3485 verus 3585 - Montana Owners Club

rrheik · 10-13-2007, 01:12 PM

We are thinking about buying the 3585 with rear kitchen, since we like that feature in our 3000RK. But we also like the 3585 layout. We like the 3485 and 3585 because of the enclosed bathroom.
If the 3400 came with an enclosed bathroom that would be our first choice. Pros and cons from you folks that own either. Thanks in advance.

dannykaren · 10-13-2007, 03:42 PM

we bought the 3585 last march and we really have enjoyed it. we are fulltimers and the reason we went with this model was because of the bathroom. I didn't like the shower and sink next to the bed. We are very comfortable in this 5th wheel.

Okie Guy · 10-13-2007, 04:44 PM

Any 3485 owners out there? I am also interested in this model.

dsprik · 10-13-2007, 05:38 PM

Glenn (Glenn and Lorraine) has a 3485...

Glenn and Lorraine · 10-13-2007, 10:41 PM

YES WE DO and WE LOVE IT. We personally like the rear living room as we feel it has a bit more living space than the rear kitchen. Also, having the rear window is a huge plus when we are in a space with no one behind us.
Here is an example of what I'm talking about. We have had many of these type situations over the years.
As far as the bathroom, I really don't know how we got along with the old layout. Speaking to the Montana folks at the rally we will be seeing more and more fully enclosed bathrooms in the near future.

dsprik · 10-14-2007, 02:32 AM

Nice pic, Glenn! Hope that's not "low tide"...

Ozzie · 10-14-2007, 03:12 AM

As some of you know, we have been drooling over the 3585 for a while, and noticed a lack of storage in the bath area.
I'm wondering how this storage is working out for you guys.

I'm happy there will be more full bath models coming Glenn. I wouldn't mind seeing a couple that fit better for the 2500's too. Seems to me there is a huge market there.

rrheik · 10-16-2007, 05:16 AM

Thanks for the pic glenn. I think we are leaning more toward the 3485. We enjoyed the rear kitchen in the 3000RK, but sort of likke the spaciousness of the rear ddlddiving room. Just had the 50 gal. aux. tank installed yestrerday in the TV, rented the conmdo out for 6 months, and are now ready for some serious rving. Will hang out at dor near the dealership, whichever one it is for about two weeks, and then hit the rroad for at least six months, and maybe more, since we have a friend who wants the condo for the summer. So the extra room in the 3485 will be nice, after the tgwo slideout 3000RK.

MacDR50 · 10-16-2007, 01:02 PM

We ordered the 3585 for the bathroom and the extra counter space. It was a comprise as we wanted the desk and chair too. I think the extra undersink and overhead storage may make up for no pantry. One question I had was whether the rear kitchen would lead to more potential for damage to plates, glasses etc. The salesman, who has a 3000 which has the same rear kitchen, said he found no extra problems in this regard.

Okie Guy · 10-16-2007, 03:13 PM

Sorry I meant 3585. I am not thinking clearly lately.

Wayne and Carolyn Mathews · 10-16-2007, 04:51 PM

We bought the 3585 in August and have been fulltiming in it since then while we're building a home. We liked both the 3584 and 3585 because of the enclosed bathroom, but we spent enough time in both models to decide we liked the bigger feeling the living area had in the 3585. It was a compromise because we hated to give up the large window in the end of the rig, but after we thought about the places we would camp the most, we realized that 99% of the time our trailer would have the better view on the street and curb sides anyway. The kitchen window in the 3585 is still large enough to have a decent view out of it, too. The only thing I wish I had was some type of pantry because I have yet to find a convenient place or a good way to store canned goods. At the moment, I'm experimenting with several wire racks I have from our last trailer, trying to work out some canned goods storage under the sink. My other thought is to find slide-out racks that would fit in the cabinet under the counter immediately to the left of the oven. I'm glad to know that the private bath may be coming back in future floor plans because one day, when we are ready to be real fulltimers, we want a bigger trailer--still a Montana--with an enclosed bath. I wouldn't trade that feature for anything. (I'm still teaching school, so I go to bed much earlier than my night-owl retired husband. He takes late-night showers, and they never wake me up as they did when we spent some time in my brother's Montana with the open bath arrangement.) Bottom line: We love our 3585 and know it was the best choice for us!

rrheik · 10-17-2007, 09:17 AM

We have 13000 miles on our 07 3000RK, with rear kitchen, and have been up and down many, many mountains with no problems. Just make sure you put a latch on the drawer under the fridge to keep it secured. We are trading up to the 3485 or 3585 onlyt because we are almost fulltimers, 10 out of 12 months, and decided we wanted a little bigger Tana. Even, thoughj our 33000RK is only a yearm old, we feel we have more than gotten our money's worth out of it with all the time we have spent in it. If not for it, we would have ended up with a minimum $10K hotel bill, when my Dad was aill and passed away last November. Thank goodness we had the Tana to live in while staying with him. Haven't completely ruled out the 3400, but my wife Barb, sure loves the 3485 and 3585. Thanks again for the thoughts.

