First time on any forum so understand if I don't get it correct.

My wife and I will be retiring (for the second time) next year and are currently deciding what type of travel vehicle to use for our retirement travels.

We have just returned to Darwin after a trip down to SA, Vic, outback NSW and Q'land just to have a look around and look at type of vehicles on the road. Our planned travels will be for at least 6 months a year.

We have decided to look seriously at the 5th Wheeler concept and any experieinced advice would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum, TopEnder, we went through the same quandry earlier this year, and while we have not totally ruled out a 5th wheel, are now favourably looking towards caravans. Why? Mainly because of "increasing age" and the ability to (or not to be able) to crawl into/and out of bed. Most 5th wheels (but not all) you are not able to stand upright in the bedroom, which might be fine if you are still fit and able, but as our bodies start to change with increasing age, we may need more space in that area. Example: few weeks ago, we visited a 5th wheel manufacturer, and I, who had undergone knee reconstruction on right leg a few years ago, and still recovering from broken left ankle, found that it was quite hard to climb into/out of bedroom. When you need to get out of bed quickly in the middle of the night, this is/can be an issue. So, if you are looking at 5th wheelers with bedroom at rear, you should be OK, but if bedroom is over the tow hitch, give it some serious consideration.

I have watch two 5th. wheelers at caravan parks recently they have big trouble fitting into sites I think you would need a lot of skill to park them , maybe if free camping it may be different it sure made me think about fitting into caravan park with such rigs

First option - Motorhome. 2nd option 5th wheel caravan. 3rd option - caravan. Choice depends on on your travel Vs non travel ratio. First decide on the budget and size of the rig you need. If you are full time on the road, go motorhome. 5th wheeler tows better than a caravan and is a safer combination. Cheers, Peter

brickies wrote:

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I have watch two 5th. wheelers at caravan parks recently they have big trouble fitting into sites I think you would need a lot of skill to park them , maybe if free camping it may be different it sure made me think about fitting into caravan park with such rigs

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What size were they? Were they the big Yankee monsters?

There are plenty of Oz models in the 22 - 28' range and from what I have seen these are easier to get on site than 22' gin palaces. If I was starting over again I would be going for a 25 - 27' unit. They are no longer than the overall length of an ensuite van but they carry more load and have far more space inside. The large imports require much larger tugs (using these large utes with caravans would also present problens getting them on to site as well.)

I would steer clear of the large monsters, particularly if they are second hand or if their main door is on the RHS. These are likely to be badly converted or perhaps not converted to comply with Oz standards. Some are even over width (some sectioons of US roads permit wider vehicles, or they ar models that were designed for static use.)

Go to this site. Read all the articles commencing with "Fifth Wheeler" and "Import.." This should convince you to be very careful about imported 5th wheelers.

The Qld catavan show starts next week. If you can posibly get there than go, even if you have to fly up. I know they have a better range there than at the Sydney show.

welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice from everyone here we are a friendly lot. As for what rig you want it really is an individual choice there are up's and downs with all types of rigs in the end you will choose what is suitable for your needs but you have come to the right forum for advice as we all have different set ups to travel in. Take care and good luck Helena.

Hi, Topender, and welcome! As I've described elsewhere on this forum, John and I are living full-time in a 5th-wheeler and are very happy with our home-on-wheels. It was made by Southern Cross Caravans in Meadowbrook, Brisbane, to our own layout. The lounge-dining area is at the front, we have a spacious kitchen, a walk-around bedroom with queen bed, and the en-suite at the rear -- all within 25 ft 6 in (7.7 m). We chose not to have slide-outs (more weight, something else to go wrong) and have ample space. If you can get a copy of the magazine 'On The Road' (April 2010) you'll see an article with photos of our rig. We tow with a Mazda BT-50 (3 L turbo diesel, intercooled, common rail, etc.), which recently had its 40,000 km service. The mechanics declared it to be in excellent condition, so it doesn't seem to be suffering from carrying our 2.7 tonne home. Parking in caravan parks has been no problem; we've seen many caravans to-ing and fro-ing more than we do -- our only 'concern' is watching out for low branches, as we're 3.2 m tall. Several manufacturers in Australia now build 5th-wheelers; we chose SC for the layout possibilities and their excellent suspension. And while motorhomes are favoured by many, we didn't want the hassles of carrying or towing an extra vehicle for shopping or short trips. So, best of luck with your research; feel free to e-mail us if you have any specific queries. Cheers - Andrea

To everybody:- Thank you for your views and I am sure I will carefully look at individual opinions.

