Community Forums

Kodapop · 10-30-2020, 05:15 PM

I'm in MD and am looking for the biggest selection of 5th wheels. Seems that every little dealer has one or two brands and that's it. I'm familiar with Couch's RV Nation in Ohio but they don't have much in stock right now. Anyone familiar with other dealers of that size? Preferably within 10 hours of MD. I don't mind driving if it'll save me thousands of dollars.

Topperace · 10-30-2020, 05:57 PM

Bill Plemmons RV - Winston-Salem, NC - about 5.5 hrs from National Harbor MD area where we live. We were going to buy a Grand Design 5vr from Plemmons due to their maintenance package...but on our way down, we dropped by the RV show going on in Timonium and stumbled upon a new 2019 Jayco NP 383FKWS that CHESACO was selling at a couldn't beat price... so we went with the the 383FKWS.... would not recommend any Camping World dealer at all, and Chesaco is fairly small even though they have four dealers in the MD and PA areas.

https://www.billplemmonsrv.com

1st-tt2018 · 10-31-2020, 05:43 AM

Keystone in PA, General RV in VA, but we got a great price and service from beckleys in thurmont md.

If selection is what you are after, i would go to PA and Va, narrow it down, and then do the internet deep dive, especially if you want new with all the personalized options, you will have better luck ordering from the manufacturer

NevadaNick · 10-31-2020, 06:56 AM

Inventory is low everywhere.

Kodapop · 10-31-2020, 08:05 AM

I like the Cardinals, from what I've read they are pretty solid units (relatively speaking as we all know no brand is built as well as they should be). But the Arctic Cat has my eye now too. I can't find either anywhere else.

Any ideas how Couch's can have such lower prices than everyone else?

chunker · 10-31-2020, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodapop

I like the Cardinals, from what I've read they are pretty solid units (relatively speaking as we all know no brand is built as well as they should be). But the Arctic Cat has my eye now too. I can't find either anywhere else.

Any ideas how Couch's can have such lower prices than everyone else?

Do mean Arctic Fox? I thought Arctic Cat was a snow machine. Yes AF are better built and heavier. Go to the Northwood site for specifics on their models.

EDIT don't get sidetracked by an Arctic WOLF with is a Jayco product and no comparison in quality to the Northwood Arctic FOX.

Kodapop · 10-31-2020, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunker

Do mean Arctic Fox? I thought Arctic Cat was a snow machine. Yes AF are better built and heavier. Go to the Northwood site for specifics on their models.

EDIT don't get sidetracked by an Arctic WOLF with is a Jayco product and no comparison in quality to the Northwood Arctic FOX.

I meant Wolf!
Whoops

So no good..

**hamm2018** · 10-31-2020, 08:13 PM

I know one place where the inventory is NOT low. That is in Goshen and Elkhart at the transport companies holding areas.
We were there at the end of June and these lots did have low inventory sitting there. Well we just spent the week there again having Morryde do some work for us. We had to stay in a motel for 3 nights waiting on the upgrade to be finished.
So what do you do in Goshen/Elkhart while waiting on your rig to be finished?
Yup drive around, the number of new rigs sitting there waiting for transport was about 5 to 10 times the number as in June. I talked to a transport driver and he said you only have to run 1 trip a month to stay employed for them, and they do not force you to take any trip. This guy and another was leaving Goshen heading to Dallas taking 2 5th wheels down, they left Friday morning, then he said they will be back after they have a rig to return for repairs at a factory. He said he will not dead head back after a long run.
Then the new ones sitting at factories waiting on transport companies to pick up and take to the holding lots. One of the manufacturers had them sitting in the grass waiting for pick up.
Don't get me wrong, they are transporting these things daily, you go up there and you will see trucks leaving the area heading to points all over. But I think the issue is the number of drivers and the trips they want to run.

tuffr2 · 10-31-2020, 09:01 PM

I looked at Arctic Fox 3 times. Once in Pennsylvania and twice in Ohio just east of Cincinnati about 30 - 40 miles. I was not impressed as the new RV's had a lot of rust on the frames.

If you want to see just about all the RV's being built you need to plan a trip to the Tampa RV Show in January. Plan to spend 2 or 3 days.

Kodapop · 10-31-2020, 09:13 PM

Thanks for all the info!

Hemisphere by Forest River, is that any better than the Arctic Wolf?
A brief interweb cruise showed good reviews.

chunker · 11-01-2020, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kodapop

I meant Wolf!
Whoops

So no good..

Not necessarily no good, just not the same quality. Reference a comment about frame rust, just about any RV that's final built and transported in the winter moths will have frame rust due to the road salts. A recent wet storm will make it worse. Frame prep quality does need to improve on all the RVs.