Why so many?

[Robbie Ribbins]

Speedster, thanks for the input, at this time I am unsure of my travels, as I am the guy that cannot get his wife to go camping due to several reasons. Have a 2007 TT with about 10,000 miles and we have seem most of the west but have not gotten to see much of the area east of the miss. river. Hope to get her going later this summer to Maryland and south to S. C. and then head west thru KY etc. I am not ready for a park model yet as I don't want to be in one spot that long. To many places to see Again thanks for your info.

[timscruiser]

Hi Robbie Deto on the stairs on the 5 er's we are also in the 70's and the DW has had the one hip replaced and is doing ok with it butshe doesn't like to do the steps . I have no trouble at all with them at this age { 75 } but I look around and can see the riting on the wall . We have gone fron a new 09Adrenlen blast 15 Ft Toy hauler and a 09 Ford Explorer THEN new F150 king ranch with tow pac.&new2010 18 Ft.Coyotie Lite with no slide // THEN anew 2011 26 Ft. Fredom lite with a small couch slide THEN we found a2012 Cougar29 RL SSBIG SLIDE custom ordered it and it came in ALL WRONG !! so we settled on a 2012 Roamer 29 ft with 2 slides and what we thought was THE ONE !! after a 5000 mile trip out to CA .we found it was verry short on kitchen cabnets SOoooo that brings us up to our 2012 33 Ft CT29 RLX Cruiser and the main reason is lotts of cab's and recliners and the low 3 step's that makes it easyer on the DW LOL

And all this in 3 years SO just call us CRAZY but if we see another TT we just can't live without and the money holds out ???{{ Life is a big MERRY-GO-ROUNG but we only go around one time so you better go for the GOLD RING }}

Tim

[Captain Mike]

We bought our first camper two years ago. After asking for advise from a lot of people we decided to go with the smallest fith wheel with bunks we could find. Replacing it would be on our long term list, we love it.
Last year I bought a double reclining leather love seat to replace the uncorfortable jack nife. This was a wonderfull investment.

[Ddhill34545]

We love our current Rig 2008 Fleetwood Regal and when we bought it we planned to full time in it. BUT then Fleetwood went bankrupte and the Rig started with MAJOR Stress cracks. So we have ended with a lawn ornament. So we are know in the process of buying a Crossroads Patriot 335SS. From what I've read on the forum we are making a wise choice. Sometimes people are forced to make changes.

[speedster]

We just ordered the Patriot/Provincial 345RF on Saturday ourselves, nothing wrong withour other trailer but the layout ended up not working as well as we expected when we had company with us and had to use the pull out bed.

On the other hand we both absolutely loved the room in the bathroom that the 4th slide provided !

We will surely miss that aspect but will gain some much needed living space when there are 4 adults in the unit on a rainy vacation day.....

I also researched the Crossroads prior to deciding on it, what sealed it for me was our local dealer raving about them and his experience with dealing with the Company on various issues.

given this is the 5 trailer we bought from this dealer in 25 years I took his word for the quality and the Company backing their product. This site seems to confirm that.........

Now to wait for it to be built and then delivered, weordered it pretty much loaded and are still trying to decide on whether to include the central vacuum unit from the factory or add our own after.

Hope you love your 335ss, there is one in the indoor showroom loaded right up, we looked at it and spend a couple hours checking it out thoroughly which help convince us to purchase the 'crossroads. It just wasn't the layout we are after so we opted for the 345RF to be ordered in.

[r2millers]

I think many owners don't rent or borrow units before they buy. We initially rented first, then borrowed/rented our relatives trailers next before deciding on what we really wanted, knowing our plan was to buy just once. Like said above, you start out small due to pricing and realize you need more space before long.

Last year we purchased a used TF32SS 5th wheel toy trailer. Some of the things we looked for were a separate garage, a living area and bedroom pop out, large shower and bath, etc. All items above asa result from using other trailers.



With the market the way it is now, used trailers are everywhere and we found one pratically new at about 50 cents on the dollar.



If you really learn what you want/needfirst, it's pretty easy tokeepone for years and not fall into the huge depreciation trap. After all, my 1987, 740 Turbo Volvo still looks almost new and doesn't burn a drop of oil and still going at 468,000 miles, not to mention a great monthly payment. Take care of them and they take care of you.

