Any 5th wheel owners going to Peterborough show? (1 Viewer)

nozzmoking

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Hi All,

I've booked 2 nights at the Holiday Inn (don't laugh!) adjacent to the showground, as I'm hoping to come away as an owner of a 5th wheel rig. Was just wondering if any 5th wheelers might be there, as I'd love to have a chat and pick your brains a little before taking the plunge. I'll be there Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. Would like to get some 'proper' advice, before listening to the dealers. :Smile:

Cheers

Paul
 

robrobc

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Hi Paul

No sorry we will not be there, we shall be in Devon in our Fifth Wheel :thumb::thumb:::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

Hope you get what you want at the show, also you may want to ask some questions on here as well.

Rob
 

Geo

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Nige and Pam, Sundownwers I think will be there, dont know if he will have his 5ver with him or his holiday cottage on wheels:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: (demountable)and 4x4
make sure you pop in and find us all:thumb:
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Sundowners

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Yes, we do plan to have the 5er, at the moment we are waiting for wheel bearings for it, we have a new brake drum/hub and the bearings got lost in transit.
You are more than welcome to come in for a chat, but we may just confuse you:ROFLMAO::cry: Most seem to be going for the "smaller" units with a Jap. pick-up, we have a very old one with a Dodge Ram Cummins.
See you at Peterborough???
Nigel & Pamala:cry:
 

algill

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We are going to the show on the Sunday as we are working on Saturday, not taking the fifth wheel I'm afraid. :Sad:

As already has been said, we are happy to help with any questions you have if you want to ask away on here.

Al & Gill
 
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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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Thanks for all your replies! :thumb:

These are the types of questions I'm struggling to find answers for:

I've got my heart set on a Dodge Ram 2500 + 30-33' US trailer. I spoke to a dealer a couple of weeks back who insisted diesel was the only way forward, due to economy & extra torque. Last week I had a chat with a guy who owns a hot-rod shop, and owns a diesel Ram, and he said would he to choose again, he'd go for petrol/LPG anytime. Personally, at first I wasn't too bothered either way, but on hearing conflicting reports I'm not sure anymore. (I'm a sucker for the sound of a V8 though!). I suppose it's a bit of a tough question though, one man's meat etc.

Another thing I'm struggling with is size of trailer. I still have my class 1 licence from a previous existence, so am not phased by the size of the overall unit however, I'm at a disadvantage, as I haven't a clue what the average site's like, for getting in and out of, access lanes etc. I should say here that our plans are to try and get some long weekends away here in the UK, with maybe a trip cross-channel to Amsterdam or somewhere. Then further afield into Europe as time permits.

I just can't figure out what maximum length trailer I should be looking at. Yes, I'd love to go for some 38' 4 slideout monster, (as there are some bargains around), however I realise that I'd be severely limited to the sites I could use. I've been thinking 31' as a realistic length but have also seen, (online), a couple of slighly longer ones around the 33/35' length. Would this length of trailer be just too long for accessing many sites? Does anyone here tour the UK/Europe in a similar size trailer? I'm guessing add another 10' for the truck so around 43/45' overall length. Is this doable for touring?

I've got both the Big Pitch guides so I'm sure some sites would be ok, just not sure about the majority.

Hope to catch up with you all at the show.

Cheers

Paul

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robrobc

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HI Nozzmoking

Wow !! A few questions there to be getting on with.

Diesel versus Petrol?
Well it is down to the taste/preference of the individual, I ended up with a Ford F250 Diesel purely due to other circumstances (age of the truck, condition, mileage, toys on board etc) since the economy calculations are IMHO irrelevant in so far as the economy of a vehicle would not prevent me from going on holiday. Towing my Rockwood I am getting 15.8 mpg US which is about 17.5 mpg UK. I do not think there is much difference between that and petrol/lpg, or a fully laden Navarra come to think of it ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

The overall length of your choice of unit is up to you, we chose one at 30.5 feet purely because it meant that we could get access to most if not all the sites, and site types we want to both here and abroad.

