We will be full-timing by the time we purchase this unit. We will most likely to look for places to stay for 2 - 4 weeks at a time, and look for scenic or trails to hike around frequently. This means lots of driving around the camping site, perhaps up to 100 miles radius or more during the stay. We will do this throughout the year, at least for the first couple of years.So far, our thoughts is to get a diesel puckup (3500 series) dually and one of DRV, Excel or Lifestyle.But I'm beginning to wonder if I'm better off with a Class A + a economy toad vehicle since we plan to move quite frequently?What would be the pros and cons for each setup for our case?

While you are setting up the 5ver, I'll push the level button, run out the slide and have a beer and watch you out in the weather doing your thing.

(See you are from Toronto. I don't know if you mean "US" as in a couple or as in USA, my answer doesn't matter covers both)Each type of RV has its + and -'s. Ever seen people with class A's wait for parts at dealership? Ever seen people with a big 5th wheel have to back out of a dead end street? Most people are defensive of what they got. My opinion is all Rv's have good points and bad.But if you're going to stay put for 2 - 4 week at a time, as you stated your floor plan is going to become real important to you.

Why would floor plans be more important to me if we stay only for 2-4 weeks as opposed to months at a time?And when I said "US" I meant my DW and myself. :)I was pretty much set getting that truck (most likely 2013 RAM 3500 Diesel Dually) and a 36ft DRV 5th wheel. But since we love hiking at remote places, we will probably not stay at RV parks with all the facilities - those are not important to us. In fact, I plan to get 1000w solar panels and 6 batteries so that we can get into non-serviced sites often. As long as we can dump every 2 weeks or so, I think this will work out. There will be lots of daily driving around the site, looking for places to hike and visit. I'm beginning to wonder if it makes sense to drive a big dually pickup every day for this purpose instead of something like Hyundai Accent.

Tom/Barb wrote:While you are setting up the 5ver, I'll push the level button, run out the slide and have a beer and watch you out in the weather doing your thing.Or, while your coach is being towed to the shop and your driving to the local hotel while the motor/transmission/rear end gets repaired...while the fiver owner, who also experienced a driveline failure is sitting under his awning watching your coach get pulled away.... All this just to illustrate that there are no perfect answers here. Tires on some class A's can get up to $3000-5500.00Class A's need to be used, class A's CAN be expensive to service. (Remember, there are two types of class A's, diesel pushers, and gas rigs) Fivers have their negatives as well, you have to own a truck.. (Not a negative to all) there is some set up time. Mostly backing in to a site, leveling, and unhitching. Everything else is the same. We looked into class A's and ultimately decided we would stay with a travel trailer, even though we have enough truck for a fiver we choose a Travel Trailer. My dad has the money to own anything he wants. He uses a fiver with three slides because he says they have more room. He despises the thought of losing the cab space in the Motorhome while parked. But he is parked for Months at a time for work. Only YOU and YOUR family can decide what's right for you. There is no one size fits all for everyone. Enjoy the search and the journey.Jeremiah

You stated you will probably be in the boonies for good hiking places. You might want to consider a Class A towing a Jeep which will allow you to travel the two-track roads with ease. Yes, you can get a 4WD truck but we have seen many trucks too wide for the backroads or having to do 3-point turns to make it around the corner. If you plan to travel in the Southwest you'll find many gorgeous 4-wheeling trails leading to excellent hiking spots. It depends on the types of places you plan to go. We have gotten a lot of enjoyment from our Jeep. Good luck with your decision!

5th wheel vs Class A - which is better for US?

48 Replies

Trap
Explorer
Jul 18, 2013
gitane59 wrote:
I have seen people spend 15 min's just unhooking their Tow'd upon entering campgrounds. This time must be added to setup time for a Class A motorhomes as I can unhitch my pickup in equal or less time than it takes to connect or un-connect a TOW'd from a motorhome. Yes I know we both can use a pull through and both can leave our vehicles attached if we want for a quick getaway in the morning.

