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Old 10-11-2005, 07:12 AM   #1
Jerzy54
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Maiden voyage

Hi Everybody,
We just returned from our first camping trip with our 3500RL , and I would like to share with all of you about our experience.
First of all we are completely in love with our trailer.
It was local trip about 60 miles in distance to the Hither Hills State Park campground. Whether was ok. We had couple of days on and off rain , which I did not mind because I had a chance to check for any leaks. Truck pulled the trailer without any problem until we lost turbo and we had to arrange with campground to leave the trailer on the spot where we will be camping next weekend. I noticed few minor problems with the trailer which are :

1) Front left speaker is not working
2) Dinning table has crack by the window
3) Very slow front jacks
4) Stereo system dose not working from the battery
5) My Honda 2000 generator dose not run microwave oven
6) water pump is extremely noisy

On the end I have to say that the Montana was the best trailer in the park and we had quite a few visitors checking it out and hordes of kids playing my son's Xbox.

Thanks Jerzy
 
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Old 10-11-2005, 08:05 AM   #2
315RLS
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Jerzy54
I noticed few minor problems with the trailer which are :

4) Stereo system does not work from the battery
5) My Honda 2000 generator dose not run microwave oven
6) water pump is extremely noisy
I seem to have the same problems...
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Old 10-11-2005, 08:10 AM   #3
ols1932
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Welcome. We've all experienced some problems, some more than others. However, we have been really satisfied with our Montana that we've now had for over 5 years. When you get the bugs out you'll be really happy.
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Old 10-11-2005, 03:13 PM   #4
Parrothead
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The stereo system is not a 12 volt system so will not work with the battery. You will find all of the higher end units are like this because they went to the surrond sound. Carry one that will and you won't miss this.
The generator not running your microwave is not a Keystone problem. We have had 3 fifth wheels and the water pump was noisy in all of them. Also the front jacks were pretty slow on all of them. You are trying to get to a minute adjustment with these so maybe that is why they are slow. The table crack needs to be brought to your dealer's attention.
Enjoy your Montana - it is a great unit.
Happy trails..................
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Old 10-11-2005, 05:27 PM   #5
fulltimedreamer
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Jerzy54,

I purchased an inexpensive 3500 Watt generator at my local Pep Boys. It is not as quiet the Honda, but is much quieter than your typical construction generator. I have been reading about them on the RV.net forum for several months. I needed a generator to take to Louisiana while doing disaster relief so I picked one up. I have been pleasantly surprised as it will run my 15,000 BTU airconditioner and run the microwave. Maybe this could be a solution for you. Here's a link to my website with pictures.

[url] http://www.geocities.com/fulltimedre...generator.html [\url]
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Old 10-12-2005, 02:19 PM   #6
pud2
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I am curious of why you ost the turbo on your truck?
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Old 10-13-2005, 01:06 AM   #7
Jerzy54
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Hi Darrell,
I lost turbo in my truck without any reason. My truck has only 2800 miles on it. I noticed lack of power while pulling Montana and turbo gage showed nothing on it. We still could pull trailer but it took long time to reach any speed. Today I am picking my truck from the dealer and they replaced turbo boost sensor and egr sensor. I must say that Ford customer relation center which I contacted was very helpful and we got reimbursed for rental of the loaner car.
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Old 10-13-2005, 05:43 AM   #8
dsprik
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Wow, we could go several different ways from this thread. I'd like to address the gen situation (I know that's already been in several forums). Can you run two Honda 2000s in series/parallel and shut one off if not needed? Extra weight I know, but might solve extra watts when needed???
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Old 10-14-2005, 01:15 AM   #9
Jerzy54
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Hi Dave,
I am going to upgrede to onan 5500W generator running of the propane.
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Old 10-14-2005, 06:33 AM   #10
dsprik
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Jerzy, are you planning on a lot of boondocking? That sounds like a great gen, but the cost/weight may be an challenge for me. Also, still not quite sure what the wife thinks of boondocking yet. What does that weigh? Also, just curious... why did you decide in propane vs gas? I've been trying to decide this issue myself.
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Old 10-14-2005, 07:07 AM   #11
richfaa
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Boondocking is great fun and we have all done that at one time or another and from time to time the need for a generator comes up.Ex..lost home power in the winter, moved into the camper on generator.We have noted that in the last few years campground power has greatly improved and were we at one time carried our generator with us all the time we have not felt the need to do that for maybe the last 5 or 6 years. Having a generator is a good idea, how much you may want ..to spend on one is another matter..Now as to boondocking..our last 3 campers all have all the comforts of home , we paid for them and we USE them.Our new 3670RL MSVRP 53,330.00 will have even more of the comforts of home and we will use every one of them.Boondocking will be the last resort..really last... We have a generic(sears) 5.3KW generator that does the job when needed and was not all that expensive. Oh.. by the way..true boondocking does NOT include a generator ..boondocking is roughing it..like no satellite TV, Microwave, surround sound..You may even need to rub two sticks togerther to build a fire...
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Old 10-14-2005, 08:55 AM   #12
ronstan
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Can you run two Honda 2000s in series/parallel and shut one off if not needed? Extra weight I know, but might solve extra watts when needed???