I think your guess on overall length is maybe a little optimistic, that will depend on the type of truck you purchase, i.e. Crew Cab, King Cab, Supercab, Regular/Work Cab. Our Crew Cab F250 with the Rockwood Trailer comes out at 44ft, so I am guessing that a 33/25 ft combination would be a little longer. This would be shorter if it were different cab arrangement, Supercab or Work Cab.

Hope that helps


Rob
 
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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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Hi Rob

Many thanks for the comprehensive reply.

Wow !! A few questions there to be getting on with.

Yeah, sorry about that. Got carried away a bit! ::bigsmile:

The overall length of your choice of unit is up to you, we chose one at 30.5 feet purely because it meant that we could get access to most if not all the sites, and site types we want to both here and abroad.

Can I ask how you've found things so far, with regards to accessing sites etc. in your rig, has it been straightforward? Would you say the 30.5 feet trailer is an ideal length for touring the UK? I've read here on the forums of site wardens turning away large rigs, and wondered if you'd ever experienced this?

Thanks again for your help.

Regards

Paul
 

algill

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Hi Nozzmoking

Our 5er is 27.5 ft and we pull it with a diesel Mitsubishi L200. We have no problems with this but if we had a bigger 5er or wanted to tow long distance we would think about an American truck. Our preference would be the Dodge Ram - mainly because that's what we've used to pull 5ers with in Canada. At the moment the L200 is used mainly for work purposes therefore economy is important.

The length of our 5er has not caused any problems with sites we have used. We do however check things out beforehand to make sure. When we were looking for a seasonal pitch some sites turned us down - didn't want such a large rig (probably about 3 sites in 10). We also take time to plan where we're going to travel and avoid any narrow lanes. :Doh:

Sorry don't know how long we are in total. Not taken that measurement but will do next time we are hitched up. :Smile:

Al

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robrobc

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Hi Rob
Many thanks for the comprehensive reply.

Yeah, sorry about that. Got carried away a bit! ::bigsmile:

Can I ask how you've found things so far, with regards to accessing sites etc. in your rig, has it been straightforward? Would you say the 30.5 feet trailer is an ideal length for touring the UK? I've read here on the forums of site wardens turning away large rigs, and wondered if you'd ever experienced this?

Thanks again for your help.

Regards

Paul

Hi Paul
I have found accessing sites to be pretty straightforward, most of the sites are geared for large motorhomes so they are OK with 5'ers at this sort of length. Anything up to around 32 feet or so seems to be OK for touring the UK, but as ever I think the one of the key determinants is the type of roads that you travel to get to the site, some are really quite narrow and that does lead to some exciting moments, but I have not been in a "give up" situation ever.

I have no experience of being turned away, but then again, in all the literature I seem to read about sites it recommends telephoning in advance, ideally when booking, to check that the site will accept a rig that size. I always do/have done this as a matter of courtesy. I have yet to have a problem. Quite the reverse as most Wardens understand and appreciate the call and will do their best to make your stay hassle free.

I hope that helps, anything else you need to know don't hesitate to ask.

Rob
 
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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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Hi Al

Many thanks for your helpful reply. It certainly sounds as though I'm worrying too much, so I'm glad to hear some real life feedback.

Thanks again

Paul
 
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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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Hi Rob,

Thanks mate, you've been a diamond. I have a much clearer picture of things now. It's a nervous time, but I suppose it's all something we have to go through. I'll be glad when it's all done and dusted, as there'll be no going back then. Just want to get it right the first time, hence the newbie questions.

Thanks again Rob.

Regards

Paul

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Yetties

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RE:- Overall length

Hi

We took our 5er to Germany last july so had to measure it for the ferry

Ours is a 24ft Ameri-lite and we pull it with a Navara double cab when we measured it bumper to bumper it was 11 metres give or take a couple of inches hope this helps you

Neil
 

robrobc

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Hi Rob,

Thanks mate, you've been a diamond. I have a much clearer picture of things now. It's a nervous time, but I suppose it's all something we have to go through. I'll be glad when it's all done and dusted, as there'll be no going back then. Just want to get it right the first time, hence the newbie questions.

