New Montana buying questions

[Professor Steve]

We had minor issues but got jerked around for months waiting for repairs. They take advantage because they know most of us aren’t going to get an attorney. When you consider the premium Keystone/Camping World are making things really should be better for the consumer, but it’s buyer beware. If I had it to do over again I would have taken more time and gotten a used rig from a private party. They’re out there.

[Anatnom]

The advice here is free and based on everyone’s experience. Most of us have dealt with shady dealers and you can see the response folks have left. Yes it’sa lesson learned but you can also try talking to your sales person and the manager. I don’t have a big social media presence but from experience some unfavorable comments left there usually get the fastest action. Sorry you are going through all of this but be polite and kind and let them know you will say something about the experience on Instagram and Face book.

[Lakelife]

Where is a PDI worksheet located ?

[Theater Effects]

Originally Posted by lightsout

Why not take delivery with the understanding the floor and other small warranty can be done at a later date, then you schedule to bring it back for immediate warranty service. The issue may not be the dealer but Keystone. Our 3791RD has been sitting at the dealer for 2 months now just waiting for Keystone to ship pats needed for warranty in our case the big delay is the wood counter top on the read den that has a split. For us in the NW and the RV not being used is fine with us, however any other time of year wold have been frustrating.

In fact our warranty ended Nov 27th 2019 and it is now Jan 2020 and no work done yet however Keystone extended the time allowed for work to be completed.

This is just the way Keystone works, dealers also suffer due to this.

I would assume the dealer also wants the RV gone to make room for more to sell, so it may not just be the dealer

I agree with lightsout. Take delivery use it find all the others things that have to be fixed , when your flooring gets in drop it off with another list of things for them to get warranty approval.

The warranty doesn't go into effect until you sign for it. Warranty starts when it's sold. If it's not sold they cannot get warranty work approved because the warranty hasn't started and the dealer isn't going to spend their money to fix it with no guarantee of repayment.

My in laws use their trailer if things are broken and in the process of warranty. The simply drop it back to the servicing dealer when not in use to have work completed and add to it each time. They let the dealer know when they will be back for it, if work isn't done but the coach is ok to use they pick it up and go.

[Ram Montana High Country]

Originally Posted by DQDick

It might be worthwhile to get a lawyer. You shouldn't have had to sign anything for them to fix it, they would have had to fix it whether you bought it or not.

Do it NOW - it will only go down hill if not - possible breach of contract or …

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by Lakelife

Where is a PDI worksheet located ?

Take a look at this Topic. Post #3 has the best PDI I have seen in a while.
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=72800

[Clarky]

Agree that If the dealership is really being poor at communication find another keystone dealership who is more pro active. Its your trailer now, you can go to any Keystone dealer to get warranty work done. Although that may not be a option considering location. In any case, the floor being gouged due to a slide issue is a manufacturing defect so yes it is covered under warranty and will be covered. But to be fair, the dealership needs a reasonable amount of time to get the correct flooring sent from Keystone then time to rip out the damaged stuff and replace it. Last thing you want is a rushed flooring replacement that has issues way down the line when your warranty is over. A few weeks is not unreasonable in my experience. With that said I am surprised that the dealership didn't recommend for you to take your unit and enjoy using it to work out any other issues and then return at a later date, of your convenience, to fix that issue and possibly others that you will inevitably find in the first few weeks of use. I agree it is disheartening because you deserve everything perfect out of the box and they are expensive units. But most trailers (no matter what brand) ALWAYS have issues in the first few months and it takes time to work out the bugs. Good Luck with your dealership. I always recommend to friends when purchasing a trailer that its not always about the bottom price but the dealership and service. Get recommendations from previous customers or check out reviews, and ask to look at their service bays. If they are neat and professional looking great. If they are doing maintenance outside, in cramped areas and/or under weather tents ....run. Hope everything goes well and safe travels.

[paulinbaja]

I suggest you go to,the lender and explain. They may support you and not make payment to the dealer. Talk with the General Manager, they have no business using the warranty on a yet to be delivered unit. Take notes time and date-----just for the benefit of the GM seeing you do it. If they fix it to your satisfaction in two days move on.. If not call the manufacturer and tell them the truth including about using the warranty. Don't wait a long time to make that call. Once all is fine come back to this forum and seek suggestions for an honest dealer near you for further warranty work.

[jking]

Was that Meridian or Idaho Falls?

[Tree guy bob]

Thank you everyone that chimed in with information. We picked it up this last week. We are camping now and going from a 26bh to a 3810ms has been overwhelming and a blessing at the same time. Lots to remember! Most of our questions are just little things like the cable booster button which apparently has gone away and which way the dump levers go to dump...are they in or out! Don’t wanna be wrong. What a fantastic RV! I have to say I was nervous driving but actually easier than i expected. Behind my new 2019 Ford 350 dually it tows very well. I’m really glad I made the switch from my 2019 f250 diesel to 350 diesel. I feel safer and within safe towing specs. Took a 10k hit bet our safety and being legal is worth it. Wasn’t fun loosing hard earned money but it’s behind us. I very much appreciate the Montana community and the information provided by you veterans of the 5th wheel. I could complain about the little things in the fit and finish department but I can tinker around and customize at my leisure.
We were finally at Campland for our maiden voyage and finished setting up and sitting next to our coach and felt a big smile and a sense of calm relaxing true happiness come over me. We will be selling our house and going full time. Mostly local stuff till I retire but to get to camp out every day with my wife and dogs and be able to go where ever and whenever we want and rely on no one is a indescribable feeling. Thank you all for everything!

