What do you think about Montana 5ver?

[DarrellQ2001]

I owned a new Keystone Passport TT a five years ago and it was junk. Keystone wouldn't even stand behind their product and replace a defective axle. So after 1 year I traded it for an Ever-Lite TT by Evergreen. It is a fantastic TT but I'm retiring next year and we want to spend significant time on the road. We are thinking a 5ver would be an all around better choice than a Class A since it will be parked in Fla during winter months.

Although I swore I would never buy another Keystone product, the Montana looks like great bang for the buck. I would get the longest extended warranty I could find.

Would greatly appreciate thoughts on the Montana pro or con?
Thanks in advance

[ocbms]

2010 Montana the Queen size Bed was standard but King was an option. My Montana came with a King but the bedroom or slide was any bigger so it was tight. The base (below the bed) was Queen sized with a wider plywood platform. I cut the plywood to queen sixed and couldn't be happier as you have movement room into the closet and along side the bed.
The original King mattress had rounded corners at the foot but we continue to use the King Bed Spread on the now queen mattress.
If you get a King is the Bedroom sized for a King?

On the Montana, My comment is a Keystone problem. Can you get a schematic of the Electrical. TV cabling, Plumbing layout (that what connects to what, which vent is connected to which tank and so on)?
I have found nothing and the manual sucks. At Least on my truck I can find the info and don't use food coloring for tracing plumbing and I haven't figured the TV/Antenna connections and splitters yet.

On dealers one notable Keystone dealer talked to me about service until he found out the unit wasn't bought from them. A competing welcomed me.

[LostinAZ]

richfaa wrote:

LostinAZ wrote:

richfaa wrote:

LostinAZ wrote:

DarrellQ2001 wrote:
I owned a new Keystone Passport TT a five years ago and it was junk. Keystone wouldn't even stand behind their product and replace a defective axle. So after 1 year I traded it for an Ever-Lite TT by Evergreen. It is a fantastic TT but I'm retiring next year and we want to spend significant time on the road. We are thinking a 5ver would be an all around better choice than a Class A since it will be parked in Fla during winter months.

Although I swore I would never buy another Keystone product, the Montana looks like great bang for the buck. I would get the longest extended warranty I could find.

Would greatly appreciate thoughts on the Montana pro or con?
Thanks in advance

Just remember how much hassle getting warranty repairs done is!

Nice to hear from you Lost. The mention of "Montana" always brings you out. I have to add that we never had any kind of hassle with Warranty repairs Keystone or the Extended Warranty. I would also and did get the longest and best Extended repair plan that you could on any brand RV.

I guess you have forgotten about your multiple trips to the Montana Factory and to Rally's to get major repairs taken care of. Those of us who are 2000 miles away from the factory have to deal with incompetent dealers where it may take several 3 hour one-way trips to get one major item repaired. Or have the RV in for repairs for 45 days in the first 6 months.

No I did not Lost. I said I had no problem with warranty Keystone or Extended warranty. My first failure was in Quartzsite during the first year of warranty (the meltdown) and the repair was done by a Keystone dealer in Quartzsite. We go to the national rally every year in Goshen as a matter of fact we are at a rally now in North Carolina.

If you mean multiple trips as in more than one to the Service center in Goshen you are correct since we live about 3 hours from the fact ory and that is the best place to have repair work done. The fall rally is in September of this year and we DO NOT have a appointment at the service center on the 2013 Big Sky. Incompetent dealers are another story. we have thus far not had the experience of a incompetent dealer and have had work done across the country. Az, Mich, Ohio, Florida, Ind. The work at the service center has always been excellent and if we can not get into the service center we go to a RV repair facility in Goshen or Elkhart as they are experts in Rv repair., Many of these repair facilities do over flow work for the factories, all brands and know Rv's. will admit it we are more fortunate than others being able to attend the fall rallies and being not far from the factories. here will be 119 units at this years fall rally in Goshen from all over the country and many will take advantage of the keystone service center and the vendors.

You have proven my point. We didn't buy our RV to become factory representatives.

[Carl_n_Susan]

Every brand I am aware of (including Montana) offers a king sized bed option.

[qtla9111]

Do any of the brands mentioned offer a king bed option? I checked Montana and didn't see anything.

[richfaa]

LostinAZ wrote:

richfaa wrote:

LostinAZ wrote:

DarrellQ2001 wrote:
I owned a new Keystone Passport TT a five years ago and it was junk. Keystone wouldn't even stand behind their product and replace a defective axle. So after 1 year I traded it for an Ever-Lite TT by Evergreen. It is a fantastic TT but I'm retiring next year and we want to spend significant time on the road. We are thinking a 5ver would be an all around better choice than a Class A since it will be parked in Fla during winter months.

Although I swore I would never buy another Keystone product, the Montana looks like great bang for the buck. I would get the longest extended warranty I could find.

