5th Wheels

[BIGNASTY]

Just asking!!!!! about some thoughts on RVs DONT NEED TO GO TO WAR!!!!!!! just asking if any have HAD experience with some that may help to make a decision in the future, we are kicking around some ideas for a somewhat of an extended stay trailer NOT FULL TIME!!! a month or 2 during the year and on extended weekends. Any other Brands would be a help.

Thanks
BIG

Excel
http://www.excelrvs.com/

Trilogy
https://www.gillettesinterstaterv.com/cf/shopmast/productdetailp.cfm?productid=1247

Mobil Suites
http://www.mobilesuitervs.com/

 

[RustyJC]

We've owned three (3) Jaycos and our current Mobile Suites. The Jaycos were good, solid units and (IMHO) offered excellent value at their respective price points. Jayco's 2+3 (2-year bumper-to-bumper and 5 year structural) warranty was top-notch, and their customer service is excellent as well. Jayco is an old, family-owned company that doesn't have to play games to keep Wall Street happy, but they're large enough to be sound and stable - they knocked one out of the park when they bought intellectual property and tooling from Travel Supreme when they went under in 2008 or 2009 and launched their Entegra line of Class A motorhomes. They're selling like hotcakes, and the owners rave about the customer service and support.



We've owned our Mobile Suites for 8+ years and have been very happy with it. It's never been back to the factory (unlike the case with a lot of high-line RVs) and has given us very few problems. Structurally, it's rock-solid and the construction and insulation make it quiet, comfortable and easy to heat and cool, even in 100+ degree Texas summers.



Rusty

 

[NIsaacs]

Hey Big, ya gonna tow it with your IHC or your little pickup??:-laf



Nick

 

[HBarlow]

Rusty,

Jayco bought the land and facilities from Travel Supreme also and the rights to the TS line of fifthwheels. I think the current Jayco upscale fifthwheels are based on the Travel Supreme but don't know how close they followed the original plans, materials, and methods.

I stopped by their plant in Wakarusa and talked to the new Jayco sales manager right after they bought it. They had brochures and big ideas at the time but didn't have any fifthwheels I could look at. Their focus seemed to be more on the motorhome line at the time.

 

[RustyJC]

Rusty,

Jayco bought the land and facilities from Travel Supreme also and the rights to the TS line of fifthwheels. I think the current Jayco upscale fifthwheels are based on the Travel Supreme but don't know how close they followed the original plans, materials, and methods.

Yeah, they bought everything but the name. I understand that they built a new facility across the road from their existing facilities in Middlebury to produce the motorhomes and hired many of the former TS employees. I, like you, don't know how much TS technology has filtered into their 5th wheels - here's their top-of-the-line Pinnacle where the TS technology would probably show up if it's there.

Rusty

 

[GCroyle]

Wow, BIG in a super fancy 5'er, OK.



But why not dress out a big old horse trailer, couple sleeping bags, bucket potty, water jugs, solar shower, hitching rail, that sorta stuff.



Got a hard time picturing you taking your boots off at the door in a fancy schmancy 5'er. :-laf

 

[jgillott]

Hey Big. A friend of mine sent me a link to this leftover a while back. No Idea if it is still available. Way out of my league.

http://www.tetonhomesrvs.com/rvinventory_item.asp?id=1064405#

 

[RVTRKN]

An Arctic Fox is just what you need, comfortable, well built, great service if the need arises and not, how did GCroyle put it, fancy schmancy. They are built for the cold weather climate. The manufacturer is in La Grand, Oregon, not that far away from Montana.

 

[wyosteve]

I'd also recommend at least looking at Arctic Fox. Just picked mine up last weekend, in part, based on Grizzly's excellent reviews and info. 4 star rated and 4 season rated.

 

[Grizzly]

For the money you can't go wrong with an Arctic Fox or a Nash. Both are 4 star rated on RVCG. Sure, you can go even better, but a much higher price.

george

 

[p-Bar]

Carraige Classic heavy MOFO but really nice . They are out of business shouldn't matter bought my 32' 2002 for 10k

 

[AABEN]

Hey Big. A friend of mine sent me a link to this leftover a while back. No Idea if it is still available. Way out of my league.



http://www.tetonhomesrvs.com/rvinventory_item.asp?id=1064405#

YES take off 5. 000. 00 for each year old. Makes it a good buy!

 

[jelag]

Yesterday my wife and I were out at a sportsman show and next to it were 3 dealers with about 300 units in the parking lot so we went over to look... our current 5er is a 30 ft, light wood color inside and something we now spend 4 months a year in... we'd like more room... a 3rd slide... and maybe 32-35 ft...

We looked at 4 brands and to be honest loved some of the floor plans but wouldn't buy a single one... who wants to sit at a 45* angle to the TV... dark cabinets so that you need lights during the day... a ceiling feature that looks like it might fall down any time... poor construction where the hand holds going up the steps to the bed room area were coming off the wall... . gaps in the molding... door clasps that don't hold the doors closed so that when you push the slides out you run into the doors... .

We did like the power 6 pad leveling systems... . the side by side fridge that's now 2 times the size... the new style sandwich floor... upper and lower panels, with 3" or 4" of foam... tighter easier to keep heated... warmer floor... we're often out where it might freeze at night...

And it goes on and on... with prices between 51K and 85K in the models we looked at... I'm not sure I'm ready to upgrade... .

