I went to the Tampa RV show today and was blown away by the build quality, fit and finish of the New Horizons. I just can't say enough about how incredible this 5th wheel is. If I were in the market for an A-Class motorhome because I thought the 5ers were lower quality, New Horizons would have me thinking twice. New Horizons is an amazing piece of engineering and fine craftsmanship, but with an average new price in the $180k+ range, I just can't afford a new New Horizons. Sigh. So, I'm looking for suggestions to appease my champagne taste and beer budget.Others I saw at the show that got my attention:- DRV- Dynamax Trilogy - who are these folks? Never heard of them before today. - Redwood (Lippert, but interestingly they say it has a 3000lb towing capacity???!!! Custom spec frame?)- Lifestyle- Landmark by Heartland- SpacecraftThe following units I did not see at show but I'm still interested in researching these and seeing some units in person somewhere:- Carriage- Excel- Newmar Kountry AirAny thoughts on any of these choices, any I have missed that I should look at, or if anyone has a nice used New Horizons for sale (around $100k), I'd love to hear from you. (Sorry, Jack, I wish I could afford your used one at $150k but that's still over my budget unless some really good fortune lands on me in the very near future).Thanks!

Although I've never owned a fifth wheel, I've seen quite a few. I couldn't agree more about New Horizons. IMHO, they are head and shoulders above the rest.

Carriage is out of business and Newmar is out of the 5th Wheel businessExcel is still going strong, there are new Excel's at the show

Looked at them, really wish we could afford one.Anyone that thinks "their" rig is high end, probably hasn't seen these.That being said, I saw one that was "cheap", because it had been used hard, abused and put away wet..literally as it had mildew in the carpet. Proof positive that just because something is the best made rig, don't mean it can't be wrecked.

travelrider73 wrote:So, I'm looking for suggestions to appease my champagne taste and beer budget.Sorry, Jack, I wish I could afford your used one at $150k but that's still over my budget unless some really good fortune lands on me in the very near future).Thanks!Hope you asked Jack about his Tow Vehicle for his current NH or the one he is selling, LOL!Fred Sandford's "Champipple" won't do for the tow vehicle either..:W~

ol Bombero-JC wrote:travelrider73 wrote:So, I'm looking for suggestions to appease my champagne taste and beer budget.Sorry, Jack, I wish I could afford your used one at $150k but that's still over my budget unless some really good fortune lands on me in the very near future).Thanks!Hope you asked Jack about his Tow Vehicle for his current NH or the one he is selling, LOL!Fred Sandford's "Champipple" won't do for the tow vehicle either..:W~You mean his Class 8 HDT? Yes, I'm prepared to buy an HDT to tow one of these heavy monsters. That's calculated into my budget and is a limiting factor on how much I can spend. Surprisingly, a good used HDT can be had for less money than a medium duty.

Now that I saw a New Horizons, will anything else do?

colliehauler
Explorer III
Jan 19, 2014
hone eagle wrote:
Veebyes wrote:
I've looked at the New Horizon & Spacecraft too. You would think that for all that money they would use a marine style circuit breaker panel for the 12V side instead of the cheap & nasty automotive fuse panel.

The electrical panel is probably something stupid like the only type allowed by regulations.
New Horizon would probably put one in if you asked they are very customer oriented. I thought about a home theater with a 70" lcd with McIntosh audio and Klipsch speakers. with a wall between the theater and the dinning/kitchen. With the unit done in quarter sawn oak in a mission style. I would get all leather furniture as well.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2014
travelrider73 wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
ckwizard777 wrote:
I would not worry at all about the Lippert frames on the DRV, One look at the double stacked 15" tall rectangular tubing and it's obvious that it's not your typical Lippert frame so it's one stiff foundation.
Also the DRV has no lamination anywhere and thats a hands down win for me as a Mobile Suites is in my near future.
Cheers

Actually the DRV specced Lippert frame is Two 2x6 and one 2x3 tubes stacked to create a 2"x15" stacked VERY STRONG frame.

I like our DRV product. People will say that's because that is what I have, no it's because I have lived in it full time for just over two years and am still very happy with it.

In fact so happy we will be buying a 14 or 15 MS or Elite later this year.

Look at the Trillogy and Redwood frames they are not even close to a DRV frame.

I learned a little bit about the DRV Lippert frames today at the Tampa RV show. The above information is correct for the Mobile Suites, Estates, and Elite Suites series. The Tradition, however, is built on a lower end mass produced Lippert frame and has fewer upgrades available (no Mor-Ride suspension, for instance). That's too bad because there's a Traditions floorplan we really like that isn't available in the higher end units.

DRV is willing to make changes when they can for a customer. You may want to call them.

You are correct the Tradition is more like the Redwood and Trillogys frames.
hone_eagle
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
Veebyes wrote:
I've looked at the New Horizon & Spacecraft too. You would think that for all that money they would use a marine style circuit breaker panel for the 12V side instead of the cheap & nasty automotive fuse panel.

The electrical panel is probably something stupid like the only type allowed by regulations.
travelrider73
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
shadoow wrote:
wife and i have also been looking at similar trailers. We like what we see in the Lifestyle line: fit/finish, quality of build and parts, price point, weight. Others we've thought about:

DRV - we didn't look at these seriously cause they were heavier and more expensive than others on our 'short list'.

