Sounds like you're looking for a portable light weight rig that covers HF thru UHF, for portable and perhaps a shack environment; basically an all-in-one solution. Some of the discontinued equipment you mentioned has been superseded by a different model. Two examples come to mind, the Yaesu FT-891 and ICOM IC-7100. These two rigs offer the frequency range you're looking for and also have the ability to run up to 100w (on most of its bands), and also they have the ability to turn down the power to QRP level for more local use (and provide longer run time for backpack use). These rigs would work well as both a backpack, shack, or mobile environments. Another option that covers HF thru UHF is the ICOM IC-705, although this is a QRP rig, so if you want to eventually run HF, you may want to buy an amplifier for it. Odds are, you may find that QRP on HF many times will not be enough power (particularly when you're new to HF), so having the ability to run at least 100 watts can be very helpful.
As for trusting used equipment, most (not all) individuals selling used equipment realize their future reputation is on-the-line every time they sell used equipment because many websites allow buyers to leave transaction feedback, outlining their transaction experiences (good or bad), so it's a good idea to look up the call sign of the person and check any feedback they may have. Another good thing to do is to contact the seller on the phone and ask a series of questions to find out how the equipment was used, if they are the first owner, are there any issues or physical damage, repair history, etc, etc. This will give you an idea of what condition the equipment is actually in, how it was treated, and generally how dependable the unit is. Some sellers might offer a refund if the unit does not function as stated, while others sell equipment as-is with no refund, so buyer beware.
If you decide to go down the used equipment route another issue to consider is, if the equipment were to fail after you own it awhile, whether or not the manufacturer still provides repair support. It's not uncommon for manufacturers to drop repair and parts support after a rig has been out of production for a number of years. Some manufacturer websites offer a list of older equipment they still provide repair support for. It would be wise to check these lists or call the manufacturer directly.
I hope you find this information helpful. GL.