Montana High Country Fifth Wheels

[West Michigan Traveler]

Those of you that have or have had a Montana High Country fifth wheel, what are your impressions as to quality, how they pull and problems you may have had with them? Another question I have is do the electric levelers work well? I was looking at the Montana 3711 FL, but now I am considering the High Country 374 FL. I liked the hydraulic leveling system on the 3711 FL.

[gnirwin]

The only issue I have is when people buy them and expect the camper to be on par with the more expensive Montana's and Alpines. Lighter, unfortunately when it comes to campers usually means cheaper. When I bought my Alpine last year It was after a 2 year search and study. What I saw was basically 4 types of 5th wheels. The ulta expensive $100,000 plus, the high priced 60,000 to 80,000 ( these include the Montana's, the Alpines etc.), the medium priced ones (Montana high country) and the budget models. We all have our limits of what we can spend or want to spend. We need to keep things in perspective as to what we are getting too after our purchase. A Montana High Country is not going to make someone happy if they are expecting the comfort and quality of a Mobile Suites $120,000 rig and this is what I often see on people's posts. If your plans are weekend camping and maybe a couple week stay in it a few times a year it's probably the perfect camper for you, as long as you know it's limitations. If your plans are spending a month or 2 and maybe some traveling then one of the upper 2 types I mentioned are where you need to be. And of Course if you want to full time I personally would not recommend the High Country. My opinions of course.

[gearhead]

I agree with most of the above. We have done trips right at a month in ours. No issue if we wanted to go a couple more months. We just like our home a lot more than our trailer.
We had some small trim issues but the biggest issue was with the Dometic refrigerator. It worked itself to death and crystalized the cooling system on the first trip. I assume that is the same Dometic that is in many RV's. Not a Keystone issue. I added a 5th Airborn pin hitch. It softened the ride a good bit. The electric levelers work good. I have had no issues with them.
Most of our trips are long pulls for 2-4 weeks. We don't do very many close to home.
No it's not a Mobile Suites.
I don't think I would buy one this time of year. Good chance it was delivered on salted roads. I doubt if most dealers will do much of a job cleaning it off. Mine didn't. Watch the label on the drivers side for manufacture date.

[Barbell]

I have to agree with most of the above. We bought our Montana just under 4 years ago after looking for 2 years. We went back several times to look at the HC but what sold us on the Montana is how the slide floors match the permanent floor, while in the HC, they don't match at all. Tripping hazard for us old people. Also lighter does mean cheaper and not just price but in build quality. We spent more on the Montana and the truck to pull it but would not have it any other way.

[NotyetMHCowner]

We have really enjoyed our High Country. Have stayed up to a month in it without problems and could do a couple more. I wont have the electric levelers again, though. We have a lot of weight in the front; generator, 4 golf cart batteries, washer/dryer combo, etc. We have had problems with the front jacks over-amping and cutting off. I have since ran larger wire and a larger breaker and it has helped but not completely. Also, if one jack has to extend more than 2 inches more than the other jack, it wont auto level. This is ridiculous. I thought that is what AUTO level is?! I don't think the hydraulic leveling system does that, plus they have plenty of capacity to lift the weight.

We are planning on full-timing in the next few years and have pretty much narrowed down to the Mobile Suites. But, we have thoroughly enjoyed our High Country. You get what you pay for.

[bsmith0404]

We looked at the HC, Montana, Alpine, Columbus, Big Country, Cedar Creek, Big Horn, Jayco Pinnacle, and Open Range. In the end there were a couple things that sold us on the Alpine, I didn't like the electric levelers on some of the units, I didn't like the storage on some (the drop frame is a huge difference), color combos on others turned us off, some cheep plastic parts such as locks for the closet doors....ect. If you take your time, send 15-20 minutes in each unit, sit down and start looking around, the build quality will start to show itself. Many people do a 5 minute walk through looking at the layout/big items, it's the little things that get missed until you go to use it. Spend the time in them, take some notes and then decide what features are worth paying for.

Another thing we liked about the Alpine is the heat pump, liked it when we were thinking about buying, love it now. We also like how the slide floors level out with the main floor.

