Warning a long rant follows:
I think we also need to remember that every trailer has a market. Do we all fit into that market scheme? Probably not.
I think we need to remember, that the only perfect trailer, ohhhh, never mind, old joke told by a dude by the name of Mr. Rank. It was a hysterical joke/story about heaven and delivery fees. Great joke.
I am reminded of when we did a plant tour in Goshen wayyyyy back in the dark ages when we purchased Tana. They had these fancy dancy new chairs sitting round the plant, as prototypes. These chairs were just the coolest things ever,
the seats had hidden storage!
I WANTED those chairs, I REALLY wanted those chairs. I was all over that tour guide asking how can I get these chairs in my unit. I. WANTED. THEM!!
He proceeded to tell me how they were still bartering with the vendor over the unit price, they were getting close, but
They were still $1.00 apart on price per unit. Yep, $1.00.
I was told if they could not get the vendor down that $1.00 they would not be upgrading the chairs to the ones with the wondrous seat that lifts for storage.
Keystone is in business first to make a profit. They seem to want us to be happy and excited to own their products. They cannot give us these units, I mean, if they were gonna give em away, may I please have that new prototype??
![[:p]](https://www.montanaowners.com/images/moc/icon_smile_tongue_105.gif "Stick Out Tongue [:p]")
They have to weigh all the available goodies they can include vs what they target as their market. Seems they have decided some items do not fit in with their market, like maybe a air pin?? That is something that CountryGuy and I feel extremely strong about, but, Keystone does not put on, or even offer, an air pin, so, we do what we gotta do, eh? We bought one for ourselves. Air pins are not in their targeted market right now.
There used to be a saying round here, that some of the members of this forum thought that their Montanas were a LOT of bang for the buck.
And, as has been pointed out just a few times in the over 10 years CountryGuy and I have been members of this forum, we hear LOTS of bad stories and not too many good ones. Members come here to get answers when they have trouble. How many of us over the years have said something good, like,
"Wowswer, I really love that chair with the storage in the seat? or whatever."
"I love the color, I love, something."
How bout, "that light on the wall, it has NEVER failed??"
Now, I know those are lousy examples. But, really, how many people come to this forum and go on and on about the great things in their unit the way some of us do about the crappy things in our units?
Have some of our issues with OUR Tana been serious? You bet. We have had frame flex, we have had the bedroom slide out and laying on its side in the plant. I got to see them under my beloved Tana with a torch when we had the axles changed. We had a good tire blow. We have had several failures of the landing legs and all that equipment. We now have 2 motors on our landing legs, one for the right, one for the left. We have had some minor graphics issues (compared to some, VERY minor).
We had a air conditioner that peed all over the inside of Tana cause the drip trays or something were ill designed (you don't hear about that issue any more do you?? I don't, cause they changed stuff after ours and many others had to be replaced so they would not pee all over our carpets - - by the way, that water is downright cold when it hits you in the middle of the back, just sayin- - )
We have been in this sport since 1972 or 3. We did the normal progression so many of us take, tent, popup, hard sided TT, another hard sided TT and then, OHHH MYYYY the trailer of my dreams, Tana! She had slide outs, she had real wood cabinet doors, she was like a freakin house on wheels! She had a desk! Just for me!
And, we expected things would show up, like the bathroom door handles that failed twice, with me OUTSIDE. Like the front door lock that failed twice with us INSIDE.
This sport has it's challenges. We roll em down the highways, I love how some here talk about rolling earthquakes. Oh, yes, indeed.
These units are NOT rolling Taj Mahals.
Read my signature line, ya better be handy with your money and/or handy with your hands.
They make no perfect trailer. To expect one is to invite disappointment. We can see that here on the forum.
I am so sorry you all are disappointed. As I pointed out, CountryGuy and I have had a few issues with our Tana, it was rather concerning. But, we did expect it. To do otherwise is to invite that disappointment. Maybe in another 40 years they will make the perfect trailer?? Maybe in 40 years they will improve the roads too. I wonder what that perfect unit will cost?
Do I think our Montanas are perfect? Nope. Do I think some of the quality control issues are suspect. Yep. There is the blazen truth.
But, when I think of the friends, the nights round the campfire, where my home, my Tana has taken me, well, I still think it is worth it. Sometimes CountryGuy may not, but when all is fixed and we are rolling again, I do believe I hear some song over there in the drivers seat, something about,
On the Road Again??
When we live in a perfect world, I will demand a perfect rig.
In the meantime, keep those $$ ready and hope your hands can fix a lot of stuff. That is our reality, CountryGuys and mine.
See ya down the road sometime in some campground where they may or may not have perfect hookups, but, we WILL be camping, eh??
Now, if you have managed to read this entire rant, you have earned the right, you have my permission to flame away! (Its rather chilly here in SE Michigan, and I will welcome the warmth.)
![[:0]](https://www.montanaowners.com/images/moc/icon_smile_shock_113.gif "Shock [:0]"){kind=icon}
