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Old 06-06-2022, 06:37 PM   #1
Columbo
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New guy with questions- 2012 Montana Big Sky

Hi, I’m new here and looking at my first fifth wheel (no previous RV experience). My wife and I (and our dog) are looking at purchasing this trailer to live in between the sale of our current home and the completion of our new home. We anticipate living in the RV for 18-24 months. It will be parked on a site near our new home with hookups for power, water, and septic. Since this will be home, we are looking for a model with ample space and storage. Additionally, I’ve been reading about how to prep these units for winter living, but I want to start out as far ahead as possible with a unit that is as “winter ready” from the factory as possible.

After looking at several RV’s for sale nearby we have narrowed it down to a 2012 Montana Big Sky 3625RE. It looks to be in excellent condition, very clean and has had regular maintenance. Any specific areas to check on this model? Are there concerns about a unit of this age if it’s been maintained? Finally, the owner states that this is a full four season model but I didn’t see the four season badging near the door, are the 2012 models fully insulated/heated for “winter” use? Thanks in advance!
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Old 06-06-2022, 07:16 PM   #2
Mikendebbie
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The 2012 brochure says they had the “Artic Insulation Package”.
I’m in TX so others will advise you for winter prep in the great white north.
Very nice looking unit!

I found a brochure archive here…
https://recreationalvehicles.info/ca...s/Keystone-RV/
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Old 06-06-2022, 08:08 PM   #3
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My 1st choice in your situation would be to hitch up and head south! There are many things you can do to help stay warm and safe during below freezing weather. As you will not be moving the 5er build a little wall of insulation board skirting. Before its all closed up I'd have two 60 watt bulbs down there to help keep tanks and floors warm (we don't know if you have tank heaters or if they work).
Keep the 30# propane tanks full but have a vendor bring a 100# tank to you. A couple space heaters will help reduce propane use, but I prefer a Big Buddy in case power goes out.
A heated water hose to keep your FW tank full as even a heater hose will fail.
You will want to dump and bring that hose to a warm spot as well~~ remember the underbelly bulbs? They will keep the valves from freezing as well.
You are going to get some condensation and a dehumidifier is great.
Some people would take advantage of the sun for heat during the day and cover the windows to keep heat in other times.
I've never planned an entire winter but 2 months in the Rockies I was comfortable but did not skirt the 5er or have the 100#er delivered.
Might sound like a lot but after 2 weeks you will have it down pat~~ except for fighting over who gets to sleep with the dog for warmth!
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Old 06-07-2022, 05:55 AM   #4
Columbo
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Thanks for the responses! What is the consensus on the value of an RV inspection (by an RV repair shop or similar) prior to purchase? I’m pretty mechanical and have found several PDI checklists from this site that I could use if doing my own inspection.
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Old 06-07-2022, 06:59 AM   #5
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Professional inspection? On a 10 year old RV an inspection is probably a waste of money in my opinion. Why? Because all the bugs in the manufacture workmanship have already been worked out by the previous owner a long time ago. Second, everything is currently working in the camper, but there is no guarantee how much longer. No ne can predict that. You are fully aware the appliances and electronics are 10 years old with 10 years of use. No one can say how long anything in the camper will continue to run or last. Your inspection will say "it's" operational right now, and as soon the title changes hands and you plug electricity in the first time, it may fail. It's not the fault of the inspector. He reported it was 10 years old.

Next, you are highly capable of doing your own inspection. You already know the appliances work, there's no need to druel over that. What you really need to look for are soft spots on the floor or water marks on the ceiling. This is an indicator of a previous roof leak. Also water marks and soft spots on the wall which indicates a previous roof water leak also. BUT! just because there is a soft spot does not mean the camper is bad. All it means it had a previous leak at one time. If the water intrusion has been stopped, the soft spot may be perfectly OK forever.

Considering you will be parking the camper for a while, you don't need to worry too much about tires or bearings. You just need to make sure the tires are road worthy to transport it from the seller's location to your's. It's going to sit for a couple more years, so nothing to worry about there. However, if you plan on taking it on the road, THEN make sure the bearings are repacked and you've got new good rubber on it.

Depending on the price of the camper, even if something is not perfect and it's not a major appliance, like the refrigerator or water heater or furnace it won't be detected until you actually use it and the repairs should be minor. No RV is ever perfect, and there is ALWAYS something to fix, repair, or doodle with. It never ends. Even the very best campers are still fragile critters that need lots and lots of attention. Don't think you'll find the perfect one that will never need any more attention ever again. They absolutely do not exist. You will experience problems, set back, electronic, plumbing, and construction failures.

One thing you can do is lift the trailer up from the front jacks by the king pin. Get the front jacks completely off the ground, now look to see if there is any flex in the front over-hang, king pin area. What you are looking for is potential frame damage or weld's that have broken. If everything is solid and no flexing, no cracks in the skin, the frame is good.

