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Old 02-11-2017, 10:18 AM   #21
Janet H
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Old 02-16-2017, 04:59 AM   #22
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I work on the road, 2010 bought a Montana 3665re and lived in it all over the country, sometimes -20 +/-. have had no problems. Could afford a higher end no problem, but very happy with how the Montana has preformed.
Just purchased a 3710fl about 5 months ago, 6 point leveling is nice, no more carrying 2x12's to get somewhat level.
I feel no matter what you buy there is always something better or option that you would like to have. Both units pull great.
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Old 02-20-2017, 10:24 AM   #23
lacofdfireman
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Montana High Country Fifth Wheels

We are having a sort of dilemma as to what to do. We are torn between new or used. We want to spend under $35k which puts us at a level of a used mid range model like a HC Montana or a low end Hideout new. We know either would work for us as we would use it 20-30 nights per year max. That may even be stretching it. We have been RV owners for 20 years plus owning two different toyhaulers one a 26ft Weekend warrior and one a 40ft Rampage fifth wheel. We've also owned 2 Class A's with the last one putting on about 55k miles in the last 4 years. My kids are getting older and we only have 5 years until our youngest will be moving out so we want to keep owning. Renting isn't going to work for us. I know some people say we'd be better off renting than buying but we like having to have it at our disposal. One year we may spend 40 nights in one than another year maybe only 20 but I never know with my work schedule.

So we are trying to decide If we should go new Hideout for $30k or midline used HC Montana for around $35k or we even found an 07 Montana 3000RK for about $17k that literally has maybe a total of 100 night total of it being used and zero times in the past 3 years.

When I retire in 10 years we plan on buying one in the $80k and above range and spending some serious travel time in it.

Curious as to what some of your thought would be on this.


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Old 02-20-2017, 11:57 AM   #24
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Any of the late model Montana HC will do just fine or possibly a couple year older 'standard' Montana. With apologies to happy Hideout owners, it just wouldn't be the same level of quality as HC/Montana.
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Old 02-21-2017, 04:31 AM   #25
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4 yrs ago we bought a used 2012 HC Montana 343
We take it south and live in it for 5 months every winter
We find it to be very comfortable , sturdy , pretty and basically trouble free

The build quality is good and overall this HC does everything we need it to do
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Old 12-31-2017, 07:34 AM   #26
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My wife and I own a 305RL High Country. We have owned it for nearly 2 years. We spend 4 month a year in Florida living in it, so have tested ourselves and the coach to it's limits........
What's the quality like?
Generally very satisfied with this rig, bit I have to say that there has been a couple of design and build "OOP's".
Air conditioning duct near the roof filters collapses when operating on high fan causing restricted airflow. Needed to put sone spacers in the duct. No big deal except I wondered why the air conditioning was nearly ineffective.
Single wire run to the bedroom speakers and outside speakers. Again not a big deal except you do not get stereo (either LH or RH channel) and 1/2 volume.
Window blind mechanism fails, easy to replace, I actually contacted the blind manufacturers and they sent me some replacements FOC.
Leaking water pipes - very annoying - just needed to tighten at the connection point to the faucet. DO not think they came loose, but that the builder did not fully tighten. Took me some time to figure out where the leak was coming from.
Ceiling fan: did not move any air, one of the most useless items I have ever come across. I changed it out for a home depot 5 blade that I have to disassemble every time I draw the slides in.

On the plus side:
Generally fit and finish not bad, king size bed wonderful, although I did buy a new mattress that was more suitable for my back. All furniture is comfortable and seems to be surviving my dogs jumping all over them.
Levelling system is fantastic. I have a 4 point, works well every time.
The coach tows well - what more can I say.
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Old 12-31-2017, 08:31 AM   #27
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Ceiling fan: did not move any air, one of the most useless items I have ever come across. I changed it out for a home depot 5 blade that I have to disassemble every time I draw the slides in.

