For detailed advice you need to provide detailed information. "I'm looking for a Class X in the year range for X to Y in the length of X to Y and it must have features X, Y, Z... and I only want to spend X dollars." Without details all of the answers will be vague. Personally I'm looking for a Class A Diesel Pusher from the year 2007-2012, between 32 and 37 feet, and it must have a forward facing seatbelt in the dinette. My preference of brands is Beaver or Tiffin It also must be priced under 50k, and I would prefer it to be under 20K as long as I'm dreaming here. I?m not poking fun, I?m just giving an example of what kind of information is necessary for a thought provoking conversation. We all have favorites, for me I have favorites in the lower-mid to high-mid line class As. I have no interest in owning a Class C, B or towable so I know nothing about those.
Tom is right there are hundreds of quality brands that fit the "Late model" status and almost all of them built great quality rigs (At least some of the models). I personally have owned both Fleetwood and Thor "Late Model" rigs, the Thor being much later model than the Fleetwood. They have both been excellent condition well maintained rigs. While shopping I have seen the exact same models that I bought that were completely and thoroughly trashed. Condition is far more important in late model than brand to many of us.
Many people here say ?Floor plan, Floor plan, Floor plan? when in reality the gas rigs from the 90s and early 2000s don?t have a ton of difference to me. The steering wheel and drivers seat is in the front, and either the sofa or the dining area is right behind that (most often a sofa with a recliner or swivel chair opposite that) Next is the kitchen often opposite the dining area, then bathroom/closet then bedroom. Some differences will be, side facing or front facing bed, and left or right side kitchen, but without slides, the side the kitchen is on is less important.
The biggest difference (I saw) between my 37? Bounder and a 32? Bounder from the same year is the size of the bathroom area. The front area is mostly determined by prebuilt components, stovetops sofa beds, and dinettes. The bedroom in the back is predetermined by the size of the bed and if it is sideways or not. The middle in most cases the bathroom, is where those 5 extra feet often end up. 5 extra linear feet assume an 8 foot width is 40 sq feet, which is HUGE and at least 3 and possibly all of those 5 feet are in the area between the bedroom and livingroom.
Try to make the search fun, we did. It does drag on but once you have your list of what you must have it goes much smoother.
Jeff
