Johno02
Lexington, TN USA
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Joined: 10/15/2004
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If you are on a budget, you can get a good, slightly used Class A as cheap as or cheaper than a 5iver with truck. We already had a toad, so the choice was obvious to us look at 06-09 models with 30k on them. If you can find one not through a dealer, you can do real good sometimes.
Noel and Betty Johnson
2005 GulfStream Ultra Supreme, 1 wife, 1 Poodle, 1 Greyhound(not rescue)
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oneolddog
Vancouver
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Joined: 11/29/2008
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I own a pick-up truck and drive it only when needed. It is not something I can hardly wait to jump back into. Personally if I had to travel in a pick-up around North America I'd find something else to do!
Adam
2009 Allegro Bus 36QSP (Sold March 2011)
Looking to buy something new.
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jim87vette
Arizona
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Joined: 07/25/2008
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Maybe one day for me and DW we would go with a class A DP.But we are not full timing yet?I still use my truck for hauling many other items/Building materials etc, so a big truck fits with my current lifestyle.And one other eason off the top of my head.A class A would be very difficult to get into many places that I boondock?I do however know one guy who takes his way off the beaten path(cant believe he does)lol?
08 GMC 3500 Dually Duramax
96 Chevy 2500 6.5
05 Yamaha Rhino
04 Gearbox 335FS 5er 14k wet
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Jarlaxle
New England
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Joined: 11/18/2006
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If not for how badly most trailers are built, I would have a large TT and not a bus.
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
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five'er
Canada
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Joined: 09/25/2006
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The only two advantages I experienced was that in a traffic jam my wife and daughter were able to goto the washroom and make lunch etc. and when you arrived at the site you really didn't need to get out of the seat to set up (except plugging in). There were some disadvantages (no toad). All being said.. I think if a person is doing a LOT of traveling and short stop overs it's the best choice. I do not understand however why a person would buy a huge 40' DP and just have all that chassis and engine just sit in a park all year and not turn a wheel.
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falconbrother
North Carolina
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Joined: 05/17/2004
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We had a travel trailer before the A. I like both. The upside to the travel trailer was, I thought, once you get to the campground and set it up it's comfortable with no wasted space. Also, if you have a flat out on the road on the tow vehicle or the trailer you can change it out yourself and keep rolling. Repairs are generally cheaper on a tow vehicle than on an A. In my RV the front seat area is kinda wasted while camping. We spin the passenger seat around, put a dog bed in it, and our little pug sleeps there. So, not really wasted from a dogs point of view.
The A is way better while moving down the road. Pulling a toad feels safer than towing a trailer. You have the full use of everything on board while your traveling and dry camping is easier, in my view. The gas usage is the same or better with the A because the toad sips gas. So, on average we spend less on gas while camping, the way we do it. We will spend a month at the beach in February. We drive the RV there and back home. The toad does all the driving for the rest of the month.
If not for my wife's health issues and the fact that it's more comfortable for her to have the use of the house while on the road, I'd strongly consider a TT or a 5er. But, as it is, we will either have an A or a C till we give up altogether. The A is what we lucked into. It's the best option for long drives.
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willald
NC
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Joined: 07/15/2002
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...In the interest of showing the 'other' side of the coin, and the reason why many don't go the class A route right away, and some many never go that route:
1. Class As (and really MHs in general) provide a safe seat for travelling for exactly two people, the driver and passenger. Everyone else is relegated to sitting on sofas or dinette, where they have nowhere near the safety they'd have in a truck/tow vehicle. No airbags, no steel cage around them, no head restraints usually, none of the safety they'd have in a truck or other tow vehicle. For those with more than just 2 passengers and are concerned about safety, this is a concern. A big enough concern that causes some people to never go the class A route, until their children are no longer traveling with them.
2. Up until just the last few years, MHs in general only sleep 2 comfortably. Everyone else is relegated to sleeping on couches or dinettes that have to be made/unmade every day. Towable RVs provide many units that have bunkhouses, something MHs only recently started offering, and even now, they only offer 2 'hallway' bunks at most. This is a concern for those that have children or other adults traveling with them.
3. When you do a true, apples to apples comparison of a MH vs towable RV (whether that be a 5er or TT), in terms of bang for buck, the towable RV almost ALWAYS wins, hands down. MHs cost a LOT more initially, and usually cost a ton more to maintain as well. Not everyone wants to sink six figures of $$ into a depreciating asset that only gets used a few months of the year in most cases.
4. With a towable RV and tow vehicle, the tow vehicle can be used as an extra vehicle for everyday use for the other 8 or 9 months of the year when you're not using the RV. A MH can only be used for camping, thats it. Nobody is going to drive one to work, or to the store when they need something.
...All that said, I am one thats been camping with a truck and TT for many years, but have decided that in spite of all of the above facts, we want to move up to a Class A for all the good thing it provides (and am now in the market for a gasser class A, have pretty much decided it will be a Georgetown 351DS).
Like with so many other things, there is no one size that fits all.
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2012 FR Georgetown 351DS on F53 (V10) Chassis ("No Taxpayers were harmed by the makers of this MH's chassis")
Our Rig
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2gypsies
You're Not Goin' Find Us!
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Joined: 04/02/2003
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We full-timed in a 33' 5th wheel for 8 happy years. However, we definitely did not enjoy driving the diesel truck around town and siteseeing. Friends of ours got us into Jeeping and it was time for a RV change anyway so we bought our 40' Newmar motorhome and our Jeep and have been extremely happy with both for the past 8 years of continued full-timing. The 5th wheel suited us at the time as far as livability and floorplan. We now love the roominess, huge storage bays, diesel for power in the mountains but without hearing the noise because it's in the rear, the big windshield gives us magnificient views and the ease of pulling into a campsite and "we're there" - especially for quick overnights. Hope this helps.
Full-Timers for 16 years
2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star Diesel Pusher
2004 Jeep Liberty
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Trap
Alberta
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Joined: 11/10/2005
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So far all we had are TT's and a 5'er, have always needed a truck so the trailer's we;re a given. When we retire and go full time in 2 years it will be with a Class A, for ease of travel and setup, but mainly that we can tow a small Jeep Liberty for a daily driver and sight seeing, Large dually trucks are a pain for everyday use, expecially when going places you have to find a parking spot. That plus DW hates having to drive the truck anywhere in town.
Trap
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RicJones
So. Cal.
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Joined: 10/29/2007
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What is it with the 5er that you have a problem with that makes you think you would like a MH better?
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