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Old 09-30-2016, 07:42 AM   #29
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We bought a Vanleigh RV and they are from the Tiffon Family. New Company as of 2015. We are happy so far with all the construction and functions.
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Old 10-05-2016, 11:26 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doglover44 View Post
Take a good look at Grand Design Solitude its a good 4 season built full timing 5th wheel lot of features and floor plans to choose from

Grand Design Solitude is an "Extended Stay" rig, not full time.
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Old 10-05-2016, 01:14 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by kotz View Post
Before you pull the trigger on the 5th wheel purchase, contact Kansas RV Center in Chanute, Ks.

They know what they're talking about especially if you'll be full timing in N Co.
We did it in N Wyoming, considered many units and moved in a different direction after visiting with Kansas RV.

Who did you talk to there.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:23 AM   #32
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Who did you talk to there.
Orville Breiner 1.800.835.0676
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Old 10-06-2016, 09:45 AM   #33
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Orville Breiner 1.800.835.0676

We also dealt with Orville when we bought our Nu Wa. He's a good man to deal with.


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Old 10-08-2016, 11:29 AM   #34
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Everyone has their own ideas about what is important to them. Frankly if your going to be in an extremely cold climate and protection from the cold is your top priority there is no RV that is as good as a well built house. You will need two propane furnace in O degree and below weather for example unless you are going to use electrical heat as well.

How many RV's, for example have insulated floors in the slide outs? You can have the best R factor in ceilings, walls and floors but what is the R factor of the seals on all the slides and how do you know they are actual sealing, you will find out how inefficient they are when the weather gets below O.

When we went to Indiana the Solitude was a contender and one of the factories to visit, believe me it was not a contender when we finished our evaluation based on construction quality ( i.e. UsedOSB board as flooring and roof made a big deal of it being water proofed how about all the holes they had to cut in it after water proofing )That being said they had some of the best floor plans and designs in the industry.


So unless you actually go see how their built your at the mercy of self promotion brochures and dealer salesmen. Some of the best and innovative floor plans come from mid level and even low level trailer manufacturers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by doglover44 View Post
Take a good look at Grand Design Solitude its a good 4 season built full timing 5th wheel lot of features and floor plans to choose from
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan50 View Post
Grand Design Solitude is an "Extended Stay" rig, not full time.
I multi-quoted these in entirety because it is good to hear different perspectives, and I think most of us have a habit of not necessarily reading through entire threads (nor do we have time). I was re-reading this one as I am asking many of the same questions in looking for a 5th wheel that is adequate for full-timing.

The Solitude is quite frequently labeled as a "higher end" rig (compared to the masses - go to some of the large footprint RV dealers - "we have 4,000,000 acres of RV's!" type places - ones that have a ton of low to mid grade RV's usually put Solitude, and Open Range, "on the pedestal"). What scares me is the Lippert frame and "what I can't see". I haven't been through the factory yet, but I would like to if I get a chance. I am not entirely ruling it out. Like others have mentioned - they have some nice floor plans (I like the 377 layout). I haven't seen how they are made so I can't speak to any level of real wisdom, but the lenses I am looking through are not the same lenses anyone else is looking through. I would hope a rig is built adequately off the line, but for the further reasons below I can't expect the exact rig that would fit what I would want to ever "come off the assembly line".

A lot of valid points have been brought up. Though, like the OP I would be in need of a rig that can handle winters with weeks that never get above 0 in the winter time - around the great lakes. I know for a fact no RV off the assembly line is going to handle that. I am a handy guy and understand structures and insulation fairly well (and lack-there-of), but I am not a complete expert with RV's (never had one).

My philosophy is that I want to find a unit that would give me the best foot forward. I have been looking at slide mechanisms, seals around slides, pulling carpet back to see the loose fitment (even in the new DRV's I looked at - I could see daylight through the floor with the slide carpet pulled back in the corners of the slides). I want to have in my head how these go together and how they are insulated. All of that stacks together to give me the perspective I need to go forward and "modify" the in-use form of the RV to make it even more efficient. Of course, some form skirting, or boxing in/insulating the underside, is part of that. I have even thought of building an enclosure/shed for the rig (with windows) on a slab so the whole RV is out of the "elements" (blocked from wind, if the shed structure is constructed with insulation that would go to boost the efficiency of the RV too).

Quote:
Originally Posted by fvstringpicker View Post
I know this is not what you ask, but I'm going to throw it out anyway. Have you thought about building a small custom house, if you can get his parents to cut out and title a piece of land to you, rather than buying a high end rv? In 10 years you'll have a 10 year old rv worth a fraction of what you paid for it whereas a house would likely substancially increase in value. Like it or not, a RV is high maintenance on one end and quick to depreciate on the other.
Very well stated perspective. The depreciation and "maintenance" are also issues that I am looking at that are pretty huge negatives. The hard part for me, and I am not sure how the OP feels about this, just another perspective in the mix, I can't hook up a house/cabin to my truck. If I go away for a while I leave the whole structure. If I move I have to sell the whole structure and land, then re-purchase where I move to. A permanent building isn't "mobile". There is a certain level of freedom that is attracting me to the RV route. It would fit right along side other things I do now, and things I want to do. The hard part for me is boosting my confidence that I can make it work. Buying an RV from a salesmen, with no deeper thought/investigation/planning, is a surefire way to be set up for failure, in my book. I am going to be researching this subject for a long time (maybe a couple years) so I have time to pick things apart and look at all the angles.
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Old 10-09-2016, 11:34 AM   #35
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It has been raining all day where we are and while looking out the window I just noticed a GD Solitude across from us here. I saw something that would scare me away from that brand! It has Schwintek slide mechanisms on at least 2 of the 3 slides I can see. Research "Schwintek slide problems" online for much more info.
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Old 10-09-2016, 02:07 PM   #36
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A couple of manufacturers told me Schwintec (sp) were fine if used as designed-meaning for smaller lighter weight slides. Where they got the bad rap was some manufacturers ignored their advice and tried to save $ by using them on big slides. I have a couple on my small slides but the larger ones are hydraulics. No problems so far.


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Old 11-29-2016, 07:44 PM   #37
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Originally Posted by Sewcreative View Post
So I'm new here! My husband and I are looking at full-timing in an RV next year with our 1 year old and baby due in November. We won't be doing a lot of actual traveling for a while (his parents have land with hook-ups that we will be staying at indefinitely) and will be buying a truck that will pull whatever we end up getting after we buy our RV. We live in northern Colorado and will be out on the plains with some wind protection on two sides but not all. So all-season and dual pane windows are definitely top priority.

I've been online looking at a ton of floor-plans for months now. Originally thought a bunkhouse but I don't ever like the living area which I feel is one of the most important parts since that were I hope we all be most of the time. They always put all the seating against one wall with the kitchen on the other but I like the living area as open as possible with L-shaped seating for conversations.

Also originally thought toy-hauler since we could do whatever we want with the "garage" part for the kids but I hate the garage feel, it doesn't feel as homey and it would be more difficult to keep warm for the kids. And again, same issue with the living area in most of them as with the bunkhouse. The biggest thing we liked with the toy-hauler was the actual patio for the kids to be out on.

Right now, I am really liking the den with queen loft in the middle of the RV so that there is a nice open and L-shaped living area where we can all be together for most of the time.

I thought I had found the PERFECT set-up with the greatest amount of storage I'd seen and with a patio. It is a KZ Durango Gold (says on website built for full-timing). But I don't know if they are actually weather tested by outside sources, etc. G382MBQ
Durango Gold G382MBQ Fulltime Luxury Fifth Wheel | K-Z RV

Went to RV America yesterday for the third time. We have a sales rep there that we really like and seems to know his stuff. He didn't recommend KZ as a high-quality built fifth-wheel.

His top recommendations were
#1 Redwood - They don't have floorplans built for families...more for retired folks so that's out.

#2 Grand Design Solitudes - From website they use actual cherry hardwood for cabinets which is important since we may be living in our rv for a number of years and we want the cabinetry to last and not peel. Found a floorplan 377MB similiar to KZ.
https://www.granddesignrv.com/showro.../377mb-377mb-r

#2 Open Range3X Residential - Didn't find a floorplan similiar to KZ with a den, only one with a bunkhouse. Also, didn't say what their cupboards were made of.

#3 Montana - Found a floorplan with den 3950BR and they say they have the hard-wood cherry cabinet framing.

Out of the two brands recommended that have the den, we like the Grand Design the best but they don't have as much cabinet space as the KZ one I fell in love with! :'( Obviously, quality is very important but I really want my storage space too! The last thing I want to do is have the RV look cluttered because I don't have enough cupboard space!

So a couple of questions:
What has your experience been with these brands?

Are there other brands you think are well-built for full-timing beyond what our sales rep told us?

Does anyone have one with a den? How do you like it?

If we go with one with less cabinet space, can you install more cabinets?

Or is there another way you deal with less built-in storage space that doesn't look clunky?

Thanks in advance!!!
Get on the grand design forum people love them because of the customer service but they have tons of trouble with them everything falls apart,leaks or quits working they look good that's about all.I am trying to make a desision too?drv,tiffin motor home maybe Jayco north point can't decide
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Old 11-30-2016, 07:15 AM   #38
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Have you ever heard of Space Craft, they will built it like a new home. Go to there website. We seen a couple of them and they are ugly on the outside but beautiful on the inside. Costly since they are custom, but will last a lifetime.
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Old 11-30-2016, 03:27 PM   #39
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In your price range l would go with the open range 3x 3 inch wall more insulation in winter and summer. A friend of mine has on and has had very few problems with it.
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Old 11-30-2016, 10:33 PM   #40
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Have you ever heard of Space Craft, they will built it like a new home. Go to there website. We seen a couple of them and they are ugly on the outside but beautiful on the inside. Costly since they are custom, but will last a lifetime.
Full body paint fixes ugly
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Old 01-13-2017, 01:55 PM   #41
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La_CaJa, I mean no disrespect here, but there are a few units that handle zero and below pretty well! You are correct, they are not a home but... we had a 1990 Teton that we lived in through two Wyoming winters (quite a few -20 to30 mornings)while building our home. We never froze a water line. There was slight leakage at slide gaskets at a couple of places, but... it was a '90 model. Technology has improved somewhat since then. We would not hesitate to use our present unit at or below zero, and with only have one heater.There are a few true 4 season manufacturers out there. But, the units are a little pricey and heavy to tow. So, the prospective buyer needs to determine their wants/needs thru much research... such as this site and wisdom of fellow rv'ers. My thoughts are don't buy for the best of conditions, buy for the worst of conditions! Research is the answer. And much like consumer reviews, disreguard many of the 1's and 5's! memtb
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Old 01-20-2017, 06:43 PM   #42
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As far as I know New Horizons is the only five star rated 5h wheel manufacturer. Most brands aren't rated for full time use.
Forget all the bling and go for quality, you won't be sorry.
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