Questions for those who have owned both 5th Wheel and DP

[RKins]

Originally Posted by Donskiman

Conversely, how many have sold their DP in favor of getting a 5er?

We know a couple that had a 5er until 2014, bought a DP and just recently they were looking at new tires and batteries plus service costs and decided it was time to go back to a 5er. They bought a couple year old DRV Mobil Suites and couldn't be happier it seems.

[Ivylog]

Have owned every type of RV except Toy Hauler...gave up on 5ers before they were invented. A BIG DP is the nicest and probably the most expensive way to see the USA. Even as half timers (3months snowbirding) NO WAY would I go back to any type of trailer. Nothing to setup for a overnight, 7 days dry camping without cutting back on anything, and 750 mile days are a pleasure.

[Rocknxj]

We very recently bought a 39' DP and still need to sell our 5er. We are VERY happy we now have the DP. So much easier to set up, so much easier to stop for a night while traveling. Got a nice tow bar and it's minutes to hook and unhook the toad. Cost just is what it is, we'll see. You get more, more convenience, and it costs more. We're happy we did it.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Ivylog

...and 750 mile days are a pleasure.

Sorry, but 750 mile days are an ordeal, not a pleasure! If we do more than 300 miles in a day we're beat!

[RightUR]

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Sorry, but 750 mile days are an ordeal, not a pleasure! If we do more than 300 miles in a day we're beat!

Amen to that. I Max out at 400 or 480 miles (I do between 55-62 Mph. I'm not in a hurry. Hell, I'm retired. lol)

[flamebuster]

We switched from a mh. to a 5er and after 4 years went back to mh. They set up is easier and faster, way more stable when leveled, more cargo capacity, more comfortable for the family to sit in the mh. instead of a pickup, easier to back in parking spots, and longer fuel range, plus I can start the generator if I need too with out leaving the inside of the mh..
The mh. is taller by a foot so you may not clear that low tree branch the 5er went under with ease.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

We had a 5th wheel before our prior gas Bounder & now our DP Phaeton. Hands down, I feel set up/tear down is easier with a motorhome than our 5-r. For one, I don't have to stand out in the rain to deploy stabilizers. Also, if we boondock in a WalMart parking lot (or rest area or truck stop) we don't have to exit our drive vehicle to get into our bed. With a motorhome we can pull in, pull down the shades, lock the door & go to bed, all without stepping foot outside.Lori-

Well said Lori. X2.

[SuperGewl]

Well, I see allot of opinions here and most pointour allot of good and bad things.
Some things you do need to consider have been pointed out but maybe not all.
New 5ht wheels can be setup just as fast as a DP, remote control auto leveling and disconnect jacks
You already own your tow rig but if you go DP you will need a Toad. YOu might be able to use your current tow rig if it is flat towable and is not too heavy for the DP you get.
With a DP you now have to have have full auto(Motorhome with engine) insurance and now you will have 2 things that require Oil, transmission, power steering and brakes, so on and so forth.
A 5th wheel with tow vehicle maintenance cost is allot less.
Advantage of having a DP is the Navigator can get up and get the driver something to drink and they can use the restroom while going down the road. In the 5th wheel you either stop and let them out and go to the 5th wheel and then use the restroom or pull over at a rest area or McD's and let them go there.
DP advantage is when you get to where you are going if it was hot out your DP should already be cool because you were running the generator and the roof air, but with the 5th wheel you have to wait until you setup and hook up to shore power then start the AC's and wait a couple hours for the thing to cool down.
Oh yeah, with the DP you do have to get out and disconnect the Toad but if you have a pull thru you can still pull in, put the legs down, extend the slideouts and with to disconnect and hook up to shore power until after it stops poring down cats and dogs.
YOu should see where I'm going here. They both have there good sides and bad sides, so choose wisely, you are getting older and so is your Navigator.

[Trapper2022]

Motor home is easier to set up and gives a good ride if you go up to a DP. DP are way more expensive than maintenance on you PU. We had the 5th went to the DP and now are in a class c. We still travel and do not spend more than a month in any location. If we Were staying 3 to 6 months in one place then a few weeks other places I would go back to a 5th wheel. At your age, I feel your pain, you will not be doing much of the yearly maintenance or repairs on the DP. Ask me how I know. Hard to beat the lay out and space for the cost in a 5th. Take care


Enjoy the journey

[Spdracr39]

Both are doable without a lot of work but agree as stated above the MH is much easier. You pay for the convenience and to us it is worth it but we don't travel far (hopefully someday soon). We do stay 2 weeks at a time and live in the rv 50% of the time and the S & B the other 50%. When we are travelling the ability to just pull over and eat lunch and let the dogs out is awesome. No more finagling the trailer through a Pilot parking lot to grab a bite and go to the bathroom. Our 40' DP and the 38' Fifth Wheel have about the same interior space but the MH has more kitchen counter space and no steps up to the bathroom and bedroom. The 5'er had more "living room" space. MH wins hands down on storage. Layout of course is very important no matter which you choose but let me tell you I learned to hate going up and down those steps inside the 5'er.

[MSHappyCampers]

We pulled a 36' 5er for 10 years before getting the MH. We loved it, but back then we were still working and it was mostly weekends and a couple of weeks in the summer.

When we retired and wanted to do a lot of traveling around the country we very quickly decided that a MH would be a much better choice. We bought the 2002 Monaco Windsor 40', thinking it would give us about the same amount of living space as the 36' 5er. We love the convenience of going to the bathroom without stopping, eating lunch in a nice cool (or warm) kitchen, and stopping overnight at Wal-Mart with all the conveniences of home!

[winniman]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

We pulled a 36' 5er for 10 years before getting the MH. We loved it, but back then we were still working and it was mostly weekends and a couple of weeks in the summer.

When we retired and wanted to do a lot of traveling around the country we very quickly decided that a MH would be a much better choice. We bought the 2002 Monaco Windsor 40', thinking it would give us about the same amount of living space as the 36' 5er. We love the convenience of going to the bathroom without stopping, eating lunch in a nice cool (or warm) kitchen, and stopping overnight at Wal-Mart with all the conveniences of home!

Totally agree. If you are travelling a lot, the difference in comfort is night and day riding in a A class rv, compared to a pickup truck. There is no better way to travel. You sit eye level with the big rigs, and can see over all the other traffic, as well as bridge rails, and other obstructions that block the views. We put a lot of miles on the tow car as well. The savings driving the little car is substantial compared to using a one ton truck for a site seeing mobile. You cant take it with you. Enjoy it while you can.

[cdrprn]

After many years in a fifth wheel health problems caused us to trade it on a DP MH. True you have to tow a vehicle but to have everything just a switch flip away I don't think we could go back. But boy have the 5er's gotten nice these days.

[cdrprn]

We enjoyed a fifth wheel for many years until health problems made it too difficult for us, mainly the hitching and unhitching, and we sold it and bought a DP MH. It's been very nice and I don't think we will ever go back. But boy those new fifth wheel are NICE!