As for the trailers now being delivered on salt roads, that is true, but it's hard to know how long it's been on the lot. It could have been delivered in Sept. Ones on the lot in July could have been delivered in Jan. You can ask the dealer when the unit was delivered, hopefully they'll be honest with you. The manufacturer date can help as well, but realistically doesn't guarantee anything. If you go to IN in Jan you will see yards full of RVs that were built in Sept/Oct waiting to be delivered, the yards are empty by April/May. The majority of RVs are delivered on salt roads.

[West Michigan Traveler]

Thanks for the replies. After looking at several different fifth wheels, my preference is the Alpine. Brent I see you have a 2013 3500RE. Does that have the hydraulic levelers? If so are you satisfied with them?

[allmi01]

I just purchased a Montana 3710FL (sister to the 3711FL difference is RV vs residential refer) in October. The Montana is a higher end comparable with the Alpine's. The HC is lighter and a but less high end. It shows in insulation factors, full tie living warranty,and a few other little things that make the HC less expensive.

My Montana has the hydraulic auto-leveling and I love it. Has worked well for me.

Mike

[Dave W]

Ours is a '14 343RL High Country. So far the build quality has been just fine though it for sure is not a $100K unit. Interestingly it was built at least as well or better then our 'premium level' '06 Titanium. Problems have been minimal. Being a 4 slide 5er, we find that we are plenty comfortable in the 38 actual measured feet of living space. Cabinet storage is adequate as we can't begin to fill it up. It has been towed over 18,000 miles very nicely at 65-70 mph behind my F250 though that truck does have the 5er and the camper package so doesn't suffer anywhere but that less then truthful 'B' pillar yellow sticker. We opted to not purchase the self leveling feature as a couple of 2x6 or 8 blocks for a very few dollars works well with the power front legs/rear stabilizers. If I have any complaint about that 5er, it's the ridiculous black finished slide ends that suck heat. As far as full timing - not this 3 season 5er though we have managed to spend 80-90 nights a year in ours and expect this year to be about the same with another 2 lengthy trips planned plus the summer semi-seasonal site

[gnirwin]

Both the Alpine and Montana are nice rigs with many features only better campers have. To name a few: 12" frames, solid wood through out, hydraulic 6 point leveling, heated under bellies and storage compartments, high end suspensions with wet bolts etc. These are also available with full body paint which my Alpine has. You get a pretty nice 5th wheel in the end.

[Banjopicks]

I don't know what you're all talking about. My wife and I bought a 2016 model in October and have been living in it quite comfortablyet. We added a real mattress; better love seat in front of the TV and combo washer. We're loving it and it's 26 degrees outside.

I haven't towed it yet.

[bsmith0404]

Thanks for the replies. After looking at several different fifth wheels, my preference is the Alpine. Brent I see you have a 2013 3500RE. Does that have the hydraulic levelers? If so are you satisfied with them?

Yes it has the Lippert 6 point leveling system and yes I love it. Unhook, pull the truck clear, press the button and about 1-2 minutes later the RV is level and stable. I do add x-chocks, but I don't know that they do much to improve the stability of the 6 point system.

[Artpenny]

We volunteer with the National Wildlife Refuges and have been fulltime for the last two years. Just ordered the High Country 370BR. Couldn't find a suitable floor plan in any of the others.

I have owned a Heartland TT, Forest River toyhauler and a Shasta 5er prior to this purchase. All of them were decent quality & would have lasted awhile with TLC and proper maintenance.

The differences in construction are minimal between the Montana and High Country models. Same 12" beam, R value insulation, heated underbelly, etc.

I've had the Lippert Leveling System on my last two units. Lipperts tech support is excellent. I've had issues with them but I have never had hydraulic legs so I can't compare. They are quite easy to repair/replace, if necessary though.

We plan to full-time for years to come. We may have got the Montana this time 'round but for the floorplans, pretty sure the High Country choice is a proper fit for us.

Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk

[sjdobbins]

I too have the High Country 370BR and must also sing praises for the Lippert Tech support. They will go the extra distance and help you diagnose any possible issue. We had to have the control panel replaced for the Ground Control Level Up system.

