Info on 2980RL? - Montana Owners Club

boylanag · 08-20-2006, 03:15 AM

We are looking at a 2006 2980RL. We need more space than our 2002 2850RK has and this seems to be just the right one. We are beginning to travel more and we can't carry much now and there is no room for a w/d. This is 3 feet longer and has more basement space than we have now. The 2980 seems great for our needs and budget but it seems like this is no longer going to be produced. We would appreciate any information that you may have on this.

Carol and Jim Boylan
2002 2850RK

Trailer Trash 2 · 08-20-2006, 05:10 AM

We have a 2980RL and love it, we are not full timing it, but when we go out we are comfortable, and have lots of room for the three of us. the recliner are OK but there are a few out in the MOC that have changed them if you do a search you will find the topic, just be careful on the width of the recliners for the slide in of the kitchen and the front room.
as you stated the basement is huge we have most of our stuff in there when we travel, and the rugs and fencing goes in the truck bed.
They are a heavy trailer, and have a lot of pin weight too. it tows very well, and rolls nice. in the winds I had no problem in the handeling department.
We would purchase one again,

Don, Georgia and Smokey.
AKA: Trailer Trash 2
FORD F-350 Turbo Diesel, Clydesdale, Banks Stinger, Prodigy Controler,
Pullin a Super Fine 2004 / 2980-RL

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sreigle · 08-20-2006, 09:34 AM

At the factory tour we took in July someone said they'd heard the 2980 is being discontinued. Our tour guide said it is being replaced by a 3080. I have no other information and don't know if that's still the plan.

Our first Montana was a 2880RL, a prior generation to the 2980. We loved it and would probably still have it but there was no provision for a w/d and we wanted the w/d for our fulltiming.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

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Cat320 · 08-20-2006, 09:45 AM

sreigle said..."Our tour guide said it is being replaced by a 3080."

Close, the 2980 is being replaced in 2007 by the 3075RL. When we were shopping a couple of months ago, we got a photo copy of the 3075's floor plan. It is exactly the same as the 2980 except there is no kitchen counter that runs parallel to the long axis of the coach in the center of the coach. It's a 2980 with the counter cut off after the perpendicular piece from the entrance door toward the center of the rig. In the 2980 the sinks were in the parallel piece that has been eliminated on the 3075, so the sinks are now in the perpendicular piece.

simonsrf · 08-20-2006, 09:48 AM

Carol and Jim,
We have a new 2006 2980RL and are in the process of setting it up to start fulltiming by Oct. 1, 2006. I am sure that the features we found and liked are probably the same ones you like ie: the center kitchen island, etc., but we did do quite a bit of furniture rearranging, and we think we have it just right.

First, we completely removed one of the recliners and two of the dining room chairs. We then put the recliner where the dining room table is, and moved the dining room table and two chairs back to where the recliners were located. The purpose was so that we didn't have to walk all-the-way-around the counter to get to the table, and it also gave extra counter space for kitchen use. If you do this, be aware that the table will not sit in the middle of the back window unless you turn it parallel to the window. We turned ours the opposite way and it lines up with the counter, but be careful that you have it centered in the right place so when the slides are closed they fit. We screwed it back down to the floor.

This modification made the difference for us between this unit and a bigger one. We are very pleased with the result.

I was also able to put a standup freezer at the end of the kitchen counter!

If you have questions, please ask!

Peace!
Robbie & Alice Simons
Seattle

2006 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 SWB Laramie (LNRNGR)
2006 2980RL (TONTOW)
Line-X bed liner
Jacobs Exhaust Brake
Prodigy Brake Controller
Hijacker 24-UMS-21 Hitch
Start Fulltiming 10/2006

boylanag · 08-20-2006, 10:59 AM

Thank you so much for the responses. We really appreciate them. We are really getting excited now and hope to bring this to the rally. We are now looking into the weight issue and it should be close but ok. We have a 2001 F250 2 wd gas with 5.4l and 4.10 rear end. It pulls our 2850RK like a dream.

Carol and Jim Boylan
2002 2850RK

sreigle · 08-20-2006, 02:23 PM

Robbie, I'm a little off topic but it struck me that the rearranging you have done in your 2980 is almost identical to what we (and several others) have done with our 3295RK, except we started with just one recliner. I'm sitting at this moment where the dining table is according to the floorplan.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

simonsrf · 08-20-2006, 05:02 PM

Steve,
Maybe they built them so you had the option to move things? I got to tell ya, when we made that change, it changed life in there for us. One evening we were just sitting there looking at all the things we needed to do, and all of a sudden it was like the obvious thing to do to fit our lifestyle. I can't describe how confining I felt with 2 recliners in there. What the heck were they thinking when they put all that stuff in there? We love the change.

No, I don't think we are off-topic, he asked about the 2980RL, I responded to his question and you replied properly to a like situation that both you and I, and Carol and Jim may find informational.

Peace!
Robbie & Alice Simons
Seattle

2006 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 SWB Laramie (LNRNGR)
2006 2980RL (TONTOW)
Line-X bed liner
Jacobs Exhaust Brake
Prodigy Brake Controller
Hijacker 24-UMS-21 Hitch
Start Fulltiming 10/2006

sreigle · 08-21-2006, 04:17 AM

We had to unscrew the table from the floor but nothing else was fastened down. We made the change immediately after visiting RC and Samantha at their home and seeing how they'd arranged the furniture in their 3295RK. It's great to be able to rearrange things to fit your own needs and wants.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

Trailer Trash 2 · 08-21-2006, 07:50 AM

Just my luck, everything I buy is discontinued in a few years.
It sounds like they took much needed counter and cabinet space away in the newer model 2980RL. I think I'll keep mine for a couple more years.

Don, Georgia and Smokey.
AKA: Trailer Trash 2
FORD F-350 Turbo Diesel, Clydesdale, Banks Stinger, Prodigy Controler,
Pullin a Super Fine 2004 / 2980-RL

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JH Sechelt · 08-21-2006, 01:04 PM

I know what you mean Don,

Every time I buy a new computer or some new power tools they seem to come on sale a week or two later.
We really like our 2980RL, It has the same lay out as our 2005 Wilderness advantage had. The wilderness was only a 2550, and after the fact we found it too small and had not enough closet space. The wife likes the layout of the 3400 but where do you stop?? we'll keep our 2980 for a few years to come. ( Maybe 1 or 2 - DW )

J&D

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[IMG]John & Dawn

Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
2006 2980RL &
2005 F350 Lariet, Crewcab
Shortbox Powerstroke 4X4

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