Going Full time in not a full time RV?

[rduna11089]

We just bought a 5th wheel, a Cougar 29RLS. I had been doing alot of research on 5th wheels but it kinda got thrown out the window when we saw this and the price we got it for. Needless to say, we are going full time soon, as soon as our house sells. From what I read, this model is not really suited for full time, more of a recreational RV. Well, it's too late now and I can't afford to trade/change or anything but just go ahead with our plans in it. So, my question is, what things can I proactively and continuously do to maintain and ensure this RV lasts for the longest time until we are ready to begin our retirement (8 years or so). We are not really going to do much traveling in this one, more of a permanent spot in a RV park here in Florida close to our jobs. Making me feel bad about our decision isn't going to change the fact this is what I have now...So please give me things to routinely check/perform... Thanks in Advance.

[jsmith948]

Originally Posted by rduna11089

We just bought a 5th wheel, a Cougar 29RLS. I had been doing alot of research on 5th wheels but it kinda got thrown out the window when we saw this and the price we got it for. Needless to say, we are going full time soon, as soon as our house sells. From what I read, this model is not really suited for full time, more of a recreational RV. Well, it's too late now and I can't afford to trade/change or anything but just go ahead with our plans in it. So, my question is, what things can I proactively and continuously do to maintain and ensure this RV lasts for the longest time until we are ready to begin our retirement (8 years or so). We are not really going to do much traveling in this one, more of a permanent spot in a RV park here in Florida close to our jobs. Making me feel bad about our decision isn't going to change the fact this is what I have now...So please give me things to routinely check/perform... Thanks in Advance.

One of our members - "Hankaye" full times in a Cougar. Has been for several years. You might send him a Pm.

[sourdough]

Welcome to the forum.

If you are going to be primarily in Weeki Wachee you won't need to worry about "winterizing" and all that entails (just left your area on Dec.1).

I know they break trailers down (supposedly) into full time RVs vs non full time, but, the regular RVs today are far better than those of a decade or two ago and folks live in those year round (and that old) all over the places we've been to so don't get into a twist worrying about that. The Cougar line is a pretty nice setup.

You don't give any info about your family, which will be the primary driver in how the RV holds up. It is not a S&B house and it definitely is not built like one. If you have kids you need to impress upon them to be GENTLE with things if you want them to last. Everything is the trailer, IMO, is much more susceptible to damage by hard handling than things in a regular house. Dump your tanks regularly and use some additives (Dawn etc.) in them to keep them operating properly. No jumping/running across the floors, into walls etc. They are MUCH thinner than anything you've encountered in a regular house. Clean/treat the outside regularly; it will oxidize and age quickly causing the decals to come off as well.

Those are a few things to think about, I'm sure others will chime in to add to the list.

[travelin texans]

Be very watchful of water leaks, roof or plumbing, it's the most harmful thing to any rv , but especially to an entry level with all the OSB & partial board in them.
If something starts wearing, fix it, don't wait til ???, do it right away.
Since it won't bouncing down our wonderful highway systems much it should be good a plan til retirement. In eight years you will have definitely gotten your moneys worth & will more than definitely be ready for an upgrade.

[meaz93*]

Just like everyone else has stated, do you yearly maintenance periodically do a walk through.
Check the slides; battery, turn on AC, turn on heat, propane, tire pressure etc...
I'm lucky....I have my Outback stored behind my business/catering/events venue.
Meaning I tinker with it almost every otherday-lol
Cougars are nice as well.
Hope that bad boy has washer & dryer hookups?! A must for full timers-yes.
I had my 2010 Springdale for over 7 years when I sold it, and the trailer was immaculate....my only issue was the outside trailer graphics fading.
Maybe keep some polish on her ehh?!

[rduna11089]

Originally Posted by jsmith948

One of our members - "Hankaye" full times in a Cougar. Has been for several years. You might send him a Pm.

Thank you, will look for him.

[rduna11089]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Welcome to the forum.

If you are going to be primarily in Weeki Wachee you won't need to worry about "winterizing" and all that entails (just left your area on Dec.1).

I know they break trailers down (supposedly) into full time RVs vs non full time, but, the regular RVs today are far better than those of a decade or two ago and folks live in those year round (and that old) all over the places we've been to so don't get into a twist worrying about that. The Cougar line is a pretty nice setup.