[speedster]

But the key thing to remember is this, as you age and life changes so do your needs and wants.
Thus wehave just traded again...
I've been Rving for 30yrs so pretty much everytime we have bought the unit appeared to be the onethat would work and usually did. Something changes or you spend a lot of time in it and discover there are things you wish it had or things you wish you could change.

Renting or borrowing a unit for a weekend or two will give you an idea but will not tell you the whole story.

In the end it thencomes down too whether the changes are something you are willing to pay for or not and whether you can afford to do so.

In our case our answer to both was yes...

I HOPE this one is the one that fitsand works for quite a few years ! But I already know there will be something coming along that fits the bill better.

[timscruiser]

Speedster

You hit the nail on the head buddy !! I have also been camping then driveing then pulling all types of riggs for the the past 35 odd years . I went from a 8 X 10 tent // pop up // Hi-LO // class B // class C // 42 ft class A // 12ft Fleetwood truck camper//and now we have a verry nice CRUISER TT For how long ??? But I have never owned a 5 er BUT I do like them .

tim

[Horken]

Stay away from RV lots.

Enjoy what you have if you can, but...

Seems there is always 1 or 2 things in every rig that could use improvement. With ours, it's the toilet room thats ridiculously small (made for a child of 5) and the 3rd step up in the bedroom. (Glad I'm only 5-10, I only bump if I stand straight up. And don't forget that step at 2:30AM when it's time to pee)

We got such a great deal on this one (used) that we would really have to find one that blows our doors off to replace it. It is our 4th rig.

[longhauler]

I started with a 07 Jacyco Jay-flight that we bought in 09 and I loved this camper. Then while coming home from a camping trip in the summer of 2011 a vehicle in front of us lost control due to a semi blowing a tire and pieces littered the interstate and to make a long story short he ended up jack knifing and turning the trailer over, at least this wasn't my fault.

Everyone says how campers lose value so fast, but I guess I got lucky on that part because I got $1000 more dollars then what I paid for the camper 2 years earlier. Our RV dealer here Fourwinds RV has been great.

We had all the intentions of buying a brand new Jayco Eagle SL TT bunkhouse because we couldn't find a 5er floor plan that we wanted because we wanted a bunkhouse. Then while looking at Fourwinds website I ran across our current 5er and loved the floor plan because the bunks didn't take up space. We plan on keeping this trailer til our 3 and 5 year no longer thinks it is cool to go camping with mom and dad.

Saving is very important to have money on those rainy days, but I know some people that still have their first dollar then they die. What is the point all that hard work and money saving and they don't get to enjoy it. I think there needs to be a good balance in enjoying life and doing what you want with in reason, but still have money in the bank for those rainy days.

This is one of those topics that never ends and everyone has there own ways of doing things and that is what is great about America because we can all express what we feel and have the freedom to do what we want.

Safe travels everyone

[artgpo]

"Saving is very important to have money on those rainy days, but I know some people that still have their first dollar then they die. What is the point all that hard work and money saving and they don't get to enjoy it. I think there needs to be a good balance in enjoying life and doing what you want with in reason, but still have money in the bank for those rainy days."
That is so true. Sure, coffins have no pockets. What amazes me is how people just trade every couple of years to gain one or two new features. In terms of depreciation an RV is a terrible investment. Having fun and enjoyment in life is an intangible. Find the right balance and you have a the perfect RV.
The one thing about full timng I will never understand is going from a brick and stick home with a somewhat real expectation of it appreciating to an RV that loses about 20% of its value just as you lift the pen off the bill of sale. At some point in one's life, at least for most people, you become too old to wander and just need a place to roost. I would prefer the roost to be brick and stick. Gas will go to $5+ this year, retrench to $4 then go to $6+ next year. My retirement income cannot keep pace with that increase. I have digressed from my original question at the beginning of this discussion.

[cwit]

We have had our Zinger 5er for 4&1/2 years and as we get older we are looking for something on one floor and we don't have to get out of on pit stops. Plan on doing some out west driving and siteseeing. We haven't found what we want yet and if we don't will probably keep our Zinger till the wheels fall off. I'm a mod freak and need a new toy.lol