What’s the Best RV for Full-Time RVing?

All RVers have their own opinion about the best kind of RV for full-time RVing. As a towable owner, I’ve discovered that full-time RVing in a fifth wheel has pros and cons of its own. Yet after fourteen years of traveling, living, and working in a fifth wheel, I’m still in love with this RV type. Here’s why.

Mine fordele ved fuldtids RVing i et femte hjul

As you’ll see below, I have a hard time coming up with the cons of full-time RVing in a femte hjul. But when it comes to the pros, my list is long. After owning two fifth wheels by the same manufacturer, here’s what I love the most about full-time RVing in a fifth wheel.

Højkvalitets JSK støbt vendehjul 37C

Trækbare autocampere koster mindre at eje.

Med kun én køretøjsmotor at vedligeholde, er omkostningerne ved fuldtids autocamper i et femte hjul lavere end motoriserede autocampere. Ejeromkostningerne for vores Dodge RAM 2500, der trækker vores Arctic Fox femte hjul, er på linje med NADA Guides og overstiger langt traileren maintenance costs. But those costs still can’t compare to the much higher expense of full-time RVing in a motorhome and tow vehicle. Our fifth wheel trailer insurance and registration also costs less than a motorized RV policy.

Hvis din motor trænger til arbejde, bliver dit hjem i autocamperparken.

When you live on the road, a vehicle repair can upend your plans and generate unwanted stress. But on those rare occasions when our Dodge RAM needs to visit a diesel repair shop, we are grateful that our home can stay put. Sure, there’s the hassle of getting to and from the shop without a second vehicle, but we always find a way to make it happen. From shop courtesy vehicles to ride shares to our bicycles, getting around hasn’t been a huge full-time RVing hassle.

Femte hjul har mere indvendigt opholdsrum.

Take away the driving cockpit and steering wheel of a motorized RV and you’ve got the closest thing to living in a sticks-and-bricks house. Step inside and you’ll see very little features reminiscent of a rolling home. I feel that the increased interior living space in fifth wheel interiors leaves more room for features like kitchen islands, propane fireplaces, and larger bedrooms.

As a bonus during summer, fifth wheel occupants aren’t subjected to the hot greenhouse effect created by motorhome windshields. And while my fifth wheel doesn’t have a ton of basement storage space, the largest models also have basements that rival compartments found in large motorhomes.

Mine ulemper ved fuldtids RVing i et femte hjul

Honestly, I can’t think of too many obvious downsides of living in a fifth wheel trailer. I had to dig deep to find things I don’t like about a towable home, such as:

You’ll need an expensive, heavy duty truck to pull it.

A handful of ultralight fifth wheel trailers can be towed by a capable half-ton truck, but the majority of fifth wheel models need heavy duty trucks weighing ¾ ton or more to safely pull them. Unfortunately, whether you buy a new or used Dodge, Chevy, or Ford, heavy duty trucks are the most expensive on the market.

Som en konsekvens af krav til en vendehjulslastbil opstår kylling-og-æg-scenariet ofte, når folk ønsker at købe en vendehjulstrailer. Køber du lastbilen først? Eller det femte hjul? Har du overhovedet råd til begge dele? I vores tilfælde købte vi vores brugte Dodge RAM 2500 først, og fandt derefter et femte hjul, det kunne trække uden at overskride bruttovægtforholdet (GVWR). Vi elsker vores lastbil, men ulempen ved at købe denne størrelse er, at vi nu ikke kan købe en større, tungere sættevognsvogn uden også at opgradere vores lastbil.

Fifth wheels don’t feel as solid as a motorhome.

On rare occasions I get motorhome envy. It usually occurs when hanging out inside a friend’s motorhome. As people walk around inside, I immediately notice that the motorhome doesn’t feel bouncy when occupants are moving around. Aside from the heaviest, largest fifth wheel trailers I’ve been inside, the lack of four wheels on the ground makes fifth wheels more prone to shaking and rocking from occupants and threatening high winds.

Sætvogne afskrives hurtigere end alle autocampere.

I’ll be honest. We didn’t even consider the depreciation factor when we purchased our first or second trailer. It was enough for us to go with hearsay that Northwood Manufacturing towables hold their resale value better than most. Only this year when researching de mest overraskende RV-omkostninger For denne publikation, opdagede jeg, at femte hjul har den hurtigste afskrivningsrate af alle autocampere!

If you are just testing the waters of full-time RVing, there may come a time when you’re ready to sell your RV. Whether your ideal full-time RVing vehicle is a fifth wheel, bumper-pull trailer, motorhome or van, putting some thought into your future RV’s resale value is a smart move before you buy.

Everyone’s “best RV” is different

Through the years, many people have asked me “What is the best RV for full-time RVing?” After all this time, I still don’t have an answer. But what I can tell them is this: full-time RVing in a fifth wheel pros and cons are many.

Et femte hjul er dog stadig den bedste autocamper til mine fuldtids RVing livsstil. Alle andre skal finde svaret på egen hånd. Den eneste måde at finde ud af det på er at tage et spring af tro og bare gøre det!