You don't give any info about your family, which will be the primary driver in how the RV holds up. It is not a S&B house and it definitely is not built like one. If you have kids you need to impress upon them to be GENTLE with things if you want them to last. Everything is the trailer, IMO, is much more susceptible to damage by hard handling than things in a regular house. Dump your tanks regularly and use some additives (Dawn etc.) in them to keep them operating properly. No jumping/running across the floors, into walls etc. They are MUCH thinner than anything you've encountered in a regular house. Clean/treat the outside regularly; it will oxidize and age quickly causing the decals to come off as well.

Those are a few things to think about, I'm sure others will chime in to add to the list.

Good info, and yes just the wife and I, kids will be our lil yorkie and a cat.

[rduna11089]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Be very watchful of water leaks, roof or plumbing, it's the most harmful thing to any rv , but especially to an entry level with all the OSB & partial board in them.
If something starts wearing, fix it, don't wait til ???, do it right away.
Since it won't bouncing down our wonderful highway systems much it should be good a plan til retirement. In eight years you will have definitely gotten your moneys worth & will more than definitely be ready for an upgrade.

Thank you and yea, we will be going into a Class C when we retire, least that is the plan as now. So we want to have a good clean trade in...

[rduna11089]

Originally Posted by meaz93*

Just like everyone else has stated, do you yearly maintenance periodically do a walk through.
Check the slides; battery, turn on AC, turn on heat, propane, tire pressure etc...
I'm lucky....I have my Outback stored behind my business/catering/events venue.
Meaning I tinker with it almost every otherday-lol
Cougars are nice as well.
Hope that bad boy has washer & dryer hookups?! A must for full timers-yes.
I had my 2010 Springdale for over 7 years when I sold it, and the trailer was immaculate....my only issue was the outside trailer graphics fading.
Maybe keep some polish on her ehh?!



Attachment 19840

More good info, and the Washer//Dryer was on my list of must have's and then here we get one without it. So much for my list. lol

[Canonman]

I'd advise you that the usual fixtures associated with your brick and sticks home are different in the RV. The plumbing fixtures, electrical, furnace, A/C etc are not nearly as well made as those in your home. Most RV fixtures were designed with lightweight and very limited use in mind and therefor not as durable or long lived as you might be used to. 8 years of daily use is hugely different than a few weeks a year of vacation use.
That said, upgrading or replacing fixtures as they wear out isn't too much an issue if you're "handy". If not, I'd get the name of a reputable mobile repair service. Either way, I'm sure you'll enjoy this new phase of life

[JRTJH]

I think there are several factors that people lump into "part time/full time" use. Convenience items are one of them. Things like extra space for a washer/dryer, large enough microwave to actually cook rather than warm things, an oven that will maintain an even temperature, carpet that actually lasts, water heater large enough to shower without "hurrying", bedroom ceiling tall enough to stand up and walk around the bed.

Then there's "comfort items", things like a less noisy air conditioner and furnace, seats that you feel comfortable sitting in for more than a few minutes, recliners that "fit", some space to "be alone" at times for things like watching a TV movie without the spouse wanting to turn it down and without you wanting him/her to turn down their program so you can hear yours over the drone of the air conditioner.

Then there's durability. XLite, Half Ton, ultra lite models are built more with weight driven materials rather than with heavier "durable materials" things like sandwich flooring doesn't stand up to excessive weight (nobody knows how to determine exactly how many pounds that is) so areas in front of the kitchen sink, the area in front of the stairs and in the bathroom in front of the toilet tend to break down or become "springy" faster than other areas that don't get as much traffic.

Then there's things like livability. Most RV's don't have "flow regulated faucets" so if someone is in the shower and someone turns on the cold water in the kitchen, you may get scalded just as you may get a "cheap cold thrill" if someone turns on the hot water. Flushing the toilet is a "no-no" when anyone is in the shower. Having wall space for photos, personalization tends to make things more like a home, but there's not much space in most RV's and if you plan to tow it, just a "nail in the wall" won't be sufficient to keep that favorite grandchild's photo in place.

Most "full time" RV's take the above things into consideration during the design/engineering phase. Things like full thickness floors, added wall insulation, "quiet air return" air conditioners, furnaces placed under the stairs rather than "in your face" right next to the recliner or under the TV. Many RV's have started incorporating arched ceilings to give the impression of more space. While much of that is psychological, after spending a rainy weekend in a dark brown RV with a low ceiling and having to either sit down or lean over to look outside, it does make a big difference to "feel like you can stretch out"...

