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Old 02-27-2022, 07:28 PM   #1
Cherokee
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Had to say no to new Montana legacy 3121rl FBP

Good evening,
My wife and I started our search for the a quality fifthwheel to travel and see the country. This would have been our fifth RV, so we have owned good units and some lower price range units.
We had our new Montana arrive at dealership and was told it was going to be cleaned up and all checked out, so come down and see it, 3.0 hours away.
When we arrived we found table slide mat was sewn incorrectly, island overhead light frame coming apart in two corners, overspray paint all over the inside of almost all the windows, only night shades,(solar shades were not installed), drawers all over the unit that were crooked and not closing flush. The ceiling had bubbles in some spots and shower bottom track cut 1” too short on both ends and not caulked
We told dealership that we didn’t want to take delivery until everything was fixed. They said no problem and that we will start working on it right away.
Fast forward to February 21st, was told everything was fixed and come down and get it.
We arrived to find table side slide mat had been replaced with a mat just as bad as the other one. Island light frame worse with smudge marks where they tried to fix, drawers not repaired for alignment, overspray on inside of windows not repaired. Ceiling bubbles were not repaired either. They did install solar shades. We were very disappointed, buying an RV should not be this hard. My wife and I thought we better check this unit out a little better. I crawled underneath and found skirting was trimmed by a beaver leaving all sorts of jagged sharp edges plus skirting with screws fastening to nothing. But the brakes and springs looked great.
Inside we found on the stove side window that the installer rolled the seal and squeezed it into place. Needless to say, we left the unit there to be repaired before we took it home.
After much discussion during our ride home, a higher Power spoke to us not to except this unit. What else is going to happen since it only had a short 20 mile drive from Factory to dealership. Take heed to the red flags. We lost over 5 months of our lives that we will never get back.
Sorry so negative but you have to take the good with the bad. I would wait to get a new unit until new workers are trained and manufacturers care about products they are producing.
We did stop at another dealership on the way home that sells Higher end fifthwheels such as Vanleigh, Tiffin Beacon and Mobile Suites. Their craftsmanship looked just as bad. I think it’s the whole RV industry and there is truth to the rumor these are poorly built for the last year at least.
 
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Old 02-27-2022, 09:39 PM   #2
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Wow! And I thought my 2016 was poorly built! You did the right thing. If enough people would do what you did, maybe the industry would finally get their act together. I’ve often said, if the Japanese would start building travel trailers, the American manufacturers would have no choice but to improve their workmanship.
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Old 02-27-2022, 10:07 PM   #3
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We say, when in doubt, don't. Keep looking and something will come your way.
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Old 02-28-2022, 02:00 AM   #4
ChuckS
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The issues you are seeing is across the board currently in the RV industry.. I have window shopped the last two years at the new stuff everytime the wife and I drive to the big city of Boise...

The craftsmanship just isn't there right now.. I hope that in the future it will be.. My 2014 will do...
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Old 02-28-2022, 04:05 AM   #5
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When we purchased our 2020 330RL, I informed the dealer that I wanted to do a thorough PDI before anything was signed, and actually gave him a copy of the PDI that I was going to check out. Then I asked him, "Do you want to sell me a new camper?" LOL He had the deer in the headlights look on his face! LOL
There are several good PDI processes on this forum! The dealer actually went over the unit with our process before letting me know it was delivered. I informed him again that I wanted to go over it.
After our PDI, he had a short wash list to complete before I would take delivery myself. He was somewhat apprehensive to my list, but it was completed, although somewhat reluctantly so.
Our unit has been relatively bug free so far, but they do take a lot more maintenance than older models.
I believe that if more people would hold the dealer and the manufacturers accountable BEFORE signing on the bottom line, the quality would improve on its own. In the mean time the old saying "Buyer beware" holds true!
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Old 02-28-2022, 06:58 AM   #6
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If what you could see was this bad, imagine what it looked like in the areas you couldn't see.
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Old 02-28-2022, 07:20 AM   #7
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The more we looked, the more we found. We are disappointed that it was built and delivered in that condition. We were suppose to be in Fort Myers, Florida at the beginning of the year. Instead we are freezing up here in Michigan. ��
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Old 02-28-2022, 07:35 AM   #8
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Good on you for refusing the unit. The lack of quality control has, IMHO, been out there well before Covid. Unfortunately, it seems across the board no matter who builds them. We recently started living in our 2016 full-time, and I recently discovered evidence of water damage in the floor and from the roof that was well hidden during our previous casual use.
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Old 03-01-2022, 06:29 AM   #9
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Good job on checking it out. I’d pass too.
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Old 03-01-2022, 06:33 AM   #10
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But think about all the headaches & stress you guys would’ve had
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Old 03-01-2022, 09:07 AM   #11
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walked?

You even said your self you look at SOB and saw no real improvement. I would not have walked I would have taken the unit. It will sit there a few weeks but it will be sold to someone else. The only losers in this is you and that salesman's commission.
I under4stand that if you spend this much money the unit should be at least clean (windows) and basic things like the drawers should be reasonably straight and the shower track should be cut the right length and caulked. I have a few bubbles in my ceiling that I didn`t noticed on walk through but I don`t see them any more I don`t walk into another unit and look up and nether will you in a short amount of time. But waiting another 5 months would be out of the question for me. Most if not all of the issues are cosmetic, and you could fix them on a slow day in your life. Tell the dealer you`ll take the unit but send me another light fixture, shower track,he`ll do it. Reseting a window is easy peasy 15 screws out then back in.
The people that put these things together are not the brightest light bulbs to begin with so what do you expect. The next one will not have the issues you see now but will have different ones and it`s only really just the beginning. Campers are high maintenance now unlike the ones from yesteryear. Fix it and forget it, go camping.
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Old 03-01-2022, 09:12 AM   #12
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You made the smart decision. We made a similiar choice, ie no new buy. We will stick with what we have.
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Old 03-01-2022, 09:18 AM   #13
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As I stated in my introduction, I used to haul these things from the manufacturers to the dealers. After that experience it is a pure miracle that I ever bought one. I would get so frustrated with the dealers that would take hours to do a delivery inspection. But what surprised me more was the dealers that would not do an inspection at all! I never delivered a single camper that defects were not found. With the exception of the dealers that didn’t do an inspection at all!

