finding the right used fifth wheel

SCMountainRN wrote:
Thank you for the helpful replies, especially JaredWPhillips- that was exactly the advice we were looking for

No problem. I've owned and maintained several brands and models of RV's, and our Jayco is by far the best quality, with our previous Keystone Outback in a close 2nd. We are very comfortable living in it full-time. I've never heard of there being issues living in one that's not "designed" for full-time, or a warranty being voided. Any manufacturer wants their customers to trust that their units are ready for use as much as the customer desires. Most of them only include a 1-2 year warranty anyway. Once you get past 2 years, you're on your own with repairs. You can make anything work if you take care of it and maintain it. Always check roof seals, slide seals; address any issues. Keep water out and it will last as long as you need it. As far as being "designed" for FT use, that's a matter of personal opinion/comfort. You can live in anything; what determines what's acceptable is your comfort. If you buy a cheaper stick-n'-tin unit with single pane windows, thin walls and plastic fixtures, you will deal with the unit being hard to cool or hard to keep warm, and things wearing out and breaking. Doesn't mean you can't do it; just means you have to work harder to stay comfortable. If you spend more and get an aluminum-framed unit, with vaccum-bonded walls, porcelein fixtures, higher-grade insulation, enclosed underbelly, dual-pane windows, ducted A/C and Furnace, etc.... you can make it work with less effort and more comfort.
Our Jayco Eagle is the latter of what I mentioned above. Everything is good-to-excellent quality. Not the level of the $60k units, but its quite comfortable for our needs. We have one A/C unit that's ducted, and it's been working hard to keep the interior cool during this past week of high-90's temperatures. If we had a bit more shade where we are currently staying, it would be easier.

We looked at several used 5th wheels before we purchased new. We had a hard time finding the right floor plan in a used unit and they smelled. One we looked at was gorgeous but it smelled so badly of perfume that I couldn't even finish the walk through. Another thing we found was that a nice newer used 5th wheel wasn't much less than a new one so we bit the bullet and bought new.

Looked at the Crossroad Cruiser website. What about CF368BH? Looks like it has adequate counterspace, a pantry and bunk. Storage and counterspace were at the top of my prior list after having a TT with neither.

I don't see where you may have checked PPL's website. They are one of the largest consignment dealers around. The units are shown with price, floorplan, etc.

Jim

It is frustrating finding the right used 5er. We had gotten to the point that we were just going to stay with the TT we had and then finally found "the one". It may even be the last one if I build DW some counter space. It was at a small 4 dealer local show, and had people all over it. We got the money out first. Hit ebay and local craigs lists every day, they come and go so fast. This clicky can be helpful, but as it is not a direct link a lot of the items can be gone already. Start a relationship with a sales person at the big boys around the country and hope they remember to keep in touch if they see something. Myrtle Beach should be a good hunting ground, or the Tampa St Pete area of Florida. Don't fixate on making a "deal" but rather finding the right one. There may only be one, and while you are trying to get the guy down $500 somebody else comes along and snaps it up. Also, never buy anything sight unseen. Pictures can be deceiving without the seller even trying. Don't be afraid to knock on doors if you see a model you want. They may want to sell it even though there is not a sign on it. If you RV now, ask people at campgrounds, they may want out. You'll find the right one if you are patient. The patience part was killing me :).

I looked at a couple of the units you had listed, and two things stood out...
No kitchen counter space, which, if you are full timing, is important, and lack of storage. 2 biggies to make sure are enough for you.

Please do your research on all the important " little " things since it will be home.
When you find a dealer with a good selection, spend plenty of time in it and act out a typical morning, afternoon, and bedtime.
Its an easy way to find out what is lacking.
Best of luck with your decision.
C

Thank you for the helpful replies, especially JaredWPhillips- that was exactly the advice we were looking for

donn0128 wrote:
You want to go full time with a trailer that is rated as weekenders? I just dont see the logic in that one. Unless your plan is to stay in the magical 65 to 80 degree range you are not going to be very happy with your choices. What do you plan to tow with?

Many rigs that are intended for weekends/vacations have exclusions in their warranty for full-time use.
A big give-away, is closet space. Small closets mean the rig was not "designed" for long-term use.

You might want to go to a local dealer and check out what they have in stock. You could let them know what you are looking for and they could possibly get a used trailer from another dealer for you. We bought our 5th wheel used and I just looked at the local dealers websites. We ended up driving about 1 1/2 hours to the dealer where we purchased.

We just went through this. Looked at many makes, models and floor plans, and finally settled on our 2012 Jayco Eagle 31.5FBHS.

Other models we considered were the Heartland Elkridge E30, KZ Durango 1500, a couple Rockwood models, and a Cherokee model.

We live in it full-time with one 11-month girl, and another girl on the way. The front bunkhouse of the Jayco 31.5 FBHS gives plenty of room for the kid(s) to have their own space, and the rear master bedroom is spacious is plenty of wardrobe storage.

You want to go full time with a trailer that is rated as weekenders? I just dont see the logic in that one. Unless your plan is to stay in the magical 65 to 80 degree range you are not going to be very happy with your choices. What do you plan to tow with?