Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > General Discussions about our Montanas
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-11-2017, 11:02 PM   #61
CaptnJohn
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: South East NC
Posts: 1,768
M.O.C. #19865
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bochim View Post
No, My next one will be a Grand Design.
If you think they don't have problems ~~ anyway hope you get yours home from the dealer unlike this couple ...
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	00FBEEBF-F9FD-4147-A3B5-243778ECB675_zpsqu9f9d4s[1].jpg
Views:	48
Size:	76.3 KB
ID:	698  
 
CaptnJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 08:53 AM   #62
scattershot
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,041
M.O.C. #5329
We have been perfectly satisfied with our 2006 2955RL, and haven't found anything we like better. That said, I'm not sure I would buy a new Montana, as the quality seems to,have slipped from when we bought ours.
scattershot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 09:01 AM   #63
dke1955
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Douglass
Posts: 30
M.O.C. #20643
Well sir all I can offer you is my experience..bought a 2004 Foretravel...with 2 yr warranty. Radiator leak, frame rusted out, black water tank refab., refrig. not cooling, sound system replaced (Bose), front a/c replaced, satellite TV manu. went out of business this required replacing, awning repair, steering box replaced, rear brake pads did not slide (these were inspected prior to purchase and at each service)...ate into rotor and these were replaced...yearly service = $1400.00. The total for ONE YEAR of ownership..to include monthly note, insurance, repairs, = $40,000.00...that was with the warranty company picking up a good portion of the major repair bills. Foretravel is a top of the line DP..however even now they are having huge quality issues...to the point I became concerned about the future of the company...and I live in the town where Foretravel is manu.. I decided to sell the unit, it was an awesome coach...the wife cried about it but the numbers just could not support continued ownership unless I had the deep pockets necessary to foot $150.00/hr repair shop bills..which I don't. So I felt it prudent to sell. Just my 2 cents. Have a good friend who purchased a $175,00.00 Allegro...on maiden voyage a/c leaked through the roof and engine stalled on the highway ( he as lucky enough to get it out of traffic), and the rv had to be towed..which towing a motorhome is an adventure all in itself...you DO NOT just hook up and go... I felt it was a better choice for me to go 5er..so here I am. Have 2017 SW F250 powerstroke...which is a sometimes daily driver so dually was not practical for me..hopefully this will be adequate for pulling 3160rl which is what I am looking at.
dke1955 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 12:22 PM   #64
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
" This is our second Montana. We purchase based on what we need ( floorplan) and price. We would purchase any brand in the price range if it met our needs. It has been Montana twice. Guess you could say best bang for the buck. "


We posted this earlier in this thread. We will not be purchasing a Rv of any brand as our Rv experience is drawing to a close however I would probably purchase another Montana if we were to buy another RV. The primary reason is we are certain that we would have no better luck with any brand in the price range. Unlike some we have had good customer service from keystone on both our Montana's not to say we always got our way in fact we were denied repair of our problem at this fall rally and that was not the first time. Our major problem with both our Montana's was holding tank failures, many of them , Side wall separation along the front side both of them. There were scores of other things most of which most of us have had. The best investment we made was the extended warranty on both of them. We had thousands of $$$ in repair cost of which maybe 500.00 was out of pocket in
deductibles.
IMO there has been great improvement in technology since 2006 but I see little if any improvement in build quality. We had the same issues with our 2006 3400 that we have with our 13 3402.We have traveled over 100K miles since 2006 in two Montana's and two trucks. We also owned four Rv prior to the two Montana's. They had some problems also although we did not use them as much.


