Picking up new Montana 3854BR this week

[nellie1289]

So picking up a new 2021 Montana 3854BR in bourbon interior this week after selling my 2015 336bhs cougar. Pretty excited about this floor plan and stepping up in quality with the Montana. It even has the onan generator. Unfortunately ordering banks were a disaster, like four months plus and my local dealer has none in pipeline so I am headed to Billings Montana to pick it up. I have been real impressed with the interactions with the dealer there. I have had to wait two weeks for the weather to warm up out there so I can safely bring it back to Oregon. I plan on taking a couple nights to come back so I can get used to it. Anyone have any pro tips on the newer Montana ? I have done a ton of research and watching videos etc and combined with my prior experience in rv’ing I should be ok but looking for advice from the experts here.

[BeagleMan]

WHOA, nellie!! Congrats dude! Great floorplan. That was one of my finalists as I loved that desk/office room. But, DW won out and thats just fine by me. Is it just you? I hope you have many many great times in that unit. You're gonna love it.

We pick up our 3763BP next Saturday. can not wait!!

[nellie1289]

Originally Posted by BeagleMan

WHOA, nellie!! Congrats dude! Great floorplan. That was one of my finalists as I loved that desk/office room. But, DW won out and thats just fine by me. Is it just you? I hope you have many many great times in that unit. You're gonna love it.

We pick up our 3763BP next Saturday. can not wait!!

Yeah thanks. It’s me and the wife mostly we have some kids that are approaching leaving the house. We plan on doing some covid remote working. We also looked at the high country version of this but after a lot of research the Montana features and decor won me over. After you get the big cut off msrp it’s really not that much more expensive. About 10k from the high country 384. Here is a video of anyone interested or the model that isn’t too long. Looking at yours now !

https://youtu.be/FoEMx9mKkgw

[nellie1289]

Wow. That is an awesome floor plan I just watched a twenty min video. What the heck are your going to do with all that rear storage underneath. ! We will have to stay close as we learn more about these units as we start to use them

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

So picking up a new 2021 Montana 3854BR in bourbon interior this week after selling my 2015 336bhs cougar. Pretty excited about this floor plan and stepping up in quality with the Montana. It even has the onan generator. Unfortunately ordering banks were a disaster, like four months plus and my local dealer has none in pipeline so I am headed to Billings Montana to pick it up. I have been real impressed with the interactions with the dealer there. I have had to wait two weeks for the weather to warm up out there so I can safely bring it back to Oregon. I plan on taking a couple nights to come back so I can get used to it. Anyone have any pro tips on the newer Montana ? I have done a ton of research and watching videos etc and combined with my prior experience in rv’ing I should be ok but looking for advice from the experts here.

Well you will really get an idea as to how your 2014 Ram 3500 will preform coming home.
Your prior post stated that your 2014 Ram 3500 SRW Limited less Aisin only had a tow rating of 17,000#, that 5er has a GVWR of 16,900#.
Got the generator, are you looking at W/D also?
Dry pin is 2,940# (17.3%), with generator, batteries, and propane likely about 3,200#. Well if you get halfway to GVWR from dry you will likely be close to 3,400# of pin, on a TV payload of about 4,000#.
Well at least you will coming home, you get to go up the easy side of the Continental Divide and Lookout pass.

I will say nice 5er, just hope you are happy towing with your current TV.

[nellie1289]

Haha. Always appreciate the weight police chiming in. I have thought a lot about picking the trailer that is within my limits. No w/d. It is within my limits. I have had 15000 lb goosenecks to this truck and it will pull any 7-8% grades here like going up the suskiyious or cascades at 65 plus. Not sure what your big concern is with the 68rfe. If it’s gearing and the extra 50 lbs of torque for my model year then fine I’m sure the aisin has got to be worlds better . You got me there. My last fiver was around 12800. I was constantly lifting going up hills and wife telling me to slow down haha.

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

Wow. That is an awesome floor plan I just watched a twenty min video. What the heck are your going to do with all that rear storage underneath. ! We will have to stay close as we learn more about these units as we start to use them

Thank you sir! We really love it. Ohhh, I'll think of something. Been a space planner for most of my retail career, but this will be way more fun to accomplish. DW loved the separation of the rooms, whereas I can be in the Living Area watching the Tide play and she can be in the bedroom on the other TV or in kitchen whipping up some delicious treats for Gameday. The Butler Pantry is awesome. We dividing that. She gets the storage on the left side and I get smaller storage and counter for my coffee, coffeemaker, my cool little Bialetti and my bourbon stash. Should be set up and cozy for UofA vs MS State by 6pm.

[nellie1289]

Like your football spirit. Still waiting on some football around here with our crazy left leaning state. Haha. You must love coffee I have seen multiple posts about how much coffee you will be making in the pantry. Haha

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

Like your football spirit. Still waiting on some football around here with our crazy left leaning state. Haha. You must love coffee I have seen multiple posts about how much coffee you will be making in the pantry. Haha

Ain't that the truth. I have been missing the Ducks. And ya'll don't start until Nov 7? Thats horrible.

Yeah, I love my coffee. I only drink 4 things....Coffee, Sweet tea, Sam Adams/Sweetwater IPA and Bourbon. All I need in this world.

We are big fans of the West, perhaps we can imbibe on some adult beverages given the chance.

[nellie1289]

Originally Posted by BeagleMan

Ain't that the truth. I have been missing the Ducks. And ya'll don't start until Nov 7? Thats horrible.

Yeah, I love my coffee. I only drink 4 things....Coffee, Sweet tea, Sam Adams/Sweetwater IPA and Bourbon. All I need in this world.

We are big fans of the West, perhaps we can imbibe on some adult beverages given the chance.