Wayne and Carolyn Mathews · 10-17-2007, 02:53 PM

I wish I'd read the "latch on the drawer" post before we had the unfortunate experience of extending the slides after coming home with our new Montana, only to hear the most awful screeching noise accompanied by some shuddering of the slideout on the sofa/table and chairs side. Thankfully, I was monitoring things closely and immediately brought the slideout back in, and then crawled over the table and chairs to see what the problem was. It was that drawer under the fridge; it had opened and caught the slide during transit, so when I opened the slideouts, that one side hung up on the drawer. No damage to the slideout mechanism was done, but I did end up with a scratched and chewed-up drawer on one edge. A little sandpaper and some furniture oil with a touch of color fixed the drawer, and then we had the catch fixed. We've had the same problem with a couple of kitchen cabinets and the drawers in the bedroom, too, so the service department at our dealer fixed all the catches so that they are much, much tighter (a pain in the you-know-what sometimes, but the drawers and cabinet door stay shut). Now, does anyone have an easy fix for keeping the table extension from extending itself during travel? Right now I'm wedging one of the dog beds between the table and the kitchen counter, but I'd like to find another way to keep that extension in place. Maybe I should put a bungee cored around the tabletop (lengthwise).

Mrs. CountryGuy · 10-17-2007, 04:18 PM

There is nothing quite like long strips of velcro or bungee cords! We use velcro on several sets of cabinet doors. We have bungee cords in several of the closets and also have spring rods behind several of the doors. The spring rod in the bathroom vanity just stays there, we can lift the required items out right over it!

Adjusting the catches will work for a while, but I seem to open the drawers and doors so much that over time, the catches loosen up again. I hear baby locks work real well too!

**Rondo** · 10-17-2007, 06:11 PM

Harbor Freights have velcro strips that range from 6" to 10" long and possibly longer that you can put around the handles of the cabinet doors to keep from coming open while intransit. Of course that works on double doors only. I still have not figured out what to put on the single doors but have not had any problem with those as of date and keeping my fingers crossed on that. I did hve a problem with the drawer in the table between the recliners on our 2980RL but just turned it sideways and that took care of the drawer opening on that. Thinking of converting the wastepaper basket pullout to a two or three level pullout. I hear they have something at Lowes that works well for that and will put the door on hinges then and with two catches on it to make sure it stays closed. My biggest problem is the sewer hose door on the outside of the Monte. It keeps coming open while I'm going down the road. It almost looks like someone has trimmed part of the catch away. Think I'll have to by a new latching mechanism!

rrheik · 10-18-2007, 07:54 AM

We use velcro for the side by side doors and bungee cords hooking one end to the single door, pulling it through the double door handles and fastening to the next single door handle. Works really well. Sorry Wayne that you didn't see the latch post for drawer under fridge, it has been about six or nine months since the last post that I can remember. I used the same latch that they use to hold the shelf up for the trashcan under counter by sink. When I bought my 3000RK about 15 mos. ago, somebody had mentioned it, so I had the dealer install the hitch after PDI.

MacDR50 · 10-18-2007, 11:57 AM

This is a real informative thread. I now can look forward to not learning the hard way which drawers are a problem. My MH had drawers in the rear bedroom that pooped open. I finally put keyed, desk drawer latches on them. Perhaps a bit overkill but they never popped open again.

lcarter · 10-21-2007, 01:15 PM

We bought a 3485 in June 2007. We liked the rear living area and the opposing slideouts in the living area. They really expand the space. The enclosed bathroom was a must for us. We have made one long 3000 mile plus trip with no problems. We love it. We think we could live in it for an extended period of time with no problem.
lcarter

lcarter · 10-21-2007, 01:16 PM

We bought a 3485 in June 2007. We liked the rear living area and the opposing slideouts in the living area. They really expand the space. The enclosed bathroom was a must for us. We have made one long 3000 mile plus trip with no problems. We love it. We think we could live in it for an extended period of time with no problem.
lcarter

caglebyrond · 04-13-2017, 01:11 PM

Wish i'd read these posts earlier. Opening drivers side slide a cabinet door was ajar1/2 " and caught on moving slide. Before I became aware of it the slide moved with such force that tracks and mechanism bent the bejesus out of the slide. Of course this occurred a zillion miles from anywhere and necessitated a repairman to travel 500 miles just to get the unit to repair place. By the time all is said and done incident will probably cost upwards of two grand...expensive lesson, secure those cabinet doors...

You may also like: