New member introducing self

[Montana_6719]

I joined this forum because my husband and I are considering buying a Montana 3295RK. We've been planning to become full-time RVers since July, 2004. We had our house on the market last spring but had something of a setback when the Susquehanna River flooded our town in June. We are still completing the repairs necessary to putting the house back on the market and have lost quite a bit of our equity. Anyway, we are starting to look at RVs again and Montana's 3295RK seems to fit our needs better than anything else we've seen. We live in upstate New York (northeast of Binghamton) where RV dealers are few and far between and most don't have much inventory that is suitable for full-timing.

[Parrothead]

Welcome Mary. You have come to the right place. We hope you join the large numbers of proud Montana owners. The 3295 was our original choice for years, then we switched at the last minute to the 3400. I know your area well. I lived in Vestal, Chenango Bridge and Chenango Forks for 10 years in the 70's.
Happy trails.......................

[jrgwdenner]

Welcome to the forum! This is the place to get your questions answers. Lots of experienced Montana owners here. That sounds better than 'old Montana owners', don't ya think? Enjoy the search. The 3295 is a great floorplan.

[DONnANNIE]

to MOC. You have come to the right place to have your questions answered.

Have never been to Binghamton. I grew up in Rochester, but left when I was 18 to join the USAF. As I recall there are a few MOCers living in the upstate area.

[refocused]

Welcome to the forum! Good luck in selling your stick house - we will be doing the same in a year or two! Can't wait!

[Montana_6719]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I have been reading threads in here all afternoon--have learned a lot.

[Mudchief]

Welcome to the forum. You can't go wrong with a Montana. This is our 2nd Montana and when it comes time for another unit it will be a Montana.

[Joyce H]

Welcome Mary. Glad you are enjoying the forum. We are all still learning every day when we read tips and info on this forum. We are on our second Montana. Started in a 2003, 3295RK and last year traded for a 2006, 3475RL. But units have given us many miles of good service and many happy memories. Let us know if you have any specific questions. Usually there is someone here who has "been there done that". Enjoy.

[ggranch]

As another new member (Dec 8, 06) I also welcome you. I have been lurking around gaining knowledge about not just the Montana's but also RVing in general. I have asked several questions and have been answered well and often. The knowledge and thoughtfulness on this forum is exceptional. Good luck with your buying and selling. See signature.

[stiles watson]

Great to have you aboard. This is the place to get the real information on Montanas. Great people with great experience and creative synergy in problem solving. Many of us are already fulltiming and can vouch for the Montana. You will not believe the degree of relief and freedom comes with the final closing on your stick house. Sorta makes you want to join Martin Luther King Jr in a chorus of "Free at Last, Free at Last."

[tom41]

Mary, welcome to MOCs, and like Stiles said it is a GREAT feeling to get rid of the stick house, and just roam and wonder this great country of ours in your Monty! We have close friends in every part of the country almost. Good luck to you

[trukdoc]

We went with the Mountaineer 328RLS while there are diferences to the Montana there is a lot if simularity. They are made by the same people. Our old RV was adequate but not comfortable. Our Mountaineer is a pleasure to stay in and quite comfortable. we just come off a three week trip covering 4100 miles and was not in a rush to get back.

[capn chris]

Mary - If you haven't tried the "Dealer Locator" on the Montana webpage, it's a good place to start. Enter your zip code. Looks like Syracuse and Bath, NY are closest?!! We saw some of the flood damage around Binghamton on our way back to MD after visiting family in Gloversville, NY. Not a pretty sight. Good luck!

[gkbutler]

Let us add our welcome also. We sold our house and joined the ranks of the "affluent homeless" in October 2005. We truly enjoy the FT lifestyle and our Montana. We thought we were completely satisfied with our unit, but after going to the RV show in Tampa yesterday, we aren't so sure now.

Good luck on finding a dealer. We lived in SE Minnesota when we bought ours, but didn't buy it from the local dealer. They had an attitude and no service department. We did a lot of research and found a dealer in Northern Illinois we liked and bought it from them. Service after the sale is as much a factor as the dealer themselves. We have a lot of members who will vouch for that. Good luck on your search

[Montana_6719]

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

Chris, I did use the "Dealer Locator" function on the Montana website and you are correct, Syracuse and Bath are the two closest to us. I checked out their inventory online and they don't have a unit that has our "must have's"--a king-size bed, washer and dryer hookups, and thermopane windows--on any of their lots (they are a "super dealer" with multiple sites). We will go up and look at the units they do have when it gets a little warmer as we have discovered that trailers on dealer lots are REALLY cold right now and all we want to do is get out of them--not a good way to find a home.

Gary and Karen, we are definitely thinking about looking elsewhere for a dealer. The prices posted online (which I assume are MSRP) for the Montanas in Syracuse are VERY high ($60,000-plus) for units that are not even very well-equipped (certainly not loaded).

[sreigle]

Welcome aboard! We are on our third Montana. We fulltimed in a 2003 3295RK for 3 1/2 years, until trading it last Fall for another Montana. The 3295RK is in my opinion an excellent floorplan.

My Dad was born in Hermitage, somewhere in your general area. I was born in Batavia. I believe my grandparents lived in Binghamton for awhile in the early part of the last century.

Keep in mind that you can get 20% off msrp just by telling the dealer that's the deal you want. If you run across one of the few who will not give you that, walk away and find another dealer. Some have reported getting 30% or a bit better off by negotiating. A few delaers might be able to do that.

You also could email as many dealers as you can find and tell them exactly what you want and ask for bids. Several here have had success doing that.

Good luck. Let us know what happens, however you approach it. And welcome aboard.

[Dustytuu]

Welcome to the forum. Great place to get information and help with questions about Montana.
We have the 3295 and it has been great. Our next 5th wheel will be a Montana.
We also want to sell our home but market has not been good here. Plan to travel for a year or two before we buy another house farther south.

[indy roadrunner]

Welcome Maryfair. While I am not one to be selling my stick house in the near future, I am afraid I am not experienced at that but there are a bunch of good folk on here who have done just what you are wanting to do. The other thing is locating a dealer. If your closest dealer is not willing to work with you on the unit of your choice then there are plenty of fish in sea. You may have to take a day or even 2 days to go after your future home - but wouldn't that be worth it? Since you have a little time before pulling the trigger, do as Steve Riegel has said and put the internet to work for you.

[BillyRay]

Welcome! We live east of you in Malta...(north of Albany and south of Saratoga Springs). Probably your best bet would be Alpin Haus in Amsterdam. They are right off the throughway. That is where I bought both of mine. If interested, let me know and I will hook you up with someone. I know people that work there and have gotten me awesome deals!