RV Prince and Rating s Guide - Save your money - Montana Owners Club

Montana_4361 · 08-25-2005, 10:18 AM

Ok, dont' mean to start a war here but this is really bugging me. I am in the market for a new 5th wheel (not my first) and have read a lot about how good the RV price and rating guide is (CRDOM). So I order it and the book on buying and purchasing an rv. Book is worth every penny...CDROM????? I am not so sure.

Example....user comments which they base much of their ratings on are almost non existent for most models and sparse with many years not covered and just don't backup the ratings. Example....Montanan, best selling RV most dealers have on the lot, lousy ratings and only a sample of comments many several years old. When I called to ask a simple question about how to inpterpet a rating in the report (no it was not covered i the help section or glossary) they could only answer this simple question if I emailed it to them. COME ON! 60 seconds would have been all it would have taken.. how many emails back and forth would I have to send to fully understand something. The explanations they give on their data are minumal and they don't provide the backup date. Somde 2005 models of which have not changed for years in construction or enginering or major ammenities get 2 stars while the same model one or two years older get 3?? Are 2005 ratings not complete since we're only part way through the year...no mention of that but can be missleading to comsumer.

Don't get me wrong, the data is helpfull if you read between the lines but I would not take it at face value. Having spent several weeks reading forums, doing on line reseach and talking to factory reps the data did not change my mind and did not tell me much I did not already know. IMO save your money unless you just don't have the time to research, read forums like this one and RV.net and RVTRADER and others and use comon sense. If you do buy it read the explanations minimal as they are and compare with what you here in the forums and learn to take it for what is is...an opinion, nothing more.

This is one time that "you get what you pay for" is not valid.

Given Montana sales being so high either the consumer is dumb (NOT!) or their not looking at the buyers guide or they are smart enough to see it for what it's worth or in this case not worth.

If you found it helpfull great.. I personally did not and can not recommend it to others.

rames14 · 08-25-2005, 01:16 PM

Guildjw -

I was fortunate to have a good dealer to recommend me to the Montana line. I didn't know anyone and didn't know about this forum at the time. I have been very happy with my Montana and the whole Montana experience (rallies, MOC, etc.). They aren't perfect as you see on the site, but most people would be a repeat buyer. As for me, I will probably buy another one in 2012.

richfaa · 08-25-2005, 02:08 PM

Those so called guides are not worth anything...Just look at the sticker price, take about 32% off and start your dickering there.If a dealer can't give you 25% off Even the best selling model, go to another dealer. Most of those "ratings" come from owners just like the ones on this forum.Things are going to go wrong.The RV industry is not famous for its quality control..However Keystone stands above others in its willingnes to correct any and all issues that you may have////

Illini Trekker · 08-25-2005, 02:19 PM

The Montana band is an excellent rv in its price range. The rating guides are not concerned with pricing point in there ratings. All bands of Rv's will have brake downs and all will need repairs and maintained. I'm happy with the purchase we made and I also looked at the ratings before buying. I would look at the dealer you buy from first then brand. Best of luck with your next purchase!

melnjoy · 08-25-2005, 02:58 PM

We looked for two years before we got the Montana, [not because they are the best they are not] WE searched all over the US on which 5th Wheels where selling used, and in most cases it was not a Montana, which tells me that people where not willing to part with the one that they have. We also talked to a lot of people and Dealers. We always came back to the Montana and have not looked back since
Just another thought
Mel

Parrothead · 08-25-2005, 06:40 PM

Unlike this forum, most other forums are for gripes only. People who have a bad experience get on all these forums and bash a particular brand. Also I think some of it is jealousy!
Happy trails..................

harleyrider · 08-25-2005, 11:32 PM

For me I have had my fair share of problems with my Montana thats for sure.But I have no regrets in buying it at all.When I go up to my storage area and hook up and drive away-I have this smile on my face that shows the pride I have in my RV.I don`t believe I have ever been in a camp ground where their wasn`t at least one other Montana.