[Tree guy bob]

Thank you for the advice. We were just being a little impatient and felt like using our warranty on a rv we technically owned but through no fault of our own and paying for something we didn’t have! Part of it was taking it and then bringing back takes a lot of time and being stressed about driving it played into it. After driving it and getting more comfortable with it I feel better. In hind site they did a pretty good job all in all. The flooring is peeling up and so that’s a bummer but in the grand scheme we will just work on fixing. In hindsight after reading all about shady dealers were worried about the actions of other dealers playing out in our dealer. Thankfully everything went smoothly and as quickly as they could. After taking delivery it’s freaking awesome. Can’t wait to see what’s out there waiting for us. The rv community has some awesome people and mostly do helpful in taking time to share experiences with us. Thank you for your post!

[DutchmenSport]

Originally Posted by DQDick

It might be worthwhile to get a lawyer. You shouldn't have had to sign anything for them to fix it, they would have had to fix it whether you bought it or not.

I read the entire thread and am still surprised at how fast when a problem occurs between consumer and the seller that folks spout off, "get a lawyer." We needed a lawyer some 10 years ago. This was Indiana not California! And the price of the lawyer (back then ... in Indiana) was $250 an hour. Every email that transferred was charged at 1/4 hour. That means for the email and an expected reply, they charged 1/2 hour.

Lawyers in the area where I live, are now charging upfront a $2000 retainer fee or they won't even talk to you. I can't imagine how horrendous that amount would be in California.

To willy-nilly say, "Go get a lawyer" is REALLY not a smart thing to do, unless you really have a problem that whole-hardheartedly affects your entire existence, or you just have time and money to throw around, is not the approach the average working-stiff can afford.

Sorry, that's just bad advise!

For the OP, just keep the pressure on the dealership. By the way, making a negative comment on their Facebook page goes VERY, VERY, VERY far. When my wife did that ... we got IMMEDIATE action and had the camper back the next day! (it was really amazing how the parts all of a sudden showed up from the factory).

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by Clarky

Agree that If the dealership is really being poor at communication find another keystone dealership who is more pro active. Its your trailer now, you can go to any Keystone dealer to get warranty work done.

That is very subjective. I am in the Seattle area purchased my Montana 3791RD in Northern Calf. Brought it home and had a list of 28 warranty items. Last November I called every Keystone (including non Montana dealers who sell other keystone products), not one within 100 miles would touch my warranty work because I did not buy from them.

I then called Keystone and they cannot force their dealers to do warranty work, however after two weeks they (Keystone) somehow convinced a semi local dealer to do the work, however in one week it will be 3 months is has been sitting at the dealer waiting the work however that is because Keystone is slow on getting the parts to them.

That is not to say that other areas of the Country the result may be different

[richfaa]

We did a PFI on both our 06 and 13 Montana at the dealership. It took Helen and I 2 days to get it done. We submitted the list of items that failed the PDI to the dealership and said to call us when the items were corrected. We have only given the dealership 50.00 at that time as earnest $$ and no purchase agreement had been signed. They did call in about a week indicating the items had been corrected the worst on our 13 3402 was a torn awning. We went back and did another PDI. It was perfect. We signed the purchase agreement hooked it up and went home. It was the same dealer both times Town and Country RV in Clyde, Ohio. That is not to say that something did not fail a coupler of months later.

[Texan]

Glad it worked out for you without having to use Legal Council. As DutchmenSport noted it can be very expensive and should be used as a last resort. Some people have a hard time moving on but you seem to have and because of that Hopefully you will have many years of enjoyment even though there will be a few hiccups a long the way. Safe Travels.

[CaptnJohn]

Every builder has lawyers on staff. When they hear from a lawyer or possibly when threatened with a lawyer being retained all communication with the owner ends. All communication now goes through your lawyer, an easy way to drive you broke!

[jimandlaurie]

My bottom line thought on this thread is that when we are having problems with dealers or builders, is that legal council, and or the big social media scheme of things can help us consumers. Even other things we buy can benefit from these types of pressures. I think it is the sign of the times that instant and widespread communication of problems for consumers keeps the "bad" builders and dealers a bit more responsive than even 10 years ago.. just my $02.

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

I read the entire thread and am still surprised at how fast when a problem occurs between consumer and the seller that folks spout off, "get a lawyer." We needed a lawyer some 10 years ago. This was Indiana not California! And the price of the lawyer (back then ... in Indiana) was $250 an hour. Every email that transferred was charged at 1/4 hour. That means for the email and an expected reply, they charged 1/2 hour.

Lawyers in the area where I live, are now charging upfront a $2000 retainer fee or they won't even talk to you. I can't imagine how horrendous that amount would be in California.

To willy-nilly say, "Go get a lawyer" is REALLY not a smart thing to do, unless you really have a problem that whole-hardheartedly affects your entire existence, or you just have time and money to throw around, is not the approach the average working-stiff can afford.

Sorry, that's just bad advise!

For the OP, just keep the pressure on the dealership. By the way, making a negative comment on their Facebook page goes VERY, VERY, VERY far. When my wife did that ... we got IMMEDIATE action and had the camper back the next day! (it was really amazing how the parts all of a sudden showed up from the factory).

I have to disagree with you. Sometimes it takes a lawyer or at the very least the THREAT of getting one will work. Most of the time, after the first letter you WILL see action to resolve the issue. Very rare that you actually have to go to court.

[Goliath-goes]

I agree. Cancel purchase and walk

[Last2Die]

Originally Posted by jking

Was that Meridian or Idaho Falls?

If you’re asking me it was meridian.