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timhortons · 03-28-2015, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaineStreamer

The expression is, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Nuf said.

Repeating it doesn't make it true.

Gnorts · 03-28-2015, 08:48 AM

As a former sailboat liveaboard, I ask the question I always ask regarding this issue: What are you gonna do with all that space?? I mean, really. When we're talking about "space," in an RV, are we talking about storage space? Or seating space? Or sleeping space? The way it looks to me, it ends up being *floor* space. What are you gonna use all that floor space for? Plan on entertaining a dozen people, with room to dance? Maybe six or eight for dinner?

I know there have been a few women chiming in here on this issue, and I commend you for your sensible responses. But, with the risk of sounding a bit sexist, I think 5th wheels were designed for women. "Honey, if you want me to go camping with you, I won't go unless I have a double sink, huge fridge, full size bathroom, and a walk-in closet."

As a former liveaboard, retired marine surveyor and former yacht broker, I know a truism: "The man decides to buy a boat. The wife decides which one." He wants a simple sportfishing boat, she gets an aft cabin motor yacht with all the amenities. It's no different in the RV world.

Well, I say Phooey. Who needs all that floor space? It gives you the illusion of roominess, but at a price I'm not willing to pay (not dollar price, but frustration price.)

Appeal to her sense of style. The Airstream will win every time. My lovely spouse has a great sense of style. We love our AS. I'm a double-lucky guy.

cwf · 03-28-2015, 09:04 AM

How about looking at a few older AS? Then older 5ers.... Which still "work"? What do you see parked all over with tons of "stuff"..5ers and SOBs mostly. Ask yourselves, "are we changing houses or simplifying?" Good lock!

Seemore2006 · 03-28-2015, 09:27 AM

We love our 25 ft Safari wide body. We have enjoyed it mostly on weekends as our 'silver cabin'. We thought we needed a gazebo for more 'room' but find we are either outdoors or enjoying the trailer. Now that we are going to be 'on the road' full time for five years we are buying a S.ome O.ther B.rand motorhome. We want to tow a fuel efficient car. He wants more storage and room but mostly we would never subject our Airstream to the 'abuse' we plan on doing to the motorhome! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Well, for sure some ruts and big branches!

HeavyAssault · 03-28-2015, 10:26 AM

I've asked myself this a few times. On a 5'r they use a 15k/13.5k AC and a 34-40k furnace. By the construction you would think it's going to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. AS uses the same sized components yet the interior size is much smaller. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

m.hony · 03-28-2015, 04:56 PM

Happy wife, happy life...

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gnijman · 03-28-2015, 10:43 PM

A decent sized fiver is seriously heavier than any AS. More fuel usage for sure. Where do you plan to park it? If in your yard, will you be offside on land use bylaws with a fiver?
Gary

switz · 03-29-2015, 01:40 AM

To get a larger model 5er, one needs to add into the equation the added cost of a one ton dually versus a three quarter ton for any Airstream.

m.hony · 03-29-2015, 08:06 AM

Airstreams are prettier-

graysailor · 03-29-2015, 09:03 AM

I just purchased a 30 foot Airstream with the recliners which also includes the fold up table in front of the recliners. This essentially adds another room to the AS with space for work stations without interfering with the galley, dinette and bedroom areas.

A big 5th wheel means a much larger tow vehicle while my F150 quite easily handles my Airstream.

Foiled Again · 03-29-2015, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwf

Get the 5er if she will tow it.

WELL SAID. This is so so so true. If you stand a chance of converting your wife to an Airstream, towing a fifth wheel or even a big B+ once could do it. I've towed 2 SOB's - both times for friends whose husbands were injured. If I were ever asked to help someone get their fiver back home... I'd give them the money to hire a pro.

Seriously, rent the biggest clunkiest RV you can find for a week or two and go on a test trip. It might cost $2000 but that is still far cheaper than buying a rig you find you can't use.

Now - getting the wife on board with an Airstream. After she's seen the down side of the big rigs, the answer could be simple - Carry along a spare room or two. How?

tow with a box truck - which is set up as your office/man cave
Tow with a full size van - ditto above
carry a very robust screen room (or two) with canvas sides and kerosene heater - ditto above
if you camp for 2 weeks in one location, rent a cabin as a work area

I've heard of a few people who've used a truck camper and an Airstream but most truck campers are (a) heavy and (b) not aerodynamic - so I left that off the list.

I'd also add, look for the last of the 34's - even one with a slide. You'll possibly need a one ton dually to tow it but it's still an Airstream.

Paula

cwf · 03-29-2015, 09:51 PM

5ers can't park under or pass under as low a bridge or tree as an AS!

luckylimey · 04-12-2015, 06:41 AM

I agree with ' Happy Wife, happy life'. Especially on the road. However, practicality prevails here and if I were working on the road, I would favour my 'Fiver'. I have a 36 ft Montana with opposed slides in the L/Room and a large Desk, with affords me loads of office space. Mind you, now I'm retired, I'm selling it to buy an Airstream. 😊 good luck on the road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wycolo

Please offer up any marriage advice you can. My wife and I plan to start the RV life in 2 years. We will not retire for another five years but instead continue to work while in the RV. We both work just need internet connection to do our jobs. We will keep our home and travel in the RV approximately 6 months out of the year.
Now here is where we need marital advice. I want us to get a 25’-30’ Airstream and she wants us in a 5th wheel. Main thing she is stuck on is the desire of more living/working space. I get it the 5th wheel is big!
My thoughts are since we are getting the RV before retirement and continuing to use it for many years into retirement, I want one that will handle years of use. Also I don’t want to have a RV that starts to look out of style in a few years.
How can I sway her that an Airstream is smaller but better? I’ve tried telling her she looks skinnier in an Airstream but not sure she’s buying that logic.

mandolindave · 04-12-2015, 11:25 AM

First off..I would take the worry of, " in a few years look out of style " OUT of the equation. It would take many years for an RV to look out of style, and who cares.

