New 5th wheel - repairs in first year

[ron2560]

Has anyone else out there had an experience like ours? We bought a new 2013 Montana fifth wheel last June and we are still dealing with repairs and replacements with our dealer and Keystone at this date! Everyone at the dealership is nice and helpful but we are getting very frustrated!

We have had over 25 things needing repair, adjustment or replacement and we are still waiting for two things now! A kitchen table was defective initially, and they have shipped two so far that have both been damaged, waiting on the 4th one. The bedroom closet doors rubbed, fixed one time, fixed another time, the finally fell off on a trip, and then the dealer found out the one door was warped. Also found out there should be a double track on the floor to hold both sets of doors, like the 2015 Montanas have, and now waiting for the door replacement and the double track.

How long does this go on?

[DQDick]

Yes, there are others that have had your experience and frustration. For most, once it's over, it's over. There is a price to pay for producing 15-20 rigs per day and it's paid in missed issues and low bidder material. There's also a price paid for one a day rigs and that's a sticker price most of us couldn't and the rest of us didn't want to pay.

[paulinbaja]

I worked as an RV salesperson for a year. NEW units were back at least three times for repair/adjustment. Sooooooooo, Buy a used one then make the repairs yourself!

[CORattler]

Go to another post:
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=59076
for more discussion on this.

[1retired06]

I am also getting fed up with keystone. Warranty folks in customer service pointing fingers at the owner relations folks who Blame customer service and none of them after five days of telephone calls give a damn about resolving a simple problem for the customer (me!). And I disagree with dick's comment, these new rigs are in a pretty high price range for a fifthwheel, pushing 92 to 100K and there is no excuse for non responsive warranty service. As a retired VP, my CEO would have fired me in a heartbeat if my staff provided anything other than maximum customer support.

[rafael33155]

i too disagree with paulin's coment, that's the reason nowadays people don't take pride in their work and why people are buying overseas because of attitudes like pauline's hell if it's being produce with inferior workmanship why pay more to buy it here i'll pay less oversea for the same junk i remember when american workers took pride in their work not anymore

[Charli]

So 1retired06, based on your signature you are a Montana vet. I'm curious if you have noticed a deterioration in quality over the years. I was told by a Keystone dealer that quality has been replaced by pretty lipstick covering up cost cutting choices made by the mfg.
The industry in many ways parallels the Auto industry which allowed their quality to deteriorate until the Japanese blew past them with better built vehicles and better customer service.

[J-KB]

We have problems with our 2014 3582RL, it has to go back at least twice for every problem, and most of the problems occur at the dealer with bad workmanship and damage to our vehicle, the last time they tried to charge us for what I consider warranty work, I am P***ed at them!!!!

[J-KB]

I've got two words for Paulinbaja

[Artemus Gordon]

I have a good friend with a 2 year old SOB. I know we can't say its name, but it rimes with "Global Heats"! His experience was far worse than most reports I read on the MOC. Shop over 100 days in 18 months. Less that 5000 miles under it! He paid $118,000.+ That said, most of my issues have been with "components " used by nearly every RV maker. Not so much "Keystone Craftsmanship"! My major slide problem (10k +) might of killed the enthusiasm of a lesser man! But, I still am amazed what these units can take. Roads that broke my fillings, yet not a broken glass. Screw falls out here and there, door needs aligning... I think it's nature of the beast. I had boats for years! One thing I found was true! Everything went wrong with boats... Everything you could imagine and then some. So it prepared me for the RV thing. Lol. One more thing... I take donuts (often) to my RV repair facility. Know everyone by name. Sometimes I add a big thing of Coffee with them sugar bars.... They love me and take excellent care of my Montana!!! Yes I will use bribery! Last Christmas bought everyone a lotto ticket! Lol

[Rondo]

J-KB, My suggestion to you is to find out who your Area Sales Rep is for your area from Keystone/Montana Division and contact him/her and let them know of your problems with your dealer. They hopefully can take care of that problem.

[Trailer Trash 2]

I guess buying a used RV might be the answer......as paulinbaja states, maybe all the warrantee work has been completed and it wont have to be repaired .LOL I hope you get your problems fixed ron2560. I wont tell you what I think of my dealer it might get me kicked out of the MOC. you could find another dealer that sells Montanas and go to them, the only thing Keystone cares about is that you go through a authorized dealer who ever they might be.

[1retired06]

quote:Originally posted by Charli

So 1retired06, based on your signature you are a Montana vet. I'm curious if you have noticed a deterioration in quality over the years. I was told by a Keystone dealer that quality has been replaced by pretty lipstick covering up cost cutting choices made by the mfg.
The industry in many ways parallels the Auto industry which allowed their quality to deteriorate until the Japanese blew past them with better built vehicles and better customer service.

I suspect that Keystone dealer must have other brands being pushed. Not a smart business statement to make if you make your living selling Keystone products. In answer to your question: In my opinion I have not seen a deterioration in the overall quality of the Montana line. They make a fine fifth wheel. My 2005 and 2010 rigs never saw a dealership, and had no warranty issues that were not picked up during the PDI walkthrough. I am pleased with the 2015, consider the quality comparable to all our old ones and is just about perfect except for two minor issues which are easily fixable. I wouldn't categorize hydraulic six leg leveling systems, heavier Moryde suspension, wetbolts standard, moving to a heavier frame, and the new quiet AC system as lipstick. And I don't know about cost cutting because the prices are not staying level, the price jumps every year. The asking price on my 2010 was 65K, on the 2015 was $93K. The problem Keystone has right now is that they make a great unit, but do not have an aggressive warranty and timely parts operation for follow-up service. They used to have that.

