Hi All,Been looking for awhile now at different floor plans and getting close to pulling the trigger. Possibly as soon as next month. We have been around the world it seems looking at different ones and keep coming back to the Montana 3790/3791RD. Been in several and really like everything about it and can get a decent deal right now. I know there is a thread on here with that exact model that has a nightmare story with the side panel coming loose from the frame. Wondering (hope) if this is an anomaly? Are there other folks on here with that model that are happy? Or Montana owners in general that love their rig? Also, you can get the rig with a residential fridge or a RV unit. Any reason to lean toward a residential Fridge?Appreciate any and all comments. Thanks!

Montana has been number one in sales for a long time. But since Thor took ownership I suspect your going to hear more problems. Residential refer? Go for it unless your planning to spend a lot of off grid time. Then the residental refer might be an issue.

Montana sells about 4-5 Thousand 5er's a year a good chunk more than anybody else so yeah they will have a few more complaints or a lemon here and there ,I have owned 3 Monty's a 2004 a 2012 and my 2015 all have been great with just minor issues,right now next to me in the resort is a newer Montana Rear Den and he loves it as far as the residential fridge I WISH! I missed it by 3 months on my early 2015:S

I would never get the residential fridge. I dont believe the manufacturers intended them to be installed in rv's. With the residential refrig, you have to cable the three or four doors/drawers down each time you travel. I don't know how a service tech could ever repair some of these units as I have seen them installed with islands right in front, peninsula's right in front. I would not want to move cabinetry/ disconnect plumbing and wiring if the refrig needed to be pulled out of the cabinet for a repair. Your rv has to be equipped with two batteries to keep the refrig running on an extended time disconnected from 50 amp service, that makes me uncomfortable as we take big long road trips.Montana and a bunch of other manufacturers are now offering an 18 cu ft Norcold RV refrig which runs electric or propane. It's a large four door side by side unit, some come with an ice maker as well. Very sharp unit with plenty of shelves and interior storage.I will stick with Norcold or Dometic for my rv refrigerator needs. I have never had a problem with either, and I have owned four fifth wheels over the last 16 years.

We boondock often so I kept pouring money into my NoCold 1200...Even a Armish cooling unit. Finally gave up and did a DIY installation of a 21 cuft Whirlpool. Two batteries will run it for 30+ hours before needing to recharge as it only draws 96 watts when running... less than half the time.For boondocking you want two batteries and with the home refrigerator I'd want four. Going residential is the best thing I've done to my MH in 13 years.

Possible New Montana (and fridge question) | Good Sam Community

Arcamper
Explorer
Apr 21, 2017
We ordered a 2016 3100RL with the options we wanted and it has been great so far. I received updates from the factory and they made it a shipping priority to our dealer once it was built. We only had a few minor issues like a loose ceiling fan blade and some rear ladder screws that I took care of and it has never been back to the dealer. I would buy one again but there is always a chance you get a unit like one poster has had nothing but trouble with. I think that's a risk with any brand out there. They all can make a lemon sometimes.
We have the big Norcold 18CF RV fridge and it has a lot of room and has performed flawless so far. I can tell you it uses a lot more power than a regular RV fridge because it has several fans built in. It has 2 inside and 2 or 3 outside that come on depending on how hot it is. When running on propane you can hear the burner 20 feet away so it will go through some propane also.
Also keep in mind they are heavy and tall. Our 3100 is the smallest one they make and equipped with a washer and dryer our pin weight is about 3,400 ready to camp. We pull with a Ram dually so weight is not an issue for us. Good luck with whatever you decide.
RustyJC
Explorer
Apr 21, 2017
After having the residential fridge in our current Mobile Suites, no way I'd ever go back to an RV fridge. The residential fridge is powered by the RV batteries through a dedicated 1500 watt PSW inverter, and the truck's alternator keeps the RV batteries topped up while we're traveling.

Two of our friends have lost RVs to RV fridge fires, and we've lost cooling units on both Norcold and Dometic RV fridges. Why would I want that aggravation and grief again?

Rusty
Me_Again
Explorer III
Apr 22, 2017
Our 2118 Nevercold in a 2017 Bighorn will not keep ice cream hard. Get the residential refer. RV refers in slides do not cool very well as the flow of air across the coils does not work well without a actual roof vent vs the side top vent in a slide.

But also check the pin weight of that trailer if you do not have a modern duallie. This trailer is beyond the capabilities of a SRW truck.

Fully loaded pin weight will be around 3700 or more if you add the washer and dryer.

Chris
quoyfab
Explorer
Apr 22, 2017
donn0128 wrote:
Montana has been number one in sales for a long time. But since Thor took ownership I suspect your going to hear more problems. Residential refer? Go for it unless your planning to spend a lot of off grid time. Then the residental refer might be an issue.

Thor bought Montana just about 15 years ago, about the same time we purchased our'02 Model 3295. We kept it for 10 years, and would have bought another Montana IF they made stuff in the 30' range. We downsized to a Cougar which we are most happy with.
quoyfab
Explorer
Apr 22, 2017
donn0128 wrote:
Montana has been number one in sales for a long time. But since Thor took ownership I suspect your going to hear more problems. Residential refer? Go for it unless your planning to spend a lot of off grid time. Then the residental refer might be an issue.

Thor bought Montana just about 15 years ago, about the same time we purchased our'02 Model 3295. We kept it for 10 years, and would have bought another Montana IF they made stuff in the 30' range. We downsized to a Cougar which we are most happy with.
Endricken
Explorer
Apr 23, 2017
On my old 05 Montana, the APT Size Whirlpool Residential Fridge that replaced the Dometic 4 door that lost its ammonia about 1 month out of the 3yr warranty (later recalled) RV Fridge was MUCH Lighter, cools fast and COLD, and is Frost Free. Its still running great in 2017 (10 years later).
Its been fine for at least 10 hours sans power (aka like an ice box).
Would never have a too warm, prone to failure, fire hazard, frosted up Propane Fridge again!
nremtp143
Explorer
Apr 23, 2017
I am the one that has had the trouble out of the 3790Rd that we have. Like I've stated many times, you get good ones and bad ones in any make or model, it is how the company responds when you have a problem that matters. And I'll leave that one up to you for you to decide yourself.
We love the unit's floor plan and we still use an RV fridge as we still have the occasional boondock. That too is a personal choice.
DReisinger
Explorer
Apr 24, 2017
If the power goes out, the beer will get warm with a residential
nremtp143
Explorer
Apr 25, 2017
DReisinger wrote:
If the power goes out, the beer will get warm with a residential

Best answer I've ever seen!!!:B

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