Secondly, you could get a huge fifth wheel for a home base, and a small trailer for traveling.

ILOVESALLY · 04-12-2015, 01:53 PM

Airstream the only way to go. I saw a 5th wheel the same year as our Airstream 2007 and it already looked tired and depreciated. I'm a big guy and knock into things inside the Airstream. It can handle some abuse without falling apart. We're a family of 4 with a dog who both work. Our 25ft works fine. Your wife would be crazy to go 5th wheel over a Airstream. They are brilliant functional mobile homes, the best😊.

Cannonball · 04-12-2015, 06:04 PM

Trying to replicate your brick-and-mortar lifestyle is an error. This is a different way to live. More stuff = mistake.

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Skater · 04-14-2015, 07:54 AM

Did someone suggest this and I missed it?

Airstream 5th wheel! (Good luck finding one, though. They're apparently pretty rare.)

They also made the Airstream Integrity in 1996-1997 which appear to be a fiberglass constructed 5th wheel, so they don't scream Airstream like the aluminum trailers do. But, hey, neither did my B190.

lonestarpipe · 04-18-2015, 05:45 PM

We recently sold our home and decided to live in our RV while building a new house. We sold our Airstream 25 FB and bought a 5th wheel for the space. Here's what we've learned...5th wheel is VERY livable. We have a king sized bed, washer/dryer, and tons of space. However, we cannot wait to get our house finished, sell it and get back to an Airstream. There is absolutely no comparison as far as quality. We just loved everything about the Airstream hands down. Depending on how long you're going to full-time, I would look at an Airstream 30 ft. and see if it will work for you. I wish we had done that.

We probably would have always wondered about a 5th wheel had we not purchased this one. Now we know. Good luck to you!

kb0zke · 04-18-2015, 07:15 PM

Interesting thread, since we're in a similar position. Two years ago we bought a Foretravel MH for our full-time coach, after spending nearly 3 years researching. At the time we bought the Foretravel that was the right choice for us. Things have changed, though, and we're starting to rethink things. Each type of coach has advantages and disadvantages.

Our Foretravel was about $350,000 in 1993, although it obviously isn't worth anywhere near that now. As we consider what we might want next, we keep coming back to the quality and weight questions. An Airstream is a high quality coach, similar to our Foretravel. There are 5'ers that are in the same league (DRV, Excel, New Horizons, etc.) but they are a LOT heavier than an Airstream. All of those would require a minimum of an F350-class truck, and really an F450 or F550 would be a better choice. Even the largest Airstream can be safely towed by an F250-class truck.

As for the "stuff" we all have, that's pretty much a personal decision. We downsized a LOT when we moved into our coach a little over a year ago, and we're still downsizing now. We have a much better idea of what we need and what we don't need now, and in a few months more of the stuff we have with us will be gone. No matter what we do, though, some of our stuff will have to ride in the other vehicle.

We're currently in a small, private RV park as we volunteer at the church's building project. We currently have two motor homes, two 5'ers, and a TT. The two motor homes are both 40' coaches, while the towables are much smaller, more in the 25-28' range. We are the only people who live full-time in our coach.

Yes, a 5'er with three slides (opposing living area slides and one bedroom slide) is great, but then there are also the disadvantages of slides. When looking at a 5'er, look at it with the slides pulled in. Can you still get to the refrigerator and bathroom? If not, you will have to put out at least one slide when you stop for lunch.

cccwwwbbb · 05-03-2015, 07:41 AM

My wife and I have owned 2 40' tag axle motorhomes and traveled West, North, and South in each. We got tired of maintaining 2 drive trains (MH & toad) and the higher maintenance and fuel cost, so 3 years ago we got a 38' 5th wheel - simplified things a great deal and gave us maybe 40% more room. We towed the fiver to Alaska, Florida, and the Canadian Maritime provinces and loved it. My wife worked about 20 to 25 hours remotely on most trips. This past Winter we parked the 5th wheel in Naples, FL for 3 months. The space it offered and the great weather made a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

The 5th wheel and long bed Chev 3500 diesel TV made it almost impossible to get into a lot of small state parks, and 16,000 lb weight gave us only 10.4 MPG for all of those trips (approx 30,000 miles).

Sooo, this April we left the 5th wheel in Naples on a year long rental contract and bought a 2004 31' Classic AS on the way home for the summer. We'll use the Airstream for Spring/Summer/Fall trips and store it indoors for the Winter when we head South back to the 5th wheel.

If you are camping somewhere that provides lots of opportunity and weather for being out of doors, even just under the awning, the AS will be just fine. The 5th wheel provides more space and helps avoid cabin fever when things are ugly outside, but after 2 days, even that feels cramped, at least for us.

Work in the AS will be fine for one anyway, except where phone activity needs to be separated. Our fiver has a desk and dining table which allows separation of work/computer activities.

Our fifth wheel is 5 years old and looks brand new - it is a Landmark by Heartland. We've had a few problems, but I expect it will easily last another 5 years due to the quality of the build, even if we return to traveling in it. The Airstream is already 11 years old, but also looks to be brand new. I think both RV types can be reliable for a long time if you research them carefully before buying and maintain them well.

We could downsize the TV for use with the AS, but until we are sure we won't be towing the fiver again, we'll keep the beast (wonderful TV with a great ride, but absolutely Godzilla in parking lots!).

Choices, choices! But domestic happiness is vitally important, so you have to research, read forum stories/comments/advice, and make the best decision for your situation.

Enjoy : )