Thanks again Rob.

Regards

Paul

Paul

You are very welcome, it is great to be able to give something back to others on this site. I totally understand the questions, I was exactly the same (some would say I still am:ROFLMAO:)

Getting it right is not as difficult as it first seems, but I would consider the following as you go through the selection process.

1. Is this likely to be your first and last 5'er purchase?, if not, you may want to try and future proof your pick up purchase as often people tend to "up-size" and not "downsize". This inevitably means more weight to tow. A US pick up will tow more weight than a Euro pick up, so you could save you money in the long run by not having to replace it later when that new 5'er beckons ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

2. What are you going to do with your 5'er? Seems simple but it is horses for courses...UK touring?, European Touring?, Full Timing?, Each will have a slightly different emphasis in respect of length and width and height and also layout.

Above all else I would recommend going to as many shows and dealers as possible and have a look at all the permutations as there is no substitute for hands on IMHO.

If I can help further you know where to find me ::bigsmile: (under my awning with a glass of wine ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:)

Regards


Rob
 

Sundowners

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We had not decided whether to go for an 'A' Class or a fifth wheel, then an old fifth wheel turned up for sale at a realistic price. We thought we would give it a try and knew that if we were swayed towards an 'A'class we hadn't invested a huge amount of money and would probably get our money back.

We have now owned the 5ver for 2.5 years and have been fulltiming in her since last June.
It's 32' long and we were not sure if this would be too small, especially for fulltiming. We needn't have worried, we are more than happy with the size and know that we could survive in something a little smaller.

But looking at the layout of the 28', we know that they are not suitable. Another big thing is the storage.

We have realised now that the 5ver is the way forward for us not an 'A' class and are now planning to buy a new one, but it must be the same layout as our present one. We also like the idea of having the Dodge to use whilst parked. We only have the one lot of tax
etc.

At the show at Newark we had a look at the ones from Calder Leisure as a lot of people were saying how nice they were. They are nice, but we realised that are not suitable for fulltiming as there isn't enough storage (for us anyway). Not that we want to carry excess but you still need some comforts.

If we were to change anything on the tow vehicle, we would not have the dually. The one we have was the only one available at the price we could afford at the time. Having said that it has not stopped us going anywhere. BUT a single rear wheel would be too light for our truck camper and we do love it.

You must come and see us at Peterborough and our OLD but comfortable 5ver, it is home to us and we enjoy every minute of it.

You'll find us beneath the black Dodge Flag and it may have a Landrover flag on it as well, and if we can get one soon enough from Jim, a MHFun Pennant.

Nigel and Pamala

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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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1. Is this likely to be your first and last 5'er purchase?, if not, you may want to try and future proof your pick up purchase as often people tend to "up-size" and not "downsize". This inevitably means more weight to tow. A US pick up will tow more weight than a Euro pick up, so you could save you money in the long run by not having to replace it later when that new 5'er beckons

Hi Rob,

You've hit the nail on the head with this, as it's exactly what I've been scratching my head about the most. For instance, I've recently seen a 4 slideout 38' beast for sale. Now I know if I bought this I'd probably find it such a hassle gettting around, I'd eventually have to downsize to something more practical. I'm now thinking 31/32' with maybe 33' as a maximum 'sensible' size, for touring.

If we ever meet up, the drinks are on me!

Cheers

Paul
 
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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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We had not decided whether to go for an 'A' Class or a fifth wheel, then an old fifth wheel turned up for sale at a realistic price. We thought we would give it a try and knew that if we were swayed towards an 'A'class we hadn't invested a huge amount of money and would probably get our money back.

We have now owned the 5ver for 2.5 years and have been fulltiming in her since last June.
It's 32' long and we were not sure if this would be too small, especially for fulltiming. We needn't have worried, we are more than happy with the size and know that we could survive in something a little smaller.

But looking at the layout of the 28', we know that they are not suitable. Another big thing is the storage.

