Good Sam Community

Napria · ‎Mar-09-2014

We are REALLY close to purchasing a Montana 3850FL.

We had a bunkhouse for the past nine years and this Montana seems to be a good transition for us. The teenage kids would use the opposing pullout couches as beds and we would not be stuck with a true bunkhouse when they no longer camp with us. I especially like how this particular model's front living room is more closed off to further give them a sense of their own room.

So if you have or have had a front living room fifth wheel, would you give me your thoughts, please?

2014 Montana 3850FL
2005 Ameri-Camp F321QBS (Sold)
2004 Chevy 3500 crew cab long bed one ton with Alison
18K Reese Signature
Prodigy

spindrift · ‎Mar-09-2014

cdlaine wrote:
Front Living Rooms... yea or nay?

What does your spouse say ?

Charles

And there you have it. The most insightful, and reasonable, response yet.

'12 F350 KR CC DRW, with some stuff.
Redwood 36FL

cdlaine · ‎Mar-09-2014

Front Living Rooms... yea or nay?

What does your spouse say ?

Charles

2003 2500HD, 8.1L,CC,4.10,2WD,Allison
Standard bed
Ride-rite air bags
Prodigy
Husky 16K sliding

2013 Artic Fox 29-5T Silver Fox Ed.
Pin wt.(CAT Scale) 2660#
5th (Cat Scale) 12600#

I'll want the Frim Fram sauce with the Ausen Fey with
Chafafa on the side.... Nat

TheAmRheins · ‎Mar-09-2014

I would make sure to have 2 air conditioners in a front living room arrangement. Heat rises and the front bedroom layouts get pretty warm without a/c. I think the front living room would be the same.

Ken & Kathy
Ruben(the cat)& Tiadora (nother cat)
2003 Chev 3500 D/A Dually
2009 Landmark Augusta

sidney · ‎Mar-09-2014

spindrift wrote:
Too many stairs!! C'mon fellas, what have we become? I suppose you don't climb any stairs to get into your RV. What about the stairs into a front BR (granted, you're not "climbing" them as often)? I submit that if you can't negotiate the "stairs" of an FL model, you should find a nice comfy retirement community to spend your last days. With that said, I believe you either love the FL layout or hate it. I've yet to meet someone that was on the fence. We happen to love ours but it's purely a feeling related to your personal taste. We had as much of a FL floorplan in our last TT (master BR in the rear with kitchen and LR all up front. We really enjoyed that layout and when we moved to a fifth we immediately starting looking for something similar and found it in the FL. The BIG disadvantage is lack of storage in the basement, which in FL models is quite small. However, we've learned to compensate for that in other ways.

Good luck.

:B

I was beginning to believe every RVer on the forum lived in a ranch house.

Napria · ‎Mar-09-2014

dbbls wrote:
I have never seen a front LR with two recliners and viewing the TV straight on. A must for us.

Open Range makes one in a Roamer model. It also has a HUGE basement in the back.

2014 Montana 3850FL
2005 Ameri-Camp F321QBS (Sold)
2004 Chevy 3500 crew cab long bed one ton with Alison
18K Reese Signature
Prodigy

spindrift · ‎Mar-09-2014

dbbls wrote:
I have never seen a front LR with two recliners and viewing the TV straight on. A must for us.

Take a look at our Redwood 36FL.

'12 F350 KR CC DRW, with some stuff.
Redwood 36FL

dbbls · ‎Mar-09-2014

I have never seen a front LR with two recliners and viewing the TV straight on. A must for us.

2011 F-350 CC Lariat 4X4 Dually Diesel
2012 Big Country 3450TS 5th Wheel

rb71 · ‎Mar-09-2014

this is nice. the only thing we would miss is the second bathroom.http://www.granddesignrv.com/solitude-floorplans.php

Bobby
2014 Ram 3500 mega dually
2013 Voltage 3895
Pullrite 4400

Napria · ‎Mar-09-2014

Miles Away wrote:
loulou57 wrote:
We know a couple that have this layout. They love it and so do we. It is nice that when you come inside you are right away looking at the open living room and it is so spacious. Also, having the bedroom at the back, it is more private. No hearing people coming in. If we ever get a 5th wheel, this would be it.

