Hi Everyone, We're looking to buy a pre-owned 5th wheel for full time use primarily in the Central California area (lows in the 30's in winter and 90's in the summer). We don't have a clue what brands to look for and which ones to avoid, which ones are a good buy, are good quality and are comfortable enough for full-time use. We'd like to keep the cost at or below $20K. Oh yea, our infant granddaughter will be a very frequent visitor so we'll need to keep the place baby-safe too. Thank you for your input in advance!
Just as with new RV purchases, a good and reputable dealer is the place to start. Do your research so that you'll get what you really want. We actually bought ours from a Craigslist listing - it turned out to be a couple of miles from the in-laws' house - and loved what we got (an Alfa Ideal, nice rig). It was our second RV. Now we're selling it in preparation for Army retirement and full-time Class A RVing. A note on childproofing. A 5th wheel is a lot like your home; go ahead and childproof everything and then get down to the floor (kid's eye level) and look to see what you've missed. Then do it all again. I suspect that you (or another adult) will always be there when the baby is, so of course the number one child-proofing trick is taken care of (supervision). I know that others will pop on and give you more specific advice, but I couldn't help but answer. Happy RVing!
Most any brand should be able to survive the weather you are talking about. A used rv is only as good as the previous owner has cared for it and yes there are high end units out there. AJMO
I fulltimed in a Alpenlite 5Ver 32RL for almost 4 years down to about 10 degrees. Never had a problem. Alpenlite is no longer in business but it was a sturdy unit. Most of the appliances etc are from other manufacturers so I wouldn't hesitate buying one used. Ours had a washer/dryer combo.
