New on forum

[prfcdoc]

Hello all. My wife and I have been researching 5th wheels for a couple of years in anticipation of retiring and spending some time on the road. Still have a couple of years to go so have time to be extra careful in our choice. The Montana front bath is on our short list so thought I would join the forum and follow the topics to give me an idea about the company and product. I've been on a general rv forum for the past few years so understand the general issues that all "homes on wheels" have but am starting to get more serious so honing in on our "short list" now. We'll be spending at least 8 months every year traveling so have to have something very livable and would prefer reliable

In a perfect world I would buy right now but don't have the time to take vacations until I retire. I'm a solo family doctor and don't have reliable backup. We want to be debt free when we do make the move so also have to save enough to pay cash for the rv and tow vehicle. That way we can more easily live on our retirement. Like many others our retirement portfolio was decimated twice in the past 15 years. Having said that we've otherwise lived a blessed life and look forward to finishing it on an up note, God willing and the creek don't rise.
Bob

[1retired06]

Welcome. We have the 3910 Front bath, and the floorplan works well for us.

[Dam Worker]

Welcome to the forum. There are others, myself included looking forward to retirement in the next four to five years. Lots of good information and great people on here. As for the Montana brand some have had no issues and others have had quite a bit of issues. Good luck in your search and in your upcoming retirement.

Tom Marty

[onekla]

From central Arkansas, welcome to the forum.

[stengels]

Welcome to the forum. We are full timers with the 3900FB. They changed it up slightly, but we really love the 1.5 baths. Lower level 1/2 bath is great for family and visitors. Ours does not have the loft bedroom, which some of the newer front baths have.

[CORattler]

Welcome from Colorado Springs. Enjoy the forum. Many good and knowledgeable folks here with lots of experience. I know there is nothing like new but don't overlook gently used and well maintained pre-owned truck/RV deals. LOTS of money can be saved and bugs already worked out.

[GLS3950]

Welcome from Il. I will be retiring in 2 mo. We just bought a 3950BR and are looking forward to traveling with it.
Find a floor plan that will work for you. As Dam Worker said I think it is the luck of the draw with any brand.

[prfcdoc]

quote:Originally posted by CORattler

Welcome from Colorado Springs. Enjoy the forum. Many good and knowledgeable folks here with lots of experience. I know there is nothing like new but don't overlook gently used and well maintained pre-owned truck/RV deals. LOTS of money can be saved and bugs already worked out.

I agree. My wife is so picky that it will be difficult to find what we want used. The truck, yes. The RV, hopefully.

[PackerFan]

Welcome to the MOC. Be sure to join in the many conversations and enjoy.

[chris199]

Welcome to the forum!!

[DarMar]

Welcome to the MOC forum and we wish you good luck with your future plans.

[Mudchief]

Welcome and enjoy this great forum. We have been pleased with all of our Montana's

[rames14]

Welcome from Colorado and to the best RV Forum on the web. Good luck in your search for the perfect RV. You've already identified that there are trade-offs. First, the Forum is an excellent place to find information on Montana's. Recognize that almost all brands use the same components - Lippert, Dometic, Suburban, Dexter, etc. Also, your buying decisions will greatly impact whether you enjoy your RV or wish you had never seen an RV. You may think the brand is the key decision or the floor plan. I would surmise the dealer is the choice that make the biggest impact on satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Tire selection is next. Almost all manufacturers offer Chinese E rated tires - referred to by affectionate names like Marabombs. Montana offers an upgraded G series tire, known as the G614, an American made Goodyear tire. Floor plan comes next, and then Manufacturer. We are on our third Montana over 13 years and have only positives to say. Plus, it's the only brand that comes with the MOC. That is MHO. One suggestion I would make is to scroll down to the Regional Camping Club section. Find a regional rally, stay at a local motel and spend time talking to owners. You will learn a lot from the Forum, but you will learn even more at a rally. We have one September11th in Colorado. We'd love to have you join us.

[prfcdoc]

THANKS, so much for such a warm welcome from everyone. The friendly people here are a mark on the plus side for owning a Montana.

[pkbridges77]

Ron's advice and encouragement above is outstanding. We are in our first 5th wheel, a clean, used Montana, and the support, advice and encouragement of fellow Montana owners is a real plus. We found the floor plan and then did the research, and as we approach full-timing in the next few months we have no regrets at all! The forum has been icing on the cake, so welcome!

[snowbirds R us]

Welcome from Missouri to this great forum and enjoy your stay. It’s a group of social and knowledgeable folks to help with any problems you may have with your Montana.

[sambam]

Welcome from New England. This is the best place to learn about Montanas. I would suggest, especially since you're not ready to buy today, visit some local dealers and educate yourself on what's out there. The suggestion to buy slightly used is a good one. It seems a large percentage of the new ones have minor headaches that need to be worked out before smooth sailing. And that's with any brand, even the real high dollar ones. If you're handy and willing, it may not be so bad, but if every annoyance means a trip to the dealer, it could get old in a hurry. We bought used, as a lot of others here have. We have had good luck with ours, but we looked around for a long time and had a real good feel for the market. When we stepped inside ours, we knew it was the one for us. I believe even picky people will find what they want, used, if they look around enough. I am biased, so I hope you choose a Montana. Enjoy the lifestyle and be sure to share your experiences and questions. Somebody here has seen it before, no matter what problem you may run into. Happy hunting!

[Bill-N-Donna]

Welcome to the forum!
Part of the enjoyment of owning a Montana is this forum.
This is a great place to share and find information about your Montana.

Hopefully we can meet on the road sometime.