How Often Do You Trade?

[tomthyme]

Hello Folks! I trust you are staying warm and getting ready to move for the summer.

My sweetie and I have a 2011 Cameo 5th wheel that we enjoy. It is 37ft long and is paid for. We are trying to map out our next few rigs in some thoughtful manner so we can begin making other decisions. We are both 53, still work full time, though most of it is remote (not tied to an office). I do however need to be close to a major airport. We do not currently plan to sell our stick and brick home.

We like the 5th wheel configuration, but it seems to take a little more work than we may want to handle in our 60's or later. We aren't ready to trade into a big DP today, but that is definitely in our future - we just aren't sure where.

It seems to make sense to plan the travel style first, then match the rig to the style. For example, if we plan to move around a good bit in our 60's, maybe the next rig is the DP, then swap back to a 5th wheel (if at all) in our later years. Or should that solution be reversed?

We don't have a bazillion dollars, but we do have the luxury of being able to plan the next few decades in several different ways.

What have you guys done and how has it worked for you? Would love to hear from as many of you as have time.

Thanks so much. God bless! and Safe Travels.

[tomthyme]

you guys have been great - thank you.

Our Cameo has auto leveling, a 5500 Onan LP generator, Dish satellite, 2 carefree awnings, etc., etc. I think we have decided to keep it for a bit. We may swap to residential fridge, electric furnace, swap out carpet, maybe MorRyde independent suspension and/or disk brakes, and make a few upgrades that way. I think we'll keep her for a bit. Plus, I love the fact that we own her. She's been our's since rolling off the lot.

As always you guys are super helpful!

Thanks so much!

[Gjac]

Once in 12 years.

[Mile_High]

ChuckV1 wrote:

Lastly I had to wonder at the OP that stated the only time they drive there pickup was to pull their 5th wheel when they go camping. So I would think the only time they drive their DP is when they go camping as well ....

That was me and yes it is true that we only drive the DP when camping, but at least I no longer have to house that oversized dually in my garage. Instead I have room for something I actually like to drive.

[Captain_Happy]

oops

[Captain_Happy]

I live in an Escapee Park here in Nevada. There are a lot of motorhomes & 5th wheel trailers here. But mostly big 5th wheels. They keep there large 5th wheel trailers here and travel in smaller units. I have a Casita that I use just for traveling. down through the years I've had all kinds of RV's. If I had to do it all over again, I'd buy the last one first. Some of these things cost as much or more then a house. do the math and ask yourself a lot questions about the kind of use you'll be using the rig for..

[Teacher_s_Pet]

We have been full timing in our 2006 Phaeton for 11 years. It is our 8th of the 9 Rvs we have owned since 1977. We also have a 21' 2004 "B+" we bought in 2012, for summer trips the 40 footer isn't suited for. We tend to keep all vehicles for a long time. The 2003 toad we recently traded off, had been used since 2005, we drove it 143,000 miles and towed it another 115,000 mile that did not slow on the odometer. We have thought about down sizing to a Super "C" at some future date, we are in our mid 60's.

[scbwr]

As to how often I trade, which takes us back to 1988 when my sons were 4 & 8 and we bought our first pop-up:

Starcraft Meteor - bought used. Used for one year to "test the waters". Wife & kids loved it. Following year, traded in for Starcraft Flyer (10' box).

Starcraft Flyer - liked the trailer but after two years, the roof failed. Starcraft was going to replace the roof under warranty, but we decided to trade it in for a Starstream (12 foot box).

Starcraft Starstream - great trailer! We kept it for 10 years. Then, we bought a 2003 Sunline 29' trailer.

Sunline trailer - what a great trailer. We kept it for ten years. With our move to a 55+ community in Ohio, we had to get a smaller truck. So the Sunline was traded in for our Winnebago Minnie which could be towed with our Tundra.

Winnebago Minnie - purchased in the fall of 2013. So, we are now starting our fourth year of traveling with this trailer. With our truck being a 2007, and we're up in our sixties, we're contemplating making a change in a few years. Our gargage is awfully tight with a Tundra and a Subaru Outback. We're contemplating moving to a class C or smaller class A motorhome and pull a smaller car behind. It would be nice to have something with auto levelers, and perhaps a little more room than our Minnie. But...we'll have to see. My wife and I really enjoy travelling and exploring new places and we've discussed many times that with advancing age, we'll just have to make changes and adapt as necessary.

