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Gaffer222
03-23-2014, 09:39 AM
Looked at the Keystone Outback Terrain today at Flagg RV in Uxbridge MA. Until this rear bed slide unit we have been looking at queen bed/ bunks and dinette slide units under 28' We also looked at the North Trail 240BHS today.

Overall the family and I like the Terrain best from all the units we have looked at so far. The wife really likes it and said she was good with buying this model if it's what I want. Interior roominess and storage is better than anything in this length camper we have seen. Having the queen bed and dinette slides really opens up the floor space.

My concerns are:

- Very limited outside storage and that alone may be a deal killer. Not sure where we put all the outside stuff? Only outside storage is in the back behind the spare tire and it's not very deep. Anyone have any ideas how to get past this issue please respond.

- There is no outside vent for the stove hood, only a charcoal filter. This is strange to me as we use our stove vent all the time. There is a roof vent in the kitchen area and maybe adding a fan in the vent will work?

- Construction quality compared to the North Trail was lacking in areas. The sidewalls, ceiling etc are rock solid in the North Trail but the Terrain has a bunch of flex and vibration when I bang on it. Seems like Keystone cut some corners since they separated these units from the Outback lineup.

- DD #1 does not like the fact there is no window in the bottom bunk. The bike door is there but no window. I believe(not sure)The Outback version had a window in the bike door. Top bunk has a window.

- Dump drain/valves are up near the front so we would be using 20' or more of hose at most sites.

- You can tell this particular unit was towed in the winter salt as there is a ton of rust and corrosion on the under carriage, suspension etc. Need to avoid a unit with this issue if possible!!!!!

Please respond with comments and suggestions

J&A
03-23-2014, 03:39 PM
- Very limited outside storage and that alone may be a deal killer. Not sure where we put all the outside stuff? Only outside storage is in the back behind the spare tire and it's not very deep. Anyone have any ideas how to get past this issue please respond.



I can see a couple of your concerns around storage. There are two storage doors in the front (bicycle and std), is it pass through storage? If not, that would be an issue for me. Also, can you fully open the rear storage door with the spare tire in place? It look like it would be difficult to store large objects with the tire in front. Depth can be deceiving from that perspective. Is it wall to wall though?




- DD #1 does not like the fact there is no window in the bottom bunk. The bike door is there but no window. I believe(not sure)The Outback version had a window in the bike door. Top bunk has a window.



She'll remind you of this every camping trip until she no longer cares to go, and thereafter until the end of time. She'll tell your grandchildren how selfish you were/are and how miserable she was without a window in her bunk, and how DD#2 used to laugh at her because her bunk had a window and it was better. Not to mention the conversation about who must be your favorite.

This, my friend, is a deal breaker to me. I don't like to hear nagging when we go out, much less to have sour campers in the trailer. The RV experience is supposed to bring people together.

(Sorry, this one was to good to pass up!:D )

I haven't had experience with your other concerns but I'm sure others have and will help out. You're doing the right thing by researching, asking questions and listening.

Good luck with your decision!

JRTJH
03-23-2014, 03:51 PM
You state a concern with the amount of storage and that the only outside storage is on the rear, pretty much behind the spare tire. Have you considered how much more difficult it will be to get into that "small storage area behind the spare once you extend the bed and try to crawl on your knees under it to get your grill? or your ??? That would be a major concern for me. Couple that with the daughter who is unhappy because of a lack of a window and I'd be looking at alternatives. They are out there, you've just got to keep looking until all the concerns are resolved. This one may well not be the right one.

Gaffer222
03-23-2014, 05:12 PM
I can see a couple of your concerns around storage. There are two storage doors in the front (bicycle and std), is it pass through storage? If not, that would be an issue for me. Also, can you fully open the rear storage door with the spare tire in place? It look like it would be difficult to store large objects with the tire in front. Depth can be deceiving from that perspective. Is it wall to wall though?




She'll remind you of this every camping trip until she no longer cares to go, and thereafter until the end of time. She'll tell your grandchildren how selfish you were/are and how miserable she was without a window in her bunk, and how DD#2 used to laugh at her because her bunk had a window and it was better. Not to mention the conversation about who must be your favorite.

This, my friend, is a deal breaker to me. I don't like to hear nagging when we go out, much less to have sour campers in the trailer. The RV experience is supposed to bring people together.

(Sorry, this one was to good to pass up!:D )

I haven't had experience with your other concerns but I'm sure others have and will help out. You're doing the right thing by researching, asking questions and listening.

Good luck with your decision!

Very funny LOL. DD#1 (11 years old)came to me said she likes the camper and wants us to buy it. She said she made a deal with DD#2 (9 years old) that they would switch bunks every other trip.