Would greatly appreciate thoughts on the Montana pro or con?
Thanks in advance

Just remember how much hassle getting warranty repairs done is!

Nice to hear from you Lost. The mention of "Montana" always brings you out. I have to add that we never had any kind of hassle with Warranty repairs Keystone or the Extended Warranty. I would also and did get the longest and best Extended repair plan that you could on any brand RV.

I guess you have forgotten about your multiple trips to the Montana Factory and to Rally's to get major repairs taken care of. Those of us who are 2000 miles away from the factory have to deal with incompetent dealers where it may take several 3 hour one-way trips to get one major item repaired. Or have the RV in for repairs for 45 days in the first 6 months.

No I did not Lost. I said I had no problem with warranty Keystone or Extended warranty. My first failure was in Quartzsite during the first year of warranty (the meltdown) and the repair was done by a Keystone dealer in Quartzsite. We go to the national rally every year in Goshen as a matter of fact we are at a rally now in North Carolina.

If you mean multiple trips as in more than one to the Service center in Goshen you are correct since we live about 3 hours from the fact ory and that is the best place to have repair work done. The fall rally is in September of this year and we DO NOT have a appointment at the service center on the 2013 Big Sky. Incompetent dealers are another story. we have thus far not had the experience of a incompetent dealer and have had work done across the country. Az, Mich, Ohio, Florida, Ind. The work at the service center has always been excellent and if we can not get into the service center we go to a RV repair facility in Goshen or Elkhart as they are experts in Rv repair., Many of these repair facilities do over flow work for the factories, all brands and know Rv's. will admit it we are more fortunate than others being able to attend the fall rallies and being not far from the factories. here will be 119 units at this years fall rally in Goshen from all over the country and many will take advantage of the keystone service center and the vendors.

[goin2themountai]

The Montana in my sig. has never given me any reason not to love it. What little warrantee work I have had done was on items that were from other manufacturers. People will report the good and the bad. I can only say I love my Montana.

[LostinAZ]

richfaa wrote:

LostinAZ wrote:

DarrellQ2001 wrote:
I owned a new Keystone Passport TT a five years ago and it was junk. Keystone wouldn't even stand behind their product and replace a defective axle. So after 1 year I traded it for an Ever-Lite TT by Evergreen. It is a fantastic TT but I'm retiring next year and we want to spend significant time on the road. We are thinking a 5ver would be an all around better choice than a Class A since it will be parked in Fla during winter months.

Although I swore I would never buy another Keystone product, the Montana looks like great bang for the buck. I would get the longest extended warranty I could find.

Would greatly appreciate thoughts on the Montana pro or con?
Thanks in advance

Just remember how much hassle getting warranty repairs done is!

Nice to hear from you Lost. The mention of "Montana" always brings you out. I have to add that we never had any kind of hassle with Warranty repairs Keystone or the Extended Warranty. I would also and did get the longest and best Extended repair plan that you could on any brand RV.

I guess you have forgotten about your multiple trips to the Montana Factory and to Rally's to get major repairs taken care of. Those of us who are 2000 miles away from the factory have to deal with incompetent dealers where it may take several 3 hour one-way trips to get one major item repaired. Or have the RV in for repairs for 45 days in the first 6 months.

[richfaa]

Montana now markets some of their Models as "full time" although my personal opinion is that no brand no matter what the price is suitable for full time living. They are still recreational vehicles and full time living is not recreational. Having said that in our 7 years of Long timing we note that folks full time in all brands all price ranges. Over the last 7 years we have spent 6 months of every year in a "full time " mode in moderate weather conditions and usually travel extensively the other 6 months. Our 06 3400 although far from flawless served us well and the interior with proper care still looked very good.. We have not had this 13 Big Sky long enough to comment. So far..so good after one year.. but not flawless. I gotta see one of these flawless Rv's.

[larry_barnhart]

High end rv's don't need to be for all because of their life style and the higher price rv's are not problem free just not reported.
chevman

[Cummins12V98]

If you are negotiating on a Montana when the deal is done but signing the papers tell them you will sign when they put a set of GY G tires on it. That will save you a lot of problems with the very marginal factory tires.

Have a family friend do that and no tire problems and they do like their rig. They went from Hitch Hiker 2, IMHO about the same quality as the Montana.

Have other friends that are on their 3rd Montana, they did not upgrade the tires and now they will be on their own.

I know others that would never own one again. That is unfortunately the way it is in the RV business.

I would compare Montana's to a Chevy. Average quality and get a lot for your money.

For the average RVer they fit the bill but IMHO for a full timer you should look at others.