Just my thoughts.

 

[RVTRKN]

jelag, you can find good used units, thats how I ran across the AF I have and paid half the value it was worth. They are tough to find, and lots of worthless brands you have to wade through to find one. Today my AF is worth what I paid for it in 09.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Hey Big, ya gonna tow it with your IHC or your little pickup??:-laf



Nick

Nick dont laugh at my Dodge its just a BAD A** in sheep's clothing I wont pull anything near what we are looking for with it but getting the IHC doll'd up and looking like a BIG STRAPER. Im quite sure that it will pull anything we want. To be honest I dont think that a 1ton should be pulling some of the one's we have seen going down the road either.

Wow, BIG in a super fancy 5'er, OK.



But why not dress out a big old horse trailer, couple sleeping bags, bucket potty, water jugs, solar shower, hitching rail, that sorta stuff.



Got a hard time picturing you taking your boots off at the door in a fancy schmancy 5'er. :-laf

Gary I want to get an Air Stream but wife has got a problem with them NOT BIG ENOUGH!!! (wide) even the ones with a slide really dont add that much room,and im not sure they are even made anymore. The thought behind the AS was that I could pull a small car up on the back of the International and have a car to drive around when at an destination, I can tow a car behind a 5er but the potential problems are not my idea of having a good time. Unless there are other higher end TT's it looks like the 5er's are going to be the choice. Artic Fox TT have got our eye also

Hey Big. A friend of mine sent me a link to this leftover a while back. No Idea if it is still available. Way out of my league.



http://www.tetonhomesrvs.com/rvinventory_item.asp?id=1064405#

Have seen them but never been in one, are they still made? I think it was Harvey Barlow that said they are very heavy, weight is not to much of a problem but would like to get better milage if Possible with lighter rig.

An Arctic Fox is just what you need, comfortable, well built, great service if the need arises and not, how did GCroyle put it, fancy schmancy. They are built for the cold weather climate. The manufacturer is in La Grand, Oregon, not that far away from Montana.

RVTRKN

Have seen Many Arctic Fox trailers TT, 5er's, Slide in campers and we are VERY IMPRESSED with the quality of build. One of our group in Calif had a short AF 5er but it was a really nice trailer and one that is DEFINTANLY in contention for my BUCK. The thing that I like about some of the high end 5ers are the finish on the outside I dont know what the difference is from the Filon that most use to the other REALLY SHINEY ones that I believe are a GEL COAT finish. I have had a TT in Filon and its just as nice as when it was new but it has been kept indoors when not in use. ITS A LOOKS THING I guess the Gel coat? sure looks nice.



We thank ALL of the thoughts on this im sure there are others I know Harvey Barlow in high on his brand and have to find a place to take a look at them also. We never thought that we would go this route in RVs but with us ( the wife :-laf) getting OLDER and this winter being LONG and HARD it would have been nice to see the South (camping in Garys backyard) for a month then come home for awhile and go south again for a month.



I told the Wife that I would show her the world when she said she would give me a break and be my wife, So far we have done pretty well in Europe, with the unrest over there we want to stay at least closer to home. We traveled to pretty much all of the West and would like to show her the Fall colors of the New England area fall in NE wont be hot but see the National Monuments in DC, Jamestown\ Williamsburg VA and the coast of N and S Carolina's / Smokey Mountains and the south in a time of the year that wont be a SAUNA I've done the humidity thing and cant take it! call me a SISSY LA LA but its just a fact for me.



AND DONT TRY AND FEED ME THE BS THAT IT AINT THAT BAD Besides the summer is time for MT mountains and mules type camping \



If there are any other thoughts on this THEY ALL will be appreciated







Thanks

Penny/BIG

 

[RVTRKN]

Nash trailers (www.northwoodmfg.com/index.php?page=makeindex&make=nash) is the AF, but in a trailer. They are just as well built, I'm not trying to sell you on the product, but I believe its the best bang for your buck without compromising quality. Of coarse you can find that out for yourself.

 

[jgillott]

Have seen them but never been in one, are they still made? I think it was Harvey Barlow that said they are very heavy, weight is not to much of a problem but would like to get better milage if Possible with lighter rig.

I have no Idea what the status of their company is. I looked at 2 of them (I believe that they were new 2009's?) when we first started looking at rv's a few years ago that were purchased from a dealer that went under. Even though they were amazing deals off of MSRP, they were still more expensive than my house and probably bigger too. We were considering them to be put on a permanent site in Florida not to pull with us. I'm guessing that the one I linked sits at 15K+ dry easy, but I could be wrong.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Another one that we looked at VERY PLUSH but what hides under all the PLUSH is what bothers me.





http://www.crossroadsrv.com/rushmore

 

[BIGNASTY]

Are the Arctic Fox still built using their own frame I know that they built their own in the TT line but dont know about the Fifth wheels?

 

[jgillott]

Hey Big, just thinking out loud here. My neighbor pulls a large Montana with an F-650 with a CM hauler bed on it I believe. Last time I talked to him, he loves towing with the MDT, but hates running around with it once he is down south. It's just him and his wife and now she ends up following him down with their car so that they have something else while they are there. When they had their smaller trailer, they would just run their F-350 for everything. As much as I like to look at these really large units, finding one to work with your Dodge instead of the Int. may be the way to go.