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Old 12-22-2006, 05:14 AM   #1
Verle and Sue
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Montana Tours

I keep seeing people mentioning touring the Montana Factory. Does this have to be a special group set up or can just anybody go tour the factory? I haven't yet been able to discover this information. Yesterday my hubby was putting together one of the "pre made, but you assemble" cabinets for our stick house bathroom and he got a little punchy and started wondering if they have "build it yourself Montanas" (he's been working graveyard for the past couple of weeks, LOL). I said no, but maybe we could go see them being made. We'll be ordering/buying this summer and we were dead set on the 3400, but NOW, we're interested in the Big Sky (since it's the same floor plan with a few extras we'd really like). So far there don't appear to be any dealers in IL. Thanks, Sue C
 
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Old 12-22-2006, 05:27 AM   #2
boylanag
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In 2002, when we purchased our first Montana, we went to Goshen and went to the reception area and asked if we could tour the factory. They did not hesitate and within the hour we joined a tour. This fall, three weeks after purchasing our second Montana, we toured the factory again only this time with the MOC group. Toshorten this all up, it seems like you could tour either with or without a group. I would suggest calling first, though. Best wishes for your soon to be purchase and welcome to the MOC.
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Old 12-22-2006, 05:37 AM   #3
richfaa
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Yes you can tour the factory. I would suggest you call customer service and get the latest day and time. I would also suggest the Sprinter factory tour as our Old World Craftsmen are at work on the sprinters during the tour were the Montana plant is finished for the day. Eveyone who buys a unit, of any brand, should take the factory tour first.
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Old 12-22-2006, 05:48 AM   #4
Verle and Sue
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Thanks for the info. I have absolutely NO voice right now, and so couldn't call directly. Figured MOC would have the answer for us though. We are getting so excited, we have been gearing up for this for 2 years (researching, reading, asking questions, driving the Montana dealer nuts). Thought it would be another 3 before we could do it, but "life happens" and as soon as the California Court system lets us complete probate on DH's Mom's estate we are getting our Montana (or Big Sky???). Decided we shouldn't just wait and wait because the chance just might pass us by. You never know what lies ahead so we're going to start off with part-time rather than full-time, but we'll still have lots of fun. Thanks again, Sue C
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Old 12-22-2006, 08:08 AM   #5
Mrs. CountryGuy
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Sue,

Not sure what you mean by "no voice", but factory tours in Goshen at Keystone and other manufacturers as well have been going on for YEARS! I think we did some well over 18 years ago now!

Not only do Al and I strongly urge a tour for newbies, we also strongly suggest a tour for experienced RVers/Campers as well. Call around to other manufacturers and ask when their tours are, take in say, Jayco, or Travel Supreme. Compare what you see in the plants of different manufacturers. It is very interesting.

And, to as Rich says, call down, as they do change the day a specific plant tour is available.

Might make a fun get away over the winter months. Nothing like Goshen and Elkhart County Indiana!
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Old 12-22-2006, 01:49 PM   #6
Verle and Sue
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Hi Carol, thanks for seconding the tour idea. What I mean by no voice is that I can't call and schedule a tour (#1 I understand they are closed til Jan 8?) but mainly because I honestly do not have any voice right now. I can't talk, can barely whisper and then have a coughing fit because of it (I know, you men are thinking what a lucky hubby I have, wife with no voice, LOL. Actually he is a real quiet guy and really hates it when I can't talk). I suffered vocal cord damage about 8 years ago (long story) and anytime I get a cold or virus or whatever, I lose my voice. Sometimes just a little, sometimes a lot, the longest was 6 months. It's frustrating, but could be lots worse things. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and great new year. Thanks for all the encouragement from all the MOC members. Sue C
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Old 12-22-2006, 01:55 PM   #7
Mrs. CountryGuy
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Well, Sue!

Hey, feel better real soon.

Oh, you don't have to call to schedule, only to be sure they will be doing the tour you want to go on on the day you can be there. At least in the past, at Keystone, you do not have to reserve a tour spot, show up, and enjoy. But, again, since so much can change, please do check, when you get that voice back!

Good luck!

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Old 12-22-2006, 04:54 PM   #8
adelmoll
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When we were there in September, the tour date was every Tuesday. I can't remember the time but it was either 1:00 or 2:00 pm. I don't know if that has changed or not.

Helen
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Old 12-23-2006, 04:05 PM   #9
Starchmill
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The Montana tours are still Tuesdays, at 2pm.
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Old 12-25-2006, 03:31 AM   #10
sreigle
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Sue, I'm not positive of the facts but I **think** in the past the Big Sky was an option on the Montana order form. So, any Montana dealer could order a Big Sky. I think. And I assume it will be the same this time. So you might talk with your Montana dealer about whether they'll be able to get one for you.

