I was browsing a site for younger RV’ers (http://www.nurvers.com/), and ran across a blog entry from some folks who had just started fulltiming in an Open Range fifth wheel(FW). Coincidentally, I had recently run through a bunch of dealer websites that featured Open Range RVs so I decided to dig a bit. Open Range isn’t a name I had heard when researching reputable fulltiming FWs so when I saw this brand on the dealer websites I had been browsing, I dismissed it as one of the many lower end, dime-a-dozen brands you see everywhere. Actually, it ended up being a little more interesting than that, but at this point I’m sure just how much more.
Open Range is a relatively new company and they do a couple of things a little differently. The most talked about is that they use a cable system for moving the slides in and out. As I was browsing the RV forums for Open Range discussions, the gradual shift in opinion regarding this feature over time (2007 to today) was interesting to watch. Initially, there was quite a bit of skepticism. Apparently similar set-ups had not held up too well in the past, however, somewhere between 2008 and 2009, some of the skepticism seemed let up. The Open Range models were apparently pretty decently designed, used components less likely to rust and wear down quickly than previous similar mechanisms, and were setup so that so that any repairs and maintenance that were necessary were fairly easy to perform. Eventually, from what I understand, the general consensus appeared to be that they were probably a little less reliable the their more conventional counterparts, but the savings in weight might be worth it in some situations. The weight issue is an area in which Open Range seems to be trying to gain an advantage.
Open Range has a “Residential” line. I’m not sure that this means much as it seems like it’s just their normal FWs with slightly large sizes, a residential style refrigerator, and a couple of the optional packages included as standard.
This is all part of my learning process, but something I’d really like to find out is what quantitative differences there are between a $100,000 DRV FW and a $60,000 Open Range. I’m just using those makes as examples. I’m sure that there are differences, but I want to know what those are so that I can make intelligent choices about which of those differences are important to me and which aren’t.
Update: I went to an Open Range dealership this weekend and answered some of my own questions. I looked at the “Residential” units and they were quite nice, however for whatever reason (perhaps to control weight… I don’t know) they just weren’t as solid feeling as some of the “fulltiming” class FWs I’ve checked out. There were also some of the same rough edges I’ve seen when looking at other FWs in the same price ranges: screws going in at angles and sticking out a bit, staples used in places where fittings or screws might be more appropriate; stuff like that. That said, of the mid-range FWs I’ve seen, these certainly did stand out. They were quite roomy, had some nice interior touches (Curtain rods! Finally an RV with normal looking windows!) It’s easy to see why folks looking for a FW in this price range might choose an Open Range. These fit my price range and I won’t dismiss them from consideration; however, I think I’ll stick with my plan of a used unit from one of the manufacturers more oriented towards fulltiming.
This still leaves me with my original questions. What are the real, measurable things I can look for that differentiate a fulltiming oriented FW from a vacationing or low-end snowbird oriented one?
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