New Big Sky issues - Montana Owners Club

Virginia Young · 10-27-2014, 06:49 AM

Wow . . . We bought one of the new Big Sky 382RLs and loved it. We're a little disappointed with all the "little issues," but believed they could be easily remedied. Boy! We're we wrong.

I won't list all of the issues cause there were so many , and most were taken care of, but it took two weeks to locate the issue with the remote not working.

Keystone came through and told us a new board would be shipped overnight from Lippert last Thursday. HA! Dealership finally got it this morning. The wrong one! We are supposed to leave for FL this Friday morning as we have already paid for our lot starting November 1st. (Everybody knows those aren't cheap.)

The bottom of the bedroom slide was delaminating and the dealer re-glued it. Yep - it's already done it again.

Every single issue was due to poor workmanship. If we had purchased this unit as our first Montana, we never would have been repeat buyers. I know the problems we have had aren't typical of the Montana line, because our 3900FB was great. I wish we had it back. I can understand how they could lose customers because of a few bad apples.

K0LCB · 10-27-2014, 06:51 AM

That's a shame. I've had good luck with customer service, no big issues, but they've all been taken care of

Virginia Young · 10-27-2014, 07:32 AM

Don't get me wrong. Customer Service is trying. So is the dealership. It's just that it is taking so long and we live in our Big Sky. Already stayed with our sons for two weeks and it looks like we may be back in their house again, when we should be on our way to FL.

It's so hard to believe that everybody who worked on building this unit was having a bad day at the same time. Bad connections and mis-wiring, loose trim, missing pieces, etc. Pride in workmanship appears to have gone out the window on this unit. I know there is human error, but there were just too many on this one. Especially when this is supposed to be the top of their line unit.

Mark N. · 10-27-2014, 08:50 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Virginia Young

...Every single issue was due to poor workmanship...If we had purchased this unit as our first Montana, we never would have been repeat buyers. I know the problems we have had aren't typical of the Montana line, because our 3900FB was great....

Unfortunately, perhaps it is becoming the norm.
More and more, I am reading of discontent about workmanship issues in the Montana line. I have had mine a year now, and I'm pretty disillusioned at a lot of the things I have come up against. I totally, totally, understand that all brands will have issues. However, I have only owned this brand of 5th-wheel and I have only paid attention to customer complaints on this brand.
I might be doing some serious comparisons when it comes time to do it again. And, that time might come sooner than we had planned on when we bought this Montana a year ago. I'll have to see what the next year brings on the forum and within my own coach.
It's time to start asking SOB owners in the parks I visit the question: "If you had it to do again, would you buy your ------ again? If someone asked me that question today, one year into ownership, my answer would undoubtedly begin with "Hmmmmmmm...."

**DQDick** · 10-27-2014, 09:08 AM

It is interesting to ask those questions. For us the answer continues to be Keystone is the best for the money. Some of the things we've heard and seen are pretty scary. Even in the high dollar rigs some build decisions are interesting. Was parked next to a really nice mobile suites the other day where the pin box was so short that he'd broke his back truck window out in a sharp turn. I have a slider in our truck, but with our rig and pin box never had to use it.

Lack of HP · 10-27-2014, 10:41 AM

I totally agree with the workmanship. I had my accident with my new 3625re which was 5 months old. replaced it with a new same model 3625re only upgraded per say. Has the new 2015 up grades. My old 3625re never went back for any repairs or service.
I constantly have this newer one in the shop for something. It is just the little things as Gina states. Poor Poor workmanship. It appears no one is checking these things. This is my 4th keystone since 2010. Never have I had such issues. It seems as though things are getting worse.
I really like this Monty and that was why we went back with the same model. I understand how you will have issues but these are all quality control issues that could have been taken care of well in advance of the customer having to deal with them. Good luck Gina, at least I am not full timing in mine until December. Hopefully they will get them fixed. Joe

