Please help me decide on Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler!
Hi All,
I’m new to the world of RVs but have decided to take the plunge into full-time Toy Hauler living after being inspired by the nomads out there and their amazing adventures. I am in the process of selecting a Toy Hauler to purchase and am hoping I can count on some of the more experienced members here to help me make the best choice and get the most bang for my buck. Below are a few things I’m looking for in the (5th wheel) Toy Hauler I choose. Randomly looking at models on youtube I found the Heartland Road Warrior 390/410 and the Dutchmen Voltage 3970 to be appealing, please do check them out with the links below. Please also let me know of other brands/models you might recommend. Thanks in Advance for your advice! I’m a little nervous with this transition as I’m a novice, your experience and input is greatly appreciated! Looking through the forums I see a lot of comments suggesting that the build quality is pretty much the same across all brands. Could this really be true? Is there no brand/model that stands above the rest the way Ipods do for music players or Tesla’s do for EVs?
--------------------
Some of my Requirements(please suggest others I should consider):
- Toy Hauler ( I plan to haul two motorcycles)
- 4 Season preferred with good insulation(What level of R values are adequate for full-time living? I would spend time in cold conditions during ski season etc.)
- stadium theatre seating directly facing Media Center
- Good build Quality, should last many years. Is 20 years a reasonable expectation? I understand the greatest damage can be caused by water leakage, what brands/models/features would give me the most care-free maintenance?
- Smart ladder(no need to detach and store)
-----some additional thoughts/details-----
-I will be storing two motorcycles in the garage.
- i’m looking for value, my budget for both the toy hauler and the truck is 100k, but if you guys convince me that spending more is well worth the investment i’ll go for it.
- I plan to blog, travel, work, and basically live full-time in this rig.
-There is an RV show in my state in September which I plan to attend. I’m hoping to narrow down my top 3 choices before then and finalize my purchase in early October.
-----Additional thoughts, details, and questions------
-I eventually plan to install a composting toilet, I understand they are quite convenient and eco-friendly. Also the blogs I’ve read suggest users actually grow to prefer composting toilets over time. Alternate opinions are welcome for consideration.
-I also intend to someday include solar panels on my rig.
-How much can I expect to pay for insurance and property taxes? Are there any other large expenses I should be aware of?
-How come I don’t find any reviews of different RVs/toy haulers? I’m only able to find sales pitches.
-------Truck-------
I will wait a few months after purchasing the toy hauler to decide on the proper truck. iff you have inputs on that too please share your thoughts on that too. I think an F-350 would be a proper choice for an 18k lb toy hauler but if I can get by with an F-250 that’s what I would prefer to save on cost and gas.
I realize I wrote a lot here. Thank you for your time and will definitely keep you updated on my final decision.
----Links----
Voltage 3970:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7cdaFL-EL4&index=16&list=PLK740d1Lh8Fg6btV1hC7M1CSDzKtjOyJL
Heartland Road Warrior 410:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiqJkNpxIc4&index=9&list=PLK740d1Lh8Fg6btV1hC7M1CSDzKtjOyJL
I’m new to the world of RVs but have decided to take the plunge into full-time Toy Hauler living after being inspired by the nomads out there and their amazing adventures. I am in the process of selecting a Toy Hauler to purchase and am hoping I can count on some of the more experienced members here to help me make the best choice and get the most bang for my buck. Below are a few things I’m looking for in the (5th wheel) Toy Hauler I choose. Randomly looking at models on youtube I found the Heartland Road Warrior 390/410 and the Dutchmen Voltage 3970 to be appealing, please do check them out with the links below. Please also let me know of other brands/models you might recommend. Thanks in Advance for your advice! I’m a little nervous with this transition as I’m a novice, your experience and input is greatly appreciated! Looking through the forums I see a lot of comments suggesting that the build quality is pretty much the same across all brands. Could this really be true? Is there no brand/model that stands above the rest the way Ipods do for music players or Tesla’s do for EVs?
--------------------
Some of my Requirements(please suggest others I should consider):
- Toy Hauler ( I plan to haul two motorcycles)
- 4 Season preferred with good insulation(What level of R values are adequate for full-time living? I would spend time in cold conditions during ski season etc.)
- stadium theatre seating directly facing Media Center
- Good build Quality, should last many years. Is 20 years a reasonable expectation? I understand the greatest damage can be caused by water leakage, what brands/models/features would give me the most care-free maintenance?
- Smart ladder(no need to detach and store)
-----some additional thoughts/details-----
-I will be storing two motorcycles in the garage.
- i’m looking for value, my budget for both the toy hauler and the truck is 100k, but if you guys convince me that spending more is well worth the investment i’ll go for it.
- I plan to blog, travel, work, and basically live full-time in this rig.
-There is an RV show in my state in September which I plan to attend. I’m hoping to narrow down my top 3 choices before then and finalize my purchase in early October.
-----Additional thoughts, details, and questions------
-I eventually plan to install a composting toilet, I understand they are quite convenient and eco-friendly. Also the blogs I’ve read suggest users actually grow to prefer composting toilets over time. Alternate opinions are welcome for consideration.
-I also intend to someday include solar panels on my rig.
-How much can I expect to pay for insurance and property taxes? Are there any other large expenses I should be aware of?
-How come I don’t find any reviews of different RVs/toy haulers? I’m only able to find sales pitches.
-------Truck-------
I will wait a few months after purchasing the toy hauler to decide on the proper truck. iff you have inputs on that too please share your thoughts on that too. I think an F-350 would be a proper choice for an 18k lb toy hauler but if I can get by with an F-250 that’s what I would prefer to save on cost and gas.
I realize I wrote a lot here. Thank you for your time and will definitely keep you updated on my final decision.
----Links----
Voltage 3970:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7cdaFL-EL4&index=16&list=PLK740d1Lh8Fg6btV1hC7M1CSDzKtjOyJL
Heartland Road Warrior 410:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiqJkNpxIc4&index=9&list=PLK740d1Lh8Fg6btV1hC7M1CSDzKtjOyJL
