New Montana Purchase

[scuba dude]

We are thinking about buying a new RV. We really like the 3813MS, excellent floor plan. We had a 2009 3400 Big Sky and loved it. Everything was good including quality. We are concerned about all of the negative reviews that we are seeing on the newer Montana's. I am looking for feedback from people that have purchased new Montana's about the quality, customer service, etc. Any information will be appreciated.

[Jamesb]

I do not want to be negative or rant. I feel that your purchase and your future with a Montana will be defined by the dealer you purchase from. Customer service does exist. Not the best, but does exist. But, your dealer, can perform magic, at times, if they desire. We love our Montana, and as you know, new ones will have small issues and ours did. But, with that said, we would definitely purchase another Montana. Unless, we were fortunate enough to upscale to a luxury FW, and I don’t see that happening. Lol. Industry wide quality is poor, and needs to be improved. Good luck.

[G & S Russell]

We’ve had our 3812 MS since the beginning of December. So far we have had no issues other than a few screws needed here and there to secure some outside trim. I would buy mine again if I had it to do over. We are not full timing in it yet but are at the Lake right now enjoying Spring Break. I think there are issues with every manufacturer so pick the floor plan you like and begin enjoying life in your new RV.
Good luck with whatever decision you make.

[Mikendebbie]

Our unit has been great! We have only had minor issues with ours in two years and I fixed them all. The info on this forum is fantastic!

1. Some trim inside came loose...nailed it back down.
2. Drivers side exterior bottom sheetmetal skirt popped out of the black trim gasket - we popped it back in (at a Walmart parking lot) and I siliconed it tight...no more issues.
3. Replaced the OEM 50 amp resettable breaker on the hydraulic slide system - upgraded to 80 amp per info gained here on this forum...no more issues.
4. This was my fault - not Keystone's. Turning right into a Cracker Barrell I clipped a high concrete curb and bent the curb-side rear level-up jack. As it turned out - the jack did not bend but the steel mounting bracket bent. I took the jack off and beat the bracket back into position as best I could. Had to use a washer or two on the jack bolts to shim the jack leg perfectly plumb. I still need to do a bit more hammering on the jack shoe to flatten it out a bit more...but everything works as intended...no hydraulic leaks...no permanent damage. I was lucky.
5. My Dish tailgater will not work using the pre-wired coax and splitters. Many threads on the subject here. I have been running my coax thru the nearest window.
6. We were not happy with the OEM "sound bar speakers" so I put in a Bose soundbar from Sams behind the TV. Sounds great now!.
7. I need to take the radio out and unwind the OEM antenna. FM radio is marginal. AM radio is non-existent. We have a good portable radio that we use.
8. The air conditioners work hard to cool the unit on a 100* day at the Texas coast - but we bought one of those dyson skinny/vertical fans and we stay cool enough in the living room while watching TV. We like to sleep COLD and the ac always works well overnight in the summer...so this issue is not an issue for us.
9. I wish this thing would wash and wax itself!

I have been been an RV'r since I was a kid in the 60s (thanks to my Dad). I have never had a perfect unit. Always fixing little things here and there, so nothing on my list seems out of the ordinary. Some folks on the forum have had bad luck and big things have gone wrong...but we have really enjoyed this trailer!

[scuba dude]

I have been reading reviews on brands and it seems the quality is down on a lot of them. Heartland and Forest river seems to be the worst in quality and workmanship. I am pretty handy at fixing smaller issues such plumping and trim and so on. My major concern is problems with slides and automatic leveling issues.

[G & S Russell]

No problems with either of those items. I’ve got one cable and two hydraulic slides. Everything works as it should. The 6 point leveling is great. Will lift my curbside tires off the ground at the house in order to level it.

