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Old 12-05-2012, 01:43 AM   #1
1retired06
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Unhappy Alpine Owner

4 month old Alpine pulled into the park yesterday, and when I asked the owner how he liked the unit he said "sorry I bought it" and then quickly changed the subject. Wish he would have shared his concerns.
 
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Old 12-05-2012, 04:10 AM   #2
mazboy
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hey, you can ask me about my 2 NEW montanas I got in the last two months and i'd tell you....
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Old 12-05-2012, 04:35 AM   #3
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Had the same experience at the Goshen fairgrounds the week before the rally only he showed me a few things they weren't happy with. Basically all the neat looking things weren't put together to last and his rig looked rode hard and put up wet when it really was less than two years old. The one that impressed me the most is that the carpet where it turned under the kitchen slide had been tacked on with nails. The nails all seemed to have worked loose and carved their way across the floor covering looking like they had a tiger loose in there. They also had a different tire than the Marathons on it, but he still had lost a fender and part of his trim when the Chinese Bomb let go.
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Old 12-05-2012, 06:08 AM   #4
Carl n Susan
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There are unhappy owners of all brands. I suspect the percentage of unhappy Alpine doesn't differ significantly from the percentage of unhappy owners here. I talk to a lot on Montana owners that I encounter in a RV park or on the road. Experience has taught me to open with something similar to "How do you like your Montana?" If the response is explosively negative (not unusual) I don't even try to educate them on the MOC.
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Old 12-05-2012, 06:15 AM   #5
richfaa
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Just my Opinion.. If one has done their homework on any brand before purchase they should not be surprised on the quality of the product...

This is the latest on The Montana Line.. Montana Trailers
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Old 12-05-2012, 08:00 AM   #6
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Good post, thanks Rich!
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Old 12-05-2012, 09:07 AM   #7
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You almost always hear from the ones who are not happy with their purchase or have problems with it, and rarely hear any one brag about how happy they are with their purchase. But I suspect the happy group far outnumbers the unhappy group.
I don't know if I have been exceedingly lucky. Or if I am just one of the quiet happy group. We have had minimal problems with ours (sound system fail, conv/microwave fail, auto reset circuit breaker). Basically accessories. Nothing at all with the actual trailer itself. I did replace the Missions after 2 years, but did not have a problem with them either. 5+ years, 169 nights, and 16,000+ miles so far.
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Old 12-05-2012, 11:34 AM   #8
Lee F.
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This is my first Montana after 3 SOBs and it's by far the best rig I've had. A few minor problems that were easily fixed. I love it! I think those who have problems are more likely to post about them. Those who are happy have no reason to post and you don't hear from them.
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Old 12-05-2012, 12:58 PM   #9
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I don't have much faith in those 'surveys.' Read one recently that covered various products, from MHs, to refers, to tow cars, to everything else. It seems to come down to who owns what...Winnegago came in first for MHs ('cause they sell more than the rest), Dometic came in first for refers ('cause they sell more than the rest), CRV/Jeep came in first for tow cars, ('cause they sell more than the rest), as for Montana...ditto.
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Old 12-05-2012, 01:01 PM   #10
mtheo
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I'm sure you all heard the saying
It only take one "O **** TO ERASE 10 AT A BOYS"
Happy people don't compliment as loud as mad people complain.
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Old 12-05-2012, 01:46 PM   #11
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Hooker

I don't have much faith in those 'surveys.' Read one recently that covered various products, from MHs, to refers, to tow cars, to everything else. It seems to come down to who owns what...Winnegago came in first for MHs ('cause they sell more than the rest), Dometic came in first for refers ('cause they sell more than the rest), CRV/Jeep came in first for tow cars, ('cause they sell more than the rest), as for Montana...ditto.
Sorry, I guess the SOB MH is not a Winnebago.
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Old 12-05-2012, 03:08 PM   #12
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While not new to the ownership of a fifth wheel, I am fairly new to owning a Montana. After encountering numerous “small” issues I decided to join the MOC to see if the problems were common to other owners.
In the short time I have been on the forums I have found much valuable information. I have seen others assisted by those who had previously encountered the same problems and were willing to share their experiences and expertise.

In this thread the opening post referred to an unhappy Alpine owner. That post was followed by someone who is currently having a nightmare experience with being a new Montana owner. Although not stated, his obvious negative feelings for the product are evident. There was also mention of others who had expressed displeasure. We also have the comments that those that are happy say nothing, or are less likely to speak out and say how happy they are. So far we are about 50/50 here in this thread. So the happy do pop out of the woodwork from time to time.

I am with Hooker on any survey results. We see them all the time put out by government and commercial or special interest groups. How and what is asked and how they are worded, as well as who commissions them, has a direct bearing on the results of the survey.

When I hear or see the statement made “I have had absolutely no problems with my unit” I shake my head in disbelief, no one who has ever owned an RV of any make or model can make that statement unless they are also selling snake oil on the other side of their RV.

There are significant problems with the Keystone product, if through these forums we make a good case for the need of improvement, and if Keystone is truly listening to their customers then maybe, just maybe the problems will be addressed at the factory, eliminating them before the product reaches the consumer.

