Fleetwood Terry EXL Fifth Wheel; Roughing It ? Oh! MY!
Written: Sep 12 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: olar-reflective radiused windows, pull outs
Cons: Bed is a bit hard
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| djgeiger's Full Review: 2000 Fleetwood Terry EXL |
A Milestone, my 100th review!
Traveling in a fifth wheel could be the most economical way to travel. I have a serious reservation about purchasing a fifth wheel, or any type of trailer. My son died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a trailer house and I break out in a cold sweat every time I go near one. My husband, George, brought me to Geweke RV/Ford, in Lodi, CA to look at fifth wheels. He pointed out the many safety features of the RV. It comes equipped with a carbon monoxide detector, and a smoke alarm. Some even have Liquid Petroleum leak detectors. I believe I feel a bit better now, at least I have agreed to honestly assess if a fifth wheel could be more advantageous to our needs than a class A motor home.
We are considering a Fleetwood Terry EXL for the purchase cost or $35,841.05. Of course our Saturn is a wonderful car and can certainly walk on water, but I don't think it can tow a fifth wheel. We will have the added cost of a pickup truck that can handle hauling a fully loaded 34 foot fifth wheel. We'd be traveling a great deal in mountain ranges and the fifth wheel's weight and everything it is carrying on it, and in it. If we purchase this fifth wheel, after careful consideration, we decided we'd be hauling it with a Dodge Ram Diesel. It would have plenty of power to tow over mountains, and enough get up and go not to back up all the traffic on the highway. What ever you decide on purchasing to pull the fifth wheel, make sure to check the towing capacity of the tow vehicle.
Towing the weight of a fifth wheel can be pretty deceiving. The weight of the fifth wheel it's self is only 10,550 lbs, this is the dry weight. Meaning, it's not the weight of any options like stereo equipment, nor the weight of the water tank, waste tanks or water heater, nor is it the weight of all the extra stuff we all feel we must have on a vacation with us. The total weight you can safely haul, including your stuff, water and so forth is 2,150 lbs. The weight of the Gross Dry Weight and the Maximum Carrying Capacity should not come to any more weight than the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) which is 13,700 lbs. Sounds pretty simple, but is it? Load it with everything you want and need to carry and take it over to a truck scale. It can end up weighing a whole heck of a lot more than you think.
What are the advantages over a fifth wheel over a class A motor home? What are the advantages of a fifth wheel over a trailer house? With a class A motor home you wouldn't have a vehicle for side trips, unless of course you tow a small car with you. The fuel mileage of any of the motor homes is awful. Using a Dodge Ram Diesel to pull the fifth wheel should get somewhat better fuel mileage. One disadvantage I just thought of and haven't mentioned to George yet, if we get a fifth wheel we won't be able to take our boat with us. After looking at trailer houses, there is no comparison to a fifth wheel, at least not for our needs. We own a web based business and our computers have to come with us. Even in a motor home or a fifth wheel, taking the computer systems with us is going to be a tight squeeze. Height is also a factor since George is a tall man. The Fleetwood Terry EXL is 11.9 feet tall. The height of most of the Fleetwood trailers we have looked at are no more than 8.5 feet. Room enough for George's head, but certainly can lead to claustrophobia over extended trips.
The fifth wheel has the capacity to have pull outs. When parked you literally have room extensions that pull out increasing your living space dramatically. The fifth wheel we are looking at has three pullouts. The pull outs work on a electric motor with a rack-and-pinion mechanism on a Dura Glide System. Pretty neat trick if you ask me! The living room and galley area pull out on each side giving you plenty of space for two recliners, a sofa sleeper, a free standing dinette instead of the built in dinette that many RV's have. On the other side in the pull out area is the galley and a entertainment center. The step up bedroom has a pull out also, giving way for plenty of space for a queen size bed, TV, storage and a easy chair.
Since we intend on traveling through Central and South America, one option that we would like to add that is offered, is a water purifier. Other options that we will add are the Coleman Ducted Central AC (a absolute MUST HAVE) and the Entertainment Center with a TV, VCR, CD player and CD changer.
The kitchen has a decent size refrigerator and freezer. It also has a microwave (with turn table), stove and oven. To help with circulation there is a ceiling fan in the main living area. The choices of colors is not to spectacular for the EXL. You have a choice between beige and gray color schemes. The other brands of Fleetwood's have color schemes more to my liking, blues and greens. I suppose with either beige or gray, adding plants and splashes of color will brighten it up nicely. The fifth wheel also comes satellite dish ready and has phone jacks. The interior windows have mini blinds. The windows are solar-reflective radiused windows, making for a cooler home. RV's have a tendency to get very hot. Not having the sun beating in is certainly an advantage. I like the hominess of the wood built-in wardrobe and cupboards, giving it a warm feeling. The bathroom is more spacious than I had expected. The shower has a shower message, very nice for sore muscles
The fresh water tank in the EXL Fifth Wheel is smaller than the class A motor home we looked at. The fresh water tank is only 60 gallons. A bit small for traveling long distances in areas your not to sure of the water supply. The gray water holding tank is 55 gallons, the body waste tank is 40 gallons and the LPG tank's capacity is 60 gallons. All the water hook ups are centralized and grouped together for easy hook up. This can be a pretty important feature considering you can be bone weary by the time you stop some nights.
The fifth wheel comes with a two year, full warranty, which is fully transferable. The 24 hour roadside assistance program is pretty nice if you have a flat, or even get locked out. This is available in the US and Canada for the first year free. The roadside assistance program can be continued if you want to pay for it.
All in all, I have to admit that the Fleetwood Terry EXL Fifth wheel is very safe. It's contemporary design is very stylish and homey. There is plenty of storage, at least plenty of storage until I try to pack the first time. Then the White House on wheels doesn't have enough storage! This little beauty will certainly be on the top of our list when we make a final decision!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
djgeiger
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Member: Diana Geiger
Location: Huron, South Dakota USA
Reviews written: 164
Trusted by: 350 members
About Me:
I am a writer and the Exotic Pets Editor for BellaOnline.com.
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