DURATAIN - Montana Owners Club

EagleRunner · 03-17-2006, 02:02 PM

Does anyone have any experience with Duratain? My dealer suggest this with every unit they sell. There are two product options, VS-1 and VS-22. VS-1 is a paint sealant and VS-2 is a Textile sealant. If anyone has any experience with this it would be great to hear some feedback.

Sunseekers · 03-17-2006, 03:22 PM

Tom
I visited the web site and it sounds like very interesting stuff. I too would like to know if anyone has tried it out and if it really as good as it sounds. I'm sure we all would like to learn from others experiences.
Dave

joe2speed · 03-18-2006, 08:59 AM

I guess that depends on what the cost is. The dealer is probably making a killing on this product. My monty is going on four years old and the outside finish is as good as the day I bought it home. The inside fabrics still look brand new. Probably depends on how much time and effort you plan on putting into your rig.

sreigle · 03-26-2006, 07:34 AM

Looking at how dull the nose cap on our Montana is getting I think if doing it again I would go with some kind of sealer, if the cost was reasonable. I know nothing about any of the brands, though.

Montana Sky · 03-26-2006, 08:05 AM

If it would help keep the amount of waxing down that needs to be done, I would be interested in looking into it. I am curious as to the cost of having something like this done to the coach.

EagleRunner · 03-26-2006, 12:35 PM

We've decided to have it done. The cost for both the VS1 and VS2 application is approximately $784. As mentioned above, the VS1 is the outside paint sealant and the VS2 is the fabric/textile treatement.

The VS1 treatment is guaranteed for 5-years and its main advantage is that it does not require the frequent waxing that would otherwise be necessary to keep the unit looking like new.

Check with your dealer to determine if your unit qualifies. According to my dealer, Duratain reserves the right to limit what units they will apply this product to. The newer the better. This has to do with Duratain's warranty.

Montana Sky · 03-26-2006, 12:58 PM

Tom,
Let us know what you think of the Duratain once it has been installed on your coach.

EagleRunner · 04-23-2006, 02:53 PM

Had the Duratain applied last week to my coach, both the paint sealer as well as the textile sealer. I chose the textile sealer as well because the price to have it added was almost a wash. Took about three hours for two people to apply. I had a chance to talk to the owner of the company while having this product to my coach. According to Wade, the owner and president, this product has been applied to a number of coaches and Montana's seem to be the bulk. So I am surprised we have not heard more from other Montana owners who have had their coaches treated. Maybe they are not members of MOC -- need to change that! Wade said he has done quite a bit of business in Arizona and in fact lives down there during the winter and spring months all the while applying the product to coaches down there.

This product must be applied by trained Duratain techs only. That explains why I had to have them come to my coach to apply it instead of having the local Montana dealer do it. The weather was not that cooperative though so we had several weeks of touch and go appointments that had to be cancelled due to weather. I was wondering if I was going to have to take a trip across the state to get it done. Strange weather we have had this spring!

It takes about 24-hours for the application to dry completely and soak into and bond with the paint. But afterwards, the finish is silky smooth to the touch; and I do not have the high gloss option. The nice thing about it is that you don't have to wax for five years. Those of you who do wax your rigs, the recommended twice to three times a year, can testify that it is a long, tedious, and exhausting job. If it holds up well, I may have them come back for another application after the five year warranty period expires.

After taling with Wade, I may have them do the under coating as an extra protection for those areas that are exposed to the weather and elements. He pointed out that I already have some rusting going on that this treatment stops.

I'll be updating this to let you know how it holds up over the years. In the meantime, if you are interested, you can contact the folks at Duratain via their web site:

http://www.duratain.com/index.php

or their toll free number at 1-866-500-5054. You will be talking to either Wade Weiss or his wife Jackie. If you do call, just tell them that Tom from Spokane referred you. They will appreciate your business.

gitrdun · 04-23-2006, 04:17 PM

I have the same thing done when I buy new autos and trucks. My daughted works in the auto business and she got me to try it. Never buy another without having it applied. Look around and you can get better deals but less warranty.

cargary · 04-24-2006, 02:57 AM

Tom:
Did you have this Duratain applied to entire exterior of you 5er or to the front cap only? I wonder how does this product adheresto the front cap. As Steve indicated, this where most of the wear and tear occurs. If this product would preserve the finish on the front cap for the 5 year period, it would be appealing to us. Keep us updated on your experiences with it.
Gary & Carole

EagleRunner · 04-24-2006, 01:30 PM

Gary,

I had it applied to the entire coach, including the front and rear caps as well as the entire front of the coach; that portion that sits behind the TV and gets all the back wash. It is here that I would expect to see a lot of wear and tear occurring. Wade seemed to put a lot of concentration in getting this area coated well. It was the last part of the coach they worked on.

They applied it over the decals as well. This stuff provides a UV protective coating against sun damage, one of the enemies of vinyl decals. I would expect this should help minimize some of the shrinking and fading of these decals that we see in some coaches exposed to the sun for long durations. Time will tell.

As an added bonus, they provide a care kit for applying additional teflon coating to the front cap just before heading out. This supposedly makes removing the bugs a bit easier as well as provide just that much more protection from the elements.

I was hoping that we would hear from some of those Montana owners who have had theirs done and would be willing to share some feedback. Maybe they will come in soon.