I'm sure there's a lot of things that each of us find important, but essentially any RV can be a "full time home" under the right circumstances and with the right mentality. At the same time, what's "just right for our cozy lifestyle" may be far too small for someone else's idea of "enough space to stretch out or it'll never work..... I guess what I'm saying is that it's more what works for you than which floorplan or brand you buy.

[chuckster57]

No washer/dryer? You did good IMO, can’t say I’ve seen any RV specific washer/dryers worth the money. Use the clubhouse ones.

[Logan X]

The link below is for a guy who full times in a cougar. He makes great videos on repair and maintenance.

https://www.youtube.com/user/LoveYourRV

[rhagfo]

We full time in a 2005 32' Keystone Copper Canyon. In it's day mid range same a Cougar, we bought used and original owner did have several up grades.
We have done many our self, changed out older Gas range for newer sealed top unit, just replaced Microwave with a Convection Microwave combo. New Dometic 320 toilet. In addition sealed undercarriage. We also added RV Comfort Systems Cheap Heat, electric add on to the gas furnace.

[notanlines]

You will adapt soon enough. We concur with Chuckster; no washer/dryer. DW does laundry once a week. Retirement should not include a load of laundry every day. And do NOT plan on trading your RV after eight years. It will have very little worth. With you two living full time and two pets that alone will wear badly. Tires will be shot....see where I’m headed? Live it out for those 8 years and then retire in whatever you like!

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by rduna11089

Thank you and yea, we will be going into a Class C when we retire, least that is the plan as now. So we want to have a good clean trade in...

Not to change the subject , but I'd bet money in 8 years in your Cougar you'll be looking for something with much more room than a class C, unless you go with one of the gigantic Super Cs. I'm a bit biased, but a 32-35' 5th wheel will be much more roomy than a class C of equal length, not to mention a truckload more storage. Plus in 8 years that good clean trade in will be worth about $1.25.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by rduna11089

Thank you and yea, we will be going into a Class C when we retire, least that is the plan as now. So we want to have a good clean trade in...

Do lots of research on going to a Class C from a travel trailer. IMO you can spend a lot of money but not get a lot of room - basically "bang for the buck" to me. I thought I might want a big Class C (Super C???) with the truck part that looked like a Mack truck. Very nice but not as roomy as our trailer and they come with all the cons that a Class A has, so, give it a good study - you've got plenty of time.

[Pmedic4]

We recently sold our '12 29RLS, to get a larger 333MKS.

What I really liked about the 29RLS was it's towability. Lightweight, and easy to tow.

Regarding what someone else said, definitely look for leaks. When we sold it, there were several leaks on the roof, specifically at the edges.

Our experience started off bad, with several plumbing leaks, what we expect and several other of the 'pros' on this site suspected was it wasn't properly winterized. Once we got those items fixed, the biggest issue was just the trim pieces falling off. Certainly bouncing down the road causes those issues, and they were easily fixed by me.

Fulltiming it will be tight space, as that was the biggest issue we upgraded for, just the extra space. But we liked it and enjoyed it immensely! Good Luck.

[Frank G]

We are snowbirds 6 months of the year in our 2016 Laredo 5th wheel. No it is not full time rated but it is doing fine. We are located about 35 miles due west of you and the unit is permanently on location. Brooksville is our primary shopping area.

Have you a location to stay at when you start full timing? No two parks are structured the same and rates very accordingly. You might click on the link below and look at the amenities verses the rates. It will give you something to compare to. All the lots here have a storage shed that you may put a washer / dryer and extra refrigerator. There is also an onsite laundromat. The park also has a onsite post office and Pasco Fire and Rescue unit #33. Shady lots in this part of the country are normally under Live Oak Trees, nice but extremely dirty.

Good Luck, be prepared for what life throws at you.

[goducks]

I doubt there's much difference in build quality between a Montana and Cougar. Parts are different like axles and a heavier frame but the heavier frames only needed to carry more weight. If you're staying put for a few weeks at a time and not driving somewhere every 2-3 days then that Cougar should hold up fine.
With that being said if you're looking to full time for 5-10 years then you may be asking too much of a Cougar.