Since announcing our new adventure, a
question many friends have asked is “Why a Fifth Wheel Trailer and not a
Motorcoach?”
Both have their strengths
and weaknesses. Before making our decision, we researched the question in
depth. There are strong opinions about which vehicle is better. You will find many
web pages comparing the choice between a fifth wheel and a motor home, including
- Your RV Lifestyle: Motorhome versus Fifth Wheel
- Living the RV Dream: Motor Home or Fifth Wheel Trailer
- RV Buying 101: Which Type Of RV Is Best – A Motorhome Or A 5th Wheel Trailer?
- RVers Choice: Motorhome or Trailer?
Travel Style. Generally, we are stop
and visit for at least three or four day travelers. Our understanding is the
Fifth Wheel is better suited for such travel style.
Space. We found the layout of the
Fifth Wheel more livable than a Motorhome. The one we are purchasing is 38’ and
provides around 400 sf of living space.
Purchase Price. All in, the cost of our Fifth Wheel and the F-350 will be around $150,000
before trade-in. We couldn’t find a 2015 Motorhome of similar quality for less
than $200,000. Since we are not sure if we will do this for more than 2 years,
we did not want to invest a lot of money into the vehicle.
Costs. Maintenance
costs for a truck and a Fifth Wheel are generally lower than for a Motorhome
and a towed vehicle (e.g., oil change for a truck is around $75 for a
motorhome, over $300). Generally, even when hauling a trailer, a truck gets better gas mileage than a motorcoach.
As we have two of the
cutest Pugs ever, traveling with pets was a significant factor in our analysis.
No matter which vehicle we selected, they will be traveling in a carrier for
safety reasons. Motorhomes do allow you to leave pets in an air conditioned
space if you stop for lunch or visit a place for a few hours while traveling
from camp spot to camp spot. However, the Fifth Wheel we are purchasing can run
a/c for at least two hours without a generator. If we stop for lunch, we can
place the dogs in the Fifth Wheel with the A/C running after
walking them and giving them a snack.
Examples of others decision making, can be found at the following:
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