Well, I’d love to say it was easy, but it was far from that. We were pretty specific about the make and model we were willing to look at IF we were going to get a new rig. We wanted to stay with Grand Design because after doing all the research, we still really believed in the brand (how they are constructed, R-Values, layouts, etc.) We opened the door to looking at fifth wheels because honestly, we had gone about as big as a Travel Trailer could go, and there were just some layout options lacking.
Things that were non-negotiable:
- Separate playroom/homeschool space for the kids
- Washer-Dryer Space/Hookups
- More living room space (i.e. space for all 4 of us plus the dogs to sit together comfortably)
- RV fridge (we like to boondock, and didn’t want to have to worry about installing inverters immediately to be able to use a residential
With these requirements, it left us looking at mid bunk options. We also liked the additional insulation ratings that Grand Design gave the Solitude line as opposed to the Reflection line. We started keeping our eyes open for a 2017 (or newer) Solitude 377mbs. The 377mbs was changed into the 378 for part of 2020 and into 2021. That model wasn’t going to work for us because it was lacking the sleeping loft space. One of the cool things about looking at this particular fifth wheel is that even though the total length of the Solitude is 40′ 10″ (compared to the Reflection’s 37′ 4″), our total length going down the road would actually be shorter with the Solitude! Score!
Because we were so specific, the search wasn’t easy. We also needed to find something that was relatively close to where we were so we could somehow orchestrate pickup and the move-in.
We had a couple of options that we were looking at through dealerships, but the market was so hot that they were literally arriving on their lots and being purchased same-day. We also had real hesitation about buying something new with depreciation being what it is on these things.
We finally found a private seller in Bakersfield, CA that was selling a 2018 377mbs. This particular model was missing the flip-down bunk that we wanted, but it did have the sleeping loft space up top. After a lot of negotiations (and a commitment that there would definitely be some changes that we’ll need to undertake to make everything work for us, we were able to strike a deal! We felt great about the previous owners of this rig. They were both school teachers looking to retire soon. They had used this RV to travel up to Oregon every summer and work as Camp Hosts. The kinks had already been worked out, it had been lovingly cared for and the only reason they were moving on to a new one is because they were both retiring and wanted a different layout to go full-time since it was just them now.
It was a carefully orchestrated situation – we rented 2 RV spots in Bakersfield side by side and spent several days hauling things from one rig into the other. There are already things we want to change, but no RV is perfect. You have to make changes to any of them to make them work for your family. First impressions though are that this new RV is heavenly. The living space is just phenomenal. It feels like we’re living in a MANSION. We already removed the loveseat from the playroom and put it into the Reflection before we sold it. (We took all of homeschool setup from the old rig with us because it was working so well.)
There were other hiccups, of course, but at the end of the day – we’re in! And it’s all in one piece without Gorilla Tape holding it together!!!
Eventually we’ll update here with current pictures of the rig (and how we’re modifying it to make it work for our family) but for now, here are a couple shots from move-in day as well as the layout and some stock images that are pretty close to how ours looks.
