Thanks, I'll do that.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Dave, first find out what your 1/2 ton will tow.......it may narrow down your selections.

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LIFETIME MEMBER 151

Drive out and buy one off Craigslist in Phoenix and make them deliver it to your "pad" and save all sorts of gas money tugging it out there! http://phoenix.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=rel&query=5th%20wheel%20trailers

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RV dealer I saw today came up with a figure of 7900# which really narrows down the options on a fifth wheel.  Keeps it at 25'-26'. I was also told that they are better insulated and have more storage space than travel trailers.  Seems like a weird blanket statement but these folks sell all types of trailers so there shouldn't be any bias.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Is upgrading your truck to a bigger towing capacity an option?

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+1 on fith wheel. More stable on the road, specially against side winds and that big 18 wheeler coming the other way on a two laner. Out there vs where your at 50-50. SW fifth wheels will be dry and rust free, but can definitely get baked by the sun. Paint, plastic, rubber etc. can all get pretty dried out if it's spent it's whole life in the SW. Buffalo area the rigs won't dry out as much but were they kept nice and dry and free from salt during storage ?? Run away from anything that's been stored outside on the grass or gravel during the winter. Personally, I think you should buy it in NY and experience the drive out to AZ. Things will go good and things will go bad (some very bad), but you'll never forget your first long trip in your RV, plus you'll be a seasoned veteran by the time you make it out to AZ. The biggest thing if you buy used in NY is tires, make sure they're new or almost new. Milage and tread wear mean nothing, time is an RV tires worst enemy. When you get out to AZ, cover them up !! Brand new tires will be baked in the AZ sun in less than a year. My two cents worth after 2 1/2 years and 15k miles in our motorhome. Good luck !!

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John Sigmund

http://www.rvtrader.com/dealers/Dennis-Trailers-Inc-756241/listing/1989-Trophy-Homes-Park-Model-112951595

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Gary, I just bought an 03 GMC Sierra so I won't upgrade.  I thought long and hard about what truck to buy, gas or diesel, make, engine size.  Really came down to two things: 1. this will be the only serious thing I haul and it will only make it to the property.  Once it's there I won't move it again, I'm just using it as a temporary living arrangement until the cabin is built so getting a bigger truck for that seems a little drastic especially if I end up buying a bigger unit out there and having it delivered. 2.  I got a good deal on this truck. Kind of fell in my lap.

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!!      Long and short term leases available.

Well, then max out the towing capacity of the truck.  It's only one trip and you can take it slow.

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I visualize a picture of Dave driving so slow that the gray hairs in their Buicks are flipping him the "bird" for driving too slow.  



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Lots of good advice. A couple things to add, having owned both types. My last 3 have been 5th wheels. Just bought one a couple of weeks ago to use while working out of town. I will probably never go back to a TT. 5th wheels tow and maneuver so much better when backing up. 5th wheels generally cost more for an equal sized unit and if you need a hitch they can be rather expensive for a 5th wheel.  Also your trucks towing capacity may be higher for a 5th wheel. Happy trailering.

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