[G & S Russell]

One thing I would urge you to do is watch the many You Tubes out there about Residential vs RV frig. I have the 3812 with is the same as the 3813 except for the frig. I have an RV frig. I’ve had that kind of refrigerator for all my time camping and it works good for what we do. I start the frig 24 hours prior to departure and I have no problems doing that. Maybe someone can tell you how long your Residential will run on the standard 12 volt deep cycle battery without being plugged in.
The other thing to watch out for is the stairs. If you park in a storage lot with a unit beside you, you can’t get into your unit without pulling it out. The stairs fold up into the doorway and you need at least 52 inches of clear space next to you in order to fold them down. I like how solid they are, but they are a little bit of a pain. Don’t even know if you can get a unit without them anymore, but those are two things that I wanted to bring to your attention. Mike may have a Residential frig and can tell you more.

[DQDick]

On our second Montana. Some things on the new one are better and some not as good, but overall we wouldn't trade the new one for the old one.. On both we had excellent customer service from both the dealer and Keystone.

[Mikendebbie]

I am not real familiar with your model but...
1. Residential fridge - friggin’ awesome.
2. Our gas furnace works great.
3. Our fireplace looks and works great. The heater takes the chill out of the living room.
4. We ditched the OEM mattress for a foam mattress from Sams. I sleep better in the RV than in the S&B.
5. DW really likes the Furion stove and our microwave.
6. Our unit has an on-demand water heater that is fantastic.
7. The new units have the KeyTV system and I don’t know anything about it - but I have solved our Dish tailgater issue for now, and my cable and over the air antenna work great.
8. We have dogs and we put covers over the couch and our recliner chairs. We have not had any issues with the faux leather.
9. We have really enjoyed the electric recliner chairs in the living room.
10. My 37 yr old middle son with a bad back slept on the sleeper sofa couple of nights while we visited my mother in assisted living a few months ago - and he said the bed was comfortable! He is not easily pleased.
11. DW uses the built in vacuum all the time!

There are more features on our unit that we have really enjoyed but not sure if they apply to your unit...two bathrooms...two sinks in the front bath...the full bathtub!

[Montana Man]

I also had an older Montana. Their quality was better then when they were building a good reputation. Expect to have warranty issues. Expect to do repairs yourself. If you like the rig you will find a way to make it what you expect it to be in time. Not meaning to be negative, just realistic. We really like ours but it required sweat effort to make it an enjoyable experience.

Don't be afraid to cut them off at the knees on your offer.

[Rsmarlow82]

Like many have said, the dealer you choose is most important , and in my opinion should be the first criteria.
Depending on the day your unit was built will depend on the level of quality. While a few outliers exist, most have issues that are unacceptable given the money you pay, but manufacturers don’t care.
Good luck has a new meaning when buying new... it is luck indeed

[wed]

We had 2007 until we got our 2018 3950 BR Legacy Edition the issues we had Montana Fixed all
We just traded the 3950 BR Legacy Edition for a 2020 3931FB Legacy Edition and they will fix any issues that come up!
I will tell you there is a 3950 BR Legacy Edition at camping world in Woodstock Ga that has All the up grades we put on and the factory went through it last year it is a rock rock solid. We just did not need the Bounce Room and want more Kitchen space.

[lightsout]

The real answer is you get what you pay for, Montana is a high production RV using budget oriented materials. That comes with quality compromises, if you are not a DIY person it is probably not the RV for you otherwise expect considerable down time for warranty.

With that said, with a little handy-person skills many of the issues are easily fixed, however plan for some warranty down time likely more than higher end brands. My best advice buy used whereas someone else has dealt with all the bugs the new RV's have.

To use an analogy from the car industry I will use Ram trucks as an example the base model is Tradesman, Bighorn, Laramie, LongHorn, and limited.

The Montana line up is Tradesman=Cougar, Bighorn=High Country, Laramie+ Montana, Alpine=Long Horn although Montana has nothing in the Limited category. If that is what you want look at Velano or Mobile Suites. Again you pay for what you get.

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by lightsout

The real answer is you get what you pay for, Montana is a high production RV using budget oriented materials. That comes with quality compromises, if you are not a DIY person it is probably not the RV for you otherwise expect considerable down time for warranty.

