We are happy campers after completing a 1200 mile trip through Michigan's Upper Peninsula recently. We took possession of our 2020 5.0ta mid-September and the delivery process to Michigan was very smooth. Here are some initial thoughts on the 5.0ta:
Towing: The rig tracked great, even in high winds. Our back up procedures need some practice; it seems to have a little slower response than our pop-up trailer. We towed with our Ford F-150 eco-boost and averaged 12.5 miles per gallon. Luckily, it wasn't until we were home that we noticed one of the trailer's tire had a side wall bulge. Very happy with Escape Service; this will be covered by them as it's still under warranty.
Camper choices and features: Mechanicals of the 5.0 performed very well; despite some rough roads and being off-grid for 8/11 days. Battery never dropped below 50% and the furnace was used frequently, with night time temps at 30degrees Fahrenheit. We made the rookie error of trying to quickly close the manual awning with the window open, and will need to do some repairs on that.
Notes on some of our choices:
--Flip up table by the sink is a great addition. After reading some reports, we also added a flip up table in the u-shaped dinette area (on refrigerator wall). We've taken this out as it impacts access to the dinette by 2-3 inches. Full sliding of the table isn't possible with it in place. Maybe with a different table, or using no table, it would work.
--Standard table: We use a table, but the lagun mount might be a better option for us in the future. I didn't research this and wish I had.
--U-shaped dinette with additional back padding --LOVE this. Very comfortable.
--Custom sink: we followed suggestions from the community and bought a Houzer E-100 sink; the depth is great.
--Love the oven feature, but we will need a pizza stone as my cookies burned on the bottom!
--The chinchilla choice for cushion fabric was great; easy to clean. We also chose Mill Axle Creek and a lighter (custom) formica, maple cabinets. Very happy with the choices.
--The storage in the 5.0 is amazing. We actually had empty cabinets and I am a packrat.
--The frameless windows are great (despite our awning error), and it was nice having them open during the rain.
--Some options we chose and are very glad we did: keyless entry; LED lights with awning; stereo, exterior faucets, captains' lights. We ordered additional 12v outlets but didn't need them. The high lift axle was helpful during five miles of rough single-lane roads in the Upper Peninsula.
Thanks for the Forum Community for helping us through the initial buying process!
Towing: The rig tracked great, even in high winds. Our back up procedures need some practice; it seems to have a little slower response than our pop-up trailer. We towed with our Ford F-150 eco-boost and averaged 12.5 miles per gallon. Luckily, it wasn't until we were home that we noticed one of the trailer's tire had a side wall bulge. Very happy with Escape Service; this will be covered by them as it's still under warranty.
Camper choices and features: Mechanicals of the 5.0 performed very well; despite some rough roads and being off-grid for 8/11 days. Battery never dropped below 50% and the furnace was used frequently, with night time temps at 30degrees Fahrenheit. We made the rookie error of trying to quickly close the manual awning with the window open, and will need to do some repairs on that.
Notes on some of our choices:--Flip up table by the sink is a great addition. After reading some reports, we also added a flip up table in the u-shaped dinette area (on refrigerator wall). We've taken this out as it impacts access to the dinette by 2-3 inches. Full sliding of the table isn't possible with it in place. Maybe with a different table, or using no table, it would work.
--Standard table: We use a table, but the lagun mount might be a better option for us in the future. I didn't research this and wish I had.
--U-shaped dinette with additional back padding --LOVE this. Very comfortable.
--Custom sink: we followed suggestions from the community and bought a Houzer E-100 sink; the depth is great.
--Love the oven feature, but we will need a pizza stone as my cookies burned on the bottom!
--The chinchilla choice for cushion fabric was great; easy to clean. We also chose Mill Axle Creek and a lighter (custom) formica, maple cabinets. Very happy with the choices.
--The storage in the 5.0 is amazing. We actually had empty cabinets and I am a packrat.
--The frameless windows are great (despite our awning error), and it was nice having them open during the rain.
--Some options we chose and are very glad we did: keyless entry; LED lights with awning; stereo, exterior faucets, captains' lights. We ordered additional 12v outlets but didn't need them. The high lift axle was helpful during five miles of rough single-lane roads in the Upper Peninsula.
Thanks for the Forum Community for helping us through the initial buying process!
