What swayed your decision to get a Class A vs a 5th wheel?

[BlueHighways]

9 pages of replies - clearly a hot topic! Anyway, no right or wrong IMHO, just what's right for you.

TL/DR Version (Too Long / Didn't Read):
1. Learned to love the Class A floor plan (it took a while)
2. No hooking / unhooking.
3. Mega-storage space.
4. More fun to travel in (once you get used to it), even with pulling a small car, than big truck pulling a big trailer.
5. No having to stop for wife / passenger bathroom breaks

Up until a couple months before purchase we LAUGHED at motorhomes and couldn't imagine why anyone would ever want one. Here's what changed our minds:

1. Floor Plan: It grew on us over time. We absolutely LOVED the floorplan / interior of the 5th wheel with its well-defined, separate areas: HERE's the living area, HERE's the kitchen, up two steps and HERE's the bathroom & then the bedroom. The 5-er floor plan feels REALLY homey and when you sit in the living area loungers across from the TV/fireplace you can just imagine living in it for weeks on end. The Class A on the other hand feels (at first) like a big open shoebox without those clearly defined living areas -- at least for the kitchen and "living room". And so it doesn't feel as "homey" the way a small home or even a cabin would. But after you spend a little time in the Class A you realize it's just as "homey" in its own way -- just different. More of an "open concept" floor plan. And then you realize the front windshield is like having a 10-foot wide picture window, and that with the driver/passenger seats turned around the cockpit really is a comfy part of the living area.

2. Convenience: There is definitely something to be said for pulling into a campsite, pushing the leveling jack buttons right from the driver seat, opening the slides and you're done. No unhooking or hooking back up to the tow vehicle. And if you're overniting at a rest area or Walmart and you're tired you don't even do that, just shut off the engine and in 30 seconds you're in bed without ever having to step outside unless you're so inclined. Watching other campers with different rigs going through the set-up / take-down ritual over our recent 6-week trip only confirmed this preference for us. NOT that connecting / disconnecting is that big a deal - it's just nice to have one less thing to deal with.

3. Storage: The storage space in the basement pass-throughs is INSANE compared to all but a handful of 5-ers that are purpose-built to that end. And having all those separate bays makes it SUPER easy to organize -- outdoor kitchen stuff in one, other outdoor accessories in another, tools in another etc. I know this sounds excessive but we carry a large collapsible ladder, electric power washer, leaf blower, two coolers, propane fireplace, portable honey wagon, fishing gear etc etc etc and even with all this & the rest of our stuff we're only at about 50% of our cargo-carrying weight capacity. Why? Because we can

4. Travel Fun Factor: The first 50 miles of driving this thing felt like taking the helm of the U.S.S. Nimitz. Sweaty palms and white knuckles. Even with past experience towing 32-foot cargo trailers with 1-ton pickups a motorhome is clearly a different experience. But with the help of some training vids from "The University of YouTube" and some time in the driver's seat it's really not hard. Which is exactly what EVERYONE that has one will tell you. And now that I've put over 5K miles on it I can honestly say that I really ENJOY driving it. If I'm going to be driving 200, 300 miles or more at a time I'd much prefer driving this than a truck, even without a big trailer tacked on to the back. After driving this even a '71 Coupe deVille would feel cramped.

5. En Route Bathroom Facilities: No explanation necessary. Happy Wife = Happy Life

[Unicorn Driver]

Like Bluehighways the wind shield of an A is great.
I know that a lot of 5th wheels have big rear windows but they are sometimes facing in to rear of a site.

[rkbeasley]

Class A convenience at twice the price.
There are many that say it ain't so. Even owners of both.
Diesel for either if you are going to put a lot of miles on the rigs and the weight is over 20,000 cgvw. Gas motors just won't hold up. Gas in a fw it's not always pulling all that weight.

[Saf]

Unless one has they right sized pick up to use for towing and use it to make money with, it doesn't make sense to me. As said above the convenience while traveling in MH is nice and an easy disconnect toad. But unlike a 5th the toad can't be backed up when one makes a mistake.