drhowell · 08-26-2005, 02:21 AM

I don't rely much on guides other than basic research. Usually they just create more questions then answers. When I started looking at used Montana's the first thing I checked was general price ranges for different years and models. The resale price vs the original price gives you the trend over a very large cross section of owners. Then I start searching the Web for "problems with _____________"(in this case Montana). Usually you get a number of hits and you can scan through to see the general trends. If there are a number of problem issues on chat lines that are similar you can get an idea of the questions you need to ask and where there may be hidden issues. I found the MOC and several other RV groups that discussed Montana's but the MOC was by far the best. I started asking questions and searching past discussions on MOC weeks before I made an offer on my 2001 3280RL. Found several MOC members right here in my Back yard and started new friendships immediately. Their past experience and knowledge has been invaluable as I work through the problems and upgrades my unit required. The MOC "Family" is the BEST!

Fordzilla · 08-26-2005, 03:02 AM

I have found this site the most helpful while picking out our current trailer. I did lots of research and read lots of interesting stuff on the net. But when it boiled down to it I thought the people on this site were honest and not the finger pointing group like so many others are.

DHenry · 08-26-2005, 04:26 AM

I was at a Cardinal dealership and asked the salesman which 5th wheels were the best competition to their line, he mentioned several brands and then told me that the Cardinal was the "Montana Killer". I asked what he meant by that and he said that Montana was the top selling brand and that the Cardinal would over take it. I had to go look at the Montanas then and here I am the proud owner of a 3670RL which in my opinion was the best unit for the money. This site also was a very big help in making my decision.

richfaa · 08-26-2005, 05:31 AM

Dhenry. interesting observation with the Cardinal..My opinion is that the Cardinal and the Montana are very comparable.Been through both plants, belong to both forums.Except for floor plan choice we see little, if any difference, between the two brands in terms of quality and they both suffer similar problems. Go to the Cardinal forum, substitute Montana for Cardinal and you would not know which forum you where on. (Cardinal owners is a MUCH smaller forum)It is also interesting that we to chose to buy the Montana 3670. The difference Keystone's willingness to correct problems..Forest River does not have a good track record on that. Here is what Cardinal has that Montana needs to worry about ..They know who the enemy is and and are trying to overtake (kill)them.The only way they can do that is Improve dealer service and UNIT QUALITY. If Forest River is successful in doing that, and they have incentive..Sales=profit..Montana can be in big trouble.Hope Montana is looking over their shoulder and they engage in a little Quality war..would benefit the consumer..

sreigle · 08-26-2005, 06:11 PM

Richfaa, last week we had a Montana owner next to us (not yet a member) who just "dumped" a Forest River product because their experience was Forest River didn't even want to discuss the many problems they were having. Maybe that's not typical but I found it interesting.

Guildjw, may I ask who publishes that guide? Is that the RVCG book? Thanks.

As for which is what on quality, I don't think what I'm going to say applies to situations where we're talking large dollar differences, but among those products in the same "class".... it seems to me that regardless of whether you are talking fifthwheels, travel trailers, trucks, cars, or vacuum cleaners, if a particular brand is consistently the best seller year after year after year, then it must be the best bang for the buck or it would lose its leadership position. Montana is number one for four years in a row. That has to mean something. Just my opinion. I've been wrong before but I'm pretty much convinced of this.

richfaa · 08-27-2005, 11:46 AM

The owner that dumped Forest River is exactly what I was talking about..They do NOT stand behind the product like Montana. does.The thing about being #1 is that there will always be someone chasing you and if you become complacent they just may pass you up.I think a large part of Montana being #1 is their dealerships(in general) and their warranty service, even to the point of correcting issues out of warranty.Montana and Cardinal are pretty much in the same class price wise. Quality in a large part is in the eye of the beholder.Both Companies draw from the same labor pool, use the same materials/vendors. etc. Something sets Montana apart.Those of us who have or will have Montans's know what that is////

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