From 5er to class A, why?

[tealboy]

How many of you moved from a 5er to a class A and why? I have ruled out a class C and TT so a DP 40 or a higher grade 5er appeals to me but as someone who has not rv'd before, I'm struggling to know which I would like better as a part time rver.

I thought I would ck w those of you who might have had a 5er but made the switch to class A and what you like better about one or the other and what compelled u to make the change.

Would be equally interested in class A owners who moved to a 5er but this is the wrong forum. I sorta feel like the 5er would be best for me but really tempted by the nice luxurious DPs that seem so popular.

[valhalla360]

Apparently a lot of people don't relaize, you can get auto-level and the other goodies on 5th wheels. Once you add in disconnecting the toad, the overall level of effort is pretty much the same.

You might get a 2min edge if you have a pull thru spot and don't unhook the toad.

[valhalla360]

Bumpyroad wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
with a 5er you are able to have a monster truck to run errands, sightsee on winding/narrow roads, etc.

There fixed that for you.
So if you actually move the rig at all, it quickly cancels out any fuel savings from using a small toad.
.

some of us don't have an ego that requires us to own a monster truck as compensation for an absence of sufficient size in certain other physical attributes. 🙂
but I was not talking about fuel savings, I was talking about sliding into a parking lot in down town New Orleans, etc. If I would have anything larger than my Dakota pickup at the time, I would have been parking a half mile away and hiking to down town. might be a decent hike for a "kid", not for an old geezer.


bumpy

Once you get used to a big truck, it's really not that hard to find parking. I used to work downtown Detroit and parked the F250 there all the time.

No ego issues, just like to see over other cars for safety while driving.

[wvabeer]

I have never had a 5er but I have had pop ups, travel trailers, truck campers gas and my new to me DP. Travel trailers are great but there is alot of work once you get there not to mention you if you need anything in the trailer going down the road. A motorhome whether its gas or DP you have everything right there going down the road, like a sandwich? let the passenger get ya one and never stop. When you get to your destination, park, hit the levelers get out, flip out the awning, get the cooler and chairs and you are set up. Cool beerthirty in the shade. Motor home is way easier. Truck camper is second but that is another story.

[bogeygolfer]

Best quote I read when I was going through this same analysis: "With a trailer, the vacation begins at your destination. With a motorcoach, the vacation begins when you leave the house." I've found this to be true, and I like certain things about both types of RVs.

Do what works for you.

Chris

[2oldman]

janstey58 wrote:
.. not the frustration of leveling side to side a trailer/FW oldman.

yeah, the leveling is a big pain, I have to agree there. Sometimes I'm getting in and out of the truck 10 times to get it right.

[janstey58]

X2 on the two cocktails, and I still get my exercise too, just not the frustration of leveling side to side a trailer/FW oldman.

[Bumpyroad]

2oldman wrote:

WAFlowers wrote:

2oldman wrote:
yep..but at least you can back up!

I've heard this over and over. I'm not sure what the big deal is with backing up.

Perhaps I wasn't being clear. When you have a toad behind a MH it's very difficult to back up.

only once in my travels I got to a place where I had to unhook to get out. glad I was towing 4 down and not on a trailer then.

bumpy

[2oldman]

JohnG3 wrote:
Sales person: by the time you get set up and are relaxing inside, I'm two cocktails ahead of you.

I value that exercise, and I don't do cocktails. TEHO

[WAFlowers]

2oldman wrote:

WAFlowers wrote:

2oldman wrote:
yep..but at least you can back up!

I've heard this over and over. I'm not sure what the big deal is with backing up.

Perhaps I wasn't being clear. When you have a toad behind a MH it's very difficult to back up.

Yes, that would be difficult.

[WAFlowers]

We have had 2 5th wheels and now 2 motorhomes: a small Class C and the Class A we picked up this past weekend. As we edge closer to retirement we took a close and lengthy (9 month) look at what would be the best fit for us: upgrade to a newer 5th wheel or buy a motorhome of some sort. Both had advantages and disadvantages.

For us it came down to what we were planning to do. If we were going to go someplace and stay there for months at a time, snowbird-like, then a trailer made good sense. However if we were going to follow the call of the wild geese and move frequently, every week or so to see the country as we planned to, then a motorhome made more sense.

Because we are planning to tour all 49 states and coast-to-coast in Canada in one massive full-time adventure after we retire a motorhome made the most sense for us. And a well cared for used Class A (that still looks new) was perfect!

The geese have been calling me for 10+ years and I've been ignoring them but their cries are getting louder; only a little while longer until I follow! I think DW is starting to hear them too. Or maybe she is just loving enough to follow me again. So far they have lead us to live in 3 countries on 2 continents.

[2oldman]

WAFlowers wrote:

2oldman wrote:
yep..but at least you can back up!

I've heard this over and over. I'm not sure what the big deal is with backing up.

Perhaps I wasn't being clear. When you have a toad behind a MH it's very difficult to back up.

[WAFlowers]

2oldman wrote:
yep..but at least you can back up!

I've heard this over and over. I'm not sure what the big deal is with backing up. I picked up my coach on Saturday and backed it up, the first time in the dark in rain, into our storage site on Monday; no problem.

Maybe it was years of practicing backup up the long 5er we just sold that helped me? Or maybe DWs good directions.

[JohnG3]

Sales person: do you know the difference between you and your 5th wheel and me in my class a?

Me: No

Sales person: by the time you get set up and are relaxing inside, I'm two cocktails ahead of you.

[mtofell1]

tealboy wrote:
OP here...

Lots of great posts, as many have said, there are pros and cons to each, just depends on how you are traveling and your own preferences. After reading this, I think what will happen is, I will buy a srw 350 to pull a moderate sized 5er and wet my appetite for a few years pre retirement. I drive a large suv but could equally use a f250-350 4wd as my daily driver and use for periodic 5er travel. This will be a relatively modest investment that will allow me to figure out what works for me. I suspect, after a few years of fooling w the 5er, I will be ready for something different and jump into a medium level DP.

By the way, speaking of MH, how many wives help drive. Seems 5ers are drivena little more by the spouse than mh

Great plan and you touch on the reason I'm still in a 5th wheel: Using the tow-vehicle for daily driving (aka a tax deduction for my company). Yes, it's hard to convince Uncle Sam that I need a class A for work. But I do use my truck daily for work so it just makes sense for the time being.

Also, a class just costs more. Purchase price, insurance, maintenance and repairs, etc. I"m ecstatic for all the benefits of a class A someday but for now it's got to be a trailer. I'm still working full time and I just can't justify paying for a class A and then letting it sit with only occasional use.

Welcome to the fun and you are on a good path. Also, doing great poking around message boards for education. There's more free knowledge here than you could ever pay for elsewhere.

[Johnny_G1]

Like I have both and enjoy both, I have a 2001 Dodge 3500 putting out 400+ hp and I just towed a 28' Travel Aire to Alaska and back this summer for the 4th trip, Mh would give me 12-13 mpg pulling a car for 10 yrs. The truck did better @17+ mpg but as people say with a fifth you have to park and go back to the trailer where with the mh, just park and everything is right there to get to, food, a cold one etc. The only toss up the mh has more room inside but they both have went the same place and no trouble parking and the trailer takes about 5 mins. to unhook, the reason we will use the truck and trailer more often is because the wife say's we are not putting a hitch on her 2014 CRV after seeing the damage on the Jetta that we towed for 10 yrs. Each to his own.