we bought the Kountrylite 4 weeks ago and having just returned from Britany want to share and tips grubles or niggles and other 5th wheelers or owners of a Kountrylite have.
Fortunately I am also a hgv driver which helped with reversing, manovouring etc- Ruthie my partner did fantastic on the motorways -but it was a great learning curve. There was only a few sites where we struggled but as othrs have pointed out our rig is no longer than a volvo and a fixed bed tandam axle caravan.with exception to the height, 3.7m. We have a navarra, unfortunately the remapping chip had not arrived - the extra hp and may be mpg will remain to be seen - puzzling on our first venture to Cleethorpes from Derby we returned 22 mpg but after leaving Derby to Dover 19 mpg , then 18 - then from Calais 17 and down to 16!! ???. Now on the way back up the M1 16.7mpg. I jacked the trailer up -all the wheels spin freely , no brake drag, tyre pressures spot on - any one with advice fire away. when we left the traile rand went tripping to the sites we still only got mid 16 mpg on the display ? work that one out !!. we will see what the rest of the week brings when we get back home ?
I am going to look at a spoiler - years ago you often saw them on caravan and car set ups - to go on the navarra. The front of the kountrylite is a bit of a sheer wall but that does not expalin the cleethorpes mpg v expo to France.
every where you go all you hear/see is wow, stares admiration etc. We are chuffed with the home from home aspect just a few things to talk to Calder about.
We are going to look at weekends away now from Derby 1-2 hoursaway friday,sat morning back sunday and explore GB.
I think they look great value and offer facilities of large motorhomes with the practicality of caravans. Keep us informed of how you get on. What was your previous outfit?
Sounds as though the MPG problem could be one with just the Navara rather than anything to do with the trailer, maybe get it put on a diagnostics machine, it could be anything??
Where does anyone suggest I advertise a 2006 Ford Ranger Thunder complete with fifth wheel trailer?
I wonder whether you're quoting the spot mpg or the accumulated average. If the latter, before towing it would read whatever you were getting solo then as you towed for more miles and greater proportion of the distance being averaged would be when towing and the average would tend more towards the lower mpg of towing. When you unhitched, the computer would still show the same average mpg as before. Although this would slowly rise, the proportion of solo miles would not increase by much and so the rise in average mpg might not be apparent.
So, (say) if you were getting 30 mpg solo and 12 mpg towing at the start of towing your computer would show 30 mpg but as you towed the calculated mpg would drop towards the 12 mpg you get towing. For example, if you'd done 1,000 miles before towing you'd have used 33.3 gallons. Towing for 500 miles would use 41.7 gallons. So you'd have used 75 gallons for 1,500 miles, which is an average of 20 mpg. Continue towing for another 500 miles and you'll have done 2,000 miles for 116.7 gallons, which gives an average of 17.1 mpg. Hopefully, you can see that this gives a gradual apparent reduction of mpg similar to what you've noticed.
Try resetting the computer to zero the distance and then driving solo, which will give you a good idea what you're getting without the trailer. Then when you next hitch up, again zero the miles before towing, which will give a good idea of what you're getting while towing.
Of course, the most accurate way to measure your mpg is to note how many miles you get from the fuel you put in the tank!
FWIW, I'd love one of Calder's rigs but I'm unsure whether the low-profile would be better. I'd prefer the additional headroom and the over-bed cupboards of the original profile, but I suspect my wallet would prefer the better aerodynamics and possibly lower ferry fares of the low profile.
Sounds as though the MPG problem could be one with just the Navara rather than anything to do with the trailer, maybe get it put on a diagnostics machine, it could be anything??
Where does anyone suggest I advertise a 2006 Ford Ranger Thunder complete with fifth wheel trailer?
Andy
Hi Andy, welcome to UKCS. At the top of the page you will see a button that says "free adverts". You can advertise the rig there.
Also try Autotrader perhaps - something of a specialist item so difficult to say which websites would give you best coverage and get most interest.
I agree the only way to truly note your fuel useage is to work out how much fuel was used by refilling and working out miles driven versus fuel taken to refill. I sometimes flick through my onboard computer but I take the figures with a pinch of salt tbh as I don't think they are particularly accurate.
yes in hind site should have reset the trip when filled up , but decided today to get an aerofoil for the states - they sell them on ebay specifically for rigs like mine with a solid front on the trailer - they reckon 3mpg -after that i am not going to beat my self up about the mpg but just enjoy the luxuries of the trailer !!!
hoping to get away most weekends for the sat night within 50-100 miles of Derby !!
we had a van on goosewood in york - still got it bought an x5 thought get a van ,twin wheel lunar lexon fixed bed , but it was on a seasonal pitch - used it for 12 months and fanceid somewhere differant at the weekends - having fun getting out and about .
I'd very much like the chance to talk to you regarding your rig. My wife and I have had American A class RV's for 10 years but this May decided to quit them due to HUGE running costs. At the moment we have a British twin axle caravan but after only 6 months are finding the lack of storage and tanks to be a pain.
I've looked at Calder Leisures site and like the look of the KountryLite 26RL low level + Navara and we would love to get an HONEST and TRUE opinion from an owner rather than the dealer.
Could you please contact me on my works e-mail address and hopefully we'll take it from there.
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Topic: fifth wheel Kountrylite
