Newbie in Florida

[Taleena]

Hello all. We've been researching and planning for a while now and it finally looks like we'll be getting our first Montana within the next month. We've got our eye on a '02 3255RL (just waiting for some inheritance money to come in) and a '05 F350 to pull it. If everything works out right with it, we'll be weekend warriors for the next 2 years, then fulltimers after our daughter goes off to college.

Any tips, hints, suggestions, etc from other MOC members would be very appreciated. This forum has been an enormous help over the last year we've been doing research on 5ers and trucks. Looking forward to picking everyone's brains on these forums as we join the official ranks of Montana owners.

[DQDick]

Welcome to the forum. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks here and they're all ready to help. Jump in and ask questions whenever you have a need. There aren't any dumb questions, just people too dumb to ask.

[seahunter]

Welcome Melissa from another newbie! Good luck with getting the new trailer. Don't be afraid to ask questions, this is a great bunch of folks who are always happy to help!

[HOOK]

We have had sOme sort of RV for 40+yrs. Our Monty is the highlight of them all. Enjoy it all we possibly can. There have been few problems. Go for it!!!!

[CamillaMichael]

Hope you acquire your new Montana with a minimum of difficuly...you have definitely come to the right place to get info on your Montana!

[sailer]

You didn't say where in FL you are . We are in Bonita Springs down below Ft Myers
Sailer

[Taleena]

quote:Originally posted by sailer

You didn't say where in FL you are . We are in Bonita Springs down below Ft Myers

Ack, silly me! We're currently living in Palm Bay (east coast about 40 miles S of Kennedy Space Center), but we have lived both in Cape Coral (down towards your neck of the woods) and in Spring Hill (about a half-hour N of Tampa). We've also lived in Ohio, Virginia, and Maine - we've never found a place we really liked calling "home" for an extended period of time, hence part of our feeling that fulltiming after our daughter goes to college will be perfect for us. It helps that hubby is self-employed in a job (he's a rebar detailer) where we can live anywhere we want as long as he has periodic internet access and a desk big enough for his computer and a stack of large format drawings.

And thanks for the warm welcome, all. It's going to be a big step up for us going from tent camping every chance we get to having a "real" roof over our heads, and we can't wait! At least we have rented a Class C in the past, so we've got a bit of RVing experience. Plus reading every RV book/forum/etc I can get my eyeballs on. Hopefully after only a couple trips out in the Montana we won't be the ones entertaining all you veteran RVers with our newbie ways whilst pulling in and setting up our campsite!

[NCFischers]

What does your husband do, pinstripe rebar?? Sorry, couldn't help myself. Welcome to the forum and feel free to jump right in.

[Taleena]

quote:Originally posted by NCFischers

What does your husband do, pinstripe rebar??

Lol! No, but that gives me a heck of an idea for a birthday present for him. Actually, I usually just say he's a draftsman, but rebar detailer is the correct term. Basically what he does is draw up in AutoCAD where the rebar goes when concrete is poured for highway, commercial, and industrial applications. It's a pretty specialized job field; most people (outside of the construction field) have never heard of it.

[RJI47]

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with your new Monty. You'll find that many MOC family members spend a great deal of time in sunny FLA. Personally, I've spent a lot of time in Spring Hill also.
Any questions you have, just ask, as there is always someone on this forum that has the answer.

[mhs4771]

Melissa, if you're still in the area by November, you'll have to pull that Monty a few miles South to Fort Pierce and stay a couple of Days at Treasure Coast RV Resort, might find your self a nice temp home for the Monty. We'll be there from Nov to May (have to excape the Buffalo/Rochester, NY winter). Happy trails to you and yours with your new to you Monty.

[Taleena]

quote:Originally posted by mhs4771

Melissa, if you're still in the area by November, you'll have to pull that Monty a few miles South to Fort Pierce and stay a couple of Days at Treasure Coast RV Resort, might find your self a nice temp home for the Monty. We'll be there from Nov to May (have to excape the Buffalo/Rochester, NY winter). Happy trails to you and yours with your new to you Monty.

We'll definitely still be in this area in November - we aren't going fulltime until fall of 2014 due to our DD still being in high school. We're already planning on hitting the Good Sam Rally in Daytona in early Nov, and then the Tampa Super Show in Jan '13, but we'll be bouncing around other areas of Florida as time, school breaks, and finances permit. We should be able to swing down to Ft Pierce a time or two this winter to meet up.

[Taleena]

Any more experienced eyes than mine want to take a look at this listing and see what they think? This is the Monty we're considering purchasing - http://www.campingworld.com/rvsales/...ontana/191967/. Two things not mentioned in the listing are it has 50amp and the Arctic package. We still plan on being there for the PDI, plus we'll have our own PDI done by an independent if we don't feel we can trust the dealership's version (we're having it moved to Dusty's Camper World in Bartow, FL for the possible purchase, since we didn't like dealing with the salesmen at the Ocala location when we called them). Does $10k in cash sound like a good starting offer from us, assuming there are no major issues found in the PDI? Anything in the pictures look like a deal-breaker?

Thanks for any and all help!

[uhftx]

Hi Melissa, Lewis and Amber

This looks exactly like my 03 model. Maybe I have a early 03 and you are looking at an late 02 model. My graphics are different on the sides.

