Need help choosing my next 5th wheel please.

[Nia]

I am in love with the front living room floorplans and have narrowed it down to 3, but can't decide. We camp in Ohio during the summer, mainly weekends and a couple of weeks in the summer. We have a seasonal site, so no towing involved.

Open Range 386FLR
Keystone Cougar 337FL
Coachmen Brookstone 375FL

Does anyone own one, know of these, or have any thoughts/insights on them?

Thank you in advance for your opinions/help 🙂

[texasclarks]

Napria wrote:

southernsnow wrote:
.

You cannot access bathroom with slide in

And that was the Open Range deal breaker for us. Otherwise, I had heard OR is a good unit. But I would never consider a fifthwheel that I couldn't access the bathroom and the fridge while at a stop on the road (slides in).

We are looking at the OR and though I believe that it is important to have access to the bathroom and kitchen while traveling I also think of where I will typically stop while traveling and I would say that the vast majority of the times I will be someplace where I can put out my slide enough to gain access.

The greatest majority of the time when I use my TT we are out at a campground and not on the road. Usually when we are traveling we will stop at rest stop on the highway or at a Big Box store. Therefore, though access is important when stopped it would not be a deal breaker if we liked everything else about the RV. But everyone has criteria for choosing an RV...but that is my perspective.

[Napria]

southernsnow wrote:
.

You cannot access bathroom with slide in

And that was the Open Range deal breaker for us. Otherwise, I had heard OR is a good unit. But I would never consider a fifthwheel that I couldn't access the bathroom and the fridge while at a stop on the road (slides in).

[southernsnow]

Hello Nia,

I have the Open Range 386flr and I love it. As someone said there are pros and cons with each manufacturer. I'm sorry you might have gotten a bad taste on your mouth from a comment on the Open Range Owners forum! We tend to be a very positive group - for good reason. But if you try to find a brand with no negative feedback, you might never get on the road!

I'm headed this weekend to the Open Range Rally in Indiana. Why don't you check the feedback in about a week and see what 75 owners have to say about Highland Ridge RV's. OR bought by Jayco a few months back.

We love the ample storage in both front and back of camper, huge kitchen w/ large double door fridge, wardrobe in bedroom is ideal.

You cannot access bathroom with slide in and no bedside tables. Give and take.

Best of luck with whatever you choose!

[Nia]

I keep looking at all the different RVs recommended and online, and I keep going back to the Cougar. I can just see myself in that one .... it seems so cozy and inviting .... the only thing I hate is that they put that bedroom slide on the patio side when it could have been put on the other side ... the patio area seems so small and we spend most of our time outside. I have a lot of furniture out there .... *sigh* ... not sure why that slide isn't on the other side 😞

[Pop-Pop_C]

Any service work will have to be done at the dealer! Most warranty work has to be done by "Certified" technitions.
Unless you are willing to pay out of pocket.

[Nia]

bfast54 wrote:

Nia wrote:
Thank you all for the great comments. I still keep going back and forth ... I've got my work cut out for me .. If I could just take the things I like from them all and build my own that would be great, lol

Keep the comments coming, thank you 🙂

Actually....you can there's a company called space craft ....space craft they custom build RV's you can get anything you want .
You could get exactly what you want........but you are not going to pay what you would pay for a run off the assembly line fifth wheel
it is going to be more ... STATE OF THE ART CUSTOM........but you do get more.:W

SHUT UP !!! .... Oh, my husband is NOT going to be happy to hear this, lmao .... ty ty ty 🙂

[jtaylor1920]

The Forest River Cardinal 3800FL is a very nice rig.

[bfast54]

Nia wrote:
Thank you all for the great comments. I still keep going back and forth ... I've got my work cut out for me .. If I could just take the things I like from them all and build my own that would be great, lol

Keep the comments coming, thank you 🙂

Actually....you can there's a company called space craft ....space craft they custom build RV's you can get anything you want .
You could get exactly what you want........but you are not going to pay what you would pay for a run off the assembly line fifth wheel
it is going to be more ... STATE OF THE ART CUSTOM........but you do get more.:W

[Napria]

This is what we have: http://www.keystonerv.com/montana/models/3850fl-new/model-mobile. (Sorry if the link doesn't work. Copied it on my ipad)

We have plenty of kitchen storage, and lots of kitchen counter space.

On our unit I especially like the entry door in the rear of the unit, on the other side of the unit. Great cross ventilation, great for loading up at home and better for escaping in the event of an emergency.

[Nia]

Thank you all for the great comments. I still keep going back and forth ... I've got my work cut out for me .. If I could just take the things I like from them all and build my own that would be great, lol

Keep the comments coming, thank you 🙂

[TXiceman]

Personally, I'd avoid the brands listed by the OP. Look at the Jayco line. They seem to be pretty good history. Winnebago is not marketing 5th wheels and has bought the Sunnybrook line.

Additionally, I am not engrossed by the front living area 5ers. If you look closely, they are short on storage in the kitchen and bedroom areas.

Ken

[Nia]

mudmaker wrote:
I'm sure Open Range has an owners forum. Find it and look for the same complaints you have seen on regular sites. It may be just one or two people who post the problems you keep reading about.
A satisfied person tell an average of row people. A dissatisfied person tells an average of eleven people. Quote from a GM rep from when I worked at an auto dealership.

I actually got those complaints from an Open Range forum, seemed every owner had some type of complaint .... kinda scared me 😞

[Sandia_Man]

The ones you indicated above all look fine and there are plenty of other front living floorplans available from Heartland, Grand Design, and Jayco to mention a few. As mentioned keep looking for the floorplan that's the most ideal for your camping requirements and purchase from a reputable dealer that prides itself in delivering great customer service should warranty issues arise. Good luck and enjoy your new rig!!!

[Winged_One]

Being on the road is what beats the heck out of our rigs.

I would recommend you go with the one you like best, and face any issues head on when or if they come. Don't regret not getting the unit you want.

I would recommend, if you can, get one off the lot. That way you can spend a good amount of time with it, to ensure it is working well before you buy it.