Advice on Full-Time Conversion?

[Cecil Turtle]

I am wondering what advice you folks might have for someone considering purchasing a 5th wheel to live in since you are familiar with the lifestyle. I have never owned a travel trailer. I have been renting a 1 bedroom apartment and I really find it is larger than what I need as I am a single male 30 years old. The apartments in the area where I live aren't great and are pricy in my opinion to get one in a decent liveable are. I think it will be more cost efficient for me to purchase a good used 5th wheel with slides and live in it rather than go buy all the furniture to furnish this apartment. I am thinking the camper note plus RV park fees will not exceed the cost to rent this apartment and a 5th wheel will probably better suit what I need in addition to it already being furnished. I do currently have the money for a decent down-payment on a travel trailer. I am thinking a travel trailer will better suit my needs rather than a mobile home because I do not need something that large, this will be more portable, & if I decide to do something different later I can always sell the travel trailer. I will not be towing the RV, it will remain in one place. What are some things I should consider, look out for, etc when considering full-time living in a travel trailer? What are any maintenance issues I need to be aware of? What ammenities should I look for in a travel trailer & what issues will there be as far as sewage hook-ups, etc. Any advice in this area will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Jon

[Cecil Turtle]

I am wondering what advice you folks might have for someone considering purchasing a 5th wheel to live in since you are familiar with the lifestyle. I have never owned a travel trailer. I have been renting a 1 bedroom apartment and I really find it is larger than what I need as I am a single male 30 years old. The apartments in the area where I live aren't great and are pricy in my opinion to get one in a decent liveable are. I think it will be more cost efficient for me to purchase a good used 5th wheel with slides and live in it rather than go buy all the furniture to furnish this apartment. I am thinking the camper note plus RV park fees will not exceed the cost to rent this apartment and a 5th wheel will probably better suit what I need in addition to it already being furnished. I do currently have the money for a decent down-payment on a travel trailer. I am thinking a travel trailer will better suit my needs rather than a mobile home because I do not need something that large, this will be more portable, & if I decide to do something different later I can always sell the travel trailer. I will not be towing the RV, it will remain in one place. What are some things I should consider, look out for, etc when considering full-time living in a travel trailer? What are any maintenance issues I need to be aware of? What ammenities should I look for in a travel trailer & what issues will there be as far as sewage hook-ups, etc. Any advice in this area will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Jon

[MtManLee]

Look for what will make you happy and comfortable. Most amenities are the same. But there are a few variances.

[jperry29]

Cecil,

You do not say where you are. If you live in an area that has harsh winters, then you are at least talking about a very high end unit. But more than likely there won't be a 5er or Travel Trailer that will be comfortable.

If you live in an area where campgrounds have what are called "park models" then this may be an option if you are in cold country.

But let's say you live in a mild enough climate for year-around RV living. Then you only need consider the livability, as you define it. A 5er, on average, has more living space and storage. If the CG you live in offers storage space, then this may not be a worry. But if you want to store everything you own within reach, travel trailers may require you to own very little, a 5er will give you marginally more.

Most people do not have to think about this but,,, If you are tall, then a 5er usually has the highest ceilings. Being tall or large can be challenging in a TT. Showering and using the throne may prove to be tough. On the other hand, if you can comfortably fit in a TT, then this opens the door to picking up a nice Airstream, which tend to hold value better than most rigs.

So these are just a couple of ideas to get you thinking about looking at things that are specific to your needs.

[cameo23]

I did what you are thinking of doing. I bought
my fifth wheel a year ago and live in it full time, don't even have a truck to pull it. Its
worked out great for me but I live in a mild
climate for winter, don't have to worry about
freezing temps. It does get cold but as long as
I have propane my furnace keeps me toasty warm.
Summers are extremely hot and sometimes the ac
can't keep up but we make do. My decision was
based on apts price too. A nice apt in a nice
neighborhood would be half my monthly income.
Now, in my fifth wheel I can pay all my bills
on just over half my income and have money to
spare. It made a huge difference in my life.
I got rid of all my stuff, it was junk anyway,
gave it to the goodwill and only kept what I
needed kitchenwise for cooking. My fifth is a
29 ftr and has more than enough room for me,
and two small dogs. I park in a retirement
community with the snowbirds and feel completely
safe. There are lots of park models here too,
and for seasonal extra stuff I have a small shed
to store it in.
When you start shopping for your rig, make sure
you can stand in the shower, sit on the toilet,
lay in the bed and sit up comfortably. I also
find the ones with slides give you more of a
comfort zone. If I had to move it, I won't have
any problem finding someone to help me, the guy
I bought from would do that for me or a few of
my friends also have fifth wheels. Some day I plan to have a truck to tow it.
Maintenancewise, there IS things you have to
keep an eye on and do. In the summer I have to
really maintain my batteries as the summer heat
tends to cause them to go dry. Its just an every
saturday morning routine to check the cells. My
black tank fills up every two weeks so thats routine
too, I open the valve and flush the system.
I really recommend reading lots of old posts
about peoples problems that occur and how to
fix it. That can be quite helpful in my opinion.