MH to 5th Wheel

[bbeane]

We have about decided to just keep the old Foretravel as long as we plan on traveling, DW does not like sitting in a PU long distance, and I don't like all the set up with a FW, especally in foul weather. I guess there is no purfect RV all have advantages, and disadvantages

[rvjimmy]

Had both and liked both but, I like the ease in traveling in the MH to me it is better. I love the way it drives and the ease of set-up. 5 minutes to unhook the car,then back in, run jacks down, out with slides,Out with awning, done, happy hour. That's JMHO but each to their own, I guess if you are going to park more than travel 5'er would be best, at this point I like to travel.

[smiller]

Originally Posted by MRBB

Went from a Class A to a 5th wheel. No going back. Lot's more room, cheaper to buy and maintain and you have a vehicle to drive without towing anything extra. Break down and you can stay at "home" while the tow vehicle gets fixed. No motel rooms, packing up and living at the dealership. 12 MPG and under $50,000 invested. $85 oil changes, $220 tires and did I say 12 MPG? To each his own but for me it's a 5th wheel.

This pretty much says it all.

The only really meaningful difference I can see is the ability to move about while underway, but this means different things to different people. I do all the driving so I can't move around in any event, and my wife doesn't really care either way so there really isn't much to justify the additional purchase, maintenance, and fuel costs. In terms of towing, you're towing something either way (trailer or toad), and at least with a 5th wheel you can back up without first having to disconnect a toad. As was said, if someone wants to buy me a 40' DP with a full service contract and a Lexus toad then maybe (although there is still the issue of 40% worse fuel mileage), but otherwise I find it hard to justify the expense.

[ahicks]

Originally Posted by smiller

This pretty much says it all.

The only really meaningful difference I can see is the ability to move about while underway, but this means different things to different people. I do all the driving so I can't move around in any event, and my wife doesn't really care either way so there really isn't much to justify the additional purchase, maintenance, and fuel costs. In terms of towing, you're towing something either way (trailer or toad), and at least with a 5th wheel you can back up without first having to disconnect a toad. As was said, if someone wants to buy me a 40' DP with a full service contract and a Lexus toad then maybe (although there is still the issue of 40% worse fuel mileage), but otherwise I find it hard to justify the expense.

We looked at this pretty carefully going into the choices we made. If looking at the entire picture (not just while towing on the road), I don't think the "40% worse fuel milage" is a very fair statement unless you never disconnect the 5er for sight seeing/errands when on trips and the tow vehicle were never pressed into daily driver service at home. If you did either, you would have to start accounting for the MUCH HIGHER milage achieved by the MH/toad combo while sightseeing/running around on the road, and in use as a daily driver when not on the road? All of us are different, but to be fair, if somebody's DP/toad combo were much worse than a 5er's when it comes to fuel costs, I'd be pretty surprised. Ours personally, works out pretty favorably, but that's us.

[smiller]

I was counting over-the-road mileage while hooked up because I think that's the most meaningful. The items you bring up certainly can be a factor depending on individual circumstances (which is why it's so hard to make general recommendations in these threads), but in my case I use the truck mostly for towing so mileage is not really a factor when not using the RV, and on excursions during trips I get about 20-22 mpg empty. Another vehicle might get 25-30 but it would take a lot of miles of disconnected sightseeing to pay for 7-8 mpg vs. 12-13 when I'm on the road. The latter is expensive enough and I just wouldn't want to deal with even higher fuel bills unless there is a big justifying payoff, and for me there just isn't. But everyone's mileage may vary of course (sorry, bad pun...)

[MRBB]

Originally Posted by ahicks

We looked at this pretty carefully going into the choices we made. If looking at the entire picture (not just while towing on the road), I don't think the "40% worse fuel milage" is a very fair statement unless you never disconnect the 5er for sight seeing/errands when on trips and the tow vehicle were never pressed into daily driver service at home. If you did either, you would have to start accounting for the MUCH HIGHER milage achieved by the MH/toad combo while sightseeing/running around on the road, and in use as a daily driver when not on the road? All of us are different, but to be fair, if somebody's DP/toad combo were much worse than a 5er's when it comes to fuel costs, I'd be pretty surprised. Ours personally, works out pretty favorably, but that's us.

I guess it's the way you RV. If you drive 500 miles and sit for a month using your toad then you may have a point but most of us travel to see the world and drive 500 miles and stay for a few days and go another 500 miles.

My F-350 dually/diesel gets 12 mpg towing and 17 - 20 unhooked so the few miles I put on it while we are camped doesn't make that big a difference. My old MH got 6.4 mpg and most MH's get 6 -8 mpg so if you travel it can really add up. Getting 40 - 50% less mpg on the road may mean a lot less miles traveled and a lot less to see.

Last year we took the MH on a trip which was to be 8 months and 12,000 miles. After 6,000 miles and just 4 months we were out of budget ($) and had to go home. Had we been getting the 12 mpg we get now with the 5th we could have finished the trip.

