Thoughts on Best 5th wheel brands

coolestcamper · October 19, 2017

Hi we are looking at purchasing a 5th wheel and was wondering about reviews on Keystone Cougars, Prime time Crusaders, and Grand design, reflection. We were told by a few people to stay away from forest river. Thanks in advance!!!

DuneElliot · October 19, 2017

I have an older Keystone and have been happy with it but have heard multiple reports that their quality has gone WAY down over the past 10 years. I've heard reports of warped walls and dozens of issues on factory new models. If mine wasn't solid and older I doubt I'd consider anything by Keystone now.

remoandiris · October 19, 2017

Regardless of brand, you could have people love them and other people who hate them...same year and model.

Vladimir · October 19, 2017

Ask everybody about their 5th wheel!!

The question I always ask....what did you find out AFTER you used the 5th wheel for awhile that was bad or didn't work as expected??

Then the follow up question....What did you find out AFTER you used the 5th wheel for awhile that was great??

Many times the stuff that makes a quality product isn't obvious until you have used it for a bit of time.

Second Chance · October 19, 2017

Your question, as stated, could open up a can of worms. There are as many opinions out there about brands of RVs as there are people who RV. You might consider joining the brand-specific owners' forums for the brands that you are considering and asking some specific questions on those forums (such as the questions Vladimir has suggested above). There are so many things to consider, too. Chassis design and build, suspension, tires and wheels - and that's before you move on to frame, wall and roof construction, insulation, underbelly, utilities, appliances, etc. One of the most important single factors is the warranty and how the manufacturer goes about honoring that warranty. Will they work with you wherever you happen to be - including authorizing a mobile RV tech - or will they make you go to one of their network dealers? Ask owners of the various brands how many items there were on their punch lists at the time of delivery (tells you something about care and inspection coming off the assembly line) and whether or not they were resolved satisfactorily and in a timely manner. Not to be forgotten, which brands and lines offer a floorplan you like and can live with?

Rob

whj469 · October 20, 2017

I wouldn't rule out a Forest River.

GlennWest · October 20, 2017

Search on your question and you will find plenty. SpaceCraft, New Horizons make the best.

GeorgiaHybrid · October 20, 2017

You will need to ask yourself a LOT of questions and offer the group a bit more information in order to get a good answer.

Full time or part time?

How many miles per year towing?

Boon docking or campgrounds?

Tow rig required?

Used or new?

Cold weather 4 season capable?

That should do for a start with more questions after you can get those basics down.

kb0zke · October 21, 2017

Welcome, coolestcamper! "The cart before the horse you are putting." Rob gave you a pretty good list of things to start with, ann GeorgiaHybrid added to it. Once you get all of the questions answered certain brands will begin to surface, and then you can start investigating those.

Personally, I'd start with GeorgiaHybrid's list first, and add one other question: how long will your coach be parked without being moved? If you are going to move at least monthly (assuming you are a full-timer) you can consider a motor home. That may save you some on fuel, in that the MH will use about the same amount of fuel as a truck towing a fifth wheel when moving from one campground to another, but the MH can tow a more fuel-efficient vehicle for running around, while the truck that tows the 5'er will be your daily driver. The exception to that is a setup like GeorgiaHybrid has, a large truck for towing that can carry a small car for running around.

Assuming that a towable is the best fit for you (since that's what you asked about), remember that you can buy a used coach for less money than the same one new. Put another way, you can buy a higher quality (read higher initial price) coach that is five years old for the same price as a brand-new entry-level one. Car example: used Cadillac vs new Chevy.

As for the brands that you mentioned, try to get the base MSRP for each brand for as close to the same size as you can. That will tell you whether they are true competitors or not. SpaceCraft and New Horizons are both custom builders. They make beautiful coaches, but they are HEAVY. You will need a pretty substantial truck to tow them safely. Spacecraft, especially, is difficult to find on the used market.

Do your research and ask lots of questions. Will you get the perfect coach the first time? Probably not. You will get closer the more research you do, though.

lappir · October 22, 2017

I have only lived in three RV's. I have stayed in several.In my mind there is only one, maybe three units out there ready for full time use. The reason for the maybe is I have never tired to live in the other two, but have almost 4 years in my current rig and have no doubt's that it could very well last for the rest of my life.

My first stint in an RV was my younger brothers "Winners Circle" toy-hauler. It showed me I could live in the small confines for more than just a few weeks. Spent January to May in Florida. Learned a lot and realized that certain RV's were really not designed and built for full time occupancy. Got the big truck (Ford F350 dually) and had the newbie impression I could pull any trailer, also found out that was most certainly false

I purchased my first RV the next fall after looking at EVERYTHING (or so I thought). I picked up a used Weekend Warrior from a private owner. It had almost everything I thought I needed and I really believed it would last a good 10 years for me. Another newbie mistake. In the mean time I did find the HDT site and realized my next best step was the purchase of a HDT. Am very happy with that decision.

My current rig is a 2013 Spacecraft toy hauler. I have realized that the most important thing to know is no matter what rig you start out with you will find the wants and needs and often the why didn't I look more closely at that and there will always be something you wish you would have done. (at least that's my experience)

Good luck with your venture. Find the one you like and can afford and press on.

Rod

kb0zke · October 22, 2017

Rod hit the nail on the head. Very few people buy the correct RV for them the first time, which is why I advise people to buy their first couple of coaches on the used market. Once you have everything figured out you can buy a new one - and hope that nothing changes in the next few years.

We did several years of research before we bought our Foretravel. At that time it was the best coach for us. At this moment, it still is. Next year might be a different story.

Big Greg · October 22, 2017

We are still living and traveling full time in our first RV. We are as pleased with it after 10+ years as the day we got it. Maintenance is important. Although HitchHikers are no longer made the service and parts department is open and sales now sells other brands along with used RVs. Consider a good used fifth wheel and not just new ones. Some of the best made fifth wheels were put out of business by less expensive mass produces units. Greg