Newbie.. Opinions needed

[lawandorder815]

Good evening,

My wife and I are looking into purchasing a Fifth wheel in order to live in for the next 9 months including winter months from what it looks like. We have purchased property and are in the process of building a house in Saratoga County New York . I wanted to know what brands are better than others as far as four season use etc.. We have looked at several Jayco models and a few other brands whose name escapes me at this point. Anyway there is so much information online I've become entirely overwhelmed on brands etc. We have two kids 14 and 10 and would be looking to purchase a model with bunks for the kids and a half bath if possilble. All thoughts welcome. Thanks for your help and insight.

[darsben]

lawandorder815 wrote:
we were showed a 2015 that had 81k sticker but was coming in around 60k on sale to get it off the lot. we were open to new or used. just want the best unit we can get for wintertime etc. after we finish the build we want to move it onto a piece of waterfront property we own. I have found similar ones with thermal pane windows and fireplace etc. the specs show heated tanks, basement storage and extra insulation factors. (not sure if this is salesman bs or not) i just am not familiar with brands being good or bad. most of the companies listed in the linked article are out of business from what i an see.

To put it simply. No matter what brand you get you will probably be fighting to survive if you get a really cold winter. Does not matter what brand 10 below is 10 below. The cold will freeze things up. Your heat will run almost continuously at 10 below. The moisture in the air will put condensation on almost everything unless exhausted. When you go to dump the black tank (you cannot leave the handle open as that will plug the toilet eventually) the poop will freeze unless it goes straight down into the septic tank or you figure something else out.

If you want to have a hard winter with kids and a wife that are not happy go ahead and buy one. BUT PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW IT WORKS OUT

[lawandorder815]

we were showed a 2015 that had 81k sticker but was coming in around 60k on sale to get it off the lot. we were open to new or used. just want the best unit we can get for wintertime etc. after we finish the build we want to move it onto a piece of waterfront property we own. I have found similar ones with thermal pane windows and fireplace etc. the specs show heated tanks, basement storage and extra insulation factors. (not sure if this is salesman bs or not) i just am not familiar with brands being good or bad. most of the companies listed in the linked article are out of business from what i an see.

[Parrothead_Mike]

You don't say whether you're looking for a new or used unit. Some newer models have pretty good insulation ratings for side walls, but the floor and ceiling R-values aren't so high. Used units will be pretty airy in my opinion. Most don't have thermal rated windows and will be cause for much of your heat loss.

I've camped in temps hovering around the upper 20's in my older Cardinal and my new 2015 Cedar Creek Silverback. I can say that regardless of the age of the unit it will be very cold inside. The poster that said you'd be spending about $100/week for propane is probably accurate.

Not long ago I was reading about oil/gas field workers living in campers up in North Dakota due to limited housing. As you can imagine, that's a pretty chilly part of the country during the winter. It said the trailer dwellers were stacking bales of hay all around their campers to help insulate them. Still, some of them remained in their warm work clothes while in the campers overnight. I can't imagine your boys would appreciate those living conditions.

[lawandorder815]

Well, thats a lot of quick information. So the dealer that had shown us the Eagle 375bhfs model kept pushing the four season, insulation, tests that have been done etc... our thoughts were to put the trailer on the property and hook into the septic system and water lines using insulated underground water feed lines. Is that feasible or am i completely nuts... Is Eagle worth the extra $$ or look for another brand that is better quality etc...

[donn0128]

Not a smart idea IMHO. Winters can be brutal there. At below 25 degrees any RV is going to cost you a hundred dollars a week for propane, holding tank valves tend to freeze solid, meaning you might not be able to dump. Water? Forget it unless you have a freeze proof faucet and your water hose is wrapped with heat tape and insulated.

[Trackrig]

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