The spare is on a hinge and swings down to allow access to the rear storage which is wall to wall but not very deep. Since I posted I did realize I forgot there is a very small(maybe 2.5 to 3') outside storage at the front. Access door is forward of the first entry door. This is under the bunk wardrobe and is maybe 1.5' deep. Not much room in there. There is no pass through storage. The bunk door opens up on the other side of the TT. You can swing the bottom bunk up and store bikes or whatever. This area is open to the inside of the TT. We would use this for bikes. If we did not use it for bikes, we could partition the bottom of the lower bunk and that would solve the storage issue. We could even open up the wardrobe wall and make it a pass through. Maybe we could put a bike rack over the A frame and storage problem solved?

Here is a picture of the wardrobe, the lower section is where the outside storage is. You can also see under the bunk open to the TT. Second pic is with the bunk up and the bunk door from inside.

http://www.rvt.com/photos2/3580/5593580/5593580_10.jpg

http://www.rvhotlinecanada.com/4015/CIMG7788_9594.JPG

J&A
03-23-2014, 08:33 PM
Good to hear your daughters are negotiating the real estate and looking forward to go camping. :)



The spare is on a hinge and swings down to allow access to the rear storage which is wall to wall but not very deep.



So this is helpful because you could leave it down while at the camp ground. Still, to JRTJH's point, you're going to have to crawl under the slide to get stuff...



I forgot there is a very small(maybe 2.5 to 3') outside storage at the front. Access door is forward of the first entry door. This is under the bunk wardrobe and is maybe 1.5' deep. Not much room in there. There is no pass through storage. The bunk door opens up on the other side of the TT. You can swing the bottom bunk up and store bikes or whatever. This area is open to the inside of the TT. We would use this for bikes. If we did not use it for bikes, we could partition the bottom of the lower bunk and that would solve the storage issue. We could even open up the wardrobe wall and make it a pass through.



Thanks for the pictures. The lower bunk can be lifted and the space used as storage. In fact, you would have to remove the bicycles and most large objects stored under the (folded during travel) lower bunk upon arrival to re-configure the lower bunk as a bed. Your storage space management ideas might work but just walk yourself through the process and imagine doing all of this yourself every time you go out and come back.

You may also have storage under the u-shaped dinette seats. Probably accessible by simply removing the cushions and a loose piece of plywood. There are several postings in the mods' section that show how to add or access doors or drawers under the dinette seats.

Another way to figure out how much space will be needed, regardless of the model you buy, is to gather in the garage all the camping stuff you want to take. Take a look at the volumes. Then see what could go in totes, etc. And how much it all weights too.

At the end of the day, there just may be another model out there with a closer fit to your present needs and some room to grow.

Best of luck and keep us posted on your decision!

Gaffer222
03-24-2014, 08:44 AM
Looks like we may pull the trigger and place an order for the Terrain 250TRS. Anyone have opinions on a price to try and negotiate for?

Festus2
03-24-2014, 09:36 AM
If you Google "Terrain 250TRS", you'll probably find numerous sites of both dealers and individuals who may have this particular model for sale. Check around and make note of their asking prices and come up with an "average" asking price and you can work down (approx. 20%) from there. Prices will probably vary from region to region but at least you will have a "ball park" figure from which to work.

Gaffer222
03-26-2014, 02:13 PM
OK so the deal is done and the order has been placed. Thanks for everyone's input/help.

So now what extras do I need to add on. Here is my list so far.

- Dinette slide awning
- Rear bed slide awning - Is this possible?
- Fan/cover in/on the Kitchen vent. Comes with just a vent-no fan
- Cover on the bathroom vent
- New Equal-i-zer hitch, I think the 1k/10k model? I have the 600lb/6K unit on my existing HTT but I don't think that is big enough

J&A
03-26-2014, 04:48 PM
Congratulations on your order. Sounds like family camping days are in your future. May they be many and merry.

Here's a list of aftermarket items we added ourselves to our Outback Terrain right off the gate.

• Foam mattress topers for all beds
• 2 external rain covers for the fan vents
• A bunk bed ladder (Ours didn't come with one. Try to negotiate this as part of you deal, if you can)
• A tongue jack foot (or not if upgrading to an electric tongue jack)
• Battery disconnect switch (Ours didn't come with one)
• 6 Watt Solar 12V battery trickle charger
• TP Holder & Self-Sticking Towel Hooks

A couple of resources that will come in handy to sort things out:

Pre-delivery Inspection List:
http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5129&highlight=delivery+inspection+list

New RV Owner Checklist:
http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9915

Hope this helps. Send pictures when you get it. Good luck and happy camping!

Gaffer222
05-09-2014, 10:27 AM
Just spoke with the Keystone Rep and he said my Terrain should come of the line on 6-12-14. Dealer says they will setup special arrangements for shipping as we placed the order on 3-27-14.

Kristi
05-09-2014, 11:13 AM
Congrats! Bet you guys can't wait!