Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum - View Single Post

mtlakejim · 10-26-2017, 09:21 AM

I am honestly not trying to brag here but I will give you the exact history on this unit. I was at the Dallas RV show a few years back and actually drew out the concept for the floor plan for a Grand Design rep. The following year they were making it!!! Unfortunately they did not make the garage long enough (even though there is a nice sized pass thru storage just in front of garage on their unit!). I called GD designers about a half dozen times trying everything I could to get them to extend the garage into the pass thru but they would NOT do it. I finally gave up and called a couple other mfg. Keystone took the bait and came out with their own version of the floor plan but had the wisdom to make the garage 6" longer than GDs. Stretching that garage the extra 6" to a full 10' makes all the difference in the world!!! Now we can carry our jet ski and kayaks which would not fit in the GD garage. It opens up the floor plan to a whole lot more people (IE: it is not limited to the guy with the Harley only, I can say that we have a motorcycle too). It also doesn't hurt that the Keystone is $30K cheaper too!

I had repeatedly told GD that I would buy their unit IF they would extend the garage. As proof we just took delivery of the Keystone 2 weeks ago. Sorry GD you should have listened!!!!

The other big change that we actually like between the GD and Keystone is the amount of awning space on the passenger/door side of the unit. That is where we do most of our entertaining and we really hate slides taking up awning space in that area. Granted you have to give up the island in the kitchen but nothing is perfect eh....

I also have promoted another possible layout where the floor in the kitchen (and actually the entire living space) is at the same height as the bedroom and living room. That would allow for a basement garage the ENTIRE LENGTH of the unit at least up to the tounge rise!!!!! Now think about that a minute. A pass thru storage from the rear end all the way to your tows tailgate! How many toys are not all that tall but very long (canoes for example)......I think that floor plan would be interesting. Think about it, taking both your motorcycle (in the very back end because it is taller-windshield) and your jet ski with you at the same time!!! Can anyone say Florida cruising on both land and water!!!

10-26-2017, 09:21 AM	#11
mtlakejim Montana Master Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Bee Branch Posts: 2,620 M.O.C. #20693	I am honestly not trying to brag here but I will give you the exact history on this unit. I was at the Dallas RV show a few years back and actually drew out the concept for the floor plan for a Grand Design rep. The following year they were making it!!! Unfortunately they did not make the garage long enough (even though there is a nice sized pass thru storage just in front of garage on their unit!). I called GD designers about a half dozen times trying everything I could to get them to extend the garage into the pass thru but they would NOT do it. I finally gave up and called a couple other mfg. Keystone took the bait and came out with their own version of the floor plan but had the wisdom to make the garage 6" longer than GDs. Stretching that garage the extra 6" to a full 10' makes all the difference in the world!!! Now we can carry our jet ski and kayaks which would not fit in the GD garage. It opens up the floor plan to a whole lot more people (IE: it is not limited to the guy with the Harley only, I can say that we have a motorcycle too). It also doesn't hurt that the Keystone is $30K cheaper too! I had repeatedly told GD that I would buy their unit IF they would extend the garage. As proof we just took delivery of the Keystone 2 weeks ago. Sorry GD you should have listened!!!! The other big change that we actually like between the GD and Keystone is the amount of awning space on the passenger/door side of the unit. That is where we do most of our entertaining and we really hate slides taking up awning space in that area. Granted you have to give up the island in the kitchen but nothing is perfect eh.... I also have promoted another possible layout where the floor in the kitchen (and actually the entire living space) is at the same height as the bedroom and living room. That would allow for a basement garage the ENTIRE LENGTH of the unit at least up to the tounge rise!!!!! Now think about that a minute. A pass thru storage from the rear end all the way to your tows tailgate! How many toys are not all that tall but very long (canoes for example)......I think that floor plan would be interesting. Think about it, taking both your motorcycle (in the very back end because it is taller-windshield) and your jet ski with you at the same time!!! Can anyone say Florida cruising on both land and water!!!