While all of the manufacturers can do a better job on building, there are still some better than others. And yes, dealers are a huge part of the equation also! Campers are no different than the auto industry in that you can buy a top of the line vehicle and still own a lemon.

I wish you luck with your search for a new rv and I hope you find a better dealership to work with!
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Old 03-01-2022, 09:48 AM   #14
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You were more patient than I would have been, on returning for a second trip and inspection. Sounds like that dealership could use some pointers on maintaining and properly repairing rigs. Glad you walked on that unit. Your trailer is out there and good luck on your search for one.
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Old 03-02-2022, 09:47 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cherokee View Post
Good evening,
My wife and I started our search for the a quality fifthwheel to travel and see the country. This would have been our fifth RV, so we have owned good units and some lower price range units.
We had our new Montana arrive at dealership and was told it was going to be cleaned up and all checked out, so come down and see it, 3.0 hours away.
When we arrived we found table slide mat was sewn incorrectly, island overhead light frame coming apart in two corners, overspray paint all over the inside of almost all the windows, only night shades,(solar shades were not installed), drawers all over the unit that were crooked and not closing flush. The ceiling had bubbles in some spots and shower bottom track cut 1” too short on both ends and not caulked
We told dealership that we didn’t want to take delivery until everything was fixed. They said no problem and that we will start working on it right away.
Fast forward to February 21st, was told everything was fixed and come down and get it.
We arrived to find table side slide mat had been replaced with a mat just as bad as the other one. Island light frame worse with smudge marks where they tried to fix, drawers not repaired for alignment, overspray on inside of windows not repaired. Ceiling bubbles were not repaired either. They did install solar shades. We were very disappointed, buying an RV should not be this hard. My wife and I thought we better check this unit out a little better. I crawled underneath and found skirting was trimmed by a beaver leaving all sorts of jagged sharp edges plus skirting with screws fastening to nothing. But the brakes and springs looked great.
Inside we found on the stove side window that the installer rolled the seal and squeezed it into place. Needless to say, we left the unit there to be repaired before we took it home.
After much discussion during our ride home, a higher Power spoke to us not to except this unit. What else is going to happen since it only had a short 20 mile drive from Factory to dealership. Take heed to the red flags. We lost over 5 months of our lives that we will never get back.
Sorry so negative but you have to take the good with the bad. I would wait to get a new unit until new workers are trained and manufacturers care about products they are producing.
We did stop at another dealership on the way home that sells Higher end fifthwheels such as Vanleigh, Tiffin Beacon and Mobile Suites. Their craftsmanship looked just as bad. I think it’s the whole RV industry and there is truth to the rumor these are poorly built for the last year at least.
Wish we would have walked away but we only looked at it briefly and found issues. We paid a lot of money down. We lived 3 hours away from dealership and when we brought it home is when we found all the crap wrong. The dealership did a crappy pdi of the unit if any. We have waited 4 months now for everything to be fixed. Fingers crossed that we get it soon.
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Old 03-06-2022, 01:24 PM   #16
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Good for you

In case you are interested we have a 2020 Montana High Country 330RL for sale with lots of extras, solar, inverter, water softner, water filter system, aireloom king size mattress . Very clean In covered storage Arizona, Call 602 615-3385 :-) Good deal
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Old 03-06-2022, 01:35 PM   #17
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Simple reason is: no fault manufacturing state. When there’s no accountability there’s no quality. This forum is excellent. If you have an issue this group will solve it for you but product quality is hands down the number one issue. Tire blowouts is another major issue.
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Old 03-06-2022, 01:48 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cherokee View Post
The more we looked, the more we found. We are disappointed that it was built and delivered in that condition. We were suppose to be in Fort Myers, Florida at the beginning of the year. Instead we are freezing up here in Michigan. ��
We bought a 2022 Montana 3855 BR in Myrtle Beach in November. Found a few items and set it up in a CG. After 2 weeks called with my list. A week later a CW mobile tech arrived to repair what he could and document for parts/warranty. Left for 4 months in NORTH FORT MYERS. While here a minor water leak - Fort Myers CW sent a mobile tech, problem fixed. CW in Myrtle called 3 weeks ago and said parts are in and to call 2 weeks before we return so they can schedule mobile to complete repairs.
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Old 03-06-2022, 01:53 PM   #19
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Cherokee, thank you for this thread. We are going to take delivery of the same unit, legacy 3121rl FBP, in about 4 weeks. I now have a 3 page check list and will spend several hours going the unit before we accept it. This is a great heads up for anyone getting a new RV from the factory.
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Old 03-06-2022, 02:13 PM   #20
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This is why we went with a Luxe 38GFB by The RV Factory. It might cost a little more but the fit and finish is great. We have had a couple of minor issues but they take care of them in a timely manner. We are receive an email every week for the warranty department to find out how everything is going. Great customer service!
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