Have you every thought something was a good idea at the time, and as time went by realized, no, that was not a good idea? Then realized the backing out of it and making things right could be a little embarrassing. Well that is what's happened to me with respect to this forum. So I decided stop thinking about it so much and make things right no matter how embarrassing, or silly I felt.
Many of you were with me from the beginning of my nightmare with my first Miss Montana. You listened, you offered advice and support. You were also right there with me when the New and Improved Miss Montana came onto the scene and I felt you were as happy as me.
When the nightmare started right out of the gate, not one month in, I was devastated and could not bring myself to post this on the forum. I didn't want to start whining all over again and causing a stir or just admit it.
So I thought I'll just get this taken care of, then post that I had some problems and all things were well again. The one thing I did not aticipate is how it would truly affect my participation on the forum. I had not thought about the posts to come with questions like, "I just bought a 29980RL, has anyone had any problems" or, "What do you think?" I had told Keystone I would keep this between them and me (they didn't ask me to) and I felt stuck between a rock and hard place through my own doing by promising Keystone, but felt like a fraud on the forum.
Now I feel the best thing to do is share this with any of you who would care to know so I can get back on the forum and participate in an open and honest way with the hope that I have not totally lost my respect with the forum.
I have to say that, once again, Keystone has really stepped up to the plate and have done everything they could to make things right. It looks like I might almost be there, but it has been a very big disapointment to have to go through it again. Having said that, I still believe the Montana is a good product and Keystone is a good a honest company and what has happened to me is a fluke to say the least. I have talked to too many Montana owner's on the forum and elsewhere to know that my problems have been way out of the norm. I think maybe I have been chosen to bring Keystone's attention to their real issues with quality control. When they accept a few things can go wrong or a unit may need a trip back to the dealer for a little warranty work, they overlook what the consequences can be for taking that approach when quality control gets too complacent. I feel with this second unit, there just was no excuse.
For those of you who are still reading and have an interest, I'll briefly tell you what's transpired in the last few weeks and fill in the blanks on some of my recent posts that I have been asked about.
The New and Improved Miss Montana had a few problems. Leaking shower, screen door adjusment, a broken mini blind. Nothing big. The usual. Then it rained. Rained hard. I was soaking up water at 3AM. (forward dinning room, then the bedroom) Called a water removal company in the morning. Blowers going for 6 days.
It was decided that Miss Montana had to go back to Indiana. This is where all my draining the tanks and "winterizing" posts came in. It was 70 dgrees here in FL and she was headed to 16 degrees in IN.
She was IN for two weeks. It was discovered that there was a serious defect in caulking at the front dinning room window (causing a rapid flow of water down the wall onto the carpet area) and a manufacturing defect on the bedroom slide. My post about the vertical gutter on the stage three slide design. It appears I was right on this one and the guttter did not extend to the bottom of the slide as it should have. This was corrected and new seals added.
Miss Montana arrived home. I was hopeful and happy to be home. But no hot water. They told me they checked out the system and it was a go. But after a visit from a local tech I found the element to be fried. There was water in the tank when "I' fired it up. There was also a missing piece that regulates the air flow with the gas, so using gas was a turbo, crazy, yellow, flame. (As per my post on this matter). The tech used a scrap piece of metal to temporairly allow me to use gas. I'm still waiting on the local RV parts store to get the element for the electric and the correct piece for the gas.
This is minor stuff and will get taken care of. It has not rained yet. So that remains to be seen. The funny thing is that the things going wrong now, lets not forget living three weeks out of a cooler, are things, except for leaks, that never went wrong in the first unit. It's just too weird!
So that's it. I hope I haven't been a bore, but I wanted to come clean.
Finally, I want to say, that no matter what problems I've had, Keystone has always treated me with respect, been responsive, and stepped up to take care of my problems in the most efficient and courteous manner for me. I can't complain about them standing behind their warranty. I can complain about them building me a new unit and falling so short of getting it right with the second chance and then sending it back, again, less than perfect.
So that's it. I've come clean. I do hope you understand why I chose to just shut up about it and why, I now I feel, it was not the best thing to do with respect to the forum.
If I post in the future that is is going to rain. Pleas cross your fingers, look up, and pray!
fla native
2004 2980RL (Miss Montana) towed by 2001 Dodge diesel 3500 (LadyRam)
Edited by - fla native on 03/31/2004 9:31:15 PM
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