I will point out a few things from the pictures. Your shower looks relatively un-used. Mine has more scratches and black marks. This is good for you.

The interior decor and colors are exactly like my unit.

The differences are only 3 from what I can see. The stove top sheet metal is black on my unit. There is some extra (looks like a remote control) to the right of the thermostat near the recliners. The table that normally goes between the recliners is missing, But it looks like you have a hinged table/tray below the thermostat/pantry/trash receptacle.

Things to include on your PDI.
1. Fill all tanks with water, Fresh, Black Grey and Galley. Be sure there are no leaks. Others (not ME) have had problems with tank bands sagging [breaking] causing leaks. If you go through the trouble of testing before you purchase you will save yourself grief further down the road.
If you have been on this forum for a while. I'm sure you have heard about frame flex and under carriage issues. I have not experienced any of these problems. However you can use this as ammunition for a 10K or lower offer. {best of luck}

Make sure that the rubber gasketing (around the slide outs) are well secured. Check out the rain gutters and see if there is crud blocking the water flow{ this will tell you how well it was taken care of}
Being in Florida I did not see a second AC in the photos. This is normally near the bed in place of a roof vent. I have never had the need for another AC. But then again I have never camped in the south / south west in the middle of the summer.

Ask about adjustable floor vents for the heat. I find that the heat blows best near the fridge / recliners and less so in the bed room just due to the location of fan / blower.

If you have the Washer / Dryer setup in the closet next to the toilet. make sure that the water supply lines have been winterized and not frozen in the past.

Make sure that the sewer / grey / galley tank valves all work and seal properly when closed.

On a personal note I wish my Charge/Converter was a 3 state. Mine/maybe yours also is only 2 state and tends to overcharge the battery which requires more maintenance and a shortened life cycle. Maybe you can negotiate for a more modern one?

Everything I have just mentioned are common to any used RV and should in no way reflect negative upon a 3255RL Montana or any other unit for that matter. I absolutely love mine. Personally I dislike the units that I can not put a picknick table under the awning and be able to spend time outdoors. Look at the 3 slide units and by the time the slide out opens (pass kitchen area) there is only room for a sit up lounge chair under the awning.

You are taking the proper steps and came to the right place to get you questions answered.

If you have any other questions or If I can be of further assistance DO NOT hesitate.
We're here to help

OK this is my 4th edit.
Looking at the pics of the outdoor storage. Looks as if there is the 50 amp cord and the crank for the rear stabilizer jacks. What is missing is the spare tire / manual crank for the slide mechanisms. Maybe I just can't see it, Look for one that works on the spare tire crank mechanism.

[RJI47]

My question is where are the other 2 chairs for the dinette? Certainly there were originally 4 instead of 2.

[jsmitfl]

It looks like you will be needing new slide covers soon. The one looks like it is tearing already. Theres a place in Az. that makes them and they are easy to install.

[uhftx]

The bedroom TV is missing also.

Ask for a 30 - 50amp pig tail adapter and a 30 to 15amp adapter also.

Be sure the hot water heater And the Fridge work on both propane and electric.

Check all the glass in the cabinet doors to make sure they haven't been jarred loose (including the medicine cabinet). The adhesive that they use gets old and brittle. I used RTV Silicone sealant on my loose panes of glass. My Entrance door glass was loose also last year from being jarred and slammed shut too many times.

The radio (Only works on 120V) the antenna is coiled up behind the radio which makes for bad reception. I removed the radio, Drilled two small holes in each side of the cabinet and extended it into the cabinets to the right and left, secured the wire antenna with thumb tacks.

[Taleena]

Thanks, everyone for your comments & suggestions. I would have thanked you all sooner, but we've been super busy with doing our truck shopping over the 4th of July holiday. We've got our truck picked out now - a beautiful '05 F-350SD CC 6.0L diesel DRW 2WD - and we'll be picking it up on Monday. Then it's out to look at the 3255RL around mid-week (once Dusty's gets it from Ocala) and start the negotiation/PDI process for it. We're also keeping our eyes open in case we find a different Monty that fits our needs and that might be in better shape between now and then. I've made notes on everything you all have said and will be taking it with us to Dusty's. I really appreciate it, everyone.

[TerryClaudia]

Welcome on board, we love our Montana just got it in December. We have been on the road with it since May 20th, went all thru Eastern Canada and we are now in Bar Harbor, Maine. Terry & I are also from Florida, Orlando. It has been great camping in the Montana, not use to so much room. Our last camper was a 22ft. Winnebago that we drove. Not a lot of living space. My advice to you would be to go for a long trip to get all the kinks out and to get aquainted with it. Good luck and safe traveling. Terry & Claudia

[PatnRich]

Many good suggestions have been posted. You might want to check the DOT date on the tires, RVIA states the average life of rv tires is 5-7 years. You might also want to check the manufacturers date stamp on the propane tanks. Tanks older than 12 years cannot be filled unless recertified. Using the search feature, you can find a number of PDI lists.

Thanks for the explanation of re-bar detailer, having spent 42 years as a carpenter I had never seen a piece of re-bar that had been detailed lol.