[tdawg]

Love my 3535 Alpine the heat pump is great do Montanas have a heat pump?

[JRTJH]

...do Montanas have a heat pump?

The current Keystone RV website indicates the following in the OPTIONS section: •30,000 BTU dual whisper quiet A/C system with heat pump (Mandatory Option)

So to answer your question, yes, dual 15,000 BTU A/C's (with heat pump technology) is a mandatory option. http://www.keystonerv.com/montana/

This has not been the situation in previous years, but was included (I believe) on the 2016 models.

[Jfg]

We just picked up our new high country Montana weds morn a 358bh. after spending 3 years in a heartland 3100rb . We looked at all brands that had the back bunks and settled on the High Country . I spent close to 6 hours going over the rig on three occasions and found only a few cosmetic issues . We took it out this weekend and it worked wonderfully. No surprises other than pulling it behind my one ton 350 superduty was so much easier than my other one . We made the right choice :)

[Tbos]

We just picked up our new high country Montana weds morn a 358bh. after spending 3 years in a heartland 3100rb . We looked at all brands that had the back bunks and settled on the High Country . I spent close to 6 hours going over the rig on three occasions and found only a few cosmetic issues . We took it out this weekend and it worked wonderfully. No surprises other than pulling it behind my one ton 350 superduty was so much easier than my other one . We made the right choice :)



Congrats on the new rig. Have fun making memories with it.


2016 Passport GT 2810BHS, 2014 Silverado 1500 LT in Deep Forest Green

[ctbruce]

Welcome to the forum from Kansas City, MO! Enjoy your new rig. Congrats!

Chip Bruce, RPh
Kansas City, MO
2016 Fuzion Impact 312
2017 3500HD Silverado LTZ

[Bushed]

I have a 2015 Montana high country 310RE, used it about 30 nights last summer. I had a few issues throughout the first year. I picked it up from the dealer and drove the 5 hours home. Got home and found the wooden valance over the kitchen table pulled out of the ceiling (the screws were just mounted into the fiver board not attached to anything that would hold it) I had the ceiling fan pull out of the ceiling as well and almost fall to the floor. I had a water leak in the shower and another on the kitchen sink drain. I also had the cable bracket for one of the rear slides break off. I just about think that the slides are too large for electric driven cable slides, they do struggle to extend and retract. The 4 point auto level has worked flawlessly. I hope I found all the assembly quirks the first year and will have no troubles this upcoming year. Other wise I love it, great lay out, pulls like a dream. And all the malfunctions I encountered were repaired quickly at the dealer and did not interrupt my camping season. I do not regret my choice of purchase so far.


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[Janet H]

Welcome to the forum :)

[Jime]

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.
2013 F-250 6.7 Diesel 373 gear, short bed, air bags.

[lacofdfireman]

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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[Dave W]

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.

[Fishhawk]

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

[Mat_the_bike]

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.

[Dave W]

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

[CaptnJohn]

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.

[Wicked1]

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.

[Barbell]

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.

[Dave W]

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

[cpaulsen]

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.

[Wicked1]

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

[JRTJH]

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.

[Wicked1]

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.

[JRTJH]

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.....

[sourdough]

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.

[notanlines]

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.....:eek:

[bwright]

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.

[cpaulsen]

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.

[NotyetMHCowner]

I replied to this thread a year and a half ago. We are still planning on full timing in 2022. We had plans to buy a used mobile suites but after much consideration, we have decided to keep our Montana High Country. We just got back from camping a week during the fourth of July and really spent some time looking at what changes we want to make and decided our camper is the one we will use.

I haven't had the leaking and interior falling off problems some have had. Our biggest issues have been with the auto level and the refrigerator. I was convinced to buy a residential fridge and never have a rv fridge again, until I installed the ARP control and the Fridge Fix interior fans. I believe they have completely took care of the problems with this big fridge being in the slide. As for the auto level, after running bigger wire and a bigger breaker for it, I have not has any more problems with it "amping out". It is frustrating that it will not auto level if one of the jacks is more than 2 inches extended than the other one, but luckily I have finally figured that out and add blocks accordingly under the jacks.

