Disappointed In New 5'er Models

[crickeydog]

Yesterday, we had a rare Saturday with nothing to do. So off we go to hit 4 different RV dealers to look at new 2015 front living room 5th wheel models. Folks, I gotta tell ya: After driving close to 350 miles and visiting 4 different RV dealers in 3 states, every new front living room model we looked at disappointed us. It's been well over 10 years since we seriously shopped for a new camper and I guess things have changed...or maybe we've changed. None of the models we looked at had what we call the "WOW" factor when we walked into them. They were all nice, but we've already got nice. We were very disappointed in the Jayco Pinnacle. It looked like Jayco ran down to the local lumber liquidator and finished out the 5'er we saw with some builders job site left over's. I guess today's "WOW" 5'ers push the mid $100K+ price point and we're not going there.

The upside of the day was when we got home. Our soon to be eleven year old beloved 5'er, AKA, "THE PREZ" was still sitting there in our RV driveway waiting for us, all shined up and ready to head out. We decided to have a late supper in "The Prez" in our "Camp Driveway" then spent the night in her. We spent 2 years beginning in mid 2002, shopping for "The Prez" and I guess the effort has paid off. Even after eleven years, we can't find a new 5'er we like enough to justify the buy when compared to our eleven year old, "The Prez". Wonder if she'll hold together for another eleven years???:B It's looking we'll be finding out!!!

I'm just sayin.

Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)

[ReneeG]

rhingst wrote:
No, the designers are getting dumber and dumber if they ever were smart. They are hardly any 5th wheels with good floorplans for fulltimers. There is hardly any closet space if you want a washer/dryer. They are only about 1 or 2 in a hundred floorplans that have an honest to goodness desk and I don't mean the drawer slide pullout******in front of the television. Guess we will have to make this trailer we have last for quite a few more years.

We have a real desk - that's why we bought this model, because DH works on the road. None of those pull out thingy's would do for sure. We have a walk in closet AND the washer/dryer closet, but don't have one of those so we have more closet!

[larry_barnhart]

Ours will be 14 years old April 2015

chevman

[ventrman]

crickeydog wrote:
Yesterday, we had a rare Saturday with nothing to do. So off we go to hit 4 different RV dealers to look at new 2015 front living room 5th wheel models. Folks, I gotta tell ya: After driving close to 350 miles and visiting 4 different RV dealers in 3 states, every new front living room model we looked at disappointed us. It's been well over 10 years since we seriously shopped for a new camper and I guess things have changed...or maybe we've changed. None of the models we looked at had what we call the "WOW" factor when we walked into them. They were all nice, but we've already got nice. We were very disappointed in the Jayco Pinnacle. It looked like Jayco ran down to the local lumber liquidator and finished out the 5'er we saw with some builders job site left over's. I guess today's "WOW" 5'ers push the mid $100K+ price point and we're not going there.

The upside of the day was when we got home. Our soon to be eleven year old beloved 5'er, AKA, "THE PREZ" was still sitting there in our RV driveway waiting for us, all shined up and ready to head out. We decided to have a late supper in "The Prez" in our "Camp Driveway" then spent the night in her. We spent 2 years beginning in mid 2002, shopping for "The Prez" and I guess the effort has paid off. Even after eleven years, we can't find a new 5'er we like enough to justify the buy when compared to our eleven year old, "The Prez". Wonder if she'll hold together for another eleven years???:B It's looking we'll be finding out!!!

I'm just sayin.

Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)

I think you will be fine as long as you do Preventive Maintenence. I have a Friend who has a 5th Wheel that is 16 Years old. It is in excellent Shape.

[C_Schomer]

We usually look at a few new RVs at Quartzite just to make us appreciate ours even more. I can't imagine paying 3 times as much as what we paid for our used 5er just to get something that's 1/3 the quality underneath all the glitz. Craig

[larry_barnhart]

When we bought our 2001 alpenlite the owners who stated WRV would go camping in an alpenlite to see how it feels to them. We were at the factory on a Sat and the lady was cleaning the alpenlite they had just used. So one time maybe other manufactures did the same. But that was a long time ago when people cared about a good job. Not a common thing now.

chevman

[NC_Hauler]

crickeydog wrote:
Yesterday, we had a rare Saturday with nothing to do. So off we go to hit 4 different RV dealers to look at new 2015 front living room 5th wheel models. Folks, I gotta tell ya: After driving close to 350 miles and visiting 4 different RV dealers in 3 states, every new front living room model we looked at disappointed us. It's been well over 10 years since we seriously shopped for a new camper and I guess things have changed...or maybe we've changed. None of the models we looked at had what we call the "WOW" factor when we walked into them. They were all nice, but we've already got nice. We were very disappointed in the Jayco Pinnacle. It looked like Jayco ran down to the local lumber liquidator and finished out the 5'er we saw with some builders job site left over's. I guess today's "WOW" 5'ers push the mid $100K+ price point and we're not going there.

The upside of the day was when we got home. Our soon to be eleven year old beloved 5'er, AKA, "THE PREZ" was still sitting there in our RV driveway waiting for us, all shined up and ready to head out. We decided to have a late supper in "The Prez" in our "Camp Driveway" then spent the night in her. We spent 2 years beginning in mid 2002, shopping for "The Prez" and I guess the effort has paid off. Even after eleven years, we can't find a new 5'er we like enough to justify the buy when compared to our eleven year old, "The Prez". Wonder if she'll hold together for another eleven years???:B It's looking we'll be finding out!!!

I'm just sayin.