High ceiling 5th's to me seem like just waste of space which requires more to volume to cool and heat. I like all that space to be used for large easy accessible basements of MH's

Also a large toad doesn't make sense either unless you use a toad as a pick up truck that can haul other vehicles in it's bed. I saw one man that could pull a full size boat trailer up on to his towed pick up with a boat on it. Once at a camp ground he slid the trailer off and pulled it with the pick up.

The toad should get good mpg and be very easy to park. With my mini van it will carry 7 people or all the seats all fold flat into the floor giving me the space of a small pick up for hauling and weather proof camping in.

Just my opinion

[Walt Graham]

My wife and I have had tag along trailers before our 5th wheel we went with the 5th because they tow so much better and we now have a Class A. In your post you talked about hitting state parks and that you have a home in Florida (as do we), I'm assuming you are talking about Florida State Parks so I will offer three pieces of information regarding a 5th wheel at state parks.... practice backing into tight spaces and really get the feel of where you need to put the front of the truck because it seems that most or at least many Florida State Park Campgrounds have a tree or three right at the edge of the pavement across from your site that is easier to dodge with a motorhome only because the truck has a good size swing in the front when backing. Remember that in heavy weather it seems that a motorhome can take more wind while a 5th will rollover unless well prepared. Know the RV 's height since most 5th's can push close to 14 feet high.

[dvredc5]

Sure a lot of pros and cons to both and the decision is as individual as each of us are and our needs. Everyone here has provided a lot of great things to consider which should help with your decision. I grew up racing motocross and we had a couple gas Winnebago’s during those years (my teens thru my 20’s). Then after having our own family my wife and I wanted to get back onto enjoying an RV with our family. Finances during those years meant a travel trailer was all we could afford. Nice but never truly comfortable riding in the Excursion and wishing we could be enjoying the RV as we rolled down the road. If we went with a 5th wheel then the 5 of us would have filled even the biggest pickups leaving no room for friends to join us or for the dogs for that matter. Eventually we purchased a class A gasser toy hauler which was perfect for our 3 kids (then teens), their friends in the rear bunk area yet we enjoyed the comforts of the motorhome while driving to and from our destinations. We used that for college visits all across the country as well and purposely made trips longer than necessary to enjoy stops along the way. Just over a year ago we replace the gasser with a new diesel pusher which we love. For us not being retired yet, having one or more kids with us on some trips, having 2 dogs and sometimes our friends, the comforts during the drives we can enjoy with a coach versus a 5th wheel suit out needs better. We do wish we had another vehicle with us nowadays and plan on getting set up for a toad or else pull a car trailer (we have an extra car and I’ve pulled all sorts of trailers all my life so no concerns there). The biggest advantage in our opinion a 5th wheel has is always having the pickup with you to use. But, that’s really only important if you are staying in one spot for more than a week. My suggestion would be to rent a motorhome for a long weekend and take a trip. While they can be a little pricey to rent it will give you a very good idea on riding in a coach versus a pickup. Good luck with your decision!

[Taz4570]

Nothing swayed us, so we kept our 20054 Arctic Fox fifth wheel and bought a 2015 Tiffin DP. Best of both worlds!

The 2004 Arctic Fox is pulled by a very non-luxury 1997 Dodge Cummins 2500 and is for our hunting expeditions in CO, WY, NE, and NM. We bought it in 2006 and didn't have to do anything to it but hop in and go. It's been down hundreds of miles of barely roads On it's third set of tires and second set of shock absorbers. That rig requires minimal maintenance. Repack bearings and a thorough commercial/industrial wax every spring. Winterize after October's pronghorn hunts in prep for the late Nov to early December elk hunts. Easy keeper!