Let’s get something straight. I hate the ducks. I went to Oregon state. They are the antichrist. Much like auburn. Haha

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

Let’s get something straight. I hate the ducks. I went to Oregon state. They are the antichrist. Much like auburn. Haha

Woops! Go Beavers!!!

[nellie1289]

Well I picked up my Montana 3854BR in Billings Montana and a I am thrilled with it. I love the model, the dealership did a great job with me. The drive back was uneventful, over 1000 miles there were some high winds in the plains of Montana and idaho but the SRW 3500 did great towing it overall and it was entirely sunny dry conditions. I really didn't notice much difference with this behind me from my previous fiver that was around 12,500 fully loaded , all the passes were pulled at 60+ with ease, i did hit 55 on one cause I got cutoff in the steepest part of the grade and had to lift. Frankly the rotating hitch does result in a lot less chucking. I was very pleased with that. There is not issues that i had towing this beast and i felt in total control even with some strong gusts, where i slowed down to like 45 or even slower at times as the big rigs were getting blown all over the place. I rolled the scales it was 3150 on the pin, as I weighed it exactly as I had the truck loaded going out empty and a full tank of fuel. The trailer came in at 15,200 combined with some of my junk in the lower hatch and a few miscellaneous items purchased in Montana Costco, lol. The roads were mostly dry and i averaged 9.3MPG. The worst was around 7.2 mpg into a fierce headwind for about 100 miles. The best was around 12.2 with a huge tailwind coming down the gorge in Oregon.

I was excited to get it home and detail it up in my driveway and get rid of the road bugs and dust, and some water spotting from a lazy dealer detailer. I spent close to 3.5 hours in PDI scouring the trailer.

Much to my chagrin hand drying it today I found a fiberglass crack mid span of the trailer that as about 1" just below the roof drain rail. its not a small crack, it looks like the gutter maybe was screwed on too tight at that spot, I have no idea. It starts at the gutter line and moves down towards the ground in a jagged fashion. I looked at the pictures if took of the unit at the dealership as I camped in their driveway for 2 days. I cant tell if it was there before i left because they are too far away and zooming in is too fuzzy. Now I will have to take it to my local dealer for warranty repair, a total pain, and I am concerned of course how they will fix this on a brand new trailer. I think we have all been there. The unit is cosmetically flawless otherwise, i spent six hours hand washing and drying, and inside is equally good. ON my walkthrough i had literally nothing to complaining about other than some construction dust and again lazy dealer attention to detail. I fixed all that myself.

I have a weeping front right hydraulic jack seal the local dealer will have to fix too, nothing huge there, but the Billing dealer said they will just have to order a new one, it works fine but the seal is weeping.

There is so much to take in when trying to review these beasts during PDI, i thought I scoured it best I could, I have no idea about this little crack I fond on a 12 foot ladder at home. Does anyone have any idea how this will likely be fixed?

Overall the Montana is a great brand, i am so impressed how fancy it is inside and the construction attention to detail is way higher on this unit than my last cougar. The roof sealing and dicor job looks like A+ work.

The Onan generator is so quiet, i ran it while parked for a few hours resting and its really just white noise, so nice!.

I sprung the the Furrioun 5" backup camera. I have to say its worthless, when working, its fine, but the signal is just too far back it goes in and out and is totally frustrating. I have no idea what the max range is. Would curious on others experience.

[wiredgeorge]

Your description of the location of the crack doesn't say much to me as I am not familiar with the trailer. I probably don't have a clue anyway but there are smart people on this forum and if you took a pic of the location to show context someone might be able to take a stab at it. I have seen a lot of campers cracked adjacent to a bedroom slide out and it turns the frame was cracked and that caused a crack in the filon. When I look at campers (I can't afford) I have actually seen this crack on quite a few being sold that have the bedroom slide (east/west bed in the slide).

[BeagleMan]

Very glad you made it home, dude. Quite an adventure you have been on. I actually envy you. We take possession of our3763BP this coming Thursday and I wish I was driving it home but we are having it delivered to the campsite. I am trying to figure out if I want to follow it home or let them be on their way and just trust them. Think I may follow, just in case. Would love to see the pics of it all cleaned up and I have no clue and I am very sorry that you found a "crack". Hopefully it is not that big of a deal and get you suited up and taken care of soon. Many happy miles for you from the southern sector.

AC

[nellie1289]

Here is the crack, it is about mid span, away from any slides, as high on the coach as possible, just under the roof rail. Sorry its sideways I tried forever to get it flipped. They are also in my forum pics if you click on my name

[BeagleMan]

Absolutely gorgeous rig! Good job on getting that puppy in your driveway. Looks a little tight there.

Hope you will be fine on the crack. Nothing that some spit and bubble gum can't help.

[nellie1289]

ha lots of experience from the last one and this ones rear end is higher so less stress coming in over the sidewalk. Thankfully live on a culdesac so easy to drop it in our driveway for a few days

[BeagleMan]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

ha lots of experience from the last one and this ones rear end is higher so less stress coming in over the sidewalk. Thankfully live on a culdesac so easy to drop it in our driveway for a few days

Good deal. I have a feeling I will have lots of practicing to do to get that good.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by nellie1289

Here is the crack, it is about mid span, away from any slides, as high on the coach as possible, just under the roof rail. Sorry its sideways I tried forever to get it flipped. They are also in my forum pics if you click on my name

Is the discoloration around the crack a reflection or where someone used a buffer?

If it were me, that trailer would already be back at that dealership and my lawyer would be on speed dial.

Two choices... new trailer or my money back immediately.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Javi

Is the discoloration around the crack a reflection or where someone used a buffer?

If it were me, that trailer would already be back at that dealership and my lawyer would be on speed dial.

Two choices... new trailer or my money back immediately.

I am pretty much in agreement with Javi, rain is coming and that is a decent sized crack.