First Trip with New 305RL

[govslug]

Like to say this site is great...everything we were questioning we found answers on this site . Not a whole lot of problems , but for the $$ you spend you don't want any . Here is our list.

1. Dometic fridge - shelve wouldn't stay in - bowed (caved in ) side wall. On 2nd day fridge starting making a loud noise .

2. Bedroom shade 3 tears

3. Shower drain not flush with shell - stuck up almost 1/2 " (seen on here)

4. Toilet won't hold water (seen on here a lot )

It is at our local dealer in Arkansas so we will see how they are soon...been there a week now .

[Dam Worker]

Well I hope you have a good dealer if not as stated on here before. Learn to do it yourself so you know it is done right. Sad but usually true. Hopefully your dealer comes through and you are happy campers on your next trip.

Tom Marty

[govslug]

This should be covered under warranty..we will see...but yes , I'm capable and prepared to do a lot of things on my own.....from what I read the toilet will probably be replaced by me with a dometic....I can replace a shade....if I have to do the drain....can do...fridge is up to them regardless....not our first 5th wheel.....
Guess this will see if they get our trade in and future business when we upgrade and one year from now when we buy an extended warranty....

[1retired06]

If you have a dometic RV frig, that loud noise you hear is likely the external fans that help air flow when temperature goes up. Normal. You can check by taking the top outside vent off and see the fans and if running, determine if that is what you are hearing.

[govslug]

Originally Posted by 1retired06

If you have a dometic RV frig, that loud noise you hear is likely the external fans that help air flow when temperature goes up. Normal. You can check by taking the top outside vent off and see the fans and if running, determine if that is what you are hearing.

Thanks....that is probably it..sounded something like a fan..weird that we never heard that until the 3rd day...and it was loud ! We were camping in N.W. Arkansas and the weather was bad , thought we were hearing tornado sirens coming from outside , that was how loud it was .

[1retired06]

They don't run all the time, just when the heat builds up and the thermostat kicks in.

[govslug]

The dealer has had it 2 weeks now . They said they would call us in a couple days to let us know what they find . Never heard anything from them so my wife called today . I did tell them when I dropped it off that I would not even be available to pick it up for 3 weeks . They said a new fridge is on order and will be there next week . As for the other items they will fix those while they wait for the fridge . As of now it's not a problem because we dropped it off knowing I'd be out of town for the next 3 weeks. Not to happy about not getting a call and letting us know what is going on . And 3 weeks to get a fridge from the factory ??? Seems like a long time .

[bad99ram]

Originally Posted by govslug

The dealer has had it 2 weeks now . They said they would call us in a couple days to let us know what they find . Never heard anything from them so my wife called today . I did tell them when I dropped it off that I would not even be available to pick it up for 3 weeks . They said a new fridge is on order and will be there next week . As for the other items they will fix those while they wait for the fridge . As of now it's not a problem because we dropped it off knowing I'd be out of town for the next 3 weeks. Not to happy about not getting a call and letting us know what is going on . And 3 weeks to get a fridge from the factory ??? Seems like a long time .

Fridge doesn't come from the factory. Factory Parts Dept orders from manufacter, when they get it they send it to dealer. If you get it in 3 weeks you will be lucky.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by bad99ram

Fridge doesn't come from the factory. Factory Parts Dept orders from manufacter, when they get it they send it to dealer. If you get it in 3 weeks you will be lucky.

Will never understand why Keystone has not heard of that new fangled service called 'drop ship'. Faster delivery, less labor, less shipping costs,,, things that are important to the customer and not Keystone maybe?

[bad99ram]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

Will never understand why Keystone has not heard of that new fangled service called 'drop ship'. Faster delivery, less labor, less shipping costs,,, things that are important to the customer and not Keystone maybe?

My last unit was a Jayco. They used the same system there. Of course now Thor owns them now along with Keystone and a host of other brands

[WeBeFulltime]

Should have NEVER told them about not being available to pick up for 3 weeks.

[govslug]

Wife said the same thing....

Originally Posted by WeBeFulltime

Should have NEVER told them about not being available to pick up for 3 weeks.

[1retired06]

New frig or new cooling unit for the frig which is the routine warranty fix? Cooling unit goes for $1800 with labor.

[govslug]

The inside molded plastic was caved in....really didn't notice it on the initial inspection . Wasn't until we started loading it and one of the shelves wouldn't stay in . Even then it wasn't until I was staring at it trying to figure out what was going on before I noticed it . Looking inside it was the right side , next to the last shelve...