We really enjoy our 305RL. I would not want one any longer. We enjoy state parks and national parks and at 35', we are already pushing the length requirements of some places we like to go but still have enough living area to satisfy us during rainy days.

If I had it to do all over again, I would buy a used Mobile Suites for the price I paid for this Montana High Country new. But, we don't want to take the loss of trading and buy something that we don't know anything about. We know all of our issues and how to correct them. I wouldn't spend the money on a Montana though. I don't think the increase in price is justified. One should really take a close look at used high end brands.

[Dave W]

Interestint that folks 'complain' about failing trim. The only one we had fall off really didn't. I pulled it off when I slipped while adjusting the kitchen slide, grabbed it and off it came. I can assure you that will only come off again after removing some screws. One other piece was forgotten when it was built. The dealer on the only warranty trip back added it

[gearhead]

It's been awhile since I posted about out our HC. Thought since this thread was still active I would update out experience.
This is our 2nd 5th wheel and 4th RV. I wish I had chosen a plan that had the dining table and a chair on the curb side so we could see our camp site. We had serious issues with the Dometic RV refrigerator on the first trip that had us out of service for several months. That is fixed as well as possible I suppose, but I have no confidence in it. We had an issue with one of the recliners frame that the dealer repaired. One interior top seal on the bedroom slide ripped off and was repaired by the dealer. I had a wet bolt kit installed by an independent shop; the plastic inserts were worn out. I had a 5th Airborne pinbox installed. The cabinet framing around the trash can in the island failed and was repaired by the dealer. The kitchen slide will jerk terribly if the bottom isn't well lubricated with WD40 Specialist w/PTFE. My dealer searched using my VIN and found no bulletins regarding it, despite me reading that some folks were having rollers installed that were factory authorized. I replaced the brakes with all new self adjusting complete w/backing plate kits. The most recent issue is the recliners "leather" has suddenly disintegrated. We haven't decided how to tackle that.
I suppose what irritates me most is the oxidizing of the filon. I have fought it and fought it but I'm about ready to give up.
All that said, the trailer is serviceable and, knock on wood, we have never been stranded on the side of the road.
We have looked at used "higher quality" 5th wheels with full body paint.
I believe the HC is a decent mid-level RV. Would I recommend it for full time use? No.

[footz1941]

Full timing in a 2018 HC 331RL. Residential refer 4seasons pkg 4 point electric levelers Heat pump in rear AC 2 piece stacked washer dryer. Only problems AC retturn ducts collapsed Easy fix Hepvo valve caused washer to drain out the over hang Sheared a pin while auto leveling c`ausing rf corner to drop about 4 “. Had to put a coax cable plug in the end of the slide out to get satellite tv to work. Great unit for the money

[Pull Toy]

As already mentioned ^^^ the higher end units tend to be a better build. Our 2013 Alpine has been a joy to own. After a few minor issues picked up during the PDI, we have had ZERO issues other than ditching the China Bombs.

The hydraulic slides, and 6 point levelers work flawlessly and take the work right out of set-ups. DW has us out and level, while I am running the water/sewer/electric. Done in no time, compared to the olden days!

Only you can decide your finances, but a little extra $$ goes a long way for a long term purchase.

Good Luck,

[Martin_Duckworth]

We have a 2017 High Country 362RD which we love by the way. Issue we have is the two large roller blinds in the living room/dining room will not roll up. Wondering if there is a way to remove and repair, if so could someone send me instructions and part numbers so I can do it myself instead of having to drag my unit in for the dealer to fix. Thanks in advance.

[CaptnJohn]

Irvine blind will send better parts. Just email.

[travelin texans]

Irvine blind will send better parts. Just email.

Totally agree Irvine Shade has great customer service so I d contact them.

[skids]

(snip)Also, if one jack has to extend more than 2 inches more than the other jack, it wont auto level. This is ridiculous. I thought that is what AUTO level is?! I don't think the hydraulic leveling system does that, plus they have plenty of capacity to lift the weight.



Oh boy, it must be a pain to hook up your equalizer hitch. (Or is this a 5th wheel?)

[NotyetMHCowner]

Yes it's a fifth wheel