Thinking of trading 5th wheel for class A

[Dogpatch]

Having JUST left a 40' DP a few months ago and now owning a 40' 5th wheel and diesel truck, I just don't see any upside to the Class A that makes me wish I stayed with the Class A.

It purely comes down to what you have and what you need. If you have a small 5th wheel, but never owned a Class A, it's going to be an attractive change, because likely the Class A will be bigger. Thus, giving you more space/storage, etc.

The reasons most give as convenience for the change are not required on a daily basis.

Bathroom Breaks?
I go to the bathroom before I leave so don't have to use the facilities for many hours. I always stopped every few hours with our DP to get out, walk the dog and stretch my legs and I still do that with the 5er. I can hit the bathroom in the 5er while out. We still need to stop so that I can use the facilities. The driver can't do that in either case without stopping.

Lunch Breaks?
As we have already stopped for a stretch and a bathroom break, we can also access what we need to make a snack in the 5er.

Overnight?
We RARELY have a stop overnight that isn't planned. Personally, I don't have an issue in pulling into a Wallyworld to do this or walking back to the 5er to sleep. Our bedroom and bathroom are fully accessible with slides in. If getting out of your vehicle to get to your 5er scares you for security reasons, then maybe the RV life isn't for you. It's all about the convenience of being outdoors for more than the day.

Towed Vehicle?
Whether truck towing a 5er or Class A towing a car/truck, you still have to hook and unhook something. In either case, you still have a daily driver. You don't always need a huge dual wheel truck to get into a useable vehicle to get around. Yes, you will need something to tow the 5er and get around that's bigger than a "Tracker", however, in terms of fuel mileage, the towing truck will have better mileage overall than a Class A and towed car combined.

Storage/Living Space?
Again, depending on what you buy. As I said, if you have a 26' 5er and look at a 36' Class A, the coach wins. However, in our case 40' 5er compared to 40' Class A, the 5er wins hands down for useable storage and living space. By a country mile!!!

Set Up?
No difference as far as I'm concerned. I have to unhook a vehicle, I have to level (all electric), 50 amp power, water, sewer to hook up. Lawn chairs, BBQ, awning, etc. All the same things I needed to deal with in both scenarios.

Conveniences?
Again, depending what you buy will determine whether or not 5th wheel or Class A will have what you want. In my case, the 40' 5th wheel has 4 slides and every convenience (except generator) that my coach had, however, way more living space. I would have had to spend at least 3 times as much for a Class A to get what I have in my 5th wheel.

In my case, I already needed to have a truck for work, so the towing vehicle was taken out of the equation.

I think posters should put the year, size and brand of what they came from and what they went to. It would give a better overall view of why they chose to change.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Kro1957

On the flip side of that also is the comfort and convenience of pulling into a rest stop, set the brake, walk back and open the fridge or use rest room without having to go outside. Especially if the weather is bad.

While I agree with the statement I find that regardless of 5er or coach when I stop I do a walk around the unit.

If something is hanging and it shouldn't I put it up, if something should be hanging and it isn't I put it down. LOL

[nothermark]

FWIW I think space in the middle is over rated. It's just more floor to clean and slides to fail. ;-)

No matter what you say a fiver will always be more work than a MH just because it does not need to be unhitched.

The real issue is how one uses it. If you move between two or three spots for long periods of time then go for a fiver. If you are on the road 1 day out of 3 or 4 then all the hooking up and unhooking is a real issue. If you pull off in the rain and let it go by then the fiver is an issue. If you really do not want to be driving a large P/U most of the time then the fiver is an issue. OTOH I know several people who own two fivers and no truck. ;-)

As far as we are concerned the 30 ft unit we have is a bit tight so we are looking at a 32-35 ft A or C. For 2 people and a small dog that is enough and it gets us into places the bigger units cannot go.

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by kerileeb

We are new to rving and love it. We are planning a trip out west (we are from pa) this winter for a few months. The problem is storage. We have hardly any. We just bought it , our first trip was August. Has anyone gone from 5th wheel to class A? Thoughts both + & - would be appreciated. Also my husband and I are traveling with 2 goldens. Thanks

BTDT...do it, you'll love it!

[KC]

Lots of good info, for my wife and I we are Not full times yet. So having a large pickup to drive back and forth to work is a waist of money. We put on a lot of miles each day driving and a smaller car is a better option for us. We had a 5th wheel and went to a MH. We loved it. I drive large fire trucks so driving was not an issue. We loved the space and my wife loves the fact when she need to go she walked in back and goes. So much nicer than our old 5th wheel.

We have bought our new gas MH and love the floor plan, we have so much out side space.

Good luck!!

KC

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by nothermark

FWIW I think space in the middle is over rated. It's just more floor to clean and slides to fail. ;-)

No matter what you say a fiver will always be more work than a MH just because it does not need to be unhitched.

The real issue is how one uses it. If you move between two or three spots for long periods of time then go for a fiver. If you are on the road 1 day out of 3 or 4 then all the hooking up and unhooking is a real issue. If you pull off in the rain and let it go by then the fiver is an issue. If you really do not want to be driving a large P/U most of the time then the fiver is an issue. OTOH I know several people who own two fivers and no truck. ;-)

As far as we are concerned the 30 ft unit we have is a bit tight so we are looking at a 32-35 ft A or C. For 2 people and a small dog that is enough and it gets us into places the bigger units cannot go.

I respectfully beg to differ.

