Bench Seat vrs Free standing dinette? - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Wrenchtraveller · 10-15-2006, 03:36 AM

We had booths in our previous four Fifth Wheels. This is our first table and free standing chairs.

We would never consider ever owning a booth again. The chairs are more comfortable, user friendly, so nice when you have company, people all sit facing each other when you move the chairs out into the living room, and one other great benefit is the fact my two dogs stay off the chairs where the booth was considered dog furniture by every dog we ever owned.

I have been told by many RV salesmen they won't bring in units with booth dinettes because they can't sell them so that is another reason to stick with chairs.

padredw · 10-15-2006, 04:05 AM

I have little to add to this discussion except to confirm that the nice photo posted by J.H. Sechelt is, indeed, of a 2955RL very much like the one we enjoy so much. We would probably have preferred the free standing table and chairs, but we bought our Montana right off the lot in Panama City, Florida and it came with the booth just as pictured in the photo. We thought once of trying to change out to the table and chairs, but after four years and 45000 miles we have made our adjustment and are pleased with what we have.

Imp · 10-15-2006, 04:15 PM

Our solution to getting 4 people at the table is to move out the outside chair, the person sitting by the window then has no trouble getting seated. Then put the outside chair in and that person is seated. Of course the outside people do all the fetching!! lol. Also love the sliding top..good for larger folks and small children.
Myrna

Wannabe Full-timer · 10-16-2006, 01:55 AM

While we do not have a Montana (yet), we have had two RVs with the booth dinette and I personally think I would like the free standing table & chairs. Our cushions seem to move around when traveling unless you have something sitting on them. The ends of the cushion seat appear to start flattening out sooner due to more wear of being sat on there most often (there is just the two of us). As others mentioned too, I think it would be much easier to get in/out of but then our booth may just be smaller as we only have a 23' trailer.

Also as others mentioned, I would like having the chairs for seating for extra guests and I would love the storage in those chairs. Of course, you get a lot of storage in those bench seats but I hate messing with the cushions in ours to get to them. It appears though that many RVs offer the door on the ends of the bench seat storage compartment but we have never had those (and husband is not the handy man type to make doors.

Bill Hill · 10-16-2006, 04:23 AM

Our 2980RL is the first rig we've had with the table & chairs, previous trailers had the bench set up. I like the table & chairs, but Shari keeps saying she'd rather have the booth because the chairs are heavy. I like the more residential look of the table & chairs. We start full-timing for a year next month, it'll be interesting to see if we miss the extra storage of the booth. So far, we've not bothered with using the storage in the chairs, but I think that will change when we start packing up for our adventure.

We still have 5 months of working left before we retire, but opted to sell our home now before the prices in our area (L.A.)dropped any more. Townhomes in our floorplan have already dropped $5-$10K since we closed our deal 3 weeks ago. We'll live in an RV park near work until the end of March and then we take off and will eventually wind up in Prescott AZ where our new home should be ready about Sept/Oct '07.

Montana_6147 · 10-16-2006, 09:06 AM

Just took delivery on 07 3295 and special ordered the booth dinette as with both class a.s that I have owned It allows extra bed for Grandkids and is upholstered same as couch and looks very nice.

Broome101 · 10-16-2006, 09:16 AM

We would have perferred a booth. Can you add one?

bsmeaton · 10-16-2006, 09:45 AM

Broome,

Actually I believe you can, as it was offered by the Dealer when we bought ours - at a hight cost of course. The problem now would be finding the material to match. The booth typically matched the sofa.

Brad

Wifeofdano · 10-16-2006, 11:25 AM

We bought ours off the dealers lot & it had the table & chairs, which I like, but Dano didn't. If we had ordered one with the bench, it would have ended up costing us a whole lot more all around, so he said he would have to live with the table. I am the one who sits by the window and has to manuvere around the table legs. I could sit on the other side, but then I couldn't see the TV. I want to turn the legs so they are facing the wall at an "X" instead of a "+". (Does that make sense? LOL) Don't know if that can be done or if it would work, just a thought. Anyway, to me, the chairs are big enough and padded enough that it "feels" like a booth when you're sitting there. And I love the space in the seats. In one I have all the brochures of everything that came with the Monty, one has all my receipes and cookbooks, 2 are [s]empty[/s] waiting to be filled. I really like the way the tabletop slides. But if the one we bought would have had the bench, I would be the one learning to live with it!

