Where to start?

[FL-JOE]

I've decided to go on the road full-time for a year in early 2023.....CUT..... I plan to make my moves to avoid extreme weather, but I'd like to have the option to stay in a cold weather climate if I choose later. I want quality and durability to handle the beating of a year on the road vs just the cheapest option. But I'm also low maintenance and dont need super high end stuff. I like that "best quality for the price" range. .....CUT.....

So, since this is a total build from the ground up. Where do I start?

Truck: I currently have an F150 but I can't see any way where I DON'T at least go up to a 3/4 ton, but I'm listening on full ton and dually advice.
Fifth wheel vs Travel Trailer: I'd like to keep my bed open for a small boat or fishing kayaks so I'm leaning heavy toward travel trailer, but not closed to fifth wheel.
Ultralights vs heavier models for holding up full-time use for a year?
Best manufacturers for durability as well as holding up to multiple climates?
Brand new or gently used(1-2 years old)?
Small dealers vs chain dealers? I like the idea of nationwide service if something goes wrong, but my gut feeling after my Camping World visit is that I wouldn't like that experience

What else should I be considering? What are some things I should be on the lookout for? Thanks in advance for any advice you can spare.

Welcome. As you keep reviewing makes/models/floorplans there are several things you should decide first. How much living space will you actually require? Are you willing to visit laundry facilities to do your clothes washing or do you want a washer/dryer on board? Do you want available space for an overnight visitor? Do you have any hobbies that require extra space? Some folks are comfortable full time traveling in a 26' travel trailer and some find a 44' fiver is still too small.

The advantages and disadvantages when comparing travel trailers to 5th wheels are many. The biggest one is probably that a fiver will pull better in windy conditions. The same advantages and disadvantages comparison holds true when deciding on a tow vehicle (truck). No doubt you will be wanting at least a 3/4 ton if not a 1-ton. The first thing that must be decided is gas or diesel. If you end up with a 34' or longer RV and have a gas truck pulling it then I promise you there will be issues getting into gas stations. If you pay more and have diesel then you can always fuel where commercial rigs fuel. Also, if you get into a 1-ton you will have to determine what range of tongue weight your new RV has (loaded) and decided if you need SRW (single rear wheel) or DRW (dually).

As far as quality of the RV and buying from a large dealer or small dealer, all that really won't matter when you are 2,000 miles away from your original dealer and need a repair. We have owned a MSRP $355,000 new diesel pusher and a used $28,000 fiver. It was an issue getting work done on both when we were away from the original place of purchase. The best thing I have done is learn to fix most RV related issues myself over the past 11 years of full timing.

New or used? You could have initial issues with both. No matter which way you go I would start your full time adventure camped within 20 to 40 miles of the selling dealer for about a month. Just a side note, a buddy of mine who transports RVs out of northern Indiana, found out last week that most of the manufacturers up there are starting to shut down for 2 weeks at a time every month. He said new sales have slumped and dealers aren't taking new rigs. You might find low inventory of new rigs to pick from after the first of the year.

Good luck!

 

[Rosy]

Welcome. As you keep reviewing makes/models/floorplans there are several things you should decide first. How much living space will you actually require? Are you willing to visit laundry facilities to do your clothes washing or do you want a washer/dryer on board? Do you want available space for an overnight visitor? Do you have any hobbies that require extra space? Some folks are comfortable full time traveling in a 26' travel trailer and some find a 44' fiver is still too small.

The advantages and disadvantages when comparing travel trailers to 5th wheels are many. The biggest one is probably that a fiver will pull better in windy conditions. The same advantages and disadvantages comparison holds true when deciding on a tow vehicle (truck). No doubt you will be wanting at least a 3/4 ton if not a 1-ton. The first thing that must be decided is gas or diesel. If you end up with a 34' or longer RV and have a gas truck pulling it then I promise you there will be issues getting into gas stations. If you pay more and have diesel then you can always fuel where commercial rigs fuel. Also, if you get into a 1-ton you will have to determine what range of tongue weight your new RV has (loaded) and decided if you need SRW (single rear wheel) or DRW (dually).

As far as quality of the RV and buying from a large dealer or small dealer, all that really won't matter when you are 2,000 miles away from your original dealer and need a repair. We have owned a MSRP $355,000 new diesel pusher and a used $28,000 fiver. It was an issue getting work done on both when we were away from the original place of purchase. The best thing I have done is learn to fix most RV related issues myself over the past 11 years of full timing.

New or used? You could have initial issues with both. No matter which way you go I would start your full time adventure camped within 20 to 40 miles of the selling dealer for about a month. Just a side note, a buddy of mine who transports RVs out of northern Indiana, found out last week that most of the manufacturers up there are starting to shut down for 2 weeks at a time every month. He said new sales have slumped and dealers aren't taking new rigs. You might find low inventory of new rigs to pick from after the first of the year.

Good luck!

If you're going to buy a 3/4 ton, may as well spend the $2k extra to step up to a 1 ton, in my opinion.

