OP, I'm sure you're right that RVs from the last 2 or 3 years are lacking in quality. I think that probably applies to trailers, 5th wheels and motorhomes alike. They were slapping them together as quick as possible and selling them as soon as they were made.
For your first RV, I always recommend buying an older used one. Generally you need to figure out for yourself what type of rig you want. Maybe you want bunk beds for grandkids... maybe you don't. Maybe you want an outdoor kitchen... maybe you don't. Maybe you want a bigger unit, maybe you don't. You might think you want one thing, but when you actually start camping and see how you use the space you may change your mind.
As others said, will you be in a resort setting or state forest setting? Are you camping for a weekend at a time or month at a time? Are you making reservations a year in advance and possibly camping in the rain, or last minute trips where you can avoid bad weather? Are you making meals inside, or are you cooking outdoors, or are you going to restaurants? Do you need space inside for TV, naps, crafts, etc?
Then you throw in the Covid influence on slapping them together as quick and cheap as possible and I would strongly recommend not buying new.
My family LOVES camping. Rright now we are in the season of life with softball and baseball games/practices in spring and fall, so camping has been been relegated to just the summer and our yearly Florida camping trip in the winter. We usually cook most meals at the camper, some inside, some outside. We need sufficient room inside the camper for stormy weather with three kids 10 and under. Until about a year ago, we needed a quiet spot for the youngest to nap while the rest of us were out and about. We camp at resorts, we camp at state parks. We do weekend trips, we do 3 week trips.
It's very fun, very educational for our kids. But there are pros and cons to camping and the style of camping and the style of camper. The moral of the story is that its going to be quite difficult to determine where your style of camping fits until you've done it for a little while. Best to buy a used rig so if you decide you want to change it out in a year, you can probably get most of your money back when you sell it.
Good luck with your decision. Like I said, our family LOVES camping. We are planning a cross country trip when I retire in 3 years. The wife and I are hoping to continue to camp as we age, as long as we are healthy and able to do so.
2015 Ram CTD
2015 Jayco 29QBS