Yes you can run two of them in parallel. If you are not running anything that take the 30 amps then you could run just one. But to run your air or micro you might need to run both. I have a 2000 one and I think I can run my micro on it. I haven't used it for quite a while for the trailer. We don't rough it.
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Old 10-14-2005, 11:21 AM   #13
Mac
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Jerzy,

Let me know how much that generator cost to have installed, that's the first thing we want to purchase next spring. We don't boondock much but we had one on an old moterhome and not on our last trailer and REALLY missed it. Just being able to stop along side the road for lunch and run the air, defrost some burger, whatever, we missed it a great deal.

mac
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Old 10-14-2005, 11:23 AM   #14
Mac
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We're leaving in about an hour for our first trip in our 2955, sad thing is that it will also be the last one this year. I agree the front jacks are much slower than our old trailer but I think I can get used to that. In general, not having it out yet, I think that most people here are used to higher end units than my wife and I had in our Dutchmen because everything in the Montana is FAR superior. I'm not saying everyone is spoiled, but I know I'll never "settle" again!

man
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Old 10-17-2005, 01:17 AM   #15
Jerzy54
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Hi Mac,
Sorry for late reply, but I just came back from my annual fishing camping trip. Regarding generator- the reason I want to go with onan is I do lots of beach camping and need power to run all the great options in my Montana and I am tired of logging out generator and 50 amp power cable to get everything hookup, besides that I want to be able to start and turn off without getting out in driving rain.
I was getting lots of input from the other campers and 80% said that
propane power is better because is running cleaner and engine lasts longer. I think that adding another propane tank is easer than adding gas tank. As far as price I got prices ranging from 3200.00 to
3650.0 installed. I know this is lots of money, but we just spent great amount of cash buying the truck and the trailer to justify generator cost.
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Old 10-17-2005, 12:31 PM   #16
Mac
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Jerzy,

That's about the same price I was looking at from the dealer here but I haven't checked with CW yet. Based on some horror stories I've heard about some of their installs I'm not sure I want to consider them.

I just think over the long haul we'll use it a great deal. Some of the places we can go to here in the Colorado mountains aren't set up for some of our Montana luxurys either.

If you get it, let me know how it works for you!

mac
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Old 10-17-2005, 02:05 PM   #17
Jerzy54
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Hi Mac,
Good thing is that I got exteded warranty when I got my Montana it covers bumper to bumper for eight years with no out of pocket expensives and also covers dealer installed generator.
Changing the subject on my last trip I found that I do not have hot water in the galey sink. Did anobody experience the same problem?

Thanks Jerzy
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Old 10-17-2005, 02:13 PM   #18
Mac
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Jerzy,

I'm going to have to ask my dealer about that, I'm still mulling over the extended warranty and didn't know if it was worth the $$ or not. Maybe this is another good reason that it is.

I have hot water in the galey but it does take awhile to get there.

man
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Old 10-17-2005, 07:40 PM   #19
dsprik
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Mac, I recently was on a forum that had several RVers adamant about waiting until the last second that the OEM warranty expired. Their theory, whichs sounds great on the surface, is that since the ext warranty doesn't even go into effect until the mfr warranty expires (1 to 2 yrs??) why give the dealers the advantage of making interest off of your money.

However... my thought was (and I didn't post this), was that, if you wait a year or 2... doesn't the price of those things go up??? Maybe more than any interest you are keeping from the dealer...

Here's an idea... tell the dealer you wiil sign a simple agreement that you will purchase the ext warranty from him (they make big bucks from these, folks) just prior to the expiration of the oem warranty, but at today's cost. Maybe not feasible... but maybe it is.

Then there are those that want to roll this cost into their rv loan (dealer REALLY makes interest off that ext warr. then... over 5, 10, 15, and now 20 yrs)
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