If you could change one thing.....

[Murphsmom]

There are any number of things that I would change now that we have made several trips in the trailer. Whoever decided that the heat vent should be right under your foot when you step through the bathroom door should have to try living in this model for a couple of weeks. Likewise, whoever designed the "walk-around" bed should try changing the sheets on it a few times. You have to crawl up onto the bed to put on the fitted sheet. Then the bottom of the wardrobe cabinet jabs you in the back.

We have already ordered a custom dining table to take the place of the U dinette. The storage compartment under the window will be removed and the table will be big enough to seat four adults comfortably without knocking into that spring loaded table leg apparatus.

We do like the extra space that we have now. There is room to set up the dog kennel at night and still move around.

[Festus2]

Has anyone who has "just one thing they'd like to change" ever contacted Keystone with their suggestion(s) for improvement?

It would be interesting to see (a) if Keystone would take the time to respond; and (b) if they do, what their response would be. Many of the suggestions found on these 5 pages make perfect sense and would, if they were implemented, result in a more livable RV with fewer annoyances to have to put up with.

Some of the suggestions would cost $$$ and most likely will fall on deaf ears but others seem to involve very little if any cost.

Forum members can't make the changes you are suggesting but Keystone can. Would any of you who have made a recommendation on "just one thing they would like to change" take it beyond the forum to where it just might be considered?

[Linda725]

Originally Posted by Murphsmom

There are any number of things that I would change now that we have made several trips in the trailer. Whoever decided that the heat vent should be right under your foot when you step through the bathroom door should have to try living in this model for a couple of weeks. Likewise, whoever designed the "walk-around" bed should try changing the sheets on it a few times. You have to crawl up onto the bed to put on the fitted sheet. Then the bottom of the wardrobe cabinet jabs you in the back.

We have already ordered a custom dining table to take the place of the U dinette. The storage compartment under the window will be removed and the table will be big enough to seat four adults comfortably without knocking into that spring loaded table leg apparatus.

We do like the extra space that we have now. There is room to set up the dog kennel at night and still move around.

I am new to the forum and found this thread particularly interesting. I couldn't help but laugh when I read your post about changing the sheets. Every time I make the bed in our 21RBS I am grateful that I am tall and somewhat limber, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do it.

We are going to take the dining table, remove the spring loaded leg apparatus and turn it around. We find it almost impossible to sit at the table with it the way it is from the factory. Maybe no one there ever sat at the table.

There are a couple of things we would change...

-The bars for hanging clothes are so low that all the shirts drag across the bottom of the wardrobes. I guess being tall is a drawback on this one.

-Our trailer is equipped with the gas grill stand attached to the back bumper. The gas line is located under the trailer by the spare tire. This is another time being a contortionist would be good. Then the gas hose on the grill is so short that you can't swing the grill stand around to stand under the awning and cook. We now carry a spare gas bottle to attach to the grill making it much more user friendly and portable.

-There is nothing to hang a hand towel on in the bathroom. We bought a hook similar to the other hooks to hang next to the sink.

Otherwise loving the new camper!

Linda

[Rick1959]

Wish I could jerk the noisy Dometic refer out and replace it with a Norcold.

[Kristi]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Has anyone who has "just one thing they'd like to change" ever contacted Keystone with their suggestion(s) for improvement?

It would be interesting to see (a) if Keystone would take the time to respond; and (b) if they do, what their response would be. Many of the suggestions found on these 5 pages make perfect sense and would, if they were implemented, result in a more livable RV with fewer annoyances to have to put up with.

Some of the suggestions would cost $$$ and most likely will fall on deaf ears but others seem to involve very little if any cost.

Forum members can't make the changes you are suggesting but Keystone can. Would any of you who have made a recommendation on "just one thing they would like to change" take it beyond the forum to where it just might be considered?

Would there be a way to copy the thread so it could be emailed to Keystone? I would be willing to find a contact & send it.

[Murphsmom]

We picked up our new table top and have installed it in the trailer. It is now almost twice the original size...the same width it was, but extending the depth from the wall to the edge of the bench. There is room to set the table for four and still have room for serving dishes. The back side of the "U" came out simply by removing a dozen screws. The carpet and paneling were installed before the frame for the seat, so there was nothing to repair or replace there.

While we were talking to the guys at the after market place, two of them said that they were convinced that if the engineers/designers of these RVs were made to take their wives and families on a two week trip in the trailers, there would be a lot of different things done with the designs. They have talked with people at the Keystone plant and made suggestions to them.
__________
2013 Cougar 25RKSWE

[Jca3]

Originally Posted by Rick1959

Wish I could jerk the noisy Dometic refer out and replace it with a Norcold.

I totally agree

[JRTJH]

Rick1959, Your 280 has the reefer in the slide so you're pretty much stuck with the fan noise. The fan was added to the "old style" Dometic refrigerators so they could be adapted to "double side vents" instead of one side vent and one roof vent.

Jca3. Your refrigerator has a side vent and a roof vent, so if you really REALLY don't like the noise, just take the fuse out of the red wire in your lower side vent and it will be a "conventional reefer" without a fan. Except for 100+ temps, you really don't need the fan. Its purpose is only to accelerate air through the top side vent, and since you've got a top roof vent, you're "good to go" without the fan in all but the "hottest temp."

[danimal]

Bigger shower. Former college football player I'm 6'2", 270 (45 lbs. more now than then) with permanant vertigo and arthritis so taking a shower can be an adventure. Maybe an electric awning would be nice but nothing else other than those 2 items.

[Murphsmom]

We have the new table installed and we are ready to go out for the last trip this year. How do I post a photo of it?

[sjturbo]

Quality control! This is not something you generally see from my perspective. Unfortunate but often it is the case that you have to have things repaired or replaced that should have been done during construction. I have never bought a new unit for this reason. But I have rarely had problems with the used units I have bought because someone else had most of them taken care of under warranty.

[airforceret]

This is our 4th camper and with each one, the needs have changed. The popup was great because it was small and economical. That was replaced by a 26 ft travel trailer that we pulled some 68,000 miles visiting almost the entire United States. It was a lightweight at about 5500 pounds but plenty large enough for traveling. That was replaced with a Palomino Slide In Truck Camper... significantly smaller than the TT, but the 8801 is pretty large for a camper and it allowed us to pull a car trailer with the jeep, ATV and mountain bikes. We still have the Palomino, but we've also added the 280RLS Cougar fifth wheel. At 33 feet and 3 slides, this is like a mansion for us!!! It will soon begin revisiting many places we went in the TT, while also exploring new places.

As for changes to the Cougar... what retard came up with water drains sticking out the underbelly with a gob of spray foam around them like a festering sore. Not only stupid, but ugly as well.

And I think the pull out bumper is a neat idea, but I'm having it replaced with a real bumper so that I can pull a small trailer with my ATV and mountain bikes. And maybe a boat from time to time...

Pretty much love everything else... It would be nice if one could get to everything with the slides in, but then we wouldn't have the floorplan we love when the slides are out... it's about give and take I guess!

[outwest]

A drawer in at least one of the night stands, instead of having to lean over the side of the bed, open a door, reach blindly into shelf, and try to not fall out of bed. If not in bed you have to squat down on floor to dig in the shelf. Either way it's a pain.

Why oh why is there an emergency window exit handle poking me at the head of the bed? Especially when there's a door to outside at the foot of the bed!

drain for freshwater tank needs to be closer to side of trailer. Or better yet, a pull valve to drain it like was on Open Range trailer used to have. As it is, I have to crawl under trailer to open it. Great fun when it's muddy out