The DP is for the luxury cross country trips to the SE of the US. Obviously, the Tiffin is a much more complex machine and requires a bit more maintenance. engine and generator oil and their air filters in summer. Wheel/axle alignment, Mary Moppins exterior care. We bought the Class A this past June and spent June-September getting the rig back up to full operating condition. The original owner torched the dash and two roof AC units, the retracting entrance steps, water heater control board and many other components were replaced. Our $3,000 warranty was paid for three times over. The dealer covered another $10,000 as they claimed it was in new condition. That's the only good thing have to say about LazyDays! The sales guys did us well, the service folks sucked. I had to redo most of their work, as most of the replacement part were not properly installed or were the wrong parts. At least I was working with mostly brand new equipment. By the time we took off for FL in mid September, we had an almost new fully operational rig that provided flawless service on the 5,000 mile inagural voyage. I have never bought an extended warranty prior to this rig, but just the complexity of a Class A DP convinced me of it's potential value. The value of the warranty was subsequently fully validated! I also learned that the cost of these warranties is negotiable. Our dealer discounted it to 1/3 their original asking price.

We love each of these RVs for their intended uses.

[Yonder]

We had a 5er and really liked it but decided to try a DP so my bride could sleep comfortably while I drive ... I love to drive long hours.

Turns out I really love the DP so much more than I ever expected. It is much more comfortable and convenient. Also, I can now take my Harley along and after being a lifetime motorcycle rider, I had almost stopped riding because we were always gone in the RV. More fun to drive .... better panoramic view .... full access to everything even with the slides in. I really liked the 5er but I LOVE the DP. Did I mention ... more convenient?

[Streamintrip]

After three 28'+ Airstreams since '93 (the last was a 31' '05), we decided we needed something with more room for full-timing in 2 yrs. We looked hard at top shelf 5ers, Mobile Suites, etc., but storage issues were a big issue for us. Also, using a big 1 ton pickup to drive around sightseeing seemed a bit too much for us.
Looking at tag axle DPs, we found many versions which better fit our needs.

[3HrTour]

Look at a 20 year old trailer vs. a 20 year old DP. This is where the sweet spot of ownership is. A DP if taken care on the outside can be renovated on the inside multiple times, just like your house. Keeping it fresh.
I just love to tinker on the motorhome, its as much a hobby as it is a home away from home.

[mythplaced]

Originally Posted by TonyMac

When I drive, I drive. Twelve hours is not a big deal to me. Twelve hours in a pickup is a big deal to the beautiful half, twelve hours in a DP not so much. She is, in fact, home, just the slides are in. Me, I'm driving in a leather Lazy Boy with tunes on the surround sound. Kids, I don't know where they are, we may have left them at the last gas stop. Dog on the dash, we CAN'T leave him. "Hey baby, can I have some more ice tea and those wonderful stuffer pretzels?"

X500

This is my perspective also.

[Captn John]

Not sure why some think the set up/tear down takes more time with a 5er. I can set up in less time with the 5er than I could with the A. We have an auto-level button now too for those unaware. Besides it took 2 of us to hook the toad. On the road, I just pull in and done, why disconnect ~ same as the A. I really enjoyed the comment about the tall 5er ceilings. Those ceilings make for a roomier and more home like feeling, where our A was more like being in a pipe. Maybe that is a southern thing, we like our ceilings tall. The A did have additional storage but we get by for several months at a time.

[stepside454]

Originally Posted by Captn John

Not sure why some think the set up/tear down takes more time with a 5er. I can set up in less time with the 5er than I could with the A. We have an auto-level button now too for those unaware. Besides it took 2 of us to hook the toad. On the road, I just pull in and done, why disconnect ~ same as the A. I really enjoyed the comment about the tall 5er ceilings. Those ceilings make for a roomier and more home like feeling, where our A was more like being in a pipe. Maybe that is a southern thing, we like our ceilings tall. The A did have additional storage but we get by for several months at a time.

I’m not sure why it takes 2 to hook the toad . I don’t it by myself in a few minutes .
Here’s the thing . If you like a truck & fifth wheel that’s what you should have . If you Like s MH , that’s what you should have .
The idea of trying to convince someone your way is better because that’s what you like & they should like it to is goofy.

[stepside454]

Originally Posted by stepside454

I’m not sure why it takes 2 to hook the toad . I don’t it by myself in a few minutes .
Here’s the thing . If you like a truck & fifth wheel that’s what you should have . If you Like s MH , that’s what you should have .
The idea of trying to convince someone your way is better because that’s what you like & they should like it to is goofy.

For every point a person makes why 1 is better , I can make a point the other is better .