Considering Another Brand Fifth Wheel

[Mark77]

I am halfway considering buying another 5'er... SOB. Stumbled on it and having a hard time talking myself out of it. NO commitments yet, just thinking.

I know I have been continuously updating my current Montana, but in a couple of days I could have it back to near OEM... at least the expensive stuff I could not recover in a sale of an older Monte.

Question... If I do the unthinkable and buy SOB, would those of you I have gotten to know and conversed with on these pages all of these years still accept me ? How many others here have SOB but still hang out here at home? I now Larry (Drifty1) has a Luxe and he camped in the circle at Quartzite the year we were there.

Someone talk me out of this please!

 

[Carl n Susan]

Once a Monty owner, always a Monty owner.

 

[MandK]

I stop and check in here just about everyday. This community, many of whom I have personally met by attending some of the rallies, has taught me most of what I know about 5ers. I stay mostly in the shadows now, but every now and then something comes up that I can throw my 2 cents at. This place seems more about the community than the name plate on the trailer.

 

[mlh]

You should do what is best for you.
Lynwood

 

[Mikendebbie]

Absolutely should get the rig you want AND you should stay in this forum! The same stuff will break on your SOB, and you can come here to share your fixes!

 

[DutchmenSport]

Take a deep breath before jumping in too fast. I'm not saying to "not" do it, I'm just saying, think it through carefully. Consider the cost of your plates and registration. (In Indiana, you pay a LOT more for a new trailer than one even a couple years old. And, the cost continues to reduce each year.) Consider the cost of insurance. Consider if you must take out a loan. If you are paying the full amount up front, what's that going to do to your overall savings (retirement) or available cash flow? Will the new trailer need new tires right off the bat. You did not indicate if this is a brand new camper or a prior owned one.

A wise old preacher gave me some sage advise when I was 23 years old when I was considering marrying a girlfriend. He said, "Dave, put your heart in the deep freeze and put your head in the oven." Well, it took a little bit to figure out what he meant by that, but in the end, I never married the girl. Yes, she would have been the wrong one looking back. I offer you the same sage advise. In the end, it's your choice, just make sure your head and heart are in alignment, and your decision will be sound and solid!

 

[BB_TX]

To me the primary consideration would be how much longer you can expect to be RVing based on age and health. If 5-7 years max then a new one is a very large expense with a lot of depreciation for that short time frame. If 10 years or more then go for it.

If cost is not even a consideration, then go for what you think you will most enjoy over your future RV life and don’t look back.

As far as staying on the forum, we sold ours 5 years ago and haven’t bought another (yet). But they still let me hang around and contribute when I can.

 

[Mark77]

I appreciate all of the comments.

We have come very close to committing to this other rig. To clarify, it is not a new rig. It's 13 years old, but there is quite a story behind it. We are in a buyers market so that is good for me on one side, but not so much on the other. We can afford the rig without going on a beans and rice diet, and don't have to be in a hurry to sell the Montana.

Side note... I went to where my Montana has been parked for the last 3 weeks about an hour from home and opened the refrigerator to put my weekend food in there and noted immediately that there was a problem. Warm! 80˚ in the fridge and freezer! I have another thread asking about that issue here, but all I had to throw away was 1/2 package of sandwich meat.

It's like my 22 year old Monte knows we might be parting company after 9 years and it is not happy about it!

I have exchanged ideas with many of you here for quite a few years, so I don't want to go anywhere. Many of the issues discussed here are common to many different brands so if something isn't brand specific, I guess it doesn't matter where it is discussed.

I'll let you all know soon what happens in the coming weeks.

 

[jackel1959]

We are SOB's since 2018, Heartland Bighorn. We are still accepted here and by everyone at MOC rallies we attend. As Carl said "once a Monty owner, always a Monty owner". You need to buy what is best for you and your needs. When it was time to replace our Montana, there was nothing being made that appealed to us. I look at Keystone's website often and still am not seeing anything that suits our wants, desires and needs. If people here on the forum have an issue just because you buy what makes you happy, then it is their problem and not yours....there are plenty of others that just don't care. I have made many life long friends through this forum and rallies and won't give that up. It's all about the people not what brand you own...just my two cents!
Jack

 

[jkxtreme]

Do your homework... Tire rating, axle rating, material storage, the windows.

 

[Dfb]

Happy trails and u r welcome here.