.
That fan - ours made it one month/1 long trip and the loud scraping noise rendered it junk. I replaced it with a 5 blade fan from Lowe's that in comparison creates a wind - Harbor Breeze Mayfield BTH44ABZC5C. It is 3 speed and with a light. 18.000 miles later and it does not need any disassembly and was only about $65. One size larger diameter would have also fit
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Old 01-01-2018, 12:12 AM   #28
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I have a 2017 HC 370BR. We spend about 5 - 6 months annually in it. Some comparisons mentioned are inaccurate, one example is we have a 12" frame. We also have the AC with heat pump. No difference in insulation. I do not want the hydraulic auto-level, much prefer the electric 6 point. Electric has no fluid to ever leak and does not have the cold temp related problems many notice. I appreciate the weight reduction and have not missed the heavier or additional items. Have had but 1 problem, that is very minor to fix. My only complaint is the person installing the wood trim should never hold a nail gun again. His/her proficiency indicates they should not be trusted with Crayons either. Our decision was based on floor plan, not cost. I was excited to see Tiffin began building 5ers, but nothing near an acceptable floor plan. The Montana Bonus Room floor plan was similar but found the loft a big disappointment. Did not see enough benefit to Horizon building similar for $180K. About 7500 - 8500 miles annually and she tows great behind my '16 F350 SRW. One item ~ tires~~ the Montana came with Sailun tires while the HC arrived with Rainier on the same wheels as the Montana. The HC went from the dealer to the tire shop for Sailun tires (tire dealer bought the Rainiers for $150). Another ~ the extra BTUs in the similar FP are not missed. Neither is the 15K #2 AC in the bedroom as the 13.5 ducted is enough with the Whisper in the living room. Not all, but some of that extra cost and weight is fluff no one would miss.
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Old 01-05-2018, 01:44 PM   #29
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Looking at getting a MHC 305RL, I was looking at the Montana 3160 but they discontinued that model and we don’t want to go over 35 feet.

I want the 6 point Hydraulic auto Leveling since I have the 4 point electric now on my Crusader but it doesn’t keep the Crusader from moving so wondering if anyone has the 305 2017 or 2018 and how it levels.

I am also wondering if we just go for the Montana 3720 since there only seems to be about $9,000 diff in the price but you get better refrigerator and 6 point Auto Leveling.

I wonder why the MHC comes with a Dometic 18 and Montana comes with Norcold 18 which I prefer after having both types.
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Old 01-06-2018, 09:38 AM   #30
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It has been several years since we last looked at the HCs but unless they have made a major improvement, would not waste money on one. The interior trim falls off in many places. Worst feature is that the slide floors, when extended, do not match the permanent floor, creating a lip that is very easy to trip over. Look at the Montana floors and compare; huge difference.
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Old 01-06-2018, 09:58 AM   #31
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It has been several years since we last looked at the HCs but unless they have made a major improvement, would not waste money on one. The interior trim falls off in many places. Worst feature is that the slide floors, when extended, do not match the permanent floor, creating a lip that is very easy to trip over. Look at the Montana floors and compare; huge difference.
Damn , gotta put our '14 up for sale before the interior falls apart or I or my wife trip and hurt ourselves - NOT A CHANCE
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Old 01-06-2018, 05:24 PM   #32
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We just bought a 2018 HC 330RL........looked at a lot of Montanas. Have the king bed....double bathroom sinks.....4 point leveling....2 a/c's/1 with the heat pump. Could not be happier.
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Old 01-07-2018, 03:35 PM   #33
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We just bought a 2018 HC 330RL........looked at a lot of Montanas. Have the king bed....double bathroom sinks.....4 point leveling....2 a/c's/1 with the heat pump. Could not be happier.
We are comparing the MHC 305RL to the Montana 3160, love the 6pt Hydraulic Auto Leveling but saving $15,000 getting the MHC 305 just seems to be the smart idea for ppl who camp 30-60 nights per year, doesn’t make sense to upgrade to something in the $65K range but I think the Montana quality is better then the MHC? Do you guys feel the same?

