5th wheel or Diesel pusher

[Billieg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billieg We have a class A and love it but the downside is you have to tow a toad and if the DP breaks down you don't have a home. $135 a night hotel rooms and $120 an hour repair bills can add up quick. It also costs much, much more to keep a DP and fix it. If you have a rear radiator and need work done on the motor it costs $700 to just remove the radiator before you start repairs. Electrical systems, jacks and air bag systems can make you go broke. A new set of tires will set you back $3500 - $4500. Just compare an oil change from a DP to a Ford 7.3 dually and you will have enough money left over to spend a week in a nice campground. 8 mpg in a DP compared to 12 -14 in a PU. I would like to have a nice 40' DP but I know I can't afford it. We are heading home in our class A to buy a good used diesel dually PU and 5th wheel so we can enjoy the road instead of sitting in repair shops watching the mickananitcs take our $$.....

Update:
We sold the MH and got our 5th and dually. It's been 2 months of traveling and so far so good. The 5th is a little more to set up and break down but not enough to make a big difference. The only problem we have had with the 5th was the fresh water back pressure valve broke which could happen to any RV and a $14 fix.

The truck since it was used had all the fluids and filters changed. The brake, trans, coolant and power steering. Total cost was $586. When I had the MH done with the same service it was around $1,200

The trucks A/C stopped working on the road and I just took it to the local Ford dealer and they gave me a ride back to the 5th. A day later they delivered it to my door fixed with a new clutch. No waiting around the dealership, no getting a taxi and a motel room, it was nice.

So to sum it up, we are enjoying the 5th (a lot more room too) and don't miss the high cost of the MH. We are getting 12.2 mpg compare to the 6.4 we were getting with the MH. That is double the millage. We do miss the convenience of having the bathroom whenever we want it and the auto jacks for leveling but for now it suits us well and we can go further and enjoy it more without worrying so much about the cost.