We have realised now that the 5ver is the way forward for us not an 'A' class and are now planning to buy a new one, but it must be the same layout as our present one. We also like the idea of having the Dodge to use whilst parked. We only have the one lot of tax
etc.

At the show at Newark we had a look at the ones from Calder Leisure as a lot of people were saying how nice they were. They are nice, but we realised that are not suitable for fulltiming as there isn't enough storage (for us anyway). Not that we want to carry excess but you still need some comforts.

If we were to change anything on the tow vehicle, we would not have the dually. The one we have was the only one available at the price we could afford at the time. Having said that it has not stopped us going anywhere. BUT a single rear wheel would be too light for our truck camper and we do love it.

You must come and see us at Peterborough and our OLD but comfortable 5ver, it is home to us and we enjoy every minute of it.

You'll find us beneath the black Dodge Flag and it may have a Landrover flag on it as well, and if we can get one soon enough from Jim, a MHFun Pennant.

Nigel and Pamala

Hi again Nigel,

I first saw an 'A' class properly at the Newbury show (I live a couple of minutes away), 2 years ago. I then 'discovered' a 5th wheel (Celtic Rambler) which we thought would be the way forward for us. I then checked out some US 5vers at the Malvern show and realised the Celtic Rambler, although beautifully constructed, was just a tad too small when compared to the extra space of a US trailer.

Trouble is, as soon as you take the brochures home and start studying the various floor plans on offer, you realise the task that lies ahead is not going to be easy.

I've since 'discovered' the Carriage Domano, which seems to be in a league all of its own, with the interior being kitted out more like a modern yacht, (white leather etc.) It's out of our budget, but I'll have to keep the wife well away from the ones coming to the show, as I know she'll fall in love with one.

Re: Calder. Yes, it seems many of the dealers now stock the 'Lite' versions of the US trailers, Jayco / Eagle range for instance and I can see why fulltiming wouldn't be a suitable option. I suppose they sell due to them being towable with a Ram/Ford 1500 size vehicle.

Your comments about the Dually were re-enforced by the mechanic I spoke with. He said they were just that bit too wide to make them practical in the UK. However, saying that, you've seemed to manage well enough.

I'll be looking out for the Dodge flag and we'll drop by to say hello. :thumb:

Cheers

Paul
 
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nozzmoking

nozzmoking

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Dear Rob, Nigel & Pam, Al & Gill, Neil,

Apologies for not making contact with any of you at the show. Our 5th wheel plans were totally scuppered, and we ended up buying a motorhome, (36' Newmar Kountry Star), from the team at Itchy Feet. We made the decision early on the first day there, and didn't want to waste your time discussing 5th wheels knowing we'd decided against going that route.

Why did we take a different route? It's a long story but I think in our particular case, the pros of a motorhome outweighed the cons of a 5th wheeler.

Thanks again for all your offers of help, and we hope to meet you on our travels.

Best regards

Paul & Miranda

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Sundowners

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No problem guys
you have the right to do what is best for you:thumb:
We saw the 2 "posh" ones, they look really great BUT we saw them going home and to us they look all wrong shapewise, if you know what I mean, that put us right off them.
If I remember correctly, the one that you bought is a really special one:thumb::thumb:
Look forward to meeting up
Nigel & Pamala
 

algill

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Hi Paul and Miranda

Glad you got sorted at the show. Enjoy your new motorhome and don't forget to let us see some pics of it.

Al & Gill
 

robrobc

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Dear Rob, Nigel & Pam, Al & Gill, Neil,

Apologies for not making contact with .................... but I think in our particular case, the pros of a motorhome outweighed the cons of a 5th wheeler.

Thanks again for all your offers of help, and we hope to meet you on our travels.

Best regards

Paul & Miranda


Hi Paul and Miranda

Just really pleased that you have got what you wanted. If the discussion process you have been through has made this possible then that is great :thumb::thumb::thumb:

Now, just go on out there and have fun ::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

See you on the road sometime


Rob & Marilyn

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