I can hook and unhook my 5er in less than 5 minutes. The only time a coach is better for this is if you aren't towing a second vehicle. That presents a different set of problems as you become land locked to your site without a second powered vehicle. Otherwise, you are still hooking up and unhooking. That's a wash as far as I'm concerned.

Not everyone wants added space i.e. slides. Granted, however, that's a preference for a small few. We are a family of three with a dog and a cat and live in a 3500 sf house. We need that extra space so we don't feel like we are camping in a closet.

Not everyone needs a king size bed. Granted, however, for the sake of my marriage and need for sleep, we need one! That's what we sleep in at home.

Not everyone stays in resorts and boondocks or stays in State campgrounds where only smaller units fit. Granted, however, we like all the amenities of a resort because that's the way we live at home. We have a pool, hot tub, cable TV, etc.

Not everyone has to pull over to weather out a rainstorm. Granted, and in a case like this it would be nice to be able to get up and move around, however, in all the years I had Class A's, that only happened once and wouldn't be enough of a reason for me to go back to a Class A.

The point I am trying to make is its all about what you want and need. Everyone is different. You can't say one persons wants or needs are any less or more important than your own. That does not dictate which is better unless those specifics to each person are known and then advise can be given accordingly.

As I have said in previous posts. The deciding factor motivating us was purely a monitary one. The costs of owning a 5th wheel and truck with the amenities we wanted and an annual lower cost of maintenance and carrying costs were less than owning a Class A with less amenities, towing a second vehicle. That was something we wanted and needed and got by going to the truck and 5th wheel we chose.

[ga traveler]

My best story of why I love a motorhome happened in 1991. My daughter and son-in-law had been married for a year. money was short. We decided to invite them along for a trip to Washington, DC. We stopped for the night at cape Hatteras KOA. The next mourning we awoke and found ourselves in a downpour. We took our time and fixed and ate breakfast. Cleaned up and still the rain was coming down. We finally decided it was not going to let up anytime soon. My son-in-law started for the door. He said I will unhook us. I said wait a minute. Don't go out fully dressed, you will get soaked. I had him put on his bathing suit. He unhooked the motorhome and came back in. He dried off and I started the generator and he used the hair dryer to dry his hair. We hung the bathing suit in the shower and we were on our way.

[Scottybdivin]

Originally Posted by kerileeb

We are new to rving and love it. We are planning a trip out west (we are from pa) this winter for a few months. The problem is storage. We have hardly any. We just bought it , our first trip was August. Has anyone gone from 5th wheel to class A? Thoughts both + & - would be appreciated. Also my husband and I are traveling with 2 goldens. Thanks

kerileeb, we recently (Last Christmas) went from a 43' 5th wheel to a 45' DP. We really liked our 5th wheel toyhauler and we put 18,000 miles on it in 2-1/2 years, even though I am still working full time. We were driving long days and making a lot of stops, with a couple 75 lb. Airedale terriers in the back seat. For us, the DP is a lot easier with the dogs or if you had kids or grandkids with you. That convenience does come at a cost. Everything is bigger, uses more oil, and is more expensive. Our DP is 450HP, holds 11 gal oil, and gets about 1 MPG less than the F350 did towing the 5th wheel. My insurance is actually a wash for the DP/F150 vs the F350/5th wheel. We bought a clean used DP and although I feel like we got a great deal, it is still like having a second mortgage payment.

[dezolen]

Why do these threads turn into mine is better than yours just like DP is better than gas coach? Everyone's choice is different and we should be happy we have a choice. I love our friend's new Reflection 5th wheel which can easily be towed by a 1/2 truck and may have chosen it had it been available when we purchased our gas coach. Would I trade now? No, as we are very content with our Tiffin 36LA. Go out and enjoy whatever you have.
Did the boating scene for 20 years with 5 different boats. My favourite memories are with our first 15' trihull ugly boat. lol

[nothermark]

Because the folks with the biggest and baddest whatever go into defensive mode over their choice.

[Scottybdivin]

Has anyone gone from 5th wheel to class A? Thoughts both + & - would be appreciated. Also my husband and I are traveling with 2 goldens. Thanks

I believe the OP asked for opinions from those that have gone from a 5th wheel to a Class A. A few like myself gave an objective opinion about moving from a 5th wheel to a Class A, and dogs, etc.

Someone stated earlier, the worst reason for buying a class A. Well mine may be the 2nd worst, "My Dogs".

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by Scottybdivin

I believe the OP asked for opinions from those that have gone from a 5th wheel to a Class A. A few like myself gave an objective opinion about moving from a 5th wheel to a Class A, and dogs, etc.

Someone stated earlier, the worst reason for buying a class A. Well mine may be the 2nd worst, "My Dogs".

I think of the movie "Turner and Hootch" and all that slobber and wet dog smell in the cab of a truck.

Having to drive with 2 big golden retrievers in the back seat of a truck might be enough to warrant the change no matter what the higher cost difference.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by nothermark

Because the folks with the biggest and baddest whatever go into defensive mode over their choice.

IMO it is not the biggest or baddest. All of us like to have our choices validated whether it be something we bought or the teams we support.

Some a just more strident than others.

Someone defined middle age as the time when the broad mind and narrow waist start to change places. Old age is probably when the change is complete.

[Scottybdivin]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

I think of the movie "Turner and Hootch" and all that slobber and wet dog smell in the cab of a truck.

You get the picture alright. Not to mention other smells.