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08-12-2014, 01:01 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: springfield, il
Posts: 1
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montana high country vs mountaineer
Are there any owners out there who can tell me differences between these two. Have been looking at high countries for lighter weight purposes. Just recently saw a mountaineer and really liked the looks. Which is better and why.
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08-12-2014, 02:01 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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Not much difference that I could tell. Comparing similar floor plans, my wife did not want the split bathroom of the Mountaineer because she lost the linen cabinet.
It seemed Mountaineer has just a bit more kingpin weight than High Country, comparing similar floor plans.
Oh.....now I remember...high country has "HELIUM TECHNOLOGY". Whatever that is. LOL
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2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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08-12-2014, 03:50 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,605
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In my opinion, whichever has a drop style 12" frame is better in my book. I have a 10" frame on my current rig and am somewhat skeptical on frame strength on a 37' fiver. I believe that heavier is better when it comes to fifth wheels. My next rig will have a drop frame (more basement storage) and 12".
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10-15-2014, 04:54 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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Hey All,
We currently have a Rockwood 2603 TT that is for sale. We are wanting to upgrade to probably a Montana High Country 293RK. I talked to my local dealer a few days ago, he said one of the guys in the office just got back from Indiana at a show and told me the High Country and Mountaineer will merge for the 2016 model year. He said they will make 2015 until about the end of the year then they start making the new models.
We have fell in love with the 293RK but didn't plan on purchasing one until early spring or so but now are concerned the model we want wont be available then.
Have any of you heard anything about a merger of these two brands?
Thank You.
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10-15-2014, 05:10 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,997
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If you go to the Mountaineer website, you'll see that all of the floorplans are listed as "STOCK ONLY" meaning they are out of production, no more will be manufactured and what's available at the dealerships and remaining at the factory is all that are available. The Montana High Country only has one model that is listed "STOCK ONLY" so it does appear that their assembly line is still operational with the remaining models.
While the kind of information you're being told is pretty much kept "out of the public eye", there may be some truth to your rumors based on the Mountaineer floorplan stock situation.
Oh, and welcome to the forum, we're glad you joined.
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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10-16-2014, 03:00 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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As already mentioned, if the floor plans are listed as stock only, what is available out there now is all there will ever be. The manufacturers are currently doing model year change over. They are doing dealer shows and taking orders for next year. Those will start rolling off the floors in Nov/Dec.
All of the RV shipping yards are pretty much empty at this point. I have friends who are transporters and they are out of work. The yards are full of guys sleeping in their trucks hoping to get a paying load to get them back home.
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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10-16-2014, 07:02 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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Luckily for us, the 293rk model is new for the 2014 year and is not showing stock only. We were just afraid that we spent all this time trying to find the near perfect floor plan to have it yanked out from under us before we were able to purchase. Looks like we will be fine.
Thanks
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10-16-2014, 09:18 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Onsted, MI
Posts: 8
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Love Our Mountaineer
Happy to hear that your floor plan appears to still be available! We just got our Mountaineer 310RET toward the end of summer. We LOVE it! Our floorplan isn't available in the High Country. So glad we already have it! Our previous 5th Wheel was a Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite. It just doesn't compare to the Mountaineer. May you have many happy travels ahead of you!
Paul and Donna
2014 Mountaineer 310RET
2014 F-350 4 x 4 Diesel
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10-16-2014, 11:36 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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In my many emails to our selling dealer I mentioned that I haven't seen any new High County's in their inventory. I asked if they were discontinuing the HC. He said no, that they had a lot of them on the way. Of course the salesman didn't volunteer that the Mountaineer was discontinued.
If you do get serious about the HC, you may ask the salesman about the shower door latch. Be curious if they will warranty those glass shower doors when the latch lets go and they shatter glass all over the bathroom. Also the left (highway side) bedroom closet door latch is poorly designed. The clear plastic latch/strap on the floor is angled wrong. I caught mine loose before the mirrors shattered.
A pool noodle or some wood trim in the tracks will keep both of them from letting go. I plan to question my dealer as to when they will have a "fix" for both issues.
I would advise you present the same question before you buy.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
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2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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10-17-2014, 03:20 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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If you plan to take delivery in early spring be aware that the trailer will likely be stored on a salted lot and when delivered may be towed on salted roads. The dealer is supposed to clean them but you may have to spend some time on it yourself.
Just me, I would either buy earlier or much later.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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11-03-2014, 08:27 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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We changed our minds after looking at our local dealer and ordered a Montana High Country 305RL from RV Wholesalers. Should pick it up around Christmas or New Years. Cant wait!
About the shower latch, the 2015 models have a little silver latch that holds the shower doors open. Is this the latch that breaks, or did the early models not have a latch at all?
Are you talking about the bedroom closet door with the little clear plastic strap with a snap on it to hold the door?
We will definitely watch for these two issues when picking it up. Thanks
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11-03-2014, 11:03 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NotyetMHCowner
We changed our minds after looking at our local dealer and ordered a Montana High Country 305RL from RV Wholesalers. Should pick it up around Christmas or New Years. Cant wait!
About the shower latch, the 2015 models have a little silver latch that holds the shower doors open. Is this the latch that breaks, or did the early models not have a latch at all?
