smknf250
San Diego
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I am posting this in the Motorhome Section and 5th Wheel section. I am looking for opinions as we are planning on upgrading our RV. We are a young family and currently with two kids 7 year old and 6 month old, my wife and I and a dog. Currently we have a Weekend Warrior 30'bumper pull toy hauler with a Ford F250 Diesel Tow Vehicle. We generally go to the desert with a dune buggy 6 to 7 times a year and to the river 4 or 5 times a year and maybe a few other trips in between.
We are torn between going with a big 5th Wheel Toy Hauler and a DRW Truck or a DP Motorhome and 24' enclosed trailer. I know many of you have been in a similar situation so I am looking for opinion, pros/cons etc.
The Motorhomes we are looking at are in the $60,000 to $80,000 range and are 2003-2006 39' or 40' Newmar Dutch Star, Fleetwood Discovery, Excursion, Revolutions and a few others. The 5th Wheels we are looking at are 2008-2009 Weekend Warrior CR3905 and SLC3905s
Thanks in advance for the opinions
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ArcticDodge
Sammamish, WA
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Joined: 05/02/2005
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I'd go for the motorhome if money is easy to come by as they tend to be more expensive to maintain than other RV's. I'd love to have been able to justify a DP. Easier for the family to travel in as they can easily move about. I'll assume as they kids get older you'll be looking to travel further to places like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc. Nice thing about the MH is you can tow your trailer full of toys when hitting the dessert or tow a vehicle for other destinations.
The wife and I were looking at some used DP's a couple months ago and there were some very nice units to be had for under 100K. I still can't justify the outlay of cash for the time we could use it.
2009 Komfort 256TS
2001 Dodge Ram 3500 QC 4x4 Cummins DRW
2005 Dodge Durango Limited AWD HEMI
2001 Sebring Convertible
1995 Miata M-Edition
2005 DRZ400
1 Wife  2 Boys UW & Bellevue College
1 Trixie (Bichon Frise)
Only 23 years to retirement!!!!
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Y-Guy
Tri-Cities, WA
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We went to a motorhome for several reasons, but having had it now since 2007 I'm not sure I would go back to a Toy Hauler. We tow our ATV trailer or our Boat, and I can setup to tow our Jeep. I couldn't tow the boat where I live with a Truck/Toy Hauler. The ability for the wife and kids to get up and use the bathroom while we drive is a huge time saver. But the biggest reason is that I find the driving to be easier. I make an annual run to the Oregon Coast, its about 8 hour drive. When I'd make it with our F350/Raptor I was exhausted by the time I arrived, I make it in the motorhome and I'm relaxed and ready to ride. Plus my poor mileage vehicle (motorhome) is only used for vacations.
The motorhome just gives our family more flexibility, there are days I do miss the garage in the Toy Hauler, but when I pick up an enclosed trailer one of these days there won't be that reason.
Our RV: '07 Winnebago Sightseer 35J
Our Toys: Four Winns Horizon 190, Polaris Sportsman 500's & Honda Recon's
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smknf250
San Diego
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I agree ease of traveling and bathroom, food etc are all easy with the motorhome.
Our typical trip though is only a 3 hour drive and a couple reasons I was leaning toward the toy hauler were having 4X4 and not worrying about getting stuck at the desert and also more beds for the kids. Dual rear queen beds in the hauler is nice as opposed to folding out the dinette and couch each night not to mention almost every trip we have others wanting to stay with us....
Other than those items the motorhome is far out weighting the toy hauler
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katoomer
Vancouver
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Joined: 08/13/2005
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We had a toyhauler for 5 yrs. before switching to a motorhome and enclosed trailer.
I would never go back. Far easier to drive, I found it stressfull pulling an 18K lb trailer with a
8K lb truck. Now I have a 30K lb coach pulling a 7K lb trailer. I can drive all day and feel good.
The wife and kids have room to move around so they don't get on each others nerves.
We have a coach with bunks which is best for kids but hard to find unless you buy brand new.
It's also nice to have all the gear and bikes in a trailer instead of in the garage for the travel days when you don't need to unload everything. We love our Newmar. Do your research and choose wisely, there are lots to choose from out there.
2009 Newmar Ventana 3942
2010 Pace Shadow 18ft
2010 KTM 450 XCW six days
2010 Can Am Outlander 650 XT
2009 Yamaha TTR125
1989 Douglas Skater 21' Twin 2.5s
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katoomer
Vancouver
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For extra friends we put fold down bunks in the trailer for the kids and their friends.
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Badhabt
Puyallup, WA
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Y-Guy wrote: I make an annual run to the Oregon Coast, its about 8 hour drive. When I'd make it with our F350/Raptor I was exhausted by the time I arrived, I make it in the motorhome and I'm relaxed and ready to ride.
Totally opposite for me going to the dunes...but that was with my 28ft class C and 16' box trailer. I was beat with the pushing from semi's and the bounce in the dips not to mention the noise of the dishes etc. With my dually and the Raptor its so much more comfortable. Also, everytime we got all setup we realized we "forgot" to buy something and had to break down and go into town. With the truck/trailer is a piece of cake to run around. I will admit though...with young kids you cant beat the convenience to move about in a motorhome!
06 F350 4X4 Crew Cab Dually Tow Boss
07 Raptor 3612DS
92 Banshee - sons now
06 YZF450 50th Anniv Edition - sons too
06 Raptor 700R 50th Anniv Edition - mine
06 Wolverine 450 - wifes
07 Wolverine 450 SE - my other toy
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dav5942
Stuart, FL
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ME(Mid-Engine Cummins ISL)coach with garage for the toys(fits two Yamaha Grizlies and Harley or Mule-side by side) and tow the jeep or boat behind. Two full size beds in garage which acts a second bedroom-AC, TV, etc.
2007 Newmar 42' Mid Engine w/Fatboy,Grizzly 550s-in Garage,Rubicon w/4" lift,MotorMetal whls,MickeyT Baja tires-Cherokee w/4"lift in tow, Hog Valley FL(a diamond in the rough)
2010 Part2
Alaska Fishing Newmar Mid Engine 2010 Sportfishing
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resmas
temporarily displaced Alaskan
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smknf250 wrote:...more beds for the kids. Dual rear queen beds in the hauler is nice as opposed to folding out the dinette and couch each night....
This is why we probably won't ever have a MH. Having a seperate area for our 3 kids is priceless. I don't want to be "assembling" beds each night. Also, having a tow vehicle means that we can go sight-seeing without having to break camp. Your kids are still very young, and there may be many trips in the future where having that tow vehicle will be priceless...
2012 Dutchmen Voltage Epic 3795
2010 Dodge 3500 DRW MC
2009 GMC 2500 DA CC
2012 Smart-for-two (sometimes hitches a ride in the Voltage!)
2005 Sundowner Sunlite 777
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Pops5
Gilbert, AZ
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So basically you need to buy one of each!  I have had both and all reasons listed above are true and very good points. I am going back to a Toy Hauler for exact reasons above. I love the fact of having the freedom of a truck to go sight seeing and the run to town because you ran out of bread, etc.! TH seem to have more beds and I have 5 kids so motorhomes are a little tough to fit everyone (Im single so my Mega Cab Dodge fits all 6 of us comfortably) but we did in my Class C freightliner Custom Coach with extra bed over the cab.
I have tried to trade a couple kids for a nice new Class A but no takers yet 
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