So we would buy another Montana(I think) because I do not believe we would have any better luck with another brand. We have had good service from Keystone, not perfect but good.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 12:59 PM   #65
Mr Pachu
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: R
Posts: 261
M.O.C. #17922
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptnJohn View Post
If you think they don't have problems ~~ anyway hope you get yours home from the dealer unlike this couple ...
The back wall of my 2015 Montana 3790 would have been like this to if I didn't catch it in time.
Mr Pachu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-12-2017, 01:07 PM   #66
jlb27537
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Depends on temps
Posts: 1,648
M.O.C. #13157
Quote:
Originally Posted by dke1955 View Post
so here I am. Have 2017 SW F250 powerstroke...which is a sometimes daily driver so dually was not practical for me..hopefully this will be adequate for pulling 3160rl which is what I am looking at.
I might suggest you drop by the section of this forum, Tow Vehicles. Take your truck to a set of scales and get actual weights. Look inside the drivers door jam and get the GVWR rating and subtract the truck weight from the GVWR. That number is the most your truck can weigh.

The 3160RL is close to what I have, a 3150RL. My pin weight is 32-3400lbs. Almost a 1000lbs over what the brochure says the "dry" weight is.

With a F250 you probably need to be shopping for a High Country and not a real Montana. Also need to consider what axle ratio you have?

Happy shopping.
__________________

2012 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 4x4 3.73 Tow Max Pkg B&W Companion 60 gal RDS aux fuel tank. 2014 Montana 3150RL, 2 A/C's, Leather, 6 Point Jacks, Splendede WD2100XC, Mor/ryde X-Factor, Duravis 250 tires with TST 507RV monitors. 2 x Honda EU2000's
jlb27537 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2017, 03:54 AM   #67
Phil P
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Okeechobee
Posts: 2,150
M.O.C. #11206
X2 for jlb27537
__________________
2009 Montana 3665RE
2009 Duramax 3500 DRW quad cab
personal web page https://www.sallyscoffees.com
If you get a page not available then remove the "s" after HTTP
Phil P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2017, 04:08 AM   #68
Phil P
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Okeechobee
Posts: 2,150
M.O.C. #11206
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptnJohn View Post
If you think they don't have problems ~~ anyway hope you get yours home from the dealer unlike this couple ...





Hi

It seems that most of the people her miss the point about the problems encountered with a new unit.

It’s about the way the manufacturer corrects the defects not the fact that there are defects.

I would have no complaint or animosity toward Keystone / Thor had they corrected in a timely manner the problems discovered at the PDI and after for the first year.

I purchased a new car for wife in 2012.

It had problems the dealer correct them quickly except for one. They worked on that problem for 12 months. The manufacturer sent a team of service personnel to the dealer twice with no result. They determined it to be a design defect as all the rest of the same model and serial number group had the same problems that could not be corrected.

The manufacturer had provided a rental car free of charge during the time they had her car in the shop.

The manufacturer refunded all our money except the taxes and title fees. I don’t finance motor vehicles so there wasn’t any cost on that part.

I will let you guess where we purchased the replacement car.

Phil P
__________________
2009 Montana 3665RE
2009 Duramax 3500 DRW quad cab
personal web page https://www.sallyscoffees.com
If you get a page not available then remove the "s" after HTTP
Phil P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2017, 08:48 PM   #69
granet
Established Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: okotoks
Posts: 42
M.O.C. #10611
Send a message via AIM to granet
I would buy another but Montana has removed our floor plan for the last few years so we will stay with what we have till it falls apart. We full time in cold country so if we can't find a good used 2010 then we will just have to move to a seniors residence as I can't travel due to a stroke.
regards
Granet
2008-3400rl
Riverbend Campground
Okotoks,Alberta,Canada
granet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2017, 09:15 PM   #70
bigred715
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Eugene
Posts: 1,050
M.O.C. #5091
We are on our second and last Montana. Another 5 years and we will probably give up RV'ing. Started with a 2001 2880 bought 1 year old in excellent shape, no problems for 9 years other than a leak in the top corner when we traded in for a new 3000RK in 2010. Like Rich we had kitchen tank replaced in 2015 and other minor problems. We liked the finish inside and I thought they were very nice trailers.The 2010 has been down to Arizona for 3 months for 5 years and across the United States twice with no problems. It still looks new on the outside since it is under cover when not being used. It is a pleasure to use and have enjoyed the features it has. The chairs haven't worn well and the king bed sags, but we put a 2" foam topper on it and that works fine. Don't want to buy new chairs or bed due to budget restrictions. Other than that we are proud owners of our Montana's.
bigred715 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 11:58 AM   #71
tomgasta
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Jefferson City
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #19968
We purchased a 2017 Montana 3820FK last June. While yes, we have had problems, after talking with folks who have bought from other manufacturers (Grand Design, Jayco, Bighorn, etc. it seems everyone has had their share of issues/problems. I think the best thing to do is to prepare yourself for something to break or not work and take a deep breath when it happens and have plenty of wine on hand.
tomgasta is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 01:49 PM   #72
team bradfield
Montana Master
 
