I have ZERO evidence to support my opinion, but I think class A Diesel Pushers cost more to buy and more to own than a 5th wheel and appropriately sized truck. This assumes that equivalent living accommodations are evaluated.

A diesel pusher normally needs a "toad" (additional vehicle) to allow for personal transportation when parked. This adds considerable cost to the equation.

May I repeat, I have no evidence, only an opinion, to support this position.

I personally have a 5th wheel and an F350 dually, and I have voted with my checkbook on this subject.

It may have more to do with how you are going to RV over the years. My guess is that costs of maintaining and running either will be similar whether an "A" or a fifth wheel. It's just a matter of luck in most cases.

We choose a class A because of how we were going to travel. We needed an economical toad because we put 4 times the miles on a toad as we do our motorhome. I choose to bet that a Honda would be more economical fuel and repair wise. Now in our fourth year the theory seems to be working. But this has to do with "our" usage. Everyone has a different RV lifestyle. We put 20,000 miles per year on the Honda Fit.

Back to the original question, "How much more will an "A" cost to maintain?" Every answer will be different depending on personal experience.

My cost to maintain our motorhome over the last three years is just under $10,000.00. Some off that has to do with usage, some with the age of our old motorhome..... but most of it is just dumb luck or misfortune.

Flip a coin. It may be just as accurate.

To have a 5er comparable to our DP, you'd have an HDT to pull it. Want an HDT as a daily driver? All interior appliances are the same. Diesel engines in both. What makes you think there is so much difference?

I got a funny feeling this is a hot question ........but here is my 2 cents.......Depending on your travel plans and how you use them ......a class a Diesel pusher is only comparable to a 5ver with an HDT diesel pulling it...they both have plenty of power to spare and run relaxed


A Gas class A or a gas truck pulling a 5ver both are over loaded before you pull out and under powered so there is a greater strain on the drive-train.......so in the end both sides of the coin are equal unless fate has its way and Murphy's law presides!!

The above comments are all relevant. I had a 5vr for 4 years and have been in a MH for over 4 years. The maintenance on the MH is more than the maintenance on the fifth wheel but not when I figure in the truck that I had pulling it. Yes I do have a car in tow but it is so much better than having to drive the truck around when the MH is parked. We had more repairs on the trailer than we have had on the MH but that will always be a variable when comparing others. We like the setup we have now but we are full-timers that travel a lot. If we were vacationers or snow birds our choice would have been different. Our budget is quite different than Howard's because even though we are both full timers, our lifestyle is very different and we include replacing more things and our contributions etc. Bottom line is no one can give you a definite answer. You have to decide what you want and if you can afford it. My maintenance is different than another persons. MHs come in all different sizes and a person traveling to a nearby football game vrs. someone traveling to Alaska and back would make a huge difference.

Thank you all for your responses. I know I didn't give very specific information. The purpose of my question was that I had heard that it is more expensive to maintain a MH versus a 1 ton pickup. We will be full timing in 19 months and have been "shopping" to see what we could afford and what we would like. We are leaning heavily towards a fifth wheel, probably a mobile suites, only because we haven't really found a floor plan in a MH that we like. Thanks again for your input. This is a great forum.