[snowhawk2]

quote:Originally posted by Artemus Gordon

I have a good friend with a 2 year old SOB. I know we can't say its name, but it rimes with "Global Heats"! His experience was far worse than most reports I read on the MOC. Shop over 100 days in 18 months. Less that 5000 miles under it! He paid $118,000.+ That said, most of my issues have been with "components " used by nearly every RV maker. Not so much "Keystone Craftsmanship"! My major slide problem (10k +) might of killed the enthusiasm of a lesser man! But, I still am amazed what these units can take. Roads that broke my fillings, yet not a broken glass. Screw falls out here and there, door needs aligning... I think it's nature of the beast. I had boats for years! One thing I found was true! Everything went wrong with boats... Everything you could imagine and then some. So it prepared me for the RV thing. Lol. One more thing... I take donuts (often) to my RV repair facility. Know everyone by name. Sometimes I add a big thing of Coffee with them sugar bars.... They love me and take excellent care of my Montana!!! Yes I will use bribery! Last Christmas bought everyone a lotto ticket! Lol

I like your attitude. Know your dealer, develop a rapport, and work with them. I am bringing mine in to the dealer in a few weeks. I hope it goes well. We all paid a lot of money for these Montanas but we do have to realize that 15,000 rolling along some of the crappy roads we drive on, at 70 mph, will wear down some of the better craftsmanship. I don't like it, but its predictable "stuff" is going to happen. good luck to all and happy camping.

[richfaa]

Other brands are no better. That is not a excuse it is fact. We list 28 issues in the first year of ownership of our 2013 Montana Big Sky. It just came out of the dealer for the repair of several more. Our 06 3400 Montana had even more issues. Now after 27 months of ownership we feel we have everything worked out and with the addition of the Mor Ryde IS system have a reliable Montana.

It is a sad comment of the RV industry that we except those issues and consider them routine.

I do not see any difference in Quality since 2006. There have been improvements in structure but the build quality is no different.

We have never had a dealer problem but have been in the "awaiting parts" group.

having owned 6 Rv's and two Montana's and working as a sales person at large Rv shows I find that having problems is standard across the board
Those who have never had a problem of any kind are the exception and not the rule. AND the statement " we have only had a few minor problems " does not count. A problem large or small is a problem.

[DQDick]

quote:Originally posted by rafael33155

i too disagree with paulin's coment, that's the reason nowadays people don't take pride in their work and why people are buying overseas because of attitudes like Dick's hell if it's being produce with inferior workmanship why pay more to buy it here i'll pay less oversea for the same junk i remember when american workers took pride in their work not anymore

Let me explain my attitude. First, while Keystone claims these units are worth upwards of $80,000 few people on this forum have ever paid sticker price or even close to it. We looked at several "build one at a time" dealers before we bought the Monty and the closest out of the lot price was over $100,000 more than we paid for the Monty. The main differences were the floor coverings and the plumbing fixtures as well as the expectation of few if any problems. We dealt with the warranty problems on our rig, added Solar, Level-up, IS, disk brakes and replaced the flooring with residential flooring and I still have most of that $100,000 in the bank. That's not to make light of the problems both quality and dealer network described, it's just that for us, we made the decision to buy a lower priced product, add to it and deal with the issues. Now we also full time so that makes a difference in our outlook also. It's much easier for us to avoid a dealer and go to one we trust hundreds of miles away.

[rafael33155]

dick my bad i was talking about pauline not you sorry i'll correct the post i agree with you

[steelpony5555]

"Global Heats".....lol lol lol I was just at a large RV sales place last week that carries a lot of different brands. What got me is most are built about the same, but there are several that advertise and have features built in that you have to pay extra for on Montana's or like me add them on later. There were a couple that I felt the fit and finish were a whole lot better then the Montana's they had on the lot which were either priced a little less or bout the same. Some actually came with G614 tires on them as standard. If I was gonna buy, there were 2 different SOB's I would have bought before any of the Montana's they had.

[jcurtis934]

Your headset when buying an RV should be that it is an RV, which translates to the fact that there are always going to be issues to deal with since these are built by people (who may or may not give a crap)and the manufacturers have to do a lot of things in the build process that doesn't necessarily mean top quality. Fact of life: expect issues, deal with them and don't let them be the focus of what your life is like as you do the rv thing. Still better than being horizontal below ground... John

[astrungis]

Yes, my wife and I went through the same thing. Our first RV was a truck camper. There were problems with that too. And that brand was supposed to be "top of the line". So when we bought the Monty I expected it not to be perfect. An it wasn't. A salesperson told me that you don't need the extended warranty if you plan to use it extensively the first year under the basic warranty. Anything and everything that could wrong will. Now that we are in Year 2, everything seems to be working OK. Flaws were the first year. Now we will probably deal with wear and tear or banging around on the road.