1retired06 · 10-27-2014, 10:57 AM

We are on our way to Florida in our new 2015 we picked up over the Fourth of July weekend. Only have had it for 4 months but heavily used. During PDI, two cracked door hinges and some delam in a cargo door. Both taken care of by dealer although some initial pushback on the hinges. As we sit here in SC, this rig has been trouble free and form and fit, attention to detail , and operation of all systems gets an A plus. Nothing to complain to keystone or the dealer about. The reason for our 4 Montana purchases is for what we have experienced in reliability. Been close to 10 years since we had to go to the dealer for anything,. Of course we had occasional issues, but always able to handle everything else I could handle myself. Sorry your experience is not the same.

bigskyjimmy · 10-27-2014, 11:17 AM

That is bad to hear Virginia hopefully when you get these problems fixed you will be good to go,I am with 1tetired06 and have never been back to the Dealer for any repairs on my 2012 or my 2015 all has been great so far and that is why I keep buying Montana is because I have had good luck with them(so far)

richfaa · 10-27-2014, 11:18 AM

Poor build quality is pretty much the norm in the RV industry. Our 06 3400 had many problems and our 13 Big sky has many problems nearly all related to poor build quality. If I thought there was any better brand in the price range we would have it. IMO most folks do not share their problems so we are surprised when we have problems. I did expect better from this 2013 3402 Big Sky but it is experiencing problems at a faster rate than our 06 3400.

sambam · 10-27-2014, 12:14 PM

Another reason for buying used: most of the bugs are worked out at no inconvenience to us. Our '10 has been basically trouble-free and whatever problems the previous owner may have had, appear to be fixed. AND, whatever problems I have run into, have been easily remedied by posting a question here on the MOC. Good luck Virginia, I hope these issues get resolved soon and you can go ahead with your plans.

richfaa · 10-27-2014, 01:25 PM

Come on Steve and Gina your lot awaits and we need to use these Disney tickets.

Virginia Young · 10-27-2014, 03:23 PM

Rich - We are so excited to get there. I just hope this doesn't hold us up. We have everything wrapped up here and are just waiting on the repairs. The plan is to pull out Friday morning and arrive there Saturday.

Phil P · 10-27-2014, 11:49 PM

Hi

We have already made our minds up. We will NEVER purchase another Thro product.

richfaa if we had purchased a high-end trailer we would have saved money over what we have in this trailer.

Phil P

Tom S. · 10-28-2014, 02:06 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Phil P

Hi

We have already made our minds up. We will NEVER purchase another Thro product.

richfaa if we had purchased a high-end trailer we would have saved money over what we have in this trailer.

Phil P

You are assuming the other model would be problem free. History and posts on other boards indicate otherwise. Remember the saying the devil you know vs. the devil you don't know.

K0LCB · 10-28-2014, 02:15 AM

We camped next to a new Prevost. The owner said it spent more time in the shop for warranty work than on the road in past year. None are exempt.

richfaa · 10-28-2014, 02:17 AM

The problem is the build quality that is the people who put these things together on the assembly and the near total lack of quality control any brand.I will agree there are some high end custom built Rv's out there but I can't afford any of them. Keystone, Forest river, Jayco all the same. I agree with Tom S we have seen so called high end rv's with the same issues we have.

richfaa · 10-28-2014, 02:18 AM

Gina.....Give us s call when on approach.

Virginia Young · 10-28-2014, 05:25 AM

Will do, Rich!

Phil P · 10-28-2014, 11:21 AM

The high-end trailers that give little or no problems and when they do the service to correct it is excellent are not custom built and with one exception are not built in Indiana.

I have toured the facilities building these trailers and the difference is they use a production manual that follows the trailer. This results in all the trailers of the same floor plane being built the same unlike Keystone that seldom gets 2 alike off the assemble line.

The bottom line is if I had purchased a trailer that cost $20,000 more than this one I would have gotten a 2 year cap to cap warranty and 5 years on the structure.

Phil P

You may also like: