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07-10-2015, 06:33 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Fort Wayne
Posts: 477
M.O.C. #17609
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Newbie - Still shopping for my 5th wheel
Hi All,
My wife and I are looking for our first 5th wheel after years of tent camping with the family and Boy Scouts now that we are headed towards being empty nesters. We are currently looking at either the Montana 3160Rl or the 3000RE. We'll probably pick one up during the spring RV show season unless someone offers me a deal at the end of the year that I can't turn down. Any advice or feedback, especially on these two new models would be appreciated.
__________________
2016 Montana 3160RL w/MOR/Ryde IS and Disc Brakes
855W Solar System, TriStar MPPT-60 Controller, Magnum 2800W Inverter, 6 Trojan T-105REs
2015 Chevy Duramax SRW SB Crew Cab
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07-10-2015, 08:30 AM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Bryant
Posts: 403
M.O.C. #12436
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Greetings from central Arkansas and welcome to the forum. Can't advise you about either model but can suggest hanging out it them for awhile and see which feels best for you. Decisions, decisions!
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07-10-2015, 09:33 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pensacola (mail forward service)
Posts: 3,198
M.O.C. #13740
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What model is really about what feels right to both of you. It's about layout that you can be comfortable in for how you will use it. If you are going to spend a lot of time in it at any given time or full time in it, can it be comfortable long term. One thing that makes it a joy is the level up system, which saves loads of time and effort in any campground you stop at. Putting a real external sensor monitor system for tanks in the new fiver makes life easier. Putting decent tires on is the most important thing you can do...depending on gvwr of what you get. Read all the posts on marathons (search marathon tires) and you will understand why tires are priority one on the new rig! Hopefully someone will chime in on your model choices. John
__________________
2012 F350 6.7 L dually, 2013 3800RE with 6 pt leveling, Sumitomo 17.5" load range h tires, Samsung 18 cu ft residential fridge, 8k Morryde I.S. with disc brakes. Full timing since 2012.
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07-10-2015, 11:14 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Depends on temps
Posts: 1,648
M.O.C. #13157
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Personally, we would not own either one. We require a washer/dryer. The placement of the W/D in the corner of a closet, is the dumbest thing we have ever seen.
Next the shower, toilet, sink in a small room dictates square footage that is only used for a short time by only one person at a time, unless your wife will let you poop while she showers.
If you get the King bed there are only a few inches between the mattress and the bath wall.
Next, neither floor plans let you into the frig with the slides in. Kinda handy for noon lunch stop and you want to make a sandwich or get a cold drink. Neither have a "broom" closet where you can hang a jacket, actually store a broom, store a 2 step folding stood to reach the cabinets over the stove and over the frig.
Since you are looking for a shorter trailer, I might suggest you look at a '14 3150RL. You can get to the stove, sink, frig with all the slides in. Bath in the bedroom, the toilet in a separate room and a sink with a cabinet you do not hit your head on while brushing your teeth. The W/D is in the center of the closet, pointing out, so you do not have to move clothes to actually use it. With the King bed we have probably close to 2' which makes getting both in and out of bed in the middle of the night much easier.
Happy shopping...
Jim
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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
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07-10-2015, 11:17 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Shore
Posts: 6,009
M.O.C. #7110
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Greetings from Kentucky
&
Welcome to the forum!
This is a great place to share and find information.
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2011 GMC 4X4 dually CC, 6.6 Duramax with Allison Transmission. Formally 2001 Montana,2007 3400RL Montana, presently 2018 3401RS Alpine.
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07-10-2015, 11:46 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Havasu City AZ.
Posts: 1,811
M.O.C. #10552
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Welcome from AZ. You will find good advice here. The only thing I would add is buy the 5th wheel first then the truck that will pull it. Two many buy the truck first and of course all the sales people will tell you yep it will pull it.
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Wayne and Ann Moore
2015 Ford F-350 King Ranch
Firestone air bags, bed saver.
Add 40 GAL tank in bed.
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07-10-2015, 12:16 PM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Fort Wayne
Posts: 477
M.O.C. #17609
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Thanks for the feedback so far. As far as major options on the trailer, we are planning on the 6 pt auto level, correct track, dual AC, theater seats instead of recliners, and slide toppers are still a maybe. On the slide toppers, we are looking at areas we would camp and weighing the cleaning of leaves vs wind noise - we live in Indiana so leaves are probably the greater issue for most of the camping in the Midwest region.. Queen vs King bed is still under discussion as well.
Jim - thanks for pointing out the 3150RL as an option. From our preferences, the open shower and sink in the bedroom is a deterrent as earlier on we looked at a couple 5th wheels that had similar layout. Individual preferences there. I agree the W/D pointing into the center of the closet is odd but we currently don't plan on installing one though it is worth re-looking at for a longer term consideration. We agree it would be nicer to be able to get to the fridge without moving the slider too.
Keep it coming folks.
__________________
2016 Montana 3160RL w/MOR/Ryde IS and Disc Brakes
855W Solar System, TriStar MPPT-60 Controller, Magnum 2800W Inverter, 6 Trojan T-105REs
2015 Chevy Duramax SRW SB Crew Cab
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07-10-2015, 12:24 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Fayetteville
Posts: 4,200
M.O.C. #11401
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Good choices! Welcome from NC!
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07-10-2015, 02:30 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Arroyo City
Posts: 3,110
M.O.C. #13395
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I recommend you buy the biggest RV you can afford, and feel comfortable with. We enjoy front lounge rear bed room setup, but whatever you choose, have fun
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07-10-2015, 02:41 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Brandon
Posts: 3,944
M.O.C. #1034
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Welcome to the MOC family. You will glean a wealth of information and friendship during your time here.
__________________
Darwin & Maureen DeBackere
Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada
2011/3500/Silverado/4x4/DRW/Duramax
2017/3721RL/Legacy Pkg./Pressure-Pro
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07-10-2015, 03:08 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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Welcome to the forum!
__________________
Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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07-18-2015, 03:00 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Livermore
Posts: 5,142
M.O.C. #1920
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Welcome to the forum. We are 3160 owners, as our third Montana. Feel free to email or PM me if you have any questions.
__________________
Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
2021 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn, BIM Charging
4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
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