But we usually know ahead of time if we have a pull through site or back-in site. If we know we have a back-in site, I unhook the Jeep while DW is inside getting us booked in. Can't ever remember it taking 15 minutes, now some of those with Tow Dollies yes but not towing 4 down.
Acei
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
msmith1199 wrote:
Acei wrote:
Unfortunately in Canada, mortgage interests are not tax deductable. :(

Also, I won't be looking for any financing (unless if they offer something significantly cheaper than a market rate) since we will be selling our house which is fully paid off. The remaining amount will be invested until the time when we give up full-timing.

In my case, I do need to count the toad cost since I am looking for a total cost of ownership. If I go 5th wheel route, I will not be buying another car on top of the truck.

Well in that case, if cost is the main concern, then the truck and 5th wheel is the best choice.

Cost isn't the only main concern but it is a big one. I'm willing to pay as long as there's some value in there. Hence I'm trying to compare the two setups of equal ownership cost.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2013
15 minutes to unhook a toad? 1. Take the lock off the tow bar and lift the bar from ball and put it in the folded position. (15 seconds) 2. Unhook the safety cables and wrap them around the folded tow bar. (20 seconds) 3. Unhook the umbilical cord for the lights. (10 seconds). 4. Get in the towed. (10 seconds) 5. Turn the key on, push the button to shift the transfer case out of neutral, wait for the click. (15 seconds). Start the towed put it in gear and drive away (10 seconds).

If you want to completely remove the tow bar from either the towed or the motorhome (which ever model you have) add another 90 seconds. But when I'm out camping I leave the tow bar on the front of my toad and leave the safety cables attached to the toad.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2013
Acei wrote:
Unfortunately in Canada, mortgage interests are not tax deductable. :(

Also, I won't be looking for any financing (unless if they offer something significantly cheaper than a market rate) since we will be selling our house which is fully paid off. The remaining amount will be invested until the time when we give up full-timing.

In my case, I do need to count the toad cost since I am looking for a total cost of ownership. If I go 5th wheel route, I will not be buying another car on top of the truck.

Well in that case, if cost is the main concern, then the truck and 5th wheel is the best choice.
gitane59
Explorer III
Jul 17, 2013
Retired JSO wrote:
Tom/Barb wrote:
While you are setting up the 5ver, I'll push the level button, run out the slide and have a beer and watch you out in the weather doing your thing.

X-2

Went from a 35' fifth wheel into a 40' motorhome in April. My setup time went from an hour or more to 15 minutes or less. Level, hookup, slides, satellite, awning, rug, chairs, fans, beer.

I don't understand for a moment what you would be doing for an hour or more setting up your fifthwheel. I would have my fifthwheel unhooked and setup in 20 min's and be sitting back downing a cold one shaking my head watching you setup your fifthwheel for an additional 40 min's or more. Might even have time to BBQ a steak and make up a salad in that time.

I have seen people spend 15 min's just unhooking their Tow'd upon entering campgrounds. This time must be added to setup time for a Class A motorhomes as I can unhitch my pickup in equal or less time than it takes to connect or un-connect a TOW'd from a motorhome. Yes I know we both can use a pull through and both can leave our vehicles attached if we want for a quick getaway in the morning.
I agree it is a very personal choice whether you want the benefits of traveling comfort and convenience that a motorhome provides or the day to day living convenience and benefits of more space and homier floorplans that fifthwheels provide.
I have seriously considered switching to a Class A but have decided to stay fiver for a number of reasons including driving safety reasons. I have seen and read about too many front tire failures on Class A's the resulting safety risks that front tire failures produce including serious injuries and fatalities.
Cost of maintenance and repair is also a factor for me and if my pickup breaks down I still have my living quarters to enjoy while my TV is in the shop getting fixed. A rental car is cheap and easy to get so getting around while the TV is in the shop is still not an issue.
Another reason for my decision is that we travel with two dogs and if we had a motorhome and we had a serious failure we would have to try and find pet friendly emergency motel/hotel accommodations. Not very likely in most locations.
robatthelake
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
Bird Freak wrote:
robatthelake wrote:
If there was a perfect RV for everyone there would be no choices! Each type has its own pluses and minuses.
For Us that decision was based upon the following!

On a trip down the Baja while Listening to " Welcome to the Hotel California"

A new line was added to the lyrics!