[richfaa]

LostinAZ wrote:

DarrellQ2001 wrote:
I owned a new Keystone Passport TT a five years ago and it was junk. Keystone wouldn't even stand behind their product and replace a defective axle. So after 1 year I traded it for an Ever-Lite TT by Evergreen. It is a fantastic TT but I'm retiring next year and we want to spend significant time on the road. We are thinking a 5ver would be an all around better choice than a Class A since it will be parked in Fla during winter months.

Although I swore I would never buy another Keystone product, the Montana looks like great bang for the buck. I would get the longest extended warranty I could find.

Would greatly appreciate thoughts on the Montana pro or con?
Thanks in advance

Just remember how much hassle getting warranty repairs done is!

Nice to hear from you Lost. The mention of "Montana" always brings you out. I have to add that we never had any kind of hassle with Warranty repairs Keystone or the Extended Warranty. I would also and did get the longest and best Extended repair plan that you could on any brand RV.

[richfaa]

I stated that the OEM suspension on the 2013 Montana Big sky WAS adequate. From the practical point of view we noted the ease of traveling over rail road tracks , much smoother. Without the IS objects moved around in the medicine cabinets, dishes moved a bit. Nothing serious but with the IS everything stayed solid. Our early 06 Montana 3400 came with 6K axles and suspension which IMO was not adequate for the way we used the camper.

One would have to had both the OEM system then the IS to understand the huge difference. The first thing the wife and I noted on our first trip in this 13 3402 big sky was the objects "out of place" in the camper after we had traveled 250 Miles again nothing serious but a big difference.

The suspension in this 13 Montana is upgraded compared to the OEM system on the 06 3400 but we still note the difference between the IS and the OEM.

With the IS every thing that can break in the OEM system is gone. Again IMO the Cost of the IS is best justified if you are a heavy user. If I were a week end user I di not think I would spring for the cost.

[kakampers]

Glad you found what works for you...I for one had no desire to beef up the leaf spring suspension, when in our opinion, there is a much better stronger built option like IS available. The cost, again in our opinion, is negligible compared to the peace of mind this suspension system gives...to each his own.

Sure shocks can be done right..but they never are out of the factory. If you ever towed a trailer IS you would see and feel the difference. We were at the dealer when our Landmark arrived...first thing out of the transport driver's mouth was "been doing this for ten years and never had a better tow than this!"....showed him the IS and he understood.

We did beef up the suspension on our last rig...8k axles and springs, larger brakes, wet bolts, etc. Had no problems after that...this time we went a step further to guarantee our safety before we hit the road.

[cummins2014]

kakampers wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

richfaa wrote:
Having had the Mor Ryde IS on my 2006 3400 Montana and not on my 2013 3402 Big sky I can speak to the difference There is of course a difference, The Mor Ryde IS far superior to most if not all OEM non IS system systems. The suspension on this 2013 Big sky is NOT up to the IS standards but it is entirely adequate. The G614 tires are OEM on all the Big Sky Montana models. The Marathon tires on these heavier Montana's and other similar brands , IMO are not adequate for the heavy user. There are brands like Mobile suites where the IS system is a option. The MS is much heavier but if you can afford the upgrade and have the truck to pull the MS indeed purchase one. If you expect a flawless 5th wheel you will no doubt be disappointed no matter what the brand. The Montana is no better..no worse than any brand in the price range. We are not disappointed with this 2013 3402 Big Sky without out the IS although the IS would be a great upgrade and may be in the future.

Please explain the difference other than disk brakes if that applies. After dragging trailers of some sort around for the past 40 years ,have never seen any problem with a leaf spring setup up ,or have I had any problems with leaf springs.Also been running around on leaf springs on my trucks for the past 40 years. So IS being FAR SUPERIOR than leaf, just wondering what that far superior could be. I maybe can see where you having your leaf springs coming loose would be a concern, but that is very preventable.

Independent suspension eliminates the shock transferring thru the axle to the other wheel when one wheel hits a hole or bump...makes the ride much smoother and also protects the rest of the rig from our lovely roads. Not to mention the shocks are installed at the correct angle. If you ever saw the beefier difference between IS and springs hung on those wimpy spring hangers you wouldn't ask...

Had several springs flatten and break in half...done with that problem.

I guess my point was missed, I have no worries about my leaf spring suspension, but I didn't wait to see if springs were flattening or breaking going down the road ,and see a tire rubbing the frame or jacked out of alignment . Did some bracing, wet bolts etc etc. Last thing I am worried about is my suspension, and I spent a fraction of what a IS upgrade would be. I am sure that IS is just great, but leaf spring suspension has been around a long time, and does the job nicely if done correctly. You are saying shocks cannot be installed at the correct angle on leaf suspension ?????????. I guess if there was IS on the rear of our trucks I might buy into this shock transfer to the other side of the axle. I guess I just don't see the cost verses the advantage, when IMO leaf suspension done right has no problems. Yes, the key thing is, if it is done RIGHT. Yes I am asking ?????????