[Montana_2505]

Lovely as it is inside....just some tips to shoppers and gripes from here....(We've had ours about 2 month and it has about 320 miles on it). Here are the problems and below I'll tell you the outcome from a week in the shop.
Another Note...we're in Colorado and it's not even really cooold yet...


1) Surround Sound???? HAH! Came with a "Q" (Quest) ? "surround sound" with DVD player. At first we could only get ANY sound from the speaker over the dining table. There was a BUZZZ emitting from the speaker by the couch. By phone, the dealer said it only works with a DVD inserted. Spent hours with the book and tried every combination (with DVD in and with DVD out), but no luck.
After a week in the shop: The dealer said they replaced the unit. Now we get sound ONLY from the speakers over the TV. We still get a BUZZZZ from the speaker by the couch, but nothing else. Now the dealer says whenever the electricity goes off you have to reprogram it. We tried and tried and tried to reprogram it. Ain't happenin'!

2) Heating Unit---Dometic "Remote Comfort Control" HAH!
The first time we tested this outfit was when we left it for 48 hours set on 70F. When we left for our little excursion the temp outside was 40ish and raining in the daytime. Next day on our return to the RV it was 60ish and sunshine outside, and the temp INSIDE our RV was OVER 100F. And furnace was running full blast.
After a week in the shop, the dealer replaced the remote control. We've had the RV back for 3 days and so far--so good.
Comment: We almost INSISTed that the dealer replace this idiotic remote control system with a NORMAL thermostat (as it shows a NORMAL thermostat as an alternative in the manual), but Dealer says can't be done as wiring is different. Be prepared to be a rocket scientist for this one. AND if you lose your remote control??? It's hopeless! And don't forget to put several copies of the manual is SAFE SECURE locations. (This goes for ALL you manuals as so far, we've had to use them all daily)

3) We have a fireplace under the TV. Nice and Beautiful, and even puts out a little heat...The entertainment center is in the Kitchen slideout...BUT....
There is a toggle switch next to the microwave....and to use the fireplace, you must flip the switch which turns OFF the microwave. To use the microwave, you must flip the switch to turn OFF the fireplace. Can't use them both at the same time. We don't even bother to set the clock on the micro/w as we'd have to reset it again next meal. 7 or 8 times a day sometimes. Another problem related to this....We have the island kitchen (nice as it provides extra cabinet space) and on the outside of the island towards the dining table, there is a plug. One of the special things we noticed before buying this rig, it's a really convenient location for plugging in our small electric heater for toasting our toes. HOWEVER, this plug is tied to the kitchen slideout and when even a phone charger is plugged into it, the breaker flips. There's another kitchen plug in the slideout under the window next to the stove. A perfect place for a blender, processer, etc. but both are useless.

4) The shower door towel rack on the outside of the door: The dealer brought this to our attention ( the ONLY inconvenient thing he brought to our attention) the day we first looked at this model. The only reason he brought it up was because I started to use the towel rack to open the shower door. He mentioned that it is a problem because people tend to use the towel rack to OPEN the shower door and the entire glass comes with it--shattering!!

5) Regrigerator -Dometic 8 cu ft. The refrigerator sucks. Itty- bitty. The door was squeaking after just a couple of weeks of use. We were stupid, I guess, assuming that in a fifth wheel this size and at THIS PRICE, that we'd get a decent sized refrigerator. We traded in a 28' Thor which had a 10 cu ft refrig...quite accomodating and with a DECENT vegetable drawer. The night we went to pick up this new Montana and were moving everything from our old rig, and about 45 minutes AFTER we signed the papers on this new one was when we discovered the cheesey frig. Dealer changed the subject. After a week in the shop, they did oil the door. I could've done that of course, but wanted them to hear it squeak first.

6)Ahhhh yes...The Arctic Package....
When we would open the lower cabinets in the kitchen, it was no different than opening the refrigerator. The coldest temp outside had been only down to around 30-35F (nights) and 40-60 sunshiny days and burrrrr! Those cabinets AND the floor were icy! Couldn't get this critter warm (or else with the furnace, it was boiling hot inside-For a MINUTE or so), but once the furnace kicked off (which was manual only), it was immediately icy again. After a week in the shop, we were told that when the trailer hitch was installed on the rear, all the insulation had been removed and the holes that had been cut to weld the trailer hitch had not been closed up. After a week in the shop, Dealer sprayed expanding foam inside that area and sealed it with some kind of black rubber tape. I don't think the rubber tape is going to last long and plan another more secure covering, but the refrigerator effect seems to have waned.

7) Leaking bedroom slide: The 48 hours we had left the RV(when the thermostat beserked), we also returned to discover a severe leak from the bedroom slide. A flooded bedroom from rain. After the week in the shop, Dealer caulked the slide on the side that was leaking. Looks bad and I could've done that myself. Hasn't rained since we got it back, so don't know yet.

8) Bathroom fan sounded like a semi truck. Dealer stopped the rattling.

9) Fantastic Vent!! Comes with a wall unit control....Have fun! Dealer couldn't even figure it out....

10)Microwave/Convection/Halftime oven....Haven't used anything but the microwave so far. Been dealing with other problems, and couldn't take on another one yet. Have heard these units are questionable, but keeping fingers crossed.

11) Have hardly used the A/C either. It's come on more when we were trying to set the FURNACE thermostat. Probably ran INTENTIONALLY not more than a few hours when we first got our Montana in September. Fingers are crossed.

12) Propone tanks--The automatic switch-over would not work. The cook-stove started burning yellow and set off our carbon-monoxide detector. I manually switched the tanks and the stove started burning normal and blue again. One of the tanks was wacko and acting empty, but was over 2/3 full. Caused the stove to huff and puff when burner was lit. After a week in the shop,Dealer said it seemed fine, but changed a regulater anyways..
Back at the RV park, we use a large rented propane tank, so we won't know until we're on the road and NEED to use the small tanks if it's fixed or not. Fingers crossed.

So far, we are dissappointed in Keystone. In the RV park where we are, our next door neighbors are 1) a 2004 35' Terry with front living rm with a fireplace----He's very happy and spent last year in his in N.Dakota. and 2) a 2004 28' Comfort with no complaints on theirs either. Both these folks have had their rigs over a year and spent last winters in them. And BOTH have 10 cu ft Refrigerators!!


If we can, we plan to keep our Montana long enough so as not to lose too much when we trade it in...and make the best of it for the time being. We're just sad, thinking of all the research and trust we put into Keystone.