Montana vs Open Range

Thanks for all your great suggestions! I've decided on the Open Range 347RES, and I'm so excited! I have to buy a TV first. Considering ordering the fifth wheel/towing package with either a Ford F-250 Lariat HD vs a Ram 2500 Laramie.

We've been happy with our Montana (our first one). No issues worth noting. No more or less issues than any other RV i've owned. Would I buy another? Sure, if we liked it. Would I buy an Open Range over a Montana? Sure, if i liked it better than the Montana. Will I buy my third Lance camper when it's time to replace it? Sure, if I like it better than brand X and Y.

Hard for me to be brand loyal with any mass produced assembly line product. As far as I'm concerned each one is unique. These aren't widgets spit out of a widget machine. Too many changes can occur on the line between hours, days, weeks, months and years. Not to mention the reliance on several other assembly line produced products that are put into each of these units. Way too many variables for constancy.

goducks10 wrote:

richfaa wrote:
The fact that we accept poor quality and are willing to fix problems ourselves is exactly why we continue to have poor quality.

And that's probably the logic that's engrained in the RV business. Assume the customer will handle the small stuff and the dealer will handle the big stuff. What incentive is their for the dealer to fix all the minor cosmetic stuff or even the manufacture before it leaves the factory when the majority of owners that can turn a screw driver or pound a nail would rather fix or adjust things themselves rather than hitch up and take it to a dealer, where it could sit for days to weeks and possibly not be fixed properly.
Anyone that's own 2-3 RV's knows the routine.

What many buyers fail to do is conduct a very thorough PDI.
That means check every: latch,hinge,knob.drawer,outlet ,switch, light,tire,door,seem,roof,underbelly,tank.
Test and try out everything before you pull off the lot.
Take your time and scour the entire rig, once you pull off you are at the back of the line and you must wait your turn behind those with problems big and small.

jimmyfred wrote:
..........I'd include Artic Fox in that list as well ! They build a very well designed camper ., jf

Well designed but not necessarily well built.
http://www.afnash.com/showthread.php?15125-21-Northwood-Manufacturing-Complaints

richfaa wrote:
The fact that we accept poor quality and are willing to fix problems ourselves is exactly why we continue to have poor quality.

And that's probably the logic that's engrained in the RV business. Assume the customer will handle the small stuff and the dealer will handle the big stuff. What incentive is their for the dealer to fix all the minor cosmetic stuff or even the manufacture before it leaves the factory when the majority of owners that can turn a screw driver or pound a nail would rather fix or adjust things themselves rather than hitch up and take it to a dealer, where it could sit for days to weeks and possibly not be fixed properly.
Anyone that's own 2-3 RV's knows the routine.

..........I'd include Artic Fox in that list as well ! They build a very well designed camper ., jf

richfaa wrote:
The fact that we accept poor quality and are willing to fix problems ourselves is exactly why we continue to have poor quality.

There is some truth to your statement however taking an RV back to the dealer to have a minor problem resolved is often more trouble than making the repair yourself.
An item as large as an RV will always have a punch list. Buy a new house and there will be a punch list of items that you find after moving in. The same issue applies to an RV.
Fixing repair items yourself is often logistically the easiest solution vs. returning unit to the dealer.

The fact that we accept poor quality and are willing to fix problems ourselves is exactly why we continue to have poor quality.

allimax wrote:
Heck, all of them have their problems. Like was mentioned before, you need to be handy in this game or everything is a major problem. Montanas and Open Ranges are both middle-of-the-road, price-wise and quality-wise. I'm happy with my choice. I feel I got what I payed for. That doesn't mean I won't look at an Open Range next time. Or a Grand Design, or....Visit the owner's web-sites and gain some information. Maybe it'll help, maybe not, because, ultimately, they're pretty much the same thing IMO.

I totally agree. If you do have major issues a lot will depend on your dealer and how they treat you after the sale. But most problems are minor with new units and you are better off to fix/adjust yourself.

allimax wrote:
Heck, all of them have their problems. Like was mentioned before, you need to be handy in this game or everything is a major problem. Montanas and Open Ranges are both middle-of-the-road, price-wise and quality-wise. I'm happy with my choice. I feel I got what I payed for. That doesn't mean I won't look at an Open Range next time. Or a Grand Design, or....Visit the owner's web-sites and gain some information. Maybe it'll help, maybe not, because, ultimately, they're pretty much the same thing IMO.

X2. I could not agree more