The Montana 3160RL has been discontinued so very hard to find one
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Old 01-07-2018, 04:51 PM   #34
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Comparing the Montana fifth wheels to the Montana High Country fifth wheels is comparing apples to oranges. There are enough SIGNIFICANT differences in construction and in equipment that a "one to one" comparison just can't be made. You can compare floorplans (some are similar) you can compare furniture (both models have the same color selections) you can compare air conditioners (Montana has two, HC has one is a heat pump in the Montana, both are heat pumps) you can compare refrigerators (both can be ordered with a residential or RV type refrigerator). After those similarities, the floor is constructed differently (solid floor in Montana, sandwich floor in HC), the leveling system is different (hydraulic in Montana, electric in HC), the slide mechanisms are different, axles are different, wheels/tires are different, pin box is different, 12" frame on Montana, 10" or 12" frame on HC (depending on length of trailer), Load Range G tires on Montana, LRF tires on HC, fiberglass front/rear caps on Montana, fiberglass front/conventional FILON rear on HC, Road Armor suspension kit on Montana, More-ryde CRE 3000 on HC, Wet bolt kit on Montana, not available on HC.

There are many similarities, but there are some significant differences. I'd suggest that it is a bit naïve to compare them just because they both say "Montana" on the front cap. They are two entirely different trailers built with significantly different construction techniques. The Montana uses "traditional" construction while the HC uses "light weight construction techniques" which means it weighs (by the advertisements) 1300-2500 pounds less than the Montana. Some things have to be significantly different to remove 1.25 tons of weight from a 40 foot trailer.

I'm not saying either is better or worse, more capable or not, more reliable than the other. I'm just saying that they aren't the same, and in some areas, they are night and day different.
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Old 01-07-2018, 04:58 PM   #35
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Comparing the Montana fifth wheels to the Montana High Country fifth wheels is comparing apples to oranges. There are enough SIGNIFICANT differences in construction and in equipment that a "one to one" comparison just can't be made. You can compare floorplans (some are similar) you can compare furniture (both models have the same color selections) you can compare air conditioners (Montana has two, HC has one is a heat pump in the Montana, both are heat pumps) you can compare refrigerators (both can be ordered with a residential or RV type refrigerator). After those similarities, the floor is constructed differently (solid floor in Montana, sandwich floor in HC), the leveling system is different (hydraulic in Montana, electric in HC), the slide mechanisms are different, axles are different, wheels/tires are different, pin box is different, 12" frame on Montana, 10" or 12" frame on HC (depending on length of trailer), Load Range G tires on Montana, LRF tires on HC, fiberglass front/rear caps on Montana, fiberglass front/conventional FILON rear on HC, Road Armor suspension kit on Montana, More-ryde CRE 3000 on HC, Wet bolt kit on Montana, not available on HC.

There are many similarities, but there are some significant differences. I'd suggest that it is a bit naïve to compare them just because they both say "Montana" on the front cap. They are two entirely different trailers built with significantly different construction techniques.
Not comparing them that way, Inknow they are different....

I am wondering do I spend less money and go for a MHC which will not last as long or cost as much then how much $ would I have to put in it to say bulletproof it????


Or do I spend more knowing the Montana is built better with better components and will last longer?

Main question I am curious to know is which unit seems to have more issues? I see tons of Montana’s around and talk to ppl who have owned them for years and are very happy. I talk to dealers about pricing and it is a nightmare to get a decent price on a unit.

MHC are priced way less so if I buy one how much will I lose in 3-5 years which is the length I plan to keep this next model.

I am more or less interested to see how many issues MHC have had verse a Montana owner, I think the Montana will hold up better so we are leaning towards a 3160 but man what a pita negotiating a price for one especially that they have been discontinued dealers want a ton of $ for them and won’t budge.
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Old 01-07-2018, 05:46 PM   #36
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You can go to the NADA guides: http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs and do some comparisons of 3,4 or 5 year old trailers to see what the average retail is for each model. The original MSRP is listed with each model, so you can easily compute a "percentage of loss" for each trailer. That will give you some idea of how much each depreciates in a given period of time. Of course, the "false depreciation" factor will come into play when you consider that virtually NO trailer is ever sold for MSRP, so depending on how much discount you get, the percentage of depreciation will differ from those calculations.

