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.

[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

[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!

[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

[Camp CA]

Originally Posted by scuba dude

..........I am looking for feedback from people that have purchased new Montana's about the quality, customer service, etc. Any information will be appreciated.

Very happy with the quality (overall all and components) and functionality of our 2020 Montana 3780R and service from our SkyRiver Pismo Beach California dealer. It came with factory installed 265 watt solar and 2000 watt inverter. Everything works and we have had no any warranty issues and no issues with molding trim falling off, etc.

We believe the quality of the new Montanas just gets better and better as evidenced by the components they install from suspension, tires, wheels, kitchen appliances, tv cable system, electric den chairs, lighting, cell phone charging ports, closet door locks, etc.

The dealer installed a 2nd battery, washer, vented dryer, side/rear cameras, directv antenna and winegard wifi extender. They all work perfectly. We had ours ceramic coated to mitigate waxing. We purchased a 6 year "0" deductible extended warranty, primarily for operator errors (which we did plenty on our 1st fifth wheel). The only recommendation we can make is user manual could cover connecting up a portable satellite antenna, finding the outlets that work off the inverter, operating the inverter, solar panel battery charging, black tank operation, i.e., prefill prior to use, tank draining, etc.

Good luck with your potential purchase!!

[Camping_Couple]

We purchased a new Montana High Country this summer. We love the unit, but the build quality is lacking. As another said, it seems to be industry wide. My brother also purchased a Jayco 5th, and also has problems. Again, making sure you have a dealer that stands behind you and takes care of issues as they arise is pretty important!
Here is a review I had posted on another forum.

Montana High Country 377FL review
Very nice unit, and we are very happy with it. I do have a few comments, and recommendations.
Exterior appearance is very nice, frameless windows would give a more streamlined appearance.
Interior appearance is also very appealing. Light cabinets, and tasteful accents
Some minor quality issues –

• Free standing dinette
o One chair leg was cracked
o Table support post was cracked, where it attaches to tabletop. This looks as though it came from the factory this way, as it was glued and screwed back together. (Screws fell out, which is how we found this issue.)
o These issues could have happened during transport to dealer, as chair’s and bar stools where not tied down.
• One of the sofa’s was not attached and could slide forward. The L bracket that was used to attach it was installed backwards, not allowing enough screw engagement. Other sofa was the same way.
• Sofa’s are pull out trifold sleepers. When pulled out, each section has different foam density, with the middle section being very soft. No way an adult could sleep on them. It cuts into your back. Totally unacceptable, considering sitting and sleeping are its primary functions.
• Kitchen faucet was plumbed backwards, Hot and Cold swapped.
• Ice maker in Samsung residential refrigerator, has two shut-off valves? One under the sink, and One was hidden behind a panel that needed screws removed to access. No documentation in manual to indicate its location.
• Loft area had a couple of trim staples sticking out. Small kids could have been hurt on this.
• Living area floor, would bellow up from the floor when the Furnace blower was on. On investigation, we found the vinyl flooring was not trimmed fully under the vent, and not taped or sealed by the duct.
• Drawer latches in kitchen where not well aligned. I realigned and adjusted so they function properly.
• Not all switches in control panel are labeled. Adding labels would be helpful.
• Radio would not receive any stations. Found a bad cable adapter between radio and coax. Even when I replaced it, radio reception is horrible with the built-in antenna. I replaced it with a simple dipole, which now allows us to use the radio.
• TV reception is horrible with the built-in omnidirectional antenna.
• Vacuum hose provided with the central vac, would not reach the whole coach. A 30’ hose would work, if the main unit were located at the center. A replacement 40’ fixed the problem
• Black water storage tank. 39 gal is not adequate for this size unit. Other mfg provide at least a 55 gal storage.
• Black water tank above ¾ filled, starts to drip. Not Good. Dealer is handling this next month, and of the things I didn't fix myself, they quickly took care of.

[WeBeFulltime]

Over a 9 1/2 year span of full-timing we had 3 new Montanas (2008-2012-2018) all bought new. Of the 3 the 2012 was by far superior especially the interior.

[WLA]

Originally Posted by 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!

How did you solve your KeyTV issue?