HELP -- Got Cambridge fever - Montana Owners Club

Dave e Victoria · 02-27-2005, 04:51 AM

Made a big mistake yesterday. Visited two Montana dealers yesterday looking to trade up to a new 3400. Both dealers had a Cambridge on the lot. After we toured both we are really smitten with the Cambridge. Big drawback is the weight at almost 17000 pounds loaded. That is 1000 pounds over truck spec. Other drawback is cost at about 24,000 difference between Montana 3400 and the Cambridge. The dealers are really not dealing much on the Cambridge as there are only 200 being built this year. They are only coming down about 5% off list.

OTOH -- the Cambridge includes some really excellent features like built in water filtration. true winter insulation, 12 cu ft Refrig, real wood cabinets and on and on.

Basic Montanas continue to improve. 3400 now has king size bed among other things.

Decisions, decisions --

stiles watson · 02-27-2005, 07:52 AM

I think you need to follow your heart. Besides, this will give you a chance to get a NEW TRUCK too!! It is only money. See how easy it is for me to spend yours. Just think, next year they will have made even more improvements to excite your passion again. Have fun!!!

Joyce H · 02-27-2005, 09:28 AM

We met a Cambridge on the highway somewhere on the FL Turnpike on Friday. All I can say is WOW!! That paint job sure got our attention. Looked great moving down the highway. We are waiting for a call from a dealer near here to take a look see when they get one in stock. Not sure we are ready to trade yet and we love our Montana, so only time will tell.

Native Tex · 02-27-2005, 12:08 PM

We have only seen pictures. They look really super, but guess we will have to be happy that we just got a new 3400 a few months back. Maybe when we full time in about four years we will look hard at the Cambridge. Good luck fighting off the demons.

Montana_657 · 02-27-2005, 12:17 PM

Don't suppose they told you what "true winter insullation" is did they?? Anything like the "Arctic package"??

Did they change the frame?? or just upgrade the axels on the old Montana frame??

Haven't found one on the lot yet. Dieing for a close look.

sgf · 02-27-2005, 12:28 PM

Gruffy, saw one at the MD rv show last weekend, the brochure and the dealer both said this unit is guaranteed to not freeze to 0 degrees F.The insulationis nothing like the artic package in our montanas.The axles were I believe were never lube 7,000 lb. by dexter.The dealer said the frame was larger than the montanas also but did not say what size.The unit has alot of nice features, the convienance center was really neat,but saw a few bugs that we wished were different for this kind of money.Believe the unit is still built with osb board,did not ask if the unit had a vinyl roof or rubber,but most high-end have vinyl.Very nice looking unit, but;would let them go until they get all the bugs out for this type of unit during its first year.

Montana_657 · 02-27-2005, 01:24 PM

I guess I've bend "had" once so I want to see what they've done. Dealer told me the arctic package was good to -20F .. we froze the bathroom plumbing at 30F.

Guess I'm from Missouri.......

Dave e Victoria · 02-27-2005, 03:31 PM

as to the cold temp performance, the dealer told me they have electric heaters in the under floor tanks as well as extra insulation. Also have double pane windows.

Cabinets and trim are all solid wood (maple). Roof is rubber but it is a one piece Dicor. The frame is twelve inch rolled steel I-beams.

Axles are 7000 pound Dexter Nev R Lubes. The suspension is Mor/Ryde RE. This is a kind of rubberized shakle. It is not the same as the independant suspension Mor/Ryde showed us at the ralley. The Mor/ryde hitch pin is an option. Both units we looked at did not have this option as delivered from the factory.

Tires are regrooveable Goodyears. They are inflated to 110 psi. One unit we looked at had had a tire failure on the way from the factory. The tire was destroyed.

The computer desk in the Cambridge is not as nice (IMHO) as the Montana 3400. It is a sortof slideout drawer affair of the kind furniture designers think is cool but true Nerds hate.

sreigle · 02-27-2005, 03:39 PM

It's gonna getcha, Dave! We got to step inside (but that's all) a Cambridge ready for delivery when we were in Tampa. I agree with you, the woodwork was beautiful. Wish we could have given it a closer look. They had two on the lot and both were sold already.

Montana Sky · 02-27-2005, 07:14 PM

I have the 3400RL, and have been looking at the Cambridge now since the rv show back in Jan. I too have the itch and am thinking of trading in. They are already making improvements to the Cambridge so I would factory order and not take the one off dealer lot. The dealer is supposed to be getting back with me to let me know of the improvements. As Stiles had said just wait to see what they come out with next year. Might be worth the wait to see. Oh the decisions.. =)

Joyce H · 02-28-2005, 01:53 AM

I have a question for all you MOC members. Since the Cambridge is a totally seperate line and manufactured in a different plant "IF" someone on the forum trades for a Cambridge will they still be members of this MOC forum??? Another thing we have wondered about is...will the customer concerns, caring, and service be as good as it has been with our Montanas? As I said we are anxious to see the Cambridge, but if we decide on a trade will wait a year or two for the "bugs" to be worked out. Has taken some time with Keystone monitoring this forum to get some of the improvements we have asked for in our units and we know how great the staff from Montana has treated us. Of course we will never give up the comraderie of this forum and the great friends we have met here. Just curious?????

pound99 · 02-28-2005, 01:40 PM

Hello, My wife and I got to see the Cambridge. It was very nice. I agree about the computer desk. We like the 3400 desk better. It truly is a upgrade. I felt my 3400 looked cheap after the Cambridge. I wonder what tow vehicle could pull that across the country several times before the engine would break. I would sure like to hear if the zero temperature is true or just marketing. It must be longer than the 3400. Everything is much more spacious in the bedroom. It has a king size bed compared to the 3400 queen size.

