What age used RV to buy for newbie?

In our experience, the fridge, roof AC unit, converter charger , fresh water pump, house and starting batteries needed replacement at around 10 years old. I often advise people to buy used rigs around 3-5 years old but spend the money to have them inspected by a pro truck mechanic and an independent RV repair service. Get a written list of repairs and replacements needed including estimated parts and labor costs. Tires older than 5 years old are often unsafe regardless of appearance or tread depth. The entire brake and engine cooling system should be serviced as needed. Your rig's batteries, converter/charger and plumbing must be in good working condition. Don't buy a rig with mold smell or water stains in ceiling, roof repairs are very expensive. Expect to spend some big bucks the first year and put money aside for repairs and miscellaneous costs of ownership including emergency road service, DMV and insurance and lot storage cost, if required. RV ownership and use is an expensive hobby pastime,
worth doing if you and your mate BOTH really enjoy it and want to do it with your kids. Expect kids to lose interest as they grow up. We prefer rigs at least 27 feet long with rear bedroom and storage room. Most shorter rigs have less comfortable sleeping in the overhead bunk and convertible dinette and clutter in the aisle and in shower stall.

My coach purchased used, an 09 with 19K on the odometer is well built yet not a trip goes by that something doesn't need tinkering with when i get home. A friend of mine has owned anything from 50 K to 750K motorhomes and he has had similar problems but just more expensive to fix. Extended warranties, in my opinion, benefit the seller mostly. If you have a trusted mechanic invest your money towards repairs that way. Most appliances are usable for a certain number of years then you toss them for a new replacement. RV's are fun, but like they say about a boat owner, the two happiest days are when you buy it then when you sell it.....

Age and miles are more significant in cars than RVs. For example a 2 year old rental RV my be shot and only two years old. Or a 3 year old RV has been lived in full time by hardly driven. Both may be too worn out to buy. RV's change little over the years. I owned a 1975 GMC motorhome a few years back and it had all of the modern stuff except flat screen TV's.

The best deal buying used is a well taken care of motorhome in the 5-7 year old vintage. Be very careful of rentals and rigs that have been lived in full time. I would also be very careful with rigs that have hardly any miles on them. That can mean they drive poorly and the previous owners were scared to drive them. It also can mean that the rig was not used for very long periods and it could have "lot rot". RV's that sit deteriorate. One of my friends bought a brand new RV that had sat for 18 months and it took him forever to get it right.

I like the point where the depreciation has knocked the price down to about two-thirds of what it cost new, but I would buy newer if it was the right RV. The one I have now I bought at 18 months out of the factory, only 5000 miles. But it did cost more than several brand new C's of similar size with fewer features.

Since cost is linked to age, the "right" age is the age at which the cost is what you are able or willing to pay.

In 2004 I calculated some depreciation curves for several classes of RV from sale prices over 20 years of age, and the curves did not fit constant depreciation. The first 2-3 years can be pretty steep, and depreciation gets much flatter after 10 years. 20 years and beyond looked like condition mattered a whole lot more than how much more age. Today's market could be quite different.

Unless you have a large family, or a wife that won't go camping unless it's in the Hilton, you may not need a 5th wheel. I'd agree that, with the truck you have, you could get a decent trailer. Whether you go with a trailer or a motorhome, though, I wouldn't advise buying anything very old - no more than 5 years, and probably not as old as that. (Speaking from personal experience.) :) RVs - with a few possible exceptions - are not built for heavy, longterm use.

You already have a nice truck that is very capable of towing a smaller trailer, either a 5th wheel or conventional travel trailer. Your money would be better spent finding a nice used trailer in the 20 foot range.

like any hobby get expensive

in case you haven't heard it before "RVing is not a cheap pass time". I was once told that building a rv is not rocket science, so you will be working on it for a period of time, that is until you sell it or trade it off and if you trade it off for another it just starts all over again.

Seriously, why change out a good truck.

Go for one of these and enjoy it.

Escape fifth wheel