First Fifth Wheel.....Cougar....

[Elstonian]

Hello, yesterday we went to our local dealer after a week of searching the net for the best price and we will soon be the owners of a 2013 Cougar 324RLB....my question is does anyone out there have any input on things to watch out for when we do our walkthrough in a couple weeks, or any problems you have encountered since owning this model.....we are upgrading from a 2011 Jayco 23j hybrid and I'm kinda concerned about all the negative things I've seen with Keystone not backing their warranty issues.....




2011 Jayco 23j
2006 GMC Sierra 2500 (gas)

[Festus2]

Elstonian -
First, welcome to the forum ..... Secondly, we have a Pre-delivery Inspection Checklist which you can view and download by going to the Keystone Questions section of the forum. At the top of the list, you will find a sticky with the same name. While not specifically related to Keystone products, it does provide you with a fairly comprehensive list of things to look for when you do your walk through at the dealership.

I can't comment on that particular model and we have had no big issues with our '08 Cougar - some minor ones that did not occur during the warranty period.

Some time ago, we did a survey of Keystone members and asked them if they would buy another Keystone and just over 90% said they would even tho many had some minor issues. Regardless of manufacturer, you will find that they all have their faults - none are flawless - but I think you will find that most members here feel that they are getting good value for the money.

Hope this helps and good luck with your purchase.

[therink]

The baseline for a positive owner experience starts with a hands on and thorough PDI performed by you before you sign the ownership paperwork. A good PDI should take 3-5 hours depending on your experience and dealership cooperation. Do not sign or drive off until all items are adjusted or repaired to your satisfaction. This may also save a trip or two back to the dealer for nuisance items that are all part of pre delivery process.
Do a search for PDI on this forum and you will find a PDI form to guide you through the entire process.
Good luck.
Steve

[Kristi]

congrats on your new cougar, enjoy!

[Dhuhn]

I wouldn't be to concerned there are a lot of satisfied keystone owners, as they said make sure you go over pdi inspection list and take your time going through your new rig and have everything fixed to your satisfaction before you sign.
In this forum you will see a lot of neg but you don't hear a lot of the positive, people tend to only post when they have something wrong. I myself would not hesitate to buy another keystone RV. I have nothing but good to say about them.
Congrats on the new rig and may you have many enjoyable trips in it

[jeff327res2013]

Make sure you have them turn on the tv and check remotes.3 weeks later and my tv remote is defective. They were missing the cap on the drain for the grey water and black. The led light at the hitch is staying on but they have offered to come to me and fix. The walk thru took way too long due to them installing the missing tv approx. spent 3 hrs there. If someone was spending over 30 grand with me I would have checked it prior to them arriving.

[Love2camp]

and congratulations. A good dealer can make a everything a lot easier, now and in the future. We purchased ours from our local Camping World and on our PDI we had a few items noted to be taken care of. When we returned a few days later to pick it up, all of the items were to our complete satisfaction. Also when we did need warranty work they were very helpful, thorough and fairly quick with the repairs. This is our second Keystone product, and will likely not be our last. Good luck.

[suza]

A good PDI is important. However, no matter how much time you take and how thorough you might be, you will still find things that need adjustment. And you still need to test operations in an "actual use scenerio", not just while the unit is sitting on the lot. Our dealer invited us to return after our first trip out and we accepted his invitation. This is also a good time for asking questions that you might not have during the initial PDI and revisit operational instructions that usually don't make much sense until you experience them.

Most of the issues we had were cabinet related - doors out of alignment - and easily resolved. Our free-standing table/chairs was wobbly (dealer replaced stripped screws and repositioned slightly so they would hold) and the microwave door laminated glass was separating (dealer ordered us a new microwave and had it installed within 2 weeks). There was a tiny chip in the enamel on the cooktop (dealer replaced entire top) and the laminate trim on the edge of the bathroom vanity was loose (it was reglued and caulked). All plumbing, electrical, mechanical, etc are working fine. Make sure you test both running on battery and on shore power and the water system with electric pump and city water hook-up. And don't forget to try out the AC/heat as well as the fridge/freezer (check with thermometer) on both electric and propane.

Of course, water leaks from rain might not be apparent until your RV has weathered its first good storm and some problems might surface after the initial tow home or first trip out. Any good dealer will make these types of repairs for a reasonable amount of time after delivery. Ask about their policy and, if there's any doubt about the dealer's integrity, get an assurance in writing.

We have had our 2014 Cougar 279RKS for just over a month now and have had her out twice. We are extremely pleased with the Cougar and our local dealer service. Staff are all very nice and care for their customers. When we were in for the first service, there was a couple just passing through, with no appointment, who were having a problem with their small motorhome. They were given the same treatment I believe they would have received if they had purchased the MH from the dealer.

[Elstonian]

Well we brought her home last weekend, everything seemed fine then I noticed that the carpet under the ent. center and all around the corner of the back bath was wet, my husband had to call the dealer because the control panel wasn't working and I had him ask if they had maybe shampooed the carpet,they said no, but when we first arrived for our walkthrough they were pressure washing the unit, well it seemed to me that the wet was close to the wall and only came out about 5", I think that when the slides came back in the water was still on top and it drained onto the carpet as we travelled, by Sunday the carpet felt almost totally dry and it had rained all weekend with no sign of getting wetter, so that mystery is solved...I hope. We are enjoying the new camper and I hope that we don't have to make any trips for service any time soon.............

[SAABDOCTOR]

HI AND ENJOY THE NEW CAMPER. No need to repeat the excellent advice from festus2. We have had 3 Keystone products. none were perfect all were great campers. as others have stated,I too would buy another if I needed to.

[Kalico Daxx]

I certainly don't have the experience level as some of the others in the forum, but I just got my second Cougar. I have nothing bad to say about this one or the one prior. I found the minor issues/needs/etc after my first maiden voyage. The first trailer I took back after a month and the dealer addressed the issues rather painlessly. (minor adjustments, latches, loose fender flare and the like) The new one has to go in for a shower floor issue and minor adjustments on the door latches. That's just routine I think-a shakedown if you will. AS far as Keystone and Cougar models go, I am really pleased after all my research. Enjoy!