It's official; I hate this trailer!

[StageCoachDriver]

I'm surprised you were charged $700 to replace the slide cable. That's a $25 part and BAL has a great video showing how to replace and adjust the cable. (I keep a replacement cable in the coach just in case).

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

Our 2016 High Country 310 RE is now 4 years old, and I am fed up with this POS. We have had trouble with the Accu Slide cable-actuated slides since day one, especially the kitchen slide (slide #2, driver's side). After several trips to the service shop in the first months of ownership, we finally got the drive motor replaced (the new one is an oil dripper), and had rollers installed for the slides to run on. Then, in January, we were in Colorado Springs, when a cable broke on the #1 slide (curb-side). The only shop that could fix it within a month (Cousins RV) replaced the cable (with my help) for "only" $700. They also supposedly adjusted the other (#2)slide. So last month, we were staying in Las Vegas and I noticed the wall siding was puckered-in next to the #2 slide lower leading edge, when the slide was extended. When the slide was retracted, the wall returned to normal. Watching the wall opening next to the refrigerator while extending and retracting the slide, you could see the wall moving in and out.

When we got home we took the rig to the repair shop, and they confirmed what I guessed was the problem: the wall stud adjacent to the slide opening had broken it's welded connection to the sill framing. Estimate for repair $7,000. That's SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS to fix a factory defect. Hey, no problem, that's why we have an extended warranty, right? WRONG! Warranty company (United States) denied the claim, since according to them, the slide is covered, but the wall stud is not because the frame is excluded, and the damage is "incidental" damage. Even though the stud is an integral part of the slide mechanism (cable pulleys are attached to the slide).

As you can guess, we are frustrated beyond belief. I told the wife, there is NO WAY I am paying 7 grand to fix this POS. Has anyone else run into this issue? I have an idea how to fix it myself, but will need detailed schematics of how this is framed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

We had EXACTLY the same problem on our 2016 310RL this spring, Local dealer here in VT actually got Keystone to pay for it...thank the Lord! They installed extra rollers, replaced the frayed cable and welded the stud back into the frame at the base. We've had leaking AC (requiring ceiling removal and replacement), broken welds, toilets that won't hold water, cracked plastic sheet under the bedroom slide, moisture in the walls, water leaks under the bathroom sink, axle alignment causing tire wear...the list goes on. Thinking of checking out a class A around 34 feet from Newmar or Tiffin.


Marcus
2016 MHC HM310RE (does HM stand for high maintenance?)
2019 GMC Denali HD Duramax/Allison
Pullrite auto-slider hitch

[wade]

My dealer up here in the northeast had been great but the beginning of this year they stop selling Montana's because of all the problems, major problems, structural etc. They been selling Montana's for many many years. Just was sick of it, didn't want to sell the public junk. So they now sell a couple different brands

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by wade

My dealer up here in the northeast had been great but the beginning of this year they stop selling Montana's because of all the problems, major problems, structural etc. They been selling Montana's for many many years. Just was sick of it, didn't want to sell the public junk. So they now sell a couple different brands

What are they selling now? Hopefully something of better quality. I'm open to suggestions!
Marcus

[wade]

Originally Posted by Marcus

What are they selling now? Hopefully something of better quality. I'm open to suggestions!
Marcus

Grand Design and was going to go back to getting Cardinals also

[Jeff n Susan]

It would be nice if the dealers would get together with the manufacturers and have a check box that says "Build it right the first time" when you place the order. I would pay the extra cash for such a feature. It would slow the process down and the manufacturers would still be able to make a better quality product, and I would think more sales. The only drawback i would see is the argument of them still having to stand behind an inferior product.

[CaptnJohn]

Don’t hang your hat a Grand Design. The CS USED to be great. I’ve seen and heard a lot of not so great things. There was a picture here of a GD that didn’t make it home from the dealer before the back wall fell out. If you want quality New Horizon or Spacecraft and over $200k. My Tiffin was great but still went back to Alabama every year the 3 years we had it.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by wade

Grand Design and was going to go back to getting Cardinals also

Do your research on GD. They are no better than any other brand. They came out strong (ex Keystone execs) touting build and customer service. They are just like all the rest...and they have to be if they want to sell units.

They were on my short list but about 10% higher than a Keystone so I wanted to investigate to see what I would get. Nothing really. Same build quality but maybe, possibly, a better customer service experience. That doesn't mean a lot since they have to work with a dealer anyway.

Dealers/warranty work? I was in FL at the time but the dealer there said he had warranty work backed up....2-4 weeks before they could even assess it. Called the TX dealer....might be 2 MONTHS before it could be assessed. I bought a Keystone.

I do believe you might be able to find a better quality 5th wheel than those most buy but I'm not spending 200k to find out I was wrong.

Edit: Looks like CaptnJohn and I were typing at the same time saying the same thing.

[Erikksen]

We bought a 2016 362RD secondhand out of warranty first rainstorm water running out of the rear air conditioner ducts..

