5th wheel pro's and con's.

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Nov 6, 2008
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Ramsey, Isle of Man.
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Devon Aztec XL
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14 years with an RV
Hi everyone, l am new to this website, but, glad l found it. l am now retired, (early), and my wife and me cannot wait to start having the winters in the sun in our home on wheels. l have had an HGV class one licence since 1971, so l am used to large vehicles, and have driven all over the UK, Europe, and even the Middle East, so traveling is in my blood my blood i guess. Now, what l would like to know is which RV to buy? l am torn between an A class, and a 5er. Can anyone give me for's and against's? Many thanks, Simsy56.
 
Hi Simsy

Welcome aboard the good ship Motorhomefun.

Quick question - have you read through the threads on the Fifth Wheels forum?

Might be teaching you to suck eggs but look at the line of headings just under the left-hand logo for the tab on 'Forums'

Click on that and then scroll down to the Fifth Wheel Heading

Lots of good info for you to look at there.
 
A Big Pro is that they do not require an MOT, this can save you money if you spend a lot of time on the continent and you do not have to bring it home every year to be tested.
 
hi simsy,

i havent had any experience of either but many folks on here have and im sure they will put their points forward.
to me, a large A class would be more useful in the uk than a '5'er....others WILL disagree:Rofl1:

towing a decent sized '5'er with a yank truck...dodge/ford ect, will probably give a similar fuel return to an American RV while a euro A class will be maybe 50% better but without the size/luxury of the RV.

euro pickups are getting close to the towing limit with little reserve power pulling a largish '5'er while the yanks will have a field full of horses left in reserve for the hills, again others WILL disagree. :Rofl1:
and the yanks are a lot cheaper to buy than thier euro couterparts both RVs and pickups.

personally, i'd go for an american RV over a '5'er anyday given the chance. huh ! what chance.:Sad:

john.
 
There are going to lots of views and opinions on this, no one is right, no one is wrong, there is no 'one size fits all' it all comes down to personal choice and needs..
I've done the big caravan thing, twin axle 20ft with a disco pulling and for me, a 5er is just a big caravan, great for long term living but not so great for touring, but that is obviously dependant on size.. and how you intend to use it, people I've spoken to who live in 5ers love them.

Travelling IN an RV is awesome, especially with kids, room to spread out, great view of the road and countryside.. all amenities on hand.. can't be compared to sitting in a truck, no matter how big or fancy it is.

Another 5er downside is not being allowed in French aires.. I've seen big 5ers on aires but they are usually asked to leave next day, so touring France out of season it will be difficult to find sites that are open and have big enough pitches.. no such problems using aires.

IMO if you need a car then it's a far better idea to pull a small car with a big RV than a big 5er with a small truck..

To sum up, if you want to spend several months on one site then a big 5er will be grand but if you want freedom to move around, use aires and free camp then get an RV, with or without a toad..

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Hi Simsy......as you have gathered so far there are many different opinions on this subject. When one reads statements such as "I think that" or "I think this" then it has moved into subjectivity, one man's meat is another man's poison.....etc.
So not being shy in coming forward I shall shove my two pennyworth in :BigGrin:
The usefulness of a 5'er will be very much dependent upon its overall length. Much over 30ft and I think that it loses its ability for easy touring, I guess that the outfits in excess of this are for full timing. It becomes more difficult to find sites that will take over 30ft trailers whether in the UK or Europe. If you look at the Caravan Club handbook there are many sites that can take 28 to 30ft but not much longer. The same goes for the partner associations in Europe.
As regards ease of use, towing a small car behind a big motorhome versus towing a big trailer behind a pick up truck then I believe that the only right answer is the one that works for you.
I do however believe that life is better spent not on the limit, therefore I would take the American Pick Up over the European/Japanese Pick up, every time.
I have found on my travels that there are many people who will open a conversation with "ooooo I don't think that is a good idea......etc:Smile::BigGrin: " Once the ice is broken then they usually don't think that way as soon as they have all the information, and there is one of the issues we have in the UK, lack of solid reliable information.
I wish you well and hope that you will be able to get the conclusion that is right for you.
 
Hi. what Scotjimland says is true but I bought my 1yre old 5ver fully loaded because for the same amount of cash I would only be able to buy a s/h tired euro-home, again what Jim says about euro pickups is true I pull with a 98 L200 manual (owned before I bought 5ver) it manages the 27' o.k but you do know where the hills are on the motorway but again when uncoupled it is more usable in the U.K than a Yank. Like they say no easy answer, no one size fits all. Regards Tony.
 
What a forum! So many useful replies and food for thought, in such a short time. Thank you all. Keep them coming. Many thanks, Simsy.
 
We've never had an A class but we travelled extensively in a converted 30' coach we really loved it.
We now have a 32ft 5er and although we don't get to tow it as much as we would like, we are really happy with it.
I have towed a car on an A frame and would think there would be fewer problems towing a 5er with a truck.
Nigel & Pamala
 

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