Need help narrowing down 5th wheel

I would seriously consider prep-pandemic used. The quality has greatly suffered the past few years. A Forest River parts rep even pointed this out to me. If a manufacturers representative says they are selling junk, I would listen.

Do yourself a favor, take the wife to PPL Motorhomes at 59 and West Belt and look at used campers. Not just the 5th wheels but TTs as well. Ignore the smells, filth and floor plan. Pay close attention to the build quality of the units 5 years old or older. Keep in mind a lesser priced, entry level unit will look/feel cheaper than a high end unit. Look at materials used and how well, or not, they are constructed and how well it held up, or didn't.

Then go look at a new unit you would consider buying and pay close attention to the quality of materials and construction. As you walk around looking at it, think how well this would hold up compared to the used ones. What failed on the used ones and what didn't.

We have a well constructed 32ft 2013 KZ. It's held up well and still looks/feels like new inside with well constructed materials and a clean fit and finish.

I was at a KZ dealer buying a water heater switch and had time to look through their new units. I could not believe the shoddy constructed junk they were trying to sell. Cheap materials, poorly assembled. One had the king dinette upholstery busting at its seam. The fit and finish was horrible. It was like they handed a monkey a staple gun. And that's just what you can see

I will try that thanks for the input!

Look at used like a 2019 or 2020 model, a lot of folks bought RVs and are getting out of them. Start a search on RV trader, you may be able to find what you are looking for below budget, and 1-2 years old is just like new, and in some cases better since the original owner had all of the warranty issues taken care of :)

Will do, do you think 55 will be enough?

Trying to stay at 45 could get tough, especially if you want new.
For a lower cost 5er check out kz their reviews are above average and their price point may be close to your target.