# Keystone Challenger 31Rlb For Family?



## Road Warrior (Dec 13, 2009)

Hello Everyone,
I am interested in buying my first trailer and came across a fifth wheel for sale at below market value. We are a family of four, with two young daughters. Ideally, I was looking for a TT with a bunkhouse so the girls could each have their own beds, plus room to bring friends. However, with this floorplan they would be sleeping on a couch bed or the dinette bed. Since it is my first trailer, I want to avoid purchasing something that will not fit our needs. However, isn't a camper's primary function used as a place for sleeping? The price on this unit is below 50% of NADA guidelines. I wasn't really considering a 5ver put most people say that they are much more stable for towing. My TV is a 2500 Chevy diesel/Allison. What do you say??


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## dapozer (Apr 4, 2013)

Road Warrior said:


> Hello Everyone,
> I am interested in buying my first trailer and came across a fifth wheel for sale at below market value. We are a family of four, with two young daughters. Ideally, I was looking for a TT with a bunkhouse so the girls could each have their own beds, plus room to bring friends. However, with this floorplan they would be sleeping on a couch bed or the dinette bed. Since it is my first trailer, I want to avoid purchasing something that will not fit our needs. However, isn't a camper's primary function used as a place for sleeping? The price on this unit is below 50% of NADA guidelines. I wasn't really considering a 5ver put most people say that they are much more stable for towing. My TV is a 2500 Chevy diesel/Allison. What do you say??


Good deals are hard to pass up and that sleeping arrangement is good if you are comfy with it. We had the same decision when buying our new OB and went for a separate sleeping area for the kids. Couple reasons why. 1. I like my coffee in the morning and either reading, computering or just sitting and staring, with the kids on the couch and the table I had no where to go. Well outside of course but if it is cold or wet I like to stay in for at least the first cup.







2. With twin 10 year old boys they are not the cleanest most orderly people on camp trips. Now they can have their stuff, toys, mess in their own area and not clutter the family portion of the TT. 3. We can get rid of the kids (kinda) by sending them to their "room" they have a tv, and beds so they can turn in for the night even when the adults still have a few drinks left to go. Again up to you but I am a fan of separate "room" for the kids.


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

My first question would be to find out why the trailer is being sold for less than 50% of NADA's suggested price. What condition is it in?


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## Road Warrior (Dec 13, 2009)

Insomniak said:


> My first question would be to find out why the trailer is being sold for less than 50% of NADA's suggested price. What condition is it in?


Supposedly the only known issue is the awning needs to be replaced. The NADA guidelines are just that - guidelines. Books don't buy and sell vehicles, people do. But before I waste mine and the seller's time, I want to know if this floorplan is not for us. I'm tending to agree that a separate room for the kids would be ideal. But this is a good value, so I will weigh all the options first

Thanks


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## Todd&Regan (Jul 1, 2010)

What you don't want to happen is to buy the camper that was the "bigger bargain", then later leaving yourself thinking "I wish I had a bunkhouse". My wife and I bought our 270BH new almost three years ago, and at that time we knew we would one day have child number 3. However we went with the 270BH , which has two bunk beds in the rear, instead of the 301BQ. It was cheaper than a 301BQ, and suited our needs at the time. Now with our 3rd child here, it's getting tight in the 270BH. Definitely no room for the two older kids to bring friends. My wife and I would like a 301BQ, but it would not be financially wise for us to sell our current camper and get a 301BQ.


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## Insomniak (Jul 7, 2006)

Road Warrior said:


> My first question would be to find out why the trailer is being sold for less than 50% of NADA's suggested price. What condition is it in?


Supposedly the only known issue is the awning needs to be replaced. The NADA guidelines are just that - guidelines. Books don't buy and sell vehicles, people do. But before I waste mine and the seller's time, I want to know if this floorplan is not for us. I'm tending to agree that a separate room for the kids would be ideal. But this is a good value, so I will weigh all the options first

Thanks
[/quote]
Well, the Kelly Blue Book is just a guide too.... NADA guides are pretty widely used, especially in the RV industry and even by banks when determining how much they will loan a buyer. It's unusual to see a trailer in good condition being sold for half of what you would expect it to go for, but you never know. You may have come across a seller who just wants to get rid of it, or someone who's naive at pricing. Heck, if that's the case, buy it and if it doesn't work out, sell it for a profit!

I can tell you though, having two girls myself (8 & 10), a separate space for them at first was nice - now it's a necessity! We went down the sofa and dinette bed road, and that gets old kinda quick. A front or rear bunk room gives them space for their junk, a little privacy, and it's rare when we don't bring along a friend or cousin....or two. With the 301BQ, we have a front bunkhouse and rear queen bedroom which really comes in handy when you want to escape discussions of types and colors of underwear, or which boy is cuter on the Disney Channel.

Good luck with your search.


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## Colorado Camper (Jan 19, 2013)

We rented a class c last year and had to switch the sofa and dinnette to beds and back every day. It got old real quick. Besides all the extra hassle there is the problem of waking up to a bedroom in your kitchen. Depending on your family that either means waking everyone up or waiting. Then it is no fun to have to "work" to get your kitchen back for that first cup of coffee. It is also very difficult to make the kids bedroom disappear completely so everything is cluttered up.

Our first requirement when buying a trailer was dedicated sleeping areas. It is definitely nice for the kids to have a place for all their stuff. Unfortunately kids being kids we ended up with two not wanting to sleep in the bunks so we ended up converting a sofa anyway. But at least we still have the kitchen table. After I put some bed rails up I'll be tossing the kids in the bunks no matter what









If you have not already done this take your family to an RV store and walk through some trailers. Have everybody settle in like you would for sleeping, eating, etc... You should be able to find a floorplan like the trailer you are looking at and will be able to tell if the great deal is really worth it.


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