 

[GlampDaddy]

JD, welcome to the forum! You have come to a great place to get meaningful advice, and it looks like you're getting plenty of it. As you have already learned, many dealership salespeople will tell you whatever you want to hear in order to earn a commission...good for them, bad for you. I strongly believe that you will benefit a lot by attending one of the big RV shows. So, my advice to you is to keep doing your research and keep asking questions on forums like this one. Eventually, you will make your decisions and hit the road...then you'll start the whole process over again!
All the best with your plan!

 

[jdlong49]

Thanks for the feedback, guys! I'm glad I started this 6 months in advance because the more I research, the more difficult the decision making gets! A week ago I was 100% convinced to upgrade the truck and go the 5th wheel route. Then I came across a few things that made me pump the brakes a bit. Having never done this before, it is entirely possible(but doubtful) that I get a month or 2 into this trip and absolutely hate it. I stumbled across a 2019 travel trailer with a floorplan I hadn't seen before that is within the specs for my current truck. I checked it out and the space is definitely something I could function in. Would it be as great as the 5th wheel? No. But I can get into it for 25K vs the 80K investment for the truck upgrade and 5th wheel, and I believe that it has everything that I NEED vs the stuff that I WANT.

I know its apples and oranges, but I've owned a lot of boats through the years and I think about how I stepped up in size and power incrementally over time. I needed those early boats to learn the things that made the bigger boats easier to handle. And some of my best memories oddly revolve around learning hard lessons on those early boats and I'm glad that I had each step along the way. I may need to start smaller and work up. Tough, tough decisions.

 

[Old Bubblehead]

You are wise beyond your years Grasshopper.

No perfect answer, only the answer that works best for you.
I usually tell people to rent an RV a few times before jumping in. Validate your path a bit before trying to find the perfect RV, if there is such an animal.
If you do your research, and don't over pay for the rig you are looking at, you could trade in later for a mo better rig.
Enjoy, see ya round the campfire.
j

 

["EZ"]

I actually saw that show advertised on another site so I mapped Hersey out from where I am and sadly it was 18 hours. Being from the South you know where New York is and Chicago is and then all the places between we just kind of assume they are somewhere in the middle about where Indianapolis is. I was shocked to see Hersey PA was all the way up by New York!

The last few days have really shifted my plan and focus. I ran across some front living fifth wheels and I just don't see how I'm going to talk myself out of one. From the standpoint of having something on the road for a year full time that feels like a home, that looked pretty unbeatable. I won't know for sure until I can get in one and check it out.

If you are from the South I highly recommend the FMCA yearly show that usually happens in Perry GA. Every manufacturer is there. Also, there is a great show in Tampa FL. every year as well. I've been to both. If you can't find it at one of these shows you don't need it!

 

[jdlong49]

If you are from the South I highly recommend the FMCA yearly show that usually happens in Perry GA. Every manufacturer is there. Also, there is a great show in Tampa FL. every year as well. I've been to both. If you can't find it at one of these shows you don't need it!

I will definitely check those out. Thanks!

 

[jennh]

Assuming you want a fairly big trailer for living comfort, especially in winter months/rain/etc., I suspect you'll want to move up to a heavy duty truck. If you're looking at 250s anyway, may as well check out the 350s. I think you'll be surprised at how little the difference in cost and ride quality is for a decent bump in capacity.

If you do stick with your F150, I would recommend staying in the ~24-27 ft range and bumper pull only. Unless you have a truck with the max payload package, that's what's going to limit the size of trailer you can tow, more so than the towing capacity.

I'm sure others on here can speak to what to look for in a 4 season camper or brands to look at better than I can. My Coachmen has an enclosed bottom and the furnace lines run in there. I believe that's to help keep the water lines from freezing. I have no idea how well it works as we only camp in summer.

I can't remember which brand but I saw a fifth wheel at an RV show a couple years ago with kayak storage inside of it. A fifth wheel will be more stable and nicer to tow so I would lean that way as long as you can make it work with the gear you want to bring. Another option would be to just toss the kayak inside the trailer when you're traveling then move it to the truck when you arrive at a stop.

Also, if you're looking at a small boat, most places would let you tow that on a second trailer behind the fifth wheel. There are some states that would allow another trailer behind a bumper pull but not nearly as many.

We bought our trailer gently used (~4 years old). That's the way to go, in my opinion. As long as you can find one that's been well maintained, let someone else deal with all the construction issues and take the depreciation hit. I would expect to see a lot of 2 year old trailers on the market this year as travel restrictions are being lifted and airlines add more flights.

I'm really happy with my Coachmen Freedom Express and my parents in law are mostly happy with their Forest River Rockwood Mini Lite (most of their complaints are around size and storage/layout, rather than quality).

Things may be different in the US but we have very few chain RV dealers in Canada. I would look to buy private party first but, if you decide on new or can only find what you want from a smaller dealer, I would have no hesitation to buy from an independent shop. The only reason to bring it back to a certain dealer would be warranty work. For anything else, I would find a reputable independent repair shop.

Rosy, you said you have the Coachmen Liberty Express. Have you used it in winter. I'm just curious how the insulation is on those.

 

[Rosy]

Rosy, you said you have the Coachmen Liberty Express. Have you used it in winter. I'm just curious how the insulation is on those.

It's the Freedom Express. We haven't used it in winter. I don't remember if the previous owners have either or what their experience was like if they have.