5th Wheel to Motorhome

[Freeriver]

We are toying with the idea of going from our Eagle 5th Wheel to a Class C or A motorhome. Would like to get feedback from those who did the same. Good move or regrets? Advantages/Disadvantages.

Thanks

[GHen]

I have owned a couple of each. Motorhomes are our choice for traveling with Kids/grandkids as well as towing a boat/toy. Motor home is also my choice for winter travel. 5th wheel is my choice for longer term traveling staying multiple days at locations, so much more room in the 5’r, plus availability to using the TV to get to tight fishing locations.

[DonaandDon]

1) Floorplans, floorplans, floorplans.

2) To often the standard motorhome is a sharp turn in the neck to view the TV.

3) If your DW is like mine the anxiety is to much for that giant front window.

4) The 5r can be parked then disconnected from the truck. Motorhome you will need to disconnect the toad prior to parking the rig. Minimal but stories are out there. (traffic can backup in some CGs)

Happy Trails...

[GHen]

Here is the cost angle, if you have lots of cash, I guess this doesn’t affect you (again, I have owned 2 of each).

Motor home and toad, both have higher insurance, tabs and maintenance. Motor home also has short life expectancy (80,000 miles if your lucky). If Motor home breaks down, big towing bill if there is a BIG tow truck even near you (I was broke down for 2 days on the road because there was no BIG tow truck near us, had mobile mechanic rewire for 6 hours on shoulder of road). Get highest AAA level, and you will need hotel room. MH will consume more fuel. Combined purchase cost is at least 30% more than 5’r and TV.

5’r, lower insurance and tabs on both. Easier to tow TV if broke down and stay in 5’r during repairs to TV. My diesel TV has a 200-300,000 life expectancy. Lower combined purchase cost than MH and Toad. Less costly to replace just the 5’r or the TV.

With that said, I still would have the MH and toad with small kids and during winter.

[crumgater]

We went from an F350 with 34ft fiver to a 39ft Jayco Seneca.

We had the 5th wheel for 7 years and while we were getting better at backing it into spots, a lot of places were just too tight for us to fit (lots of big trees here in the PNW)... the motorhome is SO much easier to park! It's easier to level, easier to setup and pack-up. We don't pull a toad, so not having a touring vehicle is a downside, but so far that hasn't been much of an issue. Many places we go we either have friends with cars, can use Uber, or are just happy to sit by the campfire.

The Seneca 37TS has double slides in the front living area, so we actually have MORE room in the motorhome than the 5'er - in both kitchen counter space and seating. The bathroom and bedrooms are smaller, but we don't spend much time there, so, not a problem for us. We did lose a lot of valuable basement storage, but have been managing ok with that aspect as well (we took WAY more stuff with us in the 5er than we needed).

We LOVE our Seneca!

And, it gets the same gas mileage as our diesel F350 did towing (the Seneca is also Diesel)... right around 10mpg (plus or minus 1mpg depending on terrain). Now, when home, I drive a smaller car (which might become a toad one of these days), so getting better mileage at home versus the F350, too.

Note - the Seneca is on the Freightliner M2 Chassis, so it drives like a truck - it doesn't float down the road like a Class A (I don't like that floating feeling). It has a low center of gravity and is not effected by high winds, and you have a big engine between you and anything that might stop short in front of you, which provides a feeling of safety, as well.