Ended up with a new roof.. but the Dometic NXT Had several ways for water to get through I had to take it all apart and seal up the carry through holes where the frame came through.

[dfb]

Id like boxes like, upgrade carpet, galvanized screws, independent suspension, aluminum roof, aluminum siding, disc brakes, 3 inch walls, etc.. .at every builld process a quality control person signs ....

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by dfb

Id like boxes like, upgrade carpet, galvanized screws, independent suspension, aluminum roof, aluminum siding, disc brakes, 3 inch walls, etc.. .at every builld process a quality control person signs ....

Available at New Horizons, at about $225k and up. A little more at Spacecraft. For a Moho try Prevost they start at $1.3 million and go way up. Everything is available if you want to and can afford to pay. If I were 15 years younger I’d go New Horizons, at 72 I’ll muddle through. Besides, my 3 Montana’s have been mostly trouble free so far

[Montana Man]

I would be happy if what I bought stayed together and simply functioned as expected.

[fatcatzzz]

Take a look at Riverstone. We are going with a FLTH.

[jretz]

Our first Montana, a 2007 3400, was great. We traded it in for a 2015 3720 that had many problems. We now have a 2020 Vilano 320GK by Vanleigh (Tiffin). Great unit, real solid wood, no laminates, an over all solid rig. We looked at them for 3 years before buying. We did downsize but that is what we needed. Now we can get into more Forest Service and National Park campgrounds.

Our 3720 had the bedroom slide go out, refigerator control board fail, slide topper come loose and drop down, along with the flimsy cabinet doors coming loose, kitchen slide scaring the floor, water pump failure, trim around slide edges and over the bed falling down, crown molding seperating and falling down. It just did not seem built for travel.

Now our rig has real wood held up with nails and screws, not staples and glue.

[northern lights]

"File complaint with Consumer Protection Agency."

And, spend $150.00 or so to pay a lawyer to write a threatening letter. That may get their attention

[Last2Die]

Originally Posted by fatcatzzz

Take a look at Riverstone. We are going with a FLTH.

Same. Going with 39RKFB. Will be ordering really soon with most of the options.

Tony

[Eagleback]

Originally Posted by wade

Grand Design and was going to go back to getting Cardinals also

We had a grand design and they have the same problems as Montana. Dont be fooled that one is better than another. There all the same. Check out the Jayco forum and its all the same issues. across the entire industry. What make Montana stand out more is there the largest by sales 5th wheel in the country. go any where and any rver knows a montana. But will ask what is solitude or reflection. ohh its a fifth wheel. OK

[WRG]

We had the same problem on our 2017 High country, 352RL. Montana is well aware of this problem. I posted this problem years ago. Good luck

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Do your research on GD. They are no better than any other brand. They came out strong (ex Keystone execs) touting build and customer service. They are just like all the rest...and they have to be if they want to sell units.

They were on my short list but about 10% higher than a Keystone so I wanted to investigate to see what I would get. Nothing really. Same build quality but maybe, possibly, a better customer service experience. That doesn't mean a lot since they have to work with a dealer anyway.

Dealers/warranty work? I was in FL at the time but the dealer there said he had warranty work backed up....2-4 weeks before they could even assess it. Called the TX dealer....might be 2 MONTHS before it could be assessed. I bought a Keystone.

I do believe you might be able to find a better quality 5th wheel than those most buy but I'm not spending 200k to find out I was wrong.

Edit: Looks like CaptnJohn and I were typing at the same time saying the same thing.

Yep this is similar to what I have said in the past about Grand Design as well. There is more than one guy up in Indiana that has made their fortune starting RV brands, building them up (with better quality at first and a LOT of hype over it) then selling the brand off to one of the major three that in time will draw the quality back down to maximize profit.

RV manufactures are in the business of making money. They could care less what the final consumer thinks about their products. Their customers are the dealerships. The dealerships only care about moving product out the door so they buy what sells quick. They will smile real big and fill you a line of BS a mile long to get you to sign and pull it off the lot. After that they could care less about you or the camper. There may be a couple of exceptions to the rule but this applies to about 90% of the industry. If you think otherwise, your just the kind of person they love to see walk into the door of the average dealership.

I have been watching this industry for a good while now and have come to the conclusion that unless your willing to spend your life fortune on a custom build, your going to be buying something that was made as cheap and as fast as possible. Quality be damned. Especially right now with the industry growing as fast as it is.

[dfb]

At 7 feathers.. Park has a dealer here showing some rvs. We are looking at a 2018 LANDMARK PHOENIX.. WOW! Very pretty. Full body paint. 44 feet long, H rated tires. This is the most beautiful 5ver we have seen. Many accent lights that dim. New was 139000. They want 84000. While bringing the slide in the bottom ripped apart.. .. OMG.... They would give 35000 trade in. Why dont they add for the LEGACY option? It cost 6000 more.