Cat320 · 10-16-2006, 02:24 PM

Don't know why anybody would have to pay more for the dinette...the 2007 price list has the table and four chairs as a $500 option. Also, as far as seating is concerned with the table and four chairs, there is a couple of fittings under the table that, when loosened allow the table to slide back and forth (about 8") to permit people to get in and out of the chairs rather easily.

bsmeaton · 10-16-2006, 02:30 PM

Cat - you're right, the table and chairs were the more expensive option when factory ordering. However the Dealer was going to charge us to order the booth and install it in a unit he had in stock. All of his units were tables so he had nothing to trade with.

Brad

azstar · 10-16-2006, 07:29 PM

Broom101 & Brad,

When we replaced our Table and chairs with the Booth our Dealer had the Booth kit shipped from Keystone in a 5er that was being delivered. So there was no shipping charge. I installed it myself which also kept the price down and He took the T&C's back in trade. Final cost for us was about $150.

I took about 2hrs. for the install as the benches had to be assembled but it was really no big deal. Love the long pull out drawer.

Happy Camping

Montana Sky · 10-16-2006, 08:50 PM

I really like the table and chairs. Especially since this allows you to change the location of all the furniture. Having the option to move things around is a nice feature. I also agree that having the table and chairs offers more room between them and the sofa.

richfaa · 10-17-2006, 01:24 AM

We have had both and really don't think there is much advantage one over the other. Free standing table and chairs give the camper more of the "home" look but I think the booth is more functional and IMO more room.We had the booth in the last camper and went with the free standing in the 3400 just to have something different.Am not surprised that most come with the free standing as it is a pricey option and I am sure a money maker for the dealer and Keystone.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 10-17-2006, 02:48 AM

Steve & Nina, when did you order your dinette?? I understand, maybe wrongly, that Keystone no longer ships stuff in units like that any more, story I heard (ya know rumors???) that they had a unit rolled, loaded with parts and insurance would not reimburse for the parts. Not sure ANY of this is true, but, shipping fees on stuff like closet doors and other big stuff is outta sight, so, I would want to be guaranteed that it could come in a new unit and not get those MONSTER fees for delivery as a rude surprise.

Montana Sky · 10-17-2006, 12:05 PM

When I got home from my trip to the rally, I had a nice shipping bill sitting on my kitchen counter. Some how there was a computer glitch at Keystone and an owner of another model in the Keystone family had ordered a new shower. It was shipped to my house via UPS. I had my folks send it back to Keystone as I had not ordered it. Looks like Keystone is now shipping parts via UPS and FedEx. My sofa table that was ordered with my coach did not come with my coach. Dealership had to order it again, and back in 2004 it came inside another Montana my dealership ordered.

azstar · 10-17-2006, 03:33 PM

Carol,

We did the swap to the Booth within the first month of ownership, so its been almost 2 years ago. Purhaps the game has changed and Keystone has taken the position as you have mentioned.

Happy camping

mallardjusted · 10-18-2006, 08:32 AM

We had the booth in our prior 2 travel trailers. I thought I would miss it now that we have the dinette, but it turns out for us the dinette is far superior. We can move the chairs, rearrange the table, it's easier getting in and out, the chairs have storage, etc, etc. I couldn't see us going back to the booth ...

bsmeaton · 10-18-2006, 11:11 AM

I do know the Dealer told us one advantage to the table and chairs, and that is that they are easily swapped with the couch (positions) and that in the 2955RL a lot of folks do that so they can walk to the door with the couch/bed out. I don't think it would be so easy with the booth.

Brad

Tom Gina 06 · 10-18-2006, 11:51 AM

Kids are gone and so is the booth

.

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