Best fiver for full timing

[Gerry R]

I would have figured this having been asked many times but I couldn't find anything. My girlfriend has decided to let her son and family move into her house because she no longer wants to deal with it and decided a medium sized 5er would fill the bill. What we want to know is what brands tend to be most trouble free for leakage, has good quality appliances as in furnace, ac, refer etc. It will probably never move but should be comfortable in weather to low twenties only occasionally with some winters only in high twenties. Of course this is a somewhat opinionated issue but what have you had good or bad luck with? She has a full 50amp RV hookup already on her property so is already for hookup. Thanks for the help.

 

[SeilerBird]

There is no data anywhere on the most trouble free RVs since trouble free and RVs don't belong in the same sentence. How well an RV holds up depends upon the abuse they receive during their lifetime. An RV is basically a house going down the road at 60 mph. All the shaking takes it's toll. The problem is that if they are built stronger then they are heavier, harder to tow and negatively affect gas mileage. Buy a new one, take real good care of it and it will last you a lifetime. If you buy used there is no way of determining just how abused the RV has been. Most of the RVs tent to use the same stoves, refers and other appliances.

 

[millartist]

I would not focus so much on brand but what options are available, you would want a enclosed underbelly tanks and so forth, heated storage bay. From there it is pretty much up to you like Seilerbird said the appliances are interchangeable

 

[donn]

Any of the upper priced ones will be about equal in quality.  Appliances are all the same no matter what price you pay.
Some of the better overall brands seem to be Arctic Fox, Cardinal, Cedar Creek and Montana.  But there are many others that offer decent quality in the 65-85K price point.

 

[Carl L]

It will probably never move but should be comfortable in weather to low twenties only occasionally with some winters only in high twenties

Trailers are meant to move.  They have batteries and 12VDC lighting and water pumps and furnace fans.  Their fridges are run by propane and 12V controllers.  The water pumps and furnaces use 12v also.  Propane is require for the fridge and the furnace.  They have on-board waste tanks that require special plumbing and operation.  (Blackwater tank problems are a standard topic on the forum.)


The RH value of trailer insulation is low compared to a stationary residence.  The window area is excessive for a hard winter. 


I suspect you do not really want a 5th wheel trailer, you want a Park Model trailer.    These units are designed for spotting on a permanent site and have the plumbing and insulation to match.  No holding tanks.  Their fridges are conventional fridges, not the outrageously pricey absorption fridges that RV trailer must use.  Insulation is better.  For some examples see:  http://www.parkmodelsdirect.com/    There are a raft of other mfrs and models.  Do a Google search on park model trailers.


All that said, you could buy a 5th wheel and simply hitch it up and head for Florida or Arizona on the first frost and return only when the other showbirds do. 

 

[bsosborne1]

After seeing a few and full timing myself the only thing to even consider is a NuWa. By far the best Ive ever seen. Everything is over built, they use residential type electrical with real panels, the frame is powder coat, the hydros for the slides are second to none. The landing gear is independent. I mean it goes on and on. If I knew when I purchased my camper what I know now, I would find a NuWa. I don't think they are making any new 5th wheels these days. I think they went to high end class A's. The one I fawn over is a 2003 model. I would rather have that than any of the new stuff.

My second pick would be a Cedar Creek. I have a friend that full times in a 99 that is still in great shape. They seem to have good build quality and they use good components

Absolutely stay away from Heartland. I've spent many hours fixing my buddies he full times in. They look nice but the build quality reminds of a 1970's single wide.

 

[vmyoung61]

I agree with Carl L.  Park trailers may be more what she should consider.  It would save a lot of headaches during the winter.

We full-time in a 2014 Montana.  We have been in it about 6 months and made it through some pretty cold weather.  We made it fine, but it's not easy.

 

[elliott-maine]

Redwood's are excellent for fulltiming.  But rather than select a brand, look for the floor plan that seems to be the one you want, and then select others that have similar floor plans, check the options, and pick the one you like.  Insulated basements, dual pane glass, and insulation should figure in your plans.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Like out here in Idaho I'll go out and hang out in the RV once in awhile during the winter. But its so cold the furnace tend to run excessively just to keep up with the cold temperatures outside. When your reaching just about 90-100*F difference between outside and inside with a thin wall of foam between you and outside its tough. RV's are not designed for that kind of serious cold.