They are making only two per day.

Montana_3028 · 02-28-2005, 04:54 PM

The Cambridge is very nice ....I a not sure what you get for the extra 10-12k they want for them...I know the maple is nice...but our salesman...could not come close to value telling us why we needed to spend that much more...the 200 units is due to the Big Sky change over

Good luck..they are very nice units...

Montana_31 · 02-28-2005, 10:19 PM

We traded our 2000 3280 RL in for a New Horizons and still consider ourselves as part of this forum. The people on this forum are knowledgeable and friendly. I am sure that a Cambridge is an excellent unit and if weight and cost is not an issue, why not get the best and design you're own unit just the way you want it or use any of their designs. The New Horizons is the only consistently rated 4 Star fifth wheel via RV Consumer Group. You get excellent factory service before and after the sale. It is a small family run company that will do whatever is necessary to make your new unit right in your eyes. The New Horizons has every option the Cambridge has and more. This is our home and we are extremely pleased with it. If you have any questions, feel free to email me privately or on this forum.

richfaa · 03-01-2005, 01:13 AM

We received all the literature on the Cambridge..very nice but way to pricey for us..The extra insulation package is a "don't care" for us.We will never be where it is that Hot or That cold.The normal package will do. It is also very heavy, would take more that a one ton to haul it. My F-350 Ford is rated at 16,100 although they CAN be rated up to 19,000.and it is also very long 37 /38 feet. You know with a MSVRP of 80K+ and maybe a 50K truck to haul it I would just as soon go with a motorhome. To each their own of course but I think that 80K + for a Fifth wheel is to expensive for the "average" retired, on a fixed income, stock market in the crapper Rv'er

Dave e Victoria · 03-01-2005, 04:16 AM

It's good there are a lot of options for people to consider. For us, the New Horizons are way too small and we love the island kitchen in our 3295RK.

And, we've already done the motorhome thing. Learned our (expensive) lesson and said never again.

Actually, I am not very worried about the trailer weight either as I think the GMC D/A is plenty capable of handling the Cambridge. I guess My personal problem is the Cambridge empty weight (and that of the 3400 as well) really limits the payload when compared to our 3295RK. That, plus the price. Actually, I think the Cambridge is a good value when all the extras are considered. Fo us, it comes down to a budget thing. Trailers are not like stick houses -- They never appreciate.

I've got a number in mind and plan to make the dealer an offer today. Either way this comes out, life goes on -- life is good.

"I brew, therefore I am!"

sreigle · 03-01-2005, 04:22 PM

Out of curiosity, what is the UVW and GVWR of the Cambridge? One ton trucks handle a whole lot more these days than they did just a few short years ago. But I don't know how much the Cambridge weighs.

Dave, I know what you mean about the payload. Our 3295RK has a published payload of 3940 lbs and we're using most of that. Yours is probably about the same. So now when we're comparing, that's something I have to keep in mind.

Good luck, Dave and Victoria. Let us know how it goes. The Cambridge is a beautiful rig.

Dave e Victoria · 03-01-2005, 06:23 PM

Steve,
On the weights, I am going from memory as the published literature is next to non-existant. I believe the empty weight is 15,100 while the gross weight is 16,900 for a net payload of 1800 pounds.. I did not find out what the pin weight is but, it has to be about 18 to 20% of gross or about 3200 pounds.

What is real interesting is the water tank is 100 gallons. With that baby full (800 pounds), and holding tanks empty you are down to a payload of 1000 pounds Then there is a twelve cu ft refrig. Fill it half full with nominal density food, add a few pots and pans, a computer or two, a couple of lawn chairs in the basement. some reading material, a few DVD's and you have enough weight margin left for one change of underwear each.

Believe me, this is trying on my mind. We currently travel with a fully loaded basement and so much stuff inside it takes days to fully unload. And, we occassionally dry camp so have to carry either water or holding tank fluids for at least short distances.

Have not caught up with my dealer yet so options are wide open. Maybe can get us over the fever for awhile.

Montana_31 · 03-02-2005, 12:24 AM

Dave and Victoria,
Not sure what you mean when you say the New Horizons are way too small. Ours is 37' with 3 slides, 2 of them are over 14' long. We have way more room than our Montana had. If you want an island kitchen, they can build it. You want 4 or 5 slides, they can build it. Want it 50' long, they can build it. If you saw a sink at Lowes or Home Depot you like, theyll put it in your unit. Want household appliances, they can put them in your unit. If it's possible, they can do it.

Dave e Victoria · 03-02-2005, 02:45 AM

Bob & Donna,
Glad you responded. We were looking at the web site where the model numbers suggest27 or 28 feet. Their site shows some really uninteresting layouts. Maybe I'll have to look closer. Not sure I have ever seen one in real life. Also, I admit to having some tunnel vision as we have been so happy with the Montana especially compared to our experience with a travel trailer and a motor home.

I have a question. If they are that customized, are they still cost competitive?

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