Top brands for quality

[McObra]

We are considering purchasing a used (2-5 years old) fifth wheel to use as a "summer place" to get out of the Arizona heat. The trailer would be parked in a campground in north central New York state, and would probably stay there year round, since I don't want to upgrade my truck so I can pull it back and fourth every year.

After doing some reading on this forum, I am under the impression that a lot of you aren't impressed with the quality of most of the rigs on the market today. That being said, I'm interested in your opinion of the "best" three or four brands and models on the market today.

Thanks in advance for your thoughtful input.

[nodepositnoretu]

McObra, w hope to do something similar.We have a cabin upstate NY and while we want to full time we want to garden tooo. So we may end up in AZ for the winter and maybe upstate for the summer.We are also looking for a 5th wheel. The point of me writing is to say from my experience upstate I think mice will destroy the camper if left unattended.,just something to think about.

[McObra]

I don't plan to winter in upstate NY. I grew up on the shore of Lake Ontario, so I'm familiar with the amount of snow and cold that area experiences. I've spoken with people who spend the summer months up there, in 5th wheels and travel trailers, but go somewhere warmer (Arizona) in the winter. They winterize the rigs, cover them, and come back in late spring. They do have someone check on the rig occasionally during the winter.

[ACZL]

OP, not sure if your going to be in it during the winter, but building a cover to cover the WHOLE coach w/ slides out to keep snow off is 1st. Plan on using a LOT of propane to keep heated. Really no way to keep water/sewer lines from freezing (assuming you have a sewer hook up). With a 5tyh wheel, you have the underside of the hitch area open and hard to keep warm unless you make some kind of insulated enclosure. Like what others have said, I would highly consider a cabin instead or a cottage RV.

On the Montana front, yes you see a whole lotta them on the road pretty much cuz they are probly they have the largest dealer network (ie: Camping World). I do tip my hat off to them for a lot of different ideas, floorplans and all. Likewise, I agree w/ Cummins that Montana as of most recent, their quality has improved.

[memtb]

Veebyes wrote:
Often thought that our Alpenlite would be a good candidate for that use when it comes time to put it out to pasture. It has been used alot but taken care of along the way with upgrades & indoor storage. Someday somebody will get a well used but taken care of older 5er. Nothing wrong with age. It is initial quality & how it has been maintained

Yes! I concure! There are a lot of used, well maintained quality units out there! Our present 5er, was 9 years old, and had been full-timed in for 8 years....but well maintained. We got it for about 20 to 25%, of what the original owner had invested. We’re hoping it makes another 15+ years!

[Veebyes]

Often thought that our Alpenlite would be a good candidate for that use when it comes time to put it out to pasture. It has been used alot but taken care of along the way with upgrades & indoor storage. Someday somebody will get a well used but taken care of older 5er. Nothing wrong with age. It is initial quality & how it has been maintained

[memtb]

New Horizons has a unit less expensive than the Majestic.... the Summit. Much less expensive.....appears to be a well made unit , from a manufacturer known for it’s quality!

[blofgren]

donn0128 wrote:
Go buy a park model. It will have way more for way less.

Exactly my thoughts too.

[GHop]

Just one question, what would make a Fifth Wheel the best?. We currently have an Arctic Fox and love the unit. Our fifth wheel has been reliable we can hook up and hit the road. There would only be a couple things we would like Northwood to offer, such as full body paint and just a couple other changes. Overall this unit is sound and we will not change to another manufacturer.

[Cummins12V98]

FishOnOne wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Most RV use a "rubber" roof. These do not hold up well when exposed to sun 365 days a year. Covering the roof while in storage helps a lot. Cleaning the roof with a mild detergent and applying like 303 Protectorant at least once a year also helps.

Every rubber roof I have owned has been exposed to sun 365. Last two stayed in Palm Springs, CA area 6 mo out of the year and the rest of the year in the NW during their hot season. NEVER an issue.

Kind of like your dodge trucks in your area the dash boards didn't crack and fall apart like they do here.

EXACTLY, same with my Michelin's. My new 01 dash bezel is cracked but that's from replacing the AC condenser.

[FishOnOne]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Most RV use a "rubber" roof. These do not hold up well when exposed to sun 365 days a year. Covering the roof while in storage helps a lot. Cleaning the roof with a mild detergent and applying like 303 Protectorant at least once a year also helps.

Every rubber roof I have owned has been exposed to sun 365. Last two stayed in Palm Springs, CA area 6 mo out of the year and the rest of the year in the NW during their hot season. NEVER an issue.

Kind of like your dodge trucks in your area the dash boards didn't crack and fall apart like they do here.

[4x4ord]

I would go with Elkfarmer's list: you could probably buy a very nice 4 or 5 year old DRV, Arctic Fox or Lux for $50k. These are not the best but they are well insulated and I think they might be a little better than a large list of others.

[McObra]

Thanks a lot for your input. I'd like to stay below $50K for a later model used unit. I'd like to stay in the 2-4 year old range. I have thought about park models, but they don't seem to have the space that a fiver, with 3-4 slides may have. I may also change my mind and upgrade my truck so I can drag the thing abound. If the trailer is idle for 6-7 months a year, I plan to put a cover on it, so I'm not too concerned about the rubber roof.

When I was lurking on the motor home forum a couple of years ago, most of the folks seemed to think Newmar, Tiffen and Winnebago offered the best quality overall, unless you got into the Prevost style models. That's the kind of info I'm looking for about fifth wheels.

Again, thanks for your input and I'm still looking for advise. To me, it's a big purchase, and I want some background going in.

[4x4ord]

Elkfarmer gave you a list that includes two high end 5th wheels. The problem with a 2-5 year old New Horizons or Spacecraft might be that it could set you back 150 - $200,000. Are you really wanting to know the best? Many of the decently well built 5th wheel manufacturers have gone out of business.... such as Carriage; Excel; Hitch Hiker ... And then there was Continental Coach which went out of business ... they were in the Spacecraft/New Horizon league. If you're buying used do you care if the manufacturer is still in business?

[Ralph_Cramden]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Most RV use a "rubber" roof. These do not hold up well when exposed to sun 365 days a year. Covering the roof while in storage helps a lot. Cleaning the roof with a mild detergent and applying like 303 Protectorant at least once a year also helps.

It holds up to sun 365 days a year great, but everything has a useful life. EPDM is typically 15 to 20 years and it's used on millions of commercial buildings.