No pre-inspection will ever be able to detect any of that, that you can't do yourself.
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Old 06-07-2022, 07:38 AM   #6
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First, Colombo, welcome to the forum. You don’t say where you are located, but you will find out you can do anything for awhile. We have been in our Montana several times with below zero temps. The thing that will set the Montana apart from any other brand is this forum. The 30,000 members here have been there, done that, got the t-shirt. As for a pro inspection, I would download one of the PDI inspection sheets and do that myself instead. Check the tanks, fridge, water heater, appliances, roof, furnace, AC, etc. Since you won’t be moving it tires, suspension and pin box aren’t as critical. As mentioned, skirt the bottom. Heated water and sewer lines for winter. Get a large propane tank. Supplement with heaters, but your plumbing relies on the furnace to heat the belly. Do not leave your tanks open. The black tank relies on enzymes to break down waste. You use the gray water after dumping the black to clean out sewer hose. (Dump black, then gray). Trust me, whatever you buy you will have questions. We’re here to help.
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Old 06-07-2022, 08:06 AM   #7
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Thank you all for the responses, that’s the kind of information I was looking for! One of the major factors leading me to purchase this RV is the vast owner network for advice, troubleshooting and solutions. Much appreciated!
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Old 06-07-2022, 08:07 AM   #8
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Welcome to the forums. It sounds like you're in for an adventure. I agree with the other posts, if you're going to be sitting for 24 months get a 250 gallon propane tank. You may even want to skirt the bottom to keep freezing winds out. Consider rodent and insect protection as well. And most importantly IMO check everything that can leak especially the roof. I'd call a mobile RV mechanic and have the roof and top of the windows sealed. You don't want a surprise leak in the middle of winter. It wouldn't hurt to have back up space heaters. Oh ya and a really good vac system for the dog hair!
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Old 06-07-2022, 10:55 AM   #9
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Outside of checking everything over carefully, is there any reason to be concerned with purchasing a unit of this age? I was very favorably impressed with this unit’s condition compared to several much newer models. Thanks!
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Old 06-07-2022, 12:16 PM   #10
Carl n Susan
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I have a 2012 3700RL Big Sky and once we worked out the bugs, we love it. It is even the same color scheme as yours. Our model was a new design and didn't last long due to inherent frame issues. That was not a problem with the other model types in that era (aside from the occasional frame flex issue with Lippert frames).
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Old 06-07-2022, 12:50 PM   #11
Columbo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl n Susan View Post
I have a 2012 3700RL Big Sky and once we worked out the bugs, we love it. It is even the same color scheme as yours. Our model was a new design and didn't last long due to inherent frame issues. That was not a problem with the other model types in that era (aside from the occasional frame flex issue with Lippert frames).
Good to hear! Any particular areas of concern with this year and model that I should be aware of when doing my pre-sale inspection?
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Old 06-07-2022, 09:12 PM   #12
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Joel if you can swing it may I suggest having a professional service tech inspector check it out for you if the seller will consent to the inspection. They will go through the unit with a fine tooth comb and find anything that might be wrong with the unit. These pros are good and will advise you on whether you should purchase it or not.
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Old 06-08-2022, 08:34 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Columbo View Post
Good to hear! Any particular areas of concern with this year and model that I should be aware of when doing my pre-sale inspection?
It's all about how it was maintained, stored and used. Water is not your friend. Check for signs of water penetration and ask for maintenance receipts. The exterior looks immaculate so I assume it was well loved. The appliances are aging so that would be my other concern. I will say that they were built to last in 2012.
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Old 06-08-2022, 10:10 AM   #14
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Congrats on the new/used rig. From the outside it looks immaculate.
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Old 06-08-2022, 04:19 PM   #15
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I’m debating scheduling a professional inspection on this unit. It seems very clean and maintained but I also know there could be issues the current owner doesn’t know about. I understand that an inspection can only go so far and even with an inspection there’s no guarantee that there won’t be issues. Opinions beyond the ones kindly offered in the posts above?

One problem is that I’m in a bit of a time crunch and don’t want to string the seller along. The soonest I could get an inspection scheduled would be a week out.
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Old 06-09-2022, 07:38 AM   #16
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I've not gotten to find out the year model, but there is a Big Sky parked here next to us. I can tell you one thing - it is freaking gorgeous and don't see the owners tinkering with anything al all.....
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Old 06-09-2022, 08:53 AM   #17
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Hi Columbo:
Congrats on getting close to a 2012 model. We have a smaller version (3150RL), and would only get a larger model if we were going full time.
One note that you should consider when installing skirting - there could be a pull valve for a gray tank that is not easily found. Ours is located on the driver's side, near a wheel. Until we were advised about it on this forum, we thought our galley tank drain was plugged. So, my suggestion is to locate all valve handles before designing and installing the skirting. Having lived through several wet, snowy winters in our first RV (SOB), I do recommend skirting.
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Old 06-09-2022, 09:14 AM   #18
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Thanks for the heads up! Since you’ve already done it, what’s the coldest you've seen while living in your RV? How did it handle the snow loads?
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Old 06-09-2022, 09:35 AM   #19
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Columbo:
Just a few degrees below freezing, but damp ("West Coast Marine"), so it feels colder. The trick seemed to be to have 50 amp service, use an oil-filled, radiator-style heater and the electric fireplace, minimize the furnace usage, and skirting to keep the wind out of the underside.
Also, if you have the room, use a dehumidifier to reduce interior condensation. Keep the air moving inside, with a small fan or the ceiling fan, and buy a goose down comforter for the really cold nights, so that the noisy furnace need not run too often.
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Old 06-09-2022, 02:24 PM   #20
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We spent several months in late 2013 north of Kansas City, and temps got down to 9 degrees one night, many into the mid teens. We were using a 30 lb cylinder of propane every two days to keep the rig warm inside, had a Pirit hose for water, and we survived without any damage. We also have been snowed on several times and survived that as well, and not sure if being a 2012 model had anything special to do with that. This is photos of the rig with snow.
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