My coach is exposed to direct sunlight and weather all year long so it is susceptible to UV damage. I built a nice big RV shed some years ago, not taking into consideration the height the AC units add to these big fellas. I am about 3" short in door height and even that leaves no room for error. It was ok for the TT and boat, but the 5er will have to weather it outside until I can find another solution. I was told when I built it it was not going to be big enough. I chuckled then but later found out these sheds shrink! It can't be that the toys get bigger can it???

cargary · 04-25-2006, 05:24 AM

Thanks for the great information Tom. Sounds like they did a real thorough job for you. I hope you have good luck with it.

Like you, I would hope that those that have used this product would share the experience that they have had with it. However, as someone previously said, maybe they are not using this forum as we do - what a shame. Just remember we all learn from each other's life experiences and this forum is a great place to use for that purpose.

I was told the same thing (about the storage shed) years ago, but at the time, who knows how big to build it. We tend to build for our immediate needs, of which I am guilty of, without planning for the growth in the future. I will try to remember that when erecting the next storage building.
Thanks again for sharing.
Gary & Carole

dsprik · 04-25-2006, 06:45 AM

Gary, I've always been told that it makes no difference how big your build a storage shed, or garage. There's a mystical principle involved, that no matter how big it is, you can fill it.

Kinda like the same principle with money. People always say, "Oh, if I only had extra $100K a year coming in, I'd be all set..." No they wouldn't. Look at the lottery winners of long ago. Many are worse off today. It's all a mindset (discipline - and financial education) - not how much money you have coming in. Did you know there are doctors making over a $1 mil a year that can't retire because they are "broke"? Don't get me wrong, I'm HIGHLY in favor of having more, rather than less. However, people can spend ANY amount of money.

Oops... sorry. Where'd that soapbox come from???

rickety · 04-25-2006, 11:40 AM

I have Duratain coming out on the 15th of May to do the Monty outside. Will sure save some back breaking work when it comes to waxing the rig.

Will post the results after they finish.
They also offer a treatment for the awning to preent mildew and undercoating also. Truck price is seperate, and according to year make and model.

The nosecap on Monty is starting to get dull, like Steve's. I am hoping it will bring the gloss back.
p.s. Thanks for the information Tom, it's just what I was looking for

Montana Sky · 04-25-2006, 01:11 PM

Tom,
Is this something that Blue Crick got you hooked up with? I am looking at having something similar done to my coach soon. The shoulders are not going to handle waxing the coach anymore. Where did you end up going to have this application applied to your coach??

cargary · 04-25-2006, 01:58 PM

Dave:
You're absolutely correct about filling it up. I think empty space has that effect on us. In Tom's case, he would've liked to fill some of that space up with his 5er, but due to the height of it, he can't. This kind of limitation is not what any of us would want.

When most first start camping, we start off with something small and then naturally gravitate towards something larger. And like Tom, most erect a building to accomodate the present size camper or trailer, not thinking that they would oneday purchase a 5er that is almost 13' high. I, like Tom, have to have mine outside also, due to the height.
Course, I could erect another building, but not on this lot. Maybe at our next place, if there is one.

Thanks for the comments.
Gary & Carole

dsprik · 04-25-2006, 04:08 PM

OMG... if you start small and buy bigger and bigger, what's that say about me starting out with a 3400??? Actually I have borrowed and rented RVs in the past. They have been smaller...

Gary, It would be great have a covered storage. It is slightly expensive though because of the height needed.

Rick, do you mind if I ask what they are charging for that?

Imp · 04-25-2006, 05:33 PM

We had Duratain applied before we picked up our rig 2 years ago. It is still looking pretty good except for a couple of branch scratches down the side. We have not waxed it at all. We also had the textile done and the undercarriage. It was expensive at the time but I am not regretting it now.
Myrna

EagleRunner · 04-25-2006, 08:16 PM

Imp,
Thanks for the info. Glad to hear you are pleased with the Duratain application and that there are other MOC members who have had it done. I was beginning to wonder there for awhile.

I noticed you are from Bastrop? How far from Danbury?

EagleRunner · 04-25-2006, 08:50 PM

Montana Sky,

I hear you about the shoulders. My problem is a bit different; the old back is shot so anything that helps with the maintenance is most welcome.

Blue Crick is the dealer I purchased my coach from and yes, I worked through Clay at Blue Crick to get the Duratain contract written. I am sure he received quite a commission on it. Most likely, if you call Duratain directly, they will line you up with a dealer near you.

The dealer themselves will not do the application; this is done by Duratain folks. In fact, Wade Wiess, the owner and president of the company, was one of the two Duratain folks who did the work on mine. When you purchase a contract, Duratain will call you to set up an appointment and they come to your RV versus having you tow it to them. Duratain is based in Spanaway and I live in Spokane Valley so they came to my home to do the coach.

They ask that you clean the coach prior to their arrival so it is ready to have the application applied. Also, if you are not going to be present, and you do not have to be, they ask that you keep the deadbolt unlocked so they can get access to the inside of your coach. They have a contractor's key for the door lock. The reason they need to get inside is that they will want to extend the slides so they can apply the product to the side walls of the slide too. Obviously, if you are having the Textile sealant applied, they will need to get inside anyway.

As was mentioned above, they also have an undercoat and awning treatments. I didn't go for these because Clay did not recommend the undercoat when I asked about it and the awning treatment was never mentioned by Clay or in Duratain's brochure. However, they do advertise the Leather & Vinyl sealant package which is probably what they use on the awning. The fact the Clay did not recommend the Undercoat package didn't set well with Wade. I am sure he has since discussed this with Clay.

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