2008 Mobile Suites vs 2014 Big Country?

[janegowest]

I know....they are not in the same weight class. I just wonder if a 2014 Big Country may have by-passed an older Mobile Suites? I would guess that technology-wise, it would have, but I do not know about fit and finish or durability.

I know for certain that you cannot even begin to compare the two if both were 2014s...

Well...since the MS is already 5 years old, it has less years left on it than when it was new...

We may fulltime in the future...not sure at this point...but because of the uncertainty, we do not want to invest a whole lot into a fifth wheel and a truck initially, so we were considering staying kind of light, instead of dealing with towing a really heavy Mobile Suites around with us.

Would the quality between the older MS and the new BC be even close to comparable?

Thanks for your help in advance!

[texanrvr]

I think you're wise to be considering the Big Country. You said you "may" go full time in the future. Buy the new, lighter weight trailer to try out the RV lifestyle, using a lighter truck to pull it and then make your decision. Come on over to the http://www.heartlandowners.org/content.phpHeartland Owners Forum, it's free to join. There you'll find other owners and users of trailers like your's and willing to share experiences and recommendations.

Good luck.

[Cummins12V98]

Atom Ant wrote:
It's the technology that usually steers me to new. I traded a perfectly good 6 year old 5th wheel because it was falling way to far behind in the technology.

Things I could never go without again - self leveling, big fridge, heat pumps, and fully ducted AC (not just supply air). Go try the ACs in a Landmark or even a new DRV and see how quite they are, probably far more quiet than that 2008 DRV. Unfortunately they haven't brought the Big Horn up to date yet.

Our 07.5 MS is FULLY ducted. Both supply and return. Much quieter than our friends 13 Cardinal. It "appears" to be a nice rig but for sure not MS quality.

I did replace one starter capacitor for one of the ac units. No biggie to replace and part was about $40.

Don't really care about the self leveling but our new MS will have a larger residential frig with bottom freezer.

[Atom_Ant]

It's the technology that usually steers me to new. I traded a perfectly good 6 year old 5th wheel because it was falling way to far behind in the technology.

Things I could never go without again - self leveling, big fridge, heat pumps, and fully ducted AC (not just supply air). Go try the ACs in a Landmark or even a new DRV and see how quiet they are, probably far more quiet than that 2008 DRV. Unfortunately they haven't brought the Big Country up to date yet.

[Duck]

In my opinion the MS is a higher quality trailer then the BC but it also cost more when comparing new to new. I would worry a little about the components on a five year old trailer. How much longer will the a/c, fridge, etc last before needing repair? Just a thought.
Don

[Cummins12V98]

There is no comparison between the MS and Big country.

We bought our 07.5 MS in late 11 for around 50K and it is still worth about the same. A BC new at the time would be worth MUCH less than it was new in late 11 at this time. Give it a couple years and the MS will be worth much more.

We have lived on our 36 SB3 since 11/11 and have been very happy with the quality. IMHO you need a 350/3500 dually for either one so the extra weight really is not a factor. Ours is really nice to tow with our 11 HO Ram Dually.

Stick with quality and you won't regret it!

[larry_barnhart]

I would definitely go with new.
chevman

[kakampers]

It's simple...if your truck is the deciding factor, go with the Big Country.

You can easily fulltime in all sorts of weather in either unit...regardless of the naysayers. We don't need to park in shade to stay comfortable in temps over 100 either in our Landmark... but two ACs are are must, even in the MS. We also have no problems with temps near zero.

[hitchup]

avvidclif1 wrote:
Kinda like the little piggie that built his house out of straw and the other used brick. Weight doesn't bother me. Lightweight construction does.

Having lived in two Suite fulltime, we're still fans. Our 2006 Elite, still looked almost like new after nearly 3 years. The 2009 MS is holding up quite well after 5.

I don't like Monster trucks either. While I rarely get to drive our F450, it's not much bigger than the Chevy Tahoe I used to drive. But it takes tight turns much better than most dually's.

The 2008 had some major improvements and changes from the original 2002/03's. Suites are also fairly easy to remodel or modify interiors.

In 2009, they had even more updates, that's why we ordered ours. That's when they went from R-13 sidewalls to R-16.

You won't find much more than R7 in the lower end models. That's why we traded our first fulltime 5er after only 10 mos. And also why everyone else wants to park under trees.

[Jim-Linda]

janegowest wrote:
I know how heavy the MS is....that is one factor that turns me off...do NOT want to have to buy a monster truck to haul it. BC is about 3k lighter.

Well, if you are turned off by the weight of the better trailer, no brainer, buy the lessor one. If you cannot be convinced which is the better buy, jump on it.

Jim

[avvidclif1]

Kinda like the little piggie that built his house out of straw and the other used brick. Weight doesn't bother me. Lightweight construction does.

[janegowest]

I know how heavy the MS is....that is one factor that turns me off...do NOT want to have to buy a monster truck to haul it. BC is about 3k lighter.

[stripit]

Easiest way for you to know is actually compare the two,frame thickness, axle capacities,tire capacities,brakes,gross weight,width of units,R-factors are all something that you can compare. The MS was built with the full timers use planned into it, don't know about the other unit.Many of the MS units came with dual pane glass, two a/c units and many had heat pumps, king size beds, large propane tanks and large refrigerators. The MS should eventually taper off to a set value over the years and if your already buying it as a 5 year old unit your depreciation will be much lower than buying a new anything. The MS units are normally heavy, that means a loaded pin weight will need a truck capable of handling that weight. Might be more than the BC, but as others have said, loading with your items and options could negate that.The thicker walls of the MS do knock down sound from the outside and helps in cooling and heating. As always your decision, but looking at the whole picture sometimes can make a decision a bit easier.

[Randu]

Rob_Fla wrote:
Also it takes quite a bit more tow vehicle for a typical Mobile Suites than a typical Big Country, those Mobile Suites are HEAVY.

Really depends on the model and how equipped. My friends Landmark actual scale wet weight are more than my MS. He has washer/dryer, I don't and we both pack different. Randu

[The_Mad_Norsky]

Would the quality between the older MS and the new BC be even close to comparable?

No.

To qualify, construction quality between the two is really about equal. Both are well made units.

But the aesthetics of the MS just surpass the BC by a long shot. Call it glitz factor, perhaps accessories the MS has that the BC does and will not have, the MS is superior in that regard.

Plus think about how one holds relative value to the other. In other words, what shape and what value would a five year old BC have right now compared to the fiver year old MS?????