Additionally there is a safety issue. Should you need to get out at night and a fire is blocking your exit, you can go out a window and not have to jump from the second floor.

I wish I could post the link to this model. Everytime I try to post a link I do something wrong and a 404 File not Found error comes up.

Having said that, this particular model has a second door, just outside the bedroom, on the opposite side of the unit. It's great not only for safety issues, but it also provides access to the bathroom when making a quick stop on the road.

2014 Montana 3850FL
2005 Ameri-Camp F321QBS (Sold)
2004 Chevy 3500 crew cab long bed one ton with Alison
18K Reese Signature
Prodigy

rseymour21 · ‎Mar-09-2014

DW like it when she first saw one, but over time changed her mind! We both prefer a rear living with the recliners directly across from the TV.

But different strokes...Why there's so many different layouts!

2003 F250 7.3L
2008 Cougar 292RK

ricatic · ‎Mar-09-2014

I do not get the "too many stairs" argument...I looked at the floor plan and see three steps up to the living room...and the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom are on the same level...

On most conventional fivers, the bedroom and bathroom are up three steps as well...other than an occasional trip downstairs for a brew, what is the big deal????

My current Big Horn is a conventional bedroom/bathroom upstairs configuration but if I bought another fiver, not a toyhauler, I would look at this floor plan. Because I live in our fiver on job sites for extended periods, the really nice living room would be a major plus

I see that I was typing while someone else was pushing the send button...:B

Regards

Ricatic
Debbie and Savannah the Wonderdachsund
2009 Big Horn 3055RL
2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Dually LTX with the Gold Standard LBZ Engine and Allison Transmission
2011 F350 Lariat SRW CC SB 4WD 6.7 Diesel POS Gone Bye Bye

spindrift · ‎Mar-09-2014

Too many stairs!! C'mon fellas, what have we become? I suppose you don't climb any stairs to get into your RV. What about the stairs into a front BR (granted, you're not "climbing" them as often)? I submit that if you can't negotiate the "stairs" of an FL model, you should find a nice comfy retirement community to spend your last days. With that said, I believe you either love the FL layout or hate it. I've yet to meet someone that was on the fence. We happen to love ours but it's purely a feeling related to your personal taste. We had as much of a FL floorplan in our last TT (master BR in the rear with kitchen and LR all up front. We really enjoyed that layout and when we moved to a fifth we immediately starting looking for something similar and found it in the FL. The BIG disadvantage is lack of storage in the basement, which in FL models is quite small. However, we've learned to compensate for that in other ways.

Good luck.

'12 F350 KR CC DRW, with some stuff.
Redwood 36FL

Miles_Away · ‎Mar-09-2014

loulou57 wrote:
We know a couple that have this layout. They love it and so do we. It is nice that when you come inside you are right away looking at the open living room and it is so spacious. Also, having the bedroom at the back, it is more private. No hearing people coming in. If we ever get a 5th wheel, this would be it.

Additionally there is a safety issue. Should you need to get out at night and a fire is blocking your exit, you can go out a window and not have to jump from the second floor.

M & M :C On the road again!
2007 GMC 3500-SRW-Duramax-longbed-4X4
2008 Keystone EVEREST 348R 5th wheel
2002 SUNDOWNER gooseneck horse trailer

Wiscampsin · ‎Mar-09-2014

donn0128 wrote:
Up and down a lot of stairs between the kitchen and living room and bathroom.

X2. They do look awful nice though.

loulou57 · ‎Mar-09-2014

We know a couple that have this layout. They love it and so do we. It is nice that when you come inside you are right away looking at the open living room and it is so spacious. Also, having the bedroom at the back, it is more private. No hearing people coming in. If we ever get a 5th wheel, this would be it.