Then we could all just be what we wanted to be in the first place “Happy Campers”.
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Old 12-05-2012, 06:35 PM   #13
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Hooker

I don't have much faith in those 'surveys.' Read one recently that covered various products, from MHs, to refers, to tow cars, to everything else. It seems to come down to who owns what...Winnegago came in first for MHs ('cause they sell more than the rest), Dometic came in first for refers ('cause they sell more than the rest), CRV/Jeep came in first for tow cars, ('cause they sell more than the rest), as for Montana...ditto.
Hooker,
You have saved these so called poll takers a huge amount of time effort and money. From now on all they will need to do is simply determine which company is selling the most of whatever product is in question and they'll have the answer to the poll. I guess the only folks that will be unhappy will be the poll takers. Happy Trails, Dennis
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Old 12-06-2012, 04:31 AM   #14
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Ed, I think you're absolutely right about the folks who say their unit doesn't have any problems, but it can also be how you view the world. We had several serious, not just annoying, but serious problems with our rig when it was new, but they were taken care of with speed and concern by Keystone and so we are happy. Since then we've done more damage to our rig than it's fallen apart and that's no different than when we lived in a stick house. While on that subject, ask the owner of a brand new stick house some day if their home was perfect when they moved in. We spent a large amount on a major remodel and addition to our stick house. We were there making them correct everything we saw wrong and we still spent the next 8 years trying to get issues corrected until we finally sold the place. There isn't anything we buy now days that doesn't have the potential for issues. My new truck I love still managed to loose it's power steering when you stepped on the brakes while going to the Rally, but it's fixed now and hopefully won't do it again. So if you asked me if I would buy another Monty, my answer would be "yes we would".
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Old 12-06-2012, 05:55 AM   #15
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Don't know what the unhappy Alpine owner has to do with new stick houses, but we built this house 15 years ago and it's been great!
But, I don't pull it on the road and bounce it over the potholes, it just sits here!
As for unhappy Montana owners, I was very, very unhappy with our third one until Keystone made the corrections at the service center. Very happy with them, and plan on keeping this one for a long time.
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Old 12-06-2012, 07:26 AM   #16
bigskyjimmy
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I talked to a new Montana owner this Summer and said he hates it! and it is a piece of crap, then you talk with a bunch more and tell you they Love it! and they are on thier 2nd and 3rd Montana,Whatta ya gonna do? Sometimes they just build a Lemon and some unfortunate person gets it,must have been built on a Friday or Monday
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Old 12-06-2012, 07:55 AM   #17
kylec2
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We loved our Mountaineer and love our Montana! I do not discount the opinions others have expressed or the issues some have experienced, but our experiences have been great.
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Old 12-06-2012, 08:01 AM   #18
kenandjudy
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Steve, glad to hear your issues with the Monty were taken care of. Hope to see you on the road again.
Ken
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Old 12-06-2012, 12:06 PM   #19
Emmel
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Thanks Ken, the service center repaired our Montana even though it was 3 years old. We started our complaints before the warranty was over and was persistant at getting it fixed. Two days after this years rally, they had me on my way home with a smile as they looked at and took care of all 12 items on the list.
My thoughts on the unhappy Alpine owner is they should call the service center and try to get them to see to their problems.
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Old 12-06-2012, 01:39 PM   #20
Irlpguy
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Just to set the record straight on my position on my Montana. There are far more things I love about the Montana than I do not like. I have seen no other make or model that I would currently trade my 3402RL Montana for. They offer great floor plans, very nice décor and upper level attention to detail.

I have had no direct contact with Keystone so can have nothing to say about their treatment of customers concerns. I have today made contact with Keystone for the first time and will reserve judgment while awaiting their response.

What I do have a problem with is the failure of Keystone to deal with several issues of major concern. The flex problem is only one of many. Suspension is another major concern and lets not forget the crap tires they continue to be put on these heavy units. We cannot blame Lippert for they will build any frame style a major manufacturer wants. In the end the responsibility falls directly on the shoulders of Keystone. If this were a manufacturer of most any other product these things would have been dealt with and corrected.

Think about this. I paid in the neighborhood of $65,000.00 for my Montana. For that very significant amount of money I get a “one” year warranty, that is all. I get an additional warranty on certain items depending on their manufacturers warranty. Keystone is not "obligated" to fix anything after only one year..

Today I bought a “new” 2012 Dodge LB Dually, which I will take possession of next week. I paid in the neighborhood of $63,000.00 for the truck. The truck has a 100,000 km or 60 Month power train warranty. It has a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, without the need to buy an extended warranty.

Will I have some warranty issues with the truck, very possibly, but for about the same kind of money I paid for my Montana, my truck warranty is hugely better than that of my Montana.

I do not consider my Montana to be a lemon, the flex issue is not mine alone, no matter what anyone says the upper deck on every unit using this Lippert frame and Keystone’s slide weakened sidewalls will flex. Some will see the result of that and some will not. Regardless it exits.

I have not been a member of the MOC for very long, but in that short period of time I have read of many varied problems with the Montana, I see in the profiles what people have added to feel safe in driving their units down the road, along with discussion about all of those products, whether it be tires or axles and springs, you name it. There are thousands of dollars being spent in aftermarket products so that a Montana owner, who has spent big dollars on the original purchase, can feel more secure in hauling it down the road.

Owners of SOB may have far more issues than us Montana owners, I don’t care about that, I care that I bought a Montana, I want mine to be no different than Joe’s down the block and I want him to be as trouble free as I might have the good fortune to be. The only way to possibly achieve that is to demand that the inherent problems be fixed at the production line. So if Joe has a problem that I may not have, he can count on me to stand shoulder to shoulder with him in attempting to resolve his issues and improve the product.

Oh yes, please remember some of us live a couple of thousand or more miles from the Keystone factory or service center, we are not able to deal with the source.
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