Help shopping for new fiver

guinness1 wrote:
thank you to all who have replied. I have a lot of research to do this winter. I have another question to ask to any of you that might still follow this post....I was camping this past weekend and saw a Jayco Eagle fiver in the campground...any thoughts or opinions on Jayco?

Jayco Eagle HT was on my short list, the main limiting factors were, #1 small holding tanks, especially the black tank, since we do at least one major boondocker a year and some of the parks we're eyeing don't have sewer dumps at the sites. (And I =really= don't want to have to deal with a blue tote!) #2 was less CCC than the KZ we ended up with. On the specific model Jayco I was looking at, when DW saw it, first question was "where's the pantry?" DOH! Missed that one, for sure! :B Was never able to find the similar KZ model that was my #1 choice to compare, so ended up with a year-end close-out model that =she= likes and was just too good to pass up. :B

Lyle

Arctic Fox 27-5L was on our list. But at 13' 3" it was tall. I called Northwood and they said add 4-6" more for a front AC. That made it too tall for me. I pass under a few 13' 9" overpasses weekly on the Interstate. I don't want to hold my breath when passing under one of these so I am looking at the GD at 13' 5" supposedly with front AC and the Vanleigh Vilano at 12' 11".

A lot of good advice so far. Ignore the glitz and glamor and pay attention to engineering and quality. Also, watch out for "brand loyalists" for advice. Research and more research is required. Also RV's are essentially hand built and therefore no two are the same while quality control is not standardized. I am not aware of any mfg that has either applied for or meets ISO standards.

I have also been looking at that model.

The OP is in Michigan (according to their profile glimpse). It shouldn't be hard to find the Grand Design you're looking for, even it means making a trip to Indiana to see the factory.

When we were shopping for a new 5er, everyone kept saying Artic Fox/Northwood. The problem for us in FL is that there is nowhere close that sells them. Couldn't even find a decent used one to look at that fit our needs. I think that folks should always note the limited availability (and limited access to factory service/support) when recommending this brand. And BTW, I'm sure they make a really nice rig...

guinness1 wrote:
Update: my short list now includes a Grand Design Reflection 29RS.....just have to find one locally to see in person

We were very much in the same boat as you. After a great deal of searching and evaluating, we chose Arctic Fox 27-5L. It had everything we wanted and was not so overlarge that we would have difficulty getting into smaller spots. That, and it was well built.

We only had a very short list of items that needed attention when we took it out for shakedown. It is a very solid build.

Update: my short list now includes a Grand Design Reflection 29RS.....just have to find one locally to see in person

Nice to see that you are not rushing into buying the first shiny thing you see.

Selecting a model is actually quite easy once you set the parameters & stick to them.

What is the primary use? Long period travelling for 2 i.e. needing a rolling condo or something for family & short trips?

State parks & such where often there are size issues to deal with or Camp Pack Em In privates which always have space at the cost of a good camping experience?

Looking to do some made for RV events like bluegrass festivals, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Oskosh Air Adventure etc. where dry camping is a must & large water capacity for more than a couple of days is needed.

Buy a lower quality unit new & put up with all the new unit issues or spend same money for a used higher quality unit with any bugs worked out of it?

Once these basic questions are answered it is time to go look at floorplans. If just for the 2 of you & long trips you will need a decent sized galley with working room & a large fridge & pantry. A big priority, way over how many TVs it has & what the colour of the fabric is.

Once the questions are answered you should be down to just a few models. The hunt is on. Don't be afraid to travel for the right unit. JMO, but the dealer is not that important. Stuff goes wrong when you are far from home & far from the dealer.

guinness1 wrote:
thank you to all who have replied. I have a lot of research to do this winter. I have another question to ask to any of you that might still follow this post....I was camping this past weekend and saw a Jayco Eagle fiver in the campground...any thoughts or opinions on Jayco?

Jayco Eagle was on our short list - until we went into one and compared it to the GD 303RLS at the same show.

You really have to go into the units your interested in and make a decision.

thank you to all who have replied. I have a lot of research to do this winter. I have another question to ask to any of you that might still follow this post....I was camping this past weekend and saw a Jayco Eagle fiver in the campground...any thoughts or opinions on Jayco?