs can be very heavy nowadays so study the weights carefully.

Never listen to a RV salesman saying "oh, a _____ truck will pull it easily". He just wants to sell you that RV. Do your research.

We are full-timers and traded our 1st 5th wheel in after about a year of living in it. You really don't know what you want or need for awhile.....lessons learned. We went used the 1st time (about 10 years old) and then moved up to a "newer used" one(but only about a year old). Think this is the one!

Our first RV was brand new, and so was our second. We are of such an age we didn't have time for trial and error, nor the worry of repairs.. The first was just too small and we did not like 30 amp or a 6 gallon water heater. We like our second choice just fine! When we switched 5th wheels we needed a bigger truck....so be sure and learn about payload. Don't listen to the dealers!

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Do you have the proper truck to carry the pin wet of that 5th wheel?

no, haven't even look for the truck yet. what can you tell me about this

New is not the only way to go. You can get a better deal by going used. All the bugs will have been worked out already and you won't have the depreciation as soon as you drive off the lot. New ones have issues, too. I think in your case, I'd look for one that's a couple years old.

Sorry, new and first time IMHO makes for a BIG mistake. As a newby your chances of actually finding the ideal RV the first sort are nearly zero. Yes, some do it, but the majority of us go through several RVs before we find one we actually are comfortable with. Thit does not take into account RV types you have to consider.

Just sayin...... when we were shopping in 2014 we liked the Montana. Went to rv show and saw the Keystone Alpine. The Alpine is more luxurious and options on the Montana were standard on Alpine. Two 15k a/c units work great to cool it down. We usually only run the rear ac and heatpump. Price of fully loaded Alpine was cheaper than Montana with comparable options at least at the dealers we shopped at.

Do you have the proper truck to carry the pin wet of that 5th wheel?

Agree new is the way to go if affordable...

My wife and I just started full time this last November and bought a Keystone Fuzion 371. Use it to haul the bikes and then I use the garage as my office when parked. Loving it now that we are in warmer weather.......