Can you help me narrow the field?

[MilesandSmiles]

I'm looking for a used Class A diesel, 5 to 10 years old, for full-time RVing. My challenge is narrowing down the field to makes and models that will fit our needs. Can some of you who've been around for a while name some coaches you'd look at if you had the following needs:

MUST HAVE
Built by a quality manufacturer
35 to 40 feet
Bunkhouse (and drop-down over cab bed if available. The idea is for each of our 3 children to be able to have their own bed)
Shelves or nightstands on both sides of master bed
TV located for direct viewing from the couch (i.e. on side of coach, not behind one end of dinette or above cab)
Dinette or table seats 5, accessible with slides closed
Full-size refrigerator
Comfortable cab

SIGNIFICANT WANTS
Washer/Dryer
Quality (not plastic) sinks and faucets
Solar with lithium house batteries (at a minimum Solar ready)
Bunkhouse convertible to closet or work space
1 1/2 baths
Queen or King bed
Black out shades in bedroom
Hydraulic levelers
Power Awning(s)

PLUSSES IF THERE
Well designed interior and exterior storage spaces
On demand water heater
Decor with lighter colors

Oh... and I'd like to do this for $100,000 or less!
Suggestions? (I'm mostly looking for make/model names, not specific RVs now for sale)

[donfrump]

DunellenGuy wrote:
I'm looking for a used Class A diesel, 5 to 10 years old, for full-time RVing. My challenge is narrowing down the field to makes and models that will fit our needs. Can some of you who've been around for a while name some coaches you'd look at if you had the following needs:

MUST HAVE
Built by a quality manufacturer
35 to 40 feet
Bunkhouse (and drop-down over cab bed if available. The idea is for each of our 3 children to be able to have their own bed)
Shelves or nightstands on both sides of master bed
TV located for direct viewing from the couch (i.e. on side of coach, not behind one end of dinette or above cab)
Dinette or table seats 5, accessible with slides closed
Full-size refrigerator
Comfortable cab

SIGNIFICANT WANTS
Washer/Dryer
Quality (not plastic) sinks and faucets
Solar with lithium house batteries (at a minimum Solar ready)
Bunkhouse convertible to closet or work space
1 1/2 baths
Queen or King bed
Black out shades in bedroom
Hydraulic levelers
Power Awning(s)

PLUSSES IF THERE
Well designed interior and exterior storage spaces
On demand water heater
Decor with lighter colors

Oh... and I'd like to do this for $100,000 or less!
Suggestions? (I'm mostly looking for make/model names, not specific RVs now for sale)

GOOD LUCK

[prstlk]

The bunkhouse requirement will limit your choices. Most dps are purchased by retired, or close to it, couples. We can sleep a guest or two for a night or two, on the hideabed or the jacknife but that's it.
The few bunkhouse models I see are usually owned by grandparents who love to travel with gks during the summer.
Having to work around live around a 5 year old on a jack knife no biggie. Two annoying teens on two couches....not so much.
Good luck in your search

[tahiti16]

By the way lithium batteries in an amperage appropriate to the needs of the coach will be half your budget! Maybe you were thinking AGM which are still pricey just not that pricey.

As someone else pointed out break your list down to things you would or could not change after purchase and those that would be great to be there but not budget buster to change later.

When buying used we are stuck with what is available and can't be quite as choosy about getting exactly what we want.

[sch911]

The bunkhouse requirement is going to be hard to fill. There were/are only a few DP's with that feature. Newmar has a couple floorplans currently.

[wolfe10]

I would agree that condition/maintenance throughout its life is important, but certainly initial build quality IS a factor.

[gbopp]

donn0128 wrote:
5 to 10 year old motor home built by a quality mtg? Why?
Any RB that age has no warranty, to who may have built it is pretty useless information. What you really need to understand, or learn is how has it been maintained. A poorly maintained Prevost will be worth far less than a well maintained anybody else.

I agree. CONDITION is the important factor when buying used.

[donn0128]

5 to 10 year old motor home built by a quality mtg? Why?
Any RB that age has no warranty, to who may have built it is pretty useless information. What you really need to understand, or learn is how has it been maintained. A poorly maintained Prevost will be worth far less than a well maintained anybody else.

[Kayteg1]

Lot of requirements so chances to find such a coach are very slim.
Than lot of those things can be relatively easy added, so focus on things hard to remodel like bed with access on both sides, 1.5 baths and plan on remodeling.