With that said, with a little handy-person skills many of the issues are easily fixed, however plan for some warranty down time likely more than higher end brands. My best advice buy used whereas someone else has dealt with all the bugs the new RV's have.

To use an analogy from the car industry I will use Ram trucks as an example the base model is Tradesman, Bighorn, Laramie, LongHorn, and limited.

The Montana line up is Tradesman=Cougar, Bighorn=High Country, Laramie+ Montana, Alpine=Long Horn although Montana has nothing in the Limited category. If that is what you want look at Velano or Mobile Suites. Again you pay for what you get.

I'll ditto what Lightsout says above about quality of build. Keystone/Thor in general are middle of the line high production units. They cost less but you have to trade some quality of build for that. For most folks I think they hit the balance about right.

I will also agree others who have suggested that you should really think about buying an RV if your not at least somewhat handy. Not to suggest you have to be a professional tradesman or anything but it does help a LOT if you can at least use a screwdriver.

Since your getting ready to buy let me suggest a different path from others who say "the dealer matters above all else". I almost totally disagree with that premise. My recommendation is to do your research and decide on a brand and floor plan. Then COMMODITY price that floor plan with a minimum of at least 3 dealers and preferably several more than that. Once you get the best "out the door price" then and only then start working financing. Once you get the very best overall deal buy from THAT dealer no matter how far away they are from you. BEFORE you sign, do a VERY through inspect or even hire a professional to inspect the unit. There are entire threads and lists here on how to do that. Make sure that the inspection is completed with electric and water hooked up and that every single appliance and device is tested several times! DO NOT SIGN for the unit and take possession until the purchase dealer has fixed EVERYTHING that was found on the pre inspection!! Once you drive off the lot you have just about zero power to get the unit fixed in a timely fashion. DO NOT FALL for the "if you buy it from us we will take good care of you" BS. If its not on paper that is total BS! Once you buy the unit find a good local SERVICE ONLY business with experienced RV technicians. Those businesses will by design do better, faster and often less expensive work than any sales dealership so called service department!

Some folks on here are going to come down on me for being so negative about sales dealerships. Let me just say you don't have to be mean to salesmen but you do have to approach the purchase as the business transaction it is and leave the emotions at home. Don't believe any of the sales hype from the smiling salesman and understand that your only real power is the ability to walk away. Be prepared to do that at any point during the deal!! Be sure EVERYTHING is taken care of to YOUR satisfaction before signing that bottom line. If they suggest you have to make a "down payment" before they do anything then tell them you can do the deal elsewhere and walk out. Trust me once they know your serious they will stop with the games!

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by mtlakejim

Since your getting ready to buy let me suggest a different path from others who say "the dealer matters above all else". I almost totally disagree with that premise. My recommendation is to do your research and decide on a brand and floor plan. Then COMMODITY price that floor plan with a minimum of at least 3 dealers and preferably several more than that. Once you get the best "out the door price" then and only then start working financing. Once you get the very best overall deal buy from THAT dealer no matter how far away they are from you. BEFORE you sign, do a VERY through inspect or even hire a professional to inspect the unit. There are entire threads and lists here on how to do that. Make sure that the inspection is completed with electric and water hooked up and that every single appliance and device is tested several times! DO NOT SIGN for the unit and take possession until the purchase dealer has fixed EVERYTHING that was found on the pre inspection!! Once you drive off the lot you have just about zero power to get the unit fixed in a timely fashion. DO NOT FALL for the "if you buy it from us we will take good care of you" BS. If its not on paper that is total BS! Once you buy the unit find a good local SERVICE ONLY business with experienced RV technicians. Those businesses will by design do better, faster and often less expensive work than any sales dealership so called service department!

