Excel or NuWa

[wishnandhopen]

My DW and I are going to purchase a 5er in two months for FT. And we have been researching our purchase for over two years. The result is that we have narrowed it down to two different manufacturers and models - an Excel Limited or a NuWa CE. Both seem to meet our high standards for FT. Some floor plans are similar and we can find floor plans with each which work for us. And I know that both companies give excellent after the purchase customer service. The Excel is heavier than the CE and might require a different TV. Since we are starting from scratch we are not limited to an existing TV. We have been to both factories and appreciate the detail and quality of each. So, why should I purchase a Excel limited?

John

[wishnandhopen]

My DW and I are going to purchase a 5er in two months for FT. And we have been researching our purchase for over two years. The result is that we have narrowed it down to two different manufacturers and models - an Excel Limited or a NuWa CE. Both seem to meet our high standards for FT. Some floor plans are similar and we can find floor plans with each which work for us. And I know that both companies give excellent after the purchase customer service. The Excel is heavier than the CE and might require a different TV. Since we are starting from scratch we are not limited to an existing TV. We have been to both factories and appreciate the detail and quality of each. So, why should I purchase a Excel limited?

John

[ChiefJohn]

John,

Our Excel is our third RV, by three different manufacturers. I can state unequivocally you will not regret going with Peterson Industries (PI). Will you have issues? "Yes"! Anyone who says/thinks otherwise is not being realistic. As has been stated here and on other forums -- anytime you subject essentially a 'house on wheels' to the rigors of thousands of miles over every possible road surface imaginable, there will be things that go wrong. You will also make errors in judgment along the way that will result in damage. We all have, and any RV'er that states otherwise is in a small minority.

When you purchase an Excel 5th Wheel, you buy into a family--not some large impersonal corporation that will drop you at the first opportunity.

John

On edit, I forgot to include that you will have the opportunity to socialize with some of the characters on this forum -- be that good or bad, you make the decision.

[ExcelRVGuy]

John...

This is a topic that probably should be left to our family members but I'm used to jumping into places where I probably shouldn't be.

First, I congratulate you for doing your due diligence in searching for a new fifth wheel. Regardless whether you choose a Nu*Wa or an Excel, you are making a fine choice. Mike Mitchell and Neil Ford of Nu*Wa are both good friends of mine. I can tell you that their build philosophy is close to ours in many respects.

Obviously, on the points in which we do not agree, we feel that our way is superior.

I do believe that our biggest difference might just be in the statement that ChiefJohn made. At Peterson Industries, we still celebrate EACH AND EVERY new family member. We take nothing for granted. There is seldom a day that goes by that management is not in the plant reminding our people that the "unit" going down the assembly line is on the way to being someone's life dream.

That is one of the reasons that customer support after the sale is so important to us. We realize that if you are calling us, chances are that we didn't do something right the first time... and that we don't get a whole lot of opportunities to correct our issues before we stand a chance of losing a family member.

So, to sum it up..... we would be honored to earn your business. Thank you for considering Peterson Industries and Excel.

Bryan
President

[D and J]

John,

I have a question for you. Do you currently own a 5th wheel, or have you owned any trailers??

The reason I ask this, and please do not be offended by my question, is that many times folks make huge mistakes in the purchase of their first new RV. If you and your wife find out the the fulltime lifestyle, or RV living in general is not "cup of tea"; Purchasing a new, high end 5th wheel can be a huge, costly mistake.

As to your question about which brand, When my wife and I were searching for a replacement 5th wheel (our first 5th was not suited for fulltime use, but we weren't full timers either at that point!) and we had narrowed our choices down to about three manufactures, we started looking at 4-7 year old used units.

We learned a lot by going through these "seasoned" units. Doing the factory tours is a great idea, glad you did that. (truth be told, we haven't toured Smith Center yet, but we will in the end of September) I had a business trip to Joplin MO, and went to the Nuwa plant, but didn't have time to go up to Smith Center. Also during the many years I spent in the commercial foam business, I used to spend about 6-8 weeks a year in the Elkhart In area, and I know how cheaply most of the rigs coming out of that area are built.

Seeing how well 5-7 year old Excels looked, and held up was what convinced us to buy one new.

Good luck with your search, and your change in lifestyle, but if this is your first camper I strongly sugjest you look for a slightly used 5th wheel first.

It is amazing how many parts of the floorplan and options we thought were so important for fulltime use, that now after almost one year of living in our trailer, just don't matter (or use) anymore!!

Doug

[wishnandhopen]

John, Doug, & Bryan,
Thanks for all the input. I really appreciate the excellent comments and even humor! Sounds like there are many satisfied owners and a very responsive CEO. Now which floor plan and TV - GMC or Ford? Oh, the agony and joy of decisions! You don't get to do this very often and we want to get it right. Several years ago we lived in an 30' Airstream. We are really looking forward to this improvement.

Thanks again everyone.

John

[evan0810]

John,
We bought our Excel, not because we plan on fulltiming, but because it is designed for fulltiming. I figure it will last longer than than other brands. We would consider snowbirding when we can afford to retire (on my 90th birthday). I was tired of wondering when something was going to wear out. We love ours and can't wait 'til we get it back from the road debris damage. Speaking of which, you would not believe how little damage was done by throwing a 3 ft long hunk of retread into it. When I saw the damage at a filling station, I was afraid to look at the box that contains the hydraulics, but it wan't even dented.
As far as TVs, the 1-ton GM trucks are now rated higher than the Fords for towing unless you get the 4.30 rear gear and that would not mean bloodletting at the pumps, it would mean severing limbs. If you want the new Ford diesel, I'd wait a while until the bugs are worked out.

[LarryGodby]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">As far as TVs, the 1-ton GM trucks are now rated higher than the Fords for towing unless you get the 4.30 rear gear and that would not mean bloodletting at the pumps, it would mean severing limbs. If you want the new Ford diesel, I'd wait a while until the bugs are worked out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Although those 450's will haul most anything. I was looking at a HDT until I saw one of those.