I have to Pee!

Those of You who are over 60 and have driven this stretch of road will relate! There is nothing resembling a "Rest Area...No Pullouts..Steep inclines...narrow Road...Boulder Fields!!!

In short there. Is No Place to pull over with that 37 Foot Long 102 Inch wide Trailer and The Four Door Truck!

Nuff Said!
What do you do when the driver has to pee?

2 Litre Pop Bottle! My Bladder tells Me in plenty of time! so Far!
Acei
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
Unfortunately in Canada, mortgage interests are not tax deductable. :(

Also, I won't be looking for any financing (unless if they offer something significantly cheaper than a market rate) since we will be selling our house which is fully paid off. The remaining amount will be invested until the time when we give up full-timing.

In my case, I do need to count the toad cost since I am looking for a total cost of ownership. If I go 5th wheel route, I will not be buying another car on top of the truck.
msmith1199
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2013
But the most important lesson you need to have learned is don't completely trust the info you get on here because everybody has different tastes. What's good from somebody else may not be good for you.

And depending on your circumstances the MH route may not be costlier, depending on the type of rig you're looking at. If you're a cash buyer the Truck trailer probably is cheaper but for me I wasn't a cash buyer so the motorhome was cheaper, even though the total price was more than a truck and trailer. How you ask? Because you can get long term financing on a motorhome up to 20 years. A motorhome gets you a second home tax write off on the interest. You get the same write off for a trailer, but only on the trailer and not on the truck. If you finance the truck and trailer you can get long term financing on the trailer, but not on the truck. If you get a top of the line dually one ton with a 6 year loan, you're payment on the truck may be more than your payment on a motorhome may have been when you factor in your tax write-off.

And for me I don't count the cost of the toad in my MH calculations, because I need a car anyway, or in my case a small pickup. What I have no need for is a giant one ton dually truck. So if I went that route I'd have the one ton dually and still have to have two cars. Now if you're a farmer or something and you already have a need for a one ton dually so it's also a work truck, then there's no question just adding a 5th wheel is the way to go.
Acei
Explorer
Jul 17, 2013
Thanks everyone for all the useful and informative responses.

The messages I'm getting is the following:

- MH route is costlier. Another way of saying this is that if I want to keep the ownership cost the same for both, then I will need to significantly sacrifice the room. Cheaper gas cost on the toad drive doesn't offset enough to the overall cost.

- MH is more pleasant on road, including access to the rest of the cabin. It is also easier to park.
- MH is more pleasant when you are driving locally around the site (due to a toad)
- MH has two engines which is nice because you have a backup option. But more headache since you need to do maintenance on both.

- FW is more pleasant on site (at the same price point).
- Maintaining a pickup (even a dually) is much easier than MH.

- Setup and pack-up time are about the same. High-end FWs use similar automated setup as MHs.

Overall, there's more +ves for MH than FW based solution but one of the BIG negatives for the MH is the cost. Yes, you can go used route but you can say the same for the 5th wheel which will make the setup even cheaper. I think it's only fair to compare the two scenarios of equal cost and equal age.

Here are our priorities (in order):

1. Cost but only to a point. We are willing to spend $170k on a setup so we are obviously not looking for the cheapest possible solution.
2. Less headache.
3. Comfort & Convenience. This includes smaller local drive.
4. Comfort & safety while on road.

We can obviously force #1 to be the same on both. MH looses out #2 battle. #3 is about same since FW offers better comfort at destinations but MH offers more while on roads (both MH and toads). #4 is better for MH obviously.

So, I think for me, FW setup is better.

Did I overlook at something obvious?
Bird_Freak
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2013
I have owned both and can tell you to just pick the one you like best.
I can set both up in about the same amount of time. Unhooking toad or 5er takes about the same amount of time.
I didn't save fuel by having a more fuel friendly toad as I burnt twice the fuel with the mh getting there and back. Not to mention added cost of towing and braking equipment.
Higher maintenance with the Mh as well as taxes and Ins.
We enjoyed traveling a bit more in the Mh but again that's just part of the outing.
You just need to go look and see which best suits YOUR needs.