Gel Coat (again) - Montana Owners Club

worknomore · 10-21-2004, 02:30 AM

We just ordered an '05 2955RL, and am in the same quandary about 'Gel Coat' as the previous poster. We ordered just about everything except this option.

My question is: what is the difference between the factory standard 'Gel coated Filon' (as described in the '05 brochure under exterior standard features), and the the option 'Hi-gloss fiberglass'? It is my understanding that Filon IS a brand of fiberglass, and apparantly it is gel-coated as standard. Is the hi-gloss fiberglass option an additional coating that is applied over the Filon, and what are the benefits (other than looking pretty)? I still may have time to change my order, if it is worth it.

Moving up from an '04 Couger to the '05 Montana, so I am a 'little' confused. Please excuse my ignorance...

Jim

BillyRay · 10-21-2004, 02:35 AM

I believe if you compare a standard cougar to a standard montana you will see the differance. the gel coat is an upgrade to give it a high gloss shine.looks much nicer and is easier to keep clean.

worknomore · 10-21-2004, 02:55 AM

Okay - Thanks! But my question still remains - is 'Hi-gloss Fiberglass' option worth the extra cost over & above the 'gel-coated Filon' standard exterior finish???

Emmel · 10-21-2004, 03:16 AM

Having had both, I wouldn't do without the gel-coat. Our first 3255 did not have it and when we ordered our second unit, we made sure it did. Our 3255 looked a lot older than the three years it was and I waxed it good once a year. The new gel=coat makes the 5er look like we just got it and we have had it for 14 months now. Easier to keep clean. Now, you have to decide if you want to pay the extra money and also, don't forget the extra weight. By the way, our dealer gave us the gel-coat at his cost, I know he made enough money on everything else, so it depends how much they want to sell you a 5er. Good luck on your decision.

FireTruckerWife · 10-21-2004, 01:33 PM

Interesting point is being missed. In the 2005 brochure it state that

STANDARD feature is "2 inch laminated, gel-coated Filon exterior walls"
OPTIONAL feature is "Hi-Gloss Fiberglass".

Having ordered a 2005, i'd also like to know if I'm getting a shiny one and easier to keep clean. I didn't pay extra for the Hi Gloss Fiberglass

Broome101 · 10-21-2004, 01:58 PM

Satndard gel coat filon is not the shiny high gloss gel coat. Gel coat filon fiberglass is n othing more than slick side fibeerglass nothing extra add to it. On the other hand HiGloss Gel Coat has extra layer of fiberglass that is highly polished. Think of your car with paint on it and no clear coat over the paint, same principle.

sreigle · 10-21-2004, 03:34 PM

If you didn't pay extra then you're not getting the shiny one.

We also have had both. Standard on our first Montana, hi-gloss on the second. For me it's worth every penny but I've heard others say not so for them. I think it comes down to personal preference.

Advantages include ease of cleaning and it's nice and shiny (pretty). The downside is it's heavier but I have serious doubts it's anywhere near as heavy as the order sheets indicate (600 lbs). I suspect it does weigh 600 lbs but not 600 lbs heavier than the standard finish.

Bill and Ann · 10-22-2004, 01:20 AM

Agree with sreigle. We also have the hi-gloss and it is worth every penny. You just have to adjust your carrying capacity to make up for the added weight of the finish.
We would do it again and again. It is worth it.

BillyRay · 10-22-2004, 01:42 AM

it is to me, but it's just a personal preferance....it's more for looks than anything else.my theory was that I spent that much on it to begin with, I wanted it to look nice.

PowellsMonty · 10-25-2004, 07:26 AM

I also have a question, we have a 2002 3295RK and the front cap is getting dull and oxidizing. Tried a boat cleaner/wax, Starbrite or something like that and helped but not good enough. What should I do?
Thanks in advance!

Montana_1235 · 10-25-2004, 09:51 AM

Sometimes I wonder if I should have ordered it on our camper. The only reason I didn't was because of the added weight. Our advertised weight on the cupboard door is 11,360. The extra 600 or so pounds would have put it at nearly 12,000. That amount of dry weight just didn't sit well with me so I opted out.

That gel coat really looks nice though!

Bill

Broome101 · 10-25-2004, 12:21 PM

Bill n Pat that's interseting, my sticker inside cupboard also reads 11,360 and I have the high gloss. i was my understnading that's the actual weight when it's weighed at the factory. So that makes me wonder what's correct. i guess I will have to take mine to the truck stop and get it weighed next time out, whcih want be until next spring, alread put to bed for winter.

sreigle · 10-25-2004, 05:46 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by PowellsMonty

I also have a question, we have a 2002 3295RK and the front cap is getting dull and oxidizing. Tried a boat cleaner/wax, Starbrite or something like that and helped but not good enough. What should I do?
Thanks in advance!

I'd like to know about this, too. I did find some fibreglass cleaner/wax that says it has a compound in it for rejuvenating dulled/oxidized fibreglass surfaces. I've not had a chance to try it yet.

Broome101, my undestanding is the UVW on that sticker is the shipping weight from the factory. It does not include propane bottles nor battery and is with dry tanks. Interesting you two have the same UVW with different exterior.

The UVW on that sticker of our 2003 (early 2003) 3295RK is 10,760. Anyone else with a 3295RK have that same UVW? We do have the hi-gloss.

Montana_1235 · 10-26-2004, 02:02 AM

I’ve looked at 7, or 8, 3685FL units and all of them had the same weight (11,360). None of them had the Gel Coat option. None of them had exactly the same options on them either. The weight on the sticker on the cupboard door, I thought, was suppose to be the actual weight of that unit. Learning that so many units had the same weight had me a little skeptical. Apparently it isn’t the actual weight. If Brome101’s camper has the Gel Coat and mine doesn’t and they have similar options, as I’m sure we do, the weight should be different. I’ll be weighing my unit in two weeks just prior to our last trip. That way I’ll know what the actual weight is. Learning that so many of the measurements are not accurate is somewhat unsettling.

Bill

Bowie · 10-26-2004, 10:25 AM

Gel-coat---sigh. Sure wish we had it! Have been faithful about cleaning, clothes pin diverters and etc. But our air/rain water combo here seems to give us black streaks over-nite. When we move on to our second Montana (did you actually read that?!) we sure hope that the gel-coat will save us a lot of hassle!!

8.1al · 10-26-2004, 11:01 AM

Bill,
Don't get the hi gloss just because of the black streaks. That black stuff likes to stick to that too. It sure is frustrating trying to keep it nice and pretty isn't it?

DrivesBGM · 10-26-2004, 11:08 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

... Don't get the hi gloss just because of the black streaks. That black stuff likes to stick to that too. ...

I agree, the hi gloss end caps are every bit as hard (if not harder)to clean as the filon sides. The end caps just look nicer (shinier) once the job is done!

Craig

Searchers · 10-26-2004, 11:58 AM

I believe the weight listed inside the cupboard does NOT include options. At least that's been the case on other units I've owned.

You may also like: