Your thoughts on used 5'er

[ByTheRvr]

We are on our second TT and will be moving to full timing. We have decided to go with a 3/4 ton diesel pickup and a medium size 5th wheel trailer. We will be buying a used trailer. I know there are pros and cons but thats after our research and personal experience that's what we've decided. The question we're pondering is where to source our 'new' trailer? We love to boondock but we also stay in our share of campgrounds. We often see seasonal trailers for sale. Many have been sitting in the campground and used as 'cottages' since new. We have pulled our trailers many thousands of miles and know that the miles take their toll. Buying a seasonal unit will likely have more internal signs of wear but no mileage wear. RV dealer trade in units and advertised used units can look almost pristine inside but there's no way of knowing how many miles they endured.

We would like to hear from others who have purchased 'seasonal' trailers and what we should consider.
Thanks!

[C_Schomer]

Get a 3500 for 30-32' or a 3/4t with airbags was my choice when I had an srw. We went from a 25' 5er 8400 gvw to a 31' 5er 9600 gvw and I didn't like the rock-n-roll feeling of the srw. I was right at the towing limit for that 97 3/4t. Plenty of power but I couldn't take the boat-like ride. Then, I got the 03 dually and it was overkill for 9600 but not for the 5er we got this summer. This one also has a BR slide. I'm maxed out for weight again but the stability is still the same... awesome. The duals make that much difference. I'm also an ex OTR O/O and I like more rubber on the road. BIG vote for recliners and table/chairs - much more comfy than a booth. That's why we went from the 25' to the 31' 5er - table/chairs and 2 recliners. Also, BIG vote for Quad or crew cab and LB. Can haul passengers, the bed storage is great and no need for a special hitch or pinbox. Now that we have the set-up we have, we're happy with every step up. I'll never go back to a srw, reg cab, SB, single slide, booth dinette, jack-knife sofa or a TT. Craig

[Veebyes]

Get the dually. 4X4 is not necessary. Always carry a tow rope so if you ever get stuck some tough guy with his 4X4 but does not have a tow rope can get you out. Over 120,000 miles here & never needed it but I have it. The crew cab is great. Seats are always folded down & all kinds of stuff gets thrown back there.

Right about the long walks to the store with the dually. You always have to park in the fat a$$ parking section. Thats OK. The exercise is good for us.

Then there is the added stability. We had a blowover a few years ago. Tore the 5er right out of the 5th wheel. Had the truck not been a dually that day the trailer would have most likely taken us with it as it barrel rolled down that 50' embankment.

[ByTheRvr]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I would re think the 2500 you will wish you had went with a 3500 later.

There are a lot of top quality used RV's that are suited for full timing. Our MS was 4 years old when we bought it. Saved a bunch and have a really nice rig for the money.

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have to agree the 3500 seems to make sense and gives us the option of going a bit bigger on the trailer size. I should add I spent 35 years in the trucking business so I'm not concerned about towing a large rig. A question that now comes up is SRW or DRW? Duallys are quite wide but should add to stability. We both like the idea of having a back seat so a crew cab will meet that desire. I also think the long bed will be better than the short bed. If we go with a crew cab and long bed we are pretty well guaranteed to find parking away from the regular shoppers and long walks to stores. She wants cloth seats instead of leather but we can get seat covers so that shouldn't be an issue. We seen a few in the 30'-32' range that have tables and chairs instead of dinettes and she would like having recliners; I agree. We have a scooter that we mount on a rack on the back of our TT so that should help with parking when we run errands.

As soon as one question is answered another one comes up. I very much appreciate the feedback. This is far less expensive to consider guidance from those who have gone before us and will definitely save us money and frustrations.

[Cummins12V98]

I would re think the 2500 you will wish you had went with a 3500 later.

There are a lot of top quality used RV's that are suited for full timing. Our MS was 4 years old when we bought it. Saved a bunch and have a really nice rig for the money.

[Veebyes]

JMO but 26-28' may seem large from where you are coming from but if fulltiming, even extended multi month trips as we do, that trailer is going to feel small real soon. Then you will be back on the market starting all over again & the bottom line is that by the time you get the truck & trailer you are truly happy with a pile of money will have been spent.

