5th Wheeler VS RV

Um, there is more to it than what type of RV to buy. You cannot get off the plane, take a taxi to a RV dealer, pick something out, & be on your merry way.

There are some hoops to jump through before you even begin to go shopping. Best to do all of that long before getting on the plane.

ScottG wrote:
If money were no object I would have a class A with nice small car. The problem I have with trailers is that I have to drive my big truck everyplace and I would rather drive an easy to park/maneuver auto.

If money were no object I would get the most expensive "A" I could find. The truck and 5th combo is perfect from me, I have been parking the truck off season and driving a Volt as my every day driver but I don't put on enough miles to justify the cost of insurance and registration fees and payments on two vehicles. I love my Volt but I am not going to keep it when the lease expires.

This is another reason to use a truck instead of a motor home. If you break down and need a water pump, fan belt, alternator or whatever you will have better luck finding the part for your truck than you will in a motorhome

Hi from Perth,
My OH and I have been doing what you are planning. We bought a 28ft 5th wheel (1 slide) and an F250. We traded the 5er after 8 months and bought a 31ft 5er (2 slides.)
We currently have the rig in storage after doing two separate 12 month trips with plans to return in a few months.
If I can be of any assistance only too happy to help
Cheers

ddfoster wrote:
Thanks Jim & G'day to you. We've traveled the states before and found Americans to be extremely friendly. Cant wait to get back there and be one amongst ya all for a while.

Must be an Aussie thing. Seems a lot of Europe thinks we're some of the rudest most obnoxious people on the planet. All fat too. ;)

With a 5th wheel trailer pulled by a truck once you get to a campground you can easily detach the trailer and drive around in the pickup. With a motorhome alone this is not going to be the case and most people with a large motorhome will tow behind it a small car.

Both are good for situations where you plan to stay at a particular campground for days if not weeks at a time. For someone who wants to go from place to place and spend 2-3 days in a given spot is it going to be much easier to manage a Class B or Class C motorhome.

The shorter the total setup the easier it will be to drive and the easier it will be to find a campsite and get into it and back out of it and the easier it will be to stop at places along the way. One example is Arches National Park where none of the parking lots will accommodate a Class A motorhome or even a Class C motorhome.

Someone with a Class B motorhome will be able to find a place to park and same applies to getting provisions or doing sightseeing along the way. Traveling through Yellowstone last fall I noticed that none of the pullouts were large enough for a vehicle pulling a trailer or a Class A or C motorhome whether pulling another vehicle or not.

Personally I would be looking at a motorhome built on the Mercedes Sprinter platform. They have plenty of living space and storage space, get excellent fuel economy, and are easy to drive. Length varies by manufacturer from 19 to 23 feet from bumper to bumper. New they sell for over $100,000 but I have seen ones that are very low mileage and 2-3 years old selling for under $75,000 and you could drive one around the USA for a year and then sell it and get $60-65,000 for it which is a lot cheaper than renting an RV.

Thanks Jim & G'day to you. We've traveled the states before and found Americans to be extremely friendly. Cant wait to get back there and be one amongst ya all for a while.

Thanks for all the advise & pro's & cons on travelling. I'll be posting many more questions - some stupid by some peoples standards no doubt, but regardless, its a great way to learn.haha

5th wheeler looks like to go, but I dont want to cop a huge loss when reselling in 12 months to 2 years. How is the resale value on a CLASS A (for those who would like the correct terminology) versus resale on a 5th wheeler (toy carrier)?

I would say also that if money was no object a very nice bus would be in order with a very nice small car tagging along. But if money matters and you plan to travel a lot I would say a used class c or class a. The class C would be easier to get around in. I had one for some time and we would travel with 4 very comfortably. If you plan to stay more than 2 days or so at your locations then I would look at a 5th wheel.

5th wheeler = One who owns a 5th wheel. RV is any recreational vehicle INCLUDING a 5th wheel :)

We have a fifth wheel and like it. However, if you are planning to tour the US for 12 months and then sell the rig and head back to Australia, I think I would shop for a good used motorhome. Lots of big dealers especially in the south. You might even find a private owner on the net that includes the toad. You won't take anywhere near the financial hit versus either a new MH or Fifth. For touring and not just siiting for perids of time, you might find a Class C more than adequate. Met a couple from New Zealand at Devils Tower, WY 2+ years ago that were in their second year of touring the US in a very nice Class B they brought over with them.