Happy camping!!! See y'all down the road!!!:)

Hey Crickeysog..The wife and I found the same thing...The 5er in my sig has also been dupped, "the Prez"....It's just 2 years newer than yours, but solid as a rock and still looks great...both Carrier AC's still work, all the dual pane windows still have zero issues, no leaks or anything like that.....fireplace, furnace, 4 door fridge, everything works great:)..We've looked at a lot of new one's, but like you, feel like we have a pretty doggone good unit also and until we see something just as well built with a floor plan we can live with and dual pane windows and sliding doors closing off the livingroom and on and on....we'll stick with "the Prez" also.....Guess we'll find out how long they'll last, huh:B

[rhingst]

No, the designers are getting dumber and dumber if they ever were smart. They are hardly any 5th wheels with good floorplans for fulltimers. There is hardly any closet space if you want a washer/dryer. They are only about 1 or 2 in a hundred floorplans that have an honest to goodness desk and I don't mean the drawer slide pullout******in front of the television. Guess we will have to make this trailer we have last for quite a few more years.

[T-Trucker]

I agree kept your Prez,We had two of them,a 05 and 08,got real stupid and brought a 12 Landmark,ONE BIG MISTAKE.

[Veebyes]

In the 'What are the designers thinking?' department, the trend these days for 5ers is to have an all one level roof instead of the slope aft of the bedroom forward.

Wonderful! You wind up with a ceiling 8' off the floor & cupboards all around that cannot be reached unless the DW is as tall as an NBA player. Now you have to go out & buy an indoor stepladder to get to things & spend your life moving that from place to place.

Saw coathooks mounted on the walls of a Mobile Suite at least 7' off the floor!!!!

Makes you wonder if the designers actually use the products they build.

[ReneeG]

Holiday Ramblers are quality made for sure, but that's how we feel about ours. We bought it new in 2010 and still looks and feels new and zero problems to date.

[DutchmenSport]

I think the problem is attempting to compare a Presidential to a Jayco. Of course there will be differences in quality and "glitz", as as with any item.

I just jumped on the GM web site. Comparing a Presidential to a Jayco is like comparing a Chevy Cruze (Sedan) to a Cadallac Escalade (Sedan). Between the two automobiles (and both ARE automobiles) there is 57 different layers, looks like each one advances slightly, and of course luxury, price and quality increase also.

So why does it surprise anyone who is attempting to compare an $80,000 5er to a $35,000 or $40,000 fiver and expect the same things. As with any vehicle, I think it's understood there are different levels from complete garbage to extreme luxury. Why would anyone expect the "garbage" price to have the same quality as the "luxury" price.

No, no, no. Really, if you want to compare apples to apples, go look at a new 2015 Presidential model and see how well the "quality" is. It might be better, it might be worse, it might be the same. But at least you are in the same league.

Someone who ownes a million dollar custom made 5er would probably stub their nose at a Presidential too and say ... "How cheaply made. Where's the quality?" too.

I will agree there is a difference in the quality and style of build between a Presidential and a Jayco (or any other brand), that is not the issue. Everyone knows that. The problem arises with someone expects the Jayco to have the same quality as a Presidential at a Jayco price! Get real!

[Mile_High]

I don't think there is anything "solid" about the older ones. In ten years, frames have gotten larger, axles larger capacity, tires and wheels bigger, and at least on the lippert side, the front end framework is a significant improvement over what was available 2004.

[Lantley]

tsetsaf wrote:

Lantley wrote:

byronlj wrote:
We feel the same. Friends in our resort buy new rigs and invite us in to see them. The poor fit, materials and workmanship on the new ones take away any chance for the "wow" factor. We put a new residential fridge in our "prez" last spring and several neighbors wanted to see it. We got more comments about how nice our rig was than you could imagine.
Dave

I agree some of the older models are more solidly constructed. However the newer models have advancements that older units just don't have. Solid surface counters,LED lighting,residential refrigerators,additional slide outs,additional 1/2 baths,exterior kitchens and auto leveling are significant improvements vs. the older models.
Nevertheless I agree with the OP if you don't get that WOW factor keep looking.
Hershey RV show was this weekend . Lots to see in one location. If you are seriously in the market the Hershey show is the place to browse

The only item on the list that can not easily be added to an existing rig is additional slides. Otherwise all the "advancements" are cosmetic.

Agreed but things like auto level are now standard. However they are a $3,500.00 aftermarket option. Corian/solid surface counters are standard. They are a bit pricey to add later.
As much as I like the auto level feature. It is a real game changer.
I'm not sure I'd be willing pay $3,500.00 to add it.
My point remains the new units have made significant improvements due to advances in technology . The new units are not all just glitz and glamour! LOL

[tsetsaf]

Lantley wrote:

byronlj wrote:
We feel the same. Friends in our resort buy new rigs and invite us in to see them. The poor fit, materials and workmanship on the new ones take away any chance for the "wow" factor. We put a new residential fridge in our "prez" last spring and several neighbors wanted to see it. We got more comments about how nice our rig was than you could imagine.
Dave

I agree some of the older models are more solidly constructed. However the newer models have advancements that older units just don't have. Solid surface counters,LED lighting,residential refrigerators,additional slide outs,additional 1/2 baths,exterior kitchens and auto leveling are significant improvements vs. the older models.
Nevertheless I agree with the OP if you don't get that WOW factor keep looking.
Hershey RV show was this weekend . Lots to see in one location. If you are seriously in the market the Hershey show is the place to browse

The only item on the list that can not easily be added to an existing rig is additional slides. Otherwise all the "advancements" are cosmetic.