Today we went to the Montana factory tour, where the 2006 models are currently being built. We took some pictures of changes new to us. Some of these were introduced in the late 2005 models, the rest in the 2006's. There may be a few that were new before that but I was not aware of them since ours is a 2003. Here's a summary of some of the info with pictures where we have them.
1. The furnace was moved closer to the bedroom for better airflow, warmer bath/bed area.
2. New air intake location for the furnace:
3. king sized bed option (new in 2004 or 2005?)
4. Wall colors have less gray and white and are more creamy in appearance. More attractive (to us). Sorry, didn't get a good picture.
5. New cabinet hardware (handles) match throughout. Sorry, my picture didn't turn out. They're antique brass.
6. Water pipes are now just under the floor (late 2005 and later) with no chance to touch the frame.
7. Couches and recliners look like something out of a stick home. Large roll arms, etc. The couch was firm but comfortable. The recliner looked incredibly comfortable and the one I sat in sat as well as it looked.
8. Low point drains valves now in basement storage. Should eliminate the freezing problem.
9. New shackles. Much thicker, look much more substantial than the problem shackles many of us have.
10. In the past, some models had patio awnings that did not cover the entry door because of the grab rail positioning. That's resolved.
11. Bedroom TV is on a swivel tray.
12. End table has some kind of pull-up (not sure how this worked) checker/chessboard.
13. One (?) model previously had a problem with the furnace exhaust scorching the entry door when in the open position. Now there's a "bumper" there to keep the door from opening that far.
14. New nose graphics - note more blue, less red
15. New side graphics - more blue, less red
We really liked both the nose and side graphics.
16. New, one-piece rear window on rear lounge models. Also a dark tint.
17. One piece insulation under the nose, for less drafts. The old method was vertical strips of insulation.
18. The rosewood color is being discontinued because the company who provided the fabric went out of business. That doesn't mean they won't find a replacement but for now it's discontinued as soon as existing stock is depleted.
No doubt I've missed some things. If anyone (including Vicki) remembers other changes, please add to this.