Excel - very nice trailers and within our price point, but on the higher side and heavier than we would like. Also, they come equipped with sealed bearings which we don't want.

Landmark - within our price point and weight considerations, but fit/finish wasn't as good as others above. Also, they are on Lippert frames and use Lippert components which we would prefer not to have, although by itself wouldn't have been a show stopper.

Your short list and ours look VERY similar. Our current thinking in order (and we're headed back to the show tomorrow to keep whittling away at our list):

- New Horizons Majestic (used if we can find one in our price range)
- Continental Coach (used)
- Lifestyle - Love the LS36FW. Want to see the LS37CKSL as well. This is coming in real strong as our likely purchase if we go new.
- DRV 39RBSB4, 43 Dallas, or Tradition 384RSS. We'll probably eliminate the Tradition because we don't believe it's well built and quite honestly, we're not sure the DRVs are built well enough to justify their pricing period.
- Excel 37SDF or 36GKE, but didn't like visible carpet in kitchen area slide
- Forest River Dynamax Trilogy 3850RL but don't like the washer dryer location in the closet.
- Redwood (not sure yet. Didn't see them today - going tomorrow)

In used, we want to investigate the following discontinued units as well:
- Carriage
- Newmar
- Teton

We have looked at and eliminated the following:
- Heartland Landmark, Big Horn, Big Country
- Forest River Cedar Creek
- Forest River Cardinal
travelrider73
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
Cummins12V98 wrote:
ckwizard777 wrote:
I would not worry at all about the Lippert frames on the DRV, One look at the double stacked 15" tall rectangular tubing and it's obvious that it's not your typical Lippert frame so it's one stiff foundation.
Also the DRV has no lamination anywhere and thats a hands down win for me as a Mobile Suites is in my near future.
Cheers

Actually the DRV specced Lippert frame is Two 2x6 and one 2x3 tubes stacked to create a 2"x15" stacked VERY STRONG frame.

I like our DRV product. People will say that's because that is what I have, no it's because I have lived in it full time for just over two years and am still very happy with it.

In fact so happy we will be buying a 14 or 15 MS or Elite later this year.

Look at the Trillogy and Redwood frames they are not even close to a DRV frame.

I learned a little bit about the DRV Lippert frames today at the Tampa RV show. The above information is correct for the Mobile Suites, Estates, and Elite Suites series. The Tradition, however, is built on a lower end mass produced Lippert frame and has fewer upgrades available (no Mor-Ride suspension, for instance). That's too bad because there's a Traditions floorplan we really like that isn't available in the higher end units.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Jan 18, 2014
I've looked at the New Horizon & Spacecraft too. You would think that for all that money they would use a marine style circuit breaker panel for the 12V side instead of the cheap & nasty automotive fuse panel.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
Cummins12V98 wrote:
ckwizard777 wrote:
I would not worry at all about the Lippert frames on the DRV, One look at the double stacked 15" tall rectangular tubing and it's obvious that it's not your typical Lippert frame so it's one stiff foundation.
Also the DRV has no lamination anywhere and thats a hands down win for me as a Mobile Suites is in my near future.
Cheers

Actually the DRV specced Lippert frame is Two 2x6 and one 2x3 tubes stacked to create a 2"x15" stacked VERY STRONG frame.

I like our DRV product. People will say that's because that is what I have, no it's because I have lived in it full time for just over two years and am still very happy with it.

In fact so happy we will be buying a 14 or 15 MS or Elite later this year.

Look at the Trillogy and Redwood frames they are not even close to a DRV frame.

We like our 2001 35 ft alpenlite Avalon because it is what we have but plan on keeping it until we are done rving. So nothing wrong with liking what you have.

chevman :)
ricatic
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
We looked at the New Horizons at the Hershey show...I would buy one in a minute if I could afford one...very nice...well built...but I will stick with my Big Horn for now...it has been a great unit

Regards
ckwizard777
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
ckwizard777 wrote:
travelrider73 wrote:
ckwizard777 wrote:
I would not worry at all about the Lippert frames on the DRV, One look at the double stacked 15" tall rectangular tubing and it's obvious that it's not your typical Lippert frame so it's one stiff foundation.
Also the DRV has no lamination anywhere and thats a hands down win for me as a Mobile Suites is in my near future.
Cheers

What do you mean "no lamination"?

DRV uses hung wall construction not laminated walls, There is no lamination in a DRV build.
I pesonaly prefer hung wall as apposed to laminated wall because it is considerably easier to repair IF you ever get delamination.

Additionaly hung wall is less likely to hold moisture in the walls so by design it's less likely to delam when compared to laminated walls where moisture has no where to go. That being said we still must maintain proper sealing of roof and windows yearly because if neglected anything will delam.
ckwizard777
Explorer
Jan 18, 2014
travelrider73 wrote:
ckwizard777 wrote:
I would not worry at all about the Lippert frames on the DRV, One look at the double stacked 15" tall rectangular tubing and it's obvious that it's not your typical Lippert frame so it's one stiff foundation.
Also the DRV has no lamination anywhere and thats a hands down win for me as a Mobile Suites is in my near future.
Cheers

What do you mean "no lamination"?

DRV uses hung wall construction not laminated walls, There is no lamination in a DRV build.
I pesonaly prefer hung wall as apposed to laminated wall because it is considerably easier to repair IF you ever get delamination.