[BigRabbitMan]

To the original question of "how often do you trade?", I haven't. I bought my class A in 1999 and still have and use it. I am sitting in it about 700 miles from home right now.

I have also rented a class C and own a smaller travel trailer that I have used a few times. I will only consider a class A in any future planning, but that is just me. A key reason is that I don't stay long at any given spot. A couple of days and I am moving on.

[Mr_Mark1]

ChuckV1, I certainly can see why people have preferences as I have one brother who has a 5ver and the other has a class A.

After watching my 5ver brother try to park his 42 ft. 5th wheel, I think I'll stick with the class A. He likes the 5ver and that's just fine.

I like having the bathroom available without leaving the coach... and the kitchen, etc. I also like having a small tow vehicle to use to tour around town.

Nothing wrong with either of our choices, but to me, having most of the weight behind me doesn't smooth my feathers.

There is no doubt that the cost of a 5ver vs. a class A is not apples to apples (a cherry to a grapefruit).

Safe travels,
MM.

[ChuckV1]

I as well see no logical reason to move away from 5er, my wife and I are in our 70es an our auto leveling system makes it a one button job, even if I have to put pads down it's not a ruff job at all. If you have a DP you still in some cases have to put down pads depending on the camp grounds an have to unhook and hook up your toad, if you have a 5th wheel you still have to hook to the 5th wheel so I think that's a wash .....

Driving a DP the minute you pull into a repair shop all they see is $$$$$$$, if you pull into a dealer with your pickup they only see $$ not $$$$$$$ ......

Like the OP I also see the cost. A new truck 60K, a good used truck 35 to 40K, a new nice fiver depending on the brand low end 50k high end 90K. New DP in the approx same size 250 to 500K. again as with the OP the DP loses hands down.

Lastly I had to wonder at the OP that stated the only time they drive there pickup was to pull their 5th wheel when they go camping. So I would think the only time they drive their DP is when they go camping as well ....

[Ductape]

As far as living accommodations it's all about floor plan. A very personal choice.

I like to drive a fiver combo on the move, it's more maneuverable and reversible.

At the destinations I prefer a towed SUV to a large truck as a daily driver. The MH is marginally easier to set up, but we could disconnect and level the fiver almost as fast as disconnecting the towed from the MH.

[Mile_High]

Second Chance wrote:
As has been said, that Cameo is a really nice fiver - I would love to have one. You can have an aftermarket auto-leveling system - and probably a number of other options - installed for a lot less than the hit you'll take on trading for a DP (not to mention the depreciation if you buy a new DP).

Oh I'm sure that Cameo has autolevel. I don't even think it was an option, I think it was standard equipment.

[Second_Chance]

As has been said, that Cameo is a really nice fiver - I would love to have one. You can have an aftermarket auto-leveling system - and probably a number of other options - installed for a lot less than the hit you'll take on trading for a DP (not to mention the depreciation if you buy a new DP). I'm in my mid-60s and don't have auto-leveling, but we find that Andersen levelers and a Blue-Tooth leveling device that transmits to my phone make leveling very easy.

Now, on the other hand, a DP with a tow'd is a very nice combo if you move every few days. I've seen a number of Escapees that have "aged out" of the moving lifestyle, kept their DP and tow'd, and settled down in the DP in one of the Escapees co-op parks. While they're able, they still take the motorhome out for trips... it's just not full-time traveling any more.

I had a political science professor once that said that the definition of politics is determining what is valuable and who gets it. You just have to decide what is most valuable to you and who gets your money (you or a dealership).

Rob

[imgoin4it]

I like our class A. One of the reasons; A few years ago we pulled into an rv space and a 5th wheel pulled in next to us at about the same time. It was raining hard. We pulled in, hit the self leveling, put the slides out and started the generator and sat back. Watched our neighbor sit in the truck for a little, then get out and start to level and hook up etc all the time in the pouring rain. I thought that might just be the best reason for having a powered rv.