Some folks on here are going to come down on me for being so negative about sales dealerships. Let me just say you don't have to be mean to salesmen but you do have to approach the purchase as the business transaction it is and leave the emotions at home. Don't believe any of the sales hype from the smiling salesman and understand that your only real power is the ability to walk away. Be prepared to do that at any point during the deal!! Be sure EVERYTHING is taken care of to YOUR satisfaction before signing that bottom line. If they suggest you have to make a "down payment" before they do anything then tell them you can do the deal elsewhere and walk out. Trust me once they know your serious they will stop with the games!

I won't come down on you for being negative about sales dealerships, but I will say I think I understand why you are getting the results you are...
Basically, if I understand this correctly, you clearly indicate to any and all dealerships that you are not interested in a win/win relationship, but one where you dictate all of your needs and will drive as far as it takes to find someone who might be willing to make a deal.
But of course, it costs money to employ good people, whether in sales, service or finance. So, the lowest cost dealer who has to have a lower cost model often does not pay their folks as well; or pushes them so hard they don't stay for long.
On the other hand, the dealer who does pay his folks better, and provides better benefits may ask a few dollars more. But, it sounds like they don't get your business...

So, as to my opinion, I believe there is a more balanced way to do things; look for a good dealer with a good reputation with long term employees and ask them to make you the best deal that works for both of you. In my experience with RVs and vehicles that is usually similar in price, perhaps a few hundred at most... and in the case of buying both a new truck and RV just this month, the local dealers matched the lowest price.

Maybe my area is different, but my experience is there are still good dealers out there, who are staffed by people who actually care. Some in my area I know will travel to buy wherever they find a deal; but I seem to have much better relationship with the service departments than they do

Again, YMMV

Brad

[GreG L.]

I went through this last year. I had been looking for a 5th wheel for 2 years and knew what I wanted, a 2020 3561 (now a discontinued model). Once I knew what I wanted I started looking at prices to order one (no one carried that model) with all options except paint, including generator. Prices varied widely from dealer to dealer, the highest was CW here in Jacksonville. I called the big discount dealers (some ware around the great lakes, since I can say who) and got the lowest price I has seen.
When we went to CA early last year for the summer I found a dealer in Sacramento (not CW) that would order one within a few dollars of the lowest price I had. Then I started looking at online dealer reputation and was happy with what I found so I ordered it.

Now for the after the sale service. I had a leaking jack so when I had it in CW for a washer dryer install (turns out they were much lower than anyone else, even the dealer, I bought from by hundreds), I ask them to fix it under warranty, there response was were too busy to do warranty work on anything that wasn't sold here. Knowing that I bought it 10 miles away I asked them " you mean I need to take it back to FL where I bought it to have it serviced", their answer was yes.
A few weeks later I dropped it off at my dealer in Sacramento and they said it would be two weeks or more because parts were hard to get. One week later the fires were getting so bad we had to leave so I called the dealer explained the situation and asked if I could pick it up and bring it back once we could return. They said they would ask and call me back. Three hours later they said to pick it up it was fixed, they took one they had on the shelf for for some other issue and replaced it. Good service.

[Edcandiano]

I have to comment that I wholeheartedly agree. The best thing you can arm yourself with is knowledge and the ability to walk away.

[Snowwolfe]

Originally Posted by lightsout

The Montana line up is Tradesman=Cougar, Bighorn=High Country, Laramie+ Montana, Alpine=Long Horn although Montana has nothing in the Limited category. If that is what you want look at Velano or Mobile Suites. Again you pay for what you get.

I had no Idea Tiffin was involved in fifth wheelers. Our previous RV was a Tiffin Allegro Motorhome and build quality was fantastic. I plan on researching the Vilano line.
Thank you

[zwma6@aol.com]

Hello there MONTANA people......I full time live in my 2008 RL3400. The people who built your 2009 are not building them now. New Co. and the guy who mentioned the dealer is correct. That could save u . btw.....I LUV my2008 ! so does MAGGIE the doggie

[CaptnJohn]

168 nights and 7800 miles on our 2019 3761FL! 3 minor problems CW will take care of when I get home, 1 part required has already been ordered and warranty approved