I feel these views on this forum will assist in the final decision over the next few months.

Again thank you.

Hi Topender,
We have been looking at 5er's for over twelve months now and inspected numerous rigs as well.
Most have full head room in the bedrooms, so not a problem.
One post said Motor home as No.1 choice. I have pondered this as well but you then need some form of transport to get around town to shop or go site seeing, so have discounted this idea.
Regarding size - a 28' 5'er is actually 2' shorter overall than a 23' caravan. (23' plus 5' drawbar, but 5'er hitches about 2' inside the trat of the tug.
Our main concern about them though, is they very hard to resell at a reasonable price. A lot that we looked at last year are still for sale and the asking price has dropped considerably. Those that had a price tag over $200,000 (tug included) are negotiable around $160,000 now. (if you negotiate hard).
Another drawback is, as mentioned earlier, the height means you need to check low bridges etc including trees. (Most are over 3.6m).
The main reason we have not purchased as yet is that a lot do not pass australian standards. Many are over 2.5m wide and have the door onthe wrong side, and whilst they are OK in the state they are registered in now, you cannot transfer the rego. in another state.
If you need any more info on our research you can PM us or email me.
Cheers
Patto

Just putting my 2 cents worth in. We had all but decided to buy a 5th wheeler in a few years time and planned to travel full time in it. However, after visiting several caravan shows, and falling in love with them all, we have now decided it is not the best plan for us. Basically the cash investment. We estimate we would be looking at close to $200K for what we would like. Instead we think a bit over $100k would get us a very good vehicle and pretty impressive van, hopefully with better resale value if and when the time comes. That will leave quite a bit of cash to either invest or live on. Hopefully to extend our travel time. Whatever you decide, drive safey and enjoy yourselves, it beats sitting at home vegetating.

Many useful comments for you above, can i reiterate, look at AUSTRALIAN MADE, not IMPORTED 5th wheelers

HI Topender Well I've read all of the above,some of it is good,,most of it is a load of crud,, I'm 6ft & I can stand in my bedroom,the door is on the other,wrong,or right side,(what ever you want to call it ) After full time living in it nearly 4 years ,never has that door caused a prodlem,, You will have to get new suspention, We are govened by the condition of the road Not speed limits,, &you will need the air bag in the pin box, But there again I am talking about a propper size one ,,myself,I can't see the point in getting a small one =22-25ft, But H-ey each to there own,, If you would like more imfo ,give me a PM

Once again, as pointed out by Dunmowin, why buy imported vehicles and have the suspension upgraded when you could purchase an Australian-made van, suited to our road conditions? I'm also curious about an 'air bag in the pin box' our 'fiver' (26'6") is hitched on a 3-inch ball, but has independent 4-wheel suspension on air bags and travels very smoothly (no broken cups!). And from Brisbane to Adelaide to Perth to Adelaide and many points between, we've not yet come across any bridge or branch to hinder our run. Keep looking, Topender; I'm sure you'll find the one to suit you. Andrea

Thanks for all the info on 5ers people,we are looking at them also and have hundreds of questions.I favor them over caravans as they are said to be more stable on the road.We just got back from up north and were amazed at the number of 5ers we saw on the road and in caravan parks.I think the parks will have to start thinking about these big rigs now,not everyone wants to stay in free camp sites on the side of the road.

What are the thoughts on the best vehicle for a 5th wheeler please?

Bushbaby, the 'best' tow vehicle for a 5er must be matched to the van you are buying after considering various factors, including the van's tare and aggregate trailer mass (ATM), and the gross combination mass (GCM) of the tow -- all figures that are available from the manufacturers. We are very happy with our Mazda BT-50 for our Southern Cross 5er -- the Mazda's 5.5 tonne GCM beats its competitor by about 1.5 tonne and has superb torque (and was $10,000 cheaper!), but it may be totally unsuitable for your choice of van. Good luck! Andrea

Thank you for all comments. We are taking on board what info we receive. Have made a decision to go 5th Wheeler. Will be in Brisbane September (for Tim McGraw concert) and hopefully will look at a few options while in Q'land. Thanks to your coments we now focus on tow vehicels and local and imported 5th W. Regards Allan R

Thanks Andrea,we have talked to a lot of people and even some dealers and they all have different ideas on tows for 5ers.We are trying to do as much research as possible before we make a decision. :)