You mention boondocking. Well for that you need water capacity. A 40-60gal tank as found in a smaller trailer is not going very far. Better to have at least 80. 100 even better. It does not have to be filled unless needed. It sure is nice to have if you want to do things like bluegrass festivals where you might need to dry camp. The other necessity for dry camping is battery power & space to keep those batterys.

We bought with dry camping as well as access to SPs in mind. There is no hard & fast max length but once you go over 34-35'LOA for trailer the options begin to rapidly diminish. So far so good for us at just under 36'. Getting in to CGs with a stated pad length max of 30' has not been a problem as long as the back of the trailer can hang out past the pad end or a class B is not occupying the longest site in the CG.

Oh yeah, get the truck to suit the trailer not the other way round. You are not going to live in the truck.

[stickdog]

We brought our rig used a 6 year old. Have replaced cooling unit on Dometic fridge, batteries, converter, and new tires in the three and a half years we've fulltimed. We're happy with it as those are now items we feel secure in and since we paid less than half the cost of new we're still ahead.

[C_Schomer]

We've had 3 new and 3 used. The used RVs worked out fine and just took some inexpensive maintenance and cleaning. I put almost as much work into the new RVs, making everything the way I want, as the used ones. The extra work on the used ones is just a small part of the kind of mods I do, so that doesn't bother me. The first used one was on a lot and it was in great condition - no problems with it. We knew the owners of the last two used ones and that took out 99% of the guess work about the condition. All 3 of the used RVs were/are WAY better choices and quality than 2 of the new ones we bought - we learned our lesson about buying light and cheap! We hit the jackpot on the 08 we bought, this last July. A good friend ordered it exactly like I would have and then he added a 5th Airborne/side winder, 300w solar, 2 - 6v, LEDs, power monitor system, roof vent covers, expansion tank, Kenwood stereo/speakers and it has newer tires. I will continue to buy high quality, well maintained used RVs about 5-6 yrs old and save a bundle. Craig

[ByTheRvr]

Since you are in Canada, perhaps the Arctic Fox products would be a starting place as they are advertised as four season and well insulated. If you plan to spend winter on the Gulf Coast then that might not matter that much.

Our plans are to spend winters in the southwest and the summers in either Maine or the Maritimes. My significant other is American and can sponsor me for residency but I appreciate the advice on the 4 season option.

[jmtandem]

We are definitely going diesel. We want to go bigger than our current 20"TT but not so large that we are limited in where we will fit; we're thinking 26'-28' max. Our first trailer was a 13' fiberglass egg and the last few years in the 20' TT feels like a palace... :-). If we buy a campground unit we plan on checking brakes and buying new tires. We have never skimped on having a full safety inspection before turning wheels in the spring so any unit we purchase will be fully inspected for running gear, water and propane. We also plan to add solar so new batteries will be added.

Since you are in Canada, perhaps the Arctic Fox products would be a starting place as they are advertised as four season and well insulated. If you plan to spend winter on the Gulf Coast then that might not matter that much.

[ByTheRvr]

We are definitely going diesel. We want to go bigger than our current 20"TT but not so large that we are limited in where we will fit; we're thinking 26'-28' max. Our first trailer was a 13' fiberglass egg and the last few years in the 20' TT feels like a palace... :-). If we buy a campground unit we plan on checking brakes and buying new tires. We have never skimped on having a full safety inspection before turning wheels in the spring so any unit we purchase will be fully inspected for running gear, water and propane. We also plan to add solar so new batteries will be added.

[Alley_Fox]

If it has sat as a "cottage" for any length of time, be sure to check tires, brakes and wheel bearings. Sitting for long periods of time can rust brake components, harden wheel bearing/suspension grease and rot tires, especially if the tires are 5 years past their mfg date codes. Also, check the roof thoroughly for weathered caulking and cracks. Choosing a solidly built brand is key to getting a dependable RV regardless of how it's been used.

[jmtandem]

Care and maintenance is far more important than whether it sat on a lot as a cottage or it racked up the miles. Start with a reputable quality brand and then look for a well maintained coach. Going into full time I certainly would look for a good used coach that is made for full time use. The Escapees web pages have lots of useful information on full time RVing. Since fifth wheels have substantial pin weights (20-25 percent of the coach's gross) you might greatly benefit from a one ton truck and not a three quarter ton as available truck payload is often the limiting factor, not tow rating, towing a fifth wheel. For full time living towing any fifth that weighs 12,000 or more pounds I would only go diesel.