[historyljc]

Originally Posted by macnkat

We went from a TT to the Class A and primarily it was because of the comfort WHILE traveling. We much prefer the ability to move around while driving.

Gee, I hope not!!

[ahicks]

Originally Posted by MRBB

I guess it's the way you RV. If you drive 500 miles and sit for a month using your toad then you may have a point but most of us travel to see the world and drive 500 miles and stay for a few days and go another 500 miles.

My F-350 dually/diesel gets 12 mpg towing and 17 - 20 unhooked so the few miles I put on it while we are camped doesn't make that big a difference. My old MH got 6.4 mpg and most MH's get 6 -8 mpg so if you travel it can really add up. Getting 40 - 50% less mpg on the road may mean a lot less miles traveled and a lot less to see.

Last year we took the MH on a trip which was to be 8 months and 12,000 miles. After 6,000 miles and just 4 months we were out of budget ($) and had to go home. Had we been getting the 12 mpg we get now with the 5th we could have finished the trip.

Are you accounting for the mpg/mileage put on the truck when you're at home as a daily driver? When at home, would you even have to deal with something the size of a dually in traffic or parking lot scenarios if you didn't have a 5er? That's another thing I struggled with. I have no use for something like that otherwise. If I needed it for work or something, that would be different.

We don't stay for a month, seldom do we even stay for a full week? Our trips, to date anyway, have us putting nearly as many miles on the toad "seeing the world"/touring the areas surounding where we are staying, as we do on the MH - while getting 24+ mpg. The fact we are able to get this kind of milage, and the fact the car is so easy to drive anywhere (especially strange towns/metro areas), actually provide quite an incentive for us to get up off our butts and go explore. We enjoy using the toad to tour so much it's also a factor in picking out our destinations? We'll pick them favoring a place with many things to see/do in the area, actally making campground selection much easier as the "amenities" there are far less important. We can go for just the basics if necessary. Goes without saying that can keep expenses down as well. We don't necessarily have to stay that close to any attractions. We can commute pretty easily.

The MH (a DP) doesn't get 12 mpg like your truck. We plan (conservatively) on something a mile to the gallon either side of 8 mpg - but that's occuring only while moving between destinations. Not at home, and not when we get there?

That's how we looked at it, and that doesn't factor in a lot of the conveniences commonly associated with motorhome travel. FWIW, -Al

[smiller]

Originally Posted by ahicks

Our trips, to date anyway, have us putting nearly as many miles on the toad "seeing the world"/touring the areas surounding where we are staying, as we do on the MH - while getting 24+ mpg.

Except that I get 21-22 mpg (hwy, about 19 city) in my Dodge 2500 CTD, so not really much of a mileage penalty vs. most toads. If someone was towing a 30+ mpg econobox then that difference would increase, if you want to sightsee in a 30+ mpg econobox that is. But I certainly will agree that there are more pleasant vehicles to sightsee in than a diesel pickup truck, but really, it's not that much of a burden and just a whole lot less expensive overall (for me anyway.)

[1ciderdog]

I've had both 5th wheels and motor homes. One of the things that kind of concerned me was if the need ever came up to leave a "bad" place you can drive out with a motor home but with a trailer you have to get out and walk outside to get to the drivers seat. Maybe I'm paranoiac?
Safe Travels
Bob

[ghoststories]

We love the MH due to the safety factor of never having to go outside when and if you need to leave in a hurry.

[Davdeb1]

I never considered the fw vs the MH. We bought a used 40 ft DP for less than the numbers everyone is throwing around here.
Bringing it back from Tucson, one thing that astounded us. The view! Need I say more?

[Ann n Gene]

Beg to differ but there is a large difference in a diesel pickup burning $3.80 diesel and a toad buying $3.45 gas. In addition to the mileage difference you have to figure in the difference in the price of fuel and sometimes it is much greater than what I have listed. Bottom line, each has to make his own decisions but I am skeptical that total fuel costs will be a big difference if we are all honest with ourselves. A bigger difference is in our lifestyles and what we really like to use and have. I do not have or need a pickup any more except an old farm diesel pickup that costs to much to drive so for me a toad that gets above 25 mpg makes sense, besides I have had both and vastly prefer the motorhome. So, for us the motorhome is by far the best choice but for others the 5er is the better choice. All your decision, and just my opinion.

[Traps90]

I sure would like to see 12 mpg pulling my fifth wheel. Also to consider if you do alot of touriing around when you get to your destination is that not only is Diesel more expensive, but so is servicing a 1-ton diesel truck vs a smaller toad.

We have a 5'er now, but when we get ready to seriously hit the road in another 20 months it will be in a Class A pulling a Jeep Liberty.

Pros and cons to both sides of this, the only thing is to get what works for you and to enjoy it. Both will do the job, it;s just what works for you.
Cause either way it's gonna cost money.


Trap

But then so does living in a Stix and Bricks.