team bradfield's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 525
M.O.C. #19994
started with a Cardinal, only 32', nice, no problems, moved down to a Montana Mountaineer 342PHT for the bunkhouse, it was the cheaper version in 07, i believe its High Country now. we were frustrated at the poor quality but understood we sacrificed for the bunks. We went back to Cardinal, a Redbird package, their top of the line model, it was fine for 2 years, then really fell apart fast, slide out seal damage, wall pimples around every window, long list. So now back with Montana, 2017, only 1 trip out to Zion and back, 3,200 miles and 16 days. So far we love the rig, no issues so far
__________________

The "Black Pearl"-2017 3731FL Legacy Package
2017 F-450 Platinum, 6.7 PSD
team bradfield is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 03:10 PM   #73
Grzly03
Seasoned Camper
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Menifee
Posts: 73
M.O.C. #19585
Send a message via AIM to Grzly03 Send a message via MSN to Grzly03
We bought 3730FL this year, have made only 3 major trips. We love the floor plan, and have had what I consider acceptable minor problems to fix. We also had 2 brake failures, both of which were fixed in a timely manner by Keystone, including a $770 on-the-road repair bill. This wouldn't deter me because we love the floor plan. It works for us.

So that leads to my recommendation. You are going to have some fixes on almost anything. Some anecdotal experiences will be great, others will be not so great in any brand. So, find an arrangement that works for YOU. Your happiness with the layout of the unit will override minor fixes you might need. Be sure the unit you pick is legal with your TV, and don't believe the sales person. Do the research yourself. I had a truck dealer and the 5er sales person both tell me the combination was compatible and legal. Both were wrong!

What's the takeaway from this: find the floorplan that you like best, and make it work for you.

Good luck
Grzly03 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 03:34 PM   #74
topjustice
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Coeur D Alene
Posts: 264
M.O.C. #19835
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomgasta View Post
We purchased a 2017 Montana 3820FK last June. While yes, we have had problems, after talking with folks who have bought from other manufacturers (Grand Design, Jayco, Bighorn, etc. it seems everyone has had their share of issues/problems. I think the best thing to do is to prepare yourself for something to break or not work and take a deep breath when it happens and have plenty of wine on hand.
Well said! The fact that the Montana is a great value if purchased right can be added to this discussion.
topjustice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 03:36 PM   #75
mtlakejim
Montana Master
 
mtlakejim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bee Branch
Posts: 2,620
M.O.C. #20693
Short answer--yes we would buy another Keystone.


Long answer:


We are not married to Keystone and have almost zero brand loyalty. If another brand had the floor plan that we were looking for we would consider it on an equal basis.


We looked at every brand out there and read a LOT of reviews before buying our second Keystone. EVERY brand has good and bad reviews. People tend to post their negatives far more than the positives. Just human nature I guess.


This time around, If we hadn't found the HC 381TH floorplan in another brand we were looking at conventional front living room models. Keystone just happened to have the unique basement garage floorplan and a couple other of our "MUST HAVE" features.


