Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It...

Is to help provide guidance to my parents who are looking for a new fifth wheel.

So they are looking to spend between $30-$40k (personally I think they can find exactly what they need at half that range). I will layout the planted "facts" for reference.

1. Keystone Cougar is one of the brands nicest fifth wheels and will hold its value better than most.
I would suggest they look at the Lance trailers.

2. Buying new alleviates major headaches over owning a fifth wheel.

Buying new is no 100% guarantee that the 5th. wheel won't have warranty issues that have to be fixed. I have never talked to anyone who bought a new trailer who didn't have problems to have fixed. I just bought a new Big Horn last year and probably had about a dozen issues that had to been replaced or fixed under warranty. Buying new will only make sure that your wallet is much lighter.

3. They will be fine fitting into forest service and nps campgrounds with a 35' rig (they will spend most of their time in the Eastern Sierra Nevada)

Getting a 35 ft. 5th wheel into a forest service or NPS campground is not going to happen. All state parks in Calif. have a 30ft. maximum length requirement.

4. If they do buy used they should go thru a dealer since they have the best inventory (contradicted by the guys crappy inventory conveniently placed next to the new rigs)

The only thing buying a used trailer from a dealer will guarantee that the Dealer sales person is going to get a $$$$comission.

Their real world requirements and use habits:

1. Boondocking at FS NPS parks
All the more reason to buy a 25 to 30 ft. trailer.

2. 1x10 day vacation per year plus 6-7 weekends per year
All the more reason to buy a used trailer as the new trailer will sit and sit and sit for about 11 months of the year. Storage is another issue for a trailer not being used 11 months of the year. Sitting for long periods is hard on the tires.
3. They have a '10 F-350 SRW 4x4

4. This will be their one and only rig and they will not be trading up.
So why buy a NEW trailer that will probably out last them as far as actively RVing.

5. My FIL is disabled (back/ neck issues) and they will be traveling with a dog.

They live in the Reno NV area so feel free to even reference rigs that you would suggest from Craigslist, Private Party, or dealers in that area.

There is a big Heartland dealer in the Reno area to check out. Tell them what you want and they will help you find it.

Spend as little as possible on the nicest 5th wheel that meets your needs but remember it is a depreciating asset and will never be worth what you pay for it. RV's can be a high maintenance item and the RV industry is not known for quality control. Some feel buying new and having a warranty is important to work out the issues with any RV.