Another 5th wheel that you should consider is New Horizon. They will build whatever size and interior that you want, and the quality is the top. (Of course, so is the price and weight, but you didn't say these were among your concerns).
My wife and I are not full timers, but we do spend about 4 -5 months a year in our trailer.
We are planning to upgrade to a large fifth wheel ourselves shortly, and after having studied a number of the units on the market, we narrowed our list to 3: Teton, Excel and Newmar's Kountry Aire.
All of these had pros and cons but after considerable study on these 3, we've pretty much settled on the Newmar for the following reasons:
Teton was just too expensive for what you get (they are built in Casper, WY which is in a geographically isolated area, much of their components are sourced in the midwest so incur a high shipping cost, and they have had a high factory turnover recently in large part due to their booming local economy. Their interior fit and finish is not top notch compared to others on the market, but they are built like tanks.
Excel is a great company and builds a really first class unit; I too got personal feedback on questions from the company president. However, my wife and I agreed with another Excel owner who exclaimed that thier interior designs (including the fit and finish inside) is rather "frumpy". If their interiors were like Newmar Kountry Aires, we'd have had a real hard time ruling out Excel.
Newmar, like the other two, is a company that has been in business a number of years, and really stands behind their product with a 2 year warranty. Also, like the other 2, above, they'll make some customizing, a factor that we like. What really sets the Newmar Kountry Aire apart and above the other 2 in my mind is that the overall quality of the product and especially the interior livability factors, everything considered, was superior to the other 2 dollar for dollar, and option by option.
We love out trailer (39ft) however as many have stated, it takes planning and some calm nerves. I have been towing for only a short time but as everyone promised...it is getting easier the more I do it. Just stay alert and you'll do fine.
TTR
TreeTopRanch
2007 Ford F350 Dually PSD King Ranch/Chrome FX4
2008 K-Z Montego Bay 36REB-3
The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) continues to lobby for an increase is the square footage of 5th wheels -- currently limited to 400 sq ft in the set-up mode (all slides extended). Following article in "RV Business" 10 Dec 2007:
"RVIA Ups Travel Trailer Square-Footage Limit
Bob Ashley
RV Business
Monday, December 10, 2007
Opposition from the Recreation Park Trailer Industry Association (RPTIA) has derailed, at least temporarily, efforts by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) to change federal law to allow fifth-wheels to be larger than 400 square feet.
“I don't anticipate the fifth-wheel initiative to go anywhere any time soon,” said Matt Wald, RVIA director of government affairs. “(RPTIA Executive Director) Bill Garpow did an excellent job of scuttling anything we tried to do.”
Meanwhile, the RVIA board during a Nov. 14 conference call, gave travel trailer manufacturers permission effective Jan. 1 to increase the maximum size of their units from 320 to 400 square feet, which will put them on par with fifth-wheels.
Units beyond 400 square feet, by federal law, are legally considered to be manufactured homes and required to meet standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is that designation that the RVIA board voted in February to seek to change with regard to fifth-wheels.
Garpow, whose association is comprised of manufacturers of “park model” trailers that are limited to 400 square feet, was the proposal's most vocal critic. Opposition, though, also was expressed by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) and the California Travel Parks Association (CPTA, renamed California ARVC as of the first of the year). Garpow contended that allowing fifth-wheels to be larger than that limit would cause regulatory havoc in localities throughout the country.
Wald said the RPTIA opposition created uncertainty in Congress that led to the initiative's demise. “People said the safest thing for them to do was nothing,” Wald explained. “It is easier to kill a bill than it is to pass one.”
Wald left the door open for RVIA to relaunch the initiative to get a new federal law for fifth-wheels “next year.” “Obviously if RPTIA continues to oppose us, it could take longer,” Wald said.
RVIA's board has the ability to override the ANSI standard for travel trailers because “the way we are structured, we follow standards as adopted by our board of directors,” said Bruce Hopkins, RVIA vice president of standards and education.
Although law allows towable RVs to be up to 400 square feet in setup mode, travel trailers have been restricted to 320 square feet by an ANSI standard that hasn't been changed since 1987. “At the time, the board thought 320 square feet was a good break-off point because of the towing capacity of vehicles at that time,” Hopkins said.
With the proliferation of SURVs and lighter pickup trucks, that distinction no longer is valid, Hopkins said. “People are asking for larger units and manufacturers believe there is a market,” he said. “The federal government allows them to go to 400 square feet, so why shouldn't we allow them to make travel trailers larger than 320 square feet."
Although Garpow was pleased that RVIA abandoned the fifth-wheel initiative, he contended that the RVIA board's action concerning travel trailers actually makes them park trailers. “They will be 8 1/2 feet wide and between 320 and 400 square feet,” Garpow told RVBusiness. “That is the definition of a park trailer. They are applying two standards to the same product. It doesn't make any sense.”
With the question of larger fifth-wheels moot for now, however, apparently all is not clear sailing for travel trailers.
Hopkins said laws in 16 states will be in conflict with RVIA board's 400-square-foot edict because they tie allowable square feet to the ANSI standard. That will take at least until 2011 to change to reflect 400 square feet. Wald said RVIA this winter will attempt to get the law changed in most of those states."
We have a Mod. 34E39RK Titanium. It is our 2nd Titanium and strongly recommend it. the 34E39 is a 39 ft long trailer but with the "cab over" design, it pulls like a 34 ft. We have 4 slides and plenty of space. Check it out at www.glendalerv.com. They have vitual tour that really helps get the look at all angles. Good luck,
Our first coach was a 32 ft double slide. We liked it, but we knew we wouldn't have it past 3-4 years. We researched our current coach (see sig) for 2 1/2 years before we finally purchased it. We absolutely LOVE and would own another one. It isn't much different from pulling our old coach, however we do look for larger camground sites because we now have three slides. When the slides are out we are approx 14 feet wide in the living room. We really love our fireplace!
Good luck in your search, and Happy Holidays!
Scott & Margo
Daughter (11)
Dusty (Aussie X) & Kadie (Cairn Terrier)
2006 Chev Silverado 3500 LT Quad Cab LB Duramax/Allison
2007 Cedar Creek 36RLTS Custom
"May you live as long as you want and may you never want as long as you live."
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