 

[bigred715]

Unfortunately due to failing health we gave up our 2010 3000RK trailer last August and very much miss it. I feel it was one of the best looking trailer out there and served us well. I feel that it could have served us quite well for a few more years. Seeing people heading out over the mountains or to the coast makes me envious and missing all the national parks with the hiking, biking and relaxing that we enjoyed.

 

[Miatadoc]

Like MandK, we are also SOB owners (Cedar Creek sine 2020), but I check in frequently and contribute when there are common issues to which I may be able to contribute. Like others, I continue to learn from this community. Glad to be able to still be a part of it. MandK, nice rig!

 

[Daryles]

Confession time....
We sold the farm and went full-time in our 35' 3130re.
Re-domiciled to Texas. Better for taxes.
After 6 months we decided it was too small. We always liked the the layout of the 3790 with the rear den and all that storage underneath.
Montana nolonger makes it.
About a month ago,
We looked at a Grand Design 376rd. It was perfect. Got a good deal on it and our trade in. LOTS more room. Huge shower and bathroom. Love the interior decor and storage space.
Less interior storage space we are learning and adjusting. All our winter clothes are now stored in bags down below. Along with everything we don't use on a daily/regular basis.
This one doesn't have slide toppers. Our Montana, Anniversary Edition, did.
That's one thing we will be adding in the future.
Truth be told we have had problems.
Both Rear brake lights broken.
Bedroom slide (Schwintek) must be pushed out the last 6".
Kitchen skylight leaked (discovered it had a crack in the flange. Fixed with Dicor)
Entrance door sticks. Won't open/close. Removed the striker plate. Works now. Friction hinges (hate them) are warped. Entire frame needs replaced.
Left front hydraulic jack leaks down (internal).
Right rear slide (Schwintek) leaks (after edge) drips out on the floor. The water has damaged the rear entertainment center. Wipers and seals look good.
Ceiling vent over the TV is broken.
AND
Can't get the dealership to return our calls of course.
TG for this group. With your combined experience and knowledge I can tackle a lot of the problems. Just the other day ChuckS wrote how to troubleshoot the hydraulic jack issue (which I will attempt today).
Hope you don't mind if I stay to share what I can.

 

[VagabondLove]

I traded my Monty for a River Ranch, but still hang out here with this awesome group....

 

[Mikendebbie]

I dont think it matters what name decal is on the nose cap…issues seem to be universal.

Daryles - you seem to have a library of helpful photos and lessons learned…you cant leave the forum…might be against TX law!

Where in TX? Or is that classified information?

 

[Daryles]

We have been using Escapees mail forwarding services out of Livingston Texas for years, so changing domicile to Livingston was simple. All our bills had that address already.
For the new RV, you MUST have the "manufacturer certificate of Origin".
We didn't close the deal until we had that in our hand.
When we bought the Montana in 2019, it took 3 months and a letter from the property tax office , threatening Camping World of Memphis, they will be referred to the Missouri States Attorney General for fraud, before the MCO showed up in the mail. I'm pretty sure they lost it and had to get a new one from Keystone.

 

[Mark77]

I had no idea that this was going to be a thread for people to "come clean" and fess up to even considering such things.

I may as well join the group of soon to be former Montana owners. While I still have my '04 33295RK and really like it, yesterday the DW and I made a nearly 600 mile round trip and towed home a 2013 Cedar Creek 34RLSA. I WAS NOT in the market for another RV, but this one jumped out at me for a number of reasons and after a couple of weeks of consideration and careful thought we went over and visited a really nice couple who replaced it with a park model set up in Mesa, AZ and will no longer be towing an RV back and forth. Very few issues with the rig. What sold me was the floorpan and the history of this particular unit. Has always been serviced my Amish Family RV... they have a reputation with Cedar Creek owners and a very long waiting list if you want to get in there.

I am not going anywhere either. Really like it here, though I may contribute on the sister RVLiife Forest River forum from time to time. I started out there with a 7xx post count and that confused me. All of the RVLife forums are tied together!

We are tentatively planning on going back to Quartzite this year, and would love to stay with the Montana folks. Hope you all will have us, even if we have to stay outside the circle.

 

[Kfinnert]

Mark77, congrats to the purchase of the new-to-you Cedar Creek. We will see you at the Montana Circle in Quartzsite. We trust that you will have tales of travels in the new 5'r.

Cheers