Are you talking about the bedroom closet door with the little clear plastic strap with a snap on it to hold the door?
We will definitely watch for these two issues when picking it up. Thanks
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Congratulations! You should really enjoy the HC.
The shower latch: Yes the silver latch. Mine hasn't broken, it apparently just doesn't stay latched. I really don't know what happened but I found one of the shower doors shattered. Right now I'm using 1 inch wood corner trim (like angle iron) in the bottom door tracks to be sure the doors don't move if the latch fails. I'm assuming the latch failed, not that we didn't latch it.
The closet doors: I just discovered that both of my doors won't stay latched. I have a wooden dowel behind the right door to keep the left door in place. And now I have a piece of wood (surveyors stake) in front of the left door to keep the right door in place. I think the clear plastic straps need to be at more of an angle to secure the doors.
If I were you I would take some foam pipe insulation or pool noodles with you when you go to the dealer. Cut them to fit before you drive off. I would definitely talk to the dealer about warranty covering any damage if they do break. You may even get the service folks out there and look at the straps and see what they say.
Also, the under mounted spare tire is very low. I had to use some wooden boards to drive over to get the trailer up my driveway. I have since put the spare on the paper thin bumper. I had to fabricate my own spare bracket to get enough height to prevent that from bottoming out.
I have about 18 inches of clearance below the rear bumper.
'
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
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2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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11-08-2014, 05:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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How exactly would I use the pool noodles for the shower and closet doors? I will definitely get some before we go to pick it up just want to know what to do with them.
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11-09-2014, 05:59 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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Split the pool noodle or large pipe insulation and fit it over the bottom tracks of the shower door. You just want something to prevent the doors from slamming back and forth when the latch lets go.
The closet doors you may have to experiment with. Maybe small diameter pipe insulation cut to fit in the tracks. You may have to put a towel over them to hold them in place.
I throw the bath mat over the wood in the shower tracks.
If anyone else has a suggestion I'm open.
I've talked to 2 other owners that this is happening to.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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11-13-2014, 04:39 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: AZ
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NotyetMHCowner
We changed our minds after looking at our local dealer and ordered a Montana High Country 305RL from RV Wholesalers. Should pick it up around Christmas or New Years. Cant wait!
About the shower latch, the 2015 models have a little silver latch that holds the shower doors open. Is this the latch that breaks, or did the early models not have a latch at all?
Are you talking about the bedroom closet door with the little clear plastic strap with a snap on it to hold the door?
We will definitely watch for these two issues when picking it up. Thanks
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Congratulations! We are full timers and plan to upgrade from our Cougar 278rks to either the High Country 293rk or 305rl. We also hope to make our purchase through an RV wholesaler after the first of the year. Curious as to why you decided on the 305rl over the 293rk? Any help in our decision-making process is much appreciated.
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11-13-2014, 07:17 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,034
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My wife thought the 305 had more usable countertop than the 293rk. I liked the 293 specs better, but....
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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11-14-2014, 06:33 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Naples,Fl
Posts: 110
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We really liked the 305 RL but couldn't get the price down to what we wanted on a unit that had to be ordered. They gave us a price on a new 2014 318 re that we couldn't turn down.
__________________
Me The wife of 54 years
And an old cat
2007 Chevy 2500 HD 6.6 Duramax
2014 Montana HC 318 RE
B&W Turn over with companion
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11-15-2014, 06:50 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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We wanted the 293 because of the slides being only on one side and giving a bigger awning (20') to sit under. Also that it was the shortest one (32' 11"). But after stepping into the 305, the huge floor plan was nice. The doors are in the same place on both campers with the 293 have about 4 more feet of awning towards the back end. After looking at it, we realized we would not use that 4 feet of awning for much of anything. Also, the 293 is rear kitchen and while cooking outside, we would be walking through the living room and a lot further to bring things in and out. The 305 has the door right beside where the kitchen is. The 305 is also just 1 foot longer (33' 11").
We would have definitely bought the 293 that night that we ordered had we not drove to the nearest dealer to look at a 305. We almost made a big mistake. We would have loved the 293, but the things we thought were pros over the 305 for us, really were not.
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11-15-2014, 06:56 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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We agree about the counter space as well. We thought the 293 had more space, but after looking at the 305, we felt that it has more usable space. For instance somewhere to put the coffee pot. The 293 would have to have it on the right of the sink which is the only place that has uninterrupted counter (the sink with covers in the middle and the stove with covers on the left). The 305 has counter space beside the pantry on the right after walking through the door. The website floor plan does not show it well, but there is pretty good counter space there, as well as the island and the stove area.
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11-19-2014, 04:40 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Clinton, Tn
Posts: 270
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I got a message earlier today from RVWholesalers that said our unit would be coming off the line Mid March! And that it would have a King bed instead of the Queen.
I called them when I got home (that guy had already went home) and the guy I talked to said he didn't have any notes about my unit. He said mid March cant be right because they are only going out to about the first of January right now. About the King bed, he said they just made some mid year changes and it could very well have a King instead of a Queen. I was concerned about overall length changing as well. I will call back tomorrow morning and find out what is going on.
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