[Bad Moon]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

Will never understand why Keystone has not heard of that new fangled service called 'drop ship'. Faster delivery, less labor, less shipping costs,,, things that are important to the customer and not Keystone maybe?

Will never understand why Keystone has not heard of that new fangled service called 'Quality Control".

Fixed it for you.

[bad99ram]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

Will never understand why Keystone has not heard of that new fangled service called 'Quality Control".

Fixed it for you.

Actually to be fair and get back to the original post Keystone or any other brand has nothing to do with quality control of Norcold or Domentic Fridges

[Bad Moon]

Originally Posted by bad99ram

Actually to be fair and get back to the original post Keystone or any other brand has nothing to do with quality control of Norcold or Domentic Fridges

My point was that Keystone should not have delivered a trailer with a defective refrigerator. It should have been checked before it was installed. That is a part of quality control.

[bad99ram]

The inside molded plastic was caved in....really didn't notice it on the initial inspection . Wasn't until we started loading it and one of the shelves wouldn't stay in . Even then it wasn't until I was staring at it trying to figure out what was going on before I noticed it . Looking inside it was the right side , next to the last shelve... Per the OP


My point was that Keystone should not have delivered a trailer with a defective refrigerator. It should have been checked before it was installed. That is a part of quality control








In a perfect world everything that would be installed from a supplier would be inspected thoroughly prior to installation
However, in the real world nobody does that. That's why there is a warranty on Cars, Trailers boats ect. This is my 6th New 5th wheel since 1998 and none of them have been perfect. In fact, I had to remove the microwave in a Jayco Designer. One of the mounting bolts had sheared off and the FACTORY had put a dap of caulking on the broken head and glued it down so it looked like it was good. In another unit the toilet kept plugging up. They THE FACTORY had installed the drop line into the black water tank one inch from the bottom of the tank. Neither one of these units were made by Keystone.

[Bad Moon]

Why is it when we spend 50k on a car or truck, we expect it to be reasonably well-built and delivered without defects. But when we spend that much (and often much more) on a travel trailer or 5th wheel, we are supposed to just shrug and say "oh they are all like that". I have a one-year old Montana HC, and I am tired of fighting to get things fixed, and tired of having to be constantly trouble shooting and fixing things that should have been corrected at the factory. No body would EVER accept that from an auto manufacturer. Too bad Honda or Toyota don't start building trailers.

[Oldsoldier]

Hope Montanas are OK and don't regret buying one. But buck up!! You don't own a KZ! We had one that went to the dealer every time we went camping...in fact, we stopped by the dealer on the way home from Arkansas, transloaded everything we could, and left it at Wheelen's RV in Joplin. Replaced the entire floor twice (didn't have it two years). Rain water dripped from the ceiling speakers (yippee! Two showers in one camper! How fortunate). More water ran inside the shower wall than in the shower (good thing we had another shower ��). Couldn't extend one bed (two fold-down beds). No electric outlets in the rear area. Plugging it into any outlet blew all pedestal circuit breakers. Coach frame floor was 2x2" pieces stapled together....end to end to make an 8' width....where ever the staples even hit the 2x2s. And the list goes on. Unit went back to KZ where they replaced the entire wooden floor with welded aluminum. While there, they ripped the underbelly and left it that way. I fixed that and installed 110v lines to plug in things by the beds. Our Forest River popup had issues, as well. Went out one Spring to clean it to start camping. Floor had turned to mush over the Winter! Actually mush. Turned ot FR tried a new belky pan design to keep out water. It actually retained water that got in; didn't let it drain and dry; the moisture retained soaked the OSB to the point the floor was destroyed. In FR's defence, when I called them fir advice on how to replace a flooe, FR picked up the camper; disassembled it; replaced the entire framing; laid new flooring; then rebuilt the entire popup to include new hardware for popping it up! Made it brand new again! Our 2012 Cougar Xlite 30rks was a different stiry. Love it and hate to trade it in on the Montana!! Only problem was nit having two slides in the living room to sleep grandkids...my fault fir nit getting a bigger TT. Hope and pray this Montana is as good. When we were in Texas for the Winter, we found Montana and other owners who were disgusted with their Keystones: slide cables broke 8 times on a 2016 39' Montana; panels dropping off another; even axle bearing covers sripoed off another. Buying this 310RE was an act of faith on our part. Hope it isn't a mistake.