5th wheel search

[chunker]

I have made a number of posts recently concerning my search for a good 5th wheel to replace the current motorhome we have. My short list was Arctic Fox 29-5T, Grand Design Solitude 310GK and Vanleigh Vilano 320GK.

My findings and thoughts.

Northwood AF; Never could actually get to see one. I live in the south east, Northwood is in the northwest and the closest dealer is several hundred miles away. On my trip to the upper mid west I tried to see one at the dealer but they didn't have any, "but were due in any day/week" and I felt a bait and switch coming. Get there and the model I wanted not there but hey how about this one. No thanks. Besides without a dealer anywhere close and the factory on the other side of the country logistical a bad choice for us.

GD Solitude; I looked at some versions 310 and 344GK and the interior was gloomy. Very dark depressing cabinets, paper/vinyl wrapped framing, island in the kitchen that blocked access to just about any kitchen/living room areas with the slides in. Narrow shower, uninspiring wall paper flimsy feeling windows.

Vanleigh Vilano 320GK; The lighter stained cabinets looked nice, the darker ones not so. Cabinet doors feel light weight and flimsy, wood not prepped and sanded properly prior to staining, girlfriend referred to the grey wall paper as prison walls. (Not sure what her reference was). Cabinet drawers slides rather flimsy also, drawers wobbled side to side. In the cabinets crudely installed staples that are exposed. Sloppy work.

General impressions is the RV industry is in a sorry state if these are examples of the upper mid quality range. Perhaps the next one would have cabinets that were prepped correctly, perhaps worse. Lousy QC because lousy QA. If I am going to pay $70-100K on an RV I expect quality. So I am keeping my motorhome which has a solid Freightliner chassis, reliable powertrain, gorgeous real maple SOLID cabinetry, everything works, and paid for.

[mobilemike]

I was in an M class momentum about a month ago and casually leaned against the island and it moved. I stood up and grabbed the counter and wiggled it. It moved about an inch each way while puckering the floor. Either they missed the floor supports with the bolts or the supports were not there. Just driving down the road that island will fall over sometime soon.

[Bob_C]

Forest River Riverstone

[consolenut]

To get quality you seek in the price range you set. Your looking at a used mobile suites prior to 2012. A used New Horizons or Space craft. Those will be high end of your range even in a used coach. Or you could look at 2007 or prior Teton.

Going down to the lower end of your price range you'll be looking at an excel or newmar perhaps. None of those coaches are down. All are exceptional rigs.

Now new rigs a New Horizons will be 250k plus a Volvo tractor or sport chassis to pull it. Spacecraft bump that price higher. Hope that helps

[chunker]

Originally Posted by consolenut

To get quality you seek in the price range you set. Your looking at a used mobile suites prior to 2012. A used New Horizons or Space craft. Those will be high end of your range even in a used coach. Or you could look at 2007 or prior Teton.

Going down to the lower end of your price range you'll be looking at an excel or newmar perhaps. None of those coaches are down. All are exceptional rigs.

Now new rigs a New Horizons will be 250k plus a Volvo tractor or sport chassis to pull it. Spacecraft bump that price higher. Hope that helps

I'm wanting a 35' and GVWR under 16.5K. It wouldn't take much to have one of my target RVs to be quality IF the factory actually did their job.

[chunker]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Forest River Riverstone

Way too long. I want 35'

[consolenut]

Older DRV you can get under or at 35'. Excel made a few as did Newmar

[Btipton]

Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of the “higher end” (cough, cough) fivers of today concentrate on the “eye candy” aspect and not so much on build quality. Space Craft and New Horizons are the exceptions, but as stated previously, they are expensive and very heavy. Arctic Fox is the only other quality builder that hasn’t folded due to the availability of the mass-produced brands. We don’t own one but have looked at them and they are very well-built.

That being said, if you’re not dead-set on new, Excel and HitchHiker are two brands to consider. We lucked into a 2011 HitchHiker 31.5 at the former factory in Kansas that had never been titled. Bought it in 2013 with the full factory warranty for less than 50k. Cabinet doors are solid wood. Cabinet shelves are 1/2” solid wood. Drawer glides are residential-style. Tons of storage space. GVWR of 14,400 lbs and 34’ external length. We’ve been full-time in it for four years and no problems. And ours is considered their “low-end” model (the LS). Their mid-grade was the Discover America, and their high-end was the Champagne.

So, if you’re looking for a quality build, don’t rule out used.

[Natebert]

Originally Posted by drwwicks

I have made a number of posts recently concerning my search for a good 5th wheel to replace the current motorhome we have. My short list was Arctic Fox 29-5T, Grand Design Solitude 310GK and Vanleigh Vilano 320GK.

My findings and thoughts.

Northwood AF; Never could actually get to see one. I live in the south east, Northwood is in the northwest and the closest dealer is several hundred miles away. On my trip to the upper mid west I tried to see one at the dealer but they didn't have any, "but were due in any day/week" and I felt a bait and switch coming. Get there and the model I wanted not there but hey how about this one. No thanks. Besides without a dealer anywhere close and the factory on the other side of the country logistical a bad choice for us.

GD Solitude; I looked at some versions 310 and 344GK and the interior was gloomy. Very dark depressing cabinets, paper/vinyl wrapped framing, island in the kitchen that blocked access to just about any kitchen/living room areas with the slides in. Narrow shower, uninspiring wall paper flimsy feeling windows.

Vanleigh Vilano 320GK; The lighter stained cabinets looked nice, the darker ones not so. Cabinet doors feel light weight and flimsy, wood not prepped and sanded properly prior to staining, girlfriend referred to the grey wall paper as prison walls. (Not sure what her reference was). Cabinet drawers slides rather flimsy also, drawers wobbled side to side. In the cabinets crudely installed staples that are exposed. Sloppy work.

General impressions is the RV industry is in a sorry state if these are examples of the upper mid quality range. Perhaps the next one would have cabinets that were prepped correctly, perhaps worse. Lousy QC because lousy QA. If I am going to pay $70-100K on an RV I expect quality. So I am keeping my motorhome which has a solid Freightliner chassis, reliable powertrain, gorgeous real maple SOLID cabinetry, everything works, and paid for.

Those 3 brands that you picked would also be in my top 3.

I believe a fellow RVer once said that you are looking for the nicest house in the roughest neighborhood.

[Cumminsfan]

Originally Posted by mobilemike

I was in an M class momentum about a month ago and casually leaned against the island and it moved. I stood up and grabbed the counter and wiggled it. It moved about an inch each way while puckering the floor. Either they missed the floor supports with the bolts or the supports were not there. Just driving down the road that island will fall over sometime soon.

It's not uncommon to wiggle a GD island. Most are solid though. GD uses vinyl wrapped MDF for face frames. Northwood uses vinyl wrapped real wood. Zero MDF in a Northwood. No OSB either. Can't vouch for Vanleigh.

[mrgrayaz]

Originally Posted by drwwicks

General impressions is the RV industry is in a sorry state if these are examples of the upper mid quality range. Perhaps the next one would have cabinets that were prepped correctly, perhaps worse. Lousy QC because lousy QA. If I am going to pay $70-100K on an RV I expect quality. So I am keeping my motorhome which has a solid Freightliner chassis, reliable powertrain, gorgeous real maple SOLID cabinetry, everything works, and paid for.

Remember, your comparing a what? $300k DP coach to sub $100k trailers. Yeah, obviously your chassis and drivetrain cost money - but its no surprise the interiors aren't as well built.

Not defending the quality, but it makes total sense to me. If you go up a notch as mentioned - to NH, DRV, etc - the quality comes up significantly and starts matching the DP's.

You'll also pay significantly more then GD, Vilano, and others, but still be way ahead of what a DP costs - even with a new F-350 DRW or RAM in the picture...Also a 5 year warranty on the drivetrain of a F-350 as opposed to .. a year on most coach drive trains? Ive been over in the ISX section of the site and the repair bills scare me ...

What you'll run into is the payload limits of your SRW. If you want any trailer to compete with your DP - your looking at 20k+ GVWR and you need a dually....

Other option would go shorter - for example, our Alfa is only a 30' model and its 16k GVWR...which is HEAVY for a 30' trailer - but its really well built. I believe NH and DRV also had shorter models for awhile that may have the quality your looking for and still be towable with your SRW.

[Stano1]

Probably late, but I have a 2017 Montana 3160rl fifth wheel. Love it, no problems, just some low key luxury. I put almost every option possible on it when I ordered it. Including generator. I can’t imagine any units being nicer or more solid. Really do hate to sell it
Selling it for a 29 ft arctic fox. We do national parks and the extra 5 feet gets us in areas Montana won’t.

[MTK46]

Look at used DRV. They are still being made. You'll find the quality you're looking for. Teton is another but didn't make them after 2008. We had a 2003 bought new. Kept it until 2014. Inside looked as good as the day we bought it. Daughter lived in it for year & half in Phoenix. Only major item that failed was hot water heater. We bought the smallest & cheapest model Teton, it was still over 70k in 2003. We got what you pay for. A top of the line 5th wheel.

[welovecrusin]

We love our 2018 Forest River Rockwood signature ultralite 8298ws rear living room with kitchen pub table