At one time the Montana factory tours were done twice per week but not I think it is just once per week. It is at a fixed time. Once you know when and where you just show up prior to the appointed time. The tours begin at the Keystone factory service center, not at the headquarters like they used to. If you need directions to the service center, post back and we'll get that for you.
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Old 12-25-2006, 12:18 PM   #11
David and Jo-Anna
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Just a followup to Steve's comment about Montana dealers ordering Big Sky units. It would appear that a large number of Montana dealers will not be carrying the Big Sky, either by their choice or by Keystone's choice.

Of the dozen or so Montana dealers in the mid-Atlantic region who I contacted about whether they would carry the Big Sky, one Montana dealer told me they aren't sure if they will be allowed to sell the Big Sky line as a regular matter (something about territorial areas alloted by Keystone) but could special order a Big Sky for me. The majority of the dealers indicated they had decided not to carry the Big Sky and said nothing about whether they could do a special order. A few of the dealers haven't decided yet whether they'll carry the Big Sky. Only two Montana dealers out of the dozen I contacted said they had decided already to carry the Big Sky. I also note that, when you search for dealers on the Big Sky website, only a fraction of the Montana dealers in my region show up as Big Sky dealers.
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Old 12-26-2006, 08:22 AM   #12
Verle and Sue
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Hi, I hope everybody had a great and safe holiday (if you happen to celebrate it, if not, I still hope you had a great and safe day). We plan to be making some visits and phone calls after the first of the year (or maybe wait until Montana starts up production again) to see if the 2 Montana dealers in IL will be carrying the Big Sky or can do special orders. The more we discuss it the more we are interested and feel the "upgrades" are worth the money for what we want to do.
One concern that we haven't figured out yet is that IL is really weird on how they do licensing and their description seems to contradict itself as to whether we can use our regular driver's licenses over a certain combined weight "CLASS D: Any motor vehicle with a GVWR of 16,000 lbs. or less" (and we can't seem to get an answer from Ford as to how much an F-350, dually, long bed, crew cab, 4WD (with whatever "rear end ratio" Verle wants to have) will weigh. We've even contacted Ford and they say check with the Dealers, but when we check with the dealers they give us the "depends on what you have on it" routine.
I think we need to get class "C" which states "CLASS C: Any motor vehicle with a GVWR of more than 16,000 lbs. but less than 26,001 lbs.; or any such vehicle towing another with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. or less".
Otherwise we would have to have a CDL Class "A" "CLASS A: Any combination of motor vehicles with a GCWR of 26,001 lbs. or more, providing that the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs. Does not include motorcycles or motor-driven cycles. (A CDL is generally required.)
So we keep asking questions and making phone calls. When we tried to get clarification from the DL bureau they said, "it says what it says on page whatever, just read it", rather than helping us figure out the legal/right thing to do. Oh well, we still have some time to get it all untangled. Thanks again, for all your help.
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Old 12-26-2006, 08:48 AM   #13
ols1932
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SueC2,
If you're driving a F-350, you don't need a special license, not yet anyway. I happen to have a CDL but I had that when I retired and started traveling fulltime. I drove a school bus therefore I needed the CDL with a passenger endorsement. A year or so ago there were rumblings about making us all have class A licenses for RVs but I don't think that will ever see the light of day.

I'm not from IL so I'm sure I could be wrong.

Orv
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Old 12-26-2006, 09:22 AM   #14
richfaa
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A CDL is COMMERCIAL Drivers License and you do not need one to drive a RV of any type unless you are a transporter.There are some states that will require special licensing for Rv's but that has nothing to do with a CDL and is that states way of extorting $ from Rv'ers I happen to have a CDL 26001Lbs and over but that is becasue I drove School bus and Charter bus after retirement.
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Old 12-26-2006, 02:17 PM   #15
David and Jo-Anna
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Sue--with regard to your question as to how much a F350 actually weighs, my 2007 F350 with SRW, diesel, long bed, crew cab 4WD 3.73 rear end ratio has a GVWR of 11,500# and actually weighs 7703#, a number I had to get off the sticker on my door pillar since Ford never published any such number for my vehicle. Even the shipping weight from Ford for my vehicle was only 7041#--I have no clue where that number came from since it clearly doesn't represent what my truck actually weighs. You'll have to add the weight of the dual rear wheels to my vehicle weight to get the weight of your vehicle.
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