Honestly, for me, I'd be more inclined to get a trailer that I like, with a floorplan that works for me at a price I can afford and I'd not be overly concerned with how much it will be worth 5 years from now. Things change so dramatically (think back to the gas shortage, the energy crisis, the downsizing of RV's). Who knows if we'll even be allowed to tow on public highways in 5 years????? Yes, I know that's an extreme statement, but just because a trailer is a "good investment" today doesn't mean anyone will want to buy it in 5 years, which makes it a complete loss.....

Any time you think recreational equipment, whether it's Ping golf clubs, a Chris Craft "yachet", a snowmobile or a ATV, chances are it'll cost you much more in dollars than you'll ever get out of it in "recreation". We buy them because we want them, not because it's a good investment......

As for which will last you the 5 years? Remember that the least expensive RV that Keystone builds, the Summerland, qualifies for the same 12 year financing that banks lend on the Montana and MHC, so from a "loss perspective" it looks like the banks expect the cheapest to last as long as the most expensive brands from Keystone, otherwise they'd only offer 36 month financing on them.....
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Old 01-07-2018, 07:18 PM   #37
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We are comparing the MHC 305RL to the Montana 3160, love the 6pt Hydraulic Auto Leveling but saving $15,000 getting the MHC 305 just seems to be the smart idea for ppl who camp 30-60 nights per year, doesn’t make sense to upgrade to something in the $65K range but I think the Montana quality is better then the MHC? Do you guys feel the same?

The Montana 3160RL has been discontinued so very hard to find one
This is a subjective question that only you can answer. What is "better" to you? What means "quality" to you? What things are important? What is worth investing an extra 15k? Do you think that paying more means you get better quality; "more"? How much money do you want to spend? How much can you spend? You have to do your homework; look at and feel the potential candidates; look for what you think is "quality"; look for what you think is important and what it's worth to you. The folks on this forum cannot possibly answer these things for you. It is a personal decision you have to make; preferably by eyes and hands on the potential units. I wouldn't EVER buy anything based on what someone thought was great or a great buy without seeing it, touching it, feeling it and trying it out.
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Old 01-08-2018, 04:15 AM   #38
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Wicked1, if you pay about 62K for a Montana tomorrow at a big RV show and keep it five years the worth of that RV will be about 29K at that point. That in itself is running you $18 per day just for the ownership. Let's add in the 5-9% your broker could have been earning on your 62K. That's about $10-12 per day in earning power that you are throwing away. If you have to finance this beast rather than paying cash you are REALLY up the well know creek. How about I only lightly mention your new F350 Platinum, hitches, storage fees, insurance, tools, appurtenances, (those are high), maintenance.....
Fun costs money. A friend once told me that if I knew how much fun actually costs I wouldn't go there.
Take all this into consideration before you buy something. Yes, even before you buy that new Chevy Tahoe that sweet baby thinks she "needs."
I've got to bring this to an end because I've depressed myself so much I'm ready to sell everything and move into a Motel 6.....
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Old 01-12-2018, 04:21 PM   #39
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We've had our HC for 2.5 years and we love ours. Minimal issues and the ones we had are probably the same things with any RV. I am very happy with the way the fifth wheel tows compared to a TT. The 4 pt auto level works great and wouldn't be without one going forward.
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Old 07-07-2018, 04:15 PM   #40
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It has been several years since we last looked at the HCs but unless they have made a major improvement, would not waste money on one. The interior trim falls off in many places. Worst feature is that the slide floors, when extended, do not match the permanent floor, creating a lip that is very easy to trip over. Look at the Montana floors and compare; huge difference.
Our HC floors match the floor perfectly. No trim falling off on ours either.
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