In the end, what we found is that for the most part 5ers are about like buying cars. If you get one of the major brands odds are you will do just fine but you can find lemons in any brand. So it really did boil down to who had the floor plan that suited our needs.
__________________
James & Irene Wilson
Bee Branch, AR.
2017 Ram 1 ton diesel duallyCrew Cab/Long Bed
2018 Montana High Country 381TH Garage Full of Toys
mtlakejim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 05:00 PM   #76
sola123
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Shipman
Posts: 552
M.O.C. #10136
Yes we would if they had a floor plan the wife liked....but for now a cardinal would be her first choice ..... but it will be hard to get me out of our present Montana....
sola123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 06:41 PM   #77
milsutter
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Granite Bay
Posts: 123
M.O.C. #17499
Send a message via AIM to milsutter Send a message via MSN to milsutter Send a message via Yahoo to milsutter
On our 2nd Montana in 3 yrs. First one was used,not knowing whether we were going to like the full time experience. Kept it a year & a half, traded for a new one, (3790RD). Have had problems with both of them but have always found dealers, or repair shops to take care of the problems. Would definitely buy Montana again.
milsutter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 02:51 AM   #78
5rvers
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Manassas
Posts: 562
M.O.C. #4327
My first Monty was a 2005 3400RL and now I have a 2014 Monty 3402RL. Love it!
5rvers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2018, 05:31 AM   #79
Dave W
Montana Master
 
Dave W's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 1,788
M.O.C. #14547
To begin with, we have owned a couple high end 5ers, a Newmar Kountry Aire and a Glendale Titanium so do have the basis for comparison.

Ours is an early build 2014 343RL High Country but purchased late iin the year. The 'box' so far has been virtually trouble as has so far, the frame. What Keystone did was put 5200 pound suspension on a 5er that weighs about 12000 pounds dry regardless of what their advertising said. That situation was corrected last year with 6K springs and 6K hubs with disc brakes

We wandered many 5ers looking for the 'right' interior - a kitchen area with a full counter instead of that restrictive island. We also wandered dealers. Gotta say, there sure is a difference in being attacked as you get out of your car vs one who actually seems to care. The 5er went back for 4 or 5 niggling problems, which were fixed. Have there been other problems - sure, but not worth my time nor the gallons of fuel needed to haul it back for repairs.

Back to the OP question of would we purchase another - maybe and only if I could spec it out on an order to be supplied with 6 or 7K or possibly IS suspension plus disc brakes and no crappy hideabed sofa or recliners nor flimsy mattress. Does it compare well with the two mentioned above? Yes in most areas except the running gear/frame.

But with all that said, our next RV may be a Class C as my DW has a major back problem and being hammered for hours by a solidly suspended truck doesn't help her outlook.
__________________
Dave W
2014 Montana High Country 343RL (Sold!)
2011 Ford 6.7 Lariat CCLB (Went to PU Heaven)
2019 F150SC XLT SE Sport,w/full tow package
Dave W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-07-2018, 04:13 AM   #80
Phil P
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Okeechobee
Posts: 2,150
M.O.C. #11206
Hi

You all are missing the point.

We purchase a new car that had a shake in the front end. The manufacturer and dealer worked on that car for 2 years. They always gave us a loner when they were going to have the car for more than a day. The manufacturer sent 3 different teams of technicians and repairs it. After all of this the manufacturer told us they couldn’t fix it. They refunded the entire purchase price except the tax and title charges.

Now where do you suppose I purchased the replacement car!!!

The replacement care cost me $10,900 more and I made the check out to the same dealer.

This is an example of a responsible manufacturer and dealer.

When it comes to something like an RV it is unlikely there would be a loner available but if the dealer and Keystone had honored their warranty in reasonable manner I would have purchased the one I have ordered from a different manufacturer from them.

I don’t consider Keystone getting back to the dealer or owner in 30 days or longer to try to resolve an issue a reckonable effort.

In my case I paid $20,000 to have the repairs performed in order to make the trailer usable. I found out that Keystone had performed the same repair on the trailers by VIN that were produce in just front of and next one behind ours because the production line used the wrong fasteners

I blame Keystone for allowing a dealer to sell that didn’t have a functional service department and then refusing to allow another dealer to do the repairs after finding out the selling dealer didn’t have a service department.

The trailed on order is not coming from a Thor company.

Phil P
__________________
2009 Montana 3665RE
2009 Duramax 3500 DRW quad cab
personal web page https://www.sallyscoffees.com
If you get a page not available then remove the "s" after HTTP
Phil P is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.