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Old 04-29-2006, 05:42 AM   #1
Montana_2913
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Final decision

I am updating on our situation because many of you asked that I keep you posted and some have PM and emailed me asking what we have decided to do with the Mountaineer.
After long and careful consideration we have decided to sell the Mountaineer. We did hear from Keystone and they offered to send the camper back to the factory to find the leak and repair the damage. That offer sounds great but we would be without a camper for an extended period of time and we feel that we have been without a camper long enough in the short time we have owned the Mountaineer. We also feel like we have had our share of problems with the camper and Keystone during this time and wonder what would have been the next problem. The camper had too many issues while under warranty already.
I want to thank those of you who have been supportive and tried to help us with this problem. You really have a great bunch of people here on the forum. I wish you all the best of luck and hope that you have many years of happy camping.

God Bless
 
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Old 04-29-2006, 07:47 AM   #2
jrgwdenner
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Thank you for your update to an unpleasant situation. We wish you many years of happy camping.
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Old 04-29-2006, 08:47 AM   #3
richfaa
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After all that you have been through it is a wise decision to start over again..Buying a camper these days is a crap shoot. You may get a very good one..you may get a very bad one.Your experience was the exception rather than the rule but it happened, Let all that occured be "lessons learned" in preventing a bad experience from occuring again..ever...Good luck.
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Old 04-29-2006, 09:28 AM   #4
Mac
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I can understand your decision. Please check in these parts from time to time, I'm assuming you're not going with another Keystone product and it's probably not worth our time telling you that it was probably just a lemon. Can't say I blame you at all, it would leave a taste in your mouth. Good luck and as I said, stop by and say hi sometime!

mac
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Old 04-29-2006, 10:34 AM   #5
D and M On The Road
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We wonder why Keystone doesn't offer to buy back the RV from you?

We would think that Keystone wouldn't want you to put it up for sale while it still has known problems and then have whoever you sell it to have the same problems when the first rain hits. It doesn't seem right.

Now, Keystone will have everyone you have told your story to knowing about the defects in your RV and the ordeal you went through getting Keystone to respond. And they'll have everyone the new owner will tell their problems to regarding the leak.

That's alot of people hearing bad things about Keystone products.

It will make all of those people take a pause when and if they should be in the market for a RV or to replace their current RV.

We are looking to replace our Montana in a few years and we know we won't be buying a used RV so we don't get someone else's problems.

We also didn't want to have to look around and research when buying our new replacement RV. We wanted to (with confidence) buy a new Montana. With stories like these surfacing about Keystone, it looks as if we will have our work cut out for us checking out different manufacturers of RVs.

We wish you the best of luck with your new RV.

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Old 04-29-2006, 10:58 AM   #6
steves
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Sometimes I just don't understand Keystone's action or lack of when someone has a real significant problem? Could it be the Customer Service individual you are working with? I wonder if the top Keystone Exec are aware of these type situations. Perhaps we don't know the whole story?
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Old 04-29-2006, 12:49 PM   #7
Montana_2913
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D and M - we did have someone in the RV industry come out (an independent) and look at the camper. He found two areas of concern both of which were related to the slide. One was the slide awning. Either one could have caused the leak. Both were repaired. We did a water test on that area afterwards - no leak. This was our decision because we did not feel comfortable selling or trading the unit in with a problem. We are honest Christian people. Not saying that you suggested otherwise
Steves - yes the exectives knew the problem and suggested what I stated above. The whole story from our end has been posted here in the forum. I can not speak for Keystone. They offered to return the camper to the factory to fix the problem we decided against that because of the reasons stated above. We really wanted to just be done with this problem and move on. We miss camping and want to go back out and have some fun.
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Old 04-29-2006, 04:01 PM   #8
D and M On The Road
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Sixcampers, we are dismayed that it took Keystone so long to work with you on this problem and that you had to have an independent RV person come out and help you. Keystone should have jumped on this from the start and helped you with it.

We ourselves might have tried a different tactic to get Keystone to respond, but the fact is you were ignored and then kept in the dark for periods of time once they did return the contact.

That's not good customer service.

We are glad to hear that it doesn't have a water leak anymore and do apologize if it came across that we thought you were knowingly selling it with the leak. We'd probably want to sell it also with the problems and lack of customer service you received. It's Keystone's name on the product and they should be concerned that a Keystone representative hasn't checked it out whether you keep it or sell it.

The “MOC Voice” is coast to coast across the USA & Canada with over 5,000 members and is growing weekly. The MOC is a force to be reckoned with and it doesn’t seem that Keystone recognizes that yet as they don’t have someone who reads the MOC and jumps in and helps with problems.

Lippert has a gold mine with MIMF2. Whether he monitors the MOC on his own time or work time, he has made the Lippert name shine in our eyes. We know that MIMF2 will help us in doing whatever can be done “reasonably and fairly” with a Lippert component on our Montana should it need repair or replacement. And that’s all we can ask for, is “reasonable and fair” consideration and communication in helping us deal with our problems. You don't seem to have gotten that from Keystone.

There isn’t a product made out there that won’t have trouble at some point. Service after the sale is the key to a satisfied customer. If I have trouble and get good service in dealing with my problem, I’ll still buy that company’s products again. If I have trouble and get bad service, think I’ll buy their products again? Nope. Either way, everyone I know is going to hear about my experiences with that company.

Keystone needs to start being concerned with it’s “service after the sale” image that is being projected via the MOC and extend it’s customer service to each and every one of it’s customers.

Should we all send letters to the top level of Keystone and ask for a service representative who will read and respond like MIMF2 does for Lippert?

MIMF2 is a hard act to follow, but Keystone needs to start trying.

We wish you well in your new adventures and are sad about the circumstances under which you are leaving the MOC. Be safe and happy trails to you and your family.

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Old 04-30-2006, 03:17 AM   #9
richfaa
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Don't know if anyone at Keystone reads the forum officially or not. I know there are several Keystone folks that do. If I were Keystone/Montana I would use it as a good source of information. A fault can show up on this forum before Montana knows about it. In the 3 or so years we have dealt with Montana we have been treated with dignity and respect by everyone and I can be very critical. Strange things have happened. Problems reported on this forum have been corrected..Coincidence?? after reports of leaking, improperly installed tanks and inopoerative gauges My 3400 came to the dealer from Goshen with full tanks. Good way to check for problems..Coincidence?? In my year or so on this forum there have been a few folks that have, by published reports, been treated poorly by Keystone. At the same time there have been scores of folks, by published reports, that have been treated fairly, at times more than fairly.. I don't know why that is but as a old organizational troubleshooter there is something very wrong.It does not make sense.If there is someone or some part of the oganization who are "blockers" they need to be identified and removed. You know I did what I would do in my previous life befopre we purchased the Montana. I did a Organizational overview of Keystone/ Montana.Learned all I could about the organization, Visited the organization, met and talked to everyone that I could from assembly line worker to top exec. They are far from perfect but we feel comfortable that the organization will respond to issues and we Purchased the product..Just my opinion..
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Old 04-30-2006, 04:03 AM   #10
padredw
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I have made enough comments in the earlier posts related to this matter, but only to say that it is what richfaa has pointed out that still baffles me. Why some owners get such royal treatment and others get the back of the hand and told to 'go away'. It just doesn't make sense. It's like the milk cow that gives such sweet milk over and over again, and then one day puts her manure covered hoof in the almost full pail. You country folks will get the picture.

And, remember, I am a very happy owner of a four year old Montana with over 40,000 miles and almost NO trouble that could be remotely blamed on the manufacturer (just the one little thing that has left a slight sour taste in my mouth --and which could have so easily been resolved to my satisfaction in my first weeks of ownership).

We will be traveling down to Panama City, Florida next week -- the place where we bought our Montana in May of 2002, and will surely stop in at RV Connections to see our friends there.

Best wishes, sixcampers, we have been with you all the way.
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Old 04-30-2006, 04:43 AM   #11
Montana_2913
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I was reading Rickfaas response about how some are treated poorly and others great - I want you guys to know that when we had communication with Aram Koltookian he was polite and helpful. I am certain that if he knew about this problem when it started it would have been taken care of quickly.

Two things went wrong here - one being the service dept we dealt with and the second was our initial contact with customer service at Keystone. The service rep. mentioned in my other post really dropped the ball in my opinion. Had he treated this problem correctly this situation would not have gotten to this point. We are not the only customers that have had problems when dealing with him. Having said that if any of you ever have the need to call Keystone and he answers the phone - ask to speak to someone else

I am not angry about the situation any more. It is what it is and we just move on. You guys do have a powerful tool in the MOC. I would encourage anyone who owns a Montana/Mountaineer to read this forum and become a member.

I would like to thank Kathi for her help. Even though she had her own issues at the time she took the time to help me out. Thanks Kathi

I am going to stop by now and again for the terrific recipes No - seriously - not just the recipes but so many of you have offered great advice on camper related issues. I may need that help again you never know - no camper is perfect

Okay - I am officially done commenting on my Mountaineer. We are moving on.....
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Old 04-30-2006, 05:24 AM   #12
lightningjack11
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Good luck to you sixcampers. Lets us know how your new camper works out. We would like to hear from you.
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Old 04-30-2006, 12:24 PM   #13
Broome101
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Good to hear from you and that you gotten the rig fixed. Hopefully